HUUU HUUU HUUUUU! That's what I'm talkin' about. Dang I'm glad this Mustang build is on this thread!

 

Being an air scoop guy from way back, I think a scoop looks good on just about anything as long as it looks good. An a little racy.
Orich

 

I got the valance on today, next job up is passenger floor.

 

Love it Randle. I google imaged 1966 GT350 to get a pic of a lowered Stang so I could kid you about the front (and rear) suspension. But instead I noticed various ones with various factory wheels. Man, do that when you go to pick out the wheels. Depending on what color you're going to paint it the wheels like on your truck has would look Bad Azz with your scoop and spoiler/valance. IMHO.

 

Haven't done anything on it yet, but I just happen to have a full V8 suspension laying on the other side of the shop just waiting for it's turn to get cleaned up. I'm planning on changing it over to 4 wheel disk and lowering it a little when I change it. As for as wheels I'm up in the air on that I'm thinking ether Torq-Thrust or Cragar Eliminator.

 

Seems like I recall Steve (Ultraranger) talking about and providing pics of a upper control arm re-position he had done in the past. As I recall he had a name for it as if early Mustang owners have done it often. this would help you lower the front.

 

Sounds like the Shelby drop. You drop the upper arm 1" and if I remember right move it back 1/8". They claim it helps the handling.

 

Is this it?
DazeCars, Shelby Drop, Klaus Arning drop, upper control arm drop, Falcon, Mustang, Cougar 60-70

 

That's it. Thanks Gavin I just book marked it.

 

Yepper. I think you both got it right.

 

Good Morning Randle, I hope you have a great weekend.

Been awhile since I've checked this thread, I'll have to go back and 'ketchup' on it.

Have you had a chance to check out Maier Racing? I've heard he provides some of the best suspension for early mustangs available. I'm not suggesting you change any of your plans, just thought I'd ask and give you a link to poke through.
Front Archives - Maier Racing

Your car looks great by the way. Like I say I need to go back and get up to date.

 

Morning blue04.5; Thanks for the good works and the link, you can never get to much info. No I haven't looked at Maier Racing site but I have it book marked now, looks like some pretty good info. I do have a V8 suspension, and I know I want to change the brakes, but I haven't dug much past that so far. I still have at lot of metal work ahead, and the more I think about it the more I think of I want to do to it.

 

The upper A-arm modification is known as the Shelby/Arning drop.

On '65/'66 Mustangs, the upper A-arm is dropped down 1" and reward by 1/8". On '67-'70 Mustangs, the arms are just moved down 1" --no 1/8" rearward offset.

It will give you about 1/2" to 3/4" body drop (slightly lower center of gravity) but the main advantage to this modification is it keeps the entire contact patch of the front tires planted onto the pavement in the curves instead of the tires rolling over onto their edges, like they do with the pivot of the upper arms in their stock location. You'll need a 17/32" drill bit to make the new pivot shaft holes in the shock towers.

I did this modification on my '68 Mustang back in the late '80s. I also removed 3/4th of a coil from the coil springs.

I made some 1-1/2" lowering blocks for the rear but, mid-eye or reverse eye rear leaf springs (depending on how much drop you want) would be a better way to accomplish lowering the rear end. Blocks promote more spring wrap up under hard acceleration or hard braking --distance x height of the spring length and placement above the perch on the rear end housing.

'67 Mustang (not mine) I did the Shelby/Arning drop on. --notice those awesome 4-lug front drums. This is a six cylinder (200 cu. in.) Mustang.





New holes below the original holes.


I replaced the 4-lug drums on the '67 Mustang with '75-'80 Granada front spindles/11" 5-lug discs.


....I went a little different direction with my '68 Mustang --massive 13" '94-'04 Cobra Mustang front discs with '01 aluminum twin piston PBR Bullitt Mustang calipers.

 

Thanks for the reply Ultraranger, A couple questions for you, you said you cut 3/4 turn on the spring, about how much overall drop did that give you when added to the Shelby drop. I'm thinking 1 1/2" to 2" is probably all I would want.
The other thing I have the complete suspension from a 65 V8 parts car, but it is worn out, all joints and bearings will have to be replaced. The 64 is a 6 cyl, but right before I bought it, they rebuilt the front end everything, it's as tight as a new car. Besides going to 5 lug is there any other real advantage to changing to the V8 hubs and spinals. I would still have to convert to disc brake on the V8 set, or would I be better off with everything new to use the set that's on it and use the ScareBird set up to change to 5 lug and disc. The car probably want be drove much and it want be drove hard when it is. I got the truck going in June last year and it has 400 miles on it now.

 

Glad if I can help. I got bitten by the Mustang bug when I was 13 (1979). I've had my '68 Mustang since I was 15 (34 years now). I know a lot more about Mustangs than Bumpsides.

My '68 had right at 2" drop.

As you seem to realize, '65/'66 Mustangs got the short end of the stick when it comes to front suspension parts --six cylinder cars don't have the same suspension/steering parts as V-8 Mustangs. Beginning in 1967, six cylinder Mustangs had the same suspension parts as the V-8 Mustangs.

Personally, I think there are better (later model) Ford disc brake solutions for your Mustang than using random parts from multiple auto manufacturers to come up with a disc conversion.

SSBC manufactures a factory style reproduction of the 4-piston Kelsy-Hayes front discs that were used on the '65-'67 Mustangs (bolts to the 'drum brake' style stock Mustang V-8 splindle).

There wasn't a true 'disc brake' spindle until 1968.

Dennis Ginsberg of CSRP offers several front disc brake solutions using all new parts/castings, including the K-H style front discs (cheaper than SSBC), a Granada style front disc brake setup --with new spindle castings that have the correct steering arm geometry built in for installation on a '65/'66 Mustang (their track width is 2" narrower than a '67-'70 Mustang/'75-'80 Granada).

CSRP also offers a front disc brake conversion using '99-'04 Mustang V6/GT twin piston front calipers. They also offer a brand new drop spindle.
CSRP discbrakeswap Mustang Disc Brake Conversion Kits CATALOG

Steve Wilkes (Mustang Steve) also offers several front and rear disc brake conversions using later model Mustang disc brake components.

MustangSteve's COBRA and GT Disc Brake Conversions for classic Ford

Back when your Mustang was made, it was competing on the streets/highways with other drivers who had similar brake systems on their vehicles. Today, even econo-box cars have better brakes. Whether you drive the Mustang a lot or very little, it only takes one time to be caught up in a situation where everyone around you can slow down/stop faster than you can (remember, cell phones didn't exist in 1965). The ability to stop is much more important than the ability to go.

....the Mustang may be passed onto your kids or your kid's kids after you're gone. Build the Mustang with the thought you're building it for them and that you're just going to borrow it from them for a while.