I'm summoning the wiring experts here...

I'm still running the stock starter, it's the extremely large and heavy kind, like all the 1970's Fords carried. So I got this grand Idea that I'd try a ministarter, because mine has a very hard time turning over my engine when one of the pistons happens to be sitting near TDC of the compression stroke, and almost impossible when it's hot. Now as I recall from my counter sales experience, the '95 Mustang Cobra came with either a 302 or a 351w, and they both use a factory installed ministarter with Windsor bolt pattern. So I pulled one off the shelf, busted out the micrometer, and verified the bolt pattern is identical to the one I need, except that the Mustang starter is much, much smaller, and tested much higher on the test bench, putting out over 150 amps as opposed to the *near* 120 that the stock replacement could muster. The difference is, the Mustang starter has a solenoid mounted on it. I have a fender mounted soleniod, and I was thinking about possible ways to wire around this. I am also aware that the later mill has the 52 ounce, externally balanced flexplate, but will the late-model starter actually engage my 28 ounce flexplte anyway? If somebody has done this successfully, please chime in and let me know how you did it. If it's impossible, then please let me know before I do something stupid, like buy a $90 starter that won't engage, and have to slice wires in my best attempt at it! I have full-length headers, so the smaller size will make the heat-related problems much better. Besides, the Duralast starters at AutoZone have a Lifetime warranty, so if it ever goes bad, you better beleive I'll have another free starter at my command!

*Quick story* My buddy that enlightened me to this had a 12:1 compression race engine, he took the same starter I was planning on using, put it in his '88 5.0 'Stang, and he said it turned the engine over so well he thought it was gonna throw the motor out of the car!

'77 F100, 302 (the aftermarket Prodigy), C4
Cadet Second Lieutenant John F. Daly III
South Carolina Corps of Cadets, The Citadel
The TorqueKing

 

Don't know about matching the flywheel gear, you should be able to measure a little more to see if it compares, although measuring and figuring in 3 dimensions can be tough sometimes. I would keep your original solenoid and wiring, and just put a small jumper wire on the new starter, from the heavy wire connection on the new starter to the solenoid on the new starter. Do you have an aftermarket ignition? See if it has the capability of a "spark retard" during starting. Some do, and even the stock duraspark II had a spark retard for easier starting. Of course you will have to add a wire to the ignition box from the starting circuit to take advantage of this feature.

 

I have an MSD 6A, Blaster II, and Street Pro-Billet distrubutor, I've seen the MSD external boxes that have a start retard, but I'm not really worried about it, it starts very quickly when the starter hits it right away. I'll think about what you said about the wiring, I think it should work though, as long as the 52 ounce flexplate doesn't have a different amount of teeth than the 28. Thanks for the help.

'77 F100, 302 (the aftermarket Prodigy), C4
Cadet Second Lieutenant John F. Daly III
South Carolina Corps of Cadets, The Citadel
The TorqueKing