[Vernon Stout]

I have a 1966 mustang that looked great when I bought it 5 years ago, but as i have worked on it I have found that the guy who owned it last covered up all the year of salt with bondo. I have finaly decided that the colapsed shock towers, and the 60+% rusted out unibody frame is to far gone for repair. I can spend a whole lot and buy new replacement frame parts, or I can cut off all the old frame and set the body on a real frame rather than a unibody. I know that the mustang has a 108" wheelbase, and a 56" track. Does anybody have a recomendation for a replacement frame. I am thinking about a 1985 Mercury Grand Marquis because it is just a little long 114" and 4" wider that the mustang. I also can get it for $100.00. If anyone has any suggestions or comments they would be helpful. By the way I am a cetified gas pipe fitter, so I thing the structural welding should be a snap.

[TooMany2count]

if you have the skill build ur own frame rather then modify one thats 2 wide. i'd get a M2 kit & then build a 2x3 or 2x4 tube frame. i know there are tech tips out there to build a frame but at the moment i dont have a website 4 you...joe

[OneMoreTime]

I think the first thing is to decide on how the car is to be used..as a street rod/driver..or a windy road corner bender...maybe a prostreeter/drag type car??

Once that is known then the guys here can give some better ideas of what and how to go about building a chassis..

Each type of car has its own unique set of chassis requirements..

Take Care

OMT

[tbirdscott]

Probabally a little much but food for thought anyway

http://forums.stangnet.com/showthrea...8&page=1&pp=40

[Vernon Stout]

I plan on making this car an every day driver that I can take to the track on occasion. I want the car to be safe and handle well. I have only been to the track with other, in a 98 camero. All my previous restores have been back to original. I have restored a 54 and 56 International pickup, and a 76 Chevy pickup. Idealy this car will corner well, get off the line fast and look good doing it. Thanks for all the posts.

[OneMoreTime]

Well being a bit partisan toward the IMSA style cars and the old Shelby Mustangs my suggestion would be to look at the chassis parts from artmorrison.com..

At least go with a Mustang II clip and a 2x4 tube frame..you will more than likely have to replace a lot of the floor pan so just saving the body from the rockers up is probably in order..Either coil overs or coil spring sliders in the rear..

Spending a bit of cash to get the bang for the buck is in order here to make a really good driver..

Love those old Mustangs

OMT

["70" Cougar]

just a thought ... if if you make a new frame .. and sit the body on top of it you have to take in account the ride height. your car will be sitting 2 or 4 inches higher depending on if and how you use your 2 by 4 steel frame toubs. But ya if you can restore another fellow ford then by all means do it cause there's lots of them that have been written off wrongly ! Lots of good luck to ya and keep us posted .
bill

[pmeisel]

Were you thinking of going fast enough to use a cage? A chassis kit from Jeg's or another supplier would run about $600 bucks, and you can do the welding...

[Huskinhano]

You can get all the parts to repair/replace the rusted out frame rails and rebuild it. Personally, I'd stay away from the Mustang II set up. There is nothing that great about it other then being compact. Go to www.corner-carvers.com and see what they have to say! You just don't see the big names making parts for the II set up such as Blobal West, TCP, Maer, ect. This should tell you something. The II is a great set up for drag racing though.

Personally, if I was going to do some sort of front clip swap, one that has my interest but would have to check it out more is the set up from the Tbird/Lincoln LS/ Jag. I'm not saying it's going to fit but it's a modern state of the art. has discs & R&P steering. Worth investigating. Remember the II is based off the '71 Pinto, its a 34 YO ecnobox design.

[GypsyR]

I have visions of old Mustang bodies plopped down onto Bronco 4wd chassis with really big mud tires. Though I know what you mean.
Your body on another frame is likely not a a very good option. Some reasons mentioned above, plus...weight. Your car in stock form weighs in around 3200 pounds. Adding a full frame plus whatever else is needed to weld in to make it fit will have to add an unhealthy amount of of extra weight. Extra weight is a very bad thing on any sort of racetrack.
Likely the easiest way to fix your car is to pick up any of a number of Mustang parts catalogs and start ordering replacement stuff. Exercise your welding skills by replacing parts. I'm not against major modifications of your car, I just think it would be easier you to do stuff that will work with the car's unibody structure. Sure you can weld up a "full-race" tube frame for the thing, but do you know how to design such a thing? I sure don't. There's a guy up in WA state that's pretty darn good at it, but he also happens to be an engineer.
I've repaired the rust on my car, designed my own subframe connectors, put in roll bars, modified the front suspension, etc. By being a welder already, you're one up on me from the start. I have no doubt you can come up with some good ideas, just that a full frame isn't one. Unless you decide you really do want an off road mud-bogging Mustang.