I was wondering if anyone has done any kind of upgrades on their own classic mustangs. I have a '66 that I'm that is going to be a restomod street rod. I want to swap out the drum brakes for disc, but should I just buy a disc brake conversion kit or go find a car that I can pull the appropriate hardware?

Anyone have any experience with Mustang II front suspension being installed on a '66 (or something close to that) Stang? Would teh kit be easier or shoudl I try and part out my friends old Mustang II and swipe the front suspension for myself?

Thanks for any info. This will be an ongoing project that I'm trying to plan out before I get started into it.

There is a guy in South Carolina that makes a Mustang 2 front end thats nice. I've used his stuff a couple of times I like it and he's close to me. If you want the info let me know

What type of use are you planning for the car?

Usually, the MUST II conversion is only considered when dropping something lager that a 351W or C into the engine bay. It requires major surgery and allows elimination of the shock towers. A side benefit is rack and pinion steering.

There are also stock upgrades and aftermarket pieces to tighten the front end.

I have a stock MII crossmember in my 61 Pro street Falcon project. Also I'm getting ready to do the MII swap on my daily driver Falcon. If you want info on how to use the stock MII crossmember contact me at <clouddancer@attbi.com>
The best 60's Ford kits are made by Rod & Custom motorsports in S.C. here is the link
<http://www.rcmotorsports.net/> They've even got a step by step install on the web page.
The best reason for going the MII swap is you get disc brakes in either 9" or 11" or even SS brakes 13", at the same time you get rack & pinion steering and a stiffer front end that works, a side benefit is no shock towers, one point to be made is with "W","C","FE",or 429/460 engines you must use the oil pan for the late model Mustang.
Papabird

the first car i built was a 65 mustang. there are several mods that can be made to the stang without braking the bank. the first one is the lowering of the upper controll arms. where you redrill the attatching holes in the shock tower.

make a template in steel or cardboard with two holes that fit the upper controllarm bolts, then make two small holes in the template that are offset 1 inch downward and 1/8 inch rearward in relation to the car. then mark the pinholes with a center punch on your shocktowers (be sure to flip the template on the opposite side of the car so the holes are ofset 1 inch down and 1/8 inch rearwards on both sides of the automobile)

then drill the holes (i think they are 7/16) and re-attach the upper controll arms and you have a suspension geometry that is upgraded to Shelby GT 350 spec. and it is absolutely free..

its the best upgrade ive ever made to make a car handle better, now it actually goes straight on the highway, and it doesnt understeer when you push it.

While you are at disassembling the front end you could put in some polyurethan bushings, they also help emensly

and lastly here is a link with detailed instructions on how to swap in a mid 80's GM j-car rack and pinion, also without buying expensive kits and so on.

<a href="http://home.pacbell.net/ssixto/automotive/R&P/HowTo.html" target="_blank">http://home.pacbell.net/ssixto/automotive/R&P/HowTo.html</a>

There are basically two other ways to go other than the MUST II conversion.

• First, as stated by deuce_454, is a basic upgrade to a GT-350 steering/suspension.
  
  Lowering the upper control arms as mentioned will give you more negative camber cornering. There are templates available to correctly locate the upper arms (and this modification will work on other FORD cars with this type of suspension).
  
  Replacement of weak stock rubber suspension bushings (control arms/sway bar main and ends/use only rubber on the strut bars!)
  
  You can quicken steering ratio by re-gearing the box and using the old GT-350 pitman/idler arms and using solid connectors at the tie rods ends rather than the flexible sheet metal sleeves.
  
  Of course, sway bar upgrades and wheel/tire combinations will give you the full effect.
• -There- are ways to mount a FORD steering rack under the car without changing the present suspension. But if the origional steering is modified correctly, it will feel as though you have a rack under it.

you can do a granada conversion...or one from mustangsplus.com if you going with the granada converstion you have to get a special outer tie rod end.mustangsplus has great suspensions kits...

[quote]Originally posted by 66StangBoy:
<strong>I was wondering if anyone has done any kind of upgrades on their own classic mustangs. I have a '66 that I'm that is going to be a restomod street rod. I want to swap out the drum brakes for disc, but should I just buy a disc brake conversion kit or go find a car that I can pull the appropriate hardware?

Anyone have any experience with Mustang II front suspension being installed on a '66 (or something close to that) Stang? Would teh kit be easier or shoudl I try and part out my friends old Mustang II and swipe the front suspension for myself?

Thanks for any info. This will be an ongoing project that I'm trying to plan out before I get started into it.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Mustang Steve's site has some great info on Granada disc conversions. May as well save some money and use some used parts. He's got some other great tech articles and advice too. <a href="http://members.boardhost.com/MustangSteve" target="_blank">http://members.boardhost.com/MustangSteve</a>

You know...

The GRANADA brake swap is very popular (and cheap) but the more I think of it, the origional Kelsey-Hayes four piston calipers do a much better job of stopping the car rather than the sliding caliper route.

The problem with this design was the caliper pistons freezing resulting in erratic (or no) braking. Stainless Steel Brakes solved this years ago when, during caliper overhaul, they insert stainless steel sleeves for the pistons to ride in. No more braking problems.

Just something to think about.

were I you, I would opt for the Monarch/ Granada spindle and disc conversion . this is one of the simplist , one weekend deal to do . just finished up with aFalcon /Mustang2 swap it is not for the faint of heart or someone that does not have a complete shop to do it in. Having said that there cannot be a cheaper conversion than the Mon/Gra. swap new calipers and roters , plus pads can be purchased at any local parts house for under a $100.00 the spindels and other hard ware can be purchased at most any picand pull for $40 to $75 dollars . the comments about arack an pinion steering are valid but remember the Mustang was agood runner in its class without a r/p thanks for your time , jim

I concur with the granada comment. works like a champ and bolts right up. If you add a 67 or so dual resevior master you're set (unless you really want power brakes in which case their are other options including Geo tracker master). there's a greet how to conversion on the new millinium falcon website. sorry, I don't remember the address right offhand, but get onto one of the falcon webrings and it will come up. Step by step with pics and full printable instructions--He did the conversion on a 65 falcon, but it's the same thing as mustang.

On the rear end ... Look for a late 70's Lincoln Versailles or a Granada Ghia. These had a disk brake rear option and the hub to hub and spring perches are the same distance.

Actually, this same rear works great on mid 70's Pintos. The Spring hangers and all bolt up! Although the hub to hub distance on the Granola Rear is 1" wider on each side than the Pinto Bean.

I had a 71 Runabout with a 289 and I used the Maverick Grabber 9" on that one. Then I had a 76 Pinto Wagon with a 351C that I used the Granola rear on.

Dougie!

come on people.. this is escalating into a bolt on frenzy. but handling wise it will amount to ZERO. i concur the granada discs are fine in their own right but you absolutely need to do somthing about the front end geometry. polyurethane bushings and lowered upper controllarms are first step to haveing a car that doesnt handle like a model-t., then add the same in the rear. slap on a beefy (1-1/8 front, 3/4 rear) set of anti-sway bars and some 65-shelby underrider tractionbars and you have a car that handles like a modern gm f-body or mustang

No matter where the parts or kit comes from stay away from"Master Power Brake Co." there junk held up my project car 7 weeks this past summer.I finaly took their junk off and sent it back,after a dozen calls to their"tech" line.It was a fight even to get the refund !!!!!