If the engine is sound, and you are not planning a total restoration I would start there. Aluminum intake, 600 Holley Vaccum Secondary, Headers, Dual 2.5 inch exhaust, New cam in the area of 220 duration at .050, .450 lift, 110lsa. Get all that done and the engine will wake up a bit. As for everything else, it depends on what you like and what you have. If it does not have it now, 3.73 rear gears or there about would be nice. Wheels and tires are definatley a personal preference.

Chris

 

Well you didn't say anything about your finances, are you dumping thousands in immediately or a slow project. If finances are limited (like mine-been hackin' away at mine for over ten years) I would start with the simplest upgrade. A performer intake and either a Holley 600cfm vacuum secondary/electric choke or Edelbrock 600cfm carb (I prefer Holley myself). Even without any other work this will make a noticable improvement on your car. If you still have a points distributor you can convert to electronic with a Pertronics kit or go with a Mallory Unilite distributor/vacuum advance for about $200. I switched to the Unilite and felt an immediate upper rpm difference and it was a snap to hook up. Just these few things will give your engine new life and then you could look into other things. Good luck!

PS. I chose a dual-pattern summit cam - .471 lift, 281/228 @ .050" and a 114 lobe seperation and a double-roller chain. I am happy with it. But if you can't afford all that at once start with the intake/carb and go from there.

[ January 11, 2003: Message edited by: dmorris1200 ]</p>

 

I'm assuming you have a C4 trans in her and a 8-inch rear. There is no 3.73 ratio and unless you're not planning on any highway driving you don't want to go with that high a number anyway. 8-inch rear gears include 3.00, 3.55, 3.80, and 4.11. You can't possibly choose what gears to run until you know exactly what driving you will be doing. For decent launch without sacrificing highway abilities 3.55 are nice. I have 3.70's in my 9-inch and I really feel it on the highways. I usually try and take back roads as opposed to the interstates.

 

Thanks for the rapid replies!! You are correct
it does have a C4 tranny. Rearend according to
data plate code is a zero( I believe 2.79:1).
Rearend is original. Suspension wise I was
looking at firming up and leveling out the car.
Oh yeah, it is also single exhaust. Would I
be better off to change out carb/intake and
convert to dual exhaust with headers (w/stock cam or replace cam too)
.
Also, I was looking at installing a tranny shift
kit. I believe I can do these changes very soon
(finance wise).

 

67Stang:

Check your pm.

I've got a Transgo shift kit in my C-4. Easy install and works like a champ. I used the stage II parts. Shifts are very firm. Tires bark on the 1-2 easy. Sometimes a chirp on the 2-3, depending on when I shift it. I'm also running a B&M Megashifter.

 

I would spruce up the exterior before getting too excited with the mods, it will make the car nice to look at and is a good investment to boot. Engine mods are a good starting point also but you need to decide how much and how radical.

 

Taking care of the intake first is a good idea. But the idea of the exhaust is a better one. A Dual Flowmaster is a great way to go. It will give your car a little extra umph and will give it a nice deep sound. Good Luck

 

If I were you I would start out with the gears in the rearend. I think by far that will be the most noticable modification that you do. like dmorris said 3.55s for street/highway or 3.80 for mostly street. Um, i think powertrax makes a lock-right differential for 8 inch fords and also a no-slip traction system. <a href="http://www.powertrax.com" target="_blank">www.powertrax.com</a> After you do the gears i would do the intake manifold/carb. I would buy shortie headers if i were you. THey don't make as much power as long tubes, but they won't heat up your engine compartment, won't hit speed bumps, and cause much less fitment problems for other things like trannys if you ever decide to change it. Get primary tubes of either 1.5" or 1 5/8" I think if you do this you will be able to feel the performance gain of each item more than if you did the gears at the end. As for me, i put in a bunch of performance stuff first then did the gears last, i kinda wish i did it the opposite way though.

 

We are about 75% complete on re working a 66 conv for my partners daughter. This is our first Mustang so we have talked a lot with those who have gone before us. Now we are not interested in a horod per say, but do want a good spunky and reliable car for a special youg lass. Two of the first things you may want to consider before you start increasing the ponies is how to contron them, ie make them turn the way you want them to and to stop on demand. Your brakes (front drums stink, even if you have power) and the front end has spegatti for framework. First thing I would do is replace your weak spindles with Granada type and add the Granada rotors and calipers for some serious woah power. Second, add the Euro bar to start holding the shock towers semi rigid and then make your own straight bar to complete the base of a triangle with the Euro bar. Now you can sort of predict which way the poinies are going to run. Now go for all the other stuff like duals, in takes, cams, carbs, rear ends, shift kits etc,etc.

Trees

 

Thanks fellas..what a good site

mstngjoe check your PM

 

TREES,
I understand what a eurobar is, but what do you
mean by make your own straight bar and where
does it go?

thanks..

 

The straight bar goes 'straight' across the engine compartment from one shock tower to the other.

 

OK I must not understand what EURO BAR is ..I thought that went between the shock towers..

what is it? Back to the engine..If I go with
a performer intake and Holley carb should I also
get the intake gasket from Elderbrock also..should I be concernced about the aluminum intake mating up to the stock heads(leak free)

 

Yeah, i'm not that sure about the term Euro Bar either. I assume it's an upgrade to the stock supports that Ford put from each tower to the center of the firewall which you can see in this little picture

Then if you ran a bar straight across it would form a triangle. The performer intake will bolt right up with no trouble. I installed mine with just the side gaskets and a bead of silicone across the front and back instead of those little cork gaskets. If using a dual-plane manifold I also make sure to buy a 4-hole carb gasket instead of the open style gasket that just has one big hole.

 

Yeah I was thinking dual plane manifold..and
holley 600cfm..what is the differenc between
vac secondary and mechanical secondary carbs ..which one should I consider/use..
I am pretty much resigned to changing intake
carb, going with headers/duals, trans shift kit
and looking at rearend gear change..then going
to exterior improvements ..til she starts
smoking/leaking...thanks

 

The Euro bar is a one piece unit to replace the origional two piece bars from shock towers to firewall. The load is spread out more across the firewall and theory is more rigidity than two piece unit. Thanks DMorris for adding the pics.

Trees

 

the export-brace (not euro bar) will stiffen up your shock towers. but if you want to imrove the handling the shelby trick of lowering the upper controll arms is a must, first of all its the best modification that vcan be made to a mustangs suspension, and secondly its free..

send me a mail: jakob@regeur.dk and ill mail you a drawing of who to..

and if you want more i suggest contacting mustangsplus ( www.mustangsplus.com ) and get a complete suspension upgrade

lastly i would contact joe sherman racing engines about the 302, he did a 400 hp 302 for hot rod magazine that cost under 2000 bucks to make.

my 2 cents worth

 

Here's the Joe Sherman article deuce was referring to:

<a href="http://www.jason.fletcher.net/tech/sherman/sherman.htm" target="_blank">http://www.jason.fletcher.net/tech/sherman/sherman.htm</a>