In the November issue of Mustang Monthly there is an article on key upgrades for vintage Mustangs including traction bars, single wire alternators, sport seats, sound deadening materials, fuel cells, light enhacements,, etc. I'm curious as to your reactions to their list and which - if any upgrades - you consider critical.
In my point of view once a vintage car has been altered from its birth state (paint, brakes, badging) any upgrades (especially saftey) that still maintain the lookand character of the car make sense. I assume this argument is like "is man good or evil?" - there's no right or wrong... but it's ineteresting to discuss nonetheless.
Of the items you listed lights, seats and fuel cells are the only ones that I consider important from the list above. Brighter lights are good and headrests are nice.
Upgraded suspension in the way of shocks, springs, and anit sway bars as well as disc brakes come before any of the above.
Electric fan, MDS (or the like), aluminum radiator are good too.
Gun
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I dunno.. I modify everything, but somethings are just uneeded. A fuel cell? So you need to open the trunk to fill with gas? Yeah great idea. Highback seats are good in the event of a crash, and often are more comfy, but absolutely needeed? nah.. and a one wire alternator? Old stuff works good if you get one with enough amperage.
Like Gun said, making sure it stops, goes around corners, and drives safely is paramount and should be the first thing done to any car you purchase. it woud be a shame if you couldnt avoid Gertrude and her walker because your brakes are faded, the steering is sloppy, and the car wallows like it has marshmallows for tires and springs.
No need to run over kindergarten kids because your car has antiquated brakes.. And you wont drive under many trucks if you can stop either.. :) I dont often listen to magazine jockeys ideas of what is a must have. most times they arnet in touch with reality and or have other motives... such as selling advertising space.. so they say "Buy this widget for your car, you need it or you will die!" because a magazine is still a business, isnt it?
Your getting cynical in your old age thumpin!!! I say front disc brakes, pertronix, suspension you would be amaze how much they make on stopping distance if my past experience is anything to go by.
< Message edited by paddy187 -- 11/6/2006 12:31:28 PM >
not cynical. just realistic.. I have a youthful optimisim coupled with an older pessimisim that yields a comprehensive anaylsis of my immediate ecosystem and is henceforth put into laymans terms so the proletarians with the least amount of reading comprehension and skill can often understand what it is that is being referred to..
now would you be a prole or a party member... lol.. or other...
I am born cynic and a pessimisit, so fortunatly I will never get cynical in my old age as I was always cynical. As you refer to the proletarians in the third person (i think grammer ain't my strong suit) would that make you the Bourgeoisie? lol
not cynical. just realistic.. I have a youthful optimisim coupled with an older pessimisim that yields a comprehensive anaylsis of my immediate ecosystem and is henceforth put into laymans terms so the proletarians with the least amount of reading comprehension and skill can often understand what it is that is being referred to..
now would you be a prole or a party member... lol.. or other...
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14 inch rusted Keystones, tired leaking 302, poorly applied custom landau top, wally world special audio system. It could always be worse, it could be a yugo!
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I was reading over that article and it seemed like the generic yearly "best upgrades" article that gets passed around from magazine to magazine throughout the years. I however, agree with a good amount of these point. The safety equipment is a big plus. Disc brakes are an absolute must if you are using your classic for anything more than a nice Sunday drive. If you have any kind of horsepower related mods, disc brakes are a must have. Suspension is also a great upgrade. Energy Suspension bushing kits as well as thicker anti sway bars, a good set of shocks, newer springs, tubular control arms (if they can be afforded), etc... make for a much better riding mustang. I am currently upgrading my suspension...i only wish i could afford the tubular setup. Single wire alternators are nice, but not a must have. Traction bars are also nice to have. I am personally going with subframe connectors...and am not sure if tractions bars will fit as they are intended too with the sfc's in the way. In my opinion, either of these are not essential unless you have a higher than stock hp range. Aside from that, I do believe the article mentioned things like AC, sloppy shifter handles, new belts and various other things. Those are the must for me. And this is all my own opinion. -Edgar
slapper bars are only needed if youhave a wheelhop problem.. If the rear end isnt bouncin around when you stomp the gas, they arent needed.. Pinion angle is much more important than a bar stuck under the leaf spring. Its pretty easy to run 11s with no slapper bars on a leaf spring car..
Well, even the pertronix and the radials are not "Necessary." I have them, but they are not what keeps the car running. And, I haven't run over any little kids by having shoe brakes either. I can stomp on them, and they will lock just as tight as any disk will. If you want to get technical about brakes, and put on the latest, then put on an ABS system.
okay Glen.. lets do stop and go for lets say 35 minutes.. then two panic stops for the brain donor on her cell phone and then have the kid run out there chasin a ball..
The huge advantage is fade and a much better adjustment system. Sure drums will stop, just not repeatedly as often as a disc will.
Yep, you got me on the fade thing. Not doubt about it. I just got back from the hospital here in Houston which is across town from the house. I must have stopped 100 times or more at red lights on the way back to the house, and my drums didn't fade at all. So, yeah, in some super duper heavy stopping under adverse conditions, then the disks will win out every time. No doubt they are better.......but not NECESSARY!
Well a car isnt NECESSARY.. you can walk, or ride a horse.. or a bike.. or flap your arms really fast infact you really dont need much variety in diet either as long as you get what you need. So how about you eat subway everyday? lol..
slapper bars are only needed if youhave a wheelhop problem.. If the rear end isnt bouncin around when you stomp the gas, they arent needed.. Pinion angle is much more important than a bar stuck under the leaf spring. Its pretty easy to run 11s with no slapper bars on a leaf spring car..
:)
They may not be needed but if do alot of racing or burnouts they will safe you from wearing out your springs from windup.
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lol, when i first got my project, it ran fine on the original tranny, the original points dizzy, half the vacumn hoses going god only knows where, the crankcase vent exposed to raw air, and a filter that was only 50%existent...oh ya, and the exhaust had totally rusted off after the two pipes met at the y. I probably could have driven the car if the shifters screw wasnt rusted off and the shifter would slide from P-1 and back again without locking in. And if there wasnt a flinstone sized hole in the floor. But now, i have a slightly different body,lol. A car not ot be screwed with. Its got just about any upgrade mention and I can only wonder what to expect down the road. the prvious owner raced it and put on a set of traction bars. The car has an upgraded suspension and all around disc brakes. I put in a nice little Procomp HEI ignition and a rebuilt OEM 65?amp alt. She was upgraded to a 4bbl with a nice 600cfm carb and a K&N Xstream filter to top it off soon. Plus there is a nice set of roller rockers on its way. The wheels I'm undecided on but it wont be anything too fancy. I might use a set of bullits or similar off a newer stang, i like those spokes,lol.
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"Must Have" upgrades - 
14 inch rusted Keystones, tired leaking 302, poorly applied custom landau top, wally world special audio system. It could always be worse, it could be a yugo! 
I can stomp on them, and they will lock just as tight as any disk will. If you want to get technical about brakes, and put on the latest, then put on an ABS system.
