was lookin into redoing my front suspension on my '65 coupe, restomod style...hehehe. i like the coilover bolt-in upgrade, but i ALSO like the weld in mustang 2 front end. i dont really plan on autocrossing and whatnot, but i do drive like a bat outta hell. so i want yall's opinions. no matter which one, i want to drop the front and rear about 1 inch, maybe more not sure yet. anyhoo, what do yall think? its a 65 coupe, 289, 3-speed stick (its goin bye bye soon enough ). Thanks. Cory
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If you have the money, I would personally get the weld in M2 setup. Its about 2 grand right?, but once you add up the individual cost of R&P steering, coil over, and nice brakes, etc etc its pretty cheap IMO
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Joined: 11/9/2006 From: South Shores, CA Status: offline
This is my opinion only, but I think the Mustang II front was a novel idea back in the day, but with all the other options out there now, I wouldn't touch it! You basically have to hack up your classic to put it in. If you're hellbent on rack and pinion, I'd stick a Flaming River or Unisteer, et al and upgrade the stock suspension to a Global West, etc. You'll get the best of the modern stuff without hacking up your ride.
see, i was thinkin of goin the coil-over route and getting a flaming river steering box because of cost and dont need to hack up the front end. however, i like how trick the M2 setup looks, also cleans up the engine bay by getting rid of the shock towers.
global west does have a coil over kit for the 65/66 mustangs now i like theres over the rest mostly since the shock tower mount is nice and thick on both sides unlike the others. only mustang 2 id ever use is http://www.martzchassis.net/page3.htm theres is alot thicker and has braces to the firewall unlike most weld in ones which weaken your front end
If you have the money, I would personally get the weld in M2 setup. Its about 2 grand right?, but once you add up the individual cost of R&P steering, coil over, and nice brakes, etc etc its pretty cheap IMO
I know I sound like a broken record (do you guys remember those things) but nobody I've spoken with about MII's will address the Ackerman. Wasen't the M II a 96" wheelbase? If so the Ackerman would be off by a country mile if you installed it on a car with a 108" wheelbase. And the cost with GOOD brakes/shocks and tubular arms is closer to $3500.00 Global West is about to introduce a new complete coil-over front for the 65/66 that includes the stabilizer bar and some other nice parts.
< Message edited by mikethebike -- 3/23/2007 7:01:42 AM >
This is my opinion only, but I think the Mustang II front was a novel idea back in the day, but with all the other options out there now, I wouldn't touch it! You basically have to hack up your classic to put it in. If you're hellbent on rack and pinion, I'd stick a Flaming River or Unisteer, et al and upgrade the stock suspension to a Global West, etc. You'll get the best of the modern stuff without hacking up your ride.
+1
Except for the Flaming River R&P - I, and several others here, would not recommend it at all. The FR steering box, however, is another question.
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Daily driver with a 351W, T5, 3.55, 3G, R&P and other ridiculously described mods that only we can understand…
i have discussed with john from opentracker the issue of upgrading my front suspension.. i suggested myself maybe the (expensive) road race controlarms would be a good idea to install on my 66 but he told me it would be an overkill and wasting money unless i really want to use it for racing. the things he suggested as good upgrades that would make a difference: roller spring perches , heavier swaybar , roller idler arm , monte carlo bar , exportbrace , furthermore just the street ready controlarms.............. and the 1" shelbydrop
so i guess the expensive( coilover etc)suspension from total control, global west the above recommendations counts too.. not saying they are not good.. but they might be an overkill costing you big $$ with no noticable effect ( for the streetdriver)
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I have upgraded my whole suspension all the way around with brakes and a new steering system. I decided to go with the R&P setup from flamoing river and have had absolutley no problems with it. Also its installation was a piece of cake.... everything bolts in nicely without having to modify your car at all. LIke was said it is definately a good idea to upgrade other things like sway bars, an export brace, monte carlo bar, etc. IMO
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Rorin67
quote:
ORIGINAL: gothand
This is my opinion only, but I think the Mustang II front was a novel idea back in the day, but with all the other options out there now, I wouldn't touch it! You basically have to hack up your classic to put it in. If you're hellbent on rack and pinion, I'd stick a Flaming River or Unisteer, et al and upgrade the stock suspension to a Global West, etc. You'll get the best of the modern stuff without hacking up your ride.
+1
Except for the Flaming River R&P - I, and several others here, would not recommend it at all. The FR steering box, however, is another question.
Just out of curiousity why d you not recommend the R&P from flaming river?
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Joined: 11/9/2006 From: South Shores, CA Status: offline
quote:
ORIGINAL: Rorin67
+1
Except for the Flaming River R&P - I, and several others here, would not recommend it at all. The FR steering box, however, is another question.
I was saying the R&P for his benefit as an alternative to him hacking up the front end.
Heck, I'm fine with the stock steering. The input valve (or whatever they call it on this steering system which controls the amount of input feet to get the power steering to work) could be toned down a bit, but other than that ... it sure beats the close ratio manual steering that came factory with my '65 GT. That thing built up your forearms like a lonely sailor at sea.
If you want a front suspension ngneered just for your car go to chris alston chassis work and see what they have. NOT inexpensive but very good. (Not the Total Control stuff)
was lookin into redoing my front suspension on my '65 coupe, restomod style...hehehe. i like the coilover bolt-in upgrade, but i ALSO like the weld in mustang 2 front end. i dont really plan on autocrossing and whatnot, but i do drive like a bat outta hell. so i want yall's opinions. no matter which one, i want to drop the front and rear about 1 inch, maybe more not sure yet. anyhoo, what do yall think? its a 65 coupe, 289, 3-speed stick (its goin bye bye soon enough ). Thanks. Cory
Opinions on the Pinto/Mustang II front suspension? It works well enough in the smaller cars, especially with stiff springs and sta-bars (I had a Pinto with those sorts of mods back in the 70's that held its own at autocross).
Those Mustang II control arms are pretty short, which means that the geometry will vary more as the suspension moves. That's not necessarily a good thing. Stiffer than otherwise necessary springs is sort of a band-aid just to keep the geometry from going too far off.
Longer arms with the Mustang II spindles might be better, but only after spending some quality time with a 3-D suspension geometry program to get the chassis side pickups in the right places.
This is my opinion only, but I think the Mustang II front was a novel idea back in the day, but with all the other options out there now, I wouldn't touch it! You basically have to hack up your classic to put it in. If you're hellbent on rack and pinion, I'd stick a Flaming River or Unisteer, et al and upgrade the stock suspension to a Global West, etc. You'll get the best of the modern stuff without hacking up your ride.
I know Soaring will agree with me on this one!
Amen, brother! Mustang II front ends are weak anyway. Why spend a ton of money to hack up your classic, then wind up with a weaker front end than you started with just so you can put an oversized motor in your classic that was never meant to be there in the first place. Get you a fox body and have a ball, but like said, you have other choices for horsepower other than hacking up a perfectly good classic Mustang.
In this case I agree with Soaring. All the aftermarket systems are overrated, overpriced, and overadvertised. How many people actually need a race car front end?
New OEM style components by a brand name like Moog, good shocks, 620 springs, Roller perches, roller Idler (I LOVE mine), a little larger front sway bar, and a rebuilt steering box. It's half the cost and just as good.
The only thing missing is the brag-factor
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soaring the link i posted up there is the only mustang 2 kit that wont weaken your front end but takes alot of welding and hacking. i love mine too much to cut up like that rather use a coil over kit atleast then its removable if i change my mind later on. james some of the vintage racing classes wont let you race if you have coilovers or a mustang 2 kit
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Joined: 11/9/2006 From: South Shores, CA Status: offline
quote:
ORIGINAL: JamesW
In this case I agree with Soaring. All the aftermarket systems are overrated, overpriced, and overadvertised. How many people actually need a race car front end?
New OEM style components by a brand name like Moog, good shocks, 620 springs, Roller perches, roller Idler (I LOVE mine), a little larger front sway bar, and a rebuilt steering box. It's half the cost and just as good.
The only thing missing is the brag-factor
I only have personal experience with three early Mustangs, a '65 GT coupe, '65 fastback and my brother's '66 convertibile. Both the coupe and convertible were completely rebuilt with all new arms, bushings, shocks (KYB), springs and front and rear swaybars, export braces and monte carlo bars. In their own right, they performed and handled quite well unti. ...
... I redid the fastback suspension. I went full Global West, including new upper and lower arms, Koni shocks, front swaybar (no rear needed with this kit), and yet to be installed monte carlo bar and subframe connectors.
Even without having it aligned, the monte carlo bar and the subframe connectors installed, the difference in handling between the fastback and the others is shocking. Whether that is worth the added price is a personal decision. I don't even have the foggiest idea what the kit cost back in '94 when I got it, so I guess it is worth it to me. I can tell you that it handles like it is on rails with no understeer.
The steering components are still factory PS.
FWIW, the suspension with shocks in my Jeep TJ pushes $3000 (which is the norm for a performance suspension) and I have another $1500 in the steering, so the Global West seems like a bargain in comparison.
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Front End Upgrade?? - 
). Thanks. 
The FR steering box, however, is another question. 
