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Someone else's money: 1973 Mustang 'vert

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  • Someone else's money: 1973 Mustang 'vert

    I really need to grab pictures of this thing next time,I go work on it, but rightpedal has seen it and knows that it's real.

    1973 Mustang, 351 2V/auto. 3rd member style rear end, not sure if it's an 8 or a 9. The target is a fun fair weather driver/weekend cruiser.

    Belongs to a friend who works where I'm stationed, and she wants me to start making some general improvements to the car. The previous restoration was OK, but left a lot undone. The tail and interior lights are all messed up, lots of missing trim screws, and lots of little things not working. The good news is that aside from having sat for a little while, the core mechanicals seem in good shape. First order was torq thrusts and BFG Radial T/As, 245s in the back and 235s up front, and a new master cylinder, all of which made it drivable. Next up is wiring. After that, she wants me to help her make it more fun to drive while still preserving some of the vintage feel.

    I'm currently researching options for a mild bump in handling performance- less body roll, better turn in, and a big one for her is better feedback, so I need to get the power steering dialed back a hair. Mild brake upgrades to go with that, I'm really thinking just performance friction materials and a good bleed will help with that.

    If I haven't PCS'ed by the time I get the car to that point, it's time to attack the engine. The car is getting a dismal 9ish mpg with the 351 with a 2bbl holley sitting on top of it, though the engine starts and runs very well. I can't imagine fuel economy really getting worse with a properly set up aluminum intake, 4 bbl, cam, and headers, and I'm sure it'll make it more fun to drive. It's already got an adequate looking dual exhaust, but I haven't examined the setup in detail. The owner has also indicated that she might not be against a crate engine, so as we get closer I'll be presenting her with a list of options.

    Any ideas, experiences, and inputs are welcome- especially with regards to handling. This is a fun project for me. Great aftermarket support, fun car, good people to work for.

  • #2
    Cleveland or Windsor engine? My middle bro had a 351 Cleveland 4 speed '73 Mustang convert and while his had an Autolite 4bbl. I think they DID have a 2 barrel option.

    Dan

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    • #3
      Well my first piece of advice would be to put a ring on it . I'm not talking about car improvements .
      Previously HoosierL98GTA

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      • #4
        Let me finish off the marriage I'm getting out of now before I try and tackle another one. Also, there's a bit of generational gap. She's a great person with a son my age. I just fix cars.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Dan Barlow View Post
          Well my first piece of advice would be to put a ring on it . I'm not talking about car improvements .
          Next post firmly plants your foot in your mouth...

          Like how you think..

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          • #6
            Go straight to fi-tec or atomic or holleys efi. This is a perfect candidate. You and I can do it in dads garage. As I recall I owe you some fun work for your labors cutting up coppertone.

            Tail light working yet?
            Well I have stopped buying stuff for cars I don't own. Is that a step in the right or wrong direction?

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            • #7
              oh look its right on the bottom of the page....
              Well I have stopped buying stuff for cars I don't own. Is that a step in the right or wrong direction?

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              • #8
                Before the engine comes handling. I'm swapping the left front caliper (It's currently a right side caliper, and I don't think it's bleeding correctly), and I'm thinking of some EBC Yellow pads to go up front with the stock rotors. Then cornering is up- My basic thought process is hack an inch off the front coils, replace the rear leafs with mideyes from Total Control, some kind of better shocks all around, and go to poly bushings. Depending on those results, I can look at swaybars and some chassis stiffening options. Any thoughts?

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Deaf Bob View Post

                  Next post firmly plants your foot in your mouth...

                  Like how you think..
                  Next ......I think I already did .
                  Previously HoosierL98GTA

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                  • #10
                    Replace the soft lines... two new calipers up front if they are cheap... is this thing disc up front?
                    I'm not sure about the poly...at least not the cheap poly. I have had it make a lot of noise. Good shocks are key and replace any questionable ball joints.
                    Its going to be a driver so every thing should be geared to that. Start, go and stop.
                    Well I have stopped buying stuff for cars I don't own. Is that a step in the right or wrong direction?

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                    • #11
                      Having lost a upper ball joint on the trailblazer last week at only 30 mph I can attest for those needing to be in great shape . Either the piece in the A arm or the spindle ripped a 8 inch hole in the inside sidewall of a brand new tire then the whole mess shook like crazy as it came to a stop . Everyone was so glad I was driving it when it happened instead of Paula . Not sure how to take that .......
                      Previously HoosierL98GTA

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                      • #12
                        Dan I think thier just saying they really love Paula and are glad she's safe. Wait a minute that does sound a little off doesn't it.
                        Greg & Mendy Dayton, Ohio 2007LH 2008LH 2010LH 2011LH 2012 1st 2 stops 2013LH 2015 1st 2 stops2016LH 2017 first and last stops . 2018 LH ("It's better to be dead and cool than alive and uncool!! Harley Davidson!")

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                        • #13
                          Knowing the two of you.......playing favorites is not something I am willing to do. But....... you do have substantially more documented crash experience.

                          So I vote Dan

                          On a side note......sorry about your undergarments.

                          Steve
                          Well I have stopped buying stuff for cars I don't own. Is that a step in the right or wrong direction?

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                          • #14
                            The ladies, not counting my daughter, tend to go to pieces when something mechanical goes wrong..
                            So them choosing Dan as the one driving at the time could be twofold... One, you can react and get it SAFELY stopped, Two, you blow your top because she "broke" the viehcle... . Yup, yanking your chain..

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                            • #15
                              Getting out of a marriage? Following me around eh? Anyway. 9" rear you can't get a deep socket on the bottom bolt holding the pumpkin in, 8" you can easily. Quick easy way to tell them apart. Changing the rear springs can be lots of fun, its a pain for me to do it and I can really reef on things.

                              Roller spring perches are worth the money, the front suspension on 64-73 Mustangs is kinda wonky, spring on top of the upper arm, a bar going to the radiator support to locate the lower arm. 67 up already has the "Shelby mod" upper arm location, so don't bother with it. Sway bars would be a good thing too. Its not rocket science, but you can make them turn ok. Other than the layout, they work like about any independent front. The power steering is one of those things were you would need to change the box, some of the later ones will bolt in with a pittman change, but with the valve in it they will always be very low effort, like spin the wheel with one finger and it zips to the lock. Getting rack and pinion road feel will require a rack and pinion, which is possible, but takes some doing since they are rear steer and headers go there. I don't know of any stock Ford box that will give that feel, they are all kinda vague.

                              The Cleveland. Yes you can wake it right up with simple stuff. The cams in all of the Clevelands were extremely mild, and even the 2V head flows very well, better than many aftermarket Windsor heads. If you are keeping the stock converter, then a Comp 268 makes a big difference. A 270H would work too, I have one of those in a 4V and it made LOTS of power with the stock converter and 3.00 gears, that thing was kinda nuts. If you go with Comp don't put it in advanced on the timing chain gear, because its already advanced, you will bend valves or pushrods... guess how I know. Basic 4 barrel dual plane intake with a Holley 750 vacuum secondary or EFI on it, and basic headers will make it fun to drive. Ditch the points, get a breakerless kit or a different distributor. I did this stuff to the 2V I have in the Cougar, along with new springs, locks and retainers. Haven't run it yet, but I know how well it should run when I do, played with Clevelands a lot for a few years. The compression with 2V heads is low enough she can run 87 octane easy, especially the 73 up heads. 351/400M heads are the same as 72-73 Cleveland heads, but they are missing the 2 cast into them by the intake surface.

                              I'll be looking into suspension upgrades this spring, since I want the 71 Mustang out of my shop and in some other guys driveway. It still needs everything.

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