Recent content by NJ408

My initial target for the engine was 500HP from 408 cubic inches with the stroker kit. Below is the HP-Torque chart from the engine dyno at L&M. It made a little over 580HP at 6300 RPM. When I picked up the car at Glaziers and started the engine the first time I thought "holy crap what kind...

Michael at L&M started with the 72 Cleveland Block and 1970 4bbl closed chamber heads. The block was bored +.030 and drilled for 4 bold main caps. The heads were machined for roller rockers and ported. They flowed 292 CFM at .600 lift. The solid roller cam was a custom grind designed by Michael...

The plan was always to upgrade the engine next. One day, while returning from Englishtown, I was engaged in some "comparative acceleration" when the engine gave out. One of the valves broke and trashed a piston and the heads. Luckily the block was ok. One of the members of my local Mustang...

Next up was a drivetrain upgrade and some safety additions at the Mustang Barn. This was to prepare for an engine upgrade as the final step. The entire drivetrain was upgraded. Tremec TKO 5 Speed Transmission (cross member fabricated) Custom aluminum drive shaft Strange 9 Inch Third Member...

Found my drag strip log from 2000 at Englishtown Block: 1972 Ford 351 Cleveland, Stock Bore, 2 Bolt Mains Heads: 1970 Ford 351C 4V Heads, 10.7 compression Carb: Holley 4 barrel, 750 cfm, electric choke, Vacuum secondaries Cam: Ford Motorsport # M-6250-A341 .510"/.536" Lift (intake/exhaust)...

So I went with the Grabber Yellow (correct color for 1971) with the hockey stick stripes and lower body black trim. I did the hood blackout and added the Mach1 decals even though it's not a real Mach 1. I stuck with the chrome front bumper and chrome fender/hood trim even though that's also...

The Mustang barn had the car three times, first body then drivetrain and then engine. The body part took 9 months. They replaced some sheet metal like floor pans and trunk floor. Also had to find a NOS ram air hood, you can see the new one in this picture. There were no repro body parts...

Next up were some cosmetic upgrades. I had the trim around the fold down back seat re-chromed. The door panels were in rough shape. I tried to get repro door panels, but the quality was horrible. Then I discovered Gene Painter in South Carolina. He did a great job of recovering the original...

I still have the car in question, see my posts above about the history. At some point the Red car pictured above will be repainted Yellow.

I figured out the mustang junkyard was Gelsi’s Mustang World in Vineland NJ. It was a large field of mustangs and a large barn that was full of parts pulled from the cars to keep them from the weather. At that time there were not many reproduction parts available for 71-73 mustangs as I would...

One more thing about my first Mustang, the color was Grabber Lime. That will come up later. So in the late 1990s I was looking to get a 71 Mustang. I found this car in Connecticut. Fastback with a 351 Cleveland, Toploader 4 Speed. Added a set of 15x8 Magnum 500s and Radial T/A, 255 60 on...

Thought I would provide some history about the car and what's been happening over the last 26 years. This is where it all started, this picture was taken around 1975, right after I graduated High School. That's my sister and our dog. The car was a 1971 Grande, 302 2 barrel with an automatic...

Yeah, there are a few issues from laying dormant for so long. It’s tough finding people to work on old cars and I’m not much of a wrench turner. Last guy was a no show three different times to come by the house and get it started so he could take it back to his shop. Once we get the carb/fuel...

Still have the car, it had been sitting for a while and the carb was all gunked up. The garage down the street cleaned up the carb and drained the gas tank. Had it out today for the first time in a long time. Still needs to get a new float for the gas tank, gauge doesn’t work.

Mine is number 902 from Dearborn built Aug 1970, sold originally in California (Can’t find my Marti right now). Was 302 fastback, now 408 stroked Cleveland “Mach 1”.