1972 Grande rebuild

[JT351W]

Thank you all for your comments.  They are very motivating.  Also, it is good to see folks from Europe with these classic muscle cars.  I bet they turn heads on the road!   

 

[timachone]

Thank you all for your comments.  They are very motivating.  Also, it is good to see folks from Europe with these classic muscle cars.  I bet they turn heads on the road!   

Yep, they are a real, positive head turner here - the 71-73 Mustangs aren't many here over the pond  :thumb:

 

[droptop73]

Great progress, that's going to be better than new when it's done. 

 

[69 Rustang]

A lot of great work accomplished—well done.  That is a lot of metal to replace!  The 3.50 gears would be great with a TKO500 or 600. In my ‘69 I went with 3.70s and a TK6 and I can cruise at 80mph with the engine relaxing.  If I remember correctly there are a few different OD ratios available, I went for the numerically lower ratio.  

 

[JT351W]

After I put on the mach 1 grill, I noticed the old center grill attached would not work on this grill.  So I searched the web but could not find one.  Well, I got metal laying around and a welder.   Time to make what I need.   

 

[JT351W]

I made some measurements and applied them to some 14 gauge sheet metal.  Roughly cut the shapes.  Welding them together.  Drilled holes where necessary.  Welding on nuts.  Painted with rust encapsulator.  And then installed. 

 

[JT351W]

Time for some sound insulation. 

 

[JT351W]

Time for the rear brakes.  These are the Wilwood 12.19" 4 piston disk brakes.  I put those on alsong with new axle bearings/seal, etc.  I also made the hard brake lines from both sides and connected them to the center brake line which will go to the master cylinder.  

 

[JT351W]

Parking brake cables put in.  Not as difficult as I thought it would be. 

 

[JT351W]

Pic of front and rear brakes installed.  Front are also from Wilwood with the 12.19" rotor and 4 piston calipers.  The string on the rear brakes is what I am using to measure wheel width possibilities.  I am looking to put in 18" x 10" wheel with 295 series tires.  Something aggressive looking.  The front may be 17" or 18" wheels but not wider then 9"'.  It will be staggered with something like a 10" contact patch up front and a 11"+ contact patch on the rear end.  Not really sure yet if I will go that way but I saw what Jason on Autoedits did with the wheels/tires on his 73 stang and it looks really amazing. 

 

[droptop73]

A 10" wheel with backspacing for a 94-04 Mustang fits well on our cars. You will need an 18" wheel on the front to clear the upper ball joint with a 9"width. Again 94-04 Mustang backspacing with a 1/2" spacer fits mine very well. 

 

[JT351W]

Droptop73 - thanks for the feedback.  18" up front it is.  Again, thanks a lot for your feedback and input.  Much appreciated. 

 

[JT351W]

Question regarding manual brakes.  When I bought this stang it had power brakes.  I am considering manual brakes since I will not know what vacuum I will have when the engine is completed.  What are you thoughts?  Go manual? Keep it power?  Why for either option?  The car will not be a race car or drag car.  It will be a weekend to daily driver going to local classic car shows and maybe to work at times.  Thanks for your feedback and ideas. 

 

[droptop73]

Personally, I would keep the power. I think it will be better for drivability. The cam selection will make all the difference in vacuum. 

 

[JT351W]

Jeff,

Power brakes would make my wife happy. :classic_biggrin:

The challenge then would be how to set up the clutch since I was planning on a hydraulic setup.  I did a search through the forums but I must be using the wrong terms as not much came up.  A lot of auto to manual conversions.  Which is what I will be doing too (FMX to T5). 

Got any advice? 

JT

 

[droptop73]

JT, I converted mine over almost 10 years ago and couldn't be happier with it. I was able to fabricate the parts to make replicas of the mechanical linkage. It required a ton of planning but I am and always have been a low buck kind of hot rodder. I used the 94-96 version of the T-5 as it has a longer input shaft that moves the shifter to the middle of the existing shifter hole. I also used a V-6 bellhousing as that will accommodate the original 73 11" clutch. It's really an amalgam of parts I stumbled across. The release lever is from a mid 60's GM pickup, the throwout bearing is from a Fox body Mustang... etc. At the time I heard about too many issues with the hydraulic slave cylinders but I think the hydraulic throw out bearing would be a good option but it was out of my budget at the time. BTW, I used the Modern Driveline retrofit clutch pedal and have been incredibly happy with it. 

Remember... ANY PROPER HOT ROD NEEDS 3 PEDALS!!

 

[JT351W]

I love the way you part together from other cars.  I was thinking of doing the same to a certain degree.  I can weld so that helps.  Electrical stuff comes easy to me (thanks to college and my own geekdom).  I do enjoy the challenge of creating a part I need.  I just started building the seat mounts.  So far so good.  As for what you wrote above regarding manual transmission, I just got a Jegs brand (555-602355) billet steel SFI 28oz flywheel.  The V6 bellhousing you found, would that work in 1972 351W with this flywheel?  I am thinking it would.  What car did you pull that bellhousing from?  As for hydraulics for clutch, I am back and forth  on that.  Cable or hydraulic?  I just got the booster and MC.  Not sure how a hydraulkic system would work since the booster is in the way.  Maybe a remote set up? Or try the cable version to start to see how it feels (that is what I may do).  But I do love the idea of going back to manual.  I miss it.  Finding a used T5 is a challenge now adays.  I will most likely need to buy new.  A T5Z model.    I don't think I would need a TKO.  Or maybe I do.       

I do like your end quote - 3 pedals is the way to go!! 

 

[droptop73]

To use the V6 bellhousing you need a flywheel for an 11" clutch, I'm not familiar with the Jeg's number. The bellhousing can be sourced from a 94-04 Mustang with a T-5. I had heard about too many issues with the hydraulic set-ups I could afford and I dislike the look of a cable. I had access to an original clutch linkage to copy and make some CAD (cardboard aided design) templates and welded up my own mechanical linkage. I was very fortunate to find a good mid 90's T-5 for basically a core price. 

 

[Sheriff41]

 CAD (cardboard aided design) 

That right there is funny!  Thanks for the laugh.

 

[droptop73]

That right there is funny!  Thanks for the laugh.

I stole that from some guys on ProTouring.com...