I'm Mike. I bought my first Mustang in 1992. It was the year after graduated from high school and joined the military. I went into the Air Force as military police (Security Forces) and was first stationed at Hickam AFB. That's where I saw it. A 1971 Mustang Fastback. Unfortunately for the salt air, it was way too much work for me to tackle if I were to bring her back home.
Fast forward 20 years with a wife and child, I am getting ready to retire from the Air Force. Though I do have a '68 coupe I have had for about 15 years with extensive mods such as a 393w stroker, Total Control suspension, Tremec TKO-600, and front and rear Baer brakes, I thought it only appropriate to end my career just as I started it. Just about a month ago, I found a '73 Mach-1 for just the right price. This car is jet black with black interior, 351c with a C-6 automatic. Just as my fastback did back in the day. Not without its faults though. The suspension is shot, the front wheels and tires are too skinny, the rear wheels are definitely wide but with the wrong backspace so they stick out about 3 1/2 inches from the fenders. The trans leaks, the gas tank is full of rust, the long tube headers are too low and just about scrape the reflectors on the road, it has single chamber mufflers and the exhaust dumps 2 feet before the rear end. Did I mention this car still has a points distributer?
I'm not complaining but I certainly have my work cut out for me. So far, I have replaced the fuel tank, alternator, battery, and have added a full length exhaust with Magnaflow mufflers. The following is a list of items I plan to do over the next year:
- upper/lower control arms and strut rods (Total Control or Global West)
- 600# front springs/165# leaf rear springs (Maier Racing)
-Tremec TKO-600 with cable setup (Modern Driveline)
- forged 31 spline axles (9in), TruTrac, 3.50:1 gears
- MSD distributer
- eventually a 393C with 10:1, Deamon 750cfm vac 2nd, 232/240 hydraulic roller cam (though I do like the idea of a 520 stroker)..
