Mustang II front suspension conversion

[Danos]

I've read and heard a little about converting 64 1/2 to 73 front suspension to a Mustang II set up such as the one offerd by Rod & Custom Motorsports. Anyone out there have any experience with this mod? How difficult is it and what's involved? Can I use my stock steering column? Does this mod really improve handling? Would I be better off going with a negative wedge kit and/or upgrades like Total Control Produts offers? I'm looking to have a daily driver with great streetability.

[MidniteWrider]

Danos,

I Have a 68 hardtop I am considering the same for. I have both companies’ brochures. In fact I even spoke with a guy from Rod and Custom at the all ford nationals in Carlisle PA last year. The Rod and custom package is cheaper because it comes with a whole front end. Rack and pinion, coil over and disc brakes. It requires some mods to the car. The car they had there was heavily modified. They had removed even removed the inner fender aprons and welded in patch panels. I must say it looked real nice! I took several pictures because I wanted to use it as an example for my car. I can email them to you if you want? The TCP package is definitely the more talked about of the two. I am not sure if it is better, or just gets more advertisements because of the movie “Gone In Sixty Seconds” or what.

One this is for sure I am looking for the same thing you are, a classic Mustang with good daily driver handling. I don’t car if I have to go restomod. I have already wasted the money on newly rebuilt steering components. I replaced it all. I did this based talking with people and on what I had read from some of the other people claming that the car would handle like new after I did this. It was my first experience with this so I did it. Well my car now handles like a new 1968 mustang, and guess what it still has all the same problems the original car suffered from. Poor responsiveness and bump steer. I am not discrediting the advice I was given; the rebuild did deliver some better performance. I guess I just want more. What good is this car as a daily driver if I can only drive it in a straight line? For some reason I have had a hard time finding people who have done this mod. Let alone any other information about its success rate. I would like the answers to question like … Does this affect the turning radius? So I guess after all this I cannot offer a ton of help. If anyone out there had done this please let us know about it. I am very weary of spending all that cash for either setup and finding out a better alternative.
I have checked out site like www.g-machines.com and http://www.pro-touring.com/.
All they have is a few pictures of cameros with rack and pinion, (there is only one mustang) and a bunch of pictures. That doesn’t really help me. Wouldn’t it be great if one of the mustang magazines or hot rod TV would do a write-up on this topic? Something that compared the different packages cost, quality, and road tested them.

That’s just my take on things.

[Fostang]

I to had been thinking of this mod because I would be able to have coil over, rack & pinion, and better handleing. I haven't really jumped into doing this project since I have my hands tied on the EFI/t-5 conversion but I do know that the most important part is the crossmember that holds everthing in place. Once that is retro fited on the car everything else can come from the junk yard or swap meets. I'd be interested on viewing those pics. Anyone else have any info?

[CobraII76]

I've got the stock Mustang II crossmember with fatman fabrications tubular arms strut rod elimintors flaming river manual rack carrera coilovers with a fat man 2 inch dropped spindles with 13 inch rotors and brembo calipers in my stang and I've got to say I love the set up.
Dave
76 Mustang II Cobra II

[racecar543]

I would be intersted in talking with anyone that has the Rod and Custom coil over front end installed on there early car. I'd like to compare it to the design I just finished, but haven't installed yet on my 66. If anyone is interested in seeing pic of my stuff then I might be willing to send a couple to you. My crossmember retains the exact geometry of the Mustang II suspension, but uses tubular controls arms and Hal adjustable coilover shocks.

Another direction that one can take is the Griggs GR350 front end kit. It allows installation of a tubular K-member with the geometry of a SN95 late model mustang on an early car. It uses the SN95 spindles, but no struts. Instead, Griggs has designed an upper control arm and a ball joint adapter that bolts to the strut mount on the spindle. This kit is very top-end. They claim the early cars can out-handle new mustangs even when the new cars are fully modified because of their longer wheel base. The fully modified new car are suppose to out perform new corvettes and Vipers. Sound appealing? Get out your wallet. This kit is very expensive (approx. $5200)