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65/66 mustang the only stang worth a damn

13

Comments

  • bri66bri66 Member Posts: 220
    I'm not sure what you are referring to when you asked about an N.O.S. dash pad.

    Bri66
  • jwoods4jwoods4 Member Posts: 21
    N.O.S or "New Old Stock". This would refer to a part that maybe has been sitting in a storeroom since 1965, but has never been used. N.O.S. parts are how many of the concours restorers restore their cars to perfection, by using actual Ford replacement parts that were made when the car was, but for whatever reason were never sold or used and are still sitting on the shelf of some warehouse just waiting to be put to use. These are usually the most correct parts...and always the most expensive. Good luck.
  • bri66bri66 Member Posts: 220
    Thank you jwoods4 for the information. I will do some research and see if there are any originals that may still exist. I will let you know what I find.

    Thanks again
    Bri66
  • mikey33mikey33 Member Posts: 6
    I was all set to make my first car a red 66 mustang with a 289 and then I realised I needed a back seat. Oh well. The dodge coronet 500 I actually had plenty of room back there. But now that I dont need that back seat anymore I sure would not mind reuniting with my first love.
  • rprogersrprogers Member Posts: 3
    To Mr_Shiftright, the advice on resurfacing the flywheel to stop clutch judder worked great. Also got a new clutch disk. Thanks.

    I would like to install an 'export brace' on my '66 Mustang. But the shock towers don't quite line up with the holes. Any suggestions on how to move the shock towers?
  • roadroachroadroach Member Posts: 131
    I think the problem with installing the export brace is the fact that it needs to be installed with the suspension unloaded. The front end on the Mustang has so much flex in it that the shock towers are slightly bowed together with the car resting on its suspension. Try placing the car on jackstands where there would be no load on the suspension. The holes SHOULD line up better then.
  • jwoods4jwoods4 Member Posts: 21
    I will be permanently exiting this forum with this message. I have just become a victim of the computer age... one wrong push of a button cost me my job. Along with that goes a high paycheck that was keeping us in our new home. This forced relocation has forced me to part with my friend of over 15 years...my Mustang. Once a gift from my Grand father, now awaiting the highest bidder to take it home. Good luck to all. C-YA.
  • roadroachroadroach Member Posts: 131
    Dammit. That sucks. I'm sorry that your financial situation has changed so drastically that you are being forced to auction off items which you hold dear to your heart.

    "There but by the grace of God go I". I could easily be in your shoes.

    Good luck. Perhaps you can find a buyer who may agree to sell it back should your situation change?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Man, it's like the Wild West out there, isn't it....one false move and somebody guns you down in the street. This is the part you don't read about in the upbeat magazines I guess....

    Hey, don't panic....maybe you can just hold off and try something else....if you really are in a death spiral financially, selling the car isn't going to help anyway, and it may be a good thing to hold onto for self-esteem until you land the next good job!
  • kinleykinley Member Posts: 854
    During my productive years, commission income was my sole source of revenue and I was in sales. I once lost a huge account, paying big bucks, and also considered selling our 66 GT we bought "almost new" in '67, but by "cutting" other non esentials, we were able to weather the storm and not drown. Today, we still have the 66 & do not regret making the sacrifices to keep it. Good people soon find good jobs and great people find great jobs. As you are great, just be patient. Your previous employer really did you a favor by making you eligible for an even better paying position.
  • skidmarksskidmarks Member Posts: 47
    The 65/66 Mustang was nothing but a reskinned 64 Falcon. My buddy had a 66 in high school 289/2bbl.I used to dust him regularly with my 283/2bbl Nova SS. Mustang reached their peak in 69/70 as far as I'm concerned. Cobra-Jet or Boss,how can you argue with that?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    What the 65-66 Mustang gave people was not so much great performance or handling, but rather nice styling and an incredible bargain for the money. They were much prettier than the boxy Nova.
  • kinleykinley Member Posts: 854
    "a star that gradually grows fainter"
  • kinleykinley Member Posts: 854
    at a Mustang Meet. "Nice looking pony car you got there, but you're missing a hood ornament." " Not so - If I want to see a hood ornament I just look in the rear view mirror and they usually wear bow ties as well."
  • skidmarksskidmarks Member Posts: 47
    A stain of bloody mud caused by exploding early mustang gas tanks. Oh yeah, Mustang was a great wwII aircraft!
  • roadroachroadroach Member Posts: 131
    ...who left the troll gate down?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    This topic is about 65-66 Mustangs and the men who love them too much....it's not about Novas or explosions or street racing, so if any of those things interest you, please post in a more appropriate topic---probably in the coupes conference. Thank you!

    Host
  • uvm81uvm81 Member Posts: 1
    I am restoring a 66 conv. but am concerned about the much publicized gas tank situation. I have heard about a retrofit "firewall" and rubber tank bladders. I would appreciate any tech advice, info, etc.
  • kinleykinley Member Posts: 854
    info@canadianmustang.com has the item you are looking for. It weighs 13 lbs, metal, and fits behind the back seat.
  • kinleykinley Member Posts: 854
    will be of primary interest to classic Mustangers.
    The four days includes a Pony Run, Concours Judging and Peoples Choice Show. Vendors will attend as well as the usual Corral. This is a must see and show for those in the NW USA or SW Canada. On the green campus of Bellevue Community College under blue skies and puffy white clouds. Casual dress - no bow ties.
  • smokin_olds442smokin_olds442 Member Posts: 41
    Well the name of this message board is total BS! stangs were great from 64.5-73 and then again from 87-93 so i don't wanna hear this 65/66 only crap!
  • modvptnlmodvptnl Member Posts: 1,352
    What's wrong with the '94 and up????
  • smokin_olds442smokin_olds442 Member Posts: 41
    the modular engine doesn't have as much torque as the 5.0 pushrod design did, yeah more hp but torque is what matters and gets you out of the "hole". Also the 5.0 aftermarket is much larger than the 4.6 at this point, of course the 4.6 market will grow in time but the 5.0 is still better...94&95's are still good because they still (for the most part) had the 5.0.
  • kinleykinley Member Posts: 854
    67 on = derivatives. Other example:55-57 Thunderbird = original classics. 58 on = derivatives also. Were this not a fact, the newest T Bird wouldn't harken back to the 55-57's.All other factors being equal, the 65-66 Mustangs bring more money due to their unique style and chrisma. And so it goes.
  • modvptnlmodvptnl Member Posts: 1,352
    Yes, the modulars were down on torque in '96-'98 but the '99-'01 have more torque and horsepower than any factory 302/5.0 (even the BOSS 302 since it was rated 290 GROSS HP)

    Wrong on hemis
    Wrong on 428 heads
    Wrong on RWD Toronados
    Wrong on modular engine sizes
    Now wrong on power output of the 4.6.

    Please quit while you're behind.
  • midnight_stangmidnight_stang Member Posts: 862
    Because you can fit a 460 big block in it!.
  • smokin_olds442smokin_olds442 Member Posts: 41
    when i said 280/281/282...they were all engines used in the 96-up mustang...dubbed as 4.6L, one or two cubic inches isn't enough to change the liter rating. i may have been wrong on other things but this, I AM NOT.
  • modvptnlmodvptnl Member Posts: 1,352
    The 4.6 has NEVER changed in its bore or stroke since inception. It's ALWAYS been 4601 CC. This is 4.6 Crown Vics to DOHC Cobras and EVERYTHING in between. Please stop, the hole you've dug is nearly over your head.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,652
    why would Ford bother to take a 4.6, and make whatever slight modifications it would take (bore and/or stroke) to make a 280, 281, and 282. It just wouldn't make sense!

    Just for those fractional differences, you'd have to change stuff like pistons, the crankshaft, bore/debore the cylinder heads, etc. No company in their right mind would waste money doing something like that!

    Wait, I take that back. For a few years, Chrysler actually offered two different 383's. One went into Chrysler Windsors and Saratogas, and one went into Dodges, DeSotos, and Plymouths. Different bore & stroke, and the Chrysler engine actually had a smaller displacement! (by about .5 CID or so)
  • modvptnlmodvptnl Member Posts: 1,352
    That's the whole idea about the MODULAR engine design. Many interchangeable parts. The 5.4 and 6.8 V10 share rods and pistons. They all have the same bore. Yea, in the old days Ford had 2 351's. Identical bore and stroke but NOTHING would interchange. Them days is over with every cent being accounted for.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,652
    I don't really know my Ford history that well, all I know is one engine was called the 351 Cleveland and one was called the 351 Windsor. What exactly was the deal with that? Was one a big block and one a smallblock?
  • smokin_olds442smokin_olds442 Member Posts: 41
    ...it can can change, not just with bore and stroke but cylinder heads...yes, it can, you may not know it but cyl. heads can have a slight affect because the combustion chamber is also included in the displacement of an engine. henceforth, different heads or head designs can slightly effect sizes and perhaps these sizes were rounded, not exactly 280/281/282. think about it....
  • modvptnlmodvptnl Member Posts: 1,352
    There was actually 3 different 351's!!! I almost forgot about the "M". They were all small blocks by the definition of they shared the same bore spacing and head bolt pattern. The "M"(while related to the "c") had a 429/460 bell housing pattern/taller deck and it was also the basis for the 400 Ford.

    The 351 W shares it's design with the 302. It has a taller deck and bigger crank journals and longer stroke. The Cleveland was a different block with more performance potential in that it had smaller crank journals and incredible (for their time) canted valve heads. The C has a goofy oiling system and needs restrictors to live at high RPMS. (Pretty ironic when that's what those heads and crank were designed for.)

    Like the SBC, the Windsor/302 has been around so long that the aftermarket supports it better than any motor ever(along with the chev).
  • modvptnlmodvptnl Member Posts: 1,352
    Will you please give it up!!!! The Combustion chamber is NEVER included in the displacement of an engine. It ,obviously, can change compression ratios but not the mechanical throw or bore of a motor.
  • modvptnlmodvptnl Member Posts: 1,352
    Maybe the Tom Green show?? I know now he's just pullin' our legs!! LMAO!! Good one smokin!!!
  • carnut4carnut4 Member Posts: 574
    Holy smokin' shovelful! I've heard everything now. Just imagine a wheelbarrow with a variable displacement load, and no wheel...
  • smokin_olds442smokin_olds442 Member Posts: 41
    how'd you know?...lol, the only thing I really was serious about was the rwd toronado, i could have sworn they were rwd. what can i say, i don't know much about fords, but i swear the boss 429 was a hemi...oh well who cares, it's my opinion and beliefs and i refuse to change...what can i say, i'm a stuborn German...lol.
  • midnight_stangmidnight_stang Member Posts: 862
    I thought the cubic inch displacement was based on stroke and bore. I thought it's basically a measure of air moved. So if I take two engines with the exact same bore and stroke, but with different compression ratios due to milling the head's or different pistons, wouldn't that change the amount of air being moved? That would easily account for the 1-2 cubic inch difference.

    Another reason while I'm thinking about it is that the displacement figure is a calculation. Maybe it's just rounding to different degrees, or over simplification. If 302 = 5.0l, that's 60.4 liters per cubic ". If 5.8l = 351, that's 60.5172413793 liters per cubic inch. Taking an average, 60.458620, multipling by 4.6 = 278.109655etc. A little less than 280/281/282(I thought it was 281??). Anybody lost now? I am... :)
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,652
    A lot of figures are rounded off when it comes to measurements. For example, a Chevy 302, a Ford 302, and a Pontiac 301 all share the same 4.00 x 3.00 bore x stroke. When I do the math, I get 301.5936 CID. However, I do not know if they're all exactly 4.00 x 3.00 inches. For example, if one had a bore of 3.995, it could still be rounded to 4.00, but the actual displacement would then be 300.8400872. Or if it had a bore of 4.004, the actual displacement would be 302.1970888.

    Displacement is just the bore and stroke though, and doesn't take into account the shape or volume of the heads. I think it's the volume of the heads that determines compression ratio, though. for example, when you mill the heads, it increases it. Put on a head gasket that's too thick, and it reduces it.
  • michml320michml320 Member Posts: 42
    Tell me if this sounds like a good deal. 65, red, 289, convertible, power steering, brakes, top, pony interior, excellent condition, $15,000. Looking for a fun car. I suck as a mechanic though. Are parts still readily available? Is this car relatively reliable? It's just going to be driven in nice weather stored winters. Does it seat 2 or 4? How does the power top work? Thanks I'm new in this section just getting some ideas.
    Lee
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    If you can turn a doorknob and put on your own shirt, you can fix most things on a '65 Mustang. They are lovely cars with 1935 Buick technology and very good reliability for a car of that age.
    And just about every part is available either NOS or repro or used.
  • ndancendance Member Posts: 323
    I wonder how close you really could get to building a car from a catalog. Old mustangs strike me as good fodder for the concept. It seems to me that you could go as far as starting with just the 'tub' (by that I mean a doorless, glassless, 'egg' of sheetmetal running from the firewall, the roof and floor, and the floor of the trunk). You'd probably end up with $30k into a $15k car, but it might be fun.

    One variant on the car project I've thought about (this assumes that you're fairly well off) is how to provide a car for a teenager. Since modern ones are a tad on the shiftless side (well, aside from pitbull breeding, spitting, and wearing bare midriff clothing), my thought for a parent, is to buy a hulk of a cool car (a really early beetle or the aformentioned early mustang) and provide the money to properly restore it (in terms of parts, not other people's labor). This is the only car ever provided to the kid.
  • michml320michml320 Member Posts: 42
    oh well back to the looking board. Looking at a 91 alfa now.
  • dverespeydverespey Member Posts: 56
    Just read through about 8 months of missed postings..

    Sorry you didn't catch that 65 michml320, but shifty is right easy cars to work on and a blast to drive. My two most important items to check for are rust and rust repairs, along with suspension issues.

    Ndance, a buddy and I though about this project as well a few years ago. I've seen a couple of photo alubums that show some convertable reconstructions that almost are new builds....

    bummer about the guy who puched the wrong button. I have a feeling there's more to that story though. I've ended up down the the wrong alley at work a few times by accident, if it's a random event it's always no harm no foul. But then , that's how it is here.
  • apexskrapexskr Member Posts: 11
    Hello,
    I have a '65 c-code Mustang convertible. The exterior is black with a white top w/ black interior. Put on slotted mags, b/c I got them for $40 for the set, but the offset is pretty horrible. Had 225/60/14s on, but downsized to 205s after putting on the mags. Anyways, I've done a few modifications to it. It has an ATK 302 with the original 289 heads, an edelbrock 4 barrel 600cfm electric choke carb, Edelbrock Performer RPM air gap manifold, true dual 3-chamber flows w/ an h-pipe and aluminized 2.25" piping front to back, stock exhaust manifolds (NO headers), stainless steel manual disc brake conversion in the front, gabriel striders in all four corners, Total Control Products upper control arms (NOT relocated), polyurethane spring perches, 700lb.in coil springs (~1 inch drop in front), 4 leaf standard eye leafs (stock rear ride height), export brace, front sway bar, K&N air filter, engine dress up (Mustang - Powered by Ford valve covers, chrome air filter housing, chrome dip stick), Pertonix ignition and coil, a Sony Active Black Panel cd player w/ 4.5" sony speakers in the doors. I have all the maintenance records dating back ten years. THe top is 3 years new, the engine 2 years and manual tranny (four speed T-10) is 1 year since rebuild. The car is an everyday driver. The interior is not bad by any means, but also not great. The decoding plate that tells everything about the car in stock form is gone. Found out it was a c-code built in Milpitas, CA from the vin number registered w/ DMV. California car still.

    No, I'm not interested in selling the car. However, I am interested to find out the market value for this beautiful car. Anyone care to venture either 1) how much they'd be willing to shell out for something like this or 2) how much the "market" would price it at? The body is straight, no rust, and no cutting, flaring, bending, or "permanent" modifications.

    Thanks for your speculations. Not running a test market or trying to "test the waters". I'm just curious.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Very hard to value without looking at it, as it is now a customized car and won't work with standard price guides.

    Best you could do is figure the value for a daily driver Mustang convertible and presume yours would be worth less because it is modified.

    it's not so much that modifying the car is bad, as you've no doubt improved it in many ways, but that modifications are like jewelry, so personal that it is hard to find a buyer who wants exactly what you've done to your car.

    Just as a ballpark, I'd guess in the $8K-10K range would be where the action is for this car.
  • gerry100gerry100 Member Posts: 100
    The year was 1980 and it was a quiet summer evening....

    My bride was out somewhere but her '66 V8 Mustang Hardtop (w Pony interior ) was sitting in our driveway 100 feet from the road practically hidden behind some trees on our rural property. We weren't using it and had taken it off the road about 6 months before.

    Suddenly a Pinto came hurtling up the driveway(if thats possible) with a smoke coming from the exhaust and a sweeter smelling smoke coming from the windows.

    Young man jumped out-

    " you gotta hold this car for me until tommorrow when I get back with the money "

    Me-

    " youll have to call my wife - she's attached to the car and isn't sure what she is going to do, besides it's been sitting ther for 6months I'm sure it will still be there tommorrow - so call her"

    Essentially this exchange was repeated 5 times with this guy getting more concerned about losing out on the car and me repeating myself.

    Then he progressed to insisting on giving me a deposit to "hold" the car until the next day. Despite my repeating my statement(see above).

    Finally, I realized I wasn't going to get thru to this guy and took a $20 bill just so I could get back to whatever I was doing when he showed up.

    Never saw or heard from him again.
  • apexskrapexskr Member Posts: 11
    That's about where I placed it, too.
    Though, I thought more $10k-$12k, but I'm probably optimistic or taking into account the inherent Silicon Valley mark-up. :)

    Guess the modifications really do hurt the resale value. Oh, well. Like I said, I'm not interested in selling, but was just curious. Upgraded the car for my own enjoyment, not to make a profit from. Thanks again for your speculation.
  • parmparm Member Posts: 724
    I'd appreciate hearing any feedback and comments from 65-66 Mustang owners (particularly convertibles) who've installed suspension and subframe reinforcement kits from Total Control. How well do they improve handling? Do they help reduce body squeaks and rattles? Are they worth the money? Thanks.
  • apexskrapexskr Member Posts: 11
    I have TCP uppers installed on my 65 convertible. I absolutely love them and think they were worth the extra money. I went to Mustangs Unlimited, got them with no tax and no shipping charges. Unfortunately, due to the tire and rim combination I was unable to relocate them a la Shelby. I also have added polyurethane spring perches, 700lb/in coil springs and Gabriel Striders set at the stiffest level. The tires are Firestone Firehawk SH30 205/55/R14.

    A guy at Mustang Fever is tricking out his 65 fastback with the best the aftermarket has to offer. He put the whole TCP coil over front suspension kit, lower controls, tie rods, and TCP manual rack and pinion. I do not know whether he has TCP frame connectors or another brand. He claims it handles better than most new cars. He does clovers off the freeway in Silicon Valley at 60+mph w/out any problems. I do clovers at about 40 - 45 mph and break a little traction. My girl's 1990 celica GT does the same clovers at 35-40 mph. She needs new tires though.
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