Suspension ideas for my 1973 Fastback
01-07-2013, 11:09 AM
#11
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Arizona
Posts: 36
Our suspension bible http://home.bresnan.net/~dazed/suspension101 just ignore the lowering the upper a arm part in 71 ford lowered the upper a arm on the mustang.The front you can go for oem with upgrades to full coilovers the rear is harder no one makes a 3 or 4 link for it yet.I heard a guy on another forum took a 3 link for a 70 and made it fit but no pictures to prove it.For normal parts for it http://www.ohiomustang.com/ anything billet http://www.eddiemotorsports.com/ Anything parts you need help finding or ideas let me know.
Thanks!
Ha, can't wait to get started on it! It's still in the shop getting the transmission and engine checked out.
01-07-2013, 11:36 AM
#12
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 57
Street or Track makes some nice stuff.
http://www.streetortrack.com/
A friend of mine installed their front coil over set up. I haven't ridden in it because its in the middle of a restoration but it sure looks nice.
http://www.streetortrack.com/
A friend of mine installed their front coil over set up. I haven't ridden in it because its in the middle of a restoration but it sure looks nice.
01-07-2013, 11:48 AM
#13
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: The garage (near SF bay- Calif)
Posts: 469
There's an active forum for 71-73 mustangs at:
7173mustangs dot com
Not sure how extensive $$$ you want to get with suspension.
Lots of companies make coil-over for 71-73 model years but there are very few options for rack and pinion. RRS in Australia and Fatmanfab in USA are the only ones I know of. Fatmanfab is a complete custom front suspension kit with an Escort rack. If you're rebuilding everything anyway it may be the way to go.
RRS has a new R&P kit but I haven't heard much about it other than they're a little difficult to work with being in Australia.
The stock 71-73 Mach1 suspension is decent if you replace the loose/worn components. Rebuilding the stock steering box really tightened it up too. That's the route I went and it rides good. It handles "old school" but very good old school. It stays flat in smooth corners but steering is still more vague than R&P (but I didn't buy this car to handle like a new car anyway and definatly not road racing).
The Mach1 suspension (aka competition suspension) has front+rear sway bars and heavy duty shocks+springs. If you have the standard suspension, I'm sure you can add these components.
Or if your on a budget, just adding a front sway bar, good shocks and replacing/rebuilding the worn stock parts would help alot.
7173mustangs dot com
Not sure how extensive $$$ you want to get with suspension.
Lots of companies make coil-over for 71-73 model years but there are very few options for rack and pinion. RRS in Australia and Fatmanfab in USA are the only ones I know of. Fatmanfab is a complete custom front suspension kit with an Escort rack. If you're rebuilding everything anyway it may be the way to go.
RRS has a new R&P kit but I haven't heard much about it other than they're a little difficult to work with being in Australia.
The stock 71-73 Mach1 suspension is decent if you replace the loose/worn components. Rebuilding the stock steering box really tightened it up too. That's the route I went and it rides good. It handles "old school" but very good old school. It stays flat in smooth corners but steering is still more vague than R&P (but I didn't buy this car to handle like a new car anyway and definatly not road racing).
The Mach1 suspension (aka competition suspension) has front+rear sway bars and heavy duty shocks+springs. If you have the standard suspension, I'm sure you can add these components.
Or if your on a budget, just adding a front sway bar, good shocks and replacing/rebuilding the worn stock parts would help alot.
Last edited by 1971mach1; 01-08-2013 at 12:33 PM.
01-09-2013, 01:37 AM
#14
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location:
Posts: 8,162
I think the fatmanfab kit your talking about is the one you use the fox or newer struts and spindles right?I'm not a big fan of that kit or struts as far as handling goes.The factory stuff isn't bad but can be upgraded some to make it handle better past that you have coilover kits which are nice but pricey too.It really comes down to how you want the car to be.It can be a stockish with light upgrades or a pro touring monster your wallet is the only limit to a early mustang.A good general info site http://www.429mustangcougarinfo.50megs.com/ its for 71 429 cars but besides the engine and the front end sheet metal and few tiny things a 71 and 73 are almost twins.
01-09-2013, 03:55 PM
#15
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Arizona
Posts: 36
Street or Track makes some nice stuff.
http://www.streetortrack.com/
A friend of mine installed their front coil over set up. I haven't ridden in it because its in the middle of a restoration but it sure looks nice.
http://www.streetortrack.com/
A friend of mine installed their front coil over set up. I haven't ridden in it because its in the middle of a restoration but it sure looks nice.
There's an active forum for 71-73 mustangs at:
7173mustangs dot com
Not sure how extensive $$$ you want to get with suspension.
Lots of companies make coil-over for 71-73 model years but there are very few options for rack and pinion. RRS in Australia and Fatmanfab in USA are the only ones I know of. Fatmanfab is a complete custom front suspension kit with an Escort rack. If you're rebuilding everything anyway it may be the way to go.
RRS has a new R&P kit but I haven't heard much about it other than they're a little difficult to work with being in Australia.
The stock 71-73 Mach1 suspension is decent if you replace the loose/worn components. Rebuilding the stock steering box really tightened it up too. That's the route I went and it rides good. It handles "old school" but very good old school. It stays flat in smooth corners but steering is still more vague than R&P (but I didn't buy this car to handle like a new car anyway and definatly not road racing).
The Mach1 suspension (aka competition suspension) has front+rear sway bars and heavy duty shocks+springs. If you have the standard suspension, I'm sure you can add these components.
Or if your on a budget, just adding a front sway bar, good shocks and replacing/rebuilding the worn stock parts would help alot.
7173mustangs dot com
Not sure how extensive $$$ you want to get with suspension.
Lots of companies make coil-over for 71-73 model years but there are very few options for rack and pinion. RRS in Australia and Fatmanfab in USA are the only ones I know of. Fatmanfab is a complete custom front suspension kit with an Escort rack. If you're rebuilding everything anyway it may be the way to go.
RRS has a new R&P kit but I haven't heard much about it other than they're a little difficult to work with being in Australia.
The stock 71-73 Mach1 suspension is decent if you replace the loose/worn components. Rebuilding the stock steering box really tightened it up too. That's the route I went and it rides good. It handles "old school" but very good old school. It stays flat in smooth corners but steering is still more vague than R&P (but I didn't buy this car to handle like a new car anyway and definatly not road racing).
The Mach1 suspension (aka competition suspension) has front+rear sway bars and heavy duty shocks+springs. If you have the standard suspension, I'm sure you can add these components.
Or if your on a budget, just adding a front sway bar, good shocks and replacing/rebuilding the worn stock parts would help alot.
My mechanic says that I really don't need a kit - just needs a few parts to replace. Therefore I think I'm gonna stick with the 'old school' ride. That way I would understand the whole old school style back in the day when they were making these mustangs. I have a thread going on and will keep updating it every time something happens to the car! The link is in my signature.
01-10-2013, 04:12 AM
#16
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location:
Posts: 8,162
Thumb around on http://www.opentrackerracingproducts.com/products/ the roller spring perches are a must they smooth out the ride a lot.
01-11-2013, 01:01 PM
#17
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Arizona
Posts: 36
I think the fatmanfab kit your talking about is the one you use the fox or newer struts and spindles right?I'm not a big fan of that kit or struts as far as handling goes.The factory stuff isn't bad but can be upgraded some to make it handle better past that you have coilover kits which are nice but pricey too.It really comes down to how you want the car to be.It can be a stockish with light upgrades or a pro touring monster your wallet is the only limit to a early mustang.A good general info site http://www.429mustangcougarinfo.50megs.com/ its for 71 429 cars but besides the engine and the front end sheet metal and few tiny things a 71 and 73 are almost twins.
Thumb around on http://www.opentrackerracingproducts.com/products/ the roller spring perches are a must they smooth out the ride a lot.
01-12-2013, 02:21 AM
#18
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location:
Posts: 8,162
If the front you have a spring perch its on top the upper a arm it holds the lower part of the coil spring.When the suspension moves up and down the spring perch pivots to keep the spring in line.On the factory made ones the bushings in the spring perch flexes some and can drag a little bit both are bad for handling and a smooth ride.The roller ones have ball bearings in them so the spring perch can move more freely.
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