Help design my 1965 Fastback suspension and drivetrain
12-25-2007, 12:24 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 5
Help design my 1965 Fastback suspension and drivetrain
Hi Everyone,
I’m new to this forum and have recently purchased a 65 Fastback. Body, paint and interior is in great shape, rebuilt 302 engine is fair to good. Everything else is stock. Primary goal is to improve the drivability. I have a budget of $25k for parts and labor and am looking for advice from more experienced Mustang owners on what they would do with this budget. The areas I want to concentrate on are as follows: suspension (IFS & IRS), steering, brakes. If the budget allows, I would also like to update the transmission from an automatic to manual (Tremec T5?) I have been looking at the same suspension kits as everyone else (Heidts, RRS, Total Control Products, Ron Morris Street Force, Rod & Custom , and CTM IRS). Breaking down items by parts budget and labor budget is where I am getting stuck. I will be having everything professionally done. So if you were in my shoes, how would you maximize my budget of $25k?
[IMG]local://upfiles/87108/4CD4EB445C1A43CB99D49EADB688CE79.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/87108/BD12C7E41355439C8709531D3FC28B56.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/87108/A63E5EFE7A0F4E80A0EA795016D5D1FC.jpg[/IMG]
I’m new to this forum and have recently purchased a 65 Fastback. Body, paint and interior is in great shape, rebuilt 302 engine is fair to good. Everything else is stock. Primary goal is to improve the drivability. I have a budget of $25k for parts and labor and am looking for advice from more experienced Mustang owners on what they would do with this budget. The areas I want to concentrate on are as follows: suspension (IFS & IRS), steering, brakes. If the budget allows, I would also like to update the transmission from an automatic to manual (Tremec T5?) I have been looking at the same suspension kits as everyone else (Heidts, RRS, Total Control Products, Ron Morris Street Force, Rod & Custom , and CTM IRS). Breaking down items by parts budget and labor budget is where I am getting stuck. I will be having everything professionally done. So if you were in my shoes, how would you maximize my budget of $25k?
[IMG]local://upfiles/87108/4CD4EB445C1A43CB99D49EADB688CE79.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/87108/BD12C7E41355439C8709531D3FC28B56.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/87108/A63E5EFE7A0F4E80A0EA795016D5D1FC.jpg[/IMG]
12-25-2007, 01:14 PM
#2
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Colorado
Posts: 923
RE: Help design my 1965 Fastback suspension and drivetrain
Whatever you do, upgrade the brakes. I dont know much about suspension so I cant help you there, but I have heard a lot of great things about rack and pinion steering upgrades. They arent that expensive and make the car much better to drive.
Merry christmas
Merry christmas
12-25-2007, 01:21 PM
#4
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Colorado
Posts: 923
RE: Help design my 1965 Fastback suspension and drivetrain
I agree. Not only will it save you lots of cash, but the satisfaction of knowing that you did it yourself is fantastic. If you do the work yourself you will have a hell of a car for that kind of money.
12-25-2007, 04:42 PM
#6
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location:
Posts: 8,162
RE: Help design my 1965 Fastback suspension and drivetrain
Forget the heidts thats a mustang 2 kit will make it handle worse.Id go global west coilovers or http://www.griggsracing.com/index.php .IM not a fan of irs but if you really want it http://www.mustangsunlimited.com/ite...sp?T1=CF120+01 thats the only bolt in one i know of theres also this one http://www.dvsrestorations.com/irs.html
12-25-2007, 06:08 PM
#7
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location:
Posts: 1,494
RE: Help design my 1965 Fastback suspension and drivetrain
Leave that car alone, its really nice as it is. Spend the $25 on another ride that someone else has built cuz if you're not even going to do the work yourself, you can buy a decent ride with that kinda money.
12-25-2007, 07:55 PM
#8
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 5
RE: Help design my 1965 Fastback suspension and drivetrain
Thanks for all the feedback. I've thought about doing it myself, but have heard from others that all the systems require cutting and welding. Have any of you installed any true bolt on systems and if so what brand and how did it go?
12-25-2007, 09:26 PM
#9
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location:
Posts: 877
RE: Help design my 1965 Fastback suspension and drivetrain
I have no issues with you farming out the work, some times that is what works for the individual so don't let some one else tell you what works for you only you can decide. On the flip side suggestions never hurt any one 
For the vast majority of us on this forum and other forums like it we like to work on our cars so you will get a lot of suggestions to do it your self. With that said I recommend educate your self and then deciding what work to farm out and what work you may want/be able to do your self. Best news is you have this forum to talk you through it should you decide to do the work your self and run in to issues. For starter knowledge is power soooo take a look at my web page and all the pages linked from it:
www.dazecars.com. I have written all kinds of information on suspension, handling and even IRS in a classic Mustang. Normally I would give the advise that the stock Mustang suspension is fundamentally a good design and only certain parts need to be upgraded (maintaining the original basic design) to make a smooth handling car. That is not the case in your car because you are wanting to go to the next level and have IRS in the rear. In the front end, I would NOT go Mustang II the only advantage to it is more room in the engine compartment for a bigger motor, and you loose handling in the pricess. The best solution is IMHO a coil over kit such as TCP
or Ron Morris
These are bolt on kits that you can do or you can farm out, if you farm them out the labor should not be more than a couple of days. The best part about a Coil over suspension kit is it is still based on the original Mustang design but by going coil over the springs and shock work together and the LCA as a mounting point improves suspension levorage.
As far as the IRS there is only one kit I know of that is a direct bolt on and that is the T5 unit designed for the classic Mustang by Ford back in the 60s. It is now being produced and sold by CTM engineering
The other options like heidits and CWI are good units but some fabrication will be needed to install them in your car. There again if you go with the CTM parts you could install it your self or farm it out for less $$. I have spent most of my time as a mustang owner trying to improve handling and suspension of my cars so I have lots of info and am willing to help any way that I can. I love questions so fire away.
For the vast majority of us on this forum and other forums like it we like to work on our cars so you will get a lot of suggestions to do it your self. With that said I recommend educate your self and then deciding what work to farm out and what work you may want/be able to do your self. Best news is you have this forum to talk you through it should you decide to do the work your self and run in to issues. For starter knowledge is power soooo take a look at my web page and all the pages linked from it:www.dazecars.com. I have written all kinds of information on suspension, handling and even IRS in a classic Mustang. Normally I would give the advise that the stock Mustang suspension is fundamentally a good design and only certain parts need to be upgraded (maintaining the original basic design) to make a smooth handling car. That is not the case in your car because you are wanting to go to the next level and have IRS in the rear. In the front end, I would NOT go Mustang II the only advantage to it is more room in the engine compartment for a bigger motor, and you loose handling in the pricess. The best solution is IMHO a coil over kit such as TCP
or Ron Morris
These are bolt on kits that you can do or you can farm out, if you farm them out the labor should not be more than a couple of days. The best part about a Coil over suspension kit is it is still based on the original Mustang design but by going coil over the springs and shock work together and the LCA as a mounting point improves suspension levorage.
As far as the IRS there is only one kit I know of that is a direct bolt on and that is the T5 unit designed for the classic Mustang by Ford back in the 60s. It is now being produced and sold by CTM engineering
The other options like heidits and CWI are good units but some fabrication will be needed to install them in your car. There again if you go with the CTM parts you could install it your self or farm it out for less $$. I have spent most of my time as a mustang owner trying to improve handling and suspension of my cars so I have lots of info and am willing to help any way that I can. I love questions so fire away.
12-26-2007, 01:08 AM
#10
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location:
Posts: 8,162
RE: Help design my 1965 Fastback suspension and drivetrain
Daze i like global west over tcp and ron morris because the top mount on the two looks thin global west is big and thick.Daze heres the only link i found to buy it thats not old http://www.geocities.com/ctmengineering/mustanghome.htm