Well, just got registered for the 45th Mustang Anniversary show in Birmingham, AL. As of now, I just registered for the show, but I am considering doing the open track event with the road course. The only 2 things that are holding me back is the $150 fee, and the fact that I have a bone stock suspension. I plan on adding a shock tower brace, and I want to add a 1 1/8" sway bar to the front and a 7/8" bar to the rear along with some KYB gas-a-just shocks all the way around. I have seen the kits that come with the 1" and 3/4" bars and these shocks, but have been unable to find kits that come with the 1 1/8" and 3/4" bars. Does anybody know where I could buy a kit (as in front and rear sway bars and the shocks) with these parts? Also, any other suggestions to do to help the car handle the track better?

 

Go to NPD's site with their online catalog, look at the Street Bandit kit, cheapest I have seen it anywhere. Good modification to your stock setup. I haven't heard anything but good things about that kit.

 

http://www.opentrackerracingproducts.com/products/ try talking to him he road races a mustang.From what i know roller spring perchs export brace and monte carlo bar help a lot.

 

I'd be careful with a bone stock suspension (and brakes?). With the stock suspension geometry, Mustangs are pigs. They understeer hard into corners, are unstable coming out, and are prone to large amounts of body roll. Adding chassis and suspension stiffeners will help a little, but they're basically bandaids to the main problem: crappy suspension geometry.

The real solution is to do the shelby drop, add stiffer lowering springs, roller perches (yes, they help), and then chassis stiffeners and sway bars.

I haven't open tracked my car, but I have taken it out and thrashed it on some pretty hairy back roads, both before and after modifying my suspension. The pre-modification runs were done with stock coils, stock perches, OE-style manual discs, mid-eye 4.5 leafs, and both KYB Gas-A-Just and Edelbrock IAS shocks. The Edelbrocks handle slightly better and soak up road variations better, but for the most part the pre-modification runs were scary. My car suffered from terrible understeer and body roll that severely limited my ability to corner. I had to brake hard into every corner to keep from plowing into walls while the guys I was with were whipping around the corners almost effortlessly.

A month or so ago I swapped in new UCA's, roller perches (thanks Daze), 1" drop 560lb springs, and did the Shelby drop. I took it out about a week ago and gave it a good run through the twisties. The car was much, much more stable in the corners. It stays flatter and grabs the road a lot better, allowing me to focus more on trying to spin the wheel fast enough through the corner rather than how much I need to slow down to make the corner. It still understeers a little, but that's to be expected, and it can usually be corrected by a more liberal application of my right foot I think I may add a small rear sway bar to help correct some of the remaining rear body roll and understeer.

Anyway, back to the point. Think long and hard about going out there on a track. Being on a race track makes you want to push your car, hard, and it's likely not ready to be pushed that hard. What shape are your brakes in? If you've still got drums up front, forget about it. If you've got discs but you haven't done anything to them in a while, you should consider flushing the fluid and swapping in some DOT 4 to cut down on fade. Some light race compound pads wouldn't hurt either. Suspension-wise, solid steering/suspension components, export brace, monte carlo bar, sway bars, good shocks, and good tires should all be considered required items.

 

Front disc are a must and sub frame connectors remove a ton of body flex.The fluid is the best tip i seen yet most never ever change there brake fluid.

 

Thanks starfury. The brakes are 4 wheel power disc. Fronts are factory style 72 models (switched over to that from 4 wheel manual drums), and the rears are 95 style (have a 94-98 8.8 rear with 31 spline mosers and an auburn pro-posi with 3.73 Ford Racing gears wrapped around it). It obviously has new brake fluid throughout since I have just done the brake swap here in the past 2 years. So the edlebrock shocks handle better? If so I may buy the parts seperate and get the edelbrocks. The shock tower brace is gonna be made and installed (the ones you can buy won't work on an AC equipped car from 71-73). Also, they don't make a so called export brace for my year. It has the braces that run from the shock towers to the firewall, and they are pretty hefty parts, but you cannot get a one piece unit, at least I've never been able to find one. However, with a shock tower brace, everything should be fine. I have thought about the shelby UCA drop, but apparently that cannot be done on a 71-73 either. I have heard that Ford relocated the UCAs lower than in previous years to help with the geometry from the factory. As far as sub frame connectors, sorry... not happening. Period. I haven't done anything to my car that cannot be un-done, and welding on sub frame connectors crosses the line. Yes, I know they can be removed, but its a major pain in the butt and tends to look like crap after removal. The tires are BFG radial T/As; 215/70R15s in the front, and 255/70R15s in the rear. So as far as brakes and tires, I'd say im not in bad shape at all. Right now, I have found out that the car does pretty good (In my opinion) in curves as long as you stay in the gas and push the car through the curve. However, the stock, and somewhat smallish, front sway bar and the lack of a rear one definitely doesn't help. Thats why I feel that the sway bars would be the single best improvement I could make, along with some KYB or Edelbrock shocks.

 

Sorry, forgot you had a '72. Yes, the '71-73 models incorporated the UCA drop from the factory, so no need to bother with that.

If you haven't touched the brakes in over a year, I'd definitely flush the fluid and swap in some DOT 4. It's a good idea for any car to flush the brake fluid every couple years, and if you're going to be putting the car on a track, you want fresh fluid that isn't going to boil on you.

If you want things to be un-done, get bolt-in subframe connectors. Not quite as solid as weld-in units, but better than nothing. Unibody cars flex a lot, and you want to avoid that.

Do you have traction bars? If not, a set of Cal-Tracs or Competition Engineering Slide-A-Links (not Tractions Masters, since you want them to be removable) would be a very good idea.

Sway bars will help with your big car, especially in the rear. Just be prepared for more of a loose feeling in the back end while cornering.

I'd really, really recommend finding a different set of tires for the track. Radial T/A's look great, but they basically suck as a performance tire. Spongy sidewalls, hard tread rubber, and crappy tread design make them sub-par by today's standards. You may be able to find a set of BFG Traction T/A's or maybe even something foreign that will stick to the road a lot better.

 

Well, as much as I'd love to do all the things you guys are recommending, there just isn't enough money in the bank. I should be able to squeeze out about $400, but that's it. That being said, what mods are the most cost efficient that are in my budget. Obviously the brake fluid is a go, and the shock tower brace.

 

Only different looking export style brace i know of that will fit it is http://www.mpgheads.com/ExportBrace/ExportBrace.htm or can make your own like that. Monte carlo bar will clear the ac or that is what most of them say.Can get a old tube style one or http://www.streetortrack.com/Street-...-pr-23524.html .Yes ford did lower the upper control arm on the 71-73 years.Been me i wouldn't be worried about welding in sub frame connectors since its not a rare mustang so it won't hurt the value of the car.How good is all your steering linkage anything old or wore out?One great thing about the 71-73 they use a different steering box then the earlier years nascar runs the same one so you can have it rebuilt with about any ratio you want.

 

Four hundred huh?

Shocks-kyb about 150 for 4

front Springs (opentracker 560's-620s to stiff) approx 80

1 inch front sway bar (1 1/8 to big. Your fillings will come loose on the streets)- About 100. (You don't need the rear bar at this stage. In fact, many open track drivers don't use a rear sway bar, as mentioned above they can make the rear end loose.)

Export brace and monte carlo bar- about 100 bucks (foreign made ones are cheaper, but spend the extra 20 bucks or so and get the ford licensed/tooling ones. Heavier metal and generally higher quality design.

+1 on the brake fluid as well. FREE-well, relatively free.

I know my math is off by about 30 bucks or so, but you get the idea.

I think that will get you the most bang for your buck considering your budget and what I would do generally in order of priority for suspension upgrades (obviously assuming everythin is generally in good condition-control arms, bushings, tie rods etc.-i would do rear springs next, but not in your budget at this point.)

Drive carefully and good luck.