Hello this is my first post. I have a 66 mustang and know nothing about cars, but want to learn and fix my car up some. recently i took it to a car show to let some people look at it to see if anything major needed to be done. They said that the front end was sunk low and something about it being 4 lug instead of 5 like it is in the back. Also, i have a 302 engine instead of the original 289. Anyway i want to fix up the problem but do not know what i need to do. Do i need to just change the front end brakes and make it 5 lug, or do i need to do some suspension work, or both. Remember i am car slow so if you could lay out what i need to do and what parts i need and maybe some links to those parts that would be amazing. Here is a side view picture if you need it.

 

Welcome to the forums!

Are you sure that your car is originally a V8 car? The 4 lug stuff is for an I6 car. It might be that someone converted it to a V8 and just upgraded the rear. It seems to me that that is what they did and left the I6 front springs too. Either way, if the front is really 4 lug, I would definitely convert that to 5 lug too. If its drum brakes then A disc brake swap would be a good upgrade. You can go to discbrakeswap.com or you can do what I did and just do a Granada swap on it.

What letter is the 5th place on your VIN? If its a T then the car was an inline 6. If its a C it was originally a 2 bbl V8.

 

the letter is a T. so just switching to the granada brakes will do it?No other work needs to be done?

 

yah. car was original 6cylinder. as tx65 already assumed, someone has upgraded the car to V8.
good news is that in your picture the rear seems to be 5 lug, so someone upgarded the rearend already

I was in the same situation and chose discbrakeswap.com
Dennis is very helpful and it has 3 advantages:
- disc brakes (obviously)
- dual master cylinder for added safety
- 5 lug in front as well (so you can pick the same wheels front and back if you want to change)

i haven't upgraded my steering yet and still use the 6 cylinder tierods. but I had to change springs and shocks as mine were bad and I was bottoming out the whole time

PS(edit): can you do me a favour and measure the decal on your rocker panel for me? the top and bottom strip with, the center stripe width and the gap between the stripes. I wanted to add the same, but it's not looking how I want it (i have similar color car). So I wanted to see if yours measure correct. Thanks !



Kalli

 

thanks everyone for all the help. and kalli that is actually the paint job. not a decal. do you still want measurements on it?

 

If you upgrade to Granada disc in the front you will need a master cylinder like this and a proportioning valve.

http://www.mustangsunlimited.com/ite...p?T1=F71248+01

I have Granada brakes on mine and think it is great.

You can also do what kali said and go to discbrakeswap.com. They are a good way to go also.

If the front is riding really low and is soft and spongy you will want to get V8 front springs. You can get stock ones or 1 inch drop springs. The stock ones will sit a little high.

Depending on what you are doing with the car, it could probably also use subframe connectors, monte carlo bar and export brace, and sway bars. The upgrade list can keep going as long as you want it to. LOL.....

 

For your swap from 4 lug to 5 lug will require a few parts.

I believe you need a new spindle (the part between the upper A arm and Lower control arm that is attached to the upper and lower ball joints).

A 5 lug Hub

You also have to replace the brakes because, I believe, because they used smaller drums and the 4 -5 lug change. That would include the backing plate, wheel cylinder, brakes, and drums.

And to change the rear out, you may be able to get 5 lug axles to replace in the housing; but it may be easier to just find a complete axle assembly to replace.

Im also new at this, but that is what I have read so far.

Good luck

 

If you do a Granada swap it will change the spindles and give you 5 lug wheels. The brakes parts are also beefier than the stock Mustang disc brake parts.