I agree. I was going to use the roller UCA and it was on my list I sent to John. He talked me out of it saying that it was a waste of money for a street car. I ended up using his non-roller street UCA and I'm glad I did because it saved me a lot of money. That told me a lot about John's character as well. He is a great guy to deal with. Now the roller LCA is a must if you are using the adjustable strut rods. It allows the LCA to move freely when making adjustments and not put it in a bind like a stock rubber bushing would. Well worth the extra $100.

I forgot I also used Opentracker's roller idler arm. As far as I can tell, it really helps out with the slow speed turning. I used to have to really crank the wheel hard to get the car to turn at low speeds. Now, it only takes minimal effort. Also worth the money IMO.

 

+1 for John @ OPR, excellent customer service and super fast shipping (2 days).

For what its worth, I contacted mustangsplus when i ordered the grab-a-trak kit and inquired about upgrading the shocks, and for an extra $200 they swapped the KYBs for Edelbrock IAS.

I installed the rear today and am doing the front tomorrow so i have zero feedback for results, but i did a lot of research on this and ended up with the following:

4.5 mideye leafs
1" lowering 620 springs (they didnt have the 540s i wanted)
edelbrock IAS on all 4 corners
1" front swaybar
3/4" rear swaybar
roller perches
shelby drop template (search the topic on here, trust us)
new inner/outer tierods
roller idler arm

i will know tomorrow if i have to get UCA/LCAs, hoping i can keep the stockers for the $$

also look into subframe connectors

 

Hey guys, sorry to be so ignorant, but what does OPR stand for? I know as soon as I see it I'll say duh!

 

Opentracker Racing Products: www.opentrackerracingproducts.com

 

Oh, by the way Piraya, I love your '66. Color, stripes, wheels and other mods make that car amazing. Fastbacks are nice but coupes have always been my favorite.
John

 

It's kind of funny how there are so many different opinions on suspension. I appreciate all the feedback. You guys are definitely helping me paint a solid picture of what I should be looking for. I don't want overkill. It's not about whether I can afford it or not. If the money can be spent better elsewhere, then I'm all about it. So it sounds like I'm leaning towards the following setup...

ORP roller perches
ORP non-roller UCA or maybe just stock replacement
Stock replacement LCA
Stock strut rod rubber bushing replacement
Edelbrock IAS shocks
Shelby drop
1" front sway bar
620 coils
3/4" rear sway bar
4.5 leaf mid-eye rear

Maybe down the road I'll upgrade to the ORP LCA, strut rod, and idler arm. From what it sounds like everyone is saying though, just the upgrades above will make a HUGE difference. I'm excited about the money I'll be saving. Maybe I'll be able to get that rack and pinion steering sooner than I thought.

My car is a manual steering car by the way, and I have no intention of changing that. Thanks again to everyone for your thoughts. I love this forum!

 

If you call Opentracker, they will recommend their products based on what you're doing with your car. I'm using the Street Ready UCAs, Street Ready Roller LCAs, and Street Ready Roller spring perches. I compared ORP's products to everything out there, and when I was done with the math, They offered the best bang for the buck.
Because I also knew that I was going with the Shelby drop when I installed all this stuff, I ordered the Negative Wedge kit from NPD as well. It's not cheap, but you get a lot for your money.
I already had 620 springs, a 1" sway bar, export brace, and Monte Carlo Bar on the car.
I love driving my car now, and I can't say enough good things about Opentracker Racing Products.
Good Luck,
Brian

 

I personally think all this stuff is gross overkill, brought on by people willing to pay extravagant prices for bragging rights. Somehow we've been sold on the idea that street driven cars should handle like track cars. Also, I think Mustangs Plus 'Grab a trak' is just marketing hooey.

For a daily driven car, I would recommend: (prices typical of CJ Pony)
New upper and lower control arms ($235)
Roller Spring Perch (Build your own from Daze's kit) (about $50 to DIY)
Shelby Drop (few bucks for drillbits)
1" Lowering springs ($75)
New spring insulators ($10)
KYB GR-2 shocks ($70)
New Strut Rod Bushings ($25)
1" Sway bar with new end links ($105)

That's under 600..Take the rest and invest in all new steering components and a new steering box, and a set of CSRP disc brakes.

 

Hey James, with the exception of the KYB shocks, the setup you mentioned is what I said I was leaning towards after hearing everyone's comments. You just reinforced the conclusion I was able to draw from everyone's feedback. That's why I love this forum. Had I not done some research I may have dropped FAR TOO much money into a suspension that would be complete overkill for a street driven car.

You mention new steering components. What do you think about the TCP rack and pinion setup, or any brand rack and pinion for that matter. Do you think the stock steering is sufficient as well?

I'll be the first to admit that when it comes to my Mustang I have a hard time leaving well enough alone. Even though the stock steering did fine for the last 40 years, I'm still sold on upgrading to a rack and pinion setup. Two days ago I was sold on a coil-over suspension system also. ;-) I think I understand your point though, that street-driven cars shouldn't handle like a track car. That probably makes for a very uncomfortable ride in a daily driver. My point is I'm always shopping for the next project. I've seen your website though, so I guess I'm preaching to the choir, huh?

 

I agree with rebuilding the stock front suspension and upgrading a few things. Thats what we did.

I am considering getting the roller idler arm. Does anyone else have any comments on it?