About 1969 mustang

[Hack]

IMO the biggest issue with most classic mustang suspensions is they are completely worn out, especially the steering, and people drive them expecting them to handle like a new car. If you refresh a 69 mustang suspension with all new quality parts using readily available aftermarket springs and sway bars, it can provide a surprisingly decent ride and handling characteristics.

The biggest shortcomings in the factory suspension are pretty easy to fix, and the aftermarket has long ago provided multiple solutions that don't dramatically increase the cost of simply rebuilding the factory suspension. For spirited Street driving, all you need is a simple wedge kit to lower the upper control arm and correct the camber curve, then simply replace all of the rubber bushings with poly or bearings to eliminate binding and deflection in the components, allowing the suspension to move as the engineers designed it to.

Vintage racers use that type of setup to turn some surprisingly quick track times.

To answer the OPs question, no, expensive and or elaborate chassis bracing is not necessary unless you plan to seriously track the car. Simple sub-frame connectors can stiffen the chassis enough for cruising and even some spirited street driving.

I've replaced my suspension with all new stock components in the past and I remember how long it lasted and how well it worked. That's why I was encouraging others to learn from my mistake and not do that.

I also hate points and carburetors, truth be told.

I agree switching over to poly or bearings is a good way to go. I modified my upper A arms and spring perches with roller bearings. It made a huge improvement. Most people aren't going to fab up suspension components, though. If you are willing to do that you can save some money vs. buying aftermarket.

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[K4fxd]

I also hate points and carburetors, truth be told.

Points work real well, or they used to when you could get quality sets. But yea, they are a pain in the ass maintenance wise.

I'd much rather have a carb than drive by wire if I have a manual trans. Cable TB FI is OK but carbs are the best for smooth quick shifting.

 

[Buldawg76]

Points work real well, or they used to when you could get quality sets. But yea, they are a pain in the ass maintenance wise.

I'd much rather have a carb than drive by wire if I have a manual trans. Cable TB FI is OK but carbs are the best for smooth quick shifting.

Yep, points do work well if they are good quality and do need some maintenance. They also will not leave you on the side of the road stranded like electronics do.

I grew up with carbs and cables as well so I can rebuild any carb out there in my sleep. If you know how to tune them, they can be very good power makers. I really like the old SU carbs of the 50/60s British cars for minimal parts counts and great tuning potential, Most never knew how to tune them properly. I was taught by an old timer from the late 40s on how to tune and work on them. Also, Rochester quadrajets carbs.

BD

 

[K4fxd]

Rochester quadrajets carbs.

I hated these with a passion. I didn't like the Carters either. I'd much rather change air bleeds than metering rods......

Fuel capacity is an issue also.

The tiny primaries made for great throttle response so they are great street carbs.

 

[Buldawg76]

I hated these with a passion. I didn't like the Carters either. I'd much rather change air bleeds than metering rods......

Fuel capacity is an issue also.

The tiny primaries made for great throttle response so they are great street carbs.

I am just the opposite, once you got a quadrajet tuned you never had to mess with it again. Old holleys on the other hand leak like a sieve and never stayed adjusted. Holley has come a long way since the 70/80s for sure. I was just always able to tune a quadrajet to outrun a holley easily and only tuned it once. The most misunderstood part of tuning the quadrajet was setting the secondary air flap to eliminate the studder/stumble when going wide open from a part throttle position.

Full capacity was a fuel pump/pressure issue that was easily solved with high capacity mechanical pump or electric pump.

Like I say I was taught by an old timer that new all carbs inside and out and specialized in SUs and quadrajets for hi po cars.

Just an old skool mech here that's been wrenching for 50 plus years.

BD

 

[K4fxd]

Just an old skool mech here that's been wrenching for 50 plus years.

BD

We are from the same era. I liked the Holley/Motorcraft carbs. I can tune these in my sleep and they also stay tuned.

I have had many "discussions" over the years with people who like the rochester carbs. It's kind of like the Ford VS Chevy rivalry, only in carbs. LOL

 

[Buldawg76]

We are from the same era. I liked the Holley/Motorcraft carbs. I can tune these in my sleep and they also stay tuned.

I have had many "discussions" over the years with people who like the rochester carbs. It's kind of like the Ford VS Chevy rivalry, only in carbs. LOL

Yep agree, I guess it's just what you get comfortable with and work with the most. Never tried tuning motorcraft carbs and truly hated thermo quads for sure. Carter AFB carbs were not bad either. Just never had much good luck with holleys I guess so left them alone for the most part.

Really like the simple SU carbs that you just change needles and adjust the primary tube depth to adjust fuel mixture and then sync them for air flow, pretty much a CV carb for cars.

BD

 

[Mike Pfeifer]

Yep agree, I guess it's just what you get comfortable with and work with the most.

I really want to get into building a classic mustang someday, and one of the first things I would do is making that thing fuel injected. It’s what I know and what I work with day to day. A lot of people would probably disagree with that, but it would my car not theirs. And it would not start out as a numbers matching perfect specimen anyway. I wouldn’t do that to a car like that.

 

[Buldawg76]

I really want to get into building a classic mustang someday, and one of the first things I would do is making that thing fuel injected. It’s what I know and what I work with day to day. A lot of people would probably disagree with that, but it would my car not theirs. And it would not start out as a numbers matching perfect specimen anyway. I wouldn’t do that to a car like that.

I understand your side as well, I started before any computer controls were on cars and grew with the technology so know both simple points/carbs as well as electronics/computers/fuel injection being a retired Cadillac master tech/GM master tech.

I also would go with an aftermarket fuel injection system when building a vintage muscle car with modern plug and play fuel injection just for the improved fuel mileage alone. Modern electronics have gotten much more reliable than those of the 80/90s so the stuck on the side of the road issues are very uncommon today as compared to back then.

I am also just as comfortable with points and carbs though as well.

BD

 

[Deleted member 69033]

This is another one of my toys. I posted in another thread that after driving this damn thing, my f150 feels like an f1 car..... Lol.

 

[Jimmy Dean]

I really want to get into building a classic mustang someday, and one of the first things I would do is making that thing fuel injected. It’s what I know and what I work with day to day. A lot of people would probably disagree with that, but it would my car not theirs. And it would not start out as a numbers matching perfect specimen anyway. I wouldn’t do that to a car like that.

I've had nothing but headaches with my holley sniper installed in my 86 bronco 351W truck. I've often considered ripping it all out and going back to carb and duraspark II setup back on it.

 

[Bobn57]

I really want to get into building a classic mustang someday, and one of the first things I would do is making that thing fuel injected. It’s what I know and what I work with day to day. A lot of people would probably disagree with that, but it would my car not theirs. And it would not start out as a numbers matching perfect specimen anyway. I wouldn’t do that to a car like that.

Hey Mike...we're considering using Holley Sniper EFI unit on our 69 351W rebuild. I lived through the days of carbs, points, manual chokes etc... object of this build is modern features with old school look.

 

[Deleted member 69033]

I'm a carb fan on old stuff for the most part, but I'm done with points. Been setting points since I was a kid and EI is wayyyyyyyy better imho. And yes I know it can strand you, but so can points unless you carry a spare set and tools everywhere you go....

 

[Bobn57]

I'm a carb fan on old stuff for the most part, but I'm done with points. Been setting points since I was a kid and EI is wayyyyyyyy better imho. And yes I know it can strand you, but so can points unless you carry a spare set and tools everywhere you go....

agree....our S550 are loaded with electronics...

 

[Jimmy Dean]

Hey Mike...we're considering using Holley Sniper EFI unit on our 69 351W rebuild. I lived through the days of carbs, points, manual chokes etc... object of this build is modern features with old school look.

the biggest headache with that is because the dist is so c lose to the computer you need to do some work to prevent RFI turning the computer off. I am having to ground out the air cleaner cover now, last weak point. I've got a few hundred miles without issue with no air cleaner, but the second it goes back on, it starts tripping hte computer every couple of minutes.

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