to lift my front end off the ground? Did the original jacks lift from the bumper or behind the wheels?
At the front under the frame rail where the firewall meets the floor. At the back the rear torque box, where the front of the spring is attached.
If you jack the bumper on a Mustang, the only thing that's going up is the bumper.
That's how I discovered my 72 coupe was no longer safe to drive. Jack went up, but car did not.... At the back the rear torque box, where the front of the spring is attached.
I always use the crossmember just behind the oil pan.
I always use the crossmember just behind the oil pan.
I always use the crossmember just behind the oil pan.
The original jack was to be placed in the small notch in the seam between the floor and the rocker panel, just behind the front wheel. This is the only place the factory said you could jack that would not cause damage to the car. You see tons of cars with dented frame rails because the rail is too thin and the main weight of the car was designed to be carried by the rocker panel. This is why convertibles have an inner rocker panel from the factory to strengthen the unibody not frame rail connectors
At the front under the frame rail where the firewall meets the floor. At the back the rear torque box, where the front of the spring is attached.
That is correct, but the question was "Did the original jacks lift from the bumper or behind the wheels?" and the answer is behind the wheels, in the little notch with the original jack. The manual states that this is the only safe place to jack the car. The problem with floor jacks on a Mustang is that the jack pad is not flat, but concaved and it puts all the force on the lip of the pad which will dent the thin frame rails. I use a floor jack but always place a flat piece of wood on the pad to evenly distribute the weight. I also agree with your placement
Regaurdless of what many people may think. The main stucture of the car is supported by the rocker panels and not by the subfames. This is how the car was designed and the way Ford engineers wanted it. It is the reason why Ford re-enforced this area of the car in the convertble and did not add subframe connectors. Subframe connectors do help but the main weight of the car is still carried by the rocker panels. As you stated, the best way to re-enforce a coup or fastback is not to add subframe connector but to add convertible inner rockers and box the front to create torque boxes, same as on a convertible. Subframe connector's would have been much cheaper for Ford to add but they do not carrie the same weight as the re-encorced rockers
Dangerously wrong I might add but you did answer the first question.