1966 Mustang Questions

[whammo77]

I am new to the forum, as well as to the Ford community. To be honest, I have always been a Chevy person, but my daughter wanted a Mustang so after much hunting and searching that is what we finally purchased.... a 1966 Mustang. Forgive my ignorance as it regards to Ford products.....

So I have many questions regarding this car. So I might as well get started....

The car has the straight 6 engine with an auto trans. The engine and tranny are newly rebuilt. However, the car does not have power steering, air conditioning, etc. However, someone DID start the A/C process so the car DOES have the compressor installed (which I figure I will probably have to replace). None the less, at least the bracketing and belts are there which is a start. If this were a chevy, I would know what car(s) I could look to to strip parts from... but not being a ford guy, I have no clue where to start. Likewise, there is no power steering. Again, if it were a chevy, I would know where to start. Being a Ford.... yeah, not a clue.

So, I have a compressor, and a friend of mine gave me the under dash unit. So now I need the evaporator and everything inbetween. Can someone tell me what kind of car(s) I can look to, to find all the brackets and parts I need?

Also, as I said, the car does not have power steering. What car(s) can I look to to strip all the components I need to make the conversion?

At the moment, it still has the drum brakes on the front which I DO plan to replace with disks and have already checked out... just putting it off for the moment.... till the other stuff is done.

Sorry for being such a total Ford newbie.... I was raised in a Chevy family. I have always wanted a Mustang tho.... kinda cool that my daughter picked it! I am just so lost to Ford products tho. I could really use some help!

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[whammo77]

Another pic......

 

[v8only]

I've always loved that color...very nice mustang. mustangsteve.com sells bracket kits to adopt late model mustang disk brakes onto your 66. the six that came in your car was common to fords of that era....spend some time in the yards....u can score much of the under hood stuff from a falcon maybe a maverick etc

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

 

[bartl]

I am new to the forum, as well as to the Ford community. To be honest, I have always been a Chevy person, but my daughter wanted a Mustang so after much hunting and searching that is what we finally purchased.... a 1966 Mustang. Forgive my ignorance as it regards to Ford products.....

So I have many questions regarding this car. So I might as well get started....

The car has the straight 6 engine with an auto trans. The engine and tranny are newly rebuilt. However, the car does not have power steering, air conditioning, etc. However, someone DID start the A/C process so the car DOES have the compressor installed (which I figure I will probably have to replace). None the less, at least the bracketing and belts are there which is a start. If this were a chevy, I would know what car(s) I could look to to strip parts from... but not being a ford guy, I have no clue where to start. Likewise, there is no power steering. Again, if it were a chevy, I would know where to start. Being a Ford.... yeah, not a clue.

So, I have a compressor, and a friend of mine gave me the under dash unit. So now I need the evaporator and everything inbetween. Can someone tell me what kind of car(s) I can look to, to find all the brackets and parts I need?

Also, as I said, the car does not have power steering. What car(s) can I look to to strip all the components I need to make the conversion?

At the moment, it still has the drum brakes on the front which I DO plan to replace with disks and have already checked out... just putting it off for the moment.... till the other stuff is done.

Sorry for being such a total Ford newbie.... I was raised in a Chevy family. I have always wanted a Mustang tho.... kinda cool that my daughter picked it! I am just so lost to Ford products tho. I could really use some help!

Thanks in advance for your help!

Welcome to sanity!

With regard to your A/C project, if you have the evap0rator (should be in the under dash unit) you will need the lines, receiver/drier, expansion valve and condensor. You may be able to find a condensor from another Mustang, Falcon or maybe a Fairlane that will fit. You will want new lines (they dry out and leak), new receiver/drier (for obvious reasons) and expansion valve. If you have the original-style compressor you may simply want to contact a place like Classic Air and get a new underhood kit with a Sanden compressor.

For your Power Steering components you will need, IIRC, a power steering center link and left inner and outer tie-rod ends, the pump and lines and control valve/ram. Again, with the exception 0f the pump these are somewhat '65-66 Mustang-specific. A very popular installation now is the Borgeson integral power steering box which eliminates many of the "issues" with the OE-style PS.

Keep searching this, and other, forums for more comments.

 

[whammo77]

And just so no one thinks I have a spoiled rotten brat on my hands..... I have 6 daughters..... this one is the youngest..... I offered all of my girls a chance to have a classic car IF they were willing to work on it and help me build it.... My youngest is the only one who is/was willing to get her "hands dirty" and work on a car (the other 5 said "oh he** no, I aint workin on a car!!!"). Therefore, she is the only one whom we have purchased a car for. And yes, she loves working on it. Today she went out and replaced the solenoid since it had gone bad (after I diagnosed it and bought the part of course lol). But she loves her car, and loves to work on it. It aint all up to dear old dad.....

She recently got a job and is helping to pay for all the repairs. Guess none of this really matters. But it makes me feel good to know she is working for it and not expecting to get it handed to her..... That's why I wouldn't buy one for the other girls... I have always felt that our kids need to invest themselves into a car to be able to appreciate it. I worked for my car (and on my car)... they can too......

 

[whammo77]

I've always loved that color...very nice mustang. mustangsteve.com sells bracket kits to adopt late model mustang disk brakes onto your 66. the six that came in your car was common to fords of that era....spend some time in the yards....u can score much of the under hood stuff from a falcon maybe a maverick etc

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

You'll forgive me... I don't even know what other cars Ford made in that era lol. But the suggestion of a falcon and/or maverick helps! I will start my hunting with those.... Thanks!

 

[whammo77]

Welcome to sanity!

With regard to your A/C project, if you have the evap0rator (should be in the under dash unit) you will need the lines, receiver/drier, expansion valve and condensor. You may be able to find a condensor from another Mustang, Falcon or maybe a Fairlane that will fit. You will want new lines (they dry out and leak), new receiver/drier (for obvious reasons) and expansion valve. If you have the original-style compressor you may simply want to contact a place like Classic Air and get a new underhood kit with a Sanden compressor.

For your Power Steering components you will need, IIRC, a power steering center link and left inner and outer tie-rod ends, the pump and lines and control valve/ram. Again, with the exception 0f the pump these are somewhat '65-66 Mustang-specific. A very popular installation now is the Borgeson integral power steering box which eliminates many of the "issues" with the OE-style PS.

Keep searching this, and other, forums for more comments.

It feels more like INSANITY since I don't know anything about Ford, lol!!!!!!! I just feel totally lost! If this thing were a chevy, I could prety much tell you what all cars and/or trucks you could get the proper parts from. Until now I have never owned and/or worked on a Ford. So I am TOTALLY lost! It's like Cars 101 all over again lol.

I knew I would want new lines, drier, etc. That's pretty much a given (even a stupid chevy guy knows that lol) And like I said, the compressor and brackets are already there which really helps. Even with a chevy, you have to get the right year/engine to get the right brackets.... which is something I know. Just dunno which Ford models to strip them from. Which engines are alike in which models of Fords... no freakin clue! For example.... my uncle had a 1979 ford F150 with a straight 6 (he was the black sheep of the family lol). Is that 6 like the mustang 6? Are any of the parts interchangeable??? Hell if I know!!!!! lol

Nonetheless, I appreciate you giving examples and places for me to start looking because I am totally clueless. I dunno even how or where to mount the stuff on a 'Stang once I find them!

It's not like I am mechanically stupid.... (Close your eyes and cringe now).... I have 2 classic Mercedes with Chevy transplants in them that I did myself. Since I went with chevy stuff, it was easy. I knew where to get the parts I needed and where to mount everything. Simply stated, I am just Ford stupid.

So, I appreciate any suggestions you folks can provide, and am very grateful.


My 1967 Mercedes with 350 Chevy V8, 350 turbo tranny, and corvette rear end (at a car show... took 2nd... sorry, crappy pic!) ......

 

[bartl]

You have a 200 ci six cylinder. The brackets from a 144, 170 or 200 should be the same. The later model 250 that was used up into 82 or 83 had a deck height about 2" higher to account for the longer stroke so that ones not an option. I know they made the 170 up until at least 1970 'cause I had one in a '70 Maverick, but I believe that was the only year. The 240 & 300 truck sixes are completely different designs and nothing is interchangeable except, possibly, a few nuts or bolts.

 

[whammo77]

I've always loved that color...very nice mustang. mustangsteve.com sells bracket kits to adopt late model mustang disk brakes onto your 66. the six that came in your car was common to fords of that era....spend some time in the yards....u can score much of the under hood stuff from a falcon maybe a maverick etc

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

By the way... thanks for the kind compliments. Do you by chance have any clue what color code that Orange is???? A friend of mine who paints cars (as a hobby... and yes he is good) has offered to repaint the car... It looks good in pics, but really needs a new paint job. I would like to use the original Orange.......

Sorry, he is a chevy guy too... lol. So he doesn't have the info on Ford paint codes....

 

[horse sence]

thats great love to hear it most kids just say gime now days ,nothing like owning
somthing you have worked on your selfe ,makes you apreciate it more mustangs
have to be one of the simplest cars to work on i think you will enjoy it, 6 cylender
power stearing and air conditioning parts are harder to find than v8 if you have the
brackets and pullys you are half way there, the borgeson stearing box would be your
best bet every thing comes with it ,no rebuilding any thing and no hunting for parts
price wise should be close to buying origional parts and its much beter handling.
there manuals avaliable for any thing you want to do to a mustang that would be a good starting place

 

[whammo77]

You have a 200 ci six cylinder. The brackets from a 144, 170 or 200 should be the same. The later model 250 that was used up into 82 or 83 had a deck height about 2" higher to account for the longer stroke so that ones not an option. I know they made the 170 up until at least 1970 'cause I had one in a '70 Maverick, but I believe that was the only year. The 240 & 300 truck sixes are completely different designs and nothing is interchangeable except, possibly, a few nuts or bolts.

Well, i did figure out that the engine is a 200 ci. I have managed to learn that much. But I have no clue what a 144 or 170 are, or what cars they might have been installed in??? Obviously, they have to be straight 6's, but I have no clue what models they are in or what the differences are. Are they essentially the same other than the bore????

Like I said, this is a totally new experience for me.

It's like my 2 Mercedes... one has a 350 v8 chevy and the other a 229 v6 chevy. Pretty much the same motor, other than the 229 is missing 2 cylinders. Timing chains, pistons, starter, altenator, etc etc are the same. Many of the components (other than the obvious such as crank, heads, cam, etc) are interchangeable, and were actually stripped from a 350.

Damn, this is like starting kindergarten all over again!!!!!!!!!!! lol

Thank you guys for being patient and understanding, and for offering up your knowledge/advice....


Regards

 

[whammo77]

thats great love to hear it most kids just say gime now days ,nothing like owning
somthing you have worked on your selfe ,makes you apreciate it more mustangs
have to be one of the simplest cars to work on i think you will enjoy it, 6 cylender
power stearing and air conditioning parts are harder to find than v8 if you have the
brackets and pullys you are half way there, the borgeson stearing box would be your
best bet every thing comes with it ,no rebuilding any thing and no hunting for parts
price wise should be close to buying origional parts and its much beter handling.
there manuals avaliable for any thing you want to do to a mustang that would be a good starting place

Yeah, I was pretty disapointed with the first 5 in the regard that they werent at least willing to try and help. The last one is a charm tho! She can be a "girly girl" at times, but at the same time, she likes to work on stuff. She is most like "dear old dad".... likes to work on stuff and see what makes it tick. She's also the "daredevil" of the family (again, like dad), and willing to try anything once. So far, we have had a great time working on the car! Now we just gotta figure out what we need to do next and where to get the parts!

Just for fun, here is our last project together.... and yes she helped build it. Granted, it was like a 65/35 project, but she did what she was instructed to do.... right down to helping install the engine.... I don't think that's all too bad out of a teenage girl....

 

[bartl]

Yes, the 144 & 170 are identical but for the bore. The 144 can be found in early (60-64) Falcon's, Mercury Comet's and 61-64 Falcon (Econoline) vans. The 170 can be found in 61-69 Falcon's, 70-72 Maverick's, early Econoline vans and the early 65 Mustang (U-code) as well as early Bronco's. The 200 can be found in '65-(don't quote me) '70 and 79-83 Mustangs & Capri's, 75-82 Granada/Mercury Monarch and the Fairmont and Mercury Zephyr, 66-77 Bronco, and up to around '70 in Fairlane's, Country Sedan's and Ranch Wagons.

And to actually show you I know something about GM's, I believe the 229 shares the internal dimensions with the 305 and the 262 (4.3) shares it's with the 350.

 

[horse sence]

wonderfull,dont have any kids but have lots o nieces and nephews they all want
one of my mustangs but none of them want to work on one they want it finnished
and right now they seem to be more interested in texting than any thing else. i have
no problem in giving them one but they have to earn it, i did give one to my nephew
johnny libby but i lost him to leukemia in 99 he helped me with every thing on the car
i hope to have it finnished soon ,1967 fastback factory black ,red interior GT 390 4

speed

 

[woodsnake]

I am not a GM guy, but as far as kids and cars go, that was the deal with my two boys and their Cougar's. My younger son is "into it", and so I will still help him with his 70, number one son, not so much. So I repo'd that car, and I have three that I am working on/keeping now.
There are several vendors you may not be aware of; " mustangs unlimited", etc..Go pick up any early model mustang magazine, and you will source all kinds of upgraded suspension, engine and interior stuff, as well as all the reproduced original style stuff you can use! Congrats on the score, good luck with the project!

 

[horse sence]

By the way... thanks for the kind compliments. Do you by chance have any clue what color code that Orange is???? A friend of mine who paints cars (as a hobby... and yes he is good) has offered to repaint the car... It looks good in pics, but really needs a new paint job. I would like to use the original Orange.......

Sorry, he is a chevy guy too... lol. So he doesn't have the info on Ford paint codes....

in 65 the color would have been poppy red, code 3 ,i dont believe the color was carried over to 66, if it is the origional orange check the door tag ,if it has 5 didgits
it is a special order color usualy from the san jose plant in california ,known as the
rainbow of color cars,flower power orange, they had some prety wild colors

 

[whammo77]

Don't have much time this evening, but wanted to make a quick reply to thank everyone for the help, tips and advice. It is greatly appreciated.

Having some experience with aftermarket products (and some of them not fitting worth a sh**.... I need to replace one rear fender (rust issue). Is there a particular brand that is best? There is a co here that sells them. However, I bought some other stuff from them which ended up not fitting right and had to be modified to make it work. I would like to avoid that with the fender repair....

Thanks again!

 

[whammo77]

[quote="bartl, And to actually show you I know something about GM's, I believe the 229 shares the internal dimensions with the 305 and the 262 (4.3) shares it's with the 350. [/quote]


ACTUALLY............................................... you are correct. I have sometimers....... Sometimes I remember, sometimes I don't! LOL! But yes, you are right. Thanks for jogging my memory! Been a while since I really messed with that engine.......

 

[horse sence]

Don't have much time this evening, but wanted to make a quick reply to thank everyone for the help, tips and advice. It is greatly appreciated.

Having some experience with aftermarket products (and some of them not fitting worth a sh**.... I need to replace one rear fender (rust issue). Is there a particular brand that is best? There is a co here that sells them. However, I bought some other stuff from them which ended up not fitting right and had to be modified to make it work. I would like to avoid that with the fender repair....

Thanks again!

i have replaced quarters on atleast 4 coupes now one side fits quite nice but the other doesnt
fit worth a crap,seems like the pass was the good one,the drivers side is like the quarter bends up
from the midle of the wheel opening to the end of the trunk ,if you fit it at the door and the end of the quarter it wont go over the wheel well and the well haings down almost an inch, it was the same on all of them wound up trimming the wheel tub to get the quarter on,fast backs and converts do not seem to be that way, they came from national parts depot but i think its the same suplier for all of them they all say tiwan inside, atleast we can get dynacorn parts for fastbacks and concerts,havnt
had many issues with them at all, when you do fit the new quarter fit it with the trunk lid in place and the end cap to that way you can make sure the gaps are good. good luck.

 

[whammo77]

i have replaced quarters on atleast 4 coupes now one side fits quite nice but the other doesnt
fit worth a crap,seems like the pass was the good one,the drivers side is like the quarter bends up
from the midle of the wheel opening to the end of the trunk ,if you fit it at the door and the end of the quarter it wont go over the wheel well and the well haings down almost an inch, it was the same on all of them wound up trimming the wheel tub to get the quarter on,fast backs and converts do not seem to be that way, they came from national parts depot but i think its the same suplier for all of them they all say tiwan inside, atleast we can get dynacorn parts for fastbacks and concerts,havnt
had many issues with them at all, when you do fit the new quarter fit it with the trunk lid in place and the end cap to that way you can make sure the gaps are good. good luck.

The quarters are only bad at the very bottom.... rust issues. Rather than replacing the entire quarter, I think I am just going to buy the lower quarter replacements. Much cheaper that way. Besides, I don't really see the need to replace the entire fender when there is just a little rust issue at the bottom. Mustangs Umlimited has the quarter patch panels for like $22 ea. Seems like the way to go to me, unless someone on here knows something I dont???

On a different note, I have noticed a very strong gas smell within the cabin of the car when I fuel it up. Not sure what's causing it. Any suggestions?