Progress Thread 1966 Mustang Coupe: Ford 3.7L swap

[wicked93gs]

Been working on a center console lately, some of the variations:

And the finalized design, ready for upholstery:

I decided to go practical with the console build here...went with a courtesy light cutout at the back for the rear seat area(which coupes didn't come with as far as I know...at least I don't remember courtesy lights in the back in my last driving coupe). Of course the mandatory cubby hole under the armrest(which I made out of wood because I like a console lid with some actual weight to it, would have been more work out of fiberglass when its just going to be wrapped anyway). Directly in front of that is the shifter hole...which follows the same taper as the console itself(bad angle to show the taper) simply because its visually pleasing, even though it makes it so I must now make a custom trim ring and shifter boot. Then of course the 2 cup holders(which are actually aggravating since I only have 2" depth to work with there so none of the drop-in cup holders will work except the very shallowest, I would get rid of the cup holders entirely if that area wasn't just a huge expanse of nothing without them...besides, always good to have cup holders, even if I have to make or modify the cups myself) And finally the 2 gauge holes...initially I went with 3, but it just took up too much space and I couldn't find an excuse to run an oil temp, pyrometer, or fuel pressure gauge. As it is, I have 6 in the dash and 1 in the ash tray...these 2 are slated for Vac/Boost(looking to the future) and clock. Also...with 3 gauges I am unable to change my mind later and turn these into AC vents....I can do that with 2. The notch at the top front is actually to clear the drop-down ash-tray AFR gauge.

 

[02 281 GT]

Very nice! It looks more period-correct to me than the aftermarket consoles out there.

 

[wicked93gs]

Very nice! It looks more period-correct to me than the aftermarket consoles out there.

Thanks, that is what I was aiming for. A low console height like the OEM ones, but tapered like the later consoles, the two gauges are are sorta nod to the later shelby consoles, the angle at the back I pretty much just copied from my '73 Capri console I have on the shelf. To be honest I didn't want a console at all, but choosing to graft in the '05 trans tunnel forced my hand there...had to make some effort to detract from that eyesore. I am actually shocked the E-brake fits without interfering with the console...the E-brake is from a 2018 Mustang...but I think I am going to have to swap to one from an 05-10 or from a 10-14 instead, this one just sits too high.

 

[wicked93gs]

Finished the console, aside from a few small details, covered in vinyl I stitched together , then trimmed out the edges with some aluminum angle...the edges are a little more square than I would like, but my trim options were limited. Not completely happy with everything, but its workable for the time being, can always re-visit it later on.

 

[02 281 GT]

I'm just glad you didn't go with a newer cup holder console. Those things look way too out of place in our cars.

 

[wicked93gs]

All the pieces are complete here....but I do need to take the time to pull it apart, clear coat the switch plate(its just regular old "brushed" steel), paint the cubby and cover the cubby interior with something(vinyl, felt, whatever I find down at the hobby store than I like). I think the shift boot came out pretty good for a second try(first try fell apart when I tried to double-stitch the seams in a contrasting silver thread...evidently sewing machines don't like it when your 2nd spool of thread stops turning because the thread gets caught on the spindle...really messes up a double stitch). The boot surround I just fabbed up out of some 1/8" bar stock I had laying around, decided to paint it black because there is plenty of contrast already.

I also still have to wire up all the switches, gauges, USB and power ports(hidden inside the armrest cubby) and the courtesy light at the back.

 

[wicked93gs]

Some goodies showed up yesterday....just need to grab some tires to complete the 5-lug conversion and I can install this stuff....although I guess I should strip down and paint my old spindles before I do...if the weather would just cooperate with the idea. Street or Track front coilover system...should be a noticeable difference.

 

[wicked93gs]

Guess I should update this a bit:

I of course got the SoT suspension installed...easiest work I have done in a long time...bolt on is rather....boring? But I am smart enough to know I have zero chance of re-engineering that wheel

Also installed new sttering...components here include Shelby quick steer steering arm, roller idler, new v8 drag link, and a Baer bump-steer kit from Opentracker....also installed the 14" steering wheel I have been holding onto for a year or two.

And then another bit of fun...after months of searching I found a pair of 1973 Ford Capri seats...drover 4.5 hours one way to go get them...they are not easy to find here in the US...at least not in the southeast. I modified them by cutting the frames down 1" to match the stock seat height and welding nuts for the new mounting points for the mustang rails to the new mounting points. I also removed the headrests. I have wanted these seats forever because the upholstery is such a good match to the stock pattern and they look like they belong....but with much more bolstering. I do have quite a bit of work needed in restoring the frame and reupholstering them and upholstery is hard to get in the US(may just pull the old covers for a pattern and have an upholstery shop make me new covers using the Mustang vinyl instead, who knows?) so pre-made UK may be the only way to go, at least if I want the comfort-weave like centers.

 

[wicked93gs]

Things always look worse before they look better. Tail light panel modifications to accommodate some new tail light bezels I designed(along with a lower-profile aircraft-style fuel filler):

To flush mount or not to flush mount...that is the question, but one that that is easy to change on a whim. These buckets allow me to swap gasket thickness to determine just how far the bezels will protrude.

 

[Gearbanger67]

They look really clean flush mounted! Going to be sequential right?

 

[wicked93gs]

They look really clean flush mounted! Going to be sequential right?

Yeah, they use '67 spacing, modified '67 housings and a '67 LED sequential tail light board.

 

[GOvert]

Please excuse my ignorance. What is the 3.7 out of? Also, how air you measuring the mass air flow with velocity stacks?

 

[wicked93gs]

Please excuse my ignorance. What is the 3.7 out of? Also, how air you measuring the mass air flow with velocity stacks?

The 3.7L is from a 2012 Mustang v6...they came in 2011-2015 Mustangs, F150s, etc...FWD versions were avail in a variety of vehicles. The ecoboost 3.5L is a direct injected turbocharged version of this same engine.

To be clear....I am running a standalone ECU and am under no restrictions in having to run a MAF sensor and the car runs without one...however a MAF sensor is an option and as a side project I am building a fiberglass air box for metering air:

Its unfinished, but you get the idea. I will be using it mainly to easily tune the Ti-VCT and likely it will only on there during tuning.

 

[wicked93gs]

Guess I had better update this thread a touch, among many other things, I changed the ITB setup out for a set of Jenvey throttle bodies:

There are actually a ton of other mods...but this is the current project(finished aside from having to re-do the fuel system and hook up the throttle cable). Running parallel to this, I am also currently transplanting a 1973 Capri rear seat into the car to match the front seats, down to just waiting on upholstery to be finished:

Doesn't look like much, but this is how they look in the Capri:

I do still have a bit of interior quarter panel modification to do on that project, but it has to wait till I install the upholstery. I had to modify the lower seat frame significantly so once I get the upholstery in I will likely have to pull out the sewing machine and take in the bottom a touch and move the welting outward. Not a modification you will see in the end, but likely required for proper hog-ring attachment underneath.

 

[jikelly]

Wow! That is an amazing build! It's got to be a lot of fun.

I've entertained the idea of swapping in an ecoboost engine into my 73 but the big front crossmember in my convertible would likely interfere with the oil pan. Might be easier to wait and go electric once parts are available. I don't feel like I'm getting smarter though. haha

 

[wicked93gs]

Wow! That is an amazing build! It's got to be a lot of fun.

I've entertained the idea of swapping in an ecoboost engine into my 73 but the big front crossmember in my convertible would likely interfere with the oil pan. Might be easier to wait and go electric once parts are available. I don't feel like I'm getting smarter though. haha

While I was rear-steer for awhile. I finally swapped to front-steer by using (aftermarket)Mustang II spindles on (aftermarket)1966 Mustang control arms, and used a shortened Mustang II steering rack on a Mustang II weld-up crossmember that I modified to bolt in instead of weld in. I retain the original shock towers and suspension design, while going with the Mustang II steering design this way. I am back to using the rear-sump OEM 3.7L Mustang oil pan now. So there are ways around any issue that comes up. That being said, I don't recommend ANY modern engine in a classic mustang. Its a TON of work and you don't gain anything over the older pushrod engine designs. The only reason I chose the 3.7L instead of a 289/302 is because it offered the one thing I couldn't get from a SBF: a longblock weight of 270lbs. This matters to me strictly because I am building aiming for a neutral 50/50 weight distribution.