4 Lug Wheels on a 65 V8 Stang

[bull999999]

I was checking out SSBC site at http://www.ssbrakes.com for disc brake upgrade ideas. According to their site, I-6 Stangs came with 4 lug wheels while V-8s came with 5 lug wheels.

My 65 Stang has a V-8 with 4 lug wheels. Does this means that my Stang started out with an I-6 with a V-8 swap, or does it mean that I have a bastard drum brake setup to go with my bastard engine? (see my other post for the bastard engine comment)

 

[allcarfan]

More than likely it was a conversion. Run your VIN and build codes and that will tell you. If you email them to me, i can look them up for you when i get home. There should be a door tag on the door jam of your drivers door and the vin should be stamped on your passenger side right above the shock tower.

 

[65 fastback]

Sounds like you have an original 6 cylinder that has been converted to 8 cylinders. Give us your Vin#, off of the engine compartment apron on the driver's side. And if you have a door tag, give us the numbers on it. We'll help you figure out more information on your car.

Tim

 

[bull999999]

You know, that could explain my bastard engine issue... I will post my VIN when I get home tonight.

 

[chepsk8]

4 lugs

In fact, all 6-cyl Mustangs through 1969 had 4-Lug wheels.

they also had smaller brakes too, so you may want to address that issue also !

 

[TT670]

If the 5th digit is a T the cars a 6cyl. I personally wouldnt drive a v-8 car with those winpy 6 cyl underpinnings, IMO they were too weak for the 6. For safetys sake you should see if you cant hunt down some v-8 front end parts before you go buying disc brake stuff for the I-6 front end. Is the rear 4 lug too? I cant believe a 6 cyl rear could have survived very many years behind a v-8.

 

[Pakrat]

And BTW just FYI, if your next big purchase is land, I have some beautiful water property in Florida for sale cheap and a bridge in Brooklyn I'm thinking of unloading for the right price.

Sorry man, I couldn't resist. It's just that I have been following along with your threads and it seems that you checked almost nothing out about the car before buying it. This is like 99% a case of I6 to V8 swap and a poorly done one at that. Very easily caught by a quick inspection or VIN check in a matter of minutes. I hope you didn't pay too much for the car, and personally I would start checking out every nut and bolt very carefully, lord knows what else you may find. I tried to find that link at KAR Mustang for you about the new "looking" car someone paid good money for, but I didn't see it anymore.

In short, Caveat Emptor!
Good luck.

 

[xj220]

This is a little off topic, but I was wondering if there is a way to tell my 66's original paint from the VIN alone. The buck tag is gone on my car so I have no idea on any other info.

 

[dodgestang]

I tried to find that link at KAR Mustang for you about the new "looking" car someone paid good money for, but I didn't see it anymore.

You mean this one? http://www.classicmustang.com/Stories/Skip Novakovich.htm

 

[dodgestang]

This is a little off topic, but I was wondering if there is a way to tell my 66's original paint from the VIN alone. The buck tag is gone on my car so I have no idea on any other info.

Unfortunately no.

The best guess could be made though by taking the back seat out and pulling out one of the fiberglass panels....scratch around in the various spots until you get down to bare metal...then look at the color of the first couple of layers...unless your car was dipped or blasted, you will find some of the original color in there.

 

[Snail50]

And BTW just FYI, if your next big purchase is land, I have some beautiful water property in Florida for sale cheap....

What's the deal with waterfront property in Florida?? I hope I didn't fall for something.....


But anyway, I'd say the guy definitely has a car which started out as a I6. I doubt that anyone would switch from 5 lugs to 4.

And yes, you can tell the car's original exterior & interior color from the data plate. edit...sorry, I see you were asking if it could be determined from VIN alone.

 

[bull999999]

Sorry man, I couldn't resist. It's just that I have been following along with your threads and it seems that you checked almost nothing out about the car before buying it. This is like 99% a case of I6 to V8 swap and a poorly done one at that. Very easily caught by a quick inspection or VIN check in a matter of minutes. I hope you didn't pay too much for the car, and personally I would start checking out every nut and bolt very carefully

In my "Mystery Engine" thread, I got the Mustang pretty cheap because the engine was running rough. Getting it running right was a bonus but I mainly bought it because it has a stright body with minimal rust (also came with headers and dual exhaust, another bonus). I would've still bought it had it had a I-6 in a bad shape as I would've done the swap myself.

But I do admit that I should've done a better research myself about the VIN number. I'm just glad that I didn't spend $18,000 on a pile of junk.

 

[Pakrat]

You mean this one? http://www.classicmustang.com/Stories/Skip Novakovich.htm

Yeah, that's the one. Guess it helps when you look at the right website eh?

Snail, nothings wrong with waterfront, but I never said "front". This is how they used to get rid of useless swamp land for premium bucks.

 

[allcarfan]

I dont udnerstand something....

everyone is concerned with the 4lugs not being strong enough for a v8 car....the 79-93 cars were all 4 lug and put out more power than many early model v8s.

 

[Snail50]

Yeah, that's the one. Guess it helps when you look at the right website eh?

Snail, nothings wrong with waterfront, but I never said "front". This is how they used to get rid of useless swamp land for premium bucks.

Ahh, I see. What's funny is that they still do that down here....put up a new development in the middle of a swamp, give it a fancy name, and charge big $ for it, especially if it has a lake (read: man-made pond) in the middle of it.

 

[Snail50]

I dont udnerstand something....

everyone is concerned with the 4lugs not being strong enough for a v8 car....the 79-93 cars were all 4 lug and put out more power than many early model v8s.

were the ye olde 4 lug setups in the 60's cyls as sturdy as the 4 lugs in the Fox-bodies?

 

[63_Fairlane]

It's not the lugs themselves that are the concern, it's the wimpy spindle, brakes, and steering gear that are downright scary.

Actually, the early V8 spindles are also questionable, and they are much stronger than the I6 pieces.

 

[bull999999]

The VIN is 5R07T235454. I guess that shows that the car originally came with an I-6 and that would explain the 4 lug nut deal.

The front end looks decent enough that I'll go ahead with the disc brake upgrade. I'll let you know how it turns out unless I go off of a cliff to my firey death, in which case, I give you guys permission to use the pictures of my charred body to warn others against using I-6 setup with a V-8.

 

[Snail50]

I'll let you know how it turns out unless I go off of a cliff to my firey death, in which case, I give you guys permission to use the pictures of my charred body to warn others against using I-6 setup with a V-8.

Glad you solved the mystery.

 

[WORTH]

I've never seen a front end failure in a 4 lug setup, and I've personally drove some of them pretty hard back in the day, including powerlining. We had a 65 falcon 200 6cly for a woods-car that we beat the living piss outta for about 6 months before we blew it up and never had a suspension failure.

the only drawback I can see from the 6 setup is the poor brakes.