Progress Thread 74 Mustang II - Build as semi-daily driver

Here's to hoping you can get the car on the dyno to see how it compares to your estimates and a congratulatory cheers on passing inspections and being able to drive it! :cheers:
 
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And the car broke down :eek:
I think the Bosch coil that was in the car when I bought it, isn't happy. But I have an spar coil here.
While I was standing in a parking lot waiting for the tow truck the radiator decided to start leaking...
Radiator and coil are the two things that I didn't renew. :jester:
Overall not so bad, because the engine signalized early enough that it was unhappy and I could pull into the parking lot. Insurance pays the tow truck... Now I know what is broken.
I'm unsure if I should get a new radiator or let a local shop rebuild it. Someone bought a new radiator that fits? What is the quality?
 
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No answer for 74 radiator or the Maverick Radiator fit.
Does 74 have the hose mounted radiator fill?

If ya get yours rebuilt, a least you'll know it will fit.
 
I learned something I guess. That doesn't sound right to me. But I've never messed with a 74. Where are you measuring?
I measure between ground (body) and + terminal of the ignition coil.
I just checked the wiring diagram for 74 I have and if you follow the + terminal of the ignition coil you see a resistor. That is the same wiring as at the first generation mustangs and has something to do with the coil resistance. Stock coils have around 1,5 Ohm (V8) and only can be used with this resistor that is in the stock wiring. If the original coil gets 12V all the time it will die. BUT for better starting the coil gets 12V as long as you are on "start". I use a pertronix 1 which can work with 8.xV, but it is designed for 12V. It works until a small voltage drop is enough to shut the pertonix "off". I already have 12V that is switched with an relay for the holley e-choke, so I will connect that also to the red wire from the pertronix and never should have problems again.
I had to call a friend who told me that :)
I had 10 years ago the same problem with my 66 coupe :bang:
I'm not good with wires... I think i said that once.
On Monday I will call a radiator shop and try to get a quote or at least a price guess/range. The radiators I saw on the i-net where all smaller in width, which I could solve with a bracket, but also costs cooling area. And as you all said: it fits and I don't have to mess with hoses again.
 

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Ah... found this picture. Could be that in 75+ there is still a resistor wire...
breakerless-distributor-jpg.jpg
 
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The alu radiator arrived today. 4.2 kg vs 8.7 kg and 660€ savings. The radiator looks surprising well and is much more rigid than the brass radiator.
Hopefully I can finish the radiator swap at the weekend.
Still need to mess with the ignition. I also need to check for good ground of the pertronix...

I still need to make and post pictures... ;)
 
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Alu radiator is hanging in there! Because it is ~3 inch smaller, I had to make brackets (I knew that before). No big deal. Now the power steering pump and the oil filter gets cold air directly... It is a feature, not a bug :jester:
Hood still closes, but I had to redrill the mounting brackets of the e-fan. Overall I have the same radiator to engine clearance, but 3 rows of great chinese aluminium radiator goodness. If I have ever problems again I can buy now a radiator that is easily available.
Because brass radiator cores seem to be expensive at the moment, I have googled current scrap prices for brass/cooper. It seems, that I will get nearly 100 bucks for 3 scrap radiators... Perhaps I will wait another 10 years. Seems to be better than other investment opportunities.

Earthing/ground of pertronix is good. Also checked the battery and engine ground wire. Everything is fine. Because the e-choke gets 12V from a relay I just hooked up the pertronix 1 to the choke terminal. Wire is thick enough, perhaps I will change the fuse from 10 to 15A. A friend told me that it is running with a 10A fuse in his car fine... Do you have any experience?

The two stage thermo switch is switching both stages... So I ordered a new one. So it will take some days till I can fill up the cooling system and fire the car up.
 
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