Excited to join! New Guy in California- 1966 coupe/ 302 swap- 4 speed toploader

Hello everyone! I'm Robert. Just bought a 1966 coupe with a 302, 4 on the floor/ 650 demon carb! She's purdy! Excited to join the forum and gain invaluable information from everyone's years of experience and hopefully I can help someone along the way as well. My first order of business is power (assist) steering and a front disk brake swap. Anyway feel free to reach out, happy to talk mustang anytime!

Side note: I am an actual chemist, not just a name, so happy to talk chemistry anytime as well :) !
 

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Ah yes chemistry like your having with your new girl, I mean car.

Wecome aboard. Front disk brakes is a great improvement on early stangs.
When you get tired of the 4 sp. falling out of gear it will be time for the 5 sp swap too.
 
Welcome to stangnet. I hang out in the fox forums mostly but I'm gonna say something about the power assist steering, unless it is a restoration I would go with the rack and pinion up grade, bigger wheels and tires make the 60's power assist work harder and it's just, well, 60's tech. Do yourself a favor and up grade, it's a bolt on and go thing.
JMO.
 
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Ah yes chemistry like your having with your new girl, I mean car.

Wecome aboard. Front disk brakes is a great improvement on early stangs.
When you get tired of the 4 sp. falling out of gear it will be time for the 5 sp swap too.
Ah yes chemistry like your having with your new girl, I mean car.

Wecome aboard. Front disk brakes is a great improvement on early stangs.
When you get tired of the 4 sp. falling out of gear it will be time for the 5 sp swap too.

Ha yes, my new girl! You know I as loving the idea of keeping the original 4 speed, for the sake of it being original. But I didn't realize it would be falling out of gear. So far reverse is a pain in the ass and hitting the freeway without overdrive is just the worst. So yea maybe I'll do a T5 swap. Have you done any of these swaps before?
 
Welcome to stangnet. I hang out in the fox forums mostly but I'm gonna say something about the power assist steering, unless it is a restoration I would go with the rack and pinion up grade, bigger wheels and tires make the 60's power assist work harder and it's just, well, 60's tech. Do yourself a favor and up grade, it's a bolt on and go thing.
JMO.

I really appreciate this information. As much as I enjoy "originality" 60s cars drive like boats in comparison with new technology. It would be amazing to have a more comfortable feel to her. Can you point me to some good information on the rack and pinion upgrade? Bolt and go sounds amazing to me so I'm alllll ears!!!!
 
There are a bunch. Here is an article on the subject.
http://www.mustangandfords.com/parts/mump-1106-classic-mustang-rack-pinion-guide/
Flaming River is one of the best, do your homework and compare systems.
There are some complaints about the systems with the built in inner tie rods having geometry problems. I have no personal experience with them but I am involved with a rack conversion on a 68 mustang now but it appears to be some problems that we will not be able to sort out until the engine is installed, I say we have the wrong one but the owner says differently.
It is not a flaming river unit, I say it's a flaming pos.
 
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I did mine 10 yrs ago so mine not documented here, but others have here on forum.
I also did the SSBC brake swap back then. pretty much bolt on stuff.
 
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I did mine 10 yrs ago so mine not documented here, but others have here on forum.
I also did the SSBC brake swap back then. pretty much bolt on stuff.

I am looking at the SSBC kits. It seems the power version requires the vehicle to be automatic? Which I have no idea how a manual or automatic transmission affects the braking other than maybe sharing master cylinder fluid for a hydraulic clutch? Your help/ experience/ advice is always appreciated.
 
The conflict arises from the brake booster using the same space as the stock bell crank clutch linkage.
Remember the headers want in on this real estate too.

I solved this problem by using a cable linkage and automatic trans shorty headers
I do not have power brakes. I don't really feel the need for them in my light car. I have a big cam and would need a vacuum pump or canister for them to work anyway.
 
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The conflict arises from the brake booster using the same space as the stock bell crank clutch linkage.
Remember the headers want in on this real estate too.

I solved this problem by using a cable linkage and automatic trans shorty headers
I do not have power brakes. I don't really feel the need for them in my light car. I have a big cam and would need a vacuum pump or canister for them to work anyway.

Ah, that is my current dilemma. If I can live without power breaks or not. I feel like I can, but they would be nice to have of course. Had them on my 72 Comet and it made a world of difference. Ah the shorty headers fit? Thats nice. So far my list is front disk brakes, possibly all 4. Power steering/ maybe rack and pinion upgrade. Then T5 swap.
 
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