Found my first vintage mustang!

KcMstang

Founding Member
Mar 26, 2001
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Hamilton, Georgia
I'm looking towards getting a 1970 Mustang Fastback from my cousin-in-law that is COMPLETELY restored. He lives about two hours from me and I was planning to drive the car home but he said with the C6 + 3.73 it will only be able to do 55-65mph and suggested that I might want to rent a trailer...Can anyone tell me the around about RPM the car will be at going 65-70mph?
 
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When you throw around the word, 'restored' and add the word, 'completely', to us that means it's all factory, down to the last nut and bolt, the way it rolled off the assembly line.

How tall is the rear tire? A 3.73 is a 8.8 ratio, it might be a 3.70 or more likely, a 3.50. The door tag will give you a rear axle code. My '65 coupe has a 1 which means it's a 3.00 gear. The highest gear offered in '70 was a limited slip (LS) 4.30, then a 3.91 LS and then a 3.50 LS. The highest non limited slip was the 3.50. Having a C6 sounds like it's either a big block or a Cleveland.

A 3.50 gear with a 27" tire yeilds 69 mph at 3000 rpm in drive.
 
I was told it has a 9" rear, shortened, with mini-spool, 3.73 gears, 31 spline moser axles. It is NOT a STOCK car sorry for the confusion. He finally emailed me back and said that it usually runs 3000-3500 RPM while cruising at 65mph. I'm going to try and find a trailer so that I can bring it home...Thanks for the help
 
So does this mean that anytime you have to drive this car more than two hours you will need a truck and trailer?

Why not just drive it at 50-55 MPH? Aren't you supposed to enjoy driving it, or are you buying it for some other reason?

Driving through Atlanta only doing 65mph will get you killed...plus with my luck an 18-wheeler will throw up a rock and break the windshield before I even get it home. Believe me I'm going to drive this car I'm NOT one for letting something just sit and look at it.
 
if you plan on driving it i'd swap to a more highway friendly rear gear or an overdrive trans. if the engine is pretty stout then something like a 3.50 gear might be more suitable. also, if it has a 3.70 or 3.73 as you say it probably also has a very short tire to be doing 3500 rpm at 65mph, taller tires may also be in order
 
I would get a different center section with more highway friendly gears. Something like a 3.25 or 3.00. If you want to take it to the track when FFW is in Georgia, swap in the other center section. I'd also weld in a drain plug for the rear if you do this.