Hello, I am David and i am new to these forums. I recently bought a 1966 Ford Mustang Coupe with original 289 and 3 speed transmission. The problem is it just came with an old engine and transmission, its missing a bellhousing and several other parts such has started, alternator, and so forth so basically the car is bare. It has a dent in the front fender and the front end needs a new balance. This is going to be my first restoration and i can get the help of people but i want to do has much has i can on my own. As for experience, i am no master mechanic, but i know my way around a car pretty well and am studying alot on my own. So i was wondering if anyone could give me tips of what things i can do to make this process alot easier and if theres anything im doing wrong. Well, for starters i bought this mustang in dallas and brought down to houston about 2 weeks ago. Its parked at my friends house and one of its tires are flat, but this might not be important at all. I liked at the gauge cluster inside the car and on the speedometer where it reads miles its ran the car reads 440 miles, i dont know if its been reset or if thats the original miles. This is my idea, i plan on removing the engine and transmission and then replacing the fender and body parts it needs. Then to sand down the entire car and replace the interior floorpans(which are looking bad). Im guessing when i remove the engine and tranny ill be able to tell if the motor mounts are good, and what exactly i can do to repair the engine. I was told i can clean up the engine with diesel but i dont know if thats true or not. After i personally sand the car down, i would send it to be primed and painted. Has for suspension, i think the rearend is good, but i have not taken one look at it, my only basis for that theory is that it made 4 hours on the highway with a tow dolley. So if possible i was thinking i could replace suspension after i get the car running. Now for selection of parts i was think with going with the edelbrock performer power package, which i believe is good for regular street driving and the occassional "beat my friend in his chevy" but i dont want to waste to much gas at the same time. The Edelbrock performer package comes with a new intake, carb, camshafts and cylinder heads. So basically put on the engine and attachments along with bellhousing and transmission(after its rebuilt) and also put on the starter, alternator, distributor cap and rotor, battery, solenoid,water pump..etc. The interior will be redone, but i dont know much about anything else in the car. Im not to experienced in electrical for the car, and i cant quite decided on a good wheel size for the car. I also dont know if itll be better to make it carberated of fuel injected, since i want to save gas, but also have the occasional need for speed, which is best? Will the 3 speed transmission be good enough, or will i get better performance off a 5 speed, i dont know how to convert drum brakes to disc brakes and well...i guess i need alot of opinion here, so please give me all the feedback you can.
Starting Off First Restoration
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Sounds like you have sound start for a project. Use search and you will find the answers to most of your questions. It's a bit easier to limit a post two a couple of subjects at a time. I would recomend to get a gas mig welder and learn how to use it. Second learn to do the body work your self. These areas of bringing a car back to life will cost you about 75 - 100 bucks an hour to farm out. Last beg or borrow a digital camera, because every ones gonna want to see pics.
As said, limit your posts to a couple of questions at a time: people don't like to read long posts.
Sounds like you have a plan; removing engine and tranny and doing bodywork. You need to check other areas of the body as well. The following areas are prone to rust:
1) cowl panel (in frt. of windshield/ look for wet carpet)
2) Inside trunk at sides
3) lower frt. door panels
4) floorpans
5) area under battery
The cowl is the hardest to fix: there are hundreds of spot welds that have to be drilled out to remove the panel and weld in a patch panel. Learning to do these things will save u a forune (a pro resto shop would charge around $2,000 for this job). All of these parts are available through Mustang vendors. See next post.
Sounds like you have a plan; removing engine and tranny and doing bodywork. You need to check other areas of the body as well. The following areas are prone to rust:
1) cowl panel (in frt. of windshield/ look for wet carpet)
2) Inside trunk at sides
3) lower frt. door panels
4) floorpans
5) area under battery
The cowl is the hardest to fix: there are hundreds of spot welds that have to be drilled out to remove the panel and weld in a patch panel. Learning to do these things will save u a forune (a pro resto shop would charge around $2,000 for this job). All of these parts are available through Mustang vendors. See next post.
The Edelbrock Performer package is o.k. but there are better options. If you want to stick with an Edelbrock package, I would suggest the Performer R.P.M. package. The intake, in particular, in the Performer package is not really any better than stock. It is an aluminum version that is very mild. There are a ton of aftermarket aluminum heads that are popular such as the A.F.R.'s.
When you're ready to do the engine, pull it completely apart and take it to a machine shop. First have them check the block to see if it can be safely overbored and check for damage such as cracks. If it is good have them hot tank it. This will clean the inside and out and it will look like new. Go ahead and plan a rebuild if you are putting all of that money into heads, cam, intake, etc...
Consider a stroker kit instead of a stock rebuild. These kits usually include a crank, rods, and pistons. The crank has a longer throw and shorter pistons. They increase displacement in your stock block. Common kits will make your 289 a 331 or a 347. This alone will drastically increase your torque and is not much more than remachining stock parts. You must know your cylinder bore size to order pistons that's why I suggest having a machine shop check the bore first, but don't let them machine it until you order the kit (different pistons require different clearances).
When you're ready to do the engine, pull it completely apart and take it to a machine shop. First have them check the block to see if it can be safely overbored and check for damage such as cracks. If it is good have them hot tank it. This will clean the inside and out and it will look like new. Go ahead and plan a rebuild if you are putting all of that money into heads, cam, intake, etc...
Consider a stroker kit instead of a stock rebuild. These kits usually include a crank, rods, and pistons. The crank has a longer throw and shorter pistons. They increase displacement in your stock block. Common kits will make your 289 a 331 or a 347. This alone will drastically increase your torque and is not much more than remachining stock parts. You must know your cylinder bore size to order pistons that's why I suggest having a machine shop check the bore first, but don't let them machine it until you order the kit (different pistons require different clearances).
Well, I think you should be able to stop before you make it go (fast)
I know it's not as flashy but, make sure your brakes, tires, and suspension are up to the task
I know it's not as flashy but, make sure your brakes, tires, and suspension are up to the task
+1Well, I think you should be able to stop before you make it go (fast)
I know it's not as flashy but, make sure your brakes, tires, and suspension are up to the task
It is very important to be able to whoa before you go.
1320stang
Founding Member
Okay, where are you going to do all this work? (You say it's at a friend's house, for how long?) How much time and money do you have to dedicate to it?
65fastbackresto
Active Member
If you want horsepower stiffen the body first.
You better stiffen the body up, unibody cars flex when they get alot of torque to the back wheels, the flex will destroy your car. It will cause stress cracks at key areas in the body (trust me I know) mine is that way. Use subframe connectors and at least replace your rear leaf springs so they wont flex on you.
You better stiffen the body up, unibody cars flex when they get alot of torque to the back wheels, the flex will destroy your car. It will cause stress cracks at key areas in the body (trust me I know) mine is that way. Use subframe connectors and at least replace your rear leaf springs so they wont flex on you.
definitely upgrade the brakes and suspension. in the old days you could get away with having a hot rod with crappy brakes but with modern cars having 4 wheel discs and abs you just can't do that anymore, it's just too dangerous for you and other people on the road.
I agree with the brakes and suspension 1st approach. Front discs and a dual reservoir master cylinder along with new brake lines would be one of the first things that you should do.
Junkyards are a good place to start looking for parts such as the bellhousing. If you can get a starter and alternator there cheap and they don't work you could always use them for exchange.
The 3 speed will work fine but the 5 speed would make it even better.
The sky is the limit. You need to sit down and figure out how much you want to spend and how good you want it to look and then go from there.
Junkyards are a good place to start looking for parts such as the bellhousing. If you can get a starter and alternator there cheap and they don't work you could always use them for exchange.
The 3 speed will work fine but the 5 speed would make it even better.
The sky is the limit. You need to sit down and figure out how much you want to spend and how good you want it to look and then go from there.
well, i knew about the trunk, the lower frt. door panels, and the floorpans, the battery tray is rusted through since the battery acid leaked, it ate all through the fender,so i was planning on replacing that, but my father is a welder so now that i know about the cowl panel ill have him repair that has well. i will definitely look into a stroker kit. do you have any recommendations on better packages if i get something aside from Edelbrock. I really want something better then stock, but i dont want to worry about gas to much. Thanks mustangdave
1320stang, its currently about a mile away from my house and will be moved in about 2 weeks, at which time i can get started, my budget starts in a month and should be about 3000 tops for the first 2 months, but i have alot of friends who are mechanics, and many of my own friends work at uti, not to mention a good amount of my own tools and my fathers at his house, so all this should make it cheaper for me. Im getting my transmission rebuilt for 200 dollars by a friend, so im feeling really about this project.
1320stang, its currently about a mile away from my house and will be moved in about 2 weeks, at which time i can get started, my budget starts in a month and should be about 3000 tops for the first 2 months, but i have alot of friends who are mechanics, and many of my own friends work at uti, not to mention a good amount of my own tools and my fathers at his house, so all this should make it cheaper for me. Im getting my transmission rebuilt for 200 dollars by a friend, so im feeling really about this project.
alright im looking into a better suspension, any particular brands i should be concentrating on.
is it better to make it all 4 wheel discs or just front wheel disc?
im gonna go with a 5 speed eventually, but for now ill just stick with the 3 speed.
is it better to make it all 4 wheel discs or just front wheel disc?
im gonna go with a 5 speed eventually, but for now ill just stick with the 3 speed.
Well now it depends on what you want out of your car. Do you want a corner carver? Or just to go straight?
To go straight all you really need to do is make sure your original stuff is in good working condition. To handle really well, you'll need to go in a little different direction.
Like I said, it depends on what YOU want...
To go straight all you really need to do is make sure your original stuff is in good working condition. To handle really well, you'll need to go in a little different direction.
Like I said, it depends on what YOU want...
i want a good corner carver, with the ability to go straight 
, furthermore my friend has a lot full of classic mustangs a block away from my home, i have anything from those cars at my disposal except the entire car, so i can take off any part from any car there? does anyone know if a 67 bellhousing or parts from other 60 era mustangs would also fit my lovely little 66? what other parts should i be looking for, and how exactly can i tell its quality?
, furthermore my friend has a lot full of classic mustangs a block away from my home, i have anything from those cars at my disposal except the entire car, so i can take off any part from any car there? does anyone know if a 67 bellhousing or parts from other 60 era mustangs would also fit my lovely little 66? what other parts should i be looking for, and how exactly can i tell its quality?I drive my car on the street, so I like soft springs and big front sway bars to get a nicer ride on city streets. On a race track I might go heavy springs. Any of those parts cars have 3 or 4 speeds in them? If they do grab the tranny all the linkage, bell housing if they are hooked up to a small block and will bolt right on to your 289. I'm not trying to discourage you posting, just suggesting you make use of the search feature on this sight. Spend some researching so you can make wise decisions with your time and money. It takes alot of time and money to bring a car back from the dead. You really don't want to do things twice. Like rush to put in those new floors and find you might want to add a torque box that would be easier to do with the floors out, or maybe use convertable rockers and seat platforms instead of frame connectors. Order the free catalogues from the mustang parts companies, they have alot of info in them and good reading on the throne.[ google classic mustang parts ] Take lots of pics so six months after you took some thing apart you you won't have to remember [ lol ] how it goes back together. Search brake swaps on this sight and you will pull up about 15 pages of info on the subject instead of four or five answers. To keep all that help comming over don't forget to keep the fridge stocked with beer.
I know some people will disagree with me but unless you're road racing or just want the wow factor front discs are very sufficient. I've driven late model vehicles with and without the rear discs and I can't tell the difference.
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