Over time, many things can cause electrical problems with your Mustang. Components get old and worn, or a wire can rub against something and expose itself to metal. I've seen cases where body shops inadvertently crimped a wire while installing a body panel. Sometimes during mechanical repairs, wires can get in the way so they're haphazardly shoved aside. This is unfortunate because wiring is a car's nervous system. If it isn't in good shape, then things won't work properly. In the worst-case scenario, it can cause an electrical fire.

There was a time when you had to know about a well-stocked junkyard to find a 9-inch Ford rearend for a vintage Mustang. Even then, finding a 9-inch rear axle that fit wasn't easy because only a small percentage of '65-'73 Mustangs, primarily performance versions, came with the ultra-stout 9-inch rearend. The next best fit came from the '57-'59 Ford.

Your Mustang's plumbing system manages functions important not only to driving, but also to driving safely. Brake lines, fittings, and valves must be able to withstand tremendous operating pressures. They must not fail even under the worst of circumstances.

Do you remember a time when classic Mustang carpeting looked old and worn out from wear and you couldn't buy it anywhere? That was during the mid-'70s when the only choice available was universal auto carpet kits from J.C. Whitney or your favorite local auto parts store. The carpet wasn't molded, either, which made a classic Mustang more closely resemble your father's Studebaker than a contemporary '60s classic.

For those who dig '71-'73 Mustang performance, here's a couple of handling solutions from Mustangs Plus and Bill Thomas Enterprises. Mustangs Plus gets it right with a selection of cool suspension components. Bill Thomas Enterprises has the talent and goods to build everything from a stock differential to a brute chunk that can take 700 hp. Randy's Ring & Pinion is setting us up with the hard parts necessary to make it happen.

Smooth driveability and reliability depend on having a driveshaft and universal joints in good repair. A Mustang's driveline is something you want to know is there without being able to feel it. When the driveshaft and universal joints, or U-joints, are felt and heard, it's usually bad news.

We're the most informed generation in world history. We have the Internet, television, radio, print media, two kinds of telephones, videotapes and discs, and a host of other methods of communication. It's because of this that we insist on as many means as possible to let us know what's happening underhood.

I was looking through e-mail when something from Dave Kunz popped up on the screen. Dave owns what is undoubtedly the most accurate '68 Bullitt Mustang replica fastback out there. Ford has used his Mustang in advertisements and television commercials here and abroad. It's officially the unofficial Bullitt replicar that everyone recognizes.

In our July '07 issue, we showed the installation of Reen-machine's high-performance halogen headlight system that fits all '65-'68 and '70-'73 Mustangs ("How to Upgrade Your Headlights," p. 38). Those cars use a pair of 7-inch headlights, meaning they won't fit '69 Mustangs. They're the only vintage Mustangs that use four lights with separate high-beams.

One of the most notable and unique features on some '67 Shelby GT500s were the center-mounted foglights in the car's grille. Though not legal in all states, the lights located only an inch or so from one another is a trick-looking arrangement that seems natural for the current retro-designed S197 Mustang.

Our friend Gary Mattson of Simi Valley, California, has a fundamental problem. He doesn't want his new Optima dry-cell battery falling into the cooling fan. The factory battery tray uses a battery lip hold-down, which works well with Autolite Sta-Ful reproductions and many aftermarket batteries. But there are now aftermarket lead/acid batteries, not to mention Optima dry-cell batteries, which require a top-mount battery tray.

Few things in the recent past equal the excitement of Ford's all-new yet retro '05-'07 Mustang. Sales have been quite healthy, with no drop in sight despite rising fuel prices. The message in 2006 is much the same as it was in 1964: We love Mustangs. So bring on the petrol and let's go cruising.

Quiet door operation doesn't just come from proper striker adjustment or new door-perimeter weatherstripping. It also comes from having window glass that doesn't rattle-easily done with new window channels and weatherstrips. They also make for smooth operation when it's time to roll the window up and down. This is an easy fix you can accomplish in an afternoon.

Sometimes we stumble onto engine projects in the darnedest ways. In this case, we have a Boss 302 that has been sitting around for more than a decade in at least four different machine shops, as well as in my garage. It's a good example of how not to plan and execute an engine project. The engine has been consuming more than its fair share of space lately, so it became a priority.

Classic Mustangs have always been plagued with cooling issues. When they were first introduced, their cooling systems were fairly effective, especially the base sticker-price models void of air conditioning and other power accessories. As Mustangs took on heat-creating options, cooling capacity began to suffer significantly. In more recent years, we've found innovative ways to improve classic-Mustang cooling systems with three- and four-row radiators, heavy-duty fans, shrouds, and in more recent times, electric cooling fans.

Editor's note: Lance Morgan specializes in electrical diagnosis and repair for '65-'73 Mustangs at his shop in Edmond, Oklahoma. With more than 30 years of experience, we figured he was the right guy to tell us about the problems he sees again and again. Lance operates the Mustang Grabber Registry Web site at www.1970mgr.org as well. The Web site also includes electrical tips, such as installing headlight relays.

What's the secret to hidden horsepower? Who cares? This engine-building effort is all about torque-street torque-and how to get a lot of it from your small-block Ford V-8 without spending a fortune. It's called making the most of low displacement using the right parts, building technique, and factory iron heads.

Likely the greatest bargain is the '87-'93 Mustang GT or 5.0. You can get into one for chump change because there are so many available on the used-car market. It's another example of the law of supply and demand. If you're sprucing up a Fox-body Mustang, there are all kinds of modifications that will make it stand out. White-face instruments are one way to get there-and for not much money, either. We'll show you how.

In 1965, the Mustang's interior was considered well equipped. Standard equipment included gauges, a sporty three-spoke steering wheel, and carpet in a time when many cars had nothing more than a rubber mat. Options included a console, an AM/FM radio, and an Interior Dcor Group that added plusher seats, sportier door panels, and a woodgrain instrument bezel and glovebox door. Later Mustangs got high-back bucket seats and nicer radios, even power windows for '71-'73.

Headlight technology of the '60s is nothing compared to what's available today. Similar to other automotive components such as tires, suspension, engine pieces, and safety equipment, headlights have improved in leaps and bounds since the first Mustangs were built in 1964.

We've known Brant Halterman of Virginia Classic Mustang (VCM) for more than 20 years. I met him in 1986 at the Mustang Club of America Grand National at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, where I photo-graphed his '65 Poppy Red 289 High Performance convertible. It was hard not to notice the impeccable craftsmanship demonstrated by Brant and his father, and for two decades, we've looked to VCM for spot-on products and seasoned technical support.

When Jerry Choate of Scott Drake Reproductions told us about the company's new remote trunk-release kit, we had no preconceived idea of what it would be. In our minds, it would be a modern push-button affair with a dash-mounted switch. When it arrived, we discovered that it's designed to look similar to the original cable-style trunk-release handle, only with the ease of electrical function. No cable here like the originals, just lightning-fast operation.

One of the more effective modifications Carroll Shelby did to '65 GT350s was relocate the upper control-arm mounting point in the car's shock towers. The result was more cornering power and a decrease in body roll.

In our never-ending quest for better performance from our vintage Mustangs, we tend to think about four-barrel carburetors, hotter cams, dual exhausts, and larger engine modifications. But better braking is just as crucial to performance as a more powerful engine. After all, what good is a hotter engine if you can't stop your Mustang?

The up-on-stilts ride height that all late-model Mustangs have leaves something to be desired. Whether it's a Fox-body car, an SN-95, or the new S197 Mustang, they all benefit with the mildest ride-height adjustments.