Autolite 4300
I own a '67 Mustang and I'm trying to figure out if the carburetor on the 289 is original. It's an Autolite/Motorcraft 4300 but I'm told that the 289s came with a 4100. Can you tell me if the 4300 was stock, special order, or if someone installed it after the car was purchased? The installation looks factory and not an add-on by a back-yard mechanic.
Arlen Zacharias
Homer, AK

With the release of the all-new Mustang chassis in 2005, Ford engineers finally stepped away from the antiquated Fox-era modified McPherson strut design and non-parallel four-link rear suspension to give us a true McPherson strut front and proven three-link rear design with a fixed Panhard bar for lateral axle control. Gone were band-aids like Quad Shocks. In 2005, the Mustang received the start of a true handling suspension under its sleek new body. However, like any OE-designed suspension, there are plenty of areas that can use improvement, from the OE bushing material (for a more compliant ride and less noise), to anti-sway bar diameter, to spring rate and overall ride height.

The basic principle of power steering—hydraulics—hasn't changed much since the Mustang was introduced nearly a half century ago. It has been said you could move the world with the fluid power of hydraulics. Fortunately, all we have to do is steer two front wheels with a hydraulic pump, hoses, control valve, and a power cylinder ram.

At 375 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque, the 385-series 429ci big-block was the most powerful factory engine ever installed in a first generation Mustang. Ford initially used the short-block with hemi heads in '69 to conceive the limited production Boss 429 Mustang. However, the Boss 429 was not for everyone. For '71, the 429 got wedge heads for two forms of Mustang rocket propulsion—Cobra Jet and Super Cobra Jet.

Scott Drake is a perfectionist. Don’t believe it? Then ask his wife, Suzanne. She can tell you about the times that Scott brought home prototype parts and slept with them right beside him on the bedside table.

There hasn't been too much in the way of Mustang themed steering wheels from the aftermarket for our vintage Mustangs. Sure, you can install a repro wheel, horn button, and all that if you need something correct looking for your Mustang. However, if you have a nice driver or a modified car and you're searching for something that appears period looking and fits the Mustang theme with a little more feel to the grip coupled with nice looks and build quality to spare, your options have been limited. While you can get any number of high-tech billet street rod-type steering wheels, and they're nice, they often look out of place in a vintage Mustang interior. What if you have a relatively stock interior and want a nice steering wheel that "fits in"?

The well-travelled vintage Mustang owner knows that the hobby's biggest four-letter curse word is r-u-s-t. Rust has ravaged its fair share of vintage Mustang body panels and one of the more problematic areas is another four-letter word that brings chills to Mustang owner's spines—the cowl.

Like most parts installed on your late-model Mustang, the stock shifter mechanism is a combination of compromises that Ford had to come to grips with to create the part. From overall part cost to powertrain noise ingress to the cabin and even time to install on the assembly line, these are all factors that determine the type of part created for the assembly of a car—and there are thousands of them. These compromises are what help the performance aftermarket parts companies thrive, as they provide solutions with better products. These products usually take longer to install, cost more, or allow more noise into the cabin, but they do so in the name of performance.

Engine mounts exist to provide support and isolate vibration. As the Mustang evolved over the past half century, engine and driveline mount technology has advanced to where high-tech vibration isolation makes the drive smoother and quieter. Fifty years ago, Ford used thick molded rubber stock, which continues to do its job quite well. These days, you have quite a choice of engine mounts for older Mustangs—original equipment rubber mounts, harder urethane mounts, and specially engineered aftermarket mounts designed not only for quiet but also strength.

Aluma-Frame Cradle
Featuring exclusive suspension geometry with six inches of travel, Detroit Speed's new Aluma-Frame front suspension system provides improved ride quality and handling for '65-'70 Mustangs. Utilizing a unique cast aluminum cradle, the DSE suspension includes DSE/JRi "Detroit tuned" coil-over shocks, rack-and-pinion, and Speed-LIGN caster/camber adjusters that allow a wide range of adjustability without the need for additional components. For more information, contact Detroit Speed at 704/662-3272 or click through to the website at www.detroitspeed.com

Is the mast on a '69-'70 Mustang antenna round or teardrop shaped? What shape is the base?

Ever since the Mustang was introduced over 48 years ago, owners have enjoyed modifying and updating their cars to meet their individual desires. The current generation Mustang is no exception; Ford has provided such a good base with both the GT and V-6 Mustangs that the addition of aftermarket equipment enables them to achieve amazing performance levels.

Flaming Filly
I met a fellow Mustang fanatic today in the parking lot of my bank. He has a 1989 Mustang LX 5.0L (with 240,000 miles on it) and I have a 1989 Saleen Mustang (with 110,000 miles on it.) We were comparing Mustang stories and he really got my attention when he told me that about a year ago his stock alternator burst into flames. The alternator had an internal short and was draining the battery overnight. Then one day he noticed smoke coming from under the hood. He opened the hood and proceeded to empty three fire extinguishers onto the flaming alternator before it quit smoking. My questions to you are: Have you heard of any other Mustangs of this era with such catastrophic alternator failures? Should I replace my stock alternator with an upgraded model to avoid a similar problem?
Ray Charlton
Corvallis, OR

Ford's alternators are referred to as an alpha-numeric "G" series. Early externally regulated alternators (found on all Mustangs up to '85) are 1G versions and max out at 40-55 amps. Your internally regulated alternator started with the 1986 Mustang and is considered a 2G unit. These put out 65/75 amps max. For 1994 (and 1995), the Mustang was updated to Ford's 130 amp 3G unit which features an internal regulator as well as dual internal cooling fans (the first alternator to not have an external steel cooling fan on the Mustang). The '96 and newer modular Mustangs will have a 4G, 5G, or 6G depending upon model (Bullitt, Four-Valve, Two-Valve, etc.).

The issue with Ford's 2G alternator is excessive resistance and poor internal design, which both cause heat issues bad enough to melt charging system wiring/connectors and in extreme cases cause a fire. When you buy a replacement 2G alternator from the parts store, they almost always come with a new charging connector pigtail, as the original is usually melted. I did away with the 2G in my 1090 Mustang over 10 years ago and haven't looked back. Upgrading to a 3G alternator is really simple and can easily be done on a vintage Mustang as well (shown here on a 1965 Mustang with a 1994 Mustang serpentine bracket setup). Your letter has even inspired us to go through the upgrade steps on the typical well-worn Fox-body, which you can find elsewhere in this issue.

Correct Fuel Filter
I have a technical question concerning the '66 Mustang's 289 fuel filter. What is the correct finish and Ford part number? Should it have an Autolite or FoMoCo logo? I'm looking for an OEM filter, not a service part.
Don
Via the Internet

The correct Ford part number is C5AZ-9155-B. The engineering number is C5AE-9155-A4 with red Rotunda logo. The filter housing is clear zinc. It's a nice detail item, especially on the 289 High Performance because the filter is visible with the open-element air cleaner installed.

We love our Mustangs; that's a fact. Some only love the early cars, while for some a Fox body will always have a place in their heart. It doesn't matter if you prefer modified cars or museum quality concours trailered examples, all Mustangs have issues. We sometimes try to ignore the elephant in the room, but we are quickly snapped back into reality when one of the Mustang's common problems smacks us in the back of the cranium.

Dash Lights
In 2010 I purchased a 1973 Ford Mustang Mach 1. Upon getting it home, I discovered that the dash lights do not work with the exception of the turn signals and the high beam indicator. To try to resolve the issue, I have replaced the fuses in the fuse box, bulbs, headlight switch, printed circuit board on the back of the speedometer, and the voltage regulator that snaps onto the printed circuit board. All the lights on the outside of the car work when the headlight switch is on. Turning the headlight switch will also turn on the dome light inside the car. Recently, someone told me that the dash ground could be the problem. Can you confirm this, and tell me where this would be located or other possible solutions to the problem?
Dave Frank
Via the Internet

The fact that you have working lights on the outside indicates that the headlight switch is powered correctly, therefore your problem has to be between the headlight switch and the dash cluster. The power runs through the headlight switch rheostat (which adjusts brightness) to the fuse box where there is a 4-amp fuse dedicated to the lighting circuit, and up to the dash cluster and other illuminated items, such as the radio and clock. The wires in question are light blue/red striped and can be checked using an ordinary 12-volt test light. The headlight switch must be pulled on so the illumination circuit is live during the tests.

Rotate the rheostat counter-clockwise. If the radio and other items illuminate normally, then the circuitry from the switch and fuse box is okay and your problem is isolated to the cluster itself. Check for power on the light blue and red wire at the snap-in connector on the back of the cluster. If there is power at the connector, then the issue is with the cluster/printed circuit. No power means there is a break in the wire between the headlight switch and the cluster.

The circuit is simple and wiring problems are rare; usually the connector is the problem. A redundant ground using a jump wire can be attached to the cluster to double check the ground circuit.

For many years, the Mustang was a simple car. The original dream of a small and relatively light platform with a small-block V-8 and rear-wheel drive, with a bunch of options to individualize the owner experience, has been a hallmark of the Mustang right up through the mid-1990s. Later into that decade, the Mustang started packing on standard features, safety equipment, and more, leading to the Mustang we see on dealer lots today. Sure it is still rear-wheel drive with a V-8 under the hood of the GT, but today you'll also be getting stability control, traction control, ABS, power everything, HID headlights, electric power steering (EPAS), and much more. All of these features add up to a lot of power consumption and it's not unheard of to find 130-160 amp—and in some cases 200 amp—alternators. However, the everlasting Fox era Mustangs, while short on electrical needs when new, often pull double duty as rolling concert halls, race cars, and more. Their stock 65-amp alternators just won't cut it when these cars start seeing electrical upgrades.

Imagine the convenience of an off-the-shelf crate engine displacing 427ci that you can assemble and install in your Mustang over a weekend. On the outside, it looks like a 351W small-block. Inside, it displaces big-block cubes ready to make axle-twisting big-block power.

There’s no denying that none of us are getting any younger. Like many of you, taking a drive of more than an hour or so in a vintage Mustang with the stock low-back seats means climbing out at the culmination of said trip with inevitable back pain. But even on shorter drives, the original seats leave much behind in the way of support, safety, and some may say even looks. There are plenty of options on the market for performance seating, but they often come with a hefty price tag or require custom upholstery to match the rest of the interior. However, many owners have discovered a solution—swapping in modern Mustang seats.

Many of us have grown accustomed to the creature comforts of life. From filtered water through your fridge door and a remote control by your side on the couch to power windows and door locks in just about every vehicle made in the past 20 years (excluding those uber-cheap rental cars we all have to endure now and then). So it can be frustrating when one of these comforts goes belly-up without notice. I mean, who wants to get up off the couch and walk five feet to change the TV station (if you can even find the button on your flat screen!)? Seriously though, when a power window or power door lock system goes on the fritz, it affects not only the security of your Mustang, but yours as well.

Most Mustang owners want crisp low to mid-range torque, good throttle response, some semblance of fuel economy, and a Mustang that sounds cool. Of course, some want that “rumpity-rump” idle and the roar of a hopped up engine during those exhilarating blasts down Main Street.

When Ford introduced the Mustang in April of 1964, the base powerplant was the Falcon's 170ci six with 101 horsepower and 156 lb-ft of torque. Later that year, in August, Ford updated the Mustang's engine line-up with the seven main bearing 200ci six as standard equipment. Both the 170 and 200ci sixes are well known and respected for rugged dependability. But engineering shortcomings have plagued them since the beginning. The greatest shortcoming is a lackluster induction system, which is positioned directly over a hot exhaust manifold. The Mustang six's ignition system was the old-school Ford/Holley Load-O-Matic distributor, which also offered disappointing performance.

One look at the rear convertible window in my new cloth top and I immediately wanted to replace the wavy plastic with a folding back glass. Of course, the glass rear window was not available for the Mustang convertible until the ’67 model. But that hasn’t prevented the aftermarket from coming to the rescue. For example, Robbins Auto Top offers a ’65-’66 folding back glass window, as sold by many Mustang parts vendors.

Why does front-end alignment seem like black magic? Yet it’s nothing more than tire and wheel angle and how they relate to the road. Alignment is complex because of what happens to wheel and tire angle as our Mustang cruises down the road or round a bend. Road conditions, road crown, vehicle condition, tire and wheel size, suspension components, and a host of other issues affect alignment. During alignment, we have to plan for these changes and adjust accordingly.