In Mustang Monthly, we've always shown our readers how to do it themselves. However, not everyone wants to do everything nor do they know how. That's when you need to place your Mustang in the hands of a professional.inline_mediumwraptextrightWhen you're shopping for a Mustang restoration shop, you want competent professionals who can survey your project and determine the proper course of action. In this business, time wasted is money lost.27078442/techarticles/mump_0912_guide_to_mustang_shopsmump_0912_02_o+guide_to_mustang_shops+mustang_restoration_shop.jpgTrue

The element of surprise is a tried and true military method of winning battles. So when retired Air Force fighter pilot Rod Peck decided to rebuild the 289 in his '65 Mustang convertible, he wanted it to look stock but have lots of hidden horsepower.inline_mediumwraptextright31269579/techarticles/mump_0912_1965_ford_mustang_convertible_gets_331_ford_small_blockmump_0912_01_o+289_ford_small_block+engine.jpgTrue

You may Not realize it but front-end alignment has the greatest effect on how your Mustang feels to steer and drive. When alignment is spot on and your Mustang is tracking properly, it yields a confident feeling. By the same token, when alignment is off, it can make your Mustang driving experience miserable and unsafe. What is front-end alignment and why is it so important?inline_mediumwraptextrightMarlon Mitchell of Marlo's Frame & Alignment in Los Angeles begins his alignment regiment with ride height measurement in all four corners. Ride height, especially in front, has a certain effect on alignment. Marlon is one of the rare technicians who performs alignments the old-fashioned way-without computers and lasers.30775074/techarticles/mump_0911_the_importance_of_front_end_alignmentsmump_0911_02_+front_end_alignment_basics+ride_height_measurement.jpgTrue

Ford has been installing electronic fuel injection on Mustangs for the past 26 years. Carbureted Mustangs encompass the rest of the marque's 45-year history - some 21 years of production - which means there were a lot of Mustangs built with old-fashioned carbureted induction. The last Mustang with a carburetor was the '85 Mustang GT, which was fitted with a "no-tamper" Holley 4180.inline_mediumwraptextright29727027/techarticles/mump_0910_how_to_identify_mustang_carburetorsmump_0910_02_identifying_pony_carburetors+autolite_carbs.jpgTrue

Remember the days of scrounging junkyards in search of a 9-inch rearend to replace the wimpy 8-inch in your high-horsepower vintage Mustang? Whether you were looking to beef-up the strength for hard launches or you desired a higher (numerically) gear ratio, the 9-inch from an old Galaxie, truck, or - if you were lucky - a high-performance Mustang got you both strength and, more than likely, a digger gear. Today, it's virtually impossible to find an old 9-inch in the junkyard.inline_mediumwraptextright24897496/techarticles/mump_0910_9_inch_bolt_in_sport_rearendmump_0910_01_+install_9_inch_rearend+floor_jack.jpgTrue

We knew it was only a matter of time before Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology reached vintage Mustang headlights. And we figured it would be Mustang Project that brought them to us. Already used for brighter taillights and instrument panel lights, the LED technology for headlights offers brighter, crisper, and whiter light output than regular incandescent bulbs, while also providing longer life, cooler operation, and greater dependability.inline_mediumwraptextrightManufactured for Mustang Project by Truck-Lite to offer the energy efficiency of light emitting diode technology, the new LED headlights provide a new level of performance for 7-inch round, 12-volt applications.24974339/techarticles/mump_0909_mustang_project_led_headlights_installmump_0909_01_+1966_ford_mustang_kgt_headlights_install+led_headlight.jpgTrue

Last month, we took you through the tear down and inspection of Gary Schweitzer's '65 200ci six-cylinder engine at JGM Performance Engineering. We learned during the process that 35,000 original miles doesn't always mean pristine. Much depends on how the engine was treated. Gary's six-cylinder was loaded with sludge due to a lack of oil changes at a time when leaded fuel and antiquated lubrication technology worked against engine life. This made his engine very typical of the time period it was operated in. Removing tetraethyl lead from gasoline made a significant difference in the environment - and engine life. Advanced engine oil technology has made a difference too.inline_mediumwraptextrightRyan Peart of JGM tells us it's always best to install the camshaft first, whether it's a V-8 or a six. This allows easy cam access and minimizes the risk of cam lobe journal damage. Cam journals are coated with engine assembly lube, which has staying power. The lobes must have molybdenum grease (also called moly coat) for proper flat tappet cam lobe hardening when the engine is fired.24920044/techarticles/mump_0910_1965_200ci_six_cylinder_engine_buildupmump_0910_02_+rebuild_200co_six_engine+install_camshaft.jpgTrue

When it comes to restoration projects, we can tell you we've been there in this magazine's 31-year history. And we've worked closely with others who have also been there. The neat thing about this job is what we learn doing it. In those three decades, we've made more than our share of mistakes-some really stupid, some we'd never admit to even our closest friends, and some that were embarrassingly exposed right here in these pages. Our goal here is to help you avoid mistakes with true confessions from those who've made them, including us.inline_mediumwraptextrightPaint Job On The Cheap
There's no such thing as a good low-buck scuff and shoot paint job. There are passable budget paint jobs that look good for now. However, they will never last. Chris Burns of Santa Barbara Musclecars lays it all out for us, "Go with a scuff and shoot paint job and you are asking for serious problems down the road. That's just throwing away whatever you've just spent." Good body prep and the best materials are everything to a quality paint job that will last.29770746/techarticles/mump_0910_restoration_blundersmump_0910_01_+restoration_blunders+paint_job.jpgTrue

We're working on a '66 Mustang restomod project that has been slowly creeping along for a decade. How does a project, begun in earnest, take so long? There have been challenges most of us can relate to, including a career change and other time consuming projects that had the Mustang spending time in a body shop collecting dust. When Virginia Classic Mustang sent us a pair of Flowmaster Series 50 Delta Flow mufflers to try out on this Mustang, it changed our attitude because we knew Flowmasters would give our floundering Mustang project that extra enthusiasm it needed to get to the finish line.inline_mediumwraptextright29722161/techarticles/mump_0910_flowmaster_series_50_delta_flow_muffler_systemmump_0910_01_+custom_dual_exhaust_system+exhaust_system.jpgTrue

Ford's C4 Cruise-O-Matic transmission is the most reliable automatic Ford has ever produced. It is simple by design. In fact, it is so simple you can tear it down and rebuild it in your home garage using the Ford Shop Manual because no special tools are required. However, transmission building is a finite science, so we suggest turning yours over to a professional with experience.

Summit's new Street & Strip carburetor looks similar to other aftermarket performance carburetors; in fact, it closely resembles the Holley 4110 carburetor of the 1990s, a two-piece design that was a solid attempt at building a better street performance carburetor. Yet, Summit took a different approach by remedying many of the pesky carburetor issues we frequently complain about.

LED technology is changing the way we see the light. In its commercial infancy in the 1970s, the light emitting diode (LED) was used primarily as an indicator light in electronic devices. In those days, we didn't understand the light that came from such a tiny little diode and wondered why they lasted virtually forever. As the technology has advanced, manufacture of the LED, not to mention its use, has become more economical, making its technology even more widespread. What's more, LEDs have gotten larger and even brighter to make them more appealing. Never has this been more apparent than in automobiles and large billboard screens along the Vegas strip.

PerTronix continues to bring us terrific ideas that are useful for our vintage Mustangs. Over a decade ago, PerTronix introduced its drop-in Ignitor electronic ignition retrofit for classic Autolite and Motorcraft distributors that effectively eliminated the unreliable point-triggered ignition. The Ignitor offers fierce reliability coupled with ease of installation and service. It remains one of the most innovative aftermarket retrofits ever offered, plus it keeps vintage Mustangs looking original.

Automobile finishes have come a long way. One hundred years ago, it was any color you wanted as long as it was black. When the auto industry was just getting started early in the 20th century, paint finishes were brushed on, hand-rubbed, and labor intensive. In the years since, automotive finishes have become more durable, striking, and easier to apply. But it wasn't easy getting here. Nitrocellulose finishes were developed during the 1920s to make paint easier to both apply and service. In the 1930s, paint technology took a large leap forward with sprayed on alkyd enamels, the gateway to the high-tech, hot looking finishes we have today.

On The Dyno
Jaimie Cisneros' '04 Cobra sports only a few bolt-ons now, but the Snake is destined for a big-blower upgrade soon.

We salute the venerable '79-'04 Fox-body Mustang for its huge contribution to the history of America's favorite fun car. With 25 years of evolution and improvement, there are plenty of them out there to restore, build, and enjoy.

For many years, Total Control Products has been a significant player in the vintage Mustang aftermarket suspension arena. And for good reason. The company's product line is simply top-notch; the quality level and functional aspects of its equipment are as good or better than any other.

Engine oil seems so simple. It's slippery. It keeps metal parts from fusing together. It's messy, especially when it has been squeezed, slung, and sprayed around the inside of a hot engine for thousands of miles. And after it has been inside an engine for a few thousand miles, it seems dirty, worn out, and ready for disposal. But engine oil never wears out. It gets contaminated from combustion byproducts and it loses its additives to heat and pressure, which is why it must be changed from time to time. Otherwise, oil lasts virtually forever.

If a Mustang has scoops, then they should scoop something. That was Brit White's thinking when he added functional ram-air to his '73 Mach 1 during its renovation at Restomods Plus in Clearwater, Florida. His 351 Cleveland-powered fastback had the NACA-scooped hood and remnants of former functionality, but most of the major pieces were missing. Thanks to National Parts Depot, Restomod Plus owner Wayne Farnham was able to round up the rest of the pieces needed to ram outside air into the Mach 1's air cleaner

Karl Seifert in the Hi-Po Forum introduced Dave to "Herschel-Quincke," a sound attenuation principal used for noise control. Figuring the technology was patented, Dave contacted the U.S. Patent Office for Herschel-Quincke information. It turns out there were numerous patents for this unique sound science based on "node" dampening, a number of them registered by Arvin during the 1960s. Dave noted the names of company engineers associated with the patents. He tracked down two of them, Benjamin Irwin and Ed Ludlow, in Columbus, Indiana, where Arvin Industries was located. Unfortunately, both had passed away. However, Ben Irwin's son, Dick, put Dave in touch with Jim Abbott, the former prototype shop foreman at Arvin. Jim, who had fabricated the prototype and production patterns, was able to find the original drawings for the mufflers and resonators.

Forty-five years ago, Ford brought us some mighty hardy manual transmissions. The Top Loader three- and four-speed transmissions were tough and durable, and they remain the standard today in all-out competition because they don't break.

For the better part of three decades, Scott Drake Enterprises has kept the high-quality reproduction parts coming to classic Mustang enthusiasts. One of the latest examples is the reproduction Rally-Pac for '65-'66 Mustangs.

There was a time when rack-and-pinion steering for classic Mustangs was unheard of. Along the way, there were false starts. Total Control Products, which pioneered rack-and-pinion steering for vintage Mustangs, went through quite a teething curve early in development. When you buy a TCP rack today, you're getting the result of more than a decade of research and development. Call it the perfect rack-and-pinion steering system for classic Mustangs. It bolts right on. It comes with virtually everything you need. And, it performs better than expectations.