Power without control is dangerous. Building a rock-solid car that feels right, tracks straight, and can hold its own in most situations is not easy. There are innumerable things to consider, such as tire size and type, which shocks to run, which sway bar size to use, and which engine to build. The really nice thing is, today we have far more choices in these areas than we did 20 years ago. The hobby has grown to encompass our needs and desires for more advanced handling and performance.
Back in the day, a good engine was enough. Questionable brakes, bad tires, and dead shocks were not really an issue-speed, however, was. With age and experience under our belts now, we tend to want to build the type of car that we've dreamed of but couldn't afford back then. Now, there is really no excuse for not building a car for your needs.
In the late-model ranks, there is a glut of good go-fast equipment. In this area, especially, you can hone your '79-2000 Mustang to a razor's edge in your chosen field of endeavor. Want to road race? Someone builds a suspension for that. Drag racing more your stripe? They have you covered there too. What follows in this article is an overview of what experts Ron Bramlett of Mustangs Plus and Dan Carlson, chief engineer for Steeda, believe are good ideas for better handling from both your vintage and late-model chassis.
| Mild ’65-’70 Small-Block |
| Engines: | The ’65-’68 289/302 4V Hi-Po exhaust manifolds, the |
| ’69 351 Windsor 4V Hi-Po exhaust manifolds, and the |
| ’70 351 Cleveland 4V with stock manifolds |
| |
| Transmissions: | C4 automatic or four-speed |
| Rear Gears: | 3.00:1 with a C4, 3.50 with four-speed |
| Springs: | GT springs on the front and the rear (uses a 1-inch |
| polyurethane coil spring pad on the ’67-’70) |
| Shocks: | MagnaGas |
| Sway bars: | (front) 1 inch |
| (rear) none (except for the ’70, which can use the Boss |
| 302 sway bar) |
| Wheels: | 15x7 Styled Steel for the ’65-’67, 15x7 full-chrome Styled |
| Steel for the ’68-’69, and the ’70 uses 15x7 Magnum |
| Tires: | P205/60-15 radials |
| Brakes: | Stock for car; recommend upgrading the ’65-’66 to dual- |
| bowl master cylinder for safety |
| Options: | Three-row radiator; recommend duals for all above appli- |
| cations; use turn-down tips for stock appearance, except |
| on both the GT and Mach 1 or where stock style dictates |
| otherwise (Shelby) |