stangs-R-me

I'll agree ... it probably was just "age". Mine were not rattling, but the rubber insulators were sticking to the pins and fell apart when I took my 1969 disc brakes apart recently. Brakes had last been done in the mid-80's and probably less than 20-30k miles as the pads have quite a bit of life left. Never seen this on a daily driver so definitely was not HEAT, just OLD AGE !! Doug

You are right ... I'm slipping in my old age !! I had looked in my Recognition Guide as I was making my post, but it really did not say one way or the other for either '69 or 70. Did a search on line for '70 Grande' and saw that the 200 six was std. in it, but was confident in my '69 Grande' 351W base assumption. Now just looked now in my "1969 Facts Book" (a re-print also compiled by the same editors of Mustang Monthly) and it says the 200 six was std. in the Grande' as well as all Mustangs but Mach 1 (and obviously the Boss'es & Shelby's that were not yet released when this early dealer "facts book" was printed). I must have been confusing the Grande' with 1969 Cougar ... my '69 expertise has slipped a bit over the years. Doug

You are right ... I'm slipping in my old age !! I had looked in my Recognition Guide as I was making my post, but it really did not say one way or the other for either '69 or 70. Did a search on line for '70 Grande' and saw that the 200 six was std. in it, but was confident in my '69 Grande' 351W base assumption. Now just looked now in my "1969 Facts Book" (a re-print also compiled by the same editors of Mustang Monthly) and it says the 200 six was std. in the Grande' as well as all Mustangs but Mach 1 (and obviously the Boss'es & Shelby's that were not yet released when this early dealer "facts book" was printed). I must have been confusing the Grande' with 1969 Cougar ... my '69 expertise has slipped a bit over the years. Doug

My brakes are a mis-match of parts from 69 & 70 that were accumulated and installed in 1984 so the details are a little fuzzy. A friend wrecked his 1970 302 Coupe and I ended up getting the front disc brakes assy's, the pedal, and I'm guessing the booster/master assy. Must have been an issue with the booster because I also got a used 1969 booster from a junk yard and a rebuilt master cylinder. I'm assuming the 1969 distribution block / stock proportioning valve I got came from the junk yard too. Once all was installed, I had very touchy "hair trigger" brakes and the rears liked to lock up on panic stops. In 1986, I bought the adjustable proportioning valve, a new / rebuilt booster-master cylinder assy, the Currie 2.5x10" rear drum brakes, and installed. Brake feel was MUCH improved, but the rears still tended to lock up in panic stops regardless of where I had the K-H adj. prop. valve adjusted. So I lived with it this way until this Summer (2011). Back in the 80's the Station Wagon Drum Brake Kit was a cheap way to upgrade Mustang rear brakes ... they bolted right in, worked well, and there was no need to re-configure your parking brake. Rear disc brake kits were pretty new and expencive unless you found a complete Granada/Versilles set up and either way you had to re-configure your parking brake. When disassembling the distribution block to replace the seals this Summer I found the rear seal that is on either side of the proportioning valve ports to be split ... whether it split upon disassembly or if it was split all along I don't know. However with this seal bad, brake pressure could by-pass the proportioning valve which certainly would explain why the adjustable valve seemed to have no control before. In the late 80's I accumulated all the needed parts to add power front disc brakes to my 1967 Fairlane. The one thing I could not find new or used was the fixed proportiong valve. In the shop manual exploded view it looked like it used the same round valve as the Mustang so I tried it. Brakes were much better on this car and did not have any rear lock up ... certainly had me dumbfounded !! On the '67 Fairlane, the distribution block was the same as drum brake cars and the propotioning valve was just inline to the rear brakes. Ford changed the distribution block in 1968 so if you had a front brake failure the spool would shift forward and by-pass the proportioning valve giving you full brake pressure to the rear brakes. I'm pretty sure now that the distribution block seal was my problem all along. At the time, it was NLA and no one was selling seal kits so you just re-used old parts and hoped for the best. Since the '69 Distribution Block is still NLA I had actually bought the repro Scott Drake 67-68 distribution block with the built-in proportioning valve from CJ (2B075C) and planned on using that until I realized that NONE of the tube fittings were the same sizes !! I did not want to be cutting & re-flaring like I did before (especially with a brand new pre-bent line kit) so I was scrambling to come up with some other plan when I stumbled upon Muscle Car Research who not only sells the distribution block re-build kit but also sells a rebuild kit for the 1967-69 round proportioning valve. As critical as brakes are, it makes me wonder why they are the only ones making and selling these rebuild kits !! Or, why is someone not marketing a pre-bent brake line kit to use one of the available distribution block/proportioning valves on a 1969 ?? Doug

My brakes are a mis-match of parts from 69 & 70 that were accumulated and installed in 1984 so the details are a little fuzzy. A friend wrecked his 1970 302 Coupe and I ended up getting the front disc brakes assy's, the pedal, and I'm guessing the booster/master assy. Must have been an issue with the booster because I also got a used 1969 booster from a junk yard and a rebuilt master cylinder. I'm assuming the 1969 distribution block / stock proportioning valve I got came from the junk yard too. Once all was installed, I had very touchy "hair trigger" brakes and the rears liked to lock up on panic stops. In 1986, I bought the adjustable proportioning valve, a new / rebuilt booster-master cylinder assy, the Currie 2.5x10" rear drum brakes, and installed. Brake feel was MUCH improved, but the rears still tended to lock up in panic stops regardless of where I had the K-H adj. prop. valve adjusted. So I lived with it this way until this Summer (2011). Back in the 80's the Station Wagon Drum Brake Kit was a cheap way to upgrade Mustang rear brakes ... they bolted right in, worked well, and there was no need to re-configure your parking brake. Rear disc brake kits were pretty new and expencive unless you found a complete Granada/Versilles set up and either way you had to re-configure your parking brake. When disassembling the distribution block to replace the seals this Summer I found the rear seal that is on either side of the proportioning valve ports to be split ... whether it split upon disassembly or if it was split all along I don't know. However with this seal bad, brake pressure could by-pass the proportioning valve which certainly would explain why the adjustable valve seemed to have no control before. In the late 80's I accumulated all the needed parts to add power front disc brakes to my 1967 Fairlane. The one thing I could not find new or used was the fixed proportiong valve. In the shop manual exploded view it looked like it used the same round valve as the Mustang so I tried it. Brakes were much better on this car and did not have any rear lock up ... certainly had me dumbfounded !! On the '67 Fairlane, the distribution block was the same as drum brake cars and the propotioning valve was just inline to the rear brakes. Ford changed the distribution block in 1968 so if you had a front brake failure the spool would shift forward and by-pass the proportioning valve giving you full brake pressure to the rear brakes. I'm pretty sure now that the distribution block seal was my problem all along. At the time, it was NLA and no one was selling seal kits so you just re-used old parts and hoped for the best. Since the '69 Distribution Block is still NLA I had actually bought the repro Scott Drake 67-68 distribution block with the built-in proportioning valve from CJ (2B075C) and planned on using that until I realized that NONE of the tube fittings were the same sizes !! I did not want to be cutting & re-flaring like I did before (especially with a brand new pre-bent line kit) so I was scrambling to come up with some other plan when I stumbled upon Muscle Car Research who not only sells the distribution block re-build kit but also sells a rebuild kit for the 1967-69 round proportioning valve. As critical as brakes are, it makes me wonder why they are the only ones making and selling these rebuild kits !! Or, why is someone not marketing a pre-bent brake line kit to use one of the available distribution block/proportioning valves on a 1969 ?? Doug

Also ... Like the Mach 1 & GT, the 1969 Grande' had the "H" code 351W 2V as the base engine and had all the same upgraded engine options. The 351W 2V was also the base engine in ALL 1969 and 70 Cougars (1970 could be a 351W or 351C). It appears that the base 1970 Grande' engine was the 200 six. Also note that all 351 Mustangs & Cougars had a 9" 28 spline rear axle as std. Doug

Also ... Like the Mach 1 & GT, the 1969 Grande' had the "H" code 351W 2V as the base engine and had all the same upgraded engine options. The 351W 2V was also the base engine in ALL 1969 and 70 Cougars (1970 could be a 351W or 351C). It appears that the base 1970 Grande' engine was the 200 six. Also note that all 351 Mustangs & Cougars had a 9" 28 spline rear axle as std. Doug

Here's 2 pics ... 1st pic is how I had originally installed a K-H adjustable proportioning valve in place of the fixed factory proportional valve back in the 80's. No matter where I had that thing adjusted, my rears would still lock up. 2nd pic is my re-work this summer where I put it in "SERIES" with a N.O.S. Ford replacement style valve. Was able to make it all fit without cutting ANY lines. A pair of new lines came with the Ford replacement valve and was able to tweek them as well as the 2 new lines that came with the complete line set I got from CJ Pony ... all I needed was the one FM to FM union to connect the line from the K-H back to the distrbution block. Also made a custom bracket to mount the K-H to an existing hole in the fenderwell. It's a pretty tight installation with the clutch Z-Bar movement (1/4" clearance in one spot) but unlike before I can easily reach the adjustment. FINALLY, I have control of my rear brakes !! Adjusted all the way out and it seemed like I had no rear brakes ... adjusted in about 2/3rd of the way and I got the rears to lock-up. Found a sweet spot somewhere in between !! My brake set up: Pedal, Booster, & Master Cyl from a 1969 Mustang Disc Brake Distribution Block from a 1969 Mustang (rebuilt using a seal kit from Muscle Car Research) Front: factory Ford Spindles/Rotors/Calipers from a 1970 Mustang Rear: 10 x 2.5" Drums from a '69 Torino Station Wagon (bought complete from Currie back in the 80's). New O.E. replacement Galvanized Steel Lines and Hoses from CJ Pony Doug

Here's 2 pics ... 1st pic is how I had originally installed a K-H adjustable proportioning valve in place of the fixed factory proportional valve back in the 80's. No matter where I had that thing adjusted, my rears would still lock up. 2nd pic is my re-work this summer where I put it in "SERIES" with a N.O.S. Ford replacement style valve. Was able to make it all fit without cutting ANY lines. A pair of new lines came with the Ford replacement valve and was able to tweek them as well as the 2 new lines that came with the complete line set I got from CJ Pony ... all I needed was the one FM to FM union to connect the line from the K-H back to the distrbution block. Also made a custom bracket to mount the K-H to an existing hole in the fenderwell. It's a pretty tight installation with the clutch Z-Bar movement (1/4" clearance in one spot) but unlike before I can easily reach the adjustment. FINALLY, I have control of my rear brakes !! Adjusted all the way out and it seemed like I had no rear brakes ... adjusted in about 2/3rd of the way and I got the rears to lock-up. Found a sweet spot somewhere in between !! My brake set up: Pedal, Booster, & Master Cyl from a 1969 Mustang Disc Brake Distribution Block from a 1969 Mustang (rebuilt using a seal kit from Muscle Car Research) Front: factory Ford Spindles/Rotors/Calipers from a 1970 Mustang Rear: 10 x 2.5" Drums from a '69 Torino Station Wagon (bought complete from Currie back in the 80's). New O.E. replacement Galvanized Steel Lines and Hoses from CJ Pony Doug

I used 10-24 inserts (same as stock). Here is their web site ... http://www.avkfasteners.com/products.AK.php ... call your area rep and see where you can buy them from. I believe the tool I've got (and the simpletest they offer) is their AA181. More recently we've been buying inserts from McMaster Carr (not sure if they are actually the AVK brand but they look identical): 10-24 insert: 95105A131 (pkg. of 25) Installation Tool: 96349A203 ... if you have a way of buying from them. Doug

I used 10-24 inserts (same as stock). Here is their web site ... http://www.avkfasteners.com/products.AK.php ... call your area rep and see where you can buy them from. I believe the tool I've got (and the simpletest they offer) is their AA181. More recently we've been buying inserts from McMaster Carr (not sure if they are actually the AVK brand but they look identical): 10-24 insert: 95105A131 (pkg. of 25) Installation Tool: 96349A203 ... if you have a way of buying from them. Doug

We use this AVK style insert at work ... same principle as the factory ones but they are serrated on the outside and grab the sheet metal better. I bought some 10-24 size and re-did all of mine and I think they are more solid. You need a setting mandrel to install these (upper right in picture with an insert on it). To "properly" install the factory ones I'm sure some sort of mandrel / installation tool is needed but none of the Mustang Vendors will tell you this ... they just sell you stuff and don't supply instructions on how to use or install. Anyway, these AVK inserts require a slightly larger 19/64" dia. hole (reamed to size rather than just "drilled" for best results) so they should work on any Mustang even if the factory inserts spun loose and made the hole slightly oversized. Picture is not the best, but hopefully you get the idea. Doug

We use this AVK style insert at work ... same principle as the factory ones but they are serrated on the outside and grab the sheet metal better. I bought some 10-24 size and re-did all of mine and I think they are more solid. You need a setting mandrel to install these (upper right in picture with an insert on it). To "properly" install the factory ones I'm sure some sort of mandrel / installation tool is needed but none of the Mustang Vendors will tell you this ... they just sell you stuff and don't supply instructions on how to use or install. Anyway, these AVK inserts require a slightly larger 19/64" dia. hole (reamed to size rather than just "drilled" for best results) so they should work on any Mustang even if the factory inserts spun loose and made the hole slightly oversized. Picture is not the best, but hopefully you get the idea. Doug

Yes ... that one in post #6 looks like a '69-70 Mustang door window regulator assy. The 1st pic you posted definitely is not the correct one for a '69-70 "COUPE" qtr. window and a "CONV." one should be pretty similar (if not the same) so I'm 99.9% sure it is NOT a Mustang window regulator (at least ways '69-70). Doug

Yes ... that one in post #6 looks like a '69-70 Mustang door window regulator assy. The 1st pic you posted definitely is not the correct one for a '69-70 "COUPE" qtr. window and a "CONV." one should be pretty similar (if not the same) so I'm 99.9% sure it is NOT a Mustang window regulator (at least ways '69-70). Doug

Are there any options out there for "stock" looking engine compartments ?? I've owned my '69 since the early 80's and don't recall it EVER spitting out coolant from the overflow tube ... but the '67 Fairlane I used to have did every once in a while. So before I sold the Fairlane I was looking for something to put on it that had a somewhat "stock" appearance ... or at least "black" where it would blend in ... and never found anything out there. Doug

Are there any options out there for "stock" looking engine compartments ?? I've owned my '69 since the early 80's and don't recall it EVER spitting out coolant from the overflow tube ... but the '67 Fairlane I used to have did every once in a while. So before I sold the Fairlane I was looking for something to put on it that had a somewhat "stock" appearance ... or at least "black" where it would blend in ... and never found anything out there. Doug

The ones holding my Hurst adapter plate are regular 5/16-18 x 1" Long "Flat Head Socket Head Cap Screws". I had mine loctited in back in the 80's and had a hell of a time getting them out durring my recent re-build. My local hardware store had them in stock ... only difference was they were black-oxide coated instead of silver zinc plated. Check your depth, maybe 1-1/4 or 1-1/2" would fit ... or possibly yours are shorter than the 1" length they should be. Doug

Pak you are correct in that the 250 I6 shares f&r 5-lug suspension/brakes with the 302 V8 (springs may be slightly different). However his title says "200CI I6" so if original it would have the 4-lug suspension. Doug

Not 100% sure if this is where the "firewall bracket" goes, but this is where I put it. It is mounted using the same screw that holds the brake line right before it heads down the tunnel to the rear brakes. It keeps the cable from rubbing on the steering shaft as it used to and helps direct it over the trans, so it is functional here for me. Doug

Mine are semi-gloss black. It is definitely a unique / odd trim treatment especially w/o a vinyl top but you'll get used to it being there !! It would be a lot of work eliminating them and then it would look like something is missing with no trim at all ... IMO. Pretty sure adapting the plain aluminum '70 trim would require even more fabrication if not the roof of a donor car. Doug

Update ... after writing above post I then went back out in the garage & pushed in the clutch pedal and heard a pop and figured the TOB was not seated properly before. So I had to re-adjust the stop nuts back out (probably close to where they were before) and it all seems normal with the 0.194" of free-play. Wow is it ever lighter than my old (Ford re-man) 3-finger clutch that came out !! And the drivabilty is no different than stock with absolutely no chatter. Thanks again Tom for offering me this clutch !! Doug

I've got an Offenhauser 360 Equa-Flow Aluminium intake on my 351W painted Ford Blue. Was painted with Dupont Centari Acrylic Enamel in late 80's and has held up real well. Doug

Well, it has been a long 4 months and I finally got Tom's slightly used DF clutch & my rebuilt trans back in. I'm re-using all the stock clutch linkage ... removed the pedal assist spring as required with the Centerforce clutch and rebuilt the clutch support using one of Mustang Steve's ball bearing kits. Replaced all the plastic bushings & felt washers, everything else was good. Now with this diaphram clutch, I had to shorten the pushrod adjustment quite a bit as it has the release lever / fork much further forward ... is this normal ?? Also, should I still be adjusting the free-play between the release rod lock nut & block to the 0.194" specification or should I be doing something different since this is a diaphram type clutch ?? Thanks, Doug

If you have a fastback, the only advantage of bolt-in glass is the fact that it is bolt-in. If you have a '69 Hardtop or Conv. then you also gain the much improved vertical sealing that moves from the door glass to the quarter glass. This alone made the swap worthwhile on my car ... no more snagging clothing or worse slicing open your arm when shutting the door as that sharp trim can get you when you don't expect it !! Doug