1969 Mach1

I have a 1969 Mach 1 with a 351W and 4sp trans. I installed JBA headers. They fit without any issues. I did install ARP header bolts with a reduced size head to easily get a socket or closed end wrench on all the bolts. For the exhaust I went with Borla mufflers with 2 1/2" dia. inlet and outlet, 2 1/2" dia. tubing, and a 3" dia X-pipe. I don't have the interior resonance issue with the Borla mufflers. Whatever header you select, if you get them with a ceramic coating, select a coating with the highest temperature rating. The Aluminum color coatings have the lowest temperature rating and will sometimes burn off during initial break in of a new motor.

I'm not familiar with a 429. But, I have had a 351w make a strange whine/screech noise. It ended up the distributor gear being installed in slightly the wrong position on the distributor shaft. Just 0.004"-0.005" out of position. The tooth contact between the dist. gear and cam gear was incorrect and the distributor gear was getting damaged. For the rare and random backfire through the carb, the A/F mixture may just be too lean.

Of those two, I'd go with the roller block motor, it should be a 1994 or later block. Buy your own intake and carb combo. Weiand Stealth or Performer RPM for a dual plane. The plain Performer intake isn't much better than stock.

Are you sure that is a shim. It may be advertized as a shim but it looks like a spacer to allow an auto trans starter to work on a manual trans. The drive gear on an auto trans starter extends out more than a manual trans starters and would need a spacer like that to work correctly on a manual transmission.

Ford's do not use starter shims. Unlike GM starters, the way Ford starters mount to the bell housing any type of shim won't affect the tooth engagement depth. If you have a starter drive (bendix as some call it) to flywheel gear engagement problem or excessive noise, there is something wrong with starter, wrong starter, or wrong starter and flywheel/flexplate combination.

Just a thought. Even though an OEM replacement clutch won't work for your situation, but with that kind of HP have you also considered using a 164 tooth flywheel and 11" dia. clutch. Some people are not aware, but the 164 tooth flywheel with 11" dia. clutch was standard size on 351w engines. The 157 tooth flywheel and 10.5" dia. clutch was standard size on 289-302 engines.

You can get a new door tag made by the same place that provides the Mart Report. I believe it's Marti Auto Works. Just provide them with the vin number. The new door tag should have the information you are seeking.

Flanders, If those are the original leaf springs, they are likely worn out and sagging. It's hard to tell because the wear occurrs slowly, and most of us don't have a new OEM 1969 Mustang for comparison. I replaced mine during the restoration and could not believe how tall the ride height was with new OE replacement springs. I ended up pulling them off and exchanging them for a 1" lowering spring. As far as shocks, all I can add is I'd stay away from air shocks and also high pressure gas shocks (like the KYB Gas-A-Just). The springs control the ride height and quality and I guess you can say the shocks dampen and control the oscillations.

The OEM canister rengerdoc is refering to only came on cars with factory A/C. It may have also came on cars with some type of vacuum assisted tilt steering column. I don't have personal experience with the addition of an aftermarket canister but everybody I have spoke to that tried them said they don't completely cure the problem. With those duration numbers, a cam with a 112 LSA like gmachine has would be a better choice if vacuum is a concern. One degree more on LSA will reduce the overlap two degrees and can mean the difference in motor characteristics between tollerable to drive and a good driver.

I have removed and installed these from several different 1969 Fastback and 1969 Mach1 cars and have never seen a gasket. I didn't install any type of gasket on mine, but I don't drive mine enough to have to soap it up and wash it. If NPD has one I may also get them for my 1969 Mach1. If you can't find a gasket I would try 3M caulking strips. It won't damage the paint and with these you can easily clean off what seeps out when crushed.

I used the Ford wiring schematics that danno mentioned. It's a separate book from the Ford shop manuals. There are no additional resistor wires for the tach circuit. You will end up reusing the resistor wire that currently goes to the coil from the ignition switch, and moving into the tach circuit between the tach and the ignition coil. However, there is an additional resistor wire, I think about 15 ohm, that is added in series for the alt light circuit. I don't know if the light works properly without it or not. Or like miketyler mentioned, a 560 ohm resister was needed for his newer 3G type alternator.

Cayenne06, I have done the conversion you are considering, then eventually also back to a non-tach dash in the same car. If you aren't concerned about the alt and oil pressure light working on your new tach dash then the info you have seen on the Boss 302 site should be fine. However, I modified my underdash and engine compartment harnesses for those lights to also work for this simple reason. The aftermarket gauges in the Shelby location down on the console are so far out of your field of vision while driving you never look at them. Also, that plastic gauge pod usually doesn't fit very well. If you have some wiring skills, I suggest getting schematics of both tach and non-tach harnesses, study them, and you can determine the necessary changes. Good Luck.

If it's in your budget, I suggest to buy new complete control arms.

I agree, 30k is a little high for that Mach 1 in todays economy. Mid 20k or slightly less is more reasonable for that car. Unless, it is a concourse restoration or a low milage survivor. In todays market the seller usually cannot get out what they have invested.

I have never been able to replace those bushings. The difficulty is the thread pitch on the shaft and in the control arm are different. So, when I have tried the control arm gets damaged. I don't know anybody in my area that replaces those bushings. Most everybody replaces the complete upper control arm assembly. Maybe somebody here knows a method to replace these bushings. Good Luck