MN69Grande

So I'd like to ask everyone's opinion on a self induced problem. A couple years ago I bought an exhaust kit from mustangs unlimited (a dual flowmater kit). The plan at the time was to just use the stock exhaust. The Kit is 2 inch pipe. So as life tends to do I was delayed installing the kit and decided to do some motor work first. When I went in to put the exhaust manifolds back on I noticed one was cracked. So I bought some Headman Short Headers not really thinking about how it all matches up. None of this has been installed. So here is the dilemma - the headers end with a 2.5 inch collector. The H-Pipe and all the exhaust is 2 inch. So do I try to sell the exhaust and upgrade to 2.5 inch all they way back , do I use a reducer, do I go get stock manifolds? Motor is a 302, mild cam, mild bore, stock heads. Reading a few threads at VMF it seems the consensus is that 2.25 inch is really all the small blocks need and going bigger may actually reduce the low end torque. I really don't want to spend money on new exhaust at the moment as I need a new interior (all of it) but I don't want to install a whole exhaust kit just to replace it in 2 year - then not be able to sell the parts. Thoughts? Option 1: Use the reducer and what I have Option 2: Replace the kit with a 2.5 kit Option 3: Use a reducer and replace the kit with a 2.25 kit Option 4: Go back to stock manifolds

So I was browsing YouTube and found this Hi-production vids of 70 Stangs. Thought I would share. Anyone else know of anything similar. I'm a big fan of the UK version of TopGear. Mostly for their car montages. But the only classic Mustang I've seen them do is a 67 Shelby: Also Leno's Garage is a great web series and they have a sick 69:

Another option if you go with the 70 style bolt in glass. You can change the windows over to power. That's what I'm going to do soon. I actually had to do body work on both doors on my 69 and replaced them with 70 doors. Now I've got a window kit from A1 and I'm going to use the crank as the switch. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

ummm... can I ask why? One of the new Ecoboost 4s might be pretty cool, but one of those older ones. Is this replacing a 6 or and 8? I have to agree it should at least be the turbo - even though the interwebs tell me that the 3rd gens weighted in at 2705 lbs while a 69 is 2942 lb so only a couple hundred pound difference - I drove some of those old fox bodies... and it was not very thrilling IMHO. However again according to the ole interwebs the straight six and a 2.3 are probably more comparable then we would like to think once you factor gross v. net horse power. Still I'd kinda like to know why. At least it might be an interesting project. :tongue_smilie:

2nd on watching the lift. I used too big of a lift on a cam in High School and it practically launched the studs off the head. Not knowing what was going on I just kept re-adjusting the lifters every 2-3 days. Yeap the car sounded cool, was un-drivable, and I was lucky not to have a stud come out while driving (not sure that is possible I noticed what was really happening after a couple weeks) ... That was not cool. Now I've brought the cam down and put in screw in studs. Those mild cams in the previous are probably ok though.

You know I was thinking about keeping the steel 14s for my Grande because they have wire styled hub caps. Then I went looking for tires. And yes you can FIND 14 inch tires. But all I found were basic touring tires. Nothing with decent grip. So if your worried about performance or safety I'd stick with the 17s or try to find 15 mags. I've even seen 17 500 replicas. 15s or 17s have many, many more options.

lead_magnet - I kinda have the same deadline, except mine is more like August/September because I have to put 500+ miles on it this fall to break it in prior to driving 3200 miles round trip. Uggg... well might have the motor in this week. Crossing my figures.

Hoping to fire the motor up this next week. It's been a LONNNG time since I've run it. And since then I've changed the cam to to a roller kit and roller rockers. Plus shorty headers and duel exhaust. So I'm beside myself to hear the new sound. Anyway a few shots from my old cell. Sorry the lighting and quality is quite that great.

I have to agree with lead_magnet on this one. I ruined a perfectly good paint job and motor when I was 16-18. Though I bought it with my own money so my folks couldn't say much about it, and I was an honor student and Eagle Scout. Get a teenager in a Mustang and all hell breaks loose... hell get a middle age guy in a Mustang and that is likely to happen. So it is going to be a daily driver I'd say stick with the 6 for 4 years or so.

@lead_magnet. Here are a couple useful links for the 50th. They give all the details that are finalized right now. Some of the sites are a little buggy but it looks like April 16-20 are going to be the main days. It's at the international speedway in Vegas. http://www.mustang.org/content.php/412-MCA-50TH-BIRTHDAY-CELEBRATION-INFORMATION http://www.mustang50thbirthdaycelebration.com/vegas/index.html

I think if you call TMI up they'll do it do. I called them for a special order and it was pretty painless. Ok just looked you don't have to call them even. http://www.tmiproducts.com/mustang/browse-by-vehicle/classic-1964-1973/1969/1969-standard-upholstery-bench-seat.html They also have the deluxe covers broken out if needed.

For those who don't know... and maybe live on the other coast or somewhere in-between. There is also a celebration in Vegas. It's a three day drive for me and I'll I have to wash the under carriage a few times until I get far enough south and out of the salt; but I've already got the wife fired up to go. I think the strip is going to cost me more than the gas anyway. But what the heck, its only going to happen this one time. Of course that is if the car is ready this summer I wouldn't take a new motor on a road trip with out a lot of shake down time.

@rwcstang - They are Gabriel. I'm trying to dig up the part number. They were the suggestion of a the guy I have working on the car. I won't know if we are keeping them until we try driving it. But he swears they'll work great. I'll let you know in a couple months. Have to get the motor in next week first. Plus the guy doing the Vinyl top is way behind so who knows when he'll show up.

@Pakrat - Yes and kinda yes. The white vinyl top is for sure. The black looks ok but I think the white will really stand out and you don't see it that often. The interior was originally Dark Ivy and I always liked it. But I did call TMI and they said it would be easy enough to do Dark Ivy seats with white inserts. I saw it done with black and grey once and it was cool. So it is a bit of a risk but in my mind it looks great. I just hope it's not a waste of 400 bucks.

@Pakrat - Yes and kinda yes. The white vinyl top is for sure. The black looks ok but I think the white will really stand out and you don't see it that often. The interior was originally Dark Ivy and I always liked it. But I did call TMI and they said it would be easy enough to do Dark Ivy seats with white inserts. I saw it done with black and grey once and it was cool. So it is a bit of a risk but in my mind it looks great. I just hope it's not a waste of 400 bucks.

Ok these are just a couple quick cellphone pics and the lighting sucks. BUT my car is back from paint. Went with Back Jade and a custom duel white stripe painted on. We used a normal back, gold, black stripe as a template and cut the gold out. It was funny because I found a NOS kit that only had one side. The other side was used in the 70's on a repair job. So I got it for next to nothing! Anyway, I'm still a ways away from driving it but my excitement level is back up today.

Ok these are just a couple quick cellphone pics and the lighting sucks. BUT my car is back from paint. Went with Back Jade and a custom duel white stripe painted on. We used a normal back, gold, black stripe as a template and cut the gold out. It was funny because I found a NOS kit that only had one side. The other side was used in the 70's on a repair job. So I got it for next to nothing! Anyway, I'm still a ways away from driving it but my excitement level is back up today.

@FrozenMonkey I've looked at those kits too. Looks like they are pretty popular with the folks around here. The one thing I kinda was looking for was the diamond cut.. However looking at @BigDuke6 's post I might need to be a little more careful. Rather not give the cops too many reasons to pull me over. @Cayenne06 I was trying to decide if I should buy new buckets to cut. Seems to be a common practice. Unfortunately the car is off to paint right now so I can't do much with it. Was hoping to have it back by now as the driving season in MN is short and time is already ticking by.

Has anyone done an HID conversion on the four light setup for a 69? I was thinking of the following kid: http://www.prostreetlighting.com/product/50015006EURO/5001-5006-EURO-XENON-CONVERSION-KIT-5-34-4pc.html using the single beam 5k bulbs also with this relay kit: http://www.prostreetlighting.com/product/4PLUGH4WIREHARNESS/H4-Relay-wire-harness-for-4-Headlight-vehicles.html Everywhere I look there are no 1969 application specific setups. Plenty for the 7 inch lenses used on the 1965-1968/1970+. Anyone have any good/bad experiences doing this?

I just purchased a pair that are ford licensed and they work great. If you have the money go with something stamped. A guy I've been working with on my project just did a 67 that had all non-licensed repro parts he said it was a nightmare.

Thanks @rwcstang for the props looks like you've been through a lot with your build too. I like those rims you've got going I was on the fence with black ones myself I might still get mine painted. @70mstang - I wish I could visit every other day but the shop is 90 minutes away and wife just won't let me! However I might have a month this summer with no work. In that case I might move down there for a month and see if I can "help out". But he did warn me the rates might go up if I help so there is that. Looks like you've had your car for a LONG time. I thought I had mine a while but are those photos from the mid 80s in your gallery? That is crazy.

I guess I can be happy I'm not at this stage anymore....

So question to everyone out there. How do you stay sane when you've sent your ride out for someone else to do some work and it is taking 4 times longer than quoted? I've had this car for 18 years, it's been non-driving for the last 13/14. So I would think a few weeks or months at this point is no big deal. Anyway waiting for paint, but because of all the crappy weather my guy hasn't been able to move it from his prepping garage to the one with the paint booth (why he has never paved his facilities is beyond me). So I wait as the short season in Minnesota winds by. Anyway here are some primer shots. Nothing to exciting.

Here's the body

So here are some photos after media blasting. -Proved the quarter's were replaced -Also showed the drivers door has very ugly patches (forgot to photograph those) -Otherwise just a small rust whole in the trunk, one in the passenger floor, and one under the heater core