69 Coupe Aussie Style Restomod

[shaun071 62]

I'm very interested to see how your seats work out, because I want to put the same seats in my 69 fastback, I've seen those leather kits for sale on ebay, if you could put some more pics up when you put the leather covers on the would be real handy.

 

Hi Glenn, the BA seats are a pretty common fitment. I removed the factory tracks and electric tilt motors and made up some adaptors for the original Mustang tracks. I've test fitted them and they felt pretty comfortable. I'm on the Mustangtech forum here in Oz and there's some good info on fitting BA and AU seats. Some blokes use aftermarket tracks and 1/4" flat for the adaptors which lowers the seat just over an inch on my setup. The seat trim was from ebay user leatherupholstery and got it for $250 delivered. He has a buy it now price of $299 including delivery. It'll be a couple of months before I get to fitting it up but I'll post some pics of the finished seats. Nice to see another Aussie here:thumbup:

[shaun071 62]

 

I've decided to go with a 351C for the coupe. I thought about all the different options of 5.0 roller, 302 clevor, etc but kept coming back to this 351C I've got in the shed. I built it up about 12 years ago to run on straight LPG (propane) and was in my daily driver Falcon for 6 years without any problems. I'll need to change a few things to run it on gasoline again but it all comes down to budget. It's there, I own it and it's doing nothing sitting in the shed. Specs are

XD block (thicker bores and main webs)

Stock 351 crank rods and .020" flat top pistons

214/224 @ 050" Crow cam hyd lifters hardened pushrods h/d springs

302C 58cc closed chamber Aussie heads 2V intake 4V exhaust valves hardened seats

Redline street torker single plane intake

Factory Bosch electronic distributor recurved to suit LPG.

Custom 7 litre sump

 

From memory the block was machined to zero deck height and the comp ratio was 11.3:1.

I will have to drop compression for pump gas, probably with dished top pistons and freshen up the rest of the engine with new gaskets, bearings etc.

I got the single plane intake as it works better with LPG but should I change to a dual plane for gasoline and any suggestions on which one? Also, which carb? I've used 600 vac sec Holley's before but that was 10+ years ago and I think there is better choices out there now.

 

Shaun

[TexasEd 188]

Sounds like a good call. I'll be watching the progress.

[RogerC 136]

For carb selection see post #6 of the following thread.

http://www.1969stang.com/mustang/forum/showthread.php?t=13733

[MikeStang 247]

Man I wish I could find seats like that for a decent price here in Louisiana lol.

Those are exactly what I want.

[RPM 1,190]

Nice work Shaun! Many folks including me who have a 351W like the Weiand Stealth intake. If your budget limits you (who's doesn't) you might just want to keep the single plane. Lots of guys use them on forums I visit.

 

Bob

[shaun071 62]

For carb selection see post #6 of the following thread.

http://www.1969stang.com/mustang/forum/showthread.php?t=13733

 

That made for interesting reading!! The Aussie 351's of the early 80's came factory equipped with a 800cfm carter thermoquad and most guys here fit 750cfm holley type carbs when upgrading. One of the 650 Demon carbs on the list looks like it might be workable. The coupe will mostly be street driven with the occasional run down the 1/4 or street sprint. Most of the towns around here set up a road course in industrial estates and have a weekend of racing. I've been wanting to do that for years but haven't had a car worth running.

[shaun071 62]

Nice work Shaun! Many folks including me who have a 351W like the Weiand Stealth intake. If your budget limits you (who's doesn't) you might just want to keep the single plane. Lots of guys use them on forums I visit.

 

Bob

 

Part of the reason I'm doing the cleveland is budget!! Second baby is due at any time now. By the time I bought a 302 roller engine and decent heads etc etc it was a lot cheaper to just freshen up the 351. I was thinking of trying the single plane as its a low rise and small port manifold. Also I'll be running 3.5 gears so the engine will be operating at a slightly higher rpm for a given speed anyway, which might overcome any low speed lack of torque against a dual plane. I've also been looking at running longer 6.020" rods from a 302C with a locally made short piston. It apparently gives a boost in low-mid range torque. It's a common mod here on 351C's.

[Ash 145]

Hi Shaun,

 

I hope all goes well with the birth of your new family member. As a Dad to four, I can tell you the second one is much easier. It's still not easy, but less of a shock to the system. I hope Mum is doing well too!

 

I was running a 351C very similar to yours in one of my last V8 daily Fords. I put it in an XF ute with a T5 and 3.45 LSD rear end. I too was running a straight Impco 425 but had it on on top of a Weiand X-celerator intake. It was a real rev happy engine, was great as a daily.

 

If I was you and were going to do anything to the rotating assembly, I wouldn't worry about the 302 rods and pistons, I'd be going a stroker kit instead. After driving my mates 70 Mach 1 with a new 393C in it, my mind was blown! It would obviously cost you a bit more to do but if you are sourcing rods and pistons anyway, you would just need to grab another crank as well. But bang for buck is impressive.

[shaun071 62]

Thanks Ash!!

My wife's doing well so far with 4 weeks to go. It's all happened pretty quick for us as our daughter is only 17 months old so the kids will be nice and close together.

 

I've been tossing around the idea of a stroker too. My only real issue I have with it is getting the compression right with the closed chamber heads. What comp can you reliably run on pump fuel these days? I'll have to do the sums and check if it fits the budget. I still have to sell off my XB coupe shell and some other parts and see what that brings into the budget.

[Ash 145]

Any day now then for you guys. Hopefully another 2 weeks or so at least before bub wants to see you. But not long! My wife is a midwife so I hear all about babies all the time.

Our little two are about that close together as well. They may bug each other some times, not a lot though, but they'd be lost without each other the rest of the time. I think it was a good move to have them close in age.

 

From memory I think I was told 10.5:1 for 98 pump fuel was about happy. I think my 461ci FE stroker will be about 9.5:1 with all the bits that I have purchased. I went with what my mate in a big parts store suggested to use in it to build a happy streetable engine. I can't get 98 petrol here in town so will have to cart fuel for it. I didn't want it to be a grumpy/hassle of an engine in case the fuel I had sat for a little while and I couldn't get fresh stuff as I know it loses its octane rating as it sits.

 

You'll do well selling an XB coupe shell. Just about name your price on those things these days. I miss my XB coupe, it was my first Ford V8.

[shaun071 62]

 

I've had it 10 years and had a lot of fun while it was on the road. Legally engineered and mod plated, I bought it as a convertible. Apart from the missing roof its one of the cleanest coupes I've seen, the only rust is in the tail light panel and boot rubber channel. Some people are put off by the convertible thing but I reckon it'd be easier to fit another roof than fix some of the rust I've seen in these cars.

 

Thanks for the info on comp ratios. I can't get 98 in town here either but its available near where I work at Oakey and in Toowoomba so its not a big issue. I was surprised how cheap the stroker kits were for a cleveland- about $1400 from Summit. I've been told to steer clear of Procomp kits- they're cheap but nasty.

[Ash 145]

I wouldn't look at anything by Procomp. Lots of bad news there.

 

Look at a Scat crank with Scat rods. They are still not badly priced, considering what you get. I went with the H-beam rods, cost a little more but good piece of mind.

 

I've never seen an XB convertible before. I have no doubt it would easily sell. Anything these days with a blue oval and a V8 under the bonnet does. Especially one without any cancer.

[shaun071 62]

CASH INJECTION!!!!!!!! The Falcon convertible sold yesterday and my wife and I welcomed our son Patrick into the world last week. There's not much happening on the Mustang front at the moment but with the cash injection I'll get the momentum back into the project. The expensive parts I've been saving for (Dakota Digital dash, AAW wiring and air-con kit) can finally be bought!!

[Ash 145]

Congratulations to you and your wife, good to hear all went well! :thumbup:

[jandj1970 13]

Congratulations to you and your wife mate.

[shaun071 62]

Thanks guys, now I have 2 little Mustang fans to chase after!! I've taken a month off work for the birth and should be able to spend some quality time with the Coupe in between changing nappies. I hope anyway!

[shaun071 62]

I've had some time to work on the coupe and buy some parts

18x8 SSA Cobra with +6 offset. I'm looking at using either 245/45/18 or 245/40/18 tires all round

Cleaning up the underside for chassis coat and stonegard.

Patrick getting his Mustang on. 10 weeks old- you've gotta start the love early

[RPM 1,190]

Nice looking wheels and work. It's fun cleaning the floor on your back eh? Good looking boy you've got there. Patrick is a great name. How do you have any free time with a youngster?

 

Bob

[shaun071 62]

A very understanding wife!!!! I usually try to put 1 day a week into it but it doesn't always work out that way. 2 kids under 2 can be a handful!!

21 month old Shannon helping out. I tried to get her to look at the camera but she kept saying " I'm busy Daddy, cleaning mustang!"

[mustangstofear 608]

That's a lot of work on your back.

[shaun071 62]

That's a lot of work on your back.

 

I'm about half way through so far. It's getting a bit hard on the arms though!! It makes me remember I'm in my 40s now not my 20s.

[jandj1970 13]

Looking good so far mate.

[jandj1970 13]

Looking good so far mate.

[shaun071 62]

It"s getting there slowly. I've got some big jobs coming up on the coupe. Classic update AAW harness arrived this week, I've ordered a Dakota Digital VHX dash with KMH speedo and Nu-Relics power window kit.

Since I bought the 18 inch wheels I'm having a rethink about brakes. Those drums look tiny behind those wheels! Looking at using the Cobra brakes front and rear.