351 in a 65/66 - What suspension and steering are you running?

[obsidianspider]

I'm to the point where I need to make a decision on the suspension and steering I'm going to run in my '66 fastback. I know I want to run a 351W-based motor (haven't decided on whether to go the Clevor route or not yet) but I'm up in the air on the suspension and steering.

The car will mainly be a street car that I'd like to be able to do some road course time in.

I'm pretty sold on the idea of a rack & pinion and big disc brakes with hydroboost, but I'm not sure how to go on the suspension end.

For those of you running a rack & pinion, which one are you using, what do you like and dislike about it?

What did you do about shock towers, if anything?

Did you go with a "coilover" setup or just a stock style suspension with some re-engineered control arms?

Anyone running a Griggs front end?

I'm not interested in a Mustang II setup.

 

[FordDude]

You could always try something like this.

Be sure to click on the pic for a little more info. :steer

fd

 

[Horseplay]

One consideration when going 351 is the extra width of the engine is obviously shock tower clearance. If you go to a tubular upper arm you can flatten out the two "humps" necessary for clearance of the bearing/arm of the stock unit. Every bit helps!

 

[obsidianspider]

You could always try something like this.

Be sure to click on the pic for a little more info. :steer

fd

I REALLY like this idea. I wonder how well it plays with a rack & pinion. *heads over to streetortrack...*

 

[monkeystash]

Hey Todd,

I'm installing TCP arms, roller perches, and springs. I decided against R&P, and went with the Flaming River box. I also am going 351W with stock towers. Brakes are 13" Bear. If I had to do it over, I'd probably go coil overs.

 

[obsidianspider]

The more I read about that Street or Track kit the more I like it. I wonder if/how much you can cut back the shock towers with it.

Shaun, if you're reading this, are you going to be at Carlisle in June?

 

[Fast68back]

Doesnt NPD sell a notched tower, I believe its from RSS

 

[Horseplay]

Doesnt NPD sell a notched tower, I believe its from RSS

That's one that is pretty aggressive based on how their brand of coil-over set fits. Really its just a sized bent piece of steel. Easy to fab your own. Anyone who can weld could do it. The tough part is how much to trim off. It's all based on what you have inside the tower space.

What would be really helpful is to have someone with stock towers and a 351 sitting around give some accurate measurements on where some clearance would be most needed.

 

[dodgestang]

I have a manual rack I'll sell you for just below retail.

It that omnicare? omni car? hell I can't remember the name.

I bought it for the 65 and never got around to ever test fitting it.

 

[obsidianspider]

Nick, thanks but I want a power rack. I'm going to be running hyrdoboost for my brakes so I'll need the power steering pump anyway.

 

[FordDude]

That is a very sweet setup. I thought you might enjoy seeing it.

fd

 

[jgstang]

i finally got my 65 351W shock tower mod mock-up done for stock style suspension.. i know this is not a must and it will fit but... all i really did is go from where the orig uca bolts on and cut striaght across for the new gw uca, up 2" at an angle...and then where the shock cap is on top i went to the edge and came straight down to meet my angle cut.when useing gw,tcp or the other good tubular arms you don't need that ugly bulge that takes up so much room! i also did the 1" drop and i'm ending up with a nice open area for working....this mock up only has 1/16 or so steel plate witch i will use 3/16 for the real thing.i could even cut more into the coil spring area but this is good for me! i thought about the tower being weak after cutting on it but i talked to a few rod shops and they said the steel plate i'm useing is plenty...i will weld it up nice, grid here there and bondo this and that and paint it to look like it belongs! well this is my idea of makeing room in there.

 

[jgstang]

 

[obsidianspider]

Thanks for the writeup, this is exactly the kind of thing I was looking for! When you did the mod did you have springs and control arms in, or put them in afterward to see how everything fit?

 

[Shaun]

I REALLY like this idea. I wonder how well it plays with a rack & pinion. *heads over to streetortrack...*

Sorry guys, I missed this post entirely!

Yes, it'll work fine with any steering because it uses your original spindle. Our Aussie dealers run it with a TCP power rack (we hooked them up with a KRC pump) and they report it drives like a go kart - very responsive.

Sorry, missed Carlisle this year, was at VIR the week before beating on the car - http://www.stangfix.com/testforum2/inde ... 6.html#new

Please let me know if you have any questions. We are shipping these systems fairly regularly since it was released and the feedback has been very complimentary!

 

[jgstang]

no suspension was on....this is just a front half of a car i cut of for test fit, i measured like 5-6 times and compared it to my 65 vert and they were really close as for dist between towers....when it is done on the running car i will post the finished thing, i dont see any problems though, all parts are in the same spot as stock other than the 1" drop! all i did is take out all the bulges and go straight across the orig uca mounting holes so hopefuly its no big deal! if this was done with a coil over you can cut back more obove the uca closer to the spring for a bigblock if wanted.right now the motor w/headers dropped right in easy and theres plenty of hand room, pretty cool....but looks alittle weard still because its so open!!