This Mustang has spent the last several years going through a rolling resto-modification. Along the way, we've done a lot of things to improves the car's safety, handling, performance, and comfort. At the same time, we don't want to lose the original style that Ford built into this pony back in the day. Every Indiana winter, this car goes to the barn for a few projects to make it better. In the spring it comes back out for a several months of driving. As of October, 2008 here's the car's specifications.
Original Car: 1965 Mustang Convertible (Oct-64) C-Code 289, C4-Automatic, Power Top, Power Steering, Rangoon Red. 8" open rear with 2.79 ratio. 4-wheel power drum brakes. Standard black interior with console.
Today's Car:
Engine: Original numbers matching block, standard bore. Original Crank. Original rods augmented with ARP bolts. AFR165 aluminum cylinder heads (58cc combustion chambers) 1.900 intake valves, 1.600 exhaust valves, Comp aluminum roller rockers, ARP rocker studs, hardened pushrods, Keith Black KB116 Hypereutectic Pistons (10.0:1 Compression ratio), Comp Cams Extreme Energy Cam (XE 262H). Ford Motorsport dual-plane hi-rise intake manifold, Holley 4160 600-CFM Carburetor, K&N X-Stream Air Filter assembly, and JBA shorty headers (JetHot Ceramic Coated).
Fuel System The fuel supply system has been brought up to modern standards. A Tanks Inc. 250 L/Hour high pressure electric fuel pump was installed in a larger, 20 Gallon fuel tank. A Mallory 4309 return-style fuel pressure regulator is used under the hood to drop the fuel pressure to 5 psi for the current induction system.
Ignition: MSD-6 capacitive discharge ignition box. MSD Blaster II ignition coil. Crane street/strip programmable distributor. Ford Motorsport Plug wires. Autolite plugs.
Transmission: 4R70W-AOD/E 4-Speed Automatic transmission with Overdrive. This is a stock wide ratio transmission from a 1998 Mustang controlled by a Baumann Engineering Transmission Control System. It has been beefed up with a Baumann-Recal Pro Shift Kit and a B&M Supercooler.
Rear Axle: 8" Auburn Positive Traction with 3.55:1 Ring and Pinion.
Rolling Stock: 15" X 7" American Racing Torque Thrust II's with
BFG 205 60 15 radials in front and 215 60 15's in back.
Brakes: Wilwood Heavy Duty Racing disk brakes in front. Stock drums in rear. Trans Am Racing dual reservoir master master cylinder/Power Booster.
Exhaust: JetHot ceramic coated JBA Shorty Headers with Stage 8 Locking bolts. 2 1/2" Exhaust with Flowmaster Mufflers. Exhaust exits the rear valance through louvered GT Tips.
Cooling: Aluminum Radiator. Spal High Capacity Electric Fan. Spal programmable fan controller.
Paint: Victory Red (GM Corvette Red) base coat/clear coat.
Top: Robbins tan top with folding rear glass.
Interior: Restored standard black interior.
Lighting: Halogen headlamps (Energized via relay). GT Style driving lights. Lamps upgraded 120,000 CP each . High Intensity LED tail lights.
Seatbelts: 3-Point Andover retractable belts in front. Lap belts in rear.
Suspension: 4 Leaf mideye (1" lowering) springs in back. Meier Racing 500 #/in coils in front. KYB Gas-Adjust shocks on all 4 corners. In front the car has TCP adjustable tubular Upper Control Arms, boxed stock-type Lower Control Arms and roller bearing spring perches. TCP adjustable strut rods.
Chassis: Stock unibody with TCP subframe connectors, Cobra Automotive racing engine cross member (ties LCA pivots together) and custom billet aluminum convertible reinforcement plate.
Steering: Completely rebuilt stock power steering system (in other words isn't leaking yet) with new flaming river steering box.
Air Conditioning: Classic Auto Air Manufacturing - Perfect Fit system. Uses stock controls yet allows the long console to remain in place. Modern Sandan compressor uses R134.
Tunes: Sony CDX-F5500 CD-Receiver in Custom ABS Glove Box.
Infinity Kappa Speakers in kicks and Dash. Wired Remote on Steering
Column.
Custom ABS Radio Delete Plate.
Instrumentation: Stock long speedometer. Stewart Warner 1.5" coolant temperature & oil pressure gauges in a custom radio delete plate.
Vintage 8K Rally-Pac. G-Tech Pro performance Meter. Underhood Fuel
Pressure gauge.
Winter 2008/2009 Scheduled Project(s) EFI 347 Project - This winter I'll be installing a DSS Racing Pro Bullet 347 Shortblock equipped with a ported Cobra EFI intake. The 5.0 style fuel injection will use a 1989 Ford EEC augmented with a Tweecer RT programmer. I'll be using the existing AFR cylinder heads to complete the engine. The goals are 400 Engine HP, 350 FtLbs of torque, 18 to 20 MPG with great drivability.