[mhb292]

i recently wreked my 65 coupe and tore up my suspension pretty bad,( no body damage though) and and was wondering which route to go i do not care about the originality of the car i am building to be an at least semi dayly driver. so should i just rebuild with stoock parts or I always here people talking about switching to mustang II suspension what kind of work does this involve, is this somthing i can do myself or do i have to take it to a shop. and the all important question is it worth it?

[andrewmp6]

For one leave the mustang 2 parts on a mustang 2.Unless you can weld and trust your life on your welds pass.They make the car handle worse and give you ankerman only reason to use one is for a drag car for engine room.Look at Opentracker Racing Products - Ford Parts and A parts catalog of GLOBAL WEST SUSPENSION suspension components for American Muscle cars. both are well worth the money.

[rodbender]

There are several different designs on suspensions. I like the one from The Aussies or I believe Fatman makes the kit which utilizes late model spindles and a threaded coil over design (similar to the McPhearson strut) but has adjustable ride height and you don't hack anything.

[paul289]

Actually, it is a MacPherson strut. The company that makes them is RRS. You may also want to check out Total Control Products. There's another suspension that I've seen at car shows that mounts the upper control arm to the top of the frame rail. I'm told it handles pretty good. If budget isn't a concern, I'd recommend Griggs Racing. All high-quality stuff, but costs about $10k, not including install or a 9" rear axle.

[Angliagasser]

Asking someone on here if the mustang II suspension is any good is like asking a hard core Chevy guy if Fords are any good. I have noticed that most the people on here are purists and they will tell you that it will make your car handle worse. Mind you 99% of them have never rided in a old mustang with mustang II suspension on them or even personal seen one. So they are just so misinformed and one sided that they have no idea what they are talking about. Before I desided to put that suspension in mine, I went out and found someone that has done it already. He did it to his 66 fastback that he road races on the road course at the track. He said it was the best thing he ever done. You do not have to worry about the shock towers bending in anymore. Because there is no weight on them anymore. It is all on the frame where it belongs. So you do not have to put the bar in the engine compartment to hold the shock towers from bending in. He told me before he put his in, he upgraded the stock suspension with all new aftermarket stock type suspension parts and it was OK, But not that he was hoping for. Then he put the Mustang II in it and has never looked back and never wishes he would have never done it. I rode in the car and drove it for myself and I really like the way it handled. Mind you I have own quite a few of these mustang in my life time and road raced one I owned back in the day. A 69 428 SCJ Mach 1 and drove a few for others for people. So I think I know little about these cars. I expect to get replies from some of these people on here saying I have no Idea what I am talking about and that the mustang II suspension is junk and cheap. But if it is such crap then why do they use it in just about every aftermarket suspension kit there is. I mean do you think a guy with a 50,000 to 100,000+ dollar street rod or show car would put that junk in his car, when money is no object? Give me a brake!

[andrewmp6]

But how long ago you road raced things changed now yes a mustang 2 kit is the cheapest but not the best.Talk to the owner of open tracker see what times his oem style suspension car runs.There's not many classes scca that let you use a mustang 2 kit unless its a full out race car.The street rodders use a mustang 2 kit for 2 reasons one its cheap two its ifs they lose there straight axle front end.And they take up little room easy to hide under the fenders no engine bay lose.Most of those cars are only drove in and out of a trailer id love to see one try to corner.Most street rodders use a vega steering box does that mean there the best ones out there no.Theres a whole list of parts i can give a street rod uses that means nothing about handling now does it.

[rodbender]

The Mustang II suspension would actually have to make the car more user friendly. (Provided it was installed correctly). The geometry is better and the bump steer is better. The concern from most is the fact that it is welded to the small frame rails. The support at that point seems to be of concern with competing companies about which is the better system. As far as purists go....it's your car right? Then do to it what makes YOU happy and who gives a crap what anybody else thinks. The only thing is when or if you want to sell it.

[Angliagasser]

Well the guy with the 66 fastback races his car still to this day. I did not say it was the best but it is not the worst either. As for the street rod guys most of them drive there cars. and I do not mean just around town, I mean like across the country. One guy here has a 46 ford with mustang II suspension and a 4.6 DOHC . He drives it all over the country. And gets on the average of 28+ mpg with it. And Joe in his 29 roadster also go's from coast to coast in his and he is not what you call a sunday driver either. He likes to take roads off the beaten path.
And I only know of one guy that runs a vega box and that is with the stock straight axle. Most of the guys that replace there suspension put a rack in thier cars. And even a few run a rack bolted on thier straight axle, like I have on my Anglia. There will always be someone againist any different type of suspension. No matter if it is the best or not. And I am not saying that the mustang II is the best. But it is not the worst either. It is his car and he was just asking people's opinion and I was just giving him mine.
Once I get done with my daughter 66 mustang, I will be doing this to a fastback also. As for resale well I do not see the prices of these cars going down. This is a upgrade. The only person that will look down their nose at this type of upgrade is the purests.
I did not say I knew everything there is to know about suspension. I just know that my ass in the seat of one of these car with this suspension in it says to me.

[andrewmp6]

If i had to remove the shock towers or notch them Sean Hyland Motorsport - 1965 Mustang Project - SEMA 2007 or Griggs Racing Products RRS :: Classic Vintage Ford Mustang Disc Brake and Coil Over Strut Kit :: Vintage RHD LHD Rack and Pinion :: the griggs one you still have a tiny bit of shock tower left.The rrs one you can do a big notch since its a strut on spindle like the fox body and up mustangs use no upper control arm.

[Angliagasser]

The Sean Hyland Motorsport front suspension looks like a over glorified Mustang II suspension to me. And I thought you said that the mustang II suspension was junk. But I guess if it cost $7495.00 it must be good.

[andrewmp6]

No the spindles and control arms are a lot thicker.And no ackerman.

[rodbender]

Originally Posted by Angliagasser

The Sean Hyland Motorsport front suspension looks like a over glorified Mustang II suspension to me. And I thought you said that the mustang II suspension was junk. But I guess if it cost $7495.00 it must be good.

Why would someone pay $7500 for any front suspension... besides someone with cash falling out their a$$. This doesn't make sense to me. Maybe just maybe if you're racing the car and you're down to your last 1/10th of a second. I can't see it myself.

[andrewmp6]

Most coil overs are around 4 grand range.Here's another one New Suspension no clue on price.

[Angliagasser]

Again that looks like the heidt's or fatman suspension and a few other brands, just out of aluminum and 3 to 4 times as expensive. Again that is just a take off of the mustang II suspension that you say is junk.
I see that you are still at that age (25) that you know everything! Better do some more research on what you are talking about.
And there are some coil over front suspension for under $3000.00

[andrewmp6]

Age means nothing besides you haven't done road racing in years what you knew then is not the same as now.Drag racing handling means nothing.