1969 Mustang Mach 1 Help. 351w. Need more power

Nuke Laloosh · 06-29-2009

Hi everyone. This is my first post.

I just bought my first Mach & I wanted to give it a little more H.P. Nothing huge... I dont want to race it. I just want to be able to smoke the tires at will & maybe beat some stockers.

The Mach I just bought is a fresh resto, very nice with 351w #'s matching everything. Most of the resto was cosmetic, paint, a few rust issues, & wiring. Its a sound car, just not torquey enough for me.

I was thinking of maybe new carb & headers, maybe ?
I also saw an 351W EDELBROCK TOP END KIT, but I am not sure if that would be a good idea...(heads, timing, manifold, etc.)

Any ideas of some simple mods to perk her up a bit? Nothing radical.. I'm just a weekend wanna-be tuner, not a true mechanic.

429ragtop · 06-30-2009

Cam, manifold, carb, CD ignition, exhaust, that should do it for a weekender

STERLING351 · 07-01-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by 429ragtop

Cam, manifold, carb, CD ignition, exhaust, that should do it for a weekender

Yeah thats not bad. I stroked my mach1. you could do a small stroker 393,408,418,or427. Get the stock heads machined so you can still have that stock look.

FordGtMan · 07-02-2009

My friends stock 351w can smoke up a storm like nothing. Has it had a full tune up? Getting a good 4 bbl and going to electronic ignition is one of the first things you should do. That edlebrock top end kit is going to require taking out the motor and doing a complete rebuild, much more work then your probably asking for. If its torque you want and dont do lots of highway driving, go with some different gear differential ratios. Some 3.73 gears or so would do.

cindys_sn95 · 07-03-2009

gears will make a big difference.

steve sturgin · 07-03-2009

I second that cindys sn95,

in fact a rear end gear change may be all you need.

Steve

Nuke Laloosh · 07-03-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by steve sturgin

I second that cindys sn95,

in fact a rear end gear change may be all you need.

Steve

It would be great if that's all It takes. I appreciate all of the advice everyone.. Thanks.

I will start with the rear end then & see where that takes me. A buddy of mine also suggested a 3.73 gear.

In the event that I still want more, I will try exhaust & carb. One question though.. My buddy also told me that if I upgrade the carb & exhause, that I should also go to a better manifold. Is this true & why?

Thanks again

tbunker · 07-04-2009

Headers and a bigger diameter exhaust will add on a bit of torque and some horsepower.

steve sturgin · 07-05-2009

Hi,

If you only have a C4 i wouldn't go above 3.5:1 if you plan on taking it on the highway.

Steve

v8only · 07-05-2009

I wouldn't change the gears above a 3.0 or so unless you have an overdrive tranny. it will be like losing 3rd gear in a c4.

some gt40 heads on a budget, a good intake and exhaust will put a smile on your face for some time to come

PaulS · 07-05-2009

If you change the gears to 3.5 you will be fine at legal freeway speeds - the engine will be turning at about 2900 - 3200 at 60mph. You will gain some torque - more than enough to smoke the tires and the transmission will be fine. To take advantage of an overdrive transmission you would want 3.7 or higher (numerically) rear gears.

v8only · 07-05-2009

with all due respect, how can you say that's fine??

the sweet spot for a small block is 2k, or in the LOW 2k range.....3k rpms at 60 is sick...who goes 60?? the average speed for people on the fwy is 70-75 mph....

that motor isn't gonna last long spinning at 3k-3500.

leave the gears for the overdrive trannies.

even 3.55-3.73s with a t5 equipped car is a bit much for people who drive on the fwy...with a c4, forget it.

tbunker · 07-06-2009

My Mustang has 3.55's and a C4 & there has been no issues. Former owners had the engine rebuilt 15-20 years ago and have been running the 3.55's the whole time and the engine is still running strong with no issues. The car has a lot of highway miles on it. I usually run it down the highway 70-75mph and I am still getting good gas mileage.

I don't know why you think that's a problem. But I wouldn't go much beyond 3.55's though. 3.00's wouldn't be much good in around town. They are almost strickly high speed driving.

Nuke Laloosh · 07-06-2009

Now I'm starting to get confused....

I really do not know much about gearing. Can someone explain a little about the ratio's? What the purpose of the different ratio's are? (3.00, 3.50, 3.73, etc.)

I would like the added H.P. & torque... but I definately want to put miles on the car. It will see local (around town) miles as well as highway. I want it to be a reliable motor.

v8only · 07-06-2009

the steeper you go in gears numerically the more your engine spins...consider a ten speed bicycle...you start off on the largest gears, which make the pedals extremely easy to push, and you start off super fast. This is WHY a ten speed has ten speeds, if it didn't, you wouldn't go very fast..you'd be pedaling at 50 mph and barely moving forward.

the same is true for a car. your factory gearing is around 2.80....when you bump up to say, 3.73's...it will make you launch like you've never fealt before. Unfortunately, freeway revs suffer, greately.

If you bump up to 3.55 or 3.73's, it will make you accelerate like you got hit in the ass by a wrecking ball, but mark my words, on the freeway it'll feel like you lost third gear and it won't shift out of second.

On a heavily street driven car, I would NEVER suggest more than 3.0 or 3.27's without updating to an overdrive transmission such as a 5 speed manual, or aod out of a fox mustang