Phil 68
02-05-2012, 05:54 PM
I've got a '68 Mustang GT Fastback that I've been in a Love Hate relationship with for the past 30 years. Bought it as a non-runner at the end of high school ('82), and dropped in a '68 302 with milled '70 351 heads, headers, and Thrush header mufflers. 3spd manual. Ran it hard through my university years, including a spring break trip to Florida where on I-4 the 3 spd seized at 70mph and bent the driveshaft and cracked the bellhousing. It took a 2nd trip to FL a few months later to tow it home again (but I ended up with a toploader 4spd as a result). Lots of stories...
Its an "S" code car, and in '87 I sourced the correct '68 390 4V for it, but soon after parked it as the subframes were dangerously rusty. It sat for a few years, then went into a restoration shop that sucked every spare dime out of me for 3 years or so. They mistook my instructions to "make it solid, and get a coat of paint on to it" for "make it a trailer queen" and I seemed to have little say in the matter. I got the empty shell back looking fabulous and almost afraid to drive it, let alone drive it hard. Slowly reassembled, and rarely driven for a long time as life went on. But I'm back into it again. Going for mild ProTouring mods.
Recent updates:
Performer RPM intake, taking about 50 lbs out of the front end (those cast iron FE intakes are HEAVY)
FPA ceramic coated Tri-Y headers
Seats
Wheels: +1 on the styled steel wheel from a 14" to a 15"... biggest I can find where the GT centercaps still fit
Koni "red" shocks
RetroTek / Powerjection III throttle body EFI: in process this winter.
Keisler Engineering T45RS 5 spd: on order, due in about a month
Exhaust: I've sawzall'd out the 2" dual exhaust (OEM single transverse muffler) and have to get something back in by spring - likely the stainless Dynomax VT 2.5"
Next winter I hope to tackle suspension, the choices there are overwhelming but I'm leaning towards the Global West tubular upper control arms with the 1" drop. Maybe upgrade the front discs, and put a Wilwood rear disc conversion on.
Its an "S" code car, and in '87 I sourced the correct '68 390 4V for it, but soon after parked it as the subframes were dangerously rusty. It sat for a few years, then went into a restoration shop that sucked every spare dime out of me for 3 years or so. They mistook my instructions to "make it solid, and get a coat of paint on to it" for "make it a trailer queen" and I seemed to have little say in the matter. I got the empty shell back looking fabulous and almost afraid to drive it, let alone drive it hard. Slowly reassembled, and rarely driven for a long time as life went on. But I'm back into it again. Going for mild ProTouring mods.
Recent updates:
Performer RPM intake, taking about 50 lbs out of the front end (those cast iron FE intakes are HEAVY)
FPA ceramic coated Tri-Y headers
Seats
Wheels: +1 on the styled steel wheel from a 14" to a 15"... biggest I can find where the GT centercaps still fit
Koni "red" shocks
RetroTek / Powerjection III throttle body EFI: in process this winter.
Keisler Engineering T45RS 5 spd: on order, due in about a month
Exhaust: I've sawzall'd out the 2" dual exhaust (OEM single transverse muffler) and have to get something back in by spring - likely the stainless Dynomax VT 2.5"
Next winter I hope to tackle suspension, the choices there are overwhelming but I'm leaning towards the Global West tubular upper control arms with the 1" drop. Maybe upgrade the front discs, and put a Wilwood rear disc conversion on.