I want to take care of the front end while we have the motor out of the car, I read the MII conversion which seemed to direct to some very exspensive after market items, what I want to know is what parts from what year model cars will fit our 1973 Maverick. It currently is a drum brake with PS although the PS pump and all lines have been removed, it must be disc brake set up and preferably power brakes added. If I have missed a list someone has already put together of needed items would someone please link me to it....we have a budget for this car and a $3k plus IFS is not in the cards, I know I have read somewhere that there are several cars that the parts can be robbed out of at salvage yards to accomplish our goal but danged if I can find it now, all help is greatly appreciated. P.S. to those I have spoke with via PM's regarding various parts I haven't forgot about you and your offers for those items I just got ahead of myself and will need those items at some point if you still have them i.e. pan for trunk, etc. if already gone thank you for your consideration I am kinda learning as I go what we need done in what order, this is my first complete restoration
68-73 Mustang front suspension is the same. There are a few different options for factory style, and aftermarket disc brakes. Anything from a wrecking yard, won't give you a Mustang II style front suspension.
another way OK, maybe I should have posed it this way:If I do the disc brake conversion and keep the rest of my stock front end parts can I add after market bushings, sway bars, etc. and have the car handle well? and if so what parts would you recommend including shocks, etc?
Yes, when I rebuilt the front end of my Green car, I replaced all the bushings with poly, except the strut rod end bushings (they've been know to snap, with anything other than rubber) I installed a heavier, 1" lowering Mustang coil spring, installed a 1" 66 Mustang sway bar, and heavy duty Motorcraft shocks. Now, there are many different shock choices out there, and some day Addco may build us a heavier front sway bar...we've only been waiting a year, for them to get it right. Steering is where you'll see the biggest improvement, and this is where it all gets shaken up, and you have to spend some money..
Check out PST. They can supply a entire front end rebuild kit for about 650$ and that includes upper, lower control arms, tie rods, poly bushings etc. http://www.p-s-t.com/s.nl/it.A/id.617/.f?sc=12 Their site says
The '68-'71 Fairlane/Torino/Falcon/Ranchero/Cyclone/Montego brakes are same as the Stang mentioned, as are the '68-'73 Cougar... Due to ready availability, most have used the '75-'80 Granada/Monarch pieces but these days any of these vehicles are getting tougher to find as parts cars... I have '69 Torino discs on mine, but by chance I already had the spindles... Flexible brake lines are also for Torino with hard lines cut, matching fittings installed and lines re-flaired... My M/C is for '74 Mav/Comet with manual discs, also requires correct fittings or adapters to change size... As yet the new engine hasn't been started(at least in the car), so I haven't tried the brakes but pedal height is where it should be...
ok OK, This is more what I was after I suppose as I have seen the disc conversion and that part seems fairly inexspensive and not too complicated. Thanks
I will echo what has been already said, and add that I had the entire front end done in Polygraphite. It makes a big difference and proved to be quiet. Squeaky bushings are a concern with poly, but these are good. Also,... this was a long time ago, and my strut rod bushings were replaced with poly from the kit. I snapped the driver side strut rod going over a speed bump. When I took it apart, it had been cracked for a while, right where it went into the bushing. The way it wrenched the steering wheel right out of my hand, I am glad it didn't happen 2 minutes earlier at speed. I would have gone into on-coming traffic. Either use stock rubber bushings or look into some of the aftermarket ones that use rod ends on the strut rods. Another mod that I want to make is a roller spring perch. Those look like they take a lot of bind out of the whole front end. I am running Granada/Monarch spindles. What ever spindles that you use, you will want to be sure to use matching tie rod ends for that application. Also, it seems that Lincoln Versaille, while close to G/M spindles, are actually problematic. The upper ball joint is unique. Disc brakes and front end improvements are some of the BEST things you can do for these cars.
Thanks I appreciate all the input, I think I have a game plan laid out pretty well based on what ya'll have told me.:Handshake
