I am pretty certain that I have this info right, but someone will correct me if I am wrong. I think all (6 and V8) 73 and up models came with 5 lug, but earlier models with sixes I believe all came with 4 lug. Just because it was a Grabber doesn't mean anything in the mechanicals of it is of higher caliber or more performance oriented than the other models. Now if it was a V8 car, it would have 5 lug. The Grabbers were pretty much a paint and stripe package. Hope this helps. I am not sure I have exactly the little details on what makes it a 5 lug, but it's pretty close. -Corbin
It has always been my understanding that the early inline 6 cars had the four lug setup and the v-8 engines had the 5 lug, and later all the cars had the 5 lug setup.
Thanks guys. The Grabber I'm buying is a '71 with a 250/auto so the 4 lug thing matches. He has done the up grade to 5 lug witch is great. I'll do discs later for the front. May leave the 6 in place with some mods, but a 302 with FI and a 5 speed is tempting. This sight is great. Thanks for all the input and help.
That's good. I've used ADDCO's on past autocross cars and a '57 Chubby. Some urthane bushings and I'm in business. Thanks
NOTE: When tire-kicking older cars (Ford AND Chebbies), and the owner says the car originally came with an 8 cylinder - look at the hubs to see if they've been changed or not. Most often, they will have the four lugs and the car originally came with a 6-cyl. My neighbor across the street got busted this way on his Camaro he was 'trying' to sell as originally having a V-8. 'Even went so far as to add RS markings on it.
I have seen pre76 250's with 5 lug drum brakes. It was probably part of the heavy duty suspension package. Starting in 76 when disc brakes became standard, they were all 5 lug.
MavMark, could you go into more detail and show more pics of your front end set up. I love the way that looks. We talked out at the museum a little about it but I need more info now that I've seen it. Who makes it, was it a bolt in, and cost if you don't mind? That is an awsome looking set up.
Every 1973 I have had (about 7 or 8 of them.....seems to be my favorite year, mainly by luck) has been a 5-lug. All of them a 6 cyl. but one.
Ward, I got the coil over front end from Total Control Products ( http://www.totalcontrolproducts.com/coil.html ). It is a kit that is listed for 68-70 Mustangs and Cougars. Although you can buy it directly from TCP, it was on "sale" at Mustangs Unlimited for $2199. Definitely not cheap, and a big contributing factor to me not getting my car painted and putting a 347 project on hold I decided that I wanted to attempt to "fix" one of the main things I really disliked about all the Mavericks or Comets that I have driven:the really crappy handling. I really didn't want to get into chopping the towers and putting in a MII front end at this point so when I saw this kit I knew I had to try it. What's cool about this kit is that it is completely a bolt in deal. The only modification I did was to lower the upper control arm by 1" (The Shelby modification that everyone talks about). Now, I called both Mustangs Unlimited and TCP and they both insisted that "it won't work". The guy at TCP, who I figured would know his sh!t basically read the compatibility list that I had seen on their website and said "Nope! Not on here! It ain't gonna work!" This is because the kit comes with fancy adjustable strut rods that will not fit in the Mav because they are too short. After studying the various part numbers involved and getting some encouragement from Stephen Moore(cometgt1974), I decided to go for it. As it turns out, all I had to do was use the stock strut rods and everything else fits just fine. I put polygraphite bushings in the strut rods while I had everything apart. Taking those apart was an ordeal in itself! With this new set-up, all of the aligning is done with the upper control arm; in the original suspension, the strut rods adjust caster and the lower control arm adjusts camber. I brought it in for alignment last week and they were able to align it with no problem, so that basically confirms that this kit works for Mavericks and Comets. The question is...is the effort worth it? So far it seems like it, but I have only driven the car around 100 miles. The shocks have adjustments that will raise and lower the front end and also an adjustment for stiffness(dampening and rebound ,actually)...I never changed any of that from the factory settings. The car has a decent rake to it and I think it looks cool that way, but I am thinking that I might want to raise the front just a tad. It seems to track very straight and cornering is vastly improved; I am sure the larger front bar along with the addition of the rear 3/4" bar helps with that too. Ride quality seems a little harsh, but I am spoiled by driving my '00 Firehawk with its far more advanced design I don't know if the Mav will ever be that good... Man I really got long winded here...hope this answers a few questions... I will find some pix and post them...
Here are a couple of pictures. I also forgot to mention that I sold the strut rods that came with the kit for almost $300 on Ebay...so that helped offset the cost a teeny bit...
