68 Fastback Restomod project thread
- Thread starter *TK*
- Start date
Be still my beating heart.
NICE!
Super clean car to start with. Vert impressive build.
Out of curiosity, what are you doing to strengthen the chassis? A few hard launches, on sticky tires, with that amount of TQ and you might not be able to close the doors again lol. I have purposely let traction be the weal link in my '70 fastback until I get the chassis strong enough for my 408W.
Being a unibody it goes without saying the floors and frame rails need to be perfect, straight, solid and completely rust free to help with handling the forces coming from the rear end. As long as those three things are good to go a nice set of subframe connectors welded in are an absolute must.
I went with completely boxed, thick subframe connectors from TCP. They were welded in tight to the floor and will be primarily responsible and will make it possible to handle the TQ by distributing the forces evenly over the length of the car. The TCP connectors are top notch and look great too. I can't remember the exact gauge thickness of the steel but they're beefy and will make this HP/TQ possible.
View attachment 1442530
Also the rear 4 link with fully adjustable coil-overs will take a lot of the abuse. I'll also be adding a custom made from scratch shock tower brace (export brace) and another brace running from inner fender to inner fender (Monte Carlo brace) of the engine bay.
With the subframe connectors welded in, bracing in the front of the car, and a 4 link rear (spreading TQ forces in 4 different places) there shouldn't be anything this car can't handle. Moreover, the 4 link cradle is also welded onto the subframe in 4 spots as well.
4 link cradle:
View attachment 1442543
Being welded in:
View attachment 1442544
That cradle has two mounting spots for the rear end, the other two use the stock leaf spring location. The cradle is also the mounting point for the coil-overs.
If you want to go crazy, TCP also offers a cross section to go between the subframe connectors. I opted not to go with that. The connectors themselves will work just fine for my application. Here is a picture of the sub frame connectors I went with, with the center section I opted not to go with:
View attachment 1442540
I will take better pictures of the subframe connectors in the next few days.
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Thank you.
I can't wait until the engine finally shows up....
Thanks.
I think so too, thanks!
I appreciate it. It would be extremely hard to improve on that body style. In my opinion you don't ruin a good thing.
It's what every Mustang in the last 15 years has been trying to replicate, they still haven't come close in my opinion.
I'll actually be going with a Tremec TKO 600 5 speed. The stock 4 speed can't handle the amount of power this engine is going to throw at it.
Thanks, yeah 69-70 are cool too, but I'm a sucker for 67-68's.
Thanks.
Thank you sir
Damn right..
It was an extremely hard decision, let's hope the ends justify the means.
Ah thank you
My pleasure, in the pics the foldable rear seat is down so it looks like a 2 seater. Pop it up to throw your buddies in the very tiny back seat..
Going with a Tremec TKO 600 5 speed overdrive.
Thanks.
Me too..
Thank you.
I appreciate it, it's coming along nicely. Every time something is finished I get more impatient to see it's completion.
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The AFR 220 heads are on just waiting for the manifold to cure tonight and then run the dyno tomorrow morning. Hopefully the TQ numbers won't take a hit, but the peak HP should increase.
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Congrats, looks like a great build! Unless you have other plans I might suggest sending the TKO to a quality shop for a street/strip tune. I've just finished the 6 year build on my original 68.5 / 4.30 rear car and installed a new TKO-600 tuned by Liberty Gears. Though I only have test miles on the car so far, the trans feels smooth and crisp. Good luck...
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What made you choose the ride tech 4 link over the other rear suspension system? I ask because I have a 69 and I can't decide with rear system to buy. I need something that will work with a mini tub.
Well with mini tubs you'll have to customize most 4 link systems out there. They're meant to bolt up to the stock frame rails, since tubs of any size in these classic mustangs require you to notch the frame rails to make the wheel wells bigger there is no getting around cutting up and customizing any 4 link you buy. There are a select few that do work better with tubs but they are far from a common bolt on and $$$.
The reason I went with Ridetech is simple really. The improved 4 link that Ridetech recently came out with, bolts/welds to 4 locations on the frame rails. Most all of the other cradles I've seen bolt/weld to the frame rails in only 2 locations and then triangulate a third mounting location in the center section of the rear seat subfloor where it's only a thin layer of structural floor. Then compounded with mounting the 4 link in this location the other systems then add even more stress to this small location on the subfloor by having the top 2 links for the rear end attach to this location. That adds a lot of weight and stress to a small portion of the subfloor, with time asking for serious problems. Many "good" shops will go in and strengthen the subfloor by adding material to prevent these problems. What it is essentially, is a design flaw that most of all the top companies imitated, including Ridetech.
Ridetech used to have the same setup, but only a short while ago completely re-engineered their 4 links to attach to the frame rails in four locations, not two. Adding A LOT more strength to their design. As of right now they're the only one doing it (as far as I've researched, and I've done a ton..) and it shows that their constantly improving the products they put out and are willing to completely re-engineer issues that others overlook or are unwilling to (R&D) spend money to change products that consumers continue to buy even though their products are subpar.
See the pictures below, red are the mounting locations of the 4 links, and green is where the top two links connect to the cradles. Notice the 3 point cradle that most other companies design attach to the subfloor instead of spanning out to attach to the frame rails, where the car is 10x stronger.
Ride tech cradle frame mounting locations in red, green-link bolting location on the cradle:
View attachment 1442672
Installation on my car, only tac welded in place in this pic, it's since been permanently welded in:
View attachment 1442673
This picture is of the TCP 4 link, which in my opinion is far inferior:
*disclaimer it has tabs in the front that mount to the rails as well, but most all of the weight and stress from the top two links is on the center rear subfloor*
View attachment 1442678
Simply put, it is the best engineered 4 link on the market, regardless of price. However, please don't think TCP as a company is subpar, they make high quality products, many of which are still going into this build, however when it comes to the rear suspension Ridetech nails it with the better design. I hope this helps.
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I am loving this build! friggin beautiful!
AFR 220 numbers are in:
597 HP - 539 TQ
That said the intake manifold for the Borla stack injection system doesn't line up with the larger 220 ports, so we're going to pull off the manifold and port match it to the 220 heads. Hoping for a dramatic increase in both HP and TQ.
I'm pleased that it seems to pick up TQ throughout the the entire RPM range. It starts above and tends to stay there for the duration of the TQ curve. I think/hoping port matching will really pick up those numbers, if it doesn't we'll try a different cam shaft and see what it can do.
597 HP - 539 TQ
That said the intake manifold for the Borla stack injection system doesn't line up with the larger 220 ports, so we're going to pull off the manifold and port match it to the 220 heads. Hoping for a dramatic increase in both HP and TQ.
I'm pleased that it seems to pick up TQ throughout the the entire RPM range. It starts above and tends to stay there for the duration of the TQ curve. I think/hoping port matching will really pick up those numbers, if it doesn't we'll try a different cam shaft and see what it can do.
Final numbers with the 220 heads and ported intake:
624 HP
559 TQ
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624 HP
559 TQ
Sent from my iPhone using the svtperformance.com mobile app
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