good idea i like it but it was not you steve....man i can't remember the guy but he was doing more like what i was going to do with a twist! i'll post a pic soon

PLug access on a 351W is not bad even without doing this mod.  Removing the humos helps out a whole bunch with getting to the upper control arm bolts, though.  It gives your wrench some swing room.  Header choice makes all the difference.  While the long tube Hedmans I used to have on the 351W were great headers, they made access to #7 & #8 spark plug nearly impossible.  Not to mention the header bolts themselves.

With my new JBA headers, access to plugs is easy.

Chaplin wrote:

but didn't want to cut the shock towers on the off chance that someone- after I'm dead and buried- may want to restore the car back to original specs.

The mod is so slight.....unless "someone" is shooting for a concourse correct Mustang...I doubt it would even be noticed. Soooo get out the "gas-hatchet"!!


Thanks.

Last edited by 6sally6 (5/26/2015 5:32 PM)

I've been meaning to ask you guys, and maybe I already have, but my memory is bad. Back in the mid 80's I had a 66 coupe. The pass side shock tower cracked vertically in one of the humps. I took it to a chassis guy and he notched the shock towers. It was pretty drastic compared to what has been pictured. Man I wish I had pictures, but sadly I do not. I do remember him fashioning a flat plate where the control arm bolts came through and he mentioned moving the lower control arm out 1 inch. I compared the engine bay with my friend's 1969 Mustang and they were almost identical. Something like 28" shock tower to shock tower I **think**. After it was done I put the 289 back in and had it aligned. I definitely remember the alignment guy saying it was one of the easiest he'd done. No problems at all. Not long afterwards I blew the 289 up and put together a 460. Using 1969 Mustang 460 swap mounts it went right in, I never had headers on it, and ended up selling the car but I was going to use the ones for the 69 460 since everything looked the same.

Forgetting the the 460 stuff (I was only a 1/4 mi guy back then) what do you guys think the implications were in moving the lower control arms out? I assume the lowers went out because the uppers did too? What issues might someone run in to long term? I do not remember any issues driving it, but again all I cared about was the Green Valley drag strip I wish I had pictures and/or a better memory!
 

Last edited by Raymond_B (5/27/2015 9:59 PM)

I actually put some thought into this a while back, but haven't attempted it remove the stock 65/66 spring towers and install 67/68 towers 460's and 427's and Merlin"s(not really) should drop right in use 67/68 suspension components.