|
|
30 Budget Upgrades - Better On A BudgetImprove your classic for less than 150 bucks From the June, 2012 issue of Modified Mustangs & Fords By Mark Houlahan Photography by Courtesy of the Manufacturers
|
|
It's easy to get carried away with a classic Mustang or Ford project and drop a lot of cash into it. The fact of the matter is, no matter how big of a car nut you are, responsibilities like bills, putting food on the table, and taking care of your family, should always come first. In these trying economic times, we're all feeling the pinch, no matter what our pay level is, which means we have less expendable income to use on what's out in the garage. While you may not have the extra cash right now for that dream crate engine or that trick new suspension setup, with some careful budgeting and a little saving, you can still make some upgrades on your classic. Cutting a corner here and there, like those expensive cups of coffee you get every morning, or brown bagging your lunch to the office instead of eating out every day, is a simple way to save up for those parts you need. Make yourself a project jar and drop your spare pocket money in it when you get home from work each day. Before you know it, you'll have a nice little nest egg saved up to work on your project, and it won't interfere with your financial obligations that keep food on the table and a roof over your head. Of course, there are plenty of budget upgrades you can perform, from performance and handling to styling and safety, that will keep you moving forward with your project or simply improving your driver. To that end, we grabbed a stack of catalogs from our shelf and searched high and low for parts that we felt would be a nice budget upgrade that are easily installed with basic handtools in your typical well-stocked, home garage. Nothing that would require a pro's help or high-dollar tools (welders, and so on) was considered for this. We limited the list to products that cost no more than $150, and we were surprised at the amount of parts we found and in their variety as well. For the cost of dinner and a movie, you can spend a nice afternoon in the garage improving your ride.  1 If you've ever driven your...  1 If you've ever driven your classic Ford at night, you know that headlight illumination can be something of a joke. Upgrading to better headlights is easy with these 7-inch Xenon lights, available with or without the  2 While you're upgrading...  2 While you're upgrading your headlights, consider your next upgrade at the opposite end of your ride with LED taillights. These LED circuit boards are up to three times brighter than standard bulbs and are sequential signaling as well. The '65-'66 Mustang kits are just $159.95, and the '67 and later kits are just north of our self imposed budget, but still less than $200.  3 If your classic Mustang...  3 If your classic Mustang needs some help in the handling department, a quality set of handling springs will get the job done. But don't just stick some new coils in, upgrade your spring perch, and install new polyurethane insulators at the same time with this Grab-A-Track coil spring kit, priced at just $124.95.  5 Swap out your spindly front...  5 Swap out your spindly front antisway bar for one that will really help when you're sawing away at the steering wheel through the twisties. Upgrading the front antisway bar to a 1- or 1 1/8-inch unit will do wonders for your car's handling. A 1-inch bar will set you back just $99, with the 1 1/8-inch bar going for $109.  4 With today's power hungry...  4 With today's power hungry upgrades like big stereos, electric fuel pumps, electric cooling fans, and more, it's essential that your alternator generates enough amperage to handle it all. This Tuff Stuff Performance Products alternator will not only get the job done with a 70-amp output, but it'll look great doing it too with its chrome-plated case, fan, and pulley assembly for just $118.95.  6 One of the great things...  6 One of the great things about early Mustangs is the ample access to the engine's bottom end. Upgrading your small-block with a windage tray keeps the crankcase oil that's sloshing around away from the crankshaft, which helps make power (anywhere from 10-15 hp on your typical modified small-block)...  ...This Milodon windage tray...  ...This Milodon windage tray for pre-'74 small-blocks is just $49.95 ($56.95 for 351W) and the required mounting hardware is $36.95 ($44.95 for 351W).  7 Keep those bugs and small...  7 Keep those bugs and small stones out of your radiator with this trick slide-in debris screen. Simply bolt in the installation hardware and the screen slides in and out. Great for show cars and daily drivers; simply remove it for show use or to clean it. The '65-'70 Mustang models are just $99.95.  8 Going from your daily driver...  8 Going from your daily driver to your classic, it's often disappointing to not have an armrest or cup holder for those longer drives/cruises. Adding a Hump Hugger console to your classic gives you all that and more, including storage and smart styling. Specify year and color when you order for just $136.95 9 We've mentioned the benefits numerous times over the years, but it always warrants a reminder now and then. Changing out your old ignition points system for a Pertronix Igniter means easier starting, smoother/cleaner idle, more power, and often better fuel economy. What's not to like for just $72.95?  10 You can have a cooler...  10 You can have a cooler running engine, reduce parasitic drag, and even gain back a little horsepower by ditching your beltdriven cooling fan for an electric fan. This 14-inch S-blade fan is an efficient design that moves a lot of air and mounts easily to any radiator. Best of all, it's just $39.95.  11 LED lights are a great...  11 LED lights are a great improvement over the standard incandescent bulbs our classics came with from the factory. If you're looking for the brighter illumination and faster reacting LED taillights for your '65-'66 Mustang, and don't desire the sequential flashing feature some kits have, then a simple LED bulb kit with matching flasher, such as the one shown here, will get the job done for just $99.95.  12 Our classic Mustangs usually...  12 Our classic Mustangs usually came with but a single speed wiper setup or the sometimes optioned two-speed wipers, but intermittent wiper operation--something we're all used to on our late-model daily drivers--wasn't available. Now you can have the intermittent wiper feature on your classic with a simple replacement wiper switch module for '65-'73 Mustangs for just $69.95.  13 A rare option you might...  13 A rare option you might have seen on another Mustang is the illuminated grille corral. Ford offered an over-the-counter lens and light kit that lit up the horse and corral of the early Mustang's grille. Now you can have an LED illuminated reproduction for your '65-'67 Mustang at just $39.95.  14 We recently installed...  14 We recently installed a pair of these headlights and they make for a great detailing touch, while improving nighttime visibility greatly. The FoMoCo script gives an air of correctness (if you appreciate that) with the brightness of halogens at $21.95 each.  15 When it comes to the underhood...  15 When it comes to the underhood looks of your classic, one of the big visual items that can really make a difference is the valve covers. A nice set of valve covers (and a little cleaning/painting) will go a long way. Starting with these Ford Racing valve covers for $84.95 is a great idea.  16 If you're planning a tune-up...  16 If you're planning a tune-up soon, we always recommend inspecting and replacing the cap and rotor, as well as the plug wires. You don't have to spend a lot for quality plug wires either. These MSD brand 8mm Street Fire plug wires are available for small-block, FE-series and 385 series big-blocks, and Cleveland-based engines in both traditional socket style terminals and HEI terminal style for $32.95 a set.  17 A popular option for the...  17 A popular option for the Mustang was the in-car trunk release kit. The cable-operated release featured a chrome lever by the driver seat for quick access to the trunk. While the cable version has been reproduced for many years, there has been a new electric release kit available for the past few years. It features a stock-looking lever that actuates a wired trunk release solenoid, making it easier to install. It's available for '65-'70 Mustangs for $99.95.  18 We've mentioned various...  18 We've mentioned various LED lights a couple of times in this parts guide, but we've got one more LED option and this one is for the inside of your ride. LED instrument cluster lights are direct replacement LED bulbs for your gauges that make your edge-lit vintage gauges much easier to read at night; plus they are available in five different colors if you prefer, say, red illumination over the stock green. The '65-'68 kits are $34.95, while '69-'73 kits are $44.95 19 Dress up your engine bay by covering that void between your grille and your core support with one of these trick 0.040-inch aluminum radiator covers. The aluminum comes clear anodized with a satin finish, black anodized, or fully polished to go with any engine bay or car color starting at $94.50 and topping out at $129.95.  20 Most people don't think...  20 Most people don't think about their brake hoses until they have a failure, but upgrading your stock rubber brake hoses to non-expanding stainless steel hoses gives a firmer brake pedal and better braking. NPD has applications for most any classic Mustang at just $134.95 ('71-'73 are $159.95).  21 If you're looking for...  21 If you're looking for a neat and clean installation for some extra gauges in your classic Mustang, check out this replacement defroster grille that can house three 2 1/16-inch gauges for your '65-'66 Mustang. Made from molded plastic and covered in black vinyl, you'll be ready to install the gauges of your choice for just $105.50.  22 For those of you who trailer...  22 For those of you who trailer your classic Mustang or Ford, here's a great way to secure your hold-down straps quickly and easily. Simply swap out your stock spring plates with these heavy-duty steel replacements that feature oversized tie-down loops. Powdercoated black and TIG welded for strength they'll fit 2 1/2-inch to 3 1/2-inch axle tubes for $149.95. 23 If there's one thing that says performance, it's a set of hoodpins, just like the Shelby Mustangs we all dream of. There are several styles of hoodpin kits on the market, but the popular ones these days are the billet pin kits like the one shown here. The billet hoodpin kit features machined top plates, stainless pins and snap rings, and rubber backing gaskets for $74.95.  24 Made by the OE supplier...  24 Made by the OE supplier to Shelby American for NPD, Traction Master traction bars help plant your rear tires and improve acceleration and braking. They bolt to your leaf spring plates and require minor welding to your car's framerails. NPD has applications for '65-'70 Mustangs for $109.95.  25 There's no denying the...  25 There's no denying the convenience of a cup holder. Most likely you're using them every day in your daily driver to hold that morning cup of coffee, your cell phone, or that box of fries from the drive through (come on, we've all done it). You can quickly add cup holders to your classic ride without any permanent mods with the  26 Keep those tailgating...  26 Keep those tailgating drivers "in the know" with a third brake light in your classic Mustang. This replacement package tray, made from ABS plastic, features raised pods for 6x9 speakers and a center-mounted brake light that easily connects to your existing brake light wiring--fits '65-'70 coupe models for $113.95. 27 When you're ready to add some power to your small-block Ford, Summit Racing will be ready with its Street & Strip Stage 1 and Stage 2 intake manifolds. Stage 1 intake designs are dual-plane and are for an idle-to-6,000-rpm range, while Stage 2 manifolds are single-plane with separate runners and will work for 1,500-6,500 rpm. Summit's intakes range from $127.95 to $161.95.  28 Clevor engines--those...  28 Clevor engines--those using a Windsor block with Cleveland-style heads--are popular builds, but since these combinations don't have coolant passages in the intake manifold, you have to figure out an alternative for a thermostat housing for street use. Trick Flow has you covered with its thermostat housing conversion kit for $137.95.  29 Long-tube headers are...  29 Long-tube headers are character builders when it comes to installation, that's for sure, but they are worth the installation hassle for the power they make and the great exhaust sound you get from them. Summit's full-length headers for '66-'73 Mustang, Falcon, Fairlane, and Torino with small-block engines feature 1 1/2-inch primaries, and are just $129.95.  30 Want to clean up your...  30 Want to clean up your engine bay a little and improve your Ford's starting, idle quality, and performance all in one easy job? Upgrade from your stock points-style distributor and round oil-filled, non-resistor coil to one of Summit's HEI-style distributors. These units feature a built-in 50,000 volt E-core-style coil, mechanical and vacuum advance (both adjustable), and bronze iolite bushings to support the rotor shaft. Applications are available for 289/302, 351W, and 351C for only $125.95.
|
|
|