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My story begins with my wife’s high-school car, a 1968 Mustang coupe with the deluxe interior. The vehicle was assembled at the San Jose, California, plant not far from where we live. My wife drove that vehicle every day from 1986 (when we purchased the vehicle with 41,000 miles for $3,000) through 2013, when she purchased a new vehicle. Unfortunately, the Mustang sat unused until last year, when I decided to review the entire vehicle to see if it was worth salvaging. Being a true California car, it was never exposed to salt, other than a few drives to the beach. The car has never been in a serious accident, so still has a body that is all-original with clean lines.
After my top to bottom review of the Mustang, I determined that the engine, a 2v 289, was pretty tired, and the braking system, suspension and steering could use an upgrade. Since parts are amazingly plentiful and affordable, I thought this could be a good weekend project. Starting with the engine, I pulled the stock 289 and reviewed the C4 transmission. It was in great condition, but I needed a solid engine.
Knowing the ’68 Mustang frame that came stock with the V8 engines was reinforced and considered far more stable than the ’66 frame, I thought I would use something with some muscle. I had a rebuilt 4V 351 Cleveland sitting around that had the HO heads 11:1 compression ratio, the stock buddy bar 4v dual-plane intake, the stock boss-style adjustable rocker assembly, guide plates and the stock CJ camshaft, and ported heads. This engine would deliver the torque and horsepower this vehicle needed, especially with the new 750 Edelbrock carb. The engine and transmission went in perfect.
I followed that up with upgrading the front brakes with disc, and installed Shelby-style springs, sway bars and traction bars for wheel hop while trying to keep everything as stock as possible. I felt that since this coupe was not considered “rare,” I could have some leeway to upgrade without looking that stock feel. Clevelands tend to run hot, so I upgraded with electric fans and a much larger radiator. The Mustang drives and functions as anticipated but, as with most projects, the end cosmetics are rather expensive, so it drives great but is seriously in need of paint.
We recently took the Mustang out to drive to the coast to pick up a Christmas tree in Point Reyes. The state just repaved the main road, so driving is a pleasure.
– Brian S., California
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