Thread: How well do you think a Mustang II IFS will handle?

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I have a 65 chevy short bed ,with a Big block.I still would like the truck to handle good around turns.
I have ordered some tubular a-arms,uppers and lowers from CPP for 1000,I can do a entirely new front IFS and lose weight off of the front end of the truck for 2400.Would it be worth it?would like oppinions good or bad.I was looking at these two.Thanks

http://www.nolimit.net/index.asp?Pag...PROD&ProdID=53

and this one

http://www.jimmeyerracing.com/pu6.html

IMO Mustang II is the only way to go!!!! You have a PM

I had a MII independent front under my big block A-bone. It handled like a slot car. The MII (or a clone) is an excellent way to go for handling, ride and safety.

Never have been able to understand how an evil-handling little POS like a Pinto-based MII could have a good front end. Those things could spin out and flip over on a straight road! Been there, done that!

Well, the Pinto's were way light in the back end, most handling issues with the Pinto's were caused by the back end breaking loose and the driver over correcting. If you didn't catch it the first time, you were gone. The geometry on the MII is improved from the Pinto. The Pinto's were of course unibody construction and flexed terribly. The quality MII units are also tubular A-Arms instead of stamped steel and inherently more rigid. Last, all the good MII kits have anti-dive built into them which makes them work great under hard braking....

Which of the kits is a better deal?

Well, the one is a bolt in unit,,, without boxing you still have a flexy frame... The other is nice, if you like air ride..... As far as handling, don't know. Never have driven anything with either set up in them. Being a MII guy, I probably can't be real objective about the others, anyhow!!! I don't need or want 7" of suspension travel, I can make a 3" travel coilover suspension handle like a slot car...... I guess they are both nice, if that's what you want....

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

Well, the one is a bolt in unit,,, without boxing you still have a flexy frame... The other is nice, if you like air ride..... As far as handling, don't know. Never have driven anything with either set up in them. Being a MII guy, I probably can't be real objective about the others, anyhow!!! I don't need or want 7" of suspension travel, I can make a 3" travel coilover suspension handle like a slot car...... I guess they are both nice, if that's what you want....

I am looking at the kit you have also ,just want to see which will give me the best bang for my buck.I also do need to box the frame,but IMO it will me minimal boxing for less weight.

Be sure you put some decent brakes on your truck . . . not the Mustang II brakes!! Those tiny rotors weren't much good on that little Mustang II. And a good anti-sway bar is a must!! The full sized coil springs with separate shocks will ride better than the coil-over version some companies offer. There are several different spring rates available for this suspension, so you might want to try a different spring rate if you're not thrilled with the ride and handling of your new front end.

Absolutely !!! On a big heavy truck and especially if you have drum brakes on the rear, the 11" front brakes are a necessity. The 9" front rotors work great on light (say 3200 pounds and under) cars that are equipped with disc brakes on the rear and a proportioning valve to direct a bit of additional brake pressure to the rear discs.....

The Jim Meyer racing does have a lot of different settings,and uses 12" Impala rotors .The Impala is a heavy car.

Talked to Jim Meyer Racing (man hes a fast talker ) and he said the mustangII IFS might not work to good with a all cast big block.I don't want a small block.Any Ideas?looks like I might have to go ,back to the tubular a-arms and stock crossmember.

They work fine, I've ran them in cars with 514BB, Olds big blocks, Chebbie big blocks, and even one 53 Ford Effie with a Hemi.... Just a matter of getting the correct rate springs for the application....

OOPS !!! Unless he's talking about the cheapies with the stamped steel (stock) arms, then he's absolutely right. The only one's I'll work with or install are the tubular A-Arm style..... With a big block in a pickup you would probably want the 11" brakes, too.