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FE Power Forums => Member Projects => Topic started by: mbrunson427 on April 20, 2021, 10:08:43 AM

Title: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on April 20, 2021, 10:08:43 AM
We finally have enough done on the car that I figured I would share some pictures. This car came from Richie Pauley in California. I had heard that he may be interested in selling it, I spoke with him 2-3 times over the course of a couple years and he was finally ready to let it go. Bought it as a roller, without engine or trans. It was run in NHRA stock class, B/SA. We will not use it for that initially but may get back to that over the course of a few years. For now we're trying to run with a local group of nostalgia racers. The first engine that will go in it is the tunnelport that Blair recently built for us, it was intended for a Galaxie but will go in this for now. We'll replace the wonky dual plane intake and install a single plane 2x4.

(https://i.postimg.cc/RFJVwyCg/CJ-1.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/PJGfyyPT/CJ-2.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

Right now the only modifications we are making to the car are purely for looks. Removing the front fender emblems and adding GT badges, adding GT fog lights, putting on C-stripes, and painting the black cobra jet stripe up the hood. We also had a friend make some "Cobra Jet" script stickers for the rear quarters.

(https://i.postimg.cc/brHG2WLK/CJ-6.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/FFjkqkmD/CJ-8.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/15BnRx8F/CJ-9.jpg)

 (https://postimages.org/)(https://i.postimg.cc/CLSnVMxY/CJ-11.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/FHnYcjgs/CJ-13.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: 475fetoploader on April 20, 2021, 10:34:32 AM
Looks sharp! Tunnel port, how cool is that going to be.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: Gregwill16 on April 20, 2021, 10:38:57 AM
Very nice! Perfect place for that TP
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: WConley on April 20, 2021, 10:48:42 AM
That is going to look and run awesome!
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: turbohunter on April 20, 2021, 12:29:29 PM
I love how in the second picture the Galaxie has its mouth wide open complaining, hey you stole my engine. WTF.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on April 20, 2021, 02:16:13 PM
I love how in the second picture the Galaxie has its mouth wide open complaining, hey you stole my engine. WTF.

HA! That's actually exactly what is happening. That white Galaxie is what that TP engine is intended for. It's 100% running and driving. Figured we have 5 other more pressing things to work on before that car get's pulled apart. Going to enjoy it with the 352 2-barrel for now.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mike7570 on April 20, 2021, 02:52:33 PM
I have a soft spot for tunnel port coupes

Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on April 20, 2021, 03:05:53 PM
I have a soft spot for tunnel port coupes

That's neat!

You're going to love the wheels we picked out! Bogart "Bolted Fly Solid", aka centerline lookalike.
http://bogartracingwheels.com/fly-series/
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mike7570 on April 20, 2021, 05:54:30 PM
I have a soft spot for tunnel port coupes

That's neat!

You're going to love the wheels we picked out! Bogart "Bolted Fly Solid", aka centerline lookalike.
http://bogartracingwheels.com/fly-series/

That should be 9 second ride when finished!  My tunnel port, when it was in the '67 coupe was a stock Ford version. It was 427ci, stock heads, intake, rockers, NASCAR crank & rods and a cam of .577 lift.
it ran in the 10.70 range with 3500 stall C-6 and 4.56 gears. What trans and gears are you going to run?  Are you planning on running the 9" stocker tires or something bigger?
I'm staying with centerlines on the new build only they're a bit different.

Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on April 21, 2021, 09:01:20 AM
That should be 9 second ride when finished!  My tunnel port, when it was in the '67 coupe was a stock Ford version. It was 427ci, stock heads, intake, rockers, NASCAR crank & rods and a cam of .577 lift.
it ran in the 10.70 range with 3500 stall C-6 and 4.56 gears. What trans and gears are you going to run?  Are you planning on running the 9" stocker tires or something bigger?
I'm staying with centerlines on the new build only they're a bit different.

That's right, you're building the stock class Shelby. Our local track is Bandimere, so we'll be running at altitude, times won't be that great unless we take the car somewhere. Richie told us he came here with his car one year and he thought he had taken off in 2nd gear. For here we are planning on a 4.71 gear to start out. Running the 9" radial tire to start out as well. I may change it to a 275 radial, but won't do that until we get some runs in. The transmission is coming from Joel's, its a c4. The trans is the last piece we need before we can get it back together.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: Cobrajet2 on April 22, 2021, 09:06:32 AM
Should be a fun ride.  What color "Cobra Jet" lettering are you using on the White body?  I can't quite tell with the decals still wrapped.

Mike
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on April 22, 2021, 10:20:49 AM
Should be a fun ride.  What color "Cobra Jet" lettering are you using on the White body?  I can't quite tell with the decals still wrapped.

Mike

The background is black and the center is gold leaf print. I hope the gold leaf looks somewhat legitimate.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on May 03, 2021, 10:07:39 AM
Stripes and lettering happened Saturday. Still working up the design on the door decals. Wheels/Tires are supposed to show up this week!

(https://i.postimg.cc/hvmwJnbL/Gold-Lettering.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/02gFT6Pc/Hood-Stripe.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/wxRn4581/Side-Stripe.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: Gregwill16 on May 03, 2021, 04:17:02 PM
Looks great!
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: Cobrajet2 on May 04, 2021, 03:23:47 PM
Very nice!
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: WConley on May 04, 2021, 03:42:52 PM
Yes - Super cool!  That's going to be a fun one  :D
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on May 05, 2021, 08:50:05 AM
Thanks guys! I'm pressing hard to get this car out at the track this summer. My '62 Galaxie is taking a bit of a sideline to it.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: Nightmist66 on May 06, 2021, 08:33:46 PM
No shortage of cool projects at your place.  :D
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: bobb428 on May 10, 2021, 12:56:57 PM
Mike, are you going to keep the 29" front tire? Also I would take the 69/70 insert out of the scoop so it looks more 68ish.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on May 10, 2021, 03:17:48 PM
No shortage of cool projects at your place.  :D

Thanks Jared. They don't get done very fast but I swear I work on them!

Mike, are you going to keep the 29" front tire? Also I would take the 69/70 insert out of the scoop so it looks more 68ish.

We ordered M/T 29" front runners for it and got the same M/T tires Richie runs for the back. Should look much better with the new wheels/tires. Richie just slapped that set on there for shipping it here. The wheels he had on it were nice but not very nostalgic.

I didn't realize the scoop insert was a 69-70 thing. I'll take it off!
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mike7570 on May 10, 2021, 04:24:54 PM
Will 29" fit a '68?  I thought 28" was going to be a bit tight. Those front tires in the pictures look a lot smaller. 
This is a 27" at full compression without springs.

Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on May 10, 2021, 05:46:41 PM
Will 29" fit a '68?  I thought 28" was going to be a bit tight. Those front tires in the pictures look a lot smaller. 
This is a 27" at full compression without springs.

Mike, look at the front fender closely. It's been massaged in the front of the wheel well to make the bigger tires work. The wheel well lip has all been pinched too.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: bobb428 on May 10, 2021, 06:11:22 PM
Did you do bias or radials? For Bandimere I would start out on bias slicks because of how they prep.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: bobb428 on May 10, 2021, 06:13:49 PM
Will 29" fit a '68?  I thought 28" was going to be a bit tight. Those front tires in the pictures look a lot smaller. 
This is a 27" at full compression without springs.

Most stockers ran 29's now. On this coupe, they really folded the opening outwards. On Richie's car, he cut the fender opening. A 28" is as tight as you can go with the factory opening.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: bobb428 on May 10, 2021, 06:18:34 PM
You can see how they opened the front by bending outward.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51170369957_91944126ae_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2kXKweT)166706152_10218258722081236_5531579689067251767_o (https://flic.kr/p/2kXKweT) by Bob Smith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/142140235@N02/), on Flickr
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on May 10, 2021, 06:49:12 PM
Did you do bias or radials? For Bandimere I would start out on bias slicks because of how they prep.

Richie had radials on it, we were going to run the same ones. I have also thought about buying some 275's for it, little wider, little shorter tire.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on May 10, 2021, 06:50:26 PM
By the way Mike, Bob is a good resource for the stock class stuff! Not sure if you've met him.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: FE4SPDMustang on May 10, 2021, 07:55:26 PM
There are some very nice builds going on.  How many are a decade or further into their build and still not done?
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: bobb428 on May 10, 2021, 08:37:38 PM
Mike, who did the decals? I have always wanted to do a smaller version to put on my cowl.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51172031299_74c3a6d978_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2kXU36H)DSC_0405 (2) (https://flic.kr/p/2kXU36H) by Bob Smith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/142140235@N02/), on Flickr
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on May 10, 2021, 10:28:25 PM
Mike, who did the decals? I have always wanted to do a smaller version to put on my cowl.

Our friend Jolene. Her dad was a stock class guy, last name is Novak, I don't remember his first name. She has the design now, I'm sure she could shrink it down.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mike7570 on May 11, 2021, 07:06:43 PM
By the way Mike, Bob is a good resource for the stock class stuff! Not sure if you've met him.
No I haven't met him yet, maybe after I get the car on the track we will cross paths. I was looking at the wheels up launch he posted of Richie's (Your New) car. Other than the Wheelie bar my car looks almost identical underneath, does it have the Shelby drop?
If it wasn't for your tunnel port going in there we could set up a newbie B/SA match race. As it is you need to spot me 3-4 tenths.  :D
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: bobb428 on May 12, 2021, 11:04:41 AM
By the way Mike, Bob is a good resource for the stock class stuff! Not sure if you've met him.
No I haven't met him yet, maybe after I get the car on the track we will cross paths. I was looking at the wheels up launch he posted of Richie's (Your New) car. Other than the Wheelie bar my car looks almost identical underneath, does it have the Shelby drop?
If it wasn't for your tunnel port going in there we could set up a newbie B/SA match race. As it is you need to spot me 3-4 tenths.  :D

I am the guy on FB that has the NHRA S/SS & Cobra Jet groups.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mike7570 on May 12, 2021, 03:50:28 PM
By the way Mike, Bob is a good resource for the stock class stuff! Not sure if you've met him.
No I haven't met him yet, maybe after I get the car on the track we will cross paths. I was looking at the wheels up launch he posted of Richie's (Your New) car. Other than the Wheelie bar my car looks almost identical underneath, does it have the Shelby drop?
If it wasn't for your tunnel port going in there we could set up a newbie B/SA match race. As it is you need to spot me 3-4 tenths.  :D

I am the guy on FB that has the NHRA S/SS & Cobra Jet groups.

I'm not on FB very often, I'll take a look around to see if I can find it. Have seen your post over on ClassRacer.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: bobb428 on May 13, 2021, 03:57:54 PM
Mike, I would assume her dad was/is Joe Novak. Can you ask her if she could scale the COBRA JET down to 2-3/4" tall? That scoop on there is a 69/70 that came on a lot of non Ram Air models. A lot of people throw them on 68's because they look really similar but have a few different measurements. On the 68's they were all open since they were all Ram Air cars. Finding a real 68 scoop starts around 2,500 and up when they do show up.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on May 17, 2021, 09:29:44 AM
We received the new wheel & tire setup this weekend, had to get them slapped on immediately! Richie gave us all the wheel dimensions, they worked out just right.

I am detailing the engine compartment now, should have that done by the end of the week and then I can put the whole front end back on and start focusing on the interior.

(https://i.postimg.cc/FKk8MqgH/New-Wheels.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/13jbYPFd/New-Wheels-2.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: turbohunter on May 17, 2021, 09:31:27 AM
Would love to see your engine room detail.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on May 17, 2021, 03:04:09 PM
Would love to see your engine room detail.

I'll snap some pictures while I'm at it. I'm half way done already, stayed up wayyy too late on Saturday night sanding and priming. Then I did nothing yesterday because I stayed up too late  ;D
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: e philpott on May 17, 2021, 04:03:26 PM
What kind of ET times are you expecting or would like to see with this combo ? Should scoot and looks fabulous
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on May 17, 2021, 05:34:42 PM
I'd hate to toss out ET's and be sadly disappointed! I don't have a good feel for what it will run just yet, I guess that depends on how big of a fight it gives us before we get it sorted out!

My uncles old drag car, '64 Fairlane with about 75hp less than this ran 11.20 fairly consistently at Bandimere (5800 ft elevation). I think it weighed 3300 pounds. We're expecting this car to be a little faster than that if we can get it set up. This should put us in the proper range for running with the nostalgia guys out here. They have a 9.50-12.50 range that they like the cars to run in.

Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: e philpott on May 17, 2021, 08:56:26 PM
I hear you on that but figured you had a good idea , my bet is it’s impressive  . The ET number game has sure hurt feelings over the years  . Forgot about the high elevation there , my car wouldn’t need a roll bar at your track , lol
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on May 18, 2021, 01:01:33 PM
Based on what the Fairlane use to run, I was hoping it would run mid-high 10's here. At a sea level track maybe, just maybe, fight it's way into a 9.99 pass. The first few times out I won't expect much out of it. We'll have some learning to do.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: bobb428 on May 22, 2021, 07:37:47 PM
Hey Mike, let me know when it's complete and I will come up and get some pics for you!
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on May 24, 2021, 12:22:43 PM
Hey Mike, let me know when it's complete and I will come up and get some pics for you!

That would be awesome! I'll keep you updated.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on May 24, 2021, 01:14:10 PM
Here's an instrument cluster update. We were able to get SW gauges stuck into the top holes and stuck in, an oil pressure light, and shift light. I looked up factory tachs for it and couldn't believe the expense of them, they are starting to get outrageous! Because of that, we blanked out the right hand hole and will mount up a tach on the steering column that sits in front of that hole.

Here's what the dash looked like when we got the car. Tach was mounted off of a plate that took place of the center dash trim panel. We'll be sticking that center trim panel back in.
(https://i.postimg.cc/PJHpjYKq/IMG-0651-2.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

We have a radio delete plate for it. More gauges will go in under the dash (trans temp, oil temp, volts).
(https://i.postimg.cc/fW7SvqTS/Radio-Delete.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/mZm6hjfC/Instrument-Cluster.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mike7570 on May 25, 2021, 02:28:42 PM
Mike, we think alike
I'm just trying to figure out how to put an AutoMeter tach in the speedometer opening.

can't get picture to post

Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: XR7 on May 25, 2021, 03:20:15 PM
I would sure think that will run well into the nines all day long, at any track near sea level and decent air. I think it will pleasantly surprise you! The chassis is pretty well sorted out, and you will have good power. I think it will get "dialed in" pretty quick. You will have to de-tune it and/or put a restrictor on it to stay out of the nines. You might have to re-gear it also because it will want to MPH.

I realize a 9 won't be happening at a mile high altitude, but should still run hard.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on May 25, 2021, 03:48:03 PM
Mike, we think alike
I'm just trying to figure out how to put an AutoMeter tach in the speedometer opening.

can't get picture to post
Mike, the only tach I could find that had the correct dimensions was a smaller auto meter white face gauge. There's a couple companies that sell the whole instrument cluster with new auto meter gauges in all the holes, but that was a bit overboard for what's needed here.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on May 25, 2021, 04:08:10 PM
I would sure think that will run well into the nines all day long, at any track near sea level and decent air. I think it will pleasantly surprise you! The chassis is pretty well sorted out, and you will have good power. I think it will get "dialed in" pretty quick. You will have to de-tune it and/or put a restrictor on it to stay out of the nines. You might have to re-gear it also because it will want to MPH.

I realize a 9 won't be happening at a mile high altitude, but should still run hard.

Thanks for the input Thor! The main thing I have been worried about is the car seems pretty wheelie happy. I don't know what to expect out of it when we toss some more power at it. Are we going to end up pulling ballast out of the trunk? I'm not very savvy at this sort of thing. What corrections would you expect are coming our way with the added power?
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: 475fetoploader on May 25, 2021, 04:31:19 PM
May be a situation where changing pinion angle can ‘soften’ the hit on the tire. If you’re running caltracs, tuning the preload on the bars could take hit away. 
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mike7570 on May 25, 2021, 06:22:03 PM
Mike, we think alike
I'm just trying to figure out how to put an AutoMeter tach in the speedometer opening.

can't get picture to post
Mike, the only tach I could find that had the correct dimensions was a smaller auto meter white face gauge. There's a couple companies that sell the whole instrument cluster with new auto meter gauges in all the holes, but that was a bit overboard for what's needed here.

I put AutoMeter gauges in the top 3 openings the same way you did. The matching tach is too large to fit in the existing opening but enough of it should show to be readable. I have a spare junk dash that I might try modifying by cutting the opening larger from the back to see if I can get it to look decent. There is plenty of room behind the dash face since I'm not using any of the stock internals or wiring. 
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mike7570 on May 25, 2021, 06:30:15 PM


(https://i.postimg.cc/1tq0jyFw/Dash3.png) (https://postimages.org/)create image url (https://postimages.org/)
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: bobb428 on May 28, 2021, 10:29:10 PM
Calverts dash with the 5" installed
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47962536616_021a6457ae_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2g5hx9u)154 (https://flic.kr/p/2g5hx9u) by Bob Smith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/142140235@N02/), on Flickr
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: bobb428 on May 28, 2021, 10:34:22 PM
I would sure think that will run well into the nines all day long, at any track near sea level and decent air. I think it will pleasantly surprise you! The chassis is pretty well sorted out, and you will have good power. I think it will get "dialed in" pretty quick. You will have to de-tune it and/or put a restrictor on it to stay out of the nines. You might have to re-gear it also because it will want to MPH.

I realize a 9 won't be happening at a mile high altitude, but should still run hard.

Bandimere, while being at 5,800' is never corrected at that. We really don't have any mindshaft conditions here. My best pass, the altitude corrected @9,400'. I have to spin the ever living crap out of mine to get a decent time here.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on June 13, 2021, 03:34:35 PM
Marc, here are some engine compartment detail pictures as requested! We welded shut quite a few holes. I did a quick job of some shade tree bodywork before spraying it black. This week the goal is to get the whole front end of the car back together and get the trunk buttoned up (fuel cell and battery tray). We had to weld tabs onto the fuel cell because it didn't come with any sort of mounting provision.

(https://i.postimg.cc/bvhncFPs/Engine-Compartment.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/sf65QcYN/Engine-Compartment-2.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/7Yj7XZQ1/Engine-Compartment-3.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/FHcS6X2M/Engine-Compartment-4.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/kX2KxbwX/Engine-Compartment-5.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/0N4CdpF8/Trunk.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/g2PQ3PRM/Tank-Mount.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: Stangman on June 13, 2021, 08:04:33 PM
I’m curious about the ballast. How much is in the back of the car. Is it enough to get the rear to be the same weight as the front. Ya know we always try to get our cars as light as possible but I know the front of my car is like 450 lbs heavier than the back. I always wondered if the weight to get the car at 50/50 hurts the ET or helps.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on June 14, 2021, 09:07:23 AM
I’m curious about the ballast. How much is in the back of the car. Is it enough to get the rear to be the same weight as the front. Ya know we always try to get our cars as light as possible but I know the front of my car is like 450 lbs heavier than the back. I always wondered if the weight to get the car at 50/50 hurts the ET or helps.

There was a considerable amount of weight added to the trunk of the car. Between the battery, ballast bars, ballast box, and the mounting frame that was back there I would guess 200 pounds? To run B/SA the car needed to weigh in at over 3300 pounds. Not sure that the extra weight would have been added if there wasn't a requirement. I think in this case the car needed to be heavier and the trunk was the convenient place to put the weight.

I don't think we will end up using ballast. We are putting the box and the ballast mounts back in just for the sake of being able to easily convert it back to stock class configuration if we want to.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: bobb428 on June 14, 2021, 06:36:43 PM
The weights for the CJ combo's are just ridiculous! You look at the Richie in C, almost 3,600#s vs RA2 Pontiac's at 3,200#s. 
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on June 18, 2021, 03:07:45 PM
More progress from yesterday, should be further this weekend!

(https://i.postimg.cc/SsJ0XJNc/6-18-Progress.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/SKZFNWqy/6-18-Progress-2.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on June 24, 2021, 03:24:04 PM
I ordered a roll bar mounted switch panel for the car. I'm really pleased with how it turned out, figured I'd show you guys. Jolt Systems is where I ordered it from, Ryan was super good to deal with.
https://joltsystems.net/collections/switch-panels

(https://i.postimg.cc/Pq8Vmmwg/Switch-Panel.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: WConley on June 24, 2021, 06:25:57 PM
I ordered a roll bar mounted switch panel for the car. I'm really pleased with how it turned out, figured I'd show you guys. Jolt Systems is where I ordered it from, Ryan was super good to deal with.
https://joltsystems.net/collections/switch-panels


That looks da business!  Car is coming along great  :D
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on June 25, 2021, 08:49:57 AM


That looks da business!  Car is coming along great  :D
[/quote]

Thanks Bill! Bunch of painting the interior this weekend and we should be able to bolt a bunch of parts on!
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: ron bidstrup on June 25, 2021, 05:16:54 PM
where did you get the adjustable quick release shock tower braces?  i need a set of those.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on June 28, 2021, 08:36:01 AM
where did you get the adjustable quick release shock tower braces?  i need a set of those.

Ron, these were on the car when we got it. From looking at it, I would guess that it was a custom made deal.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on June 30, 2021, 03:59:47 PM
Here is a before/after of the trunk.

(https://i.postimg.cc/wBfQnkd0/IMG-0650.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/ZqGC99PJ/Trunk-2.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: JohnN-1BADFE on June 30, 2021, 06:18:43 PM
Looking good Mike!  Ken and I were talking about seeing if you would be around and available for us to come up this weekend....

John
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on June 30, 2021, 10:20:42 PM
Hey John! I should be around on Saturday. Actually, we're thinking of going to the race Saturday night at CNS. They have the "King of the Wings" race, the 410 sprint cars and then fireworks after. I'll text you guys.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on August 16, 2021, 09:20:11 AM
Alright guys, I'm back at it! The last couple months have been completely booked for me, my wedding, a friends wedding, and moving my Grandpa. The Mustang has gotten almost zero attention. I'm hoping to thrash real hard at it for the next week or two and have it ready to take to my buddies house so he can do all the wiring (he's one of those odd people that enjoy vehicle wiring).

This weekend I took a few hours and replaced some of the old light fluorescent light bulbs with LED retrofit bulbs. These have been sitting around for quite a while and I figured I'd at least do the fixtures near the Mustang for a bit better lighting.

(https://i.postimg.cc/13MqDmqF/Shop.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

I also have the gauge panel ready to mount up. Once the dash is painted later this week I will get it installed.
(https://i.postimg.cc/Qdj7B9Hs/Gauge-Panel.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: WConley on August 16, 2021, 10:53:53 AM
(he's one of those odd people that enjoy vehicle wiring).


Strange friends sure do come in handy!!  Congrats on the nuptials, Mike.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: jmlay on August 16, 2021, 11:51:59 AM
MAN DOWN! https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/e1def08b-7b8c-4ca0-9d93-07cee5530aae (https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/e1def08b-7b8c-4ca0-9d93-07cee5530aae)
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: turbohunter on August 16, 2021, 12:23:42 PM
Spot on, on the SW gauges.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on August 16, 2021, 01:10:55 PM
Haha, thanks guys!

Once the interior is done and put back together and the car is wired, the portion of work at my house is complete and we'll take it up to my uncles for engine and trans. His shop is much better equipped for that.

After that, back on my '62 Galaxie anddddd........I hope to pull the '68 Cougar out of my uncles and bring it to my place, set it where the Mustang currently is. That'll be another project thread  ;D
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on August 23, 2021, 02:21:33 PM
We had a pretty good weekend of progress. Started with painting the dash, then cage, next will be floor. A friend of ours told us he painted the under-side of the dash white on his car to make working under there easier, I thought it was a good idea so we tried it here. That made things take a little longer because it required an extra step of masking and added time to dry, but we'll see how we like it. I shined a light under there just to see if it was worth anything and I think it's noticeably brighter.

In between watching paint dry I fooled with the dash trim, we had an old 428 cobra jet pin and my uncle had the idea to replace the red mustang logo with it. Turned out fairly well!

Tonight the roll cage should be dry and I can mask it and finish up the interior paint on the floor. Carpet/seats/seatbelts will be tomorrow night.

(https://i.postimg.cc/gJj33Gdz/Cage-Paint.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/76R0VjYg/Dash-Paint.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/rstWYgK7/Dash-Trim.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on August 25, 2021, 09:38:53 AM
Got a little more done. The passenger seat is intentionally left out for now until wiring is done. If you have a good eye, you can see the wiring panel on the passenger kick panel. I'll keep chugging at it tonight, get a bunch of parts mounted up (switch panel, gauges, MSD box, etc). Hoping to load it up and get it out of the shop by Friday night!

(https://i.postimg.cc/KzD585JH/Interior.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/HL52fm5H/Interior-2.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: JohnN-1BADFE on August 25, 2021, 03:34:15 PM
Do you need me and Ken to come up to cut a hole in the trans tunnel for the 4-speed?   :P
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on August 25, 2021, 05:02:41 PM
Do you need me and Ken to come up to cut a hole in the trans tunnel for the 4-speed?   :P

HA! We have too many things to work on as-is, I don't need to be fixing the 4-speed aftermath on this car all the time! This car was a 4-speed at one point in it's life, so there is a shifter hole in the floor with a blank cover that we made for it. Also has the proper pedal assembly but with the 3rd pedal removed. Maybe someday......

Haley is gone in Africa with her family so I'm home with the dogs for 2 more weeks (this is why I have been getting things done). You guys should stop up. Saturday I'm free all day and then I'm going to watch a friend Saturday night at CNS race his legend car.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on August 30, 2021, 03:33:35 PM
There's only a few small details to button up on the interior now. Need to mount up the tach and finish the back seat, I have a chunk of carpet ordered for that. The main thing I'm dreading right now is re-installing the vent wing windows. I'll probably bite the bullet and mess with that tonight. Once those are in, door panels can be slapped back on.

Wiring is going to be waiting a couple weeks now. My buddies shop is full of cars that he's waiting on parts for (way too common of a complaint right now).

(https://i.postimg.cc/MHwjpGzb/Interior-3.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/SRGY2ps0/Interior-4.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: 475fetoploader on August 30, 2021, 03:55:23 PM
Great project! Great progress.  I won’t argue, wing windows are not my favorite.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on August 30, 2021, 04:44:20 PM
Great project! Great progress.  I won’t argue, wing windows are not my favorite.

Thanks! I appreciate it.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on September 13, 2021, 11:25:04 AM
Ready for wiring. Behind schedule (as usual), but still moving forward. Dropping it off tomorrow, hopefully he can knock it out in a couple weeks. I can't wait until the engine and trans are in the car and the front end sits down, then we'll see how it looks.

(https://i.postimg.cc/m27GBWmc/Before-Wiring.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on September 16, 2021, 08:36:29 AM
Made it to my friend Taylor's house for wiring. It's funny, the car is now parked in a shop full of Honda's. He was showing us some of the wiring harness patterns he has made for car types or engine types that he does frequently. The Mustang is a cakewalk compared to the all the data acquisition wiring he does on a modern turbocharged car. Excited to see his work when he's done. 

(https://i.postimg.cc/SQwXdp7S/Taylors-Shop.png) (https://postimages.org/)
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: WConley on September 16, 2021, 09:56:48 AM
Very nice Mike!  That thing is going to be so sweet  :D
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on October 01, 2021, 11:40:26 AM
I received some wiring progress pictures. 3rd Picture is the master wiring board with inputs/outputs/relays/fuses/etc, its mounted to the passenger kick panel. 

(https://i.postimg.cc/V6JQ7Ysv/Trunk-Wiring.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/YSnBf4HT/Trunk-Wiring-2.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/tT80wL75/Wiring-Panel.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: Rory428 on October 01, 2021, 05:28:11 PM
Coming along nicely! do you have any close ups of the new Centerline copies? I have had Centerline AutoDrags on several cars since the mid 70s, the same set of AutoDrags have been on my Fairmont drag car since the mid 80s. Funny how so many people like the old Modified Production look of the Fairmont, including the Centerlines and Harwood snorkle scoop, but they were actually "state of the art" at that time, and I never felt any need to update them.
Also, I know they are not really thick, but when it comes time to install the headers on your Mustang, I am sure that you will be glad that you don`t have real Cobra Jet reinforced shock towers to deal with. Every 1/4" of room helps in that department!
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on October 04, 2021, 08:50:50 AM
Rory, I don't have any real good pictures of the wheels, but I was able to take a higher quality photo and zoom in on the front wheel. These wheels were my uncles choice. He had been on ebay hunting for a set of autodrags but none of them were the proper size.

Funny you mention the shock tower reinforcement. On our black '67 we installed a shock tower reinforcement kit, this one doesn't have that. We have the same exact REF headers for both cars, this one is noticeably easier to install the headers on. When we mocked up the '67 we had to get the grinder out and clearance parts of the reinforcement plates.

(https://i.postimg.cc/L5Df4H2R/wheels.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on October 05, 2021, 10:35:44 AM
Well we have power! Few things left to button up on the wiring and we'll have the car back! Getting more and more excited here

(https://i.postimg.cc/8PX5fdsf/Wiring-1.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/0y6NY6JW/Wiring-2.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mike7570 on October 05, 2021, 01:24:57 PM
A little longer wheel stud will make the tech inspectors happier  ;D
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on October 05, 2021, 02:56:45 PM
A little longer wheel stud will make the tech inspectors happier  ;D

Haha, yes or a shorter nut. These ones are 2-3 threads from sticking out, kind of annoying
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on October 18, 2021, 09:00:13 AM
Engine is ready to hit the dyno again this Thursday. Last time we had a dual plane intake on it that had been highly modified and worked OK-ish but was definitely holding it back. This time its a normal tunnel wedge style intake. Thursday we will test an un-touched intake manifold, Friday we will test one the my uncle Bob has modified a ton by widening the ports and installing these pretty crazy looking 3D printed air foils around the pushrod tubes.

We are still waiting on the transmission for the car. All wiring will be complete this week, and pending the engine dyno works out, the trans will be the final hurdle before we can have the car in one piece.

(https://i.postimg.cc/G3ysvrxK/Dyno-1.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/J4CHqgTL/Dyno-2.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: Gregwill16 on October 18, 2021, 02:24:23 PM
Beautiful engine!
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: XR7 on October 18, 2021, 06:22:33 PM
Love those dyno headers! Sure look great, EGT bungs too. What kit did you use? Most likely for a BBC then just used FE flanges? What diameter are they, and with a step? Did you weld them up or have someone build them?
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: hbstang on October 18, 2021, 07:33:34 PM
really nice project and high quality workmanship.
can you tell me is that an elimimator fuel pump you are using?how do they work with carbs?are they quiet and streetable?
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on October 19, 2021, 08:39:07 AM
Thanks guys, I appreciate it!

The dyno headers were made by REF. We called him up and asked if he could make a set because the FE headers that our local shop has don't have the EGT bungs, only have the O2, and they are smaller diameter. We also had kind of a crude setup for the run stand, those were Galaxie headers flipped upside down. These headers should work for both dyno and our run stand. They are 2" all the way, no step. They may not be optimal for all applications, but we needed a one-size-fits-all set.

The fuel tank is an Aeromotive deal. Ordered the tank complete. It works with carbs and EFI, just have to run the correct regulator at the front of the car. We haven't run it yet so I can't say how loud it is. In this case I wasn't worried about noise at all, but I thought the in-tank pump made packaging much nicer.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on November 01, 2021, 08:45:51 AM
The car is back at my place! Wiring done and the new front valence was reworked and painted. Transmission should be here today or tomorrow. I have about a weeks worth of random things to button up (like fuel system) then the car goes up to my uncles shop where the engine/trans will be dropped in.

Next Saturday the maroon '69 Fairlane on the lift is going away. It's an original 428 cobra jet car, the numbers matching standard bore engine is sitting underneath the shelf to the left. The guy who we got it from wanted it back really badly, and we weren't going to get it built anytime soon. He is local to us so it will be fun to see it all together and on the road.

(https://i.postimg.cc/m2L6zXtk/11-1-Progress.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: bobb428 on November 01, 2021, 08:35:36 PM
Excited to see it done!
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on December 27, 2021, 10:25:12 AM
The holidays afforded me some more time to pick away at the Mustang. I have about 1 days worth of work at my place and it is going to get hauled off to my uncle Bob's shop. I'll take a day and completely clean out the workshop and pull something else in. We'll do the engine and trans at Bob's house.

Things I need to complete this week: Hang fuel lines under car, weld out shock brackets on rear of car and paint, change out front tie rods, mount catch can.

(https://i.postimg.cc/j2XGKdm9/Progress-12-24-6.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/FH125vZW/Progress-12-24-8.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/g251G7tY/Progress-12-24-10.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/RVgjDhcJ/Progress-12-24-11.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/dQjMG43B/Progress-12-24-7.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/Nfs3Dmrw/Progress-12-24-9.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mike7570 on December 27, 2021, 02:22:36 PM
Really coming out nice!
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: Stangman on December 27, 2021, 08:53:28 PM
Yes coming out real nice. What’s with the motor mounts they are kinda funky lookin. Whatever happened to the motor getting dynoed with the different intakes
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on December 28, 2021, 01:10:36 PM
Thanks guys!

Yes coming out real nice. What’s with the motor mounts they are kinda funky lookin. Whatever happened to the motor getting dynoed with the different intakes

The motor mounts came with the car. They are solid fairly lightweight fabricated mounts. I just tossed the bolt through them and placed them there for now so they don't get lost. Engine had some trouble on the dyno. We ordered new pistons and rings for it, waiting on those to come in and we'll try over again. One step forward two steps back.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: Stangman on December 28, 2021, 08:14:32 PM
Sorry to hear about motor is that the new one with the cut divider. Hopefully it will all be good soon.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on January 10, 2022, 10:47:00 AM
It was cold here yesterday and I didn't have any motivation to go out to the cold side of the barn and work on anything so I found this to mess with. Fuel, valve cover breather, and water pump braided line material should be here within a day or two and I'll go ahead and make those pieces while I have some time. Will make it go together faster when the engine is ready. 

(https://i.postimg.cc/vTdfgXwy/Progress-1-10-22.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/63ZCpgSz/Progress-1-10-22-2.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: bobb428 on February 28, 2022, 12:16:18 AM
Carbs fit under that scoop?
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on February 28, 2022, 04:57:04 PM
They fit perfect! Tunnelport intakes are shorter than you would figure, within a 1/4" height of a medium riser 2x4 C7ZX intake. I need to make one small cut in the back of the opening because the rear vent tube touches it. The hood wont go down with those blue and black carb hats on there.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: bobb428 on June 25, 2022, 07:54:15 PM
Any news on the engine?
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on June 28, 2022, 04:22:50 PM
Yeah I have a bit of news, most is good.....

Got the engine block back from Madcap, they bored and honed it out to 4.31". We did this because the most readily available ring size we could find was a 4.31" big block Chevy setup. So this is a 496" engine now. The bottom end is ready to final clean and assemble now.

The heads are under the knife....they wouldn't hold a pressure test, were leaking from the intake seats. We have a guy in Fort Collins that is going to fix them and do a valve job. Hopefully get those buttoned up within a few weeks and we can assemble this thing.

I'd love to hear it run by August.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: bobb428 on December 10, 2022, 02:51:37 AM
I thought this was a Blair Patrick engine? What happened with it?
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on April 04, 2023, 02:45:04 PM
I haven't updated this in quite some time..... feels like we've been making positive progress recently. The engine received a new set of tunnelport heads, these were hand ported by my uncle and look to flow very well. 390cfm on the intake side, 237 on the exhaust. I'll update again when we have this thing on the dyno.

The downtime has allowed me to make some modifications to the car and to take care of some maintenance. I shipped the brakes off to TBM this week to have serviced. Funkhouser Racecars makes Cal-trac lower brackets that relocate the shocks, I got those installed and made some frame mounting points. I have Viking double adjustable shocks on the way to replace the Calvert gas shocks. I'm kicking around the idea of installing a rear anti roll bar, but that's only if we're dealt even more downtime.

Also, the car got to be the feature of my nephews 1st birthday party. Being up on the lift, the car lent itself as a banner hanger for the party  ;D

(https://i.postimg.cc/hGrsSLh7/IMG-5075.jpg) (https://postimages.org/) (https://i.postimg.cc/fLqvdMcz/IMG-5080.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/3NyFCz1g/IMG-5143.jpg) (https://postimages.org/) (https://i.postimg.cc/3RxBWkDf/IMG-5145.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: jayb on April 04, 2023, 03:49:09 PM
Car looks great. 390 cfm out of tunnel port heads is really good!
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on April 06, 2023, 10:48:09 AM
Thanks Jay. The short turn is where 80% of the flow is gained on that head. Bob wore himself out getting the head flowed. I think he had the head on and off the flow bench 100 times making very slight changes to the short turn, afraid of going too far. I'm excited to see how it pans out on the dyno.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mike7570 on October 04, 2023, 11:10:57 PM
Any dyno numbers?
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on October 05, 2023, 11:26:54 AM
Any dyno numbers?

Mike, as the saying goes "if it wasn't for bad luck I would have none at all". The heads were ported and showed great flow numbers, we were very thrilled to get the engine going. Our friend John digitized the ports and CNC'd the rest of the ports. WELL, out of 8 holes, 1 of them got into a water jacket. That deflated us quite a bit. We didn't want to send another head out there and potentially ruin another very expensive tunnelport head.

There's more to this story that I hope we can share soon. But we're working on a resolution. In the meantime the car is parked at my house and I'm continuing to pick away at things that I can make nicer.

(https://i.postimg.cc/8zgv4gLT/20230826-123532.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mike7570 on October 05, 2023, 02:32:37 PM
Ouch, I feel your pain. When I had a shop working on the BBM lifter bores for my new trick DLC coated shell lifters they hit a thin spot and broke into the water passage. The solution was to sleeve the lifter bores with bronze bushings which required cutting farther into thin area. It was after installation we found the lifters were misidentified and would not fit the bores. Trying to get new lifters after Covid was impossible and I finally found a solution with a Chrysler lifter. That hiccup took 17 months to sort out.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: Heo on October 05, 2023, 05:08:50 PM
Mike, If you get hold of some that have a Castolin metalspray equipment
they can fix that
https://www.castolin.com/products-finder?filters=field_product_type,Flame+Spray+Equipment
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: Tunnelwedge on October 06, 2023, 05:35:30 AM
Thanks guys!

Yes coming out real nice. What’s with the motor mounts they are kinda funky lookin. Whatever happened to the motor getting dynoed with the different intakes

The motor mounts came with the car. They are solid fairly lightweight fabricated mounts. I just tossed the bolt through them and placed them there for now so they don't get lost. Engine had some trouble on the dyno. We ordered new pistons and rings for it, waiting on those to come in and we'll try over again. One step forward two steps back.
The car looks spectacular.
Those engine mounts look like they will lift the engine up some. The stock mounts are lower. I have a Z's crossmember in my 68. It replaces the stock crossmember and ties the lower control arm eccentric bolt into the crossmember. I has locks for the eccentric bolt also. It also gave me the clearance I needed for my Canton T oil pan and screen. I did not get the jack pad. It does not clear the Canton on a 427. I have the Arning/Shelby drop as well and drive around with -2* of camber and love it. My car is more a road/off road tow car. Your car looks like a wheelie machine, but it may still help.

https://opentrackerracing.com/shop/mustang-streetcompetition-cross-member-fits-hi-po-boss-302-shelby-gt350gt500-1967-1970/
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on October 06, 2023, 10:30:13 AM
Thanks, I'll look into this! A jack pad under there would be nice.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on October 25, 2023, 09:28:17 AM
New shocks and leaf spring sliders are complete now. I'm starting to run low on miscellaneous to-do's. I might install my dummy block and mount up the trans so I can handle trans cooler stuff next.

(https://i.postimg.cc/X76n99C7/IMG-7116.jpg) (https://postimages.org/) (https://i.postimg.cc/mgbR5Rjv/IMG-7117.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: Tunnelwedge on October 27, 2023, 05:30:51 AM
With the new Vikings the piston looks like it is pretty much all the way down at ride height.
Compared to the Calvert shock which show the piston about halfway in the tube .
I don't see that you would have much if any travel.
Is there something I'm not seeing?
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on October 27, 2023, 08:08:50 AM
The downward travel of the suspension is very limited. I still have about 1" of adjustment on the lower brackets that I can lower the body of the shock down and extend the shock out if necessary. I was going to wait until the engine and trans are in the car to see how all this stuff shakes out.

With the Calvert bars, when launched the rear end will separate from the body. So 80% of the shock movement is extension.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on October 27, 2023, 08:10:33 AM
Also, in the above pictures, the suspension was in full droop with the calvert shocks on it. I only set the shocks up to have about 1" or 1-1/2" of shock showing at ride height.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on April 02, 2024, 08:39:24 AM
It's been a bit since I've put much effort into the race car. I decided a few weeks ago to complete an engine. I had been waiting on our new head castings to come out and put on this short block, but made the choice to put a normal set of edelbrocks on it and will switch them out when our castings are here.

Here's some of the progress as of recent.
-Engine is together, waiting on a torque converter now, then I can drop it in.
-Rear leaf sliders are installed
-trans brake is figured out

(https://i.postimg.cc/wv3mXDqW/IMG-8067.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
(https://i.postimg.cc/tTfV2779/IMG-7945.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
(https://i.postimg.cc/W4Nr4QQc/IMG-7085.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
(https://i.postimg.cc/GpXDTXC8/IMG-7174.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)



Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: TimeWarpF100 on May 07, 2024, 09:07:16 AM
I haven't updated this in quite some time..... feels like we've been making positive progress recently. The engine received a new set of tunnelport heads, these were hand ported by my uncle and look to flow very well. 390cfm on the intake side, 237 on the exhaust. I'll update again when we have this thing on the dyno.

The downtime has allowed me to make some modifications to the car and to take care of some maintenance. I shipped the brakes off to TBM this week to have serviced. Funkhouser Racecars makes Cal-trac lower brackets that relocate the shocks, I got those installed and made some frame mounting points. I have Viking double adjustable shocks on the way to replace the Calvert gas shocks. I'm kicking around the idea of installing a rear anti roll bar, but that's only if we're dealt even more downtime.

Also, the car got to be the feature of my nephews 1st birthday party. Being up on the lift, the car lent itself as a banner hanger for the party  ;D

(https://i.postimg.cc/hGrsSLh7/IMG-5075.jpg) (https://postimages.org/) (https://i.postimg.cc/fLqvdMcz/IMG-5080.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/3NyFCz1g/IMG-5143.jpg) (https://postimages.org/) (https://i.postimg.cc/3RxBWkDf/IMG-5145.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

I like the old Merc in background!   I thought I posted about it but cannot find a post I made. Will start a new thread.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on July 19, 2024, 07:35:00 AM
Engine and trans are in. Ready for final wiring, loaded up and taken back to my friend Taylor's shop to finalize all the loose ends that couldn't be done before the engine was dropped in.

Wiring should be done today, then the laundry list of final details can be handled. Still need drive shaft, shifter cable, radiator hoses, simple stuff.

 (https://postimages.org/) (https://i.postimg.cc/vmxSw9tc/IMG-8784.jpg)  (https://postimages.org/)(https://i.postimg.cc/gkMMw4Mx/IMG-8793.jpg)[/url]

 (https://postimages.org/) (https://i.postimg.cc/kXM1XLyr/IMG-8796.jpg)  (https://postimages.org/)(https://i.postimg.cc/6qtHZPJv/IMG-8809.jpg)[/url]

 (https://postimages.org/) (https://i.postimg.cc/C57cs4S6/IMG-8839.jpg) (https://i.postimg.cc/VsWZwznB/IMG-20240711-082707630.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: Tommy-T on July 19, 2024, 11:36:10 AM
The car looks great.
I see that you're running a Port-O-Sonic intake. I've run them with pretty good results as well.
Noticed the weld built up on the intake runner near the valve cover rail. Is there a modification you do that necessitates this build up?
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on July 19, 2024, 01:03:08 PM
The car looks great.
I see that you're running a Port-O-Sonic intake. I've run them with pretty good results as well.
Noticed the weld built up on the intake runner near the valve cover rail. Is there a modification you do that necessitates this build up?

This is an intake that was ported and I believe the top of the intake runner gets a little thin in that area so it was built up. We intend on putting a 2x4 tunnel wedge intake on this car, but for getting the car alive we have a 1x4 carb that has already run with this engine on the dyno. We're using this intake for now to give ourselves less variables starting out.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: bobb428 on July 28, 2024, 10:55:27 AM
Looking good!
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on July 28, 2024, 04:51:37 PM
Looking good!

Thanks Bob. I was hoping to have this on the track much sooner, but same as all of our projects, it snowballed. You'll have to see it when we have it running, you'll probably be one of the few that can notice all of the work that's gone into it.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: BIGBLOCKHEAD on July 29, 2024, 04:12:59 PM
Since Bandimere folded, where are planning to run it?
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: Stangman on July 29, 2024, 10:32:43 PM
Speaking of Bandimere the new track they are supposed to be building any word on when and where it’s gonna be done.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on July 30, 2024, 10:03:37 AM
Since Bandimere folded, where are planning to run it?

Funny enough, I'm living in Tulsa right now, I was sent down here for a project. SO, once the car is running I'm hoping to have my dad/uncle trailer it down here and we can sort the car out here. I've been to the track already to check it out, it's a pretty easygoing place. Seems like a good spot to shake the car down.

As far as Bandimere track rumors go.... I've heard their proposed location is Hudson, CO, which happens to be about 15 mins from my house. So I'm ecstatic about the track change if it truly gets moved to Hudson.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mike7570 on September 20, 2024, 03:45:44 PM
Any updates, running yet?
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on September 23, 2024, 09:34:58 AM
Hey Mike. The car is back from wiring, we're down to a manageable checklist of things to check off before its running. I was home from Tulsa last month and tried to pick at some things, I got stuck with the water pump inlet fitting. My fitting hits the ear on the front cover for the fuel pump. I've been pestering the family from down here to keep plugging away at it, I don't think they have touched it.

I did get to check out an NHRA divisional race this weekend at Tulsa Raceway Park. No FE's in stock or super stock  :( 
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mike7570 on September 23, 2024, 11:10:47 AM
Yeah, I had to get a smaller diameter fitting because of the same problem. Then you have to find a hose that works with the smaller diameter. I think I have a part number of the hose I used somewhere if you need it.
Did you repair the heads? Or going with your new production ones after they’re finished?
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: jayb on September 23, 2024, 12:18:17 PM
Hey Mike. The car is back from wiring, we're down to a manageable checklist of things to check off before its running. I was home from Tulsa last month and tried to pick at some things, I got stuck with the water pump inlet fitting. My fitting hits the ear on the front cover for the fuel pump. I've been pestering the family from down here to keep plugging away at it, I don't think they have touched it.

I did get to check out an NHRA divisional race this weekend at Tulsa Raceway Park. No FE's in stock or super stock  :(

Mike, if that water pump is a CVR pump with my adapters, the long water pump inlet fitting will hit the fuel pump ear on the timing cover.  You either need the short water pump inlet fitting, or you need one of my 14002 timing covers, which are designed for use with electric fuel pumps and have the fuel pump boss on the timing cover deleted.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on September 23, 2024, 04:03:28 PM
Hi Jay, I already have the hoses made up, but my mistake was mocking them up without the front cover on the mock-up block. I used this fitting:

https://www.cvrproducts.com/product/16an-long-black/

I started with the short style fitting, but the AN female fitting hits the pump body as you tighten it. That's why I went for the long fitting. Turns out a medium length fitting would be about right.

Instead of remaking the hoses, I think I'm going to cut that ear off a spare front cover and weld the hole shut. Not too big of a setback. Just a bit of time to get the damper back off and the water pump off.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on September 23, 2024, 04:05:34 PM
Did you repair the heads? Or going with your new production ones after they’re finished?

This engine just has a set of ported edelbrocks on it. The goal is to build something pretty serious with our MR heads and run that. And in the future maybe something even more serious with the TP heads.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: jayb on September 23, 2024, 04:36:40 PM
I see, didn't realize you were using AN fittings.  The one at the link below will work, but it's for a regular rubber hose.  Cutting the ear off the timing cover, or using one of my 14002 covers, is the right solution for using AN line - Jay

https://www.cvrproducts.com/product/1-%c2%bd-hose-short-length-blue/
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mike7570 on September 23, 2024, 05:13:20 PM
I think I misspoke now that Jay mentioned it, I think it was the shorter fitting not narrower. I used rubber hose and clamps and it's a little more challenging getting the clamps on and a good seal.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on July 21, 2025, 11:09:23 AM
I've been putting fairly solid effort towards the race car recently. I had the rear end out of it to change gear ratios, inspected everything, and had a driveshaft made. This weekend filled it with fuel, ran the fuel pump and checked for leaks. Put water in it, ran the water pump and checked for leaks. Wired up the starter and cranked it over, everything sounds good. Put fresh oil in it and cranked it over quite a bit while lashing the valves. We're real close! I need to get a couple wires run from the coil to the MSD box and then build a set of spark plug wires and we should be ready to fire it. It's down to a checklist of items before we can try it out on a track. I'll likely take it to a chassis dyno first to run it on that and prove everything out before jumping onto the race track.

(https://i.postimg.cc/15WFvmfq/IMG-1126.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/jSL79p7k/IMG-1722.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/wjZmdw5x/IMG-1738.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mike7570 on July 21, 2025, 03:57:23 PM
What gear did you change to?  My 4.86 gears are a little steep. I’m changing the tire to the smaller roll out 30” Hoosier radial as soon as I get a chance.  The 9x28’s on there now put me through the lights about 7,600rpm, it should drop to around 7,300 or so with the change.
My best run so far has been 10.23 at Pomona Winternationals. My goal after I get settled at the new house in Arizona is to order some REF headers and put the radials on and hope with some tuning pick up a couple of tenths to get to 1.00 sec. under in A/SA.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on July 22, 2025, 08:18:24 AM
What gear did you change to?

Hi Mike! For this engine that we're starting with I had to go with a 4.11. The engine makes peak power at 5800-5900 and don't want to spin it much past 6300. The car had 4.86's in it when we got it and that was going to be way too much for this engine.

The 30" Hoosier tires you're explaining is what I believe we have on this right now. Funny I was actually thinking of going the other way and running a 275/60/15 because they are more common. I had talked to Matt Keiser at the FERR in Indiana and there was a specific Mickey Thompson compound that he had luck with and I was going to match his setup. We'll run these ones to start though, I plan on making changes progressively as we go.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on July 28, 2025, 09:03:46 AM
We had a solid weekend here with only one snag. I was able to get everything buttoned up and get the car ready to fire. When checking timing the distributor was not moving freely, it's an MSD distributor. Scratched my head and inspected everything. I could see a spot on the distributor where it was hanging up on the intake manifold. We had a stock Ford distributor on the bench and I dropped that one in there, moved just fine, no issue. SO I spend a while whittling on the MSD distributor to skinny it back to the Ford distributors spec.

I was able to get it all timed in yesterday by myself, but had nobody there to help me start it up, so that'll have to wait until my dad and I both have a free night this week. Spent the rest of my day yesterday cleaning up the barn and dusting off cars.

(https://i.postimg.cc/5tPKL26t/IMG-1777.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/nzgdSSKb/IMG-1780.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/85jKHg6m/IMG-1778.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: cjshaker on July 28, 2025, 07:33:02 PM
Looking good, Mike. You've gotta be getting excited...and a bit nervous, being at the stage you are.
Where did you find the Hooker race headers? Just a lucky score?
Be cautious on the chassis dyno. I could be mistaken, but I thought slicks and chassis dyno rollers didn't get along very well.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: Stangman on July 29, 2025, 11:23:28 PM
Hey Mike were was the distributor hitting. Was it a depth problem. Had one that was scratching the pad in the block where the skinny part goes through.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on July 30, 2025, 10:15:43 AM
Doug, I spent a little time yesterday looking up the chassis dyno w/ slicks dilemma. From what I can read, we will need to make sure the tires are pumped up. Seems that issues happen when the tires are deflated to typical track pressures and then you squeeze them down on to the rollers with ratchet straps. The sidewalls hate it. I watched a few videos of it going very bad. We have radials on the back, I read a bunch of commentary that people have no issues with radials....as long as they have enough air in them.

Joe, the interference with the distributor was right at the intake manifold. Where the rubber seal is. The landing right below the rubber seal was rubbing on the intake. At first I thought I didn't set the intake correctly, but I took the seal off and looked around it, it was tight everywhere. I really should have disassembled the distributor and put it in the lathe, but I was too impatient for that, belt sander to the rescue.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on July 30, 2025, 05:11:00 PM
Where did you find the Hooker race headers? Just a lucky score?

Headers are from REF in Arizona. They aren't the cheapest, but they fit the best!
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on July 31, 2025, 07:53:59 AM
We were able to get it running last night. No mishaps, I was relieved!

https://youtube.com/shorts/fu0Kwx_YxcQ?si=K681c-bybmrbtNkO
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: WConley on July 31, 2025, 08:39:09 AM
Nice Mike!  Looks and sounds great  ;D
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: Stangman on July 31, 2025, 10:08:57 AM
What a relief.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: 427Fastback on July 31, 2025, 11:32:10 PM
Very nice...Thinking I see a Cougar GTE sitting in the shop...
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mike7570 on October 12, 2025, 02:04:16 PM
Mike, any test runs on the Mustang yet?  I see you added the leaf spring rear slider from Calvert. Do you know the theory behind how they work? Is it a better set up than stock style hangers?
Also I couldn’t tell if you have stock or reinforced spring perches. I was using the stock 9” perches and a couple of weeks ago at a double divisional race my 60ft went away and traction became erratic. When I got the car home the perches were smashed on the back side and gapped off the axel in front, my Cal-Trac U bolts also look bent. I’m pulling everything apart for repairs and was looking at the rear sliders.
Thanks, Mike Gray
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on October 14, 2025, 08:37:50 AM
Mike, it's now sitting in the barn ready to head to the chassis dyno. Trying to coordinate a day between my friend Taylor and me to both have a day off that we can take it over there and work through it.

The spring perches are reinforced, yes. That was done when we got the car. We had the same experience on our black Mustang about 10 years ago. It squashed the spring perches and the whole rear end rotated. It put the yoke right up into the floor.

I'm not sure if they care in stock class which style perches you use, but I was going to use these on my Fairlane. They eliminate the u-bolt:
https://www.funkhouserracecars.com/collections/frontpage/products/through-bolt-spring-perches
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on October 14, 2025, 09:08:53 AM
I see you added the leaf spring rear slider from Calvert. Do you know the theory behind how they work? Is it a better set up than stock style hangers?
I’m pulling everything apart for repairs and was looking at the rear sliders.
Thanks, Mike Gray

From my understanding it frees up the leaf spring and lets it move in the direction its looking to go, whereas a normal hanger rotates in a circular motion. When I set those up I made it to where the track on the slider points directly at the front spring perch. So if you were to take a laser or a string and run it along the slider path, it would point you right at the front spring perch. That allows the leaf spring to bow downward and the back of the spring narrows along the set plane of the spring. With a shackle, once the back of the spring narrows enough, it will begin to lift up along the motion of the shackle (and work against rear end separation). Not sure if this is making sense as I type it, seems easier to explain by drawing a picture.

I found this picture. This helps show what I mean I think.
(https://i.postimg.cc/BnTWpqwL/LEAF-6.gif) (https://postimages.org/)

There are also companies that make dropper sliders which will assist in rear separation. I didn't see any need of doing something as radical as that.
https://www.lpracing.net/product-page/rear-leaf-spring-separation-sliders

I'm not sure if you can run sliders in stock class?? But if this helps....when I pulled apart our car to put these sliders on, I found that large sleeves had been cut into the frame. It had polyurethane bushings in it that had been greased like crazy. Took me a while to clean up! I'm assuming they did this to allow the shackle to move as freely as possible.
(https://i.postimg.cc/BnBmVt5N/IMG-7085.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mbrunson427 on October 14, 2025, 09:12:25 AM
Mike, I wrote a reply on the previous page as well about the perches. You might miss it because it moved on to a new page.
Title: Re: '68 Mustang Coupe Drag Car
Post by: mike7570 on October 14, 2025, 12:57:53 PM
I looked it up in the NHRA rule book for stock eliminator and it reads the stock mounting points must remain. It looks like they wouldn’t be legal.