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1968 Steering and Suspension recommendations

What kind of steering and suspension do you like?

  • Original

    Votes: 12 80.0%
  • Mustang II

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Aftermarket Rack and Pinion non Power Steering

    Votes: 1 6.7%
  • Aftermarket Rack and Pinion Power Steering

    Votes: 2 13.3%

  • Total voters
    15

68P51

Active member
Joined
Dec 31, 2007
Messages
35
I'm rebuilding my car, it has a non numbers matching engine, some aftermarket body panels, etc. That is to say it's not fully original and I just want to enjoy it and drive it not win shows or awards. Here are my options as I see it.

All original (It has disc brakes off a granada already) non power steering

Mustang II front end with power steering

Aftermarket rack and pinion power steering

Aftermarket rack and pinion non power steering

I remember I liked the way it drove down the highway before so I don't see a huge reason to change. To me it's not that bad not having power steering. It would be cheaper to get new bushings, rebuilt steering box etc. I plan on driving it 3-5 days a week and I don't care about resell value since I don't plan on selling it. What would you do?
 

Midnight Special

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 5, 2005
Messages
3,713
Location
Grass Valley, California
...Boy! 'reading back, I'd say you really had your work cut out for you. I was torn between the rack & pinion power steering and stock PS, but voted "stock"... Since you will be driving alot, I figured you would eventually wish you had PS if you didn't ;-) The Mustang II front end seems like alot of work w/o dramatic benefit (although used by many hotrodders to beef up '20s & '30s cars).

Good luck on whatever you decide and post pics!
 

franklinair

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 1, 2007
Messages
4,740
I prefer the stock suspension, with P/S, P/B.
Some folks opt for the mod that lowers the front end by repositioning the upper control arm, saying they like the lower stance & handling. For normal street driving, the stock set-up works fine for me.

Neil
 

PFSlim

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 9, 2004
Messages
1,546
Location
Weatherby Lake, MO
You really have to balance the changing of something like suspension away from original. I am all for installing new suspension to get new parts and make a safer ride but going away from original and putting something else in is a pretty serious departure away from the GT/CS. We opted to take our power steering out (it had been added), sold it to Tim, and went back to manual steer because that is what the Marti report said our car should be. Actuallly, I like the drive better of the manual steer car. But, we did it to be more like what the Marti report said it was suppose to be. - That being said, it is your car and you can do what you want with it. The most important thing is the make the car yours, build it for yourself and enjoy the piece!!

Just my two cents.
 

rvrtrash

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 25, 2003
Messages
3,649
I wouldn't go with the Mustang II front end, just because you have to cut the shock towers and weld new panels and the steering in. It's pretty hard to go back to stock if you choose from that. If you're thinking of going away from stock, I'd go with aftermarket power rack and pinion and one of the new strut suspensions. You should get the benefits of the Mustang II setup without having to butcher anything. It's all simple bolt-in. Of course this is just my opinion and worth everything you paid for it. :grin:

Steve
 

davidathans

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 25, 2004
Messages
703
Location
San Fernando Valley, California
If i had the money, i would do aftermarket power rack and pinion steering and dump thousands into my suspension :) But im settling for 1968 engineering. All i need to do is go straight anyways, quartermile at a time Hahaha
 

robert campbell

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 10, 2007
Messages
4,321
I vote with Dave and Steve. Aftermarket rack and pinion power steering! May 2007 issue of Hot Rod has a bunch of different pure bolt in options. And some solve the "ram is in the way" issue for headers. The strut system does allow for some "trimming of the shock towers' that would be great for big block owners. but not a prob for a small block car. also a bolt in!

I do not like the Mustang II appoach. Lots of cutting and welding and it removes the ability for the car to "carry" some of the front end weight to the firewall. The early Mustang forward frame rails are light weight and not designed to hold the full weight of the car without the support of the tower braces to the firewall.

Rob's 3 cents as usual.......
 

CougarCJ

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 17, 2006
Messages
2,186
I have a friend that has done the power rack and pinion conversion to his car. He really likes the system. I drove the car and it seems to have even less road feel than the original car with power steering. I would prefer a bit more steering wheel effort in the turns. Everything turns with less than one finger steering effort, I didn't care for it personally.

I am the lone vote for non-powered rack and pinion steering.
 
OP
OP
6

68P51

Active member
Joined
Dec 31, 2007
Messages
35
Yes I still have that work ahead of me, it's in the body shop right now and I'm trying to get a gameplan together for everything else. Well that pretty much confirms what I was leaning towards. At this point I'll go with the stock NP steering setup. I may do the mod with the upper control arm though, I read about it in a magazine a long time ago and heard good things about it. It has a 351w with long tube headers already so I'm not too worried about anything there, but they do hang down low at the collector side. Besides if I keep it stock and "less friendly" to drive then that gives me more incentive for an '08 GTCS as a daily driver one of these days :) Thanks for the opinions!
 
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