All Small Six 1965 Ford Mustang Coupe 6 cylinder 170ci engine performance upgrades

[Meffords]

Hi, I am a college student who has gifted a 1965 Ford Mustang Coupe with a 6 cylinder 170ci engine and manual 3 speed transmission from my grandfather. I am very new to working on cars and know little to nothing, I have been learning by essentially reading and watching youtube videos online. This car had been sitting in my grandfathers sideyard for 30 plus years not running. After replacing many of the needed parts under the hood, I was able to get the car driving again.

My end goal with the vehicle would be to swap the transmission for a manual trans and 6I engine for a v8; however, this is extremely expensive and I do not have the knowledge to do this at this point. I am slowly upgrading the necessary accessories to accommodate a v8, starting with disc brakes, steering, and suspension. Most of the problems I have run into are finding the correct parts at the right price. The latest issue has been finding a new 9" rear end for the car. What I would like to start with on my way to fully restoring this car is an upgrade to the performance of the engine that is in it now. I am unable to personally take the engine out of the car as I do not have the space, the knowledge, nor the tools to do so.

I briefly understand the fastest and easiest ways of upgrading the 170ci's performance would be a thorough cleaning of the cylinders/engine and upgrading the intake and exhaust. Once again, I am a college student and have a capped budget. I am hopefully looking for advice, part suggestions, questions to ask, types of mechanics to go to for things that I shouldn't maybe be doing myself, criticism, etc...

Here are some pictures of the vehicle right when I had first gotten the engine running again. A couple of the parts you see in the engine might be slightly out of date.
Thank You for the help

 

[wme013]

IMHO unless you a street racer forget the v8 and 9"
A 4 speed is a good plan, the hop-up parts for the 170 will work on a 200. So easy upgrade is the 200. Good exhaust and a 2v conversion
A cam maybe. A 150hp in an early Mustang is a fun ride
With a 6 cylinder, you have 4 bolt hubs, so ScareBird disc brakes are an easy-up (cheap) upgrade. I seem to remember that aluminum finned rear brake drums from a Datsun 240Z are almost a bolt-on.
OK, it goes and it stops. Now make it handle, all new suspension bushings, the Shelby drop, bearing spring perches and idler arm, KYB shocks. Life is good.
All this would make for a seriously fun budget car. If you just gotta have it the V-8 stuff can come later.
Except for the 200 and the 2v conversion, this is all weekend at a time conversion steps.

 

[bubba22349]

What is going to be your budget for these improvements and what is the goal performance wise for your Mustang? Installing a 9 inch in your car is going to cost a lot since only a handful (of very rare models such as the GT 350's came with a 9 inch) all the other 1965 & 1966 Mustangs that came stock with a 260 or 289 V8 used the 8 inch rear axles witch can easily handle 400 HP and more with the right parts, if you find one of those it's a bolt in job. So then if you really have to have a 9 inch that leaves getting a housing shortened and new axles made, or getting a compleate new 9 inch custom made. Congratulations on your new Mustang and that's such a wonderful gift from your Grandfather! Best of luck on your Mustang there is much that can be done to make those 170 or a 200 six perform and the 1965 & 1966 Mustangs can be made handle very well and drive better with just a few mod's, much of it dosent need to cost very much or it can also be done a little at a time.

 

[bmbm40]

What a great gift! That is the exact Mustang I would like to have, simple and fun and always rising in value.
If you convert to an 8 you will have to cut out the old and weld in new motor mounts, replace the radiator and possibly the core support, replace the front springs, front hubs/brakes, 5 lug wheels all in addition to the 9" axle. Plus find a v8 and v8 trans and new driveline. So how fast do you need to go because you are looking at several thousand so far plus a lot of time. Not trying to discourage you or talk you out of it but the already suggested warmed up 200 will drop right in and will perform close to what a stock 289 could do. If it was mine and the 170 was in good condition I would consider a larger carb, either a DSII or Pertronix ignition, header and some good tuning work and what is known as a T5 transmission. Also the suggested handling upgrades and you will have a fun daily driver with decent performance for any freeway driving and good mileage. You would have money left over for exterior and interior restoration.
There is a good resource for exactly where you are with your Mustang called the Falcon Performance Handbook and you may want to get it. Very reasonably priced under $30. Good luck.

 

[chad]

"...know lill to no thing..."
I would not agree. U have gotten too far to say that. Esp w/goin ta zoom college simultaneously, no fun.
And,
I'd recommend some "pre work". When I hired painting corntactors for my jobs I'd see them futz around and futz around. Usta p!55 me off. Seemed like they never got to painting then presto they were done. I asked Mike my main man who'd bring ina crew "Wuzz Up?" He said "90% of every job (ever our new construction) is prep". We got the same here. Like school there's lotsa research. I've learned to love it. Here we use 2 sources minimum:
the above

Classic Inlines

and

The Ford Falcon SIX Cylinder PERFORMANCE HANDBOOK | Vintage Inlines

The Ford Falcon SIX Cylinder Performance Handbook has 107 pages of History, Facts, and Information to help you get more power out of your small Ford SIX. This engine was used in Falcons, Mustangs, Fairlaines, and Comets in the 60’s. It was the FoMoCo workhorse in Mavericks, Granadas, and...

www.vintageinlines.com

Many get into a project w/out IDing what they have (over 50 y/o which may have had many prts changed) and "the Handbook" can help show U what U have. Start at the beginning, not middle. More research to show what is possible w/that - ign tune, then onto carb. May B after getting what U have to it's optimum - U wanna go 'higher'? Then cam, valves, etc...more? a trip to the machine shop? After - a carb upgrade, etc, etc. 'The Handbook' can guide all that ID, upgrade, make choices...save, drive it daily, a plan, incrementally build toward what U want..

Anyway the main point I wanted to stress is a plan. One that is well thought out, formed on good info, carried out to the end, no changes mid stream (just means no due diligence, poor research/planning, think its time to go in nother direction) and a resulting hack job. Seen too many of 'em - time, $ wasted. Thats only 1 prt ofa mechanic's, a builder's, restorer's job. But a necessary and important one. HTH & is not patronizing...

 

[John Ha]

That's a great gift. I sincerely wish you well with it.

I will offer what follows based on my experience so please don't be offended.

When I bought mine, someone had already converted it to a V8 but they'd not done a very good job in a couple of key areas, which ended up costing me a lot of money and time to fix their errors. I'm not suggesting that you'd fudge it up, but unless you're an ace mechanic with years of experience I don't think I'd recommend doing it. If you take it to someone else who's not familiar with 50 year old Ford cars, you have basically the same problem.

The point I'm hoping to convey is that it's much easier and much less expensive to buy a V8 Mustang than it it to convert one from a 6 to a V8. May I suggest that you stick with the 6 and learn with it? When you feel confident in your skills and knowledge, go for some other vehicle that better suits your wants.

I don't understand your comment about the 9" rear. The I-6 cars came with a 7.5" rear (except for a few very early cars that had 7.25" units). The stock V8's, with the exception of the Shelbys and the HiPos, came with 8" rears. The 8" is lighter and I've found that it is very sturdy and is more than adequate for street driving on street tires even with a fairly stout 351 engine. So maybe you could do a little more research in that area before you buy.

Hope this helps some

 

[Wayne clark]

Hi first let me say you should thank you grandfather everytime you see him along with a hug( he would probaly like that more than you know). Second thing is what you have is an ICONIC car that is economical & relatively easy to work on should be just the thing for a young college student on a no extra money budget.

Let me say I'm 69 & have fooled with old cars since I was about 13. What you want to do is great but after haveing did this untold number of times as a teenager I say work on what you have, save yourself lots of work and money.

I presently own& drive a 67 Mustang vert 200/c4 with a lot of mods you can check her out in I belive the eye candy or showcase

Lots of guys swear by the stock what ever but here are my suggestions. Brakes they suck try to get disc on the front along with a dual master cyl. If you find a conversion check on rim s that fit it. Modern tires again those skinny tires suck especially on a wet road.

Make sure all the ign system is as good as it can be. Personally I alway try to install Blue Streak points & condensors. Put some new plug wires& dist cap on also. While the dist cap is off use a socket and pullhandle on the crankshaft damper to rock the eng slightley back & forth the rotor button should move with the crank any delay in movement is a sign of a streched timing chain. If that's the case replace it fairley easy & cheap. It will still run in what you think is a ok fashion with it but better if fixed.

Your next step should be more gas & better exhaust system . Do your research , make you plans, save up & do it. Remember no one has to like that car or what you do to it but you . Also remember it's not like a modern car & has basically no safety features on it so drive accordingly. With basic maintenance it should take you through college & beyond. Best of luck.

 

[xctasy]

Welcom here. Youll like it!

When I was 15 to 23 in 1985 to 1993, I had a low compression 138 cube six cylinder 1958 car. Back then, my dad had access to the best advice a young guy could have, a bunch of career Ford shop formen and there laccis. Everyone told me, turbo, or bigger six or V8, and whatever engine, a better axle, axle ratio, brakes, front uprights and transmission.
Get rid of the Bias plys, add disks.

As an old 51 guy now, I say keeping the numbers matching engines and basic chassis parts are important, so I would always turbocharge it lastly, but midly upgrade the front spindles, steering, brakes and axles.

Ford US Budget i6 Performance Rules are:-

Always do what you can afford after leaving it roadworthy and stock for a year.

Note that Fords stock 1 bbl and Loadomatic and transmissions and exhausts are quite possibly the worst in the world for modern gas and performance. Proping up Stock will cause that low point in Ford engineering to leave your car dead on the side of the road.

IMHO, Ignition, exhaust and Carb upgrades will be required just to make it move. Then improve it "only as circumstances allow".

I'd grab a 225 dollar BBD 2bbl Carter carb, and an adpaptor for it. The details of the swap are not here. They used to be on Fordsix, but the original poster got upset, so the updated link will be post here from Four Eyed Pride.

I'd keep the Loadomatic and 1 bbl as an emergency ignition and Carb, but talk to Billy the Distrubtor guy wsa111, and look at a DS11 or his HEi conversion. I support people who actually con tribute to keeping Fords on the road. Bill does that.

I personally would get a Taurus EDIS6 and MicroSquirt, and follow "the sameguy" crank triggred distributor-less igniton up grade. The hyperlink to it is yet again gone due to great upgrades here at FordSix but when I get back to my pc, I will try agaim at updating a link, that should work. About my 9th go at it.

For turboing, it's your only best dollar upgrade option in my opinion. Just get a 75 Coupe Boy / 67straightsix transmission adaptor and 75 CoupeBoys down pipe adaptor and run one T03 60 series turbo on the drivers side. You can run the pipe through a modified sump with a 80 mm pipe hole and a 3 inch pipe put through it.

Then add the Paxton Turbo Hat and eventually add a later model 62 cc 1980-1983 Ford E0/E1 head with the 2bbl BBD Carter and the old gutted out 4-1/4 inch 80-83 Ford iron header with its huge converter. All those parts, under 9 pounds bost, can flow about 225 hp, and with EDIS6 and MicroSquirt you have a sensational base to work with. Last step, is to Upgrade the cam from the 240 degree low rent, 370 thou lift item to a solid lifter 264-112 Clay Smith cam. The fuel pump, Id use the Carter Strip Dominator conversion 68SprintSix documented.

For gearbox, go V8 Top Loader 3.03 3 speed. For axle, put in Explorer 8.8 or Ranger 7.5 inch with limited slip differential. You get huge 11 inch disc rear brakes with 31 spline axles or the common 5 stud Ranger or 4 stud Fox Station Wagon 10 inch drums and 28 spline axles on those. The front brakes, adopt some form of V8 spec Kelsey Hayes or Mustang II/Fox replacement discs and calipers with V8 spindles. I'd personally keep the four stud 108 mm; wheel choice is European and they have great options in 2021. Back in 1974 to 2000, no one cared about 108 mm pitch four stud wheels. You can even get mutiple slot wheels that have your 4.5 inch stud patern and a 108 mm pattern on the same wheel. Offsets exist to fit 15, 16 or 17 inch wheels on your stock drum 4.5 inch bolt spacing stub axles just for now, while allowing you to go 4 or 5 stud on 108 or 4.5 inch bolt pitches later.

I'd go for a 16:1 ratio steering box with a energy absorbing column.

Then save up for an engine rebuild.

These four bearing N code 170's are able to take an insane boost in power. pistons are weak and ring gaps dont suit 9 pounds of turbo boost, but Keeping it all numbers matching means you should be able to keep it forever. In pre 65 Ford racing down here, one guy had a 280 hp 170 six with a crazy fool of seamingly out of place Weber DCOE's hanging off the left hand side of the engine. Little 170's are quite special.

 

[xctasy]

Carter 2 bbl BBD

"http://vb.foureyedpride.com/showthread.php?191000-Carter-BBD-2-barrel-on-a-200-large-log-six"


EDIS 6 Megajolt Conversion



"https://fordsix.com/threads/ford-edis.67718/"

 

[chad]

Thnx (again)
the 4eyed mod looks pretty hi, what bout hood clearence?
Same guy's EDIS is gone? Bring that back too if able as well. I thought the Hall Effect HB was the best...

 

[xctasy]

Thnx (again)
the 4eyed mod looks pretty hi, what bout hood clearence?
Same guy's EDIS is gone? Bring that back too if able as well. I thought the Hall Effect HB was the best...

Yeah, Hall Effect 62-2 balancers are great. EDIS6 and MegaJolt can use the 1984.5 to 1995 TFi trigger from the distributor. The cam synchronization drives a healthy square wave generator. The 170 and 200 sixes are just 7.8 inches tall at the engine deck, so a BBD 2bbl fits good. On 250 sixes, it's too tall for a Mustang unless some carefully work us done. But that's not a concern for the OP.

I put a good word in for Bill's distributor upgrades. Both wsa111 and also when I very asked for electronic advice from Lazy JW, the same guy, and cool27, they have helped me out. I've also had help from FalconSedanDelivery, and all the others here often, but business is always fickle, so it's important to support guys who have shared with great product.