RRS 3-link rear suspension & disc brakes packages

So I still have a lot of shopping to do with RRS, the biggest of all is the 3-link rear suspension kit. Here is a run down of the benefits of the setup.

The RRS 3-link is designed to transform the handling of an early Ford chassis to match or exceed the demands of new millennium performance production Fords.

This is accomplished by focusing on the following four criteria:

1. rear geometry and roll centre
2. suspension reaction time
3. torque transference (chassis stress management)
4. ease of installation and tuning (bolt in ride height and shock tuning.

A closer look shows the incorporation of the rear disc brakes kit which I’ll also be picking up. This rear kit uses molycarbide rotors which offer 25% improved stopping distance.

Besides the paint, this purchase will most probably be the most expensive single purchase remaining in the whole project. I’m not to sure when I can set some cash aside for it either, so it may be a good few months.

Dynacorn body shells update

It seems a lot of people are interested in the new licensed replacement Dynacorn body shells I reported on earlier.
Well Dynacorn have now come out with some details, and it seems the rumors were almost spot on.

- MSRP is $15,500 for Part # MS67FB with doors and deck lid.
- Plus a Crating and Handling Charge of $495.00. All Bodies are shipped FOB Leetsdale, Pennsylvania or Oxnard, California freight prepaid, or you could make your own freight arrangements

RRS update… Strut Brace and Under Dash Booster

Ok well i know you all may think RRS are paying me or I’m some crazy RRS fan or something like that, but i assure you that is not the case. I just find there is a lack of information on Mustang parts and news from this side of the planet.

Anyway back to business, as i mentioned last week RRS are coming out with a Shock Tower Brace and it’s confirmed that for Australia it will be available in four weeks at $AUD395 incl GST. plus delivery.

But there also is the exciting news that there will be another product ready for sale in four weeks time, the under-dash Pedal Booster/Master Cylinder which is slated for a $AUD1,500 retail plus GST and delivery.

I think this will further damage my bank account. I still have the rear brake package and rear suspension to buy.

Again both these products haven’t been advertised or featured on their site, but have been confirmed. You heard it here first.

The RetroGauge Mustang Mini-Tach for 1967 and 1968 Mustangs

Unfortunately for most 1967 or 1968 owners their car is not a GT. and therefore is not fitted with the factory GT tachometer. Those who have tried hunting one down will also know that a genuine one will cost you big dollars and even more if repairs are needed.

Fortunately one Aussie guy has come up with an alternate solution. Mike Brand is now producing and selling his Retrogauge™ Mini-Tach’s all over the world. I actually bought my original 1967 deluxe hard seat backs of Mike and i have nothing but praise for his operation.

Here’s some background information:

In my professional life I have a company which specialises in the import, design and manufacturing of automotive and marine gauges. Having worked in the instrumentation field for most of my life I figured it shouldn’t be too hard to modify or build a tachometer to suit my purpose. As most ‘67 and ‘68 Mustang owners would know, there is a location in the instrument cluster for a factory clock. The clock was an option and not that common, so the majority of the vehicles out there have nothing more than a plastic blank filling the space. Because this is centrally located, I figured it was a great spot to put the tach. The problem was I didn’t want to cut my cluster and of course I was after an authentic look.

I set about building my tach using existing tooling that we had available, which after some modification turned out to be ideal. The tach is manufactured using components from various countries but the final assembly and calibration is done under my own roof in Australia .

Mike’s novel and ingenious idea has seen him feature in Mustang Monthly so it seems to be turning a few heads. It certainly is something i would consider if i wasn’t going with the Autometer gauges but none the less it’s going to prove a great way for those who can’t find nor afford an original GT tach to have that bit of GT flare in their ride.

Basically here’s what it’s all about:

A custom designed solution for any ‘67 or ‘68 Mustang owner who has ever wanted a tachometer for their car but doesn’t want to pay an exorbitant price for a genuine GT cluster. The RetroGauge™ Mini-Tach is an ideal solution for the following good reasons:

* No cutting or modifying any part of the dash or cluster whatsoever;
* Simply replaces the plastic blank (crosshairs) or clock in the instrument cluster;
* Illuminated by the existing dash lights so no extra lighting is needed;
* Only two new wires required – one for the feed and one for the signal;
* Characters and dial emulate the existing instruments for an authentic look;
* Available in both 6000 and 8000 RPM versions (V8 only at this time);

BEFORE

AFTER

You can visit Mike here http://www.retrogauge.com/and stay tuned for a look at my original deluxe hard seat backs i bought from Mike.

RRS Tower Brace… coming soon!

There’s some exciting news this week out of the RRS stable here in Australia with word getting out they are about to add a Tower Brace and Monte Carlo bar package.

As this is a new product details are a little limited although early reports from RRS indicate that the brace will be available in about four weeks and will be priced at around $AUD400 and luckily enough I’ve gotten my hands on image of the brace.

This is great news particularly for Australian enthusiasts who previously had to look overseas for a similar brace. Personally I was leaning towards the Total Control Products (TCP) tower brace seen here.

But now with the prospect of such a quality item here in Aus it makes my decision easy.

RRS already provides advanced suspension, brake and steering conversion kits along with many other products to suit ’60 – ’87 unit body Fords and this looking like another quality product to add to their inventory.

Here’s a good visual breakdown of the products RRS already provides.

More info on the brace next week.

Projector headlight retrofit pt2

I’ve revisted this idea again which i spoke about in part one. I’m still 100% going to go with the projector headlights and have decided on the Bi-Xenon Audi RS6/A6 projectors and ballasts from HID Planet

Here’s what you get in the kit:

RS6/A6 Bi-Xenon ECE Complete System:

Complete RS6/A6 HID System comes with projectors, bulbs, ballasts, and ballast housings.

This Complete System comes with the parts needed for a full retrofit or replacement. The system comes with the following:

# RS6/A6 Bi-Xenon Projectors
# Hella Generation-3 12V Ballasts (pair)
# Philips D2S 4100K Bulbs (pair)
# Ballast Housings (pair)
# Ballast Power Leads/Pigtails

They look great I think and although there is a little bit of work in the modification, installation and not to mention wiring for the Bi-Xenon solenoid I think it’s well worth it in the end.

Now that I’ve decided on the lighting system, I have to choose the actually headlights that will be cut out and used as the housing for the projectors. What I’ve come across is the European style ‘Angel Eyes’ headlights like the Volkswagen and BMW’s use.

So basically imagine the second image with the projectors, coupled with the above image using the Angel Eye light housings. I think that will look great! although I do imagine A LOT of work on the wiring and electrics.

I think my next update on this will be when I buy the various parts. Stay tuned.

Photos courtesy of Aleks and Fastbackfreak.