Bronco standards vs Mustang

[Eoth]

I've been restoring my Grandfathers's 65 Mustang. Yesterday I got it on the road for the first time. As I drove, the temp needle keep creeping to an uncomfortable temperature.... Get it home and look at the stock setup... Old radiator, four blade fan, no shroud, can't even feel airflow through the radiator at idle. So... I hop on the Stang sites and see what they do.... Nothing!!!.... Sure you will see something with an engine swap but people are actually bragging about their tiny four-blade fan "keeping up". I dont want to "keep-up"!??? I want to destroy this concern with a rock-crawling, bullet proof, zombie killing, overkill solution! Couple of hundreds of dollars later I have a new aluminum three row high capacity radiator, "Shelby shroud", and a metal HD five blade fixed-position fan on its way. Thinking about replacing the Mustang ornament in the grill to a Bronco and see if anyone notices.... I'm sure this is just the start of applying "Bronco Standards" to the Mustang...

 

[ugly74]

I was into Mustangs long before Broncos caught my eye. From 17-24 my only car was a '70 fastback. I learned a lot beating on that car.

One thing i learned was that without a shroud, you will have heating problems!

 

[jeffncs]

I have a foot in each world with several broncos and planning a another early mustang build.

I build to the same standard of quality, fit and finish, and reliability regardless of which horse is riding on the fender and grill!

 

[ared77]

"So... I hop on the Stang sites and see what they do.... Nothing!!!"

That sentence made me want to respond. The original idea behind Mustang was to offer a basic (cheap) starting point with a long list of options so you could personalize it and make it your own. And people did! There are millions of Mustangs out there still from Mustang Club of America guideline restored perfect examples, to ones so highly modified it's unreal! It all depends on what direction you want to go with an old Mustang (or Bronco, etc) restored, resto-mod, or highly modified. Restored means put back to the way it started out. Correct stock parts, bolts, screws, everything! A hard route to take, but some do and that's great to preserve examples as they left the factory. Obviously what you start with makes a big difference! If you get lucky and buy one with low miles, and stored properly over the years it would be easier to try to "restore" than one with lots of aftermarket parts or missing parts. Someone coined the phrase "Resto-mod" a few years back for what most people do...kind of keep it somewhat stock looking but adding modern creature comforts, improved drivetrain, better cooling, braking, etc. Highly modified is just that, big supercharger through the hood or similar, you'll know it when you see it!

To say Mustang site people "do nothing" to address making improvements in cooling is just wrong. I'm glad you are fixing up your grandfathers '65 but I believe you need to look around a little more for other Mustang sites, parts suppliers, etc. You'll find many options for improving everything about the '65 are out there. Good luck!

 

[Eoth]

Certainly didn't mean to offend you or anyone else.. You are absolutely right, "nothing" is an absolute term and the topic has absolutely been broached on the internet. Thank you for the correction. I should have been more precise in my attempt to be lighthearted and be clear that in comparison to Broncos, the ratio of internet postings and product offerings on the subject is far higher weighted towards Broncos than Mustangs.

 

[jeffncs]

@Eoth

I’ve been in the mustang and bronco game a loooong time. The bronco forum is tremendously more active than my mustang sites. You’ll have 3 responses to a question here in a few hours. You’ll get answers over there, but it just takes longer to receive them.

Is it a passion thing? Age thing? Something else??? Not sure but I’m equally passionate and obsessed with both platforms.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Just trying to help with the mustang, is the concave side of the fan blade facing the engine? If it faces the radiator it will make the right noise, you will feel some air under the hood, but not move any meaningful amount of air. Some fans have a centered enough hub that they bolt up and clear everything either way. But don't move air well unless installed correctly.

 

[Eoth]

Thanks for the suggestion. You can feel the air from the fan blowing on the engine. I am probably working against an old radiator with some degree of blockage, and a fan that is drawing from the sides more than "through" the radiator. New radiators are cost competitive with a professional flush, a shroud will direct air through the radiator, and it only makes sense to me to upgrade the fan while I am at it. The only remaining subject if this doesn't fix things is circulation through the block due to water pump issues or internal blockage.

 

[Madgyver]

I was into Mustangs long before Broncos caught my eye. From 17-24 my only car was a '70 fastback. I learned a lot beating on that car.

One thing i learned was that without a shroud, you will have heating problems!

351C4V?

i have this R-code

 

[Broncobowsher]

Thanks for the suggestion. You can feel the air from the fan blowing on the engine. I am probably working against an old radiator with some degree of blockage, and a fan that is drawing from the sides more than "through" the radiator. New radiators are cost competitive with a professional flush, a shroud will direct air through the radiator, and it only makes sense to me to upgrade the fan while I am at it. The only remaining subject if this doesn't fix things is circulation through the block due to water pump issues or internal blockage.

I would suggest checking the fan for proper installation before upgrading to an inferior fan.

 

[ugly74]

351C4V?

i have this R-code

That's beautiful! But no, my 70 was just a fairly healthy 302, C4 car. With a 2.79 rear! Pokey AF off the line, but was a terror on the highway.
My dad had a '70 mustang grande that we put a 351 4v and C6 into and it was a monster.

 

[rheiser]

For the collective amusement of the thread. Me (on driver's fender) and a buddy ~1987, hanging out being 80s dudes.

 

[RM70]

Most now will just recommend adding a shroud and checking to make sure you have the correct temp thermostat. I don't have a shroud on my 66 but I do have an electric fan and a slightly larger aluminum radiator.

 

[DirtDonk]

~1987, hanging out being 80s dudes.

Great picture!
80s dudes indeed

 

[matts460]

Should be pulling enough air through to hold a piece of paper against the radiator at idle. I do not have a fan shroud on any old ford I own, that includes my 460, 390, and my 302. All have 190 thermostats and run 180 after warm up. If your moving past 25mph the fans do nothing. Really only for idle. Now I will say my 460 has a heavy duty 7 blade flex fan and is and inch from the 2 row aluminum radiator, it will hold a grease rag against radiator at idle. My bronco has no shroud, aluminum 2 row rad, and stock fan, never overheats. The 390 has stock copper/brass rad, and stock fan, and they all take awhile to get warmed up, (My Dad always says cold blooded Fords!).

 

[ntsqd]

Well, of course they would. That's a cooling system and tuning concern, not engine combination design!
You've forgotten just how much waste heat is ejected by the oil pan.

 

[mustanggarage]

you are about 10 years too late to expect the same kind of response on the mustang forums as the bronco forums. I got my first mustang in in 1986 and from about 95-2010 the mustang world was on fire. there were tons of aftermarket companies specializing in mustang parts and the forums were crazy active. now the bronco is in its heyday. and most of the mustang conversation is now on facebook. I hardly ever visit the mustang forums I used to be on everyday back then. but I still interact with people on facebook and people are still modifying and improving them. its just the Bronco is more popular nowadays BTW I still have that 65 mustang, and the 67 I built with my daughter. I have had others, but those two I still have.

 

[EFI Guy]

Not to sound like a shameless plug here. But I run the Explorer components in everything I own with a SBF. But it's not just for the EFI. The Explorer fan is better, the alternator is better, the water pump is less likely to leak, the power steering pump is better, and the shorter front dress makes it more enjoyable to work on if needed.
Unless you've got something super rare that should be left 100% original, anything is forgivable (except a GM engine swap).

 

[ntsqd]

IMO the Explorer water pump and timing cover design is the best that Ford has ever made. They should have done it like that in 1962. It is worth doing the conversion just to get that design.

 

[MarsChariot]

The cool thing about Broncos is that while originally can be a fun thing to work with and we all appreciate it, modified Broncos command equal respect. They are dirt and rock vehicles and a certain amount of that usage is expected. And many of us use ours that way, as well as completely capable daily drivers. We can show up at an event with a dent and scrape and the comments are along the lines of "wow, how big was the rock, dude?" A fleck of dust in the paint on a Mustang is cause for concerns and shaking heads. That said, everybody likes the pristine, too.