I seen recently the question posed in the mag about what ought to be done with the old mustang you have, with the straight six...

Here's my .02 cents....

SURPRISE US ALL and actually build up the six... PLEASE no more boring 302/347 swaps or outrageous budget - busting all aluminum big block stuff (that no one can afford..) No nitrous, "slamming it" or ugly 20" rims either.

How about doing something unusual.. Check out www.fordsix.com and look into the Aussie crossflow head conversion... A crossflow 250 sounds interesting.. then twist it with a modern 5 speed and decent rear.. (8.8 or 9") and see what happens. It appears the head is where the power is lost on these engines, so the crossflow is a natural choice. Inline motors get a bad rap. Factory development of these engines was essentially nil, so get fabbin' and creative.. you might surprise yourself.  

I agree to a degree. I think that now that the suspension has been upgraded. Continue to upgrade with some up-dated factory parts and a few (keep it cheap) hop up parts. I like the idea of the 5 speed. It does not indicate if this car has an automatic or a stick. If it has a manual transmission then install a rebuilt T5 from one of the Mustang specialty houses. You could actually use a T5 from a Turbo-Bird to get some extra gear for better acceleration off the line. (Or install an overdrive automatic?)
Use this car to teach some old fashion basics. (ignition basics like re-curving the distributor) Exhaust system basics, alignment basics, (relocating the upper control arms for better geometry) clutch basics, cooling system upgrades, (remove the mechanical fan and install an electric cooling fan). Basic refurbishing like new rollers in the window regulators, installing new weatherstrips, aiming the headlamps after installing replacement H-4 type bulbs and the like.
I personally would like to see a baseline test with a basic tune up. An an after test. (acceleration, fuel economy, etc.) (Upgrading with 4 lug later model Mustang wheels and parts would keep the price down.) Build a cool looking daily driver with good fuel economy and respectable power. I don't know how much was spent on the car, but how about a total budget of $5,000 over the price of the car. Keep the six and work with the guys at Clifford for a manifold, carb and header. Do minor ignition upgrades like Pertronix and/or MSD ignition.
After this part is completed then maybe go for a small Nitros system.
 

The latest Mustangs and Fords mag. has an article about a 63 Falcon with a turbo'd 250. It runs in the 12's with a slightly modified stock head. They are planning to do a cross flow head mod. after a while. I bet it will go close to the 11's then.

They have a 9" rear with 3.5 gears and a five speed tranny. Everything else looks real stock and it's driven by a woman. I bet it blows the doors off many unsuspecting Chevy's.

Sweet!

Hey I wouldnt mind seeing what a guy could do with some backyard porting on the stock head.  Lets see what can be done with some simple upgrades and simple techniques.  Then watch the eyebrows get raised at the strip with the performance of a stock headed I6.

KEEP THE SIX!!!! Back it with a 5 or better yet a six speed. Make it handle like a slot car but keep it civilized enough for daily driving...think lowering it, adjustable shocks, shock tower braces, anti roll bars, urethane bushings, big assed brakes, lowish profile grippy rubber/Shelby Cobra design ultra light weight rims & anything else that'll lower unsprung weight & make it handle & carve canyons. Soup the snot outa that six but keep in mind that its NOT a drag car....its gotta have gut bucket low end torque & a power band that allows for hard acceleration outa the turns. Rear gear selction will be very important. Clean all the bling off the body & add ducts & scoops where they'll do the most good to cool brakes & get lotsa cool air into the intake. Paint it in a very utilitarian industrial solid machine gray gloss single stage enamel. Show us everything you do as the project progress's. When its finished do a tuning session on the skid pad & strip. Drive it to the supermarket & bring home a load of groceries. Then take it to Arizona & run it in The Copper State Classic & report on all the results. Oh & did I say do something interesting for a change & KEEP THE SIX!!!!!  

Amen bro.  

I see some people want to keep the six.  My question is how many people really give a damn about an in line six?  I would like to see the car turned into some kind of road racer.  I used to go watch this guy with a 66 stang race with the local road race club at an abandoned airport against Fiats and Z cars and other sewing machines.  They would wax him in the corners but you could almost smell them piss on themselves when he opened it up on the straights.  I would like to see an american car win some respect on a track that wasn't straight

I don't know if I could ever bring myself to back the idea of a 6 cylinder anything (ironic since I drive a '89 Supercoupe).  My friend bought a '68 Mustang a year ago with the 200.  When I saw the room it left in the engine bay all I could keep thinking was twin turbos...

My question is how many people really give a damn about an in line six? 

No one cares about the six because american companies gave up on inline engine performance on the late 60's. Pontiac made the boldest move towards performance with the addition of an overhead cam cross flow head with a 4 barrel atop the 250 inline 6 block. It made some really decent power and looked promising. (Much of the same attitude was applied to the 307 and 400 chevies, as the factory never offered a 4 bbl or "performace version.. so therefore they are considered "junk" by most.. however many have realised the 400's real potential..) This idea of working on the six would appeal to those who want something different and who want to blaze new trails on the development of the inline engine. How many of these v8 typical conversions have been made and how many thousands of stories were published in various magazines? How boring it is... same 'ol, same 'ol.  Why not put some of those creative minds to work coming up with something new or interesting adaptations .. how about putting the t-bird turbo stuff on the inline? or swap in a 300 FI motor from a truck? That's a ton of cubes for a six... think of the torque... (coming out of the corners on your typical road race.. )

I would like to see the car turned into some kind of road racer.  I used to go watch this guy with a 66 stang race with the local road race club at an abandoned airport against Fiats and Z cars and other sewing machines.  They would wax him in the corners but you could almost smell them piss on themselves when he opened it up on the straights.  I would like to see an american car win some respect on a track that wasn't straight

Here is where the inline would shine as well... properly built the six would torque out of the corners and be nimble as well because it would not be nose heavy. The old Z-cars were just fuel injected inlines... food for thought.

I vote they drop at least $20000 into the six...big turbo that requires a 100 shot of nitrous to spool up, efi, custom built forged crank, rods, and pistons...running at least 12:1 compression, a cam that never closes...etc...etc...etc

Question...how many of us are seriously going to use anything that is written about a six cylinder motor?  Not I...I don't plan to ever build a six...sure it'd be different...but it'll never get used...so if thats the case, then why not go all out?  Since no one has to worry about reproducing these results, then no one should care what it costs...only that it is different, fast, and cool.  

I'm actually more in favor of a vintage trans-am themed car...with a very high winding small block, very wide 15 inch diameter wheels, with that low slung evil looking stance...shelby scoops that are functional...

But hey, you all want the six...go for it

keep the six. how many more 302 buildups do we need? make me sentimental for the sound of my 258-6 powered gremlin. dual outlet headers, glass pack header mufflers...that bay was loud.  

How many people are interested in an inline six? A whole lot more than you might imagine. When one makes an inliner quick one has really accomplished something.  

I second that Amen  

Man, we're putting a late model 5.0 motor in a '64 Falcon, with the fuel injection and A.O.D. that was all bought used. We will have about $9000.00 in the car after wheels, paint and front suspension. It should run low 13's and drive anywere. Why would you ever build a six?  

I once helped a female freind pull the six out of her '70 Mustang and install a mild 302...yeah that's a boring swap, just like a Mustang is a boring car, just because there are so many of them...

Well here is the reason why there are so many of them.  It made a bitchin' car!  It was great with the six and even better with the 302. 

Maybe CC should build the six, and build a small V-8, and do a comparison.  I'd like to see that.

No I didn't get where I wanted to with the "freind".  I did with the next one though, who had a V-8 Mustang when I met her (and I'm  Chevy guy).  Any comments here about Mustangs (at least notchbacks) being girl's cars, or should I not go there?