Project 351
My first car was a '66 Mustang coupe – which I have become infatuated with over the course of my life. It all started with my Mother's '66 Mustang and my Grandfather's '67 El Camino. While my Mother's '66 was a six-cylinder, my Grandfather's philosophy that “V8s were for cars…” influenced my decision to buy one with a V8 and a new one I'd learned on my own, “there's no replacement for displacement,” dictated which car I would buy.
Although I originally wanted a '70 454 Corvette, I couldn't afford one at the ripe old age of 16, so I picked up a '66 Mustang with the biggest engine I could find. It would eventually become known as "the 351" because of the 351W that sat between the shock towers.
Project 351 is a continuation of that first car, a sentimental throw back to my teenage years. The general direction I'll be heading with this project is to turn it into the car I drove as a teenager, followed by suping it up the way I always wanted to.
To see the plan for each stage of the project, click the Stage links below. To get the details of each step in the project, click on the Chapter links. Check back here for updates to Project 351!
Stage 1
Stage 2
Chapter 1
A New Beginning
I knew when I was convincing myself to buy the last classic Mustang I had, that it was a mistake.
Chapter 2
The Little Engine that Could
I'd just traded the '66 GT for a new standard '66 coupe and it was a cause for celebration.
Chapter 3
The 351 Surprise
With the Project LX nightmare, I’ve had a few financial set backs that are going to really curtail what I can do with the Project 351 Mustang in Stage 2.
Chapter 4
The 351 Rides Again
...Sort of.
Chapter 5
Ahead of Schedule
Destiny and fate aren't always a project's best friends...nor the project-er – namely me.
Chapter 6
Going down Again
As the '66 idled in the Jack in the Box drive thru (and I watched the temp gauge rise while the engine spat and coughed angrily into the overflow bottle), one thing became increasingly clear to me: The running problem I'd been unable to pin down the whole time I'd owned this car was definitely caused by a bad head gasket.
Chapter 7
Project Planning
There are many things to do in preparation for a project.