Topic: Mustang II front suspension on Pinto

[amc49]

When I first got my '80 Pinto 2.3 wagon, I took the '74 Mustang II 2.3 suspension out and put it in the Pinto. Pinto parts were dead, the Mustang parts were almost new, car taken out by hailstorm. Used the entire upper/lower control arms, rolling disc assembly and thinking strut rods too. Used Pinto springs. I remember there was something slightly different between the strut angle at the back end of struts and something about drilling a hole(s) slightly bigger to make it work, maybe the strut bolt holes in the LCA. I was surprised that the control arms all went right on, I had an idea before that time that the Mustang was a substantially stronger built car, that helped dispell a lot of that. After I lined it all up the car ran amazingly well and straight as arrow.

I was going to rebuild the Pinto 4 speed too but could not find an output shaft at the time that was not too expensive so pulled the Mustang C-3 ATX, rebuilt it and threw that in Pinto too. Wishing I'da pushed hard enough to get a pre-electronic control A4LD, they were practically giving them away back then.

[OhSix9]

The mustang was a substantially beefed up version of the pinto, 71 thru 73 cars are the original design and actually change again between 72 and 73.  the MII was released as a 74 model which means that the pinto, starting in 74 became the beneficiary of the substantial revision and re-engineering that birthed the mustang from the smaller horses parts of 73 and prior.  a lot of work was done to eliminate NVH and beef up the gear. the pinto won in a trickle down manner as it was cheaper to make both cars use the same parts bin.

[Pinto5.0]

74-80 Pinto & 74-78 MII frontend, brakes, wheels & rear axles all swap between cars.

[rramjet]

They must have done something right because I have a Mustang II type front  end in my 1950 Chevy Convertible and it rides beautifully. There are lots of others using them as well.

Didn't realize they changed between 73 and 74.

[amc49]

Yes, lots of custom rods used that front end because it was light and durable and easy to get.