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MII's all over

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by 5window, Apr 19, 2009.

  1. 5window
    Joined: Jan 29, 2005
    Posts: 9,514

    5window
    Member

    Just a comment. I stopped by the local McDonald's cruise-in last night-had other commitments so I couldn't take the A. There were at least 6 other A's and Deuces there when I was there and every single one ran some version of the Mustang II IFS (so do I).

    So I know that the dropped I beam, or maybe even a tube, is considered the cat's meow in many places, but at least here, on one night in April, the IFS was the thing to have.

    Fire away-but every one there seemed happy and enjoying their rides.
     
  2. hotrod-Linkin
    Joined: Feb 7, 2007
    Posts: 3,382

    hotrod-Linkin
    Member

    it's a matter of choice.i run what makes my old bones and muscles less likely to break under pressure.
     
  3. Boyd Who
    Joined: Nov 9, 2001
    Posts: 2,196

    Boyd Who
    Member

    While I prefer the look of a dropped I-beam under anything pre-35, to each their own. I can't say much anyway, I have a Corvair front end under my Essex. :p
     
  4. Mad~Max
    Joined: Jun 4, 2008
    Posts: 277

    Mad~Max
    Member

    Works great for fendered cars. I approve. :p
     

  5. scottybaccus
    Joined: Mar 13, 2006
    Posts: 4,109

    scottybaccus
    Member

    The MII was the budget entry into IFS back in the '80s, usually cut from a real MII. The '90s saw an explosion of kits using MII parts and geometry that made it affordable to do a clean and actually stronger install. The bad part of cutting the system from a real car was that it lost all the structural integrity of the unibody foundation that it was designed around. Most of those swaps were poorly done on overweight cars and showed those flaws in the bad camber and fatigue failures that followed. The advent of kits using heavier steel materials, triangulated lower arms that eliminated the strut rod and coil over conversions made the MII far better than it was.
    To understand the appeal of the MII design, you have to consider it's origins. Go back to the Falcon and 1st generation Mustangs and you see a very similar design with the coil above the upper control arm. This was state of the art in economical IFS in the very early '60s. The bad part of that system was the size of the package. It was really tall. It didn't fit into the designs of the Mustang II and Pinto that followed. By designing a more compact install around new a-arm shapes, they were able to reduce the height of the system by putting the spring and it's seat inside the upper A-arm. This allowed the nose to drop on the new body styles. This also avoided the early full size car's IFS hefty cross-member that put the spring in close to the motor. The MII was clearly an advancement over the previous design and opened an affordable door to IFS for the masses.
    The MII geometry is limited, but OK for most casual use street cars. You can get much better designs from systems like the Heidt's IFS that use wider A-arms and allow for a wider range of installed heights and better adjustability of the installed geometry.
    What the MII lacks is grace. It isn't pretty. Not in any form. The steering rack looks absolutely foriegn under any car built before 1974. It works. No doubt about that, but it looks out of place on early cars. Full fenders camoflage things somewhat, but only until you get interested in the chassis.

    I had a revelation of sorts at the Round Up yesterday. I completely lose interest in a car when it becomes clear that it was built out of a catalog. That's a dangerous statement. I buy a lot of parts from a catalog. I think the part that draws the line for me is when it is clear that almost everything not original to the car was a universal kit or bolt on. That tells me the owner or builder pieced together a car from packaged pieces. I much prefer to study an unusual, hand crafted car. Aside from that, the real difference, for me, between Street Rod and Hot Rod, is the newer tech approach to mechanicals and finished that is not harmonious with the original lines and design of a car. I have yet to see a graceful pairing of Art Deco and IFS or billet anything. For me, I am seeking cars that have been so well thought out that every detail is at home in the overall package. A truly timeless car is one that does not betray when it was constructed. Dropped axles could be last year or last century. Undropped axles could be 1910 or 2010. MII IFS really says Late 20th century in the way that pastels and velour say 1994.
     
    Last edited: Apr 19, 2009
  6. pitman
    Joined: May 14, 2006
    Posts: 5,148

    pitman

    What he said!
     
  7. HotRod33
    Joined: Oct 5, 2008
    Posts: 2,570

    HotRod33
    Member

    I had MII front end under my 48 ford truck for 15 years and I loved it. Had good brakes, good steering and it rode good. I currently have dropped axle under my 33 and I am putting a dropped axle in my model a. I still have good brakes, good steering but the ride is not as nice. The dropped axle looks better but I don't think they ride as well. Some people will disagree with that, but it is all about what the builder likes......
     
  8. IFS Mustang, and GM subframe swaps make me turn away from most pre-war cars because they just don't look right and aren't a quantum leap forward in ride or handling. I've run a lot of miles (over 50K) on a I-beam and don't see any advantage in junking up my old Fords with a floppy front end. It just isn't right!
     
  9. Mr Haney
    Joined: Jul 17, 2008
    Posts: 1,000

    Mr Haney
    Member

    they belong hidden under fenders if you must. had a 29 roadster with one hanging out in the breeze. Puke
     
  10. VonMoldy
    Joined: May 23, 2005
    Posts: 1,562

    VonMoldy
    Member
    from UTARRGH!

    If you want independant why not get one of Fatman Fab's Vintage IFS kits? It is way better looking than some square chunk of metal hanging off the front end!
     
  11. zman
    Joined: Apr 2, 2001
    Posts: 16,730

    zman
    Member
    from Garner, NC

    it's got it's own issues geometry wise. a regular straight axle is a better choice... but then we've beaten this horse to death a few times... it worse than a cat, 9 lives? more like 29...
     
  12. flatheadjunk
    Joined: Nov 10, 2006
    Posts: 288

    flatheadjunk
    Member Emeritus
    from Orange CA

    Mustang 2's belong in 1-800-street rods,just my 2 cents.
     

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