Upgrading your classic Ford Mustang to a modernized classic Mustang is a labor of love that you can be certain is worth it. You will undoubtedly put a lot of time, money and effort into creating the coolest looking, highest performing classic Ford Mustang on the street, but you may not be entirely sure where to start. Modernizing your classic Ford Mustang offers a ton of cool customization options.

From exterior body kits to disc brakes, the choices for classic Mustang upgrades are endless. Here are a few reasons why you should upgrade your classic Mustang.

Why Upgrade Your Classic Mustang?

First, let’s take a look at some of the reasons why you should and need to modernize your classic Ford Mustang. As a Mustang enthusiast, you’re likely aware of the issues associated with these classic sports cars. Understanding what areas to update and modernize on your Mustang is half the battle when you begin your vintage car projects.

Vintage Mustangs are great to look at and are very fun to drive, but after owning one for a while, you’ll likely begin to notice some things that you want to update or improve. To start, they are notoriously loud for drivers and passengers sitting in the cabin. The metal bodies transfer vibration and noise to the point where they can make for an unpleasant driving and riding experience. When you couple the noise with the low-back stock seats that come in the original classic Mustangs, it can make for an uncomfortable ride.

Next, since the classic Mustangs were produced in the mid-1960s and early 70s using then-current technology, they tend to have somewhat poor lighting, cooling issues and leaky power steering. These issues are prevalent with most vintage sports cars since the technology simply didn’t exist to upgrade them during the time they were produced. Updating your vintage Mustang for comfort and performance is a typical first step for most car enthusiasts looking to modernize and modify their classic sports cars.

To help improve performance plus increase your safety and comfort, consider updating your classic Mustang. Here are some of the best ways to modernize your classic Mustang.

 

Seat Swaps and Three-Point Seat Belts

The stock low-back seats in first-generation Mustangs can be quite uncomfortable. The comfortable, driver and rider-friendly bucket sports seats didn’t become popularized until the production of later generation Mustangs. After driving in your vintage first-generation Mustang for a few hours, you’re likely ready for a break from those low-back seats. Sports seat swaps are an incredibly popular option to enhance your safety and comfort in a classic Mustang.

Since the seat tracks on a first-generation classic Mustang are the same width as the tracks in models 1979-’04, swapping the seats is easier than many people might think. From there, you can simply reupholster and modify the seats to make sure they fit the look of your classic ride. You may have to drill some new bolt holes to fit your new seats in your classic Mustang, but that’s nothing that you can’t do in an afternoon.

Seat swaps also offer you a way to customize your Mustang and set it apart from the rest of the pack. Installing new seats complete with headrests and side supports will offer you a much more comfortable ride than the old low-backs do.

With a seat swap comes new three-point seat belts. Classic Mustangs come stock with only lap belts as opposed to the modern three-point seat belts you’re likely more familiar with in today’s cars. This is a great upgrade to safety and comfort. Swapping the old single lap seat belts for safer three-point seat belts in your first-generation classic Mustang means you and your passengers will have a safer driving experience.

Disc Brakes

Another of the first classic Mustang upgrades to consider is removing the old front drum brakes and installing a new, modernized disc braking system. Vintage Mustangs come equipped with drum brakes on the front, which is not typically associated with high-performance sports cars. By replacing these old drum brakes, you’ll increase your stopping power and decrease your stopping distance.

Increased stopping power and decreased stopping distance are both vital safety improvements that you can make with an easy swap of classic Mustang performance parts. When zipping around town in a high-performance sports car, such as a vintage Mustang, you’ll want to take every precaution necessary to ensure your safety and the safety of others.

You’ll need to start modernizing your braking system using a drum-to-disc conversion kit, such as the ones sold by Top Flight Automotive. Although it’s not one of the coolest Mustang mods you can make, it is one of the smartest and safest.

Coilover Suspension System

Upgrading your original equipment manufacturer (OEM) suspension system to a Coilover system on your classic Mustang is a smart choice that improves handling, performance and comfort.

Since suspension technology has drastically improved over the past 50 plus years, upgrading your suspension system means a higher-performing Mustang. The first-generation Mustang suspension systems limit the performance of your car. Swapping that old OEM system out with a Coilover system lowers your car’s center of gravity and allows for tighter handling and cornering. This makes for a safer and more stable driving experience for you and your passengers.

Instead of having both struts and shocks that serve two different purposes on the classic Mustang’s suspension system, a modern Coilover system replaces these old bulky parts and saves space for you to install other upgrades and modernized performance parts. Updating your suspension system helps your classic Mustang handle various elements of the road, such as holes and other bumpy terrains, while offering a smooth and satisfying driving and riding experience.

It’s likely time to upgrade or replace your vintage Mustang’s OEM suspension if you notice old rusty parts. The most glaring sign that it’s time to upgrade your old suspension is if you feel the Mustang’s body bouncing after running over bumps and potholes. This is a sign that your suspension system isn’t absorbing the vibration and hits from the road as it should.

Electric Cooling Fans

Electric cooling fans are one of the great modern upgrades for classic Mustangs. Unlike engine-powered or engine-driven cooling fans, electric cooling fans don’t require any power from the Mustang’s engine to cool the radiator and engine. This offers you a way to cool the car’s motor while maintaining the valuable horsepower in your classic Mustang.

The one area that you’ll want to consider when installing an electric cooling fan in your classic Mustang is the alternator. The original 60 amp alternator in first-generation Mustangs wasn’t built to power a plethora of electronic devices in your car. Upgrading to a 120-130 amp alternator will allow your car’s electrical system to adequately power new electric components, such as cooling fans.

Electronic Ignition

Ford began installing electronic ignitions in its passenger vehicles in 1974, which means that vintage first-generation Mustangs (1966-1973) didn’t come stock with this feature. Electronic ignitions are more reliable, and they don’t wear down or change calibration like the old point of contact ignitions do. The result is more horsepower, longer-lasting spark plugs and better fuel economy for your classic Mustang. Upgrade and modernize your classic Mustang performance parts with an easy-to-install electronic ignition from Top Flight Automotive.

Power Steering

Modernizing your classic first-generation Mustang with electric power steering is not one of the coolest Mustang mods, but it is a smart one. Ford offered a power steering option on its 1966 Mustang, but it’s notorious for leaks and other issues. Upgrading your classic Mustang’s overall performance will eventually lead you to replace the manual steering with power steering, and you can take it a step further by installing electric power steering. Newer electric power steering systems require no fluid, which in turn means no fluid leaks and other issues associated with power steering systems.

LED Headlights and Taillights

If you drive your vintage Mustang at night, then you’re likely familiar with the poor illumination offered by the stock headlights. Dingy brown lighting is not the best choice for driving around in the dark with your high-performance vintage Mustang, so updating the headlights to a more modern set of LED headlights is your best choice for improving your car’s lighting.

You can also purchase aftermarket LED taillights for your classic Mustang. LED taillights are brighter and longer-lasting than the stock taillights installed on your vintage Mustang. A new set of LED headlights and taillights is a classic Mustang modern upgrade.

Instrument Panels

Vintage Mustang instrument panels and gauges can wear down or become hard to see over time. Scratches in the lenses that protect your instruments and gauges can make them hard to read. Couple that with dim interior lighting and you can imagine the issues that you’ll face trying to read vital gauges and instruments.

You can replace and upgrade old instrument panels in your classic Mustang by installing new clusters altogether or replacing the old ones. There are plenty of ways to customize your vintage Mustang’s interior, but this is one of the first upgrades to consider. Install LED lighted instrument panels to help increase your nighttime visibility with help from the professionals at Top Flight Automotive.

Body Kit

Installing a body kit on your classic Mustang will serve a multitude of purposes. New body kits will help you cut down on vibration as well as cutting down on road noise when you’re driving your car.  It is one of the first classic Mustang upgrades that many avid Mustang enthusiasts look to when updating their classic and vintage Mustangs.

First, a new body kit allows you to create a customized, sleek and cool-looking vintage Mustang.  Another reason that you’ll want to install a custom body kit on your vintage Mustang is to increase your performance. A lighter, more aerodynamic body gives your Mustang better handling and offers a smoother ride. This also leads to better fuel economy and increased tire traction with downforce. A new body kit is one of the top vintage Mustang mods you can install.

Backup Camera

Today, most new cars come factory equipped with stock backup cameras for increased safety, but that wasn’t the case for vintage Mustangs. Modernize your classic Mustang by installing your own backup cameras. You can purchase stand-alone backup camera systems that you can install on any vehicle, even your vintage Mustang. It’s important to remember that you’ll need to upgrade your classic Mustang’s alternator if you’re installing several new electric components on your car.

Sound System

Your attempt at customizing your vintage car into a modern classic Mustang will fall short without a high-quality sound system and updated audio features. Car audio technology has come a long way since first-generation Mustangs first hit the market well over 50 years ago. A vintage car’s audio system is likely one of the first areas you’ll notice a stark contrast and difference in quality. There are tons of options to choose from when updating your Mustang’s sound system.

To start, you’ll likely want to replace the factory speakers with new name-brand ones. You’ll also want to purchase a new stereo deck. You can go with one that looks modern or one that looks vintage but both have the power, technology and sound-producing capability of the newer models.  You might have to do some rewiring as your vintage Mustang’s speaker system and its wiring isn’t designed to handle the power or amplification of new sound systems.

Alternator

With all of this talk about new electronic components such as power steering systems, LED lights and sound systems, you must modernize and upgrade your classic Mustang’s alternator as well. First-generation Mustangs come stock with a 60 amp alternator, so if you plan on asking it to power more electronic systems than it was designed for, then it’s important to upgrade it with a 120-130 amp alternator.

By doing this, you’ll ensure that your Mustang can sufficiently power all of the various areas of your car’s electric components. You can consider going as high as 215 amps with your vintage Mustang’s alternator, if you prefer. It all depends on the number of electric components you’re powering in your classic Mustang.

Modernize Your Classic Mustang With OEM and Aftermarket Parts From Top Flight Automotive

As you can see, there are several ways to update your classic Mustang. These are just a few of the ways to modernize your classic Mustang. These modifications will either boost performance, enhance safety, increase comfort or a combination of the three all while making your car look cool.

The team at Top Flight Automotive is proud to serve the Mustang community and offer exceptional customer service tracking, finding and providing the right parts you need for your vintage sports car project.  We offer OEM and aftermarket parts, accessories, wheels and more plus the tools to get your next project done right.

Have questions about what modern restoration Mustang parts you might need? Our trained and experienced staff is ready to assist you with all of the classic Mustang performance parts you’ll need to turn your vintage Ford into the coolest-looking, highest-performing car on the road.

Whether you want to update your brake system, deaden the sound in the cabin or completely overhaul your Mustang’s engine, Top Flight Automotive has you covered with a wide range of classic Mustang performance parts and accessories. Contact us today by calling 833-486-7354 and placing your order.