Mustang mild restoration

Well, I figured I'd start my own thread to chronicle my mild restoration the '66 Mustang.

By mild-restoration I mean it isn't a rotisserie restoration. It is a little more than just a cosmetic but not a full rotisserie.

It wasn't planned....I bought the car as a driver and planned on just using as that (my Spring/Summer daily driver) but there was a little more orange peel in the finish for me (well, me being me and doing what I do, I figured that I would probably be judged by the finish on the car even if I never touched it).

The original plan was to just scuff the car and reclear it. However, once we got into it, it is a 50 year old car, so we just decided to do the body work that needed to be done and repaint the car.

Here is what is being done to the car:

Mechanical:
1) Pull original 289-4V 225HP engine (with Autolite 4100 carb, OE exhaust manifolds, etc) and put on dolly, wrap and store (preserve to reinstall in car at a later date)
2) Install 300HP small block ford, Weiand 8020 Stealth alum intake, Holley 4160 1850-2 600cfm carb, Hedman longtube headers
3) Rebuild C4 transmission to handle 300hp/336tq
4) rebuild Differential

Suspension:
1) rebuild entire front suspension; replace rear bushings

Body:
1) strip car
2) body work car
3) paint car
4) reassemble car
5) polish all stainless
6) replace or rechrome as needed

Interior:
R&I interior
Install shoulder harnesses front and rear


I have kept the original 289 ready to reinstall in the car. This car can be put back to 100% original/OEM with just a little labor. I wanted to maintain the vehicles integrity since it is a factory GT car.



The car when I bought it:





300HP/336TQ Small Block Ford with Hedman longtube headers


Prepping for body work (yes, that is also my Corvette behind this car!)




The stenciling on the radiator support from 50 years ago at the original dealer when it was prepped for delivery


In the paint booth with high-build primer




As she sits today in primer...




(I'll keep ya'll posted as we progress. The car should be finished and on display at Cavalcade of Wheels)

I love the project cars! Good progress so far.

I love these kind of threads as seeing the finished product as well as it in various stages of restoration is fab!
Thanks for sharing and BEAUTIFUL car, well done indeed.
Cheers,
Greg

Hedman headers, that brings back memories. Find a Crowler "Hydraulic Hauler" cam and kit and you'll be back in the day.

This week we put a little color on the ole girl.......



and then a little clear....

Subscribed. Have to watch this thing go together!

Won't be long....she'll be at Cavalcade....FINISHED (or at least that's the plan).....three weeks from yesterday!

http://www.midwestscc.com/topics/2018/Cavalcade_of_Wheels_20...

Whoops...forgot one....

Well, it's really coming together now.......just some minor tweaking of the nose and tail panels, trim, and final buff and glaze.....

You'vre really been burning the midnight oil it appears.

Looks great.

I'm stumped by the car on the rotiserie. I was going to guess a 68 'Cuda since it looks like a fastback, but I dont recall that little roof ridge on those, or even on old Mustangs or Torinos for that matter. By the front clip it has to be a Mopar or Ford. What ever it is, it has some really nice floor pans.

That's looking really nice!

Looking sharp

Good eye. That is, in fact, a Ford. It is a 1968 Mustang Shelby GT500. It was a barn find that the owner has brought in to us so that it can live once again. It still had the original 428 Police Interceptor in it when he found it. Yes, it has good floor plans.....we replaced them already!

One last shot before I get some at the show this weekend!




(Don't mind the temporary exhaust hanging out under there........the exhaust system is the only thing we ran out of time on. Next week it will get its proper exhaust)

How far is your body shop from Indy?

We are about 2.5-3 hours North on 31. In Mishawka.

https://www.facebook.com/MannsCorvette

I spy an NSX

Here she was loaded up on the trailer and ready to head over to the show.......



And once there....since we have the entire room, she was pretty lonely while waiting for some of the other vehicles to arrive!

Beautiful! So how long did the entire restoration take?

We started the power plant the second week of January and put the final trim and stripe on last week. The only thing lacking is exhaust and that will be done this week. So basically 11 weeks. We were also other projects at the time too.

Here she was on a "shakedown" weekend a couple of weekends ago. I put about 400 miles on her and made a small list of things to correct (simple stuff like fuel sending unit, right window crank binding, r134 conversion/charge, etc). Unfortunately we've just been swamped with Spring work and I dropped her in the corner for a few weeks. However, she'll be on the road for good in about 2 weeks. This week I'm finishing up the TBI install/program on the 80 Vette then the following week "The Mrs" and I will be in Antigua. I told the guys when I get back, then I want both cars in service.

So after all the fuss and whatnot and finishing this car, I think I going to get rid of it and get a Fox Body Saleen. I've just wanted another one for a while and I'd probably drive it more than I do the 66. I did the 66 too well and now don't like to leave it anywhere for fear of scratching the paint or something. I want more of a driver than the 66 turned out to be.

End of the day, cars are about driving and enjoying. If you can't get the enjoyment, then I believe it's time to move on.

Good luck with your Saleen and throw up some pics!!! I love me a Mustang.

Well, ended up getting rid of the 66 and also picked up a stock Saleen.. The 66 was a very nice car, but I just wanted another Fox/Saleen. If my 66 hadn't have been a factory GT then I probably would have restomodded it, but since it was a special car, I rebuild the suspension (and pretty much everything) back to factory original....which meant 50 year old suspension technology based off of the Falcon!

I'm seeing a trend in the industry and the cars that are gaining value now are the 80s cars since Gen X is getting to that point in their lives where they can afford to have toys. (shut up Dan, you're atypical!) I think in 5-10 years the special Fox's (Cobras, Saleens, McLarens, etc) will fetch more than OEM restored 1st gen Mustangs. Heck fox bodies have increased in value 50% in the last two years (Sept '12-Aug '14).....the clean ones will fetch decent money. The problem is most of them have been modded to heck and back.

Also, think of this.....

Between 1965-1970 Shelby built 13,074 Shelby Mustangs (not including racecars or KR models) and look at their value now. Between 1984-1993 Saleen built 2703 Saleen Mustangs. Not saying that the Saleen will be as valuable as a Shelby, but it wasn't very long ago that Shelby's were just another Mustang on the street and could be had for $10-15K.

Here is a different breakdown of the numbers...

Between 1965-1970 - 6 YEARS Ford produced 2,447,095 Mustangs....roughly 0.5% (one half of one percent) were Shelby Mustangs. Between 1984-1993 - 10 YEARS Ford produced 1,533,991 Mustangs....roughly 0.2% (two tenths of one percent) were Saleen Mustangs.

Anyway...enough number crunching....here's a quick photo I shot in the driveway this evening.....

80s kids wont start having money for another 10-20 years

Its the 70s kids that had 60s car posters on their walls with the money right now.

Im just a po lawn boi