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



and then a little clear....

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)

Well.....making progress. First coat of high build primer. Now for some more blocking before more priming!

And as this one currently sits....


Here's another one....


Don't really have a good one of the Vette......

Forgive me if this is a repost.....the Aventador vs Countach thread reminded me of this....

That's interesting. I'm going to have to see if I can't figure out what the markings mean.

Found something I thought was pretty cool the other day. While prepping the engine compartment of the Mustang for paint, we noticed just a small amount of lettering on the radiator support. So we spent so time with a razor blade delicately stripping away a layer of paint and this is what we found.



It is the stenciling from when the original dealer prepped the car almost 50 years go. Not a big deal, but still pretty cool. So we taped it off, finished prepping and painting the engine compartment. I'm going to shoot a little clearcoat over the stenciling to further protect it.

I does, though, help to substantiate that it is California car (Coberly Ford was in LA from early 1900s until the mid-80s) .....along with the assembly plant (San Jose), the DSO (71....Los Angeles), and the California black plates that came with the car.

I do get her up to temp....and push it thorough the rpm range generally 1000-6500rpm once warmed. Just no load on the transmission. Unless we have had a winter thaw and some rain, I don't pull it out on the streets though because of all of the salt we have on our roads. Up here we generally are under snow all Jan and Feb.

I just go out and crank the NSX about once a month and let it run. Come Spring I just fill'er up with some fresh gas and go. Has worked fine for me over the years. My garage that I keep the NSX in in the winter is not powered.

The Porsche, Vette and Mustang are all at the shop, so they are getting cranked and moved regularly.

Not sure what is going on that weekend, but I'll try to make it down.