66 Coupe, check, where to start? no check Please help
09-10-2011, 12:38 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 2
66 Coupe, check, where to start? no check Please help
I have recently became the owner of a 66 Coupe. Looking to do a RestoMod job on it. The truth be told i am not a car guy, i like cars but know anything about them as a whole. I understand the science behind most pieces, but thats about it. So i figured by the end of this project i shall have a fairly detailed grasp of the automobile, especially the old Mustangs.
First Problem, well the hard one Money, but it will come and go
Second problem, No clue where to begin. the car needs a lot of work. so do i pull the body or fix the body than pull it, do the engine, just take everything apart or what?
so any ideas would be tremendously appreciated.
please help
First Problem, well the hard one Money, but it will come and go
Second problem, No clue where to begin. the car needs a lot of work. so do i pull the body or fix the body than pull it, do the engine, just take everything apart or what?
so any ideas would be tremendously appreciated.
please help
09-10-2011, 12:49 AM
#2
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 2
09-10-2011, 08:02 AM
#3
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Az
Posts: 1,090
Welcome. Looks like a nice car to start with. Looks like you like to take pics....that's good, it'll help when you can't remember where something came from. Everyone goes about this in a different way but, I would clean everything out of it first and take a good inventory. I'd remove those fenders since they look like they are going to need a bit of work. Also, the trans and then work onn the body. Get a nice "roller" and go from there.
I'd probably clean and paint the bottom and the engine comp but, not the body at this point. Just prime. That way, working on other parts, you wouldn't have to worry about ruining fresh paint.
Money is always a problem. By doing a lot of the work yourself, you can save alot. Looks like you can save up while you do some cleaning....that's mostly what that car needs.
I'd probably clean and paint the bottom and the engine comp but, not the body at this point. Just prime. That way, working on other parts, you wouldn't have to worry about ruining fresh paint.
Money is always a problem. By doing a lot of the work yourself, you can save alot. Looks like you can save up while you do some cleaning....that's mostly what that car needs.
09-10-2011, 08:42 AM
#4
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location:
Posts: 8,162
If you mean pulling the body off the frame well its a unibody car there is no frame to remove which is kinda a blessing.What you do need to think on is how much money you can spend on it and how long will it take.I see project cars here and there some one started to work on get about half way and run out of money or get tired of working on it and sell it for less then they have in it.The great thing about these early mustangs your wallet is about the only limit of how wild you can build one.A lot of us do a semi factory spec car with normal upgrades like disc brakes in the front different rims you know light touches to make it more fun to drive.Only tips i can give you is take a ton of pictures while you take it about and get a lot of sandwich bags.The sandwich bags are for tagging and labelling everything you take off its worth it when its time to put it back together.
09-10-2011, 06:24 PM
#5
Moderator
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Northernish Eastish Central Texas
Posts: 3,302
That is quite a project to start out with! You will definately learn all the skills with this.
Some thoughts:
- You'll need space. There will be a ton of parts that get pulled off, cataloged, wire brushed, cleaned, repainted, and stored till reassembly.
- Organization. Take lots of pictures, keep a notebook of the order of disassembly, use ziploc bags and sharpie to mark the items.
- Establish a 'cleaning place'. You'll want someplace to wire brush parts, strip parts, bead blast if you have a cabinet, etc... it needs to be a place you can go to and work because it will be filthy.
- Take stock of your tools. You'll need a good set of hand tools, as well as power tools for stripping. Engine stand, cherry picker, jack stands, good floor jack, etc., etc
- Can you weld? you will need to learn. Your project has several spots of significant rust and will require several skin panel repairs.
- Perhaps it would be best to have a friend do an honest appraisal of the car before you go too far. Signifcant rust in structural members will be expensive to repair. You may find it will take $15K to build a car that's only worth $9K when you're finished.
- unless, you just doing this for the therapy.
take a look at my website below for some ideas on things to do to it.
Some thoughts:
- You'll need space. There will be a ton of parts that get pulled off, cataloged, wire brushed, cleaned, repainted, and stored till reassembly.
- Organization. Take lots of pictures, keep a notebook of the order of disassembly, use ziploc bags and sharpie to mark the items.
- Establish a 'cleaning place'. You'll want someplace to wire brush parts, strip parts, bead blast if you have a cabinet, etc... it needs to be a place you can go to and work because it will be filthy.
- Take stock of your tools. You'll need a good set of hand tools, as well as power tools for stripping. Engine stand, cherry picker, jack stands, good floor jack, etc., etc
- Can you weld? you will need to learn. Your project has several spots of significant rust and will require several skin panel repairs.
- Perhaps it would be best to have a friend do an honest appraisal of the car before you go too far. Signifcant rust in structural members will be expensive to repair. You may find it will take $15K to build a car that's only worth $9K when you're finished.
- unless, you just doing this for the therapy.
take a look at my website below for some ideas on things to do to it.
09-10-2011, 08:19 PM
#6
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Jacksonville NC
Posts: 968
http://www.mustangreview.com/books.html
Found this link for some books. Can never have too much knowledge when taking on a project like this.
Do you have a clean title for the car? You might want to make sure all your paperwork is in order to where you can register it before you start.
Nothing worse than sinking money and hard work into a project you can't legally drive.
Found this link for some books. Can never have too much knowledge when taking on a project like this.
Do you have a clean title for the car? You might want to make sure all your paperwork is in order to where you can register it before you start.
Nothing worse than sinking money and hard work into a project you can't legally drive.
09-11-2011, 07:55 PM
#7
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Baltimore MD
Posts: 585
Get catalogs from several Mustang Company's. CJ's Pony Parts and Virginia Classic Mustang are my favorite two but there are plenty more.
Try to join a local Mustang Club if you can find one or a car club if you can't find a Mustang Club.
My first, best and one of the cheapest investments was a PRINTED Shop Manual. There about $25 and invaluable. I also wasted my money on the manual on CD. Stick with the paper book, its easier to take out to the garage with you.
Don't have Champagne Dreams on a beer budget. I love my baby and went for a ride in her a few hours ago. She's not the best Mustang on the road but she's on the road and paid for.
Try to join a local Mustang Club if you can find one or a car club if you can't find a Mustang Club.
My first, best and one of the cheapest investments was a PRINTED Shop Manual. There about $25 and invaluable. I also wasted my money on the manual on CD. Stick with the paper book, its easier to take out to the garage with you.
Don't have Champagne Dreams on a beer budget. I love my baby and went for a ride in her a few hours ago. She's not the best Mustang on the road but she's on the road and paid for.
09-17-2011, 06:45 PM
#8
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: PA
Posts: 2,243
Looks almost like mine when I got her home, mine was a little more naked though.
https://mustangforums.com/forum/clas...s-of-pics.html
Ours is a work in progress, but it will give you an idea of what your about to go through and where I started.
I have no welding experience prior to this either BTW. I bought a welder plus related equipment, had some brief training, and I'm flying by the seat of pants on this one. So far I don't think I'm doing too bad.
Good luck and looking forward to seeing progress.
Lynn
https://mustangforums.com/forum/clas...s-of-pics.html
Ours is a work in progress, but it will give you an idea of what your about to go through and where I started.
I have no welding experience prior to this either BTW. I bought a welder plus related equipment, had some brief training, and I'm flying by the seat of pants on this one. So far I don't think I'm doing too bad.
Good luck and looking forward to seeing progress.
Lynn
09-18-2011, 10:57 AM
#9
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: ca
Posts: 461
Chances are if you start pulling it apart, it will never get back together again, regardless of your intentions starting out.
I would do a "rolling restoration" .
Get the car operational
- get it to start
- get it to run
- get it to steer and stop correctly (brakes, suspension, tires....)
- get all the lights working
- get all the gauges working
Now you should be able to drive it and get to know the car and decide what you want to do next with it; do you want to put another $3K-$6K into it, to do the interior/exterior. Next do body / paint and the last thing is to do the interior.
Note that this is a difference sequence of events if you were doing a full blown restoration, where paint would come first. However, most cars that are taken apart with the intent of a full restoration end up as a bunch of parts taking up room in someone's garage for years.
I would do a "rolling restoration" .
Get the car operational
- get it to start
- get it to run
- get it to steer and stop correctly (brakes, suspension, tires....)
- get all the lights working
- get all the gauges working
Now you should be able to drive it and get to know the car and decide what you want to do next with it; do you want to put another $3K-$6K into it, to do the interior/exterior. Next do body / paint and the last thing is to do the interior.
Note that this is a difference sequence of events if you were doing a full blown restoration, where paint would come first. However, most cars that are taken apart with the intent of a full restoration end up as a bunch of parts taking up room in someone's garage for years.
09-18-2011, 06:21 PM
#10
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 790
Read as many restoration threads on here as you can, thats the way I learned about Mustangs, that and doing my own research! These old Mustangs are good for the begginer because they are pretty straigh forward once you get a grasp on the basics.
Best of luck! Cant wait to see more pictures!
Best of luck! Cant wait to see more pictures!