Markstang1969

WHAT!?!?! [sm=insomnia.gif]. Are you saying that the $3500 69 coupe I bought off ebay will take more than 2 hours of work and $50 to get into good condition?? I knew this was a mistake [:@]

j/k

But seriously, mullinator, I wish you the best of luck. I hope you can find a mustang that is in good shape for a price you can afford. WIth my mustang, it was more important to ME to have a straight, low rust body in the price range I was putting up, since I'm not into sheetmetal fabrication. A lot depends on your initial budget to get into the car. SOmetime you can find one that someone has already put a lot into, but need to get out of it for some reason. I WANTED a project car, not a completely done car so that It would be MY vision, not someone else's.

Here for example:

Even though the body on my car is practically rust free, I still have quite a "to-do list" some replacement, some mechanical strengthening, and some upgrades:

Suspension

Upper/Lower control arms cleaned

New suspension kit:

coils

stabilizer bar


New bushings throughout

power steering boots

Leaf Springs

New shocks

Alignment

Engine
Pull and send block/head to shop

Chrome Engine Dress-up kit

ignition

intake manifold


carb

Dual Exhaust

Spark Plug Brackets

Battery tray/fender parts

Complete gasket set

Flush cooling system

Install new speedometer cable

Distributor

Check power steering

Body/Interior

Reinstall front trim

Need new lower grill chrome

Fill in trim/vinyl top holes

Cut off lower molding brackets
or Find rocker panel trim

side scoops x 2

new (or fix crack) gas cap

"MUSTANG" trunk letters

trunk trim

light bulbs

LH bright light trim set

Door Locks (fixed!!)

Clock-replace or fix

Seats

Headliner

rebuild/buy back speaker shelf

trunk liner

trunk carpet

Hood Scoop

clean/reinstall rear windo trim

Get windows working

COMPLETE weatherstripping

doors aligned

windows working smoothly

trunk aligned/rubber bumpers.

engine/hood bumpers

Speakers/stereo

Dash parts reinstalled

Center console/lid rehinged

glove box cable attached

Mustang script letters

Fill-in dash cracks

Door dent-driver side

install new door handle

Fix scissors

New door panels

Check workings of all gauges

Parking brake pedal cover

Quarter window handles (2)

GENERAL

Paint

Wheels

Tires

Reconnect AC/Heater

Check transmission for leaks.


Some are big, some are small, some are more important than others.

You get the picture....

Soaring

Good post Mark. I hope he and others get the total picture of what all is involved. I spent almost a week on just getting my rear leaf springs replaced last summer. Talking about physical labor.......

Markstang1969

Thanks. I just realize that restoring a 35-40 year old car is more than just slapping on some paint and throwing in a stereo. My last trip under the car I had ny wife standing by the car with a pad of paper writing down things that needed replacing as I saw them. "redone suspension" isn't just new shocks. There are over 10 different bushings/rubbers on my front suspension alone that have to be replaced because they have softened and are starting to break up. Each one of those is going to be a project in itself for me. But this is a work of love, not a necessity or burden. That makes it worth all the effort.

Soaring

Yep, beats watching TV, huh?

Markstang1969

Yea....


Now if I could just get off the computer......