Hi Everyone,

I have bee reading the forum here for the past week and everyone seems great with helping others. This is good because I am going to need help as I restore my 1966 Mustang coupe. I'll give you a run down and would appreciate any help you provide on direction.

1) 1966 Mustang, 289, 2 barrel, Auto
2) Interior already restored but the new floor pans do not have anything on them either inside or out. That means no undercoating, and the carpet is placed right on the floor. What should I do both inside and out?
3) Trunk floor has patches and both frame rails under the trunk need replacing. I have read article on how to fix this but I haven't the facilities or the skills yet to do this myself. I am thinking I will take it to a shop with the parts and ask them to do it. I could tear into it myself, have someone with a welder come by periodically and weld in the parts that are reay. What do you think?
5) Drove car home and I was quite satisfied with performance and handling of car. Howver, after 30 minute drive the engine got hot and by the time I parked in driveway some coolant was on the ground (overflow tube?) and coolant was bubbling out of the seems at the top of the radiator. Is it time to replace radiator?
6) Winter will be setting in here soon so I will be disassembing the car and working the panels. I have read about an "etching" coating to protect the panels after I remove the paint. What is it I ask for at the autoparts store? Is this recommeded? I live near the ocean.
7) What is the difference between rust inhibitor, encapsulator and other products? What are their applications?

That's it for now but I am sure I will have many more questions as I progress.

Wish me luck and thanks.

 

good starting point!

PAINT IT!!! The factory had sound deadening under the carpet, costs about $60 for a repro set, other people have used insulation

do it right the first time, I hate working on other people's mistakes

If the radiator was topped off, this is normal, the tank should be about half full.

etching primer helps get into the metal to help protect it, you can get it from an auto body supply store

best to ask the auto body supply store professionals

 

Well, I must first welcome you to the classic section of the MF. All of the questions you have asked have been discussed before, so if you go to the bottom where the search engine is, you can pull up all of the past conversations about all of these questions. You can also visit our FAQ at the top of the screen to gain a ton of information about your questions. However, I will lead you in the right direction, then our other very capable members will chime in to help you even further.
Rust encapsulators stop the rust from causing further damage to steel. It chemically changes the rust into a good metal. Self etching primer prepares the metal to accept paint better. To prep your floors, you need to use seam sealer on the seams, and then prime and paint them. If there is rust, you need to use a rust encapsulator first. For the rear frame rails, I would suggest you take that to a pro unless you have experience in replacing and aligning frame rails.

 

I prefer the epoxy primers and sealers to the etching primers. But you need to get them painted and quick. Otherwise you have more rust to fix shortly. I'll get ya more info on primers next week and this winter. Some of mine will be in the FINALLY PUTTIN SOMETHING ON THE METAL stage, thats the best time for me to do it. Right now I am all welding, and engine swaps minded..lol

There is ony one place coolant should come from and thats the overflow. If its bubbling and hissing from seams on the readiator, or around the hose connections it isnt sealing. Not having enough pressure in the system will lower the boiling point of the coolant, it will develop bubbles in it just like a pan of water does, then you will have overheating issues. If it looks like coolant is leakin everywhere on the radiator then its often easier to replace it.

Twister is right about it being normal for the coolant to come out of the overflow when its filled too high, liquids expand and require more room as temperature rises, it has nowhere to go but out. So if the radiator isnt leaking everywhere, dont worry about it. What he said about everything else is spot on.. Just wanted to clarify incase he missed the leakin from the seams part..

 

i missed the seems bit...unless it has date codes on the tank, I would go get a new Modine 3 core (or a 4 core if you live in a hot area like Phoenix or Vegas)

 

>>>>>If the radiator was topped off, this is normal, the tank should be about half full. <<<<<
Yep, that is true, but it doesn't have to be that way.
The radiator can be full at all times. For only a few bucks, an overflow tank can be purchased to catch the overflow instead of putting it on the ground, and it will be recycled into your system to keep your car cooler. The more water/anti-freeze volume of mix you have flowing, the cooler your car wil run.

 

Glen to the rescue.. I was gonna add that but then I didnt.. Must be the depression from the projekt..