lunarweasel

Hey!

Happy to be here. Looks like a great place!

Here is the abbreviated version of my Mustang Story: My grandfather was an airplane mechanic in WWII (Navy, but worked on B-24's, and more). He restored cars after the war and kept being a mechanic at local airports. He restored a 31 Model A (even had the Omish hand sew the interior), a 46 *****'s, and more. He passed away a couple years ago (with a wrench in his hand) and ever since I have decided it was time to find a Mustang to restore to honor him (and for fun!).

I recently found a 67 Coupe. Absolute bottom of the line. Built in Michigan originally sold in Detroit. (and it isnt rusted out. spent time in california and louisiana). It runs perfectly (although the motor could of course use a little help). Originally Wimbledon White with a Std Saddle interior. They only option it had was the vinyl roof. Im VERY luck. I took the original roof off recently and even with rips in it there was almost literally no rust. It was painted red in the early 80s with the passenger fender and headlight bucket replaced at that time (it has that cool dark metallic green underneath the red up there). 3 spd manual tranny. Starts even without pumping the gas. Idles perfectly and I test drove it up to about 60 before I bought it. Tranny and clutch are perfect. Brakes are pulling left. All original glass with no cracks. Great beginner car, which is good because I am a complete novice. I paid a bit over $2,000 for it which seems just like an average deal, right?

Here is a link to a picture.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...P_4748copy.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...g/DCP_4737.jpg

I have a question real quick. I need to know which blue to use on my air cleaner. Is it the darker ford blue or the lighter one? (200 CID 6 cyl.) Ive been sanding it and its primered ready to go.

Thanks!!!

supermanzx9r

the lighter blue .... if memory serves me right

atomsk680

[sm=welcomesign.gif]

wow man looks like a pretty good clean car, as for your air cleaner problem, just go to autozone or oriellies and buy a chrome one, ten work just as good, unless your set on stock, then i would say light blue, try and match your valve cover

middiepride

really great car and great price. i think the air cleaner is the same as your heads, light blue.somebody go and correct me if im wrong.

dcohen

nice find, do you plan on a original restoration or a restomod (not original by ford standards, but a one of a kind car)

Soaring

The correct color blue for the 66-67was corporate blue which is a darker blue than the light Ford blue used in later models.

eZ

welcome to the forums. first thing i would do is fix the brakes. with those pulling left that can be dangerous. if you need to hit the brakes hard it could put you into on coming traffic. you actually would want them to pull a little right. i take it your keeping the i6?


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lunarweasel

Thanks for the warm welcome!

Concerning the pulling brakes, I dont intend to drive it on the road for a little while. My intentions are to rebuild / replace them (staying with drums) and then call in a favor or two and get a friend (mechanic) to check my work. But thats a bit off, Ive got other things Id like to do first.

Its a great little car. The motor pulled MUCH stronger then I expected it to. I expected the car to be a bit of a slouch, but I think it will be fine. I have no intentions of going to an 8 cyl. The car is really unboogered and Im really just looking for a reliable cruiser. I had never driven an older car before, much less a Mustang. Im 26 years old, so such a physical driving experience was AMAZING. You can feel everything in the wheel. My regular car is a modern volkswagen and its just plain boring compared to this. Manual steering isnt as bad as I thought it would be either. Even the "old car smell" from out side of the car reminds me of my grandfathers garage.

I know that there are a lot of people that underestimate how much work and money are required to restore a car so they get out of it. Thats not me. My Uncle has 23 cars made before 1972 (he never married and worked on the tbird line for 30 years). Ive wanted a Mustang since I was about 6, so Ive had plenty of preparation by my family to expect HARD work. So, Im a novice, but the learning is the fun part.

For instance, I learned all the basic things you do to a car when you first take it out of mothballs (mine had been sitting for 5/7 years.) I changed the fuel filter, put new gas into it (with lead additive and old gas treatment), new air filter, new wires and plugs. New oil cap. Flushed the radiator.

THEN, I went to change the oil. Well the old oil pan plug had bought it. The pan was mangled from 40 years of use. The pan was surface rusty and horrible looking, so I figured what the hell, and bought a new pan for it. I honestly had never changed my oil before. I did all the safety prep and changed that son of a bitch myself. God, what a pain in the *** to put the rear part of the new gasket in. BUT, there was a lot of pride when I turned that car over and not a single drop of oil leaked from the new pan.

My intentions are to restore the car to stock (maybe headers with dual exhaust, not really that important to me though). I want to stay red though and do a black top. BUT, I intend to really treat the top properly to prevent rust in the future. Fords prep work under that top leaves a little to be desired. I cant believe it isnt a basket case under there. I think the black top, red paint, and saddle interior will be a KILLER combination.

I want to put an AM radio back in it, but also have a modern stereo in the glove box.

The current plan of attack is suspension and rust prevention. I honestly dont think the shocks were ever changed. The front ones are metal on metal right now (at the top). The rear passenger leaf spring is shot. (didnt realize that til AFTER i test drove it, phew) It needs a drivers floor pan. It has rust (little bit) behind the rear wheels at the corner of the wheel well. Someone bent the front valence on something and the passenger fender has a little bondo and a dent. Also , the back bumper was bumped into something and slightly bent the rear quarter on one side. Not bad though, I imagine it can be hammered out from the trunk. (wont be doing that myself )

The car is nearly complete. The windshield wipers still work perfectly. The odometer works and the numbers line up well which my uncle tells me is a good sign. That coupled with the over condition apparently can guide you to see if they are original miles. If so, it would be 52,000 original.

Even the brake warning light works.

I figured the darker blue was right. The oil pan was darker than the blue I had used for the first coat on the air cleaner.

lunarweasel

One other thing, Im changing the battery cables aand hte battery tray right now. What a pain in the ***, I thought it would be a ten minute job til I figured out that one of the tray's bolts is BEHIND the bumper bracket. hehe

Lumbergh

I couldn't agree with you more. My first car was a 58 Chevy Apache truck thatI got in 89from my grandfather after he died. Some people complain about the manual steering (my wife, her brother, and her father to name a few), but I love it. And there is something special about that old car smell that brings back memories of camping with my grandfather. It's the best.

They have set ups with a remote controlled stereo/cd changer in the glove box. Just look in the radio sections of the Mustang suppliers out there.

Have fun and don't give up.