hightower2011

1968 Mustang Coupe I6.

Background of the car:
Supposedly had 2 previous owners. I bought it from a fellow who planned to restore it for his daughter. He became sick a few years ago, and can't do it. So I bought it from him for $1,500. Not the best deal in the world, but I'm satisfied for now.
To start off, here's pics:
Pics from the fellow I bought it from:




Rust in the front left fender inner apron:




Got it back to my house:







Got it inside the barn:
My workspace before cleaning:


After:

Already filling up the parts rack:





Got the front and rear windshields out:



Took the dash apart (got the gauges and windshield out right after taking the picture):

jcoby

buy 3 more racks. buy lots of sandwich bags and sharpies (black and silver). make sure you bag and tag EVERYTHING.

as for a sandblaster, they're nice to have for some things like suspension but do not use it on the sheet metal. you'll want to take it to be stripped or buy a gallon of stripper and heavy duty gloves and do it yourself.

next, fire up a spreadsheet program and start writing down everything you need to buy and its price and where you plan on buying it. then start grouping things by part. the general order is: major bodywork -> drivetrain -> final bodywork -> blow it all apart -> paint -> drivetrain -> interior.

good luck.

chris66dad

Jcoby pretty much nailed it. I will also add:

Take LOTS of pictures.

Get a tack board to keep your "to do", "parts needed", "things I just thought of" lists in one place. Put it on a wall and mark things off as they are done. It is HUGH motivation to see what you have done on those days when it seems like the car will NEVER be done.

Do something on the car everyday if you can. That includes hitting forums or getting information you will need.

Put together a website of your progress. google has free blog sites.

Dont buy a sand blaster, you can wire brush parts and sand with less hassle.

Get rid of all the rust before moving on.

Good Luck and BE Safe
Ron

hightower2011

Thanks for the advice. If it's not necessary I'll pass up on the sandblaster.
Tac board and more shelving is a great idea, I'll get right on that. And I just took a box of ziploc bags and a sharpie down to the barn so I'll have them on hand.


I've got a question. A local guy is selling a bunch of V8 parts (including a 302 engine) for relatively cheap (I dont know the full prices yet). He says he's got what I need for a full swap over, but I want to make sure he has EVERYTHING. Since I myself don't know what I'll need, can you guys advise me what parts need replacing? I found some info by searching but it was on '65-'66 year mustangs, and I've heard that there were fewer differences in the '68 V6 vs V8.


Here's what I found on '65-'66 V6 to V8 swap-overs:


shared V8 and V6 front suspension parts:
Bumper,Upper arm
Shaft Kit, Upper Arm
Ball Joint, upper arm
seat and bushing, upper arm
Control arm lower
Control arm, upper
Strut rod and bushings
Idler arm Bracket
idler arm upper and lower bushing(manual power)
struts RH and LH
alignment shims

noncompatible V8 and V6 front suspension parts:
Spindles
springs
tie rod ends
Drag links assy and adj sleeves
idler arm assy




Can someone advise me of the the parts that are compatible in a '68 on that list? Aka tell me what parts I won't need to replace?


Thanks!

chris66dad

It is a big project.
lots of people say it is better to just buy a V8 car if that is what you want to end up with.
Here is a good writeup that another forum has on a "sticky note" for FAQ.
http://www.stangnet.com/mustang-foru...onversion.html

The good news is a 68 is much easier to convert than a 65-66.

Good Luck and Be Safe
Ron

71Mach14spd

It was mentioned to bag all of the nuts and bolts. It is my suggestion to toss any and all bolts and buy an interior and exterior fastener kit. Each kit is about 120 bucks and it has every nut and bolt for the car interior and exterior and everything is labeled and brand new. No more trying to mix and match or find a bolt that will work. Just my suggestion, did it to my 71 and im so glad i did it, made it so much easier.

hightower2011

That's something I'll definitely consider. The guy I bought it from started taking it apart, and stopped, so there are a bunch of bolts and nuts missing already. Plus dozens of then are rusted beyond re-using.

Hmmm, that's definitely something to consider. I do appreciate the link as well, it's invaluable info for me!
If I don't get a good deal on the motor and other parts, I'll stick with my I6.

71Mach14spd

If it is going to be a daily driver i would totally keep that I6 even if its not going to be i would keep it because everyone does the V8 swap so seeing an original I6 is actually pretty rare now. Just my two cents worth.

hightower2011

Hmmmm, definitely something to consider. It comes down to if I get a good deal or not. If I don't like the price, I'll keep my I6 and work on it.


Update for today:

Pulled the gas tank today:


Wow, good thing I did. Look at this hidden rust:

The gas/goop that sat in the tank for an unknown amount of time:


Stripped the rear of all parts:


Unfortunately, I found a large amount of rust hidden under the trunk lid. Suggestions? Do I need to replace the entire lid or can I salvage it? It's rusted very badly and actually bent.

jrherald420

Find a used one, there on craigslist here for less than 50.00.