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Please let me introduce Ava...

6K views 52 replies 8 participants last post by  66/93project 
#1 ·
Hi all, I've been a lurker, both as a google searcher and as a member for a while now and finally decided it's time to share her story.

My mother and father in-law gave my wife and I this slightly battered 1964 1/2 U code Mustang in August of 2015 and that began the journey. Here is how she looked before she got on the truck to join us.
 

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#27 ·
Well, all the suspension and stuff is back from powdercoating and is going in. I like the look of those Ridetech coilovers. The rear end is a ford 9" with a new Yukon nodular iron third member, Eaton True-Trac with 3.50 gears. Quick Performance was our vendor for that.
 

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#28 ·
Learned a few lessons along the way...one of them was don't buy wheels until you can get measurements for backspacing/offset/diameter. I bought some 17x8 Foose Knuckles and they would just barely work in back...but not even close in front.
 

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#31 ·
Assembly is now in progress. I decided on 2GoKeyless aka Digital Guard Dog (dawg? i dunno) for RFID keyfob security and pushbutton ignition so there's a decent amount of wiring.
Also a nice shot of the 13" Wilwoods. Love those brakes.
 

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#32 · (Edited)
This was a seemingly simple purchase I made, but my builder LOVED it. TMI makes a fiberglass backed headliner...I think they call it a "one piece" though technically it's 5 pieces, and it went in in minutes instead of hours. Also have a new ford tooling dash pad (Dashes Direct I think?) and Flaming River tilt column.
 

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#33 ·
Remember the issues with those Foose Knuckles and the backspacing? Well those are sold down the road and I found out by accident that the backspacing and wheels for a 2003 Mustang fit almost perfect. Ordered up a set of American Racing 17x9 and 17x8 wheels. here's a test fit. We're now only a week or two from first run.
 

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#36 ·
Here's a slightly more complete interior, i went with the upgraded cut pile carpet from CJ Pony parts, The seats are Pro-Car classic series with headrest, and the back seat is stock...no tears even after all of that AZ sun.
 

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#38 ·
almost there! most of the assembly is now complete, chrome is on, a couple pieces of weatherstripping and some alignment. Interior is complete except for one thing...the dash had been butchered back in the 60's to install an 8-track...more on that in a few posts.
 

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#39 ·
Dyno day!
Also that 8-track. Because of the large amount of electronics (ford PDB, Keyless brain, and security brain) I wound up separating the face from the body of the 8 track and turning it into a dummy face. the knobs turn but nobody is home. I'll eventually get around to finishing the audio, but it's not that important to me, that Coyote sings quite sweetly.
 

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#40 ·
Aeromotive fuel tank with built in fuel pump in the back, and finally Ava is home. She's a lot of fun to drive!

Hope you all find it interesting, if there are any questions on the build, let me know.
 

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#42 ·
Very nice car! Was all of it completed at a shop?
 
#44 ·
Nice looking vehicle! Car looks great.
 
#48 ·
@66/93project - It was, I decided to go that way because I'm currently almost 50, and I wanted to drive it while I'm still sort of young...ish. It'd have taken me ten years of work to get it where it is now vs. about 8 months at a shop. I found a place that has a great hourly rate, loads of integrity, and the skill necessary to do a turn key.
 
#51 ·
lol....know the feeling. I really, really wish I had started on mine sooner. I am approaching 58 and it feels like I am going to be missing out on a lot of driving time. I am still doing the work myself but I am also looking at buying complete kits or assemblies to save some time. Also, my Dad is 79 and I really want to take him in a ride in it while he still can. He drove it a couple times when it was stock about 35 years ago.
 
#49 ·
@Huntingky - Thanks! Currently its showing 373 @the wheels, and is just the basic FRPP computer tune (if you do the math, it's right at about 420 crank, totally stock numbers). I am taking her to a mod motor specialist shop in the next couple weeks to get it re-tuned, and then it should be putting a little over 400 to the wheels.
@Grabber70Mach - Thanks!
 
#50 ·
@Chaplin - I like them, they look great in the car, but... The item you questioned about the tach being too small? It is. It's also situated such that when I am in the seat and have everything adjusted, the tach is mostly obscured by my steering wheel. So I'll potentially sell this set at some point and switch to the round gauges, or get a secondary tach like the rally-pac or something.
 
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