I'd like to share some of progress I've made on my car. The car started as a T code 65 fastback driver that I enjoyed for several years before getting into autocross with my other cars. This will document my v8 engine swap, vert inner rocker and torque box install, mini tub, one piece floor pans, transition pan, and trunk replacement. It all started several winters ago when I began replacing all the front suspension components with new v8 items:
The wheels shown on the rear are 18x8 coddingtons left over from another project, they will go onto the front I just have them mocked to start on my 9" conversion:
Here you can see the new control arms in place with the old garbage on the floor:
Lower control arm bushings are urethane as well as the spring perch rollers. Springs are 620s from street or track.
Brakes are 13" 03-04 cobra and the adapters I got from mustang Steve. The rotors and calipers were sourced from late model restoration. They came red so they got some high temp caliper paint in black:
Hubs are drum brake replacements that I pressed new studs into:
I shaved the grill ornament off and replaced it with a 66 center piece for a more intimidating look:
After the brake install and taking 1/3 coil out of the springs, the front wheels were bolted up:
I got some high temp pony decals for the calipers. Nice touch I thought:
I rolled the rear lips using an Eastwood fender roller. Used a heat gun and got them rolled to what I feel is the limit of what the paint could handle:
The rear is an ebay 9" housing. I rebuilt a center section out of a 66 Galaxy and fitted it with a 3.73 tru-trac and moser 28 spline axles. The cobra 11" brakes are also shown and you can also see the Bilstein shocks sourced from street or track;
Here is a pic of the interior before tear down. I had just installed the wood grain steering wheel and have yet to drive the car with it:
And here is the interior being stripped:
So that I can install the convertible inner rockers, torque boxes, and one piece seat pan:
I had planned to just remove the fastback seat pans, cut a slit in the floor and slide the inner rockers into place but guess what. Found a pinhole. So I took an awl and began stabbing the floor to see what I had. Found some other pin holes and immediately decided on a one piece floor pan and began cutting:
Drilled holes in the inner rocker and welded it in using rosette welds after much fitting and trimming.
I split the torque box and welded in the bottom piece leaving enough room to slip the top into place. I had transfer punched the holes in the floor to the top piece of the torque box so all welding could be done from the top instead of the bottom. I'm a proficient welder but ONLY when I am in position and can see what I'm doing:
The gray finish is weld through primer. I just sprayed it on so I wouldn't be getting oils ect on the bare metal. Most of it will be coming back off.
Here you can see I used a proper epoxy primer before sealing things up. I also added some small bracing and Sean welding before it got sealed up:
And then the top piece of the torque box:
The firewall extension came next and got clecoed on place:
I got some 17" donuts off ebay from a fox cobra. They will clear the 13" rotors and allow me to carry a spare. I picked up two so I could dolly the car around:
Here is the 200 6 cyl with the fluids drained and the a/c compressor removed:
I pulled the valve cover and used two of the head bolts to attach my leveler and hoist it out:
With the engine out I began stripping the engine compartment using aircraft stripper. It is brushed on and peeling the paint in this photo:
The fenders came off and lots of aircraft stripper later:
With both inner rockers welded in I felt there was enough strength put into the body to lift the car without the floor in. I had to sell one of my projects:
But rewarded myself with a mid rise two post lift to get serious about the mustang:
With the car on the lift I began stopping the inner fenders and installing the passenger torque box:
You can see the rust hole in the radiator support thanks to years of battery acid
Passenger torque box. Installed/welded from underneath this time since it was on a lift:
Also did the lower control arm eccentric:
After some grinding:
And welded the plates in:
Used a dremel and enlarged only the outside of the holes(trying to add - camber not +) and bolted the adjustable plates in:
Using poster board and 5 minutes of my time I made some boss 302 style reinforcement plate templates and transferred them to some 20 ga steel for the shock towers. Primer first:
Not specifically but I can get some eventually. I'm at work till Xmas. I can tell you it's not a fun process and very time consuming when trying to salvage the paint. It would be much easier to use a bfh with no regard for paint damage while the car was stripped. I'm trying to do all my mods without painting the outside of the car.
Got the cowl cleaned up and prepared it for my export brace reinforcement:
Drilled holes in the reinforcement plate and rosette welded it to the cowl underneath the lip. Done deal:
After stripping the rust damage by the battery tray was obvious:
Cut that crap out and began test fitting my new battery apron, radiator support and front crossmember:
I then took them back off and sprayed 2 coats of SPI epoxy. I sprayed them both from underneath the car. I wanted to get the underneath coated well and then after welding spray two more from the top as you look at it:
Reassembled the front end. Added seam sealer and began wiring. The steering is all new with a quick ratio box, roller idler arm yadda yadda:
I am using adjustable motor mounts. They have green tape on them so I don't lose the bolts. Used a 11/8" sway bar and since this pic also added one of zray's lower crossmembers(highly recommended)
For the strut rods I used factory replacements with miaer racing bushings. These things are trick and allow full articulation with no fore aft movement.
Here is the miaer racing panhard bar being installed. This not only adds chassis stiffening but will keep my rear end from moving laterally:
With that welded in I had enough bracing to drop the rear end and begin my trunk floors and transition pan. This is easy money with a lift:
Time to strip the frame rails and remove the transition pan and right trunk drop off:
Here the new transition pan is being fitted:
Here is a gratuitous pic of what will be powering this thing. I am documenting the engine build in a separate thread titled 'my explorer 5.0 to 289 4v build':
98 5.0 gt40p heads, Ed Curtis cam, 600 cfm autolite 4100, sn95 t5 and I will be using a hydraulic clutch.
Awesome work. I know from experience that trying to do all this while keeping the paint nice adds another level of complexity to the project.
You've commented in my build thread that my project reminds you of yours, and now I see why. Same color cars and very similar repairs going on. Ironically my dash was medium blue and I just painted it white.
Also, good choice spending money on the lift. It's the best money a gear head can spend.
I stripped the frame rails and punched holes to mimic the factory spot welds:
The ecoat on the bottom of the floors was scuffed and then stripped where the front framerails would be welded.:
The transition pan and right trunk drop down were also scuffed and stripped:
After a thourough cleaning with laquer thinner and wax and grease remover, I used a 3" foam roller and applied 2 coats of Spi epoxy to the new pieces. I only did this because red oxide is sexy:
Thanks for the encouragement guys. The pics make the primer look much more red than in person. It has more Browns and deep maroons in it than the pics let on:
I hacked up the old gas tank and used it to locate my transition pan and the right trunk drop down:
Then with the help of my wife I was able to get the transition pan welded in:
My tires will be too wide for the factory bump stops which would normally go on the outside of the framerail so I prepped an area on the inside of the framerail:
And modded some Reman bump stops so I could move them to the inside:
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