65 Fastback Shell Build

65-408 · 10-19-2009, 04:53 PM

I don’t think this has ever been done before, so I figured that I would post some pictures of the process. Some of you may find this interesting.

I am working with Tony P. of musclecarmetal (Seabrook NH.) to build a new 65 fastback body from Dynacorn reproduction parts. Tony is a Mechanical Engineer who, like most ME’s, loves cars and can’t leave well enough alone. A few years back, after restoring a Camaro with his son, Tony decided that with a solid engineering background and a thorough understanding of unibody design and construction he could build new Camaro bodies and infact, it would be easier and take less time than to trying and cut out, save, patch, etc, old rust buckets… Since then he has built a slew of 1st gen camaro bodies on his frame jig (of his design) from scratch.

Anyways, Tony and I work together at a semi-conductor equipment manufacturing company designing precision wafer handling robots (building cars is his side passion). I had been looking for a mustang for some time and getting thoroughly discouraged by $10-$15K “driver” fastbacks with rotten floors that basically need total restoration. Turns out, Tony was half interested in trying to build a mustang and my plight seemed to push him over the edge…

Anyways, here is the modified Camaro jig with the rear frame rails and complete shock tower assemblies in place according to the shop manual frame dimensions.

The shock tower assemblies are beautiful things:

If possible, I would prefer to keep this thread about the build and not have it spiral down into debates on if this is a real mustang or not and how it will be titled, blah, blah, etc…

65Fastback434 · 10-19-2009, 05:00 PM

Looking good so far, I'll be following this thread.

Now are you gonna be adding any non-factory chassis rein-enforcements and such?

fast65tang · 10-19-2009, 05:09 PM

Sounds like an interesting challenge. I've used Dynacorn pieces on my car and am very please with their quality. I believe most of the fastback sheetmetal components are available except for the inner quarter structure. Are you guys simply gonna fabricate your own?

My '65 is currently on a body cart so if your interested in any detailed photos, let me know.

tburch · 10-19-2009, 05:20 PM

Does somebody have a large spot welder?

nymustang · 10-19-2009, 05:39 PM

That is a very cool project. I'll be very interested to see how this goes. Make sure to take lots of pics for us!

rsalway · 10-19-2009, 05:51 PM

Sounds cool! I will be following this thread too.

John_Del · 10-19-2009, 06:26 PM

Seems like the A and B pillars, and roof structure are going to be a huge challenge. I'm also looking forward to see how this turns out.

John

BTW, Dynacorn is very close to releasing their complete 65\66 FB shell......

twotoots · 10-19-2009, 09:39 PM

I was browsing through Mustangs Unlimited catalog the other night and it looks as if one could build an entire 65-66 coupe or vert with mail order parts. The only things I didn't find were the windshield pillars and the sail panel for a coupe. That would be a dream project for me....

jeff33702 · 10-19-2009, 10:18 PM

This excites me to some extent. I have a 68 coupe that I'm JUST getting rolling on. It's the car I drove in HS 20 years ago and it's been sitting...rusting.. since then. Since very little of the original car would remain, building one from scratch and using the part of my car that you cant buy new seems like a great idea.

Jay_H_237 · 10-19-2009, 10:59 PM

This is a build I'll be following too!

The Camaro bodies your coworker was building, was that the New Bottom ones? Someone had made a jig and would fabricate the complete lower Camaro bottoms from repro parts and just weld an original roof and pillars onto the lower section.

Maxum96 · 10-19-2009, 11:17 PM

Hell, the only original steel about left in my 70 is the roof, rockers, and hood. And I still feel it's a Mustang. I say your's will be a 21st century version of a 65 Mustang. Don't let the naysayers get you down. I'll be watching your build.

sixteenpushrods · 10-20-2009, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twotoots

I was browsing through Mustangs Unlimited catalog the other night and it looks as if one could build an entire 65-66 coupe or vert with mail order parts. The only things I didn't find were the windshield pillars and the sail panel for a coupe. That would be a dream project for me....

There is still a host of parts not produced. The door jambs front and rear, rear seat support for convertible, drip rail for convertible (basically everything between the rear wheel wells is all not reproduced.) No one is offering the inner rear quarter panel (piece that the rear quarter windows bolts to.

Aside from that, you need a donor car anyway to come up with the rest of the stuff that isn't reproduced. I still haven't seen a top frame, headliner bows, etc. The list is endless.

As for dynacorn. They are good because of what we are used to. Reproduction parts have just plain sucked in the past. Dynacorn is just marginal, but I have had my issues with some pieces simply not being the same size, length or otherwise just plain wrong.
I was about to buy one of their complete floors and start the work of putting a car back together on it. Complete as in the 2200 piece that is everything from the firewall back. I am glad I didn't. At a show, I saw one all painted pretty to display some suspension parts. The welds were the same quality you might expect from a kindergartner. (hmmm...seems to make sense given the country of origin) The panels are spot welded together like original, but for some reason, they pay some kid to go in there and start slinging slag wherever he thinks it needs to be stronger. (my opinion) The unit I saw had welds all over it, nearly between every panel. It was so disgusting.

Moral of the story...magazine guys love the new Dynacorn stuff. It must be really cool to see it before anyone else and give an opinion about it. Oh yeah, and Dynacorn is a huge advertiser. So they just write about how wonderful it is and how much stronger it is that the original Ford stuff and it's so wonderful....What you get is much, much different that you expect.

OCHOHILL · 10-20-2009, 01:23 AM

I am thankful that the OP is posting the build for the rest of us to enjoy.

Thank you.

If the quality is there, I would prefer a new body over an original any day.

65-408 · 10-20-2009, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay_H_237

This is a build I'll be following too!

The Camaro bodies your coworker was building, was that the New Bottom ones? Someone had made a jig and would fabricate the complete lower Camaro bottoms from repro parts and just weld an original roof and pillars onto the lower section.

Probably, he offers complete floor assemblies or builds what ever someone wants...

As for the internal structure, yes, a donor will be used...

65-408 · 10-20-2009, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 65Fastback434

Looking good so far, I'll be following this thread.

Now are you gonna be adding any non-factory chassis rein-enforcements and such?

We are adding 67/68 front torque boxes and the Dynacorn 1 piece seat pan and I am considering adding the convertible under floor reinforcements. I will also probably do some of the boss boxing of the shock towers and fab a beefed up crossmember and of course a monte carlo bar and export brace. Against the popular vote, I am not sold on subframe connectors yet… I want to do side exhaust and subframe connectors make that difficult, plus I have yet to see any real data on their effectivness. You would think that with the number of high dollar companies selling them, someone would have some data to show their effect on chassis torsional stiffness. The best chassis stiffening approach I have seen was done by Julien's:

Chassis Design 101

I have talked to Bob there, great guy, he has analyzed mustang unibodies and has performed actual torsional stiffness testing, I hope to inproporate some of their ideas.