I agree. I would much rather use an original part when possible, even if it may be dented or scratched. You can't beat something that may have been originally attached to your car at the assembly line or at least another vintage Mustang. I like the interior of my car. The dash and corresponding parts look very original. The paint has scratches and the gauge cluster shows its age, but that's what I like. The same goes for the interior door and door panels, rear seat, and interior quarter panels. They all appear original and unrestored. That's the character of a car that is closing in on its 50th anniversary.
As for the suspension, I plan to rebuild all of it and upgrade to a V8, but that will most likely be all new parts. I will look for American-made as much as I can. I'd like to find a 289 to go with my 4 speed toploader.
Please advise: Past post with this answer or this is a new thread.
How much trim and other body parts should I replace versus just keeping the old that is not restorable? For instance, door handles are not pitted, but they have a worn appearance, wheel well trim has a small dent or two, dash pad is not cracked but has some slight warping and discoloration and rear tail light lens chrome has small pits, among other things.
Stainless trim that is not too bunged up can (and should) be straightened and will polish up like new. If it's too crappy then search for OE stainless that CAN be fixed (if it even has to be). The repro stuff is an inferior gauge and finish. Chrome that is pitted or scratched but otherwise in good condition CAN be rechromed, and if you have a car's worth you may get a good deal vs. buying NOS or repro. Nothing looks worse than a nice new paint job and pitted vent window frames or bumpers. The "Original Tooling" stuff is pretty decent and I'd use it to replace things like your dashpad, etc. If you're going to do a thorough job it all has to come off anyhow. Why put it back on if it looks crappy?
I am about to send my old mustang to the shop for a restoration. This shop has a good reputation for mustang restoration in the Atlanta, GA area. I am restoring a weekend driver, not a concourse car. During the restoration they are suggesting replacement rather than restore for cost effectiveness for several of the trim items such as mentioned above. Not for consideration of cost, but are the older slightly worn less shiny parts of sufficiently better quality than reproduction parts that I am better off keeping the original?
It depends on the item but, like I said above, I'd do whatever I could to keep OE Stainless. My experience, in the past, has been that chrome plated stuff from overseas doesn't always last.
I see many older post bemoaning the quality of reproduction parts and am also reminded by this shop that these cars were thrown together as they were a low cost car. Perfection is not required, dependability is. Thoughts?
Most of the issues on repro parts has mainly to do with sheet metal, although some other stuff is also junk, like the cheap sill plates. If you need to have sheet metal replaced then try to find good OEM first, OE Tooling second, and repro third. The extra you spend on OE stuff will be offset by the savings in labor by trying to get it to fit right....provided your shop even TRIES. With the attitude they seem to have about "throwing them together" can you be sure that they will have the attention to detail to do things right, like door gaps, etc.? I had a friend that had his GT-500 clone done by a shop that put replacement doors on it and the gaps were SO large at the front I could put my PALM through them. Totally unacceptable.Why they even shot paint on it is beyond me.
Thank you all for your input on this discussion. It is true that I am going to have professional help on the restoration. I am the only person that has worked on this car in the last 27 years aside from my very reliable and knowledgeable machine shop who did all the machine work and procured the most reliable replacement parts for me. The goal on this phase of ownership is to get the car to look great. For that I am turning to the pro. I have already done all the mechanical from drive train to suspension.
I surmise that body parts are the most unreliable, as such I have procured an NOS trunk lid and used original hood. I will strive to repair and buff all stainless and formed aluminum trim pieces. The chrome, well I will try to buff some of it, but the bumpers just haven't held up. As Tom McCahill once said (in about 1957) modern chrome ain't what it used to be. I will have to replace the bumpers. Fortunately the car is stored indoors which will help prolong the life of the repro chrome. I wonder if my living room floor will hold the weight of the car, it's nice and warm there. More importantly, I wonder if my wife will object!
With all the hobby restoration that I have done over my life, I never used to consider that each restoration would have a finite life. I am still amazed to hear of cars found that are absolutely original and pristine. It happens, but I hear more of cars that are in great shape, but the older restoration needs to be reworked.
Thanks again for all the input. I am amazed at all the activity on this forum, too.
Lol, that is funny. I didn't use any original, Shelby unique pieces to build my clone. Where I could, I used original Mustang parts, which involved a lot of hunting, scraping, polishing, repainting...but isn't that the fun part of the hobby? I understand that there are times where repo is the way to go, but for me, it is the last choice.
Perhaps next time you could lead off with constructive comments like this. Your first post was pretty abrasive, thus the flack.
Perhaps next time you could lead off with constructive comments like this. Your first post was pretty abrasive, thus the flack.
No worries. I think that a lot of people restoring these cars go the quick and easy route of picking up the thick catalog or clicking on the favorite mustang parts site and starts ordering away. Personally, I would rather see a pitted original bumper than a Chineese repop. Yes, I am a hypocrite, but getting back to the original poster and his interest in input on parts he should replace vs. by repops.
I guess it depends on your philisophical approach to the restoration. Is having a 40+ year old gear shift knob that has shifted the car thousands and thousands of time over decades and multiple owners important to stay on the car? Or are you ok with tossing it in the trash and replace it with one made in Shanghai in 2012? Or if the one you have is not serviceable, can it be restored, or is there a suitable one that started its life on another car that will now join the ongoing journey of preserving and enjoying something from the past.
I am glad to see that everyone that replied seemed to get their points across without getting testy! We all share a common interest in the love of these old cars and get
to where we are going via different roads. I think a lot of good information was shared here and hope my comment to GT350 wasnt taken personally, SORRY man.
Like someone once said, "cant we all just get along"? I think we are.
I am glad to see that everyone that replied seemed to get their points across without getting testy! We all share a common interest in the love of these old cars and get
to where we are going via different roads. I think a lot of good information was shared here and hope my comment to GT350 wasnt taken personally, SORRY man.
Like someone once said, "cant we all just get along"? I think we are.
Yeah, except the "California snob" part, what's with that?
I hear you ASM109 when you say restore the original bumpers with the better fit and ticker steel. Just what was the original thickness? I want to see if I have originals or not.
First time: At 16, I ordered everything out of a JC Whitney catalog. Nothing fit, and I made everything fit. Rattle can primer paint job through highschool.
Second Time: Age 19. Rebuilt motor and switched from auto to four speed in parents driveway. Tore up parents driveway. Still could not afford new parts.
Third time: Age 21. Had somebody else paint it. Got girlfriend pregnant. Married girlfriend. Parked car (8 years).
Fourth time: Started all over... stripped car to metal and gave it to a pro. Realized I would never finish...researched and found the right guy/shop.
Bottom line is I learned everything from this car, and it has a lot to do with who I am. By taking it apart 4-5 times, to making mistake after mistake, to ordering the worst parts to the best parts. Some of the worst fit fine, some of the best I sent back more than once.
Hopefully your resto shop guy has gone through similar trials with far more cars than I have. He has made the mistakes to get better and to know who has the right parts.
__________________ [SIGPIC]
1966 Coupe Restomod
331 stroker, 5 speed
Discs x 4, 9 inch with 4.10 posi
Coil Overs, Ladder bar setup, subs, 6pt rollbar
Dyno'd 400/430
Well said, cornholio! Been there, done that too! There really is much to be said for making your own mistakes and learning along the way, it increases the joy when you finally DO get it right! As you certainly seem to have done, congrats!
I couldn't tell you how many times that I have also taken my car apart. Like you I held on to the car and at this stage of my life recognize that a pro can do it faster and possibly better as he has all the tools and relationships with parts vendors. Cornholio, your car looks great. I am not sure if I want to modify the performance of my 67 or just settle for the fact that I'm 55 and both the car and I have survived so far as is from the factory.
Thanks... I used to be very stuburn about anyone else working on the car. I did everything more than once. And again, I would not have had it any other way. But from teenager to 40 with this car, I realized it is all about the preservation of the car. I still do what I can, but realized the quicker it gets done right, the more often I am driving the car...
__________________ [SIGPIC]
1966 Coupe Restomod
331 stroker, 5 speed
Discs x 4, 9 inch with 4.10 posi
Coil Overs, Ladder bar setup, subs, 6pt rollbar
Dyno'd 400/430
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Steve
