I live in England and just over 2.5 yrs ago I got into Mustangs and bought a '65 K code FB it is just about finished being restored in the US.
Anyways to cut a long story short I was getting bored waiting for the K code and though hey I will but myself a Mustang to restore. So in Sept 2012 I imported a'70 Mach 1 with good options and interestingly complete with '72 351 Cleveland high output engine (rebuild permitting)
Been working on the car slowly but surely over the last 16 months and I'll post some updates on my progress made over the next few nights.
More or less as described save for a missing prop shaft (?)
Was stood outside in Altanta and Virginia for some time.
Been told it needs floor and rear panel replacement and some work in the trunk floor area and the engine may require strip down (the good news is that it's a genuine 351C 4 bolt unit !!)
Dashpad and door cards cracked and probably need replacing. Strangely seats not too bad.
And finally a "present" that was left running around - "added value extra" that must have got through US immigration ......................)
Interior out, wings off, front end taken off, rear stripped out, now what have I found……..
• Need LH and RH floors as suspected, have just ordered torq boxes, need LH, but not yet sure about RH.
• Rear valance and part of rear LH and RH chassis legs required with cross member (hope I got the panel descriptions required).
Whilst the floor and rear end works are no surprise, I’m slightly surprised at the reasonable condition of the front rails, looks like some form of protection has been applied at some point.
Next stages are
• Take out engine+box and then have a good luck at front chassis rails, firewall, battery support etc -I suspect these are OK, given what I’ve seen to date
• Take out front and rear screens, interior wiring and heater box and then have a really good look at the roof
At last, some real progress with "new metal" - got the tail light panel, chassis plates etc in. Tank fits just nice.
Need to tidy up with grinder and some work left to attach chassis plate extension to the rear lower quarter (needs lower 1/4 piece), but will leave that till I turn her over.
Next step is to get the jig set up to roll her over and then new floor pan, onwards and upwards as they say............
Chris
LHS torque box now in, just need to put the small front corner bracket on and then see how the floor pan + toe board meets the firewall and comes together. Must dress the welds neater next time, looks better with some primer on, honest!
Well a milestone reached, new torque box in. Toe boards and floor tacked in, still more to do on floor to tidy it up, but at least it ain't no fred flintstone car any more
Next time I do one, will get a full one piece pan, got to be easier than LH and RH sides and I will have learnt from this one big time. although knowing what I know now, would I do it again ?...............only for the love of an Eleanor
Things been a little slow as of late as too much time spent on GT350 clone in primer and the garden.........@-)
So been tacking one-off jobs, in between jobs if you see what I mean
First is inner wing to cowl repair pass side, piece cut out ready to fit in next few weeks -a PO had pop-riveted the old panel in, can you adam and eve it !
New lower 1/4 panel driv side - welded in now just need to fill in
Now started sandblasting where cant get drill and strip bit in - what a mess, just for the inner shock tower, will try strip drill where possible and leave sandblasting for the bits that are heard to reach
Note that section of strip drill i.e. bright compared to dull finish of blaster -I can now see why they say don't blast main panels on show - its a bit vicious!
Chris
1-reparing cracked shocked tower, drivers side was worse and quite cracked, drilled out 1/8 drill at end and then v groove with grinder and then get the MIG out, result not too bad
2-My dad has been working on the driv side rear lower 1/4 panel - new panel section put in, miscellaneous dents removed on the 1/4 panel and then filled as required
3-small section repairs to front radiator support
4-completing sandblasting of front and get ready for etch primer - note the difference on cowl i.e. rust and the newly blasted/sanded areas, quite a contrast.....
This will be the last update for a while as work manic for next 3-4 weeks - then waiting for the last 2 major pieces from Ron's next container - cowl (upper and lower) and A post (door support).
When the cowl goes in, I can at least see the end of the welding!
Been worrying about leaving the bare metal that I have worked so hard to get blasted/stripped (was going to have a 2-3 weeks of no action on the car) so I decided to work like a lunatic over the last few evenings and have managed to get some etch and top coat primer on.
Next and last big welding job is the cowl and drivers side pillar/door post - c'mon on Ron get that container over !
Finally a car is taking shape from the pile of rust that was there
Underfloor now complete, etch primer, then primer x2 coats and finally U pol stone protector black to finish.
I did consider a red oxide type primer top finish to keep concours type finish, but then thought not a good long term finish for UK roads, hence the U pol stone protector black to finish applied.
Guess what I've been doing over the weekend -LHS A door pillar, needed doing as you can see from before and after pics
Pics don't do justice to work needed fabbing section above new A pillar to roof down supports and the work with grinder, cutter and air chisel etc to get the damned things out
Has bit more grief on the RHS pass side A pillar, had to make up a piece to go toward inner roof rail - at least all of the rust is now cut out and good new metal let in.
Oh and by the way got around to getting the RHS inner fender matched up to the cowl. This is where I slow down and take my time to get it absolutely spot on, guess what I will be doing over the Xmas break... such as loser to be in the garage L-) at least I won't have to watch the rubbish telly or take the good lady shopping (well don't know about the latter one :">)
Just a short note to say tow the welding is finally done!!
Cowl and RHS inner fender welded into position over the weekend, hurrah!
The inner fender and top fender/cowl supports were the worst pattern parts I had bought, lots of work to make them fit. The cowl was a complete Dynacorn inner/outer unit and was a great piece, Put the wings on as trial fit and looked good.
Decided to go back to bodywork over xmas/new year by making a start on the fenders, strip down to bare metal on both outer and inner.
LHS first and save for a few pinholes at the bottom where the Mach 1 panel section goes on top, it came out well. Some minor dent repairs and then etch and 2K primer, nice and easy for a change (well save for the DA work, which although boring and time consuming, saves me getting cold in the garage!)
Chris
Over Xmas and new year started on outer and inner fender paint strip.
according to date stamps found and question posted on ConcoursMustang Forums - Index (this is a well supported and rich source of info web site) - found both fenders are original
So for inner fender prep; although both had some surface rust, they are actually in reasonable nick for fenders that are well over 40 years of age!
Inner fenders had some sort of schutz type factory finish on the main part that is exposed under wheel well. Interestingly where there was no protection, only primer existed and surface rust was starting to taking hold here, Hard work with hot air paint stripper gun, wire brush and then paint strip wheel in drill and hey presto, clean inner wings.
Then put 1 coat of etch primer, 2x coats of 2K filler primer and the 1x cost of spray on schutz.
Looking good for another 40+ yrs ;-)
Chris
As on car
strip down
LHS outer fender on car - after DA to metal and 1x coat etch primer and 2xcoats 2K primer
Slowly but surely the shell is having primer and blocking it will be started shortly.
Will trial fit the fenders and doors in the week
Still have a decision to make on doors skins - might be able to repair one door but the other probably needs a skin. I;d like to keep both of them as they are originals and door skins are a pain to fit.
This is where progress will get slow as my money has to go into completing the K code, shame :'(
Great work! I'm restoring a '70 Mach 1 as well and these build threads make me want to get out in the garage and get some work done. If only it wasn't freezing outside. As soon as it warms up I've got some catching up to do.
Should be some more updates soon as back in the garage this weekend and looking to strip and primer trunk lid and hopefully sand blast rear axle (axle as long as it stops raining in England, which is doubtful!)
Chris
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