Mustang Club of Maryland

We are ready for the floor, installed a set of Total Control frame connectors and the crossmember. The weld in frame connectors fit perfect and make for a rock solid chassis.
We will have it reroute the fuel line as the new frame connector’s block where the fuel line runs just in front of the rear springs. I’m not sure Ford picked the best/safes route for the fuel line.






Stout ¼” steel construction









The holes are for an optional cross brace.









Without the floor it is easy to clamp them in place and check that they are lavel.












Welded in and the floor is next!
Thanks!

Pat

We received the floor that was on back order for 3 weeks. CJ did a great job packing it for a damage free transit.







With a small ratchet strap attached on the bottom center of the floor we could flex the floor up in the center so it would fit between the window posts. The floor is about 55” wide and there is only 53” between the window posts.
















The floor fit great and only need a small modification at the rear inter wheelhouses.







Tomorrow we will weld the 232 holes we drilled into the floor.
Thanks!

Pat

Kurt & I just got back to working on the Fastback as we were away on the Hot Rod Power Tour. The floor & seat pans are welded in & we finished up a small repair on the left fender.
Thanks!
Pat




Awesome time on the HRPT and we look forward to taking Kurt’s Fastback in a year or two. The 10 day trip recharged us to get back on Kurt’s Fastback project.







The seat pans fit great and are built & look just like the original













The floor needed a little persuasion to fit with a BFH but it worked out and looks great!

We finished the fender repair and repaired & installed the original lower quarter trim panel mounts.










Kurt’s getting pretty good with the metal work!












Part of the left lower quarter trim panel bracket was rust off and need to be replaced as I could not find a repro one. We noted the mounts where 41 ¼” apart from each other before we removed them.
Thanks!
Pat

Kurt & I drove down to Mike’s Mustangs in Bryans Road, MD yesterday to look for a few things and to check out the 400+ Mustang’s in their junk yard. I love walking through any junk yard, but an all Mustang yard was cool! Here are a few pictures.
Thanks!
Pat

Where is that junk yard???

_________________

"I think people are so passionate about Mustang because it gives you a sense of freedom. especially in a red convertible.

Today we sanded, prepped, and sprayed the door & fenders with Dupont ChromaSurfacer Urethane primer.







Before we could prime them we need to wash them down with Hold Tight to clean off the soda. Then we wiped them down with Prep-sol before sanding and just before priming we wipe them down with Final Klean. On the interior side of the door we just used a light self etching aerosol primer as to not fill in the grain.













Easy primer to use as the activator & reducer is all in one and it is pre-mixed in 10 degrees increments.
Thanks!
Pat

Kurt & I put a few hours into the car today welding up the holes we cut into the cowl to get access POR-15 the inside of the cowl. We also cut off a small dented up forward part of the right rocker.










We used a copper plate in from the vent holes under the dash to keep a clean weld on the inside that we brushed POR-15 over from the same vent hole when we finished the grinding.








We tried to use the weld on studs with the side hammer as we did on the driver’s side but the studs would just pull off as the metal was thin from some rust











This is the only thin part of the rocker, the rest of the rocker looks great.
Thanks & happy 4th
Pat

We found a big nest in the right side rocker that was made from the jute carpet padding.








Easy to remove with the front end of the rocker cut off, the left side will need to be checked before we spray it down with frame coat.









Repaired and welded beck together, time for some primer.
Thanks!
Pat

Holy hell! That was a huge nest!

_________________
-Eric
2010 GT Premium
85 SVO 1C
95 Ranger Splash

We removed all of the old seam sealer along the firewall. Most of it looked good but we found some light rust under the outer edges.








Use some POR-15 on the surface rust under the old seam sealer.














We use 3-M Fast & Firm seam sealer on the firewall, frame rails, and aprons. Easy to work with and look nice when you work it in.














We use a black seam sealer on the inside of the firewall and a cool self leveling seam sealer from SEM on the new floor seams. Had to buy a $45.00 caulking gun to use the SEM seam sealer but it is worth it, as it flows in to & between the metal better then traditional seam sealer.
Thanks!
Pat

We primed the front of the car today and hope to mount the fenders & doors tomorrow.









Folded 12 x 30” long paper to fix into the vent to keep the inside of the cowl clean from overspray



















We taped over the VIN # to keep from filling in the number with hi build primer.
Thanks!
Pat

To hot in the shop to work on the body of the mustang so we tore down the original motor to Kurt’s car at the house.








With the valve covers & intake off the top of the motor looks clean. Based on the file of old receipts that came with the car the motor has less then 16K since the rebuild in 1987.

Question; the heads are marked 289 but the block is marked 302, when was the switch from 289 to 302 in 1968?








With the head off you can still see the honing marks in the cylinders.









With only 16K on the motor since the rebuild and it seem to run great we question whether we should take the motor apart but after seeing the rod bearing it was a good call! I think we will replace the bottom end!
Thanks!
Pat

We hung and aligned the right side door & fender so we could use the door to fit the new quarters.















Nice to see some of the sheet metal back on the car again.
Thanks!
Pat

Man, I gotta come play with you two in your playground... IIRC 302's started around mid year(right around when they went from the bolt on 1/4 markers to the inset ones). Is the block original for the car? Also IIRC 289 heads on a 302 breathed a bit better than the 302 heads of the era.

_________________
-Eric
2010 GT Premium
85 SVO 1C
95 Ranger Splash

We cut the right side quarter off and replaced the trunk drop off this weekend!











It worked best for us to cut the quarter off just in from the welds and go back and drill out the spot welds.













We already had a full right side replacement trunk floor but we only need the drop off. As the right side trunk was in great shape and to keep as much of the original metal we cut off only the drop off. The left side will need the full floor.
Thanks!
Pat

_________________
-Eric
2010 GT Premium
85 SVO 1C
95 Ranger Splash

Just about ready to hang the right side quarter. We POR 15 the inter metal and started some small rust repair on the tail panel.








This is an older patch that we will repair correctly.







Thanks!
Pat

We hung the right side quarter and after hours of adjusting it is ready to be welded on. Pulled it off to seam seal and paint where we can’t get to when the quarter is on.









It is a little tricky sliding the quarter in as the top of the trunk gutter need to fit under the deck panel gutter.









Add two more cuts in the door jam end of the quarter to help match the shape of the door. Look vary close just a little off at the top of the C







Kurt striped another door we found that was in better shape then the one off the car. We will hang it and use it to align the left quarter as soon as we weld on the right side.






I’m glad the quarter mounted straighter then Kurt’s stickers on the refrigerator! ;-)

Thanks!
Pat