My First Ever Project Build.

[craigF]

Hi all.
I've been reading with lots of interest and a huge amount of jealousy of all of your builds and fabrication skills.
I thought I'd post a build thread of my own and look for any advice people are willing to give over the next few years of this build.
I always wanted a project to build and could never really settle on what or had the time to even start one but after a discussion with my better half about the car she would buy if money was no object we purchased a 67 Mustang Coupe from the States and shipped it down to Australia.
The car has been here for about nine months now and many versions of what I would like to achieve and what my wife would like to be seen driving in, have been thought of, modified, scrapped and thought of again.
A basic plan has been hatched and started.
I have access to a fully stocked repair shop, skilled people and my eagerness to build a car that will be a thrill to drive.
Basic critera....
Drives like a modern sports car.
Power always on tap.
Clean looks.
Classic Shape.

This is going to be a slow build for those that are interested as money is not on an endless supply but I think a quality build is first on the list.

This is the car as it landed in Australia.

https://www.pro-touring.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=109233&stc=1

[craigF]

I have totally stripped the car and have had it media blasted to see what lurked under the reasonable exterior.

[craigF]

The result was a mix of good and bad. The overall cleanliness of the car is great with a small amount of rust in the usual places but it also showed up some previous average attempts at repair.

[craigF]

My aim for the year is to have the bodywork complete and into an epoxy primer. I am still running ideas around in my head as I am going but a general plan is starting to form.
I love the look and style of the Heidts Pro G IFS and plan on that for a front end with the possibility of a TCP 4 Link rear.
Does anyone have any reviews on these product, I would love to hear.


I'll post a few more pics of where we are up to now


https://www.pro-touring.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=109247&stc=1https://www.pro-touring.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=109245&stc=1https://www.pro-touring.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=109246&stc=1https://www.pro-touring.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=109248&stc=1https://www.pro-touring.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=109249&stc=1https://www.pro-touring.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=109242&stc=1https://www.pro-touring.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=109243&stc=1https://www.pro-touring.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=109244&stc=1

[craigF]

Forgot to mention.
I am converting it to right hand drive for no other reason than enjoying the ride on Australian roads.

[Justin@EntropyRad]

RHD?? Right on

[Hornet LSX]

Will be following along on your build. Concerning you suspension take a look at Control Freaks suspension systems. They have expanded into Australia with there products and make a complete IFS specifically for your Mustang and the best part is they make a Right Hand Drive set up for it. Freakride.com
Ask for Al and tell em Wynn sent you by.
You have an excellent platform to build from. 67 Mustangs are light and really nice looking cars in any configuration.
Cheers, Wynn

[BenE64]

G'day, great potential there! Would love a classic like that one day.
I had a laugh about the statement about "enjoying Australian roads" but right on with the RHD conversion, it does make it easier to drive around and just enjoy it.

If you need to keep your body in bare metal for awhile and dont want rust issues try a product called paint grip 253. Works awesome. Although looking at the colour it may already be used?

hope you keep up the good progress going to like watching on.

[Josh@Ridetech]

Very cool! Keep posting pictures!

[sj9ers]

Hey Craig is there anyway you send me or post up the measurements off the cart you have? Im looking to build one for my own 67
Thanks

[craigF]

Hey Craig is there anyway you send me or post up the measurements off the cart you have? Im looking to build one for my own 67
Thanks

Sure.
The measurements for the uprights came out of the ford manual and the square fame was taken from the widest point at the rear (rear suspension mounts) to the rail ends.
I used 50 x 50 steel with 2mm walls. If I was in need of building another I would either use thicker steel walls or build two frames on top of each other in a lattice sort of construction.
The frame I have built is god but has a little to much flex in it for the amount of body I have removed. Once the firewall was removed the front rails were effectively not attached to the car apart from the bed. It did its job but I have to keep ensuring the rails position until I have replaced the fire wall
I use a cheap laser level to ensure it is level prior to welding anything up just for good measure. We welded the new floor in prior to removing any cowl and dash to keep the sills true.
Hope that makes sense.

[craigF]

Hi Everyone.
I have just placed a link to my homepage on my profile for those that are interested. It gives a little more insight and pictures to what I have done so far. Please remember this is my first build and I'm sure I will make mistakes, small and large, but so far I'm having fun.
www.67coupe.com
It's a very new site and the first I have made so forgive me if it's a little clunky in places. I have no posting or contact ability on there yet but I will eventually.

[craigF]

I have a quick question for everyone out there. I am considering using some mini tubs on the rear of my coupe. Not huge ones just up to the edge of the rails and then have the rear qtrs. flared slightly. Hoping this will give me enough room underneath for some decent tire size. My question is, how will it look in the inside and what mods will I have to complete to the rear seat. Does anyone have any pictures of completed tubs from the inside.
Thanks
Craig.

[Max Power]

Subscribed. Love a good build thread but even better, an Aussie Mustang thread!

[craigF]

Here is a quick shot of how things are starting to come along.
Took this last night to see if my levels were ok and I must admit I was pretty impressed with myself.
I will measure a few more times before finally welding the firewall and cowls in fully but not bad so far.

109445

[craigF]

Hi all.
I am about to place the new floor tunnel support in and for the life of me I can not remember the distance from the front end of the floor support rails.
Can any on help me out. Is it a critical measurement?
Thanks.

[Jetfixr320]

If it's what I'm thinking of, then the factory transmission mount attaches to it.109612
Not the red arrows but the curved piece?

[craigF]

That s right. From the red arrows to the tunnel support. That's the measurement I am after.
Thanks

[craigF]

109758109759109760109761109762Floors, Torque Boxes and Firewall in place.

[craigF]

Right hand torque box looks really good considering the struggle we had to make it fit.
Not really sure what was wrong with it but I am leaning towards it just being a poorly built piece.

[craigF]

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Front view of both Torque boxes.
Considering repairing or replacing the "A" pillars as they have a little rust that I can see on the inside. Not to bad but I don't want it to come through in 5 - 10 years. I would only kick myself for not doing it now.

I am also planning painting the lower cowl prior to welding the pieces together. This also puts me in a quandary as to what colour. My better half really wants a red one. Now do I go the traditional red or one of the new style Kandy reds that are around now. Seen on the new Mazda Sixes.
Any opinions out there.

[craigF]

Love this colour.
In the sunlight it glows and shows it's shine but as it goes into shadow it becomes a deeper red almost burgundy or cherry.
decided to paint the inside of the lower cowl panel before its all welded shut.110063110062

[stevemaxx]

Looking good. Love the color. Keep up the good work!

[Jetfixr320]

Love the color, It will look great!

[craigF]

Thanks everyone.
I,m tackling the job of replacing the door hinge panels this weekend as they have some rust internally and I don't want the problem appearing in a few years. So we are going to cut the lower section of th "a" Piller and remove the outer section to allow us to remove the door hing panel. We will then reattach the outer Piller section and fabricate where needed.
I'll post some pictures soon.

[Blue70]

Love the color choice!

I wish my Mustang started that clean. I'll be watching

[keepat]

Color is awesome! great job!
Pat

[craigF]

Ok as I said we tackled replacing the door hinge pillar panels this weekend and it went ok..ish.
The panels themselves were a good quality Dynacorn product and cost $220.00 Aussie for the pair.
We cut and picked the outer "A" pillar panel, cleaned up the surface rust on the side panels and tacked the hinge panels into place ready for spot welding.
The outer "A" pillar panel was really thin and was rusting from the inside out. I could brass weld it up or I could try and get some parts fabricated I am open to help or suggestions.110246110247110248110249

[craigF]

Hinge panels in place110250110251110252

[craigF]

Now what to do with the "A" pillar outer panels.110253110254

[craigF]

Hi all. It's been a while so it's time for a quick update.
I decided to go with the Total Cost Involved front suspension set up and the Chris Alstons Chassisworks rear end set up so while i am awaiting the front end to arrive we decided to start the rear end. I really wish they made stuff over here that is as good as the parts in the Sates the cost of getting it here along with the exchange rat is unbelievable.
After we removed the rear panels it was good to see only the usual surface rust which we will clean prime and paint. We have decided to go with new panels all round so i can see some frustrating alignment issues coming up, any advice appreciated.
The roof came up a treat after many hours of working and filing but overall a good job. I am building a car to drive and not a show car but it still needs to look good.
Enough rambling here are some pics.

[craigF]

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This shows the Mustang to Fear engine bay panels screwed into place prior to welding and the guard alignment dosen't look to bad.
We will finish fitting the engine bay panels after the suspension cross member is in place just to prevent the panels warping from the heat.

[craigF]

118980
Doors and fenders are not a million miles away in this picture but don't let the photo fool you. The aftermarket guards are a terrible fit and i'm going to have to do some major fabrication to make the even look half decent. The doors are pretty good and seem to line up well. Wish i had persevered with the old guards and worked on them more. We live and learn.

[craigF]

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Really pleased with the roof finish.

[craigF]

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I have been in two minds on how far to go with this car after seeing the terrible shape of the front guards but in the end we decided to replace the Qtrs and rear end. The car had some really bad repairs in it's lifetime with mig weld covered in bog to repair rust and a little shunt in the rear folding the tail light panel in. After many hours sitting with a few Coronas we went for it and stripped the lot. The after market panels for the rear end are not to bad size wise with just a few bend issues as far as we can see at the moment but I suppose all will be revealed as we come to put it all together.

Really need to decide on mini tubs now!! In Queensland Australia we are not allowed to cut the original chassis rails, we can replace them but not alter the original shape. Is it worth the effort and cost to tub the inner fenders up to the rail. Would the tire size gain be worth it?
According to some forums i should be able to fit a 275 tire on a 17" rim with the correct back spacing with the standard inner wheelhouse?

Just a quick note. Anybody have any original front fenders they are willing to sell and send to Australia that are in reasonable condition?

[keepat]

Your project is coming right along, I love the new inner fender! The mini tub job is a lot of work but worth all the effort! I'm not sure I've ever heard anyone who has gone through the trouble of installing mini tubs say that they regretted doing it. But I sure have heard a lot of people wish that they had installed mini tubs after their car was done.
Good luck with your project
Pat

[craigF]

Hi all.
Since my last post i have had a dilemma to answer. After completing the roof skin and removing the rear end i began to ask the question, what is the frame like under the roof. Will it sweat and rust after a few years after all this work.
The drip rails were shot and i was always going to remove them so after many yes and nos it was decided. Off with the roof. Only problem being the repairs on the skin are finished and if we stuff it up a new roof for a 67 is not an option.
So on Sat i drilled the front and rear spot welds out and removed the drip rails.
Here is a sneek peek of what was underneath. We will be lifting it off completely this Saturday.

[craigF]

Received the Hood today from Mustangs to Fear in the States and to be honest i'm not sure what i think. The Hood looks great and i realise it is a glass hood and will need some work but for the price of it i thought it would be a better shape.
The rear edge along the wiper cowl isn't straight and the thick edge is angled outwards instead of in so it hits at the base of the cowl leaving a huge gap at the top. I know it can be sorted and i did expect to trim it to fit to a certain extent but after a quick look i was a little disappointing.
The overall look of the hood is great and don't let my personal gripes put you off it is a sturdy well built item

[craigF]

I have chosen the front suspension and i'm going with the Total Cost Involved set up. God i wish the Aussie dollar was stronger.
Time to engage an engineer to ensure i can get the mods certified for Australia.

[craigF]

Well, Saturday saw us remove the roof skin and sail panels off the car completely for the first time and for an old girl she was in reasonable condition. The majority of rust was just a build up of surface rust with the only problem areas being in the lower section of the sail panels. We will cut and patch those sections with new metal. I spent the rest of Saturday doing the donkey work cleaning rust and rubbing back to bare metal with the end result being me looking like i had been down a coal mine.
Once clean we epoxy primed the frame and painted to prevent further corrosion. All the little spots we couldn't get to were coated with a rust converter prior to paint. The end result really has made me pleased we removed the roof.
While i was busy playing in the rust Woody was lining every thing up on the rear end to see how well the new panels fitted. (or didn't)
These new panel really are best just treated like good condition second hand panels that will need some work. They obviously don't have any sort of quality control in Taiwan!!!! Over all with a little tweaking and cutting i think we will get a good looking result. I do have to keep reminding Woody the the car isn't going to be a show car where someone is going to get the Verniers out and measure the gaps it's going to be a car for driving. But i must admit it still needs to look good.
Over all a good days progress.
I'm contemplating putting Dynamat over the roof panel and rear quarter panels before they go back on. What do you guy think. Is Dynamat really worth the price. $200.00 for three square meters.
119855119856119857119858

[craigF]

The roof skin itself is also in good condition and will only require a buzz down with a DA the priming. In the lower section of the sail panel we will cut out the corrosion and replace with new steel similar to what we will do with the frame.

[craigF]

This is a quick mock up before we have started any adjustments. (there will be many!)

[craigF]

A quick view of the roof frame in proimer

[craigF]

Forgot the Photo.

[craigF]

I am a pure amateur at this type of work and this is my first build of this size but i must admit i am really enjoying it and learning lots of new skill along the way. If anyone sees anything in my posts that i am going to make a huge stuff up please give me a shout. Also any advice is greatly received.
Thanks
Craig.

[craigF]

Hi everyone.
It's been a little while since i posted anything on this sit so i thought i'd give a quick update.
We have been slogging away at the body work when time would allow and even though it seemed to me to be slow going i think we have reached a point where we are about to start actually putting panels back onto the car instead of removing or repairing.
We have fitted the engine cradle and repaired the rust holes in the sail panel so after the festive season break we are a little more inspired to get moving.
Here are a few pics of our progress.
Any tips and observations are really welcome.

[craigF]

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[craigF]

This is a shot of the rails getting beefed up with steel from the Total Cost Involved IFS124276124277

- - - Updated - - -

We then measured up the cradle ready to weld in followed by the Shock mounts.

[craigF]

Cradle in Place124278124279

[craigF]

The cradle took some time to get into the correct position with metal needing to be removed from either side to ensure a good tight fit that was square and central.
Once that was in place we tacked the shock mounts in and proceed to test fit the control arms prior to final weld up.

[craigF]

124280

[craigF]

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[craigF]

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[craigF]

124284

[craigF]

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[craigF]

There have been a couple of minor issues with the IFS kit but overall its seems a quality set up. Not sure about the company's customer service though but that's for another time.
It seems we have reached a mile stone and we may be able to post some more interesting posts as we rebuild the 67 Coupe.

[blade]

Nice work so far!

[67TXStang]

Great build! Glad to see another '67 Mustang on the forum. I'd love to have the solid foundation you are creating to have been the starting point for my build.

[craigF]

Hi Everyone just a quick update of where we are at.
We have got the rear end tacked on and are going to pack the trailer and take the car into work to do as many spot welds in a weekend that we can. We'll spend a day marking all the welds we have left from the beginning of the build with a paint pen to check we don't miss any. I have decided on a Chassis works rear end suspension with a fabricated third member housing from a local company down here called Race Products. I found them completely by accident locally here in Brisbane and the work these guys do is amazing. (www.raceproducts.net)
With the axle decided on we needed to get the wheel and tire sizes to get the correct axle length manufactured. I saw a 66 Coupe on this site by with 315-35-17 rears on and set about seeing if i could get that size tucked underneath the rear end without cutting the frame rails as its a big no, no down here if you ever want to get your car road registered.
I looked a the Autoworks minitubs which i think will suit me just fine. They only require the flange of the rail edge cutting and straighten up the inner wheel arch which should give me enough room.
I'll post a couple of quick pictures to give an idea.

[craigF]

125593125594125595125596125597
Love the look of 17" rims on an older car but tire choices are getting harder to find over here.

You can just see in the third photo the amount of boot floor that is able to be trimmed up to the rail to give enough room for the tire. I will move the bump stop to the inside of the rail along with the leaf spring mount.
I think it was a user by the name of, I Got Oil, who has inspired this tire size choice. Check his build out it looks great.

[Josh@Ridetech]

Very nice progress! Good work!

[craigF]

Thanks Josh.
I the IFS from total cost involved came with Ridetech shocks and I must say they look very impressive. Haven't driven on them yet but still. Even thought about changing the rear shocks in the Chassis Works rear suspension for Ridetech shocks to keep a matching set but I may be getting just a little to anal.

[Josh@Ridetech]

Thanks Josh.
I the IFS from total cost involved came with Ridetech shocks and I must say they look very impressive. Haven't driven on them yet but still. Even thought about changing the rear shocks in the Chassis Works rear suspension for Ridetech shocks to keep a matching set but I may be getting just a little to anal.

Thanks! I think you'll be very pleased with them. I don't blame you for wanting a matching set (I'm the same way). If you drive on it with the current setup and then decide to change to our rear shocks later on, I'm confident that you'll see a nice change. Let me know if I can help you at all!

[I_make_oil]

You will be very happy you killed all the rust.

[I_make_oil]

:cool:Nice build. Subscribed. :cool:

[mert.celet]

I hope someday i can save my Firebird from rust just like you did. I have built a crazy suspension with a crazy LS engine but honestly the body is falling a part that it's almost undriveable. I hope my funds can recover next year to do that. By no means i'm a fan of body shop and paint jail but i have to prepare myself for losing the car for 2 years i guess...

[craigF]

Probably should ask this on the Wheels and Tires forum but does anybody know where i can get a set of Nitto Tires shipped to Australia as they don't bring them down here anymore. It's getting harder to find a good 17'' tire but i love the look.
I am after 2 x 315-35-ZR17 and 2 x 245-45-ZR17 in the NT555 G2 for my build.

[craigF]

Well thought i'd give a quick update on my project. Spent the weekend going over what we have achieved over the last 12 months and have come to the conclusion that there is still bloody loads to do.
Even though we felt a little uplifted when the car started to actually look like a car again after such a long time, the panels will take so much work before we finally spot weld them into place for the last time. The quality of aftermarket panels, no matter what brand you buy, is shocking to the point that i think trading standards should be informed as i am sure some of these are not even Mustang parts at all!!!
The door gaps are going to take some working just to get a sharp edge before we even look at the width.
I made a mistake very early on in the build of assuming that the old panels were so far gone that it would be better to get new. WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. Stick with as much old steel as possible.

I know we will get there and i have now intention of making a show car but it still needs to look nice and the hours spent un-picking welds and stretching panels just so we can use as little bog as possible is so depressing it really does dis-hearten you.

On a brighter note, does anybody have any OE fenders they would like to off load to Australia for a 67 Mustang? I have the remains of an original fender and when i compare it to the new fenders they are like chalk and cheese.

[craigF]

O.K.
Managed to get some time in the garage this weekend and we plan on starting to finish and gap from the rear end forward. We had tacked the qtrs in place and decided to get the qtr extensions and boot lid in place and correctly gapped. The original extensions had been hit and were pretty bashed up so a new set of Dynacorn parts got purchased. The overall finish on the parts is really good but the shape of the rear qtrs was something to be desired. After a good day of reshaping and beating we have finally got them looking really close and final file should see a good result. As i said previously, anyone starting a build like this in the future needs to use as much original steel as possible!!!126113126114

[craigF]

The rear end is really coming along now and after my previous rant about after market parts i am actually quite pleased with the results.
I still believe that if it can be saved then save it but with a lot of time and patience then a reasonable result can be achieved.
Still a little undecided about the final look of the back but i am leaning towards the tightened up bumper look that has become popular with a lot of restomods. here is a quick picture of where we left it today. A little more filing and tapping then we should achieve a nice result with minimal bog and filler.126115

[craigF]

Had a meeting with a vehicle engineer today at the cost of mere millions per hour. These guy are the one who will issue a Mod plate in Australia to enable me to get my car certified with will allow me to register it for road use in Queensland.
He was all smiles with everything we are doing and the plans for driveline, suspension, and engine but then we got to the wheel and tyre size. It seems that a 325 rear tyre is a big no as far as Qld transport is concerned an side pipes are ok as long as they come out of the right side only and not on the foot path side.
The side pipe was only a fleeting thought but i really liked the idea of a 315 or 325 rear tyre. It seems the ruling is that you are allowed to increase the width of a tyre on any model from the 67 year by 1.3 to get your maximum increase allowed.
After a little research i found out that the GT model ran an F70 rear tyre that translates to a modern size of 225. 225 X 1.3 equals 292.5. I may be able to go for a 295 or 285 rear which is still a reasonable size

[craigF]

Thats about it for now. Next week we hope to finish the rear quarter extensions and then we are taking it on a road trip to work for all the spot welds to be done. Progress!!!

[wfo guy]

Rules, rules, rules! Better to do it right the first time. I'm curious what caused some of those rules to be in effect?

[craigF]

Not sure where all the rules came from. I think it was a government initiative to cut down on deaths on the roads of young drivers. What i don't understand is how we have no checks on cars that are already on the road clearly in an un-roadworthy state but once registered they are no longer required to be checked. Once I have the mod plate and the car is registered i can run what i like within reason without attracting to much unwanted attention from the authorities.

Some of the cars out on our streets are so dangerous they are just death traps. I run a large panel shop and some of the sites we see in here make your eyes fall out.

[craigF]

The Weekend has been spent filing and poor old Woody,s arms a re worn out. It,s a task that is becoming less and less popular with people preferring to lay on the filler and sand it back. I now know why after watching Woody sweat. Hopefully the labor will be worth it.
I would normally post a few pictures but there seems to be a problem uploading them. Keep getting a fatal error?

I'll try and post a couple later.

[craigF]

Just a quick post to show the powder coated control arms. I think they have come up great.
Will post some progress pictures if this uploads o.k.

[craigF]

O.K The last post seemed to upload the pictures nicely.
In my last update
we had spent the weekend filing. We are still going and are up to getting the door gaps. This really is a slow build with the lack of time we both have and the lack of disposable funds available but I am aiming to do it right first time so sometimes it means waiting for the funding.
I have finally ordered the rear suspension and decided to go with the Chassisworks G-Link rear. The splined sway bar arrived during the week and the quality of the product is exceptional. I hope the rest of the rear end is the same.127932127931127930

[craigF]

Here are some progress photos of the door gaps coming along.127936127935127934127933
We are working our way from the rear to the front because the front fenders are such a bad fit I really am not sure what to do with them. We are considering carrying the lower rocker panel all the way along and chopping the fender off at the bottom. Ring Brothers did a great example of this in one of their builds but i am not sure if it will fix my bad fit problem due to cheap reproduction parts.
Does anyone have any good front fenders they want to part with!!!

[craigF]

Woody working away. I'm sure we should be in the pub by now!!!127937

[craigF]

Rear suspension is on it's way, wheels being ordered Monday from Boze. Axle to be made to fit when rims arrive. Will keep you posted.
Bye for now.

[wfo guy]

If you can't go to the pub, bring the pub to you! :) I've heard stories about repro parts for ever. Somebody might be able to help you but all the mustangs I've done were years ago with Ford parts.

[craigF]

Hi everyone.
Just a quick question about steering columns.
I am looking at fitting an Ididit column into my project. Does anyone know the best length for a 67 Coupe with a Total cost involved power rack and pinion?
Or does anyone have any better options.
Thanks.

[DForez]

Amazing build thread, definitely subscribed.

I really like how you've laid everything out. Really respect the serious DIY aspect as well.

[craigF]

Hi All. Just a quick update as we are still awaiting my wheels to arrive so i can get my axle sized up.
The rear suspension arrived and the quality from chassis works is as good as the sway bar that arrived earlier. We have fitted the suspension cradle, chassis rail connectors and the cross support. It looks great and looks like it will be as stiff as a board.
We have started to tackle the dreaded front fenders and are making great progress. We released the fender supports and adjusted the position of the top of the fender and how it sits. After a day of adjustment and fender on , fender off, cutting, welding and adjustment i am beginning to believe we are making great progress. We have cut the bottom of the fender completely off for now just below the rocker panel line with a view to a possible customization which could involve lengthening the rocker panel to the wheel arch.
We have seen this done on a Ring Brothers car and its one of those mods that has people scratching their heads wondering what looks different about the car but can't put a finger on it. Ring Brothers did a great job on theirs but they are also very skilled and have a multitude of tools and trades at their disposal. We are but two people with a passion and a spare garage.
If we could pull this off it will solve the problem of unusable aftermarket fenders that are literally too short. We also have the option of welding and extension piece in but the former option is rather exciting.
Enough rambling for now i'll post some pics.
Craig.

[craigF]

Rear suspension cradle from Chassisworks.129687

[craigF]

Chassisworks Rail connectors and stiffener.129688

[craigF]

This is a before shot of the fender.129689

[craigF]

This is after many adjustments. Nearly there but not quite!!129690

[craigF]

Anoth129691129692er shot.

[craigF]

Did I mention how bad aftermarket panels are, even the qtr panel ornament brackets are welded in the wrong position. We have had to release the welds and move the mounting bracket accordingly followed by the required amount of panel beating to get them to sit any where near acceptable.129693

[craigF]

Qtr Panel Ornament weld release.129694

[craigF]

I feel we have actually made a little progress with our project but after the excitement of these little advances dies realization set in that a huge amount of work still awaits. As we make one thing fit and work forward something else raises its head and says look at me i really don't fit that well. I for one will be glad when the body work side of things is complete but it seems to fight us every step of the way. I really believe the the reason we are having so many issues is just plain and simply bad reproduction parts. We have decided to completely build the car prior to any paint application ( except for putty/primer) due to the ill fitting bits and pieces. I tried to fit the front qtr glasses today and the width of the doors will need adjustment due to the welded tabs just being welded where they touch and no care of measurement being taken.
By the time this project is complete i could of been driving a brand new Shelby Mustang but they really don't have the passion some of these old cars do. That goes for all makes and models and i suppose it why we do what we do.
Bye for now.
Craig.129695

(Rail connectors and frame stiffeners are brilliant)

[craigF]

Wheels have arrived from Boze and look great. The service i got from Zak at Boze was outstanding even though i am all the way down here in Australia. A big thanks and a recommendation to any one looking for a quality product with good service.
I have married the wheels with some 305 Nitto Invo tyres on the rear and the result is looking good.
I'll post some better pictures over the weekend.130228

[craigF]

Hi all, here's a better of the look I am trying to achieve. The wheels an a real good fit under the original guards with no flaring. The rear di require a little trimming of the boot floor but no rail modification has been required. I will now measure the correct distance required for my axle length.

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[craigF]

We are making progress with the badly fitting aftermarket fenders as well. Taking inspiration from Ring Brothers Split R build, we are going to extend the rocker panel to the bottom edge of the wheel arch and cut the fender short. Tis will give the look of the lower door edge gap going all the way to the wheel arch and the fender sitting on top of it. I am aiming for a mod that is subtle and will take people a while to realize whats been done. It's early days but it looks promising. Not sure how we are going to get a nis neat bend in the lower edge of the fender yet but i'm sure we will work it out.
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[craigF]

Also started to test fit the glass into the new door shells to see how they fit. As I suspected they will need some adjustment to get them right but i would rather do this now prior to paint!!!

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[craigF]

Hi All. Just a quick update as to where we are in the progress stakes of things. In terms of project creep this thing has freaked me out. What started off as a quick tidy up of a 67 Coupe for my wife quickly became an expensive project build that shows no sign of slowing down. My initial estimations of around the $50k soon became a distant memory and we still haven't gone through the engine build. After an emergency budget meeting with the minister of finance and war, she was concerned that we would get to start getting sick of pouring money and time int a build that really is just a big toy. I agreed to a certain extent but i must admit it's very addictive building these things which is why the cost easily gets away with you. Having said that even my wife , who after all the car is being built for, is starting to appreciate the way it's coming along.
pretty soon it will back onto it own wheels as a rolling chassis.

We did more work on the fenders and have started to get some good results. The gaps only need to be tidied and the results we are starting to see are impressive, even if i do say so myself.
I have placed and order into a local axle fabricator to make me a 9'' axle housing and fully floating axles along with Willwood brakes and a Strange center.
I am not sure on the gearing for the center but plenty of people seem to be saying a 3:5 ration will be a good street car. Any advice on that one is welcome.
I have also visited an engine builder and i think i'm settled on a 427 Windsor Dart block with some AFR heads. Again nothing to lumpy remembering that this is primarily a street car but something with plenty of torque.
I'll post some pictures of our progress but there aren't that many.
Again any advice is welcome.
Craig.

[craigF]

Here is a picture of the rear axle i have ordered with slightly different brakes. The one i want have the emergency brake built in interally.
I have got them to weld the Chassis Works brackets onto the axle tubes which will enable me to fit it to there suspension without using the u bolts.
The company building it is based here in Brisbane and are call Race Products. The export heaps of axles and housings to a lot of Nascar people and currently build the axles for the Australian V8 Supercars.

[craigF]

The front fenders and rocker panels are coming along. Just fix up the gap and align it with the door gap and it will start to look nice.

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Once we close off the end it will look a lot more like a factory finish

[craigF]

Does anyone know if the rotors on my Willwood brakes can be replaced with larger ones and the calipers replaced with some six pot ones. The current rotors are 12.19" and after seeing the size of the wheel on them on think they would look better with bigger rotors.

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[craigF]

Hi all.
We've had a busy weekend and made a little progress. Woody wasn't happy with how the bottom of the Fender finished up last weekend so he decided to re bend it to tighten up the bottom gap and add some stick welding rod to the front and rear of the doors to enable him to file a nice finished gap.
So far it seems to be doing the trick.
The lines are coming together and our gaps are looking a lot neater. Considering where we started with the aftermarket panel sizes and shape we are really pleased with how it shaping up.

The rear axle housing turned up during the week so that gave me a job to do while Woody was plying his trade to the bodywork.
I planned on fitting up the rear axle to check all the clearances and get the car sat on the ground to look at the ride height and stance. (without engine.)
All went well until i fitted the wheels onto the back. The lower control arm rubs the 305 size tire. Looks like i miscalculated the wheel back space or the axle length by about 7/16 inch.
Total control Products do do an off set pivot to give a little more tire clearance but i'm not sure it will be enough. I may have to get the mounting brackets removed from the axle and re welded further in. If the brackets don't come off then i'll have to get some new ones from Total Control. Expensive rookie mistake!!!!

Lower fender gap coming along
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[craigF]

Skick Rod welded to the door edges to enable a nicely file gap.

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[craigF]

Fully floating Axle and Diff housing from Race Products in Brisbane.
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[craigF]

Suspension in place. Pity about the tire rub but i'll sort it out soon.

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[craigF]

Looking good.


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[craigF]

Does any one have any tips in reshaping glass bonnets. This one is bit all over the place and we are going to start on it after the guards are done.
It's a Mustang to Fear Bonnet and i have heard good thing about their products but i'm not to sure on this one. It may just be me not used to working with glass but it does seem out of whack.
If you look along the Fender line the bonnet lifts pretty badly.

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[craigF]

This weekend saw the rear axle housing removed from the car to fix the mistake of the incorrect position of the lower control arm and shock mounts. The mistake was purely mine and i have no one else to blame, but i did try!!!.
I changed my mind on the wheel width from 9' to 10' but forgot to alter the backspacing accordingly. The only real way to fix it was to order new brackets and cut the old ones off.
Licve and learn with a $600 Aussie dollar mistake.

[craigF]

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[craigF]

Hi all just a quick update for anyone interested.
Managed to get the new lower control arm brackets from Chassis works134206134207134208134209134210 and had them re-welded into the correct position. The diff center and rear brakes also arrived and the whole package was assembled and put into it's rightful place. The rear of the car has been removed from the wheel dolly for the first time in nearly two years to see how she will sit.

[craigF]

134211134212

Really like the way the car sits at the rear. Once we have finished my aim is to set and align the car to run at this height or as near as depending on how it handles.
The guys at ChassisWorks supply a top quality product and are super helpful in the time of rookie mistakes. Thanks heaps guys.

[craigF]

We have also spent time with the body work and its coming along nicely. The front fenders are now aligned and will only require minor beating prior to the car being epoxy primed.
The glass bonnet / hood was in a terrible mess and i must admit for the price of this product i am more than a little disappointed in the quality and final shape. I know some of you out there will say all glass parts are like that but at the price point it was at i expected better.\
We did a little research and tried out a few thing and it is starting to come together. Applying heat and flexing the glass gently we seem to be able to get the glass to become playable enabling us to reshape it enough to start getting lines and gaps. With a few more hours work and blocking i think it will work out.
At the start of the weekend i was all for ditching the glass hood and getting a steel one but i was persuaded to give it another go.

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Fender Mod Coming along

134215

134213
Hot Sandwich Press Theory

134214

[craigF]

So the next step is to get a rotisserie from somewhere and work on the under belly tidying up the open gaps and welds.
All the panels need to be spot welded and all gaps finished off.
I have placed a preliminary order with and engine builder for a 427 Dart block to be built. He pretty much has an open scope with the only criteria being it must have good street manners but enough torque to fry the tires with a stomp of the gas.
Stay tuned.
Craig.

[Spork82]

Craig you've done an amazing job with this car, can't wait to see whats next!

[craigF]

Thanks. Nice to see people enjoy the builds and progress. It's slow but fun.

[mildcustom2]

How did you actually deal with the rear quarter panel being too long creating an alignment issue with the quarter panel extensions??

Beautiful car by the way. Will be following along.

[craigF]

Thanks for the compliment.
The rear qtr end panels had to be unpicked from the end panel and a recess cut along the top and inside edge. These were then re-welded and the end panel reattached in a better position followed by a good filing to bring it close. They look pretty good now and we will get them to a final finish when we are getting ready to epoxy prime.
The build is slow progress due to funding and the choices i am making in how the finished car will be but, much to my wife's dismay i think it will be a cracking car when it is finished.

[wfo guy]

I looked into glass front fenders on my 51 Ford pickup. After talking to a reasonably honest salesman, he made reference to people who haven't worked with glass parts before. I came away with the fact that most require work. Only the high end are close. Without buying a lot of parts, how would you know what was high end? Price doesn't always dictate quality. Your project is looking good. :)

[minendrews68]

Man!! this looks good. Keep it up, I'm watching for sure..

[56rpm]

I love your build mate! You guys from Oz undertake some of the wildest projects. How did moving the rear shock brackets on the axle cost you $600 Aus? ($450 US) That seems really high. Good luck!

[craigF]

Hi.Thanks for the comments. Had to buy new lower control arm mounts from Chassisworks and get them shipped then I got my axle builder to reweld them rather than do them myself just to make sure the axle tubes stayed true. He charged me $200 for that. A little expensive but he did a great job.
Hope to post some updates soon but the holiday season is nearly here.

[keepat]

Great job! and the rear stance is awesome!
Pat

[craigF]

Ok, Didn't do much today but we did reach a mile stone.
The car is back on all four wheels. (for a short while anyway!!) Here are a few shots of the first impressions.

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134343

[craigF]

Rear end shaping up nicely.


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134346


Hoe you have a great Thanksgiving over the last few days and are enjoying my build.

[craigF]

Hi all, it's been a little while since my last post. Had a break away from the project and then Christmas came and went but we are back at the slowest build ever. For the time away not much has progressed but we did get some parts from over the US side of the pond. I have purchased an Ididit column some Detroit Speed tube, which look great just held in place and will save so much time, and i have also had the engine built.
For the first weekend in a couple of months we concentrated on making after market parts fit. (not that old chestnut) Again i will state for any new guy contemplating a project, use as much original stuff as you can!!!
We are up to getting the bonnet gaps and light buckets to fit. What a joke. I'll show you in pictures.

[craigF]

For the engine i have gone for a good street build consisting of 351 Dart block stroked to a 427, Internally balanced, 4 bolt mains and H beam rods. Don't know any numbers yet but hoping for a 500 plus hp with as much torque as i can get with nice and mild manners.

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[craigF]

Finished putting the Engine together today

[craigF]

Think i'm going to put a serpentine belt on prior to running the engine just to give it a nice look with all the accessory's hanging off the front.
Here is a picture of the Detroit Speed Tubs loosely clamped into place137350

[craigF]

Back to what i was saying about aftermarket parts. We spent the weekend fitting up the guards and light buckets but as usual they needed lots of TLC. The shape of the guards along with cast shape of the buckets has led to more filing than i can remember along with the need to aluminium weld a piece of the old light bucket onto the new at the bonnet lip to achieve good gaps.
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[craigF]

This is a picture of the amount of material that was short on the new light bucket.
We have cut a section off the old bucket and shaped it to fit and will then weld it into place. This will give a nice finish without the risk of cracking through the paint.
The consolation prize is that after all this extra work the gaps are looking really good. The glass bonnet has taken good shape after some heat manipulation and seems to be staying in position even after sitting it in the 40 degrees Queensland sun.
137432137431l

[craigF]

138410

We test fitted the engine today. Had to adjust the TCI engine mounts forward 10 mm and up 10 mm to give enough clearance to the steering rack. Because I have opted for a 427 the stroke is a little longer I think but it fits well now. The engine did seem to be leaning back a little but I'll wait until I refit it with the transmission to see if any further adjustment is needed.

[minendrews68]

Won't the gas run out this way? I'm thinking you might have the motor upside down, or is it just me?........ JK Looks good so far.

[craigF]

Don't know why it inverted the picture I'll have to fix it up some how��

[craigF]

Took the car into work for the first time last week to finally get rid of the tack welds and screws holding it together.
Couldn't believe how much different the car felt after getting the panels fully spot welded together.138422138423138424

[Bossed]

Awesome build !!! Congrats on the progress and result up to this point. Looking forward to more updates, keep up the great work.

Bossed

[craigF]

Awesome build !!! Congrats on the progress and result up to this point. Looking forward to more updates, keep up the great work.

Bossed
Thanks. It's a slow process but I enjoy it

[Bossed]

I understand slow as well as anyone, but you're progressing right along. Doing a fine job at that. That motor will pull like freight train. :woot:

[craigF]

Here are a few shots I did while getting the spot welding done at work.138441138443138447138449

[craigF]

138547

[craigF]

139925

Just a quick shot of my engine and transmission back together for a short while.
C4 with a stage 2 shift kit, hardened shafts, Kevlar bands from Northside Transmissions mated to my 427 Windsor from Fataz Competition Engines

[craigF]

141151141152Had to shorten the Sway bar after my measuring mistake of the shock mounts.
I didn't take into account the correct backspace on my wheels when I went up to 10 inch rims so the mount had to come in 1.5 inch each side. But after shortening the sway bar we are back on track

[craigF]

Took a good look at where I am on my Build this weekend and had a bit of mixed emotions.
First I thought the car was coming along really well and in the right direction for what I am trying to achieve but then I looked at the cost so far and how much more will be needed in money and time and it kinda scared me. I know there never was a time limit but I do somtimes feel that the whole project has gone out of control.

[xsboost90]

your getting there man. No shame in taking a breather but the hard stuff is all done. My cars been four years in pieces and its getting so close but still tons left to do. You need to get it running and hear it once to get inspired.

[craigF]

Thanks

[craigF]

Haven't posted an update for a while so here goes.
Still doing the body work which is coming along slowly but surely. Have progressed to starting from the back to the front finishing things off as we go. My body man is great but he works full time and is doing the work as a labor of love as it's an area he wants to get into so i never complain about the time things take and the amount of money he has saved me is huge.
I am now able to start buying the shiny bits which make heaps of difference when you actually see them on the car even though they will be taken off again soon to paint the shell.
I went with a 1970 fuel tank to give me the larger capacity fuel carrying capability. I also went with an Aeromotive Stealth fuel pump to give me the option of EFI when the work gets to the other end.
Detroit Speed Tubs have turned out well with the trunk floor coming up nice and we have patched the rust holes in the sail panel where it meets the rear end.
I have had my axle housing powder coated and i'm really please with the results so i am considering getting the fuel tank done to take away the grey dull look.
I'll post a few pictures.

[craigF]

Was going to go with an custom built aluminium tank to get the capacity required but average cost was $800-$900 so i went with a 1970Mach 1 tank for $250 and 83litres
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[craigF]

143861143862143863143864

[craigF]

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[craigF]

This is how the rear is shaping up.
Still got some work to do on the trunk lid and bumper alignment but looking ok.
Still can't decide on the rear lower valance and exhaust exit. Should i go with the 67 GT as in Picture or go with a 66 style or just dump the pipes over the axle and have a straight valance.


143867

[Cody03Svt]

Car is looking good! Love the attention to detail

[wfo guy]

I'm partial to the early gt with the exhaust through it.

[craigF]

Hi all.
After a little advice and i know brakes have been done to death but i am about to order my master cylinder for my brake set up and need som clarification.
I am running Willwood discs all around with 4 pot Dynapro calipers. I like the Willwood master cylinder kit and was looking at the 1" bore but what does it mean when it say 1'bore and 1' stroke. I will also be running a booster. I didn't want to shell out my money and get the wrong product.
Thanks.
Any info would be appreciated.
Craig

[craigF]

Hi again everyone, another technical question for you.
I have my motor mounted on a Total control products Front end suspension and i'm not sure if the engine tilts backwards slightly too much.
The Gearbox drive shaft isn't centered on the loop and the mount bushing seem a little tight on one side.
This in itself doesn't seem to bad but i didn't want to get a 1000 miles under my belt after its finished and find i have to redo the engine mount or anything else.
I don't think it's bad but it's been bugging me for a while so i thought i'd throw it out there.
Thanks

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[craigF]

Received some real nice products from Billet Specialties, Ring Brothers and Lokar through Summit Racing.
I have to say the quality of these products is amazing all be it a little expensive. But as the saying goes, you get what you pay for.
Just a quick shout out for Summit Racing, the customer service from these guys is amazing even from Australia. They seem to go out of their way to keep you informed as to whats going on with your order. Well done Summit. That service is rare lately.
Here is an example. After i placed my order they advised me what was in stock and what was awaiting arrival from manufacturers. They then sent email every other day updating me of a shipping day. Once the order was together it was shipped on Weds 11th and arrived at my door on Mon 16th. For comparison i ordered a Deluxe Dash Bezel kit from RRS in Sydney. They advised me the product was in stock and would be shipped in a couple of days. A week later i had to phone to find out where it was and was advised it will be sent the following day. Three days later i had to call to ask where my parcel was to be advised they are awaiting a part. The dash kit arrived just over two weeks from ordering. The quality isn't that great either considering the price. Probably should of purchased a Scott Drake RHD dash kit. We live and learn.
Will post some pictures as i put it all together.

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[craigF]

Just a quick note.
Has anyone used a TMI Products Sport R Dash Pad.
They look nice in the pictures but just wondering if any one has any experience with them

[craigF]

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Love the Billet Specialiaties products

[I_make_oil]

It looks nice. Your coming along well. I’d recommend you have a plan now for how your going to run your upper radiator hose with that pully set.

[craigF]

Thanks. Plan on doing a plumbing map when I have the engine, transmission and rads in for a mock-up.
Your is looking really nice.

[craigF]

Hi all. Its another quick update on the ever slowly progressing Mustang build.
I decided on a Willwood master cylinder with a standard booster. I estimated that would heaps of stopping power with discs all around.
When i trial fitted the booster the bottom of the Ring Brothers hood hinges just interfered with the booster and as a result i needed to think again on the booster.
I came up with a 7'' dual diaphragm booster to give me the hinge clearance. Once installed the brake pedal position sat way to high in the car to be usable. I had to fabricate the connecting rod and reposition the pivot point in the pedal mount bracket to maintain the correct leverage and pedal height. Turned out fine in the end but what a PIA for what should of been a simple job.


149508

7" Dual Daiphragm Booster

[craigF]

My Gauges arrived from Classic instruments and i fitted them into the surrounds.
Very happy with the results.
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[craigF]

My radiator has arrived and looks great. A little adjustment to the radiator support and she will fit snug as a bug.
Hop the belt pulleys clear!!!
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Not sure why it keeps flipping my images?

[craigF]

Fabricated some trunk hinge bracket supports and fitted the ring Brothers hinges.
Just cleared the Detroit speed rear tubs....Lucky!
Love the hinges and starting to gap up nice.

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[craigF]

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[craigF]

Last post just for fun.
This is a friend of mine in his shed.
Love the Picture.
149526

[craigF]

Ok guys. Need some advice. It’s time to refil the sail panel joints and I am undecided which is the way to go.
Do I used lead as per the original of shall I use modern day filler.
What has been the general feeling.
The original lead lasted fifty years but filler technology has advanced heaps.
Any help is appreciated.
Thanks.
Craig

[craigF]

149612149613The first of many trial fits

[Max Power]

That picture of your mates shed is awesome!

Lots of people weld a filler piece between the rear quarter and roof. On this first page is a great example of how Rusty and Brian always do theirs

https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/64516-1968-Mustang-Fastback?highlight=rusty+brian

[craigF]

Thanks Max Power.
Rusty’s builds are always impressive and if he prefers not to use lead then who am I to argue.
My friends garage is impressive. That was just a quick snap on afternoon. Just taken at the right time.

[craigF]

Hi everyone.
Quick question that should be on a different page but has anyone had any experience with ram stack efi systems?
They look really trick but are they only for race cars or can they be made to work well in a 427 street car with a self learning ecu.
I am looking at the Holley Terminator for my build but these things look impressive.
Any thoughts appreciated.

150000

I think you can get these in a package with a FAST ecu.

[craigF]

Had to decide what to do about the sail panel /roof joints and after much talk we finally decided to use the old school lead for no other reason the we had never done it before and the origional lead was in the joint for 51 years with no issues or any signs of a problem underneath when we removed it.
Can't be that hard!!!!
I must admit after much swearing and tamtrums i think we finally worked it out and the left side will be a lot easier.
I think it will turn out good when we do our final finish and a lot more filing

150373

[Z06killinSBF]

This is coming along great, I'm surprised I've missed it.

[craigF]

Thanks heaps
Appreciate it.

[craigF]

150787Had the original chrome and stainless republished and chromed and the results are brilliant.
Old steel certainly better and thicker than new.

[craigF]

150788It’s time to start thinking about colour and I really can’t decide but I did see a House of Koloa Apple red.
Has anyone seen or know any one who’s used it.
This is a Camaro that was done over in the States

[craigF]

Ok , question of the day
With or without?
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[NoNo]

With, of course. With that candy apple red, it would be sweeeeeeeet.

[JayinMI]

House of Koloa Apple red.

House of Kolor or Koala? I can see where you might slip when typing. lol

Gorgeous color. Car's coming along great!

Jay

[Twentyover]

Optical illusion, or is the crossbar not parallel with the grille bars?

[craigF]

Light bars are not level they are just loosely fitted. Just trying to decide light bar or not

[LowRam]

I actually like it better without the light bar, nice clean look.
Thought you had decided on a color waaay back when you painted the panel prior to installation? I really liked that color.
Read through the whole build tonight, great job keeping at it with all the setbacks, I've finished a couple builds that people had thrown in the towel on just before they would have conquered the last hurdle. You'll have a really nice car when it's finished.
As far as the leading, Gene Winfeild did a video, for Eastwood I think, good watch to catch some tips. By the time you finish you'll wonder why more people don't do it, pretty easy once you get the swing of it.

[craigF]

Thanks for the encouragement. I had sort of decided on a colour and sprayed the inside of the cowl prior to welding it up just to get an idea and rust proof it. The final colour will not be far off so it won't be noticeable inside the cowl panel.
I have no intention off giving up with so much time already (money) invested it sometimes gets frustrating how long things take when all of a sudden you realize how much you have achieved, if that makes sense.

[Z06killinSBF]

Competition Specialties built that red Camaro.

[LowRam]

Thanks for the encouragement. I had sort of decided on a colour and sprayed the inside of the cowl prior to welding it up just to get an idea and rust proof it. The final colour will not be far off so it won't be noticeable inside the cowl panel.
I have no intention off giving up with so much time already (money) invested it sometimes gets frustrating how long things take when all of a sudden you realize how much you have achieved, if that makes sense.

Makes perfect sense. You are achieving a level of build not many have done with a first build and sticking to that level when the going was tough is inspiration level Awesome.

[craigF]

Ok. I am finally posting a quick update on the correct thread.
Its been a while and progress has again been slow but steady and my aim is to have the car in primer to fully build by Christmas.
As with all builds i got a little over it so i have left it alone for a few months but like many addictions it kept smiling at me from the corner of the garage every time i walked through just begging to be finished and driven like i stole it.
I am back at it with new energy and thankfully a little more time to get it completed.

Next on the list was a section that i was worried about, the drip rails. The originals were rotten and needed removing to lift the roof but replacements are not available for the coupes. I had a local sheet metal shop make me a few profiles so i could see what we could do. I didn't like the rounded no drip rail look but if i couldn't sort this then it would have to do.
We tried a few methods of attaching the drip rails and in the end the simplest on turned out the best. Once the car is primed and sealed only the connoisseurs among us with notice. The stainless mould clips over the fabricated rail and looks great.157235157236157237157238157239157240

[craigF]

I have also started to close off the extended rocker panel to try and give a factory look to the shortened fenders / guards.
I wanted to achieve a modded look that was subtle and hard to spot that appears to be a factory finish.
i wanted the wheel arch line to continue through to the bottom of the rocker panel in an unbroken arc. Its still a work in progress and will require some final finishing but its getting there.

This is the idea we started with
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I am going to sit the bottom edge of the fender onto a nylon spacer to give me a continuous gap across the bottom of the door and have put some 10mm (3/8) nut inserts into the rocker panel to hold it firm. The panel nearest the corner of the door needs to go down a few mm to avoid the corner of the door catching it as it is fully opened.

[craigF]

That's about it so far, getting closer but always seems to be lots of little things to do that add up to an enormous amount of work.
I have trial fitted the Vintage air unit in to see where it is best placed on a RHD fire wall. I and struggling to work out how to stop it bouncing on the firewall and where to route the ducting and pipes without fouling everything important but that's another post.
Thank to anyone who reads this and offers up advice. I know this is a huge project to be building in a normal suburban two car garage but it's fun and turning out better than expected ( Read expensive )
My wife loves it but hates the mess after a day working on her, but she also gets her hands dirty and is a great help.
Also picked up another project. A 1991 VFR400R that i think i want to turn into a Castrol Endurance Racing replica. One at a time she said !!!!
Bye for now
Craig.

[wfo guy]

I'm a fan of that vfr. I've owned a 99 800 since 2000. :)

[craigF]

Have been spending a bit of time working on my wife Mustang and it's almost ready to take into work to be de-oxidised, epoxy prime the sealed prior to the bog work the re epoxying. After that i'm going to build the car to check everything fits where it is supposed to prior to stripping it down again for paint.
Made a roll over dolly today to work on the underside as a full rotisserie would not fit into my garage and i must admit i am pleased with the results. Not as good as a full rotisserie but it will serve its purpose.
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[craigF]

Love this little screamer. 27 years old and still going strong. My next project once the Mustang is finished. Twin piped Castrol replica158021

[craigF]

Progress
Time for epoxy priming and sealing
Can’t believe the differance it makes as the car becomes one colour even if it is only primer.

[craigF]

158510158511158512158513First lot of epoxy on��
With lots of loving help from my wife��

[wfo guy]

Tell your wife I think she's cool!

[craigF]

She loves helping out and is really good. She hates the cost involved and often says we could of brought a brand new one and had a couple of trips around the world for the cost of the parts we brought.
She’ll be smiling when she’s driving her.

[craigF]

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Starting my pre paint build to iron out any wrinkles prior to paint.
Feels a littl3 like a Dress rehearsal, exciting but nervoue😎

[wfo guy]

Is she smiling now? :)

[Project Bike Truck]

Great build man! following for sure!

Happy wife happy life!

[Sbeck09]

I spend so much time in the truck section that I just now came across this. Super nice build. I totally get your frustrations with the cost, time, and effort that it takes to do it all yourself. Looks like you have made it far enough by now that giving up just isn't an option. Can't wait to see you get it fired up!

Also selfishly glad that someone else has a 351w stroker in their build. For the record on EFI, I grabbed the Holley Hi Ram with their Dominator ECU. It's spendy, but self-learns and does way more than I'll ever need. Just an option.

[craigF]

I spend so much time in the truck section that I just now came across this. Super nice build. I totally get your frustrations with the cost, time, and effort that it takes to do it all yourself. Looks like you have made it far enough by now that giving up just isn't an option. Can't wait to see you get it fired up!

Also selfishly glad that someone else has a 351w stroker in their build. For the record on EFI, I grabbed the Holley Hi Ram with their Dominator ECU. It's spendy, but self-learns and does way more than I'll ever need. Just an option.



Love the strokers :drool::drool::drool:

[craigF]

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A rear end for the weekend!
**** that radiator was closer than I thought😜

[Bossed]

Man that's going to be a badass looking Stang. Hell it already looks badass !! Keep up the great work.

[craigF]

https://youtu.be/ctCx5ak3MEw
A link to my lovely helper spraying epoxy❤️

[Rod]

project looks great, keep going!

[craigF]

Made a little progress over the last few weeks and I’m still in the process of doing a mock up to see how it all fits prior to painting. Here are a couple of progress shots.
Thoughts on the Billet grill with the pony in the centre?164012164013164014

[c4racer2]

Looks great ! Nice work.

[craigF]

Just a quick question to all you seasoned builders out there.
Have any of you used the TMI Products Sport R interior in their builds especially in the classic Mustangs.
Have been looking at this for a while now and am looking for reviews. It looks great in on the website but its a big outlay to Australia if I don't like it.
Any help would be great. Thanks
Craig.

[DT69Cam]

I have used the TMI sport covers for my 69 Camaro. Front buckets only with the sport seat foams. Very nice quality IMHO. No regrets.

[syborg tt]

I have TMI seats in my 70 Camaro no issues

164462

[craigF]

Nice.

[craigF]

Quick update. Added an A/C condenser, Suspension blanking plates, Ring Brother power steering reservoir and an air cleaner. I'm planning the plumbing and brake lines now and its off to the exhaust shop at the end of the month for custom headers and a 3" system.
Still unsure of the interior. Love the TMI stuff but by the time i get it down here with the exchange rat it will cost me the best part of $8000. I could get a full custom one for around 10k. More research needed.
Also love the Mustang to fear door cards but they want as much to ship them as they cost almost!!!.
Anybody have any good ideas on getting parts shipped at a reasonable rate?
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On the last picture you can see the bottom of the Vintage Air A/C unit fitted to a R/H/D flat fire wall. They said it couldn't be done!!! Wrong

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166697

Black & White engine shot. Love it.
Aiming to fire it up at Christmas:smoke:

[craigF]

168188168186168189168187

A quick shot of my exhaust getting made. I’ll be interested to see how he fabricated the pipes over the axle and around the four link rear

[Max Power]

I've always thought this would be one of those most hard jobs to take on.

If you don't mind explaining, what was his reasoning behind the reduction in size after the collector then taper back out?

[craigF]

I've always thought this would be one of those most hard jobs to take on.

If you don't mind explaining, what was his reasoning behind the reduction in size after the collector then taper back out?

I did wonder the same thing after your question. Asked the exhaust man why not go straight to a 3" collector instead of going out to a 3". He said it enables a small pressure build up and act like a venturi pushing the gases out under that little bit of pressure clearing the headers better. He makes them this way after lots of testing on the Touring Car Masters cars down here in Australia. How true that is will be on the Dyno i suppose. Sounds a good in theory though.
Saw him yesterday and he is going to go around the outside of the shocks on the rear in line with the rear rails and make the pipe over the axle oval keeping the same volume area but giving clearance for the suspension travel.
Craig.

[Max Power]

I guess if he has the dyno testing to prove his theory, fair enough. It just had me curious. But thanks for being curious too and asking. Cheers!

The oval pipe looks good. That looks great when done well. I've seen a few systems using that along the floor pan when ground clearance is at the minimum.

[craigF]

Exhaust finished
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[craigF]

Over the axle and around the four link. More like atrwork😎

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[craigF]

Love the headers and workmanship from Exhaust Innotations
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[craigF]

Man that's going to be a badass looking Stang. Hell it already looks badass !! Keep up the great work.
Thanks man
its been a long time but coming together now.
aiming for 2020 finish

[Max Power]

Impressive. Now it can make lots of loud noises and piss off your neighbours!

[Z06killinSBF]

Very nice exhaust system!

[wfo guy]

I have a comment about the interior. So much about seating is personal preference. I wouldn't buy any seat unless I got to sit in it for a lengthy period. I'm old and drive for hours in my stuff. If I can't go 4 hours without discomfort, I don't need it. Build your car to fit you. Steering, shifter, pedals, seat height, etc. This has a huge amount of satisfaction with the end result. :)

[craigF]

[QUOTE=wfo guy;1314262]I have a comment about the interior. So much about seating is personal preference. I wouldn't buy any seat unless I got to sit in it for a lengthy period. I'm old and drive for hours in my stuff. If I can't go 4 hours without discomfort, I don't need it. Build your car to fit you. Steering, shifter, pedals, seat height, etc. This has a huge amount of satisfaction with the end result. :)[/QUOTE
Thanks for that. I think you are right. I am no longer as young as i think i am and comfort goes a long way.

[Tincup]

Excellent craftsmanship....

[craigF]

Thanks
ThaDodge Truck build with the Viper engine looks awesome. Hope it turns out close to the rendered pics.
Some of the things you gu6 have access to over in the States really makes me envious.
Love the builds��

[craigF]

A better view of my exhaust by Exhaust inovations mounted to a Chassisworks Frame stiffener and my nearly completed engine.172413172414172415

[craigF]

173892

Arrived today. Wish me luck😥

[Peanut1959]

Just found your thread and breezed through it. Looking good so far. Cant waitvto see it progress. Subscribed!

[Fierbird67]

173892

Arrived today. Wish me luck😥

Car is looking awesome! Good luck with the wiring!

Absolutely get the AAW crimpers (single and double wire sizes) if you haven't already. Those make a word of difference.

[craigF]

Just found your thread and breezed through it. Looking good so far. Cant waitvto see it progress. Subscribed!

Thanks for the kind words. It’s been a long slow progress but it’ll be worth it.

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I have those on mt shopping list along with a new soldering iron and heat shrink.👍

[craigF]

Car is looking awesome! Good luck with the wiring!

Absolutely get the AAW crimpers (single and double wire sizes) if you haven't already. Those make a word of difference.
Sorry meant to reply to your quote. 👍
Definiatly using them and solder with heat shrink.

[craigF]

Hi everyone, Its been a while so heres a quick update of the wiring install. The American Autowire is a great product the was easy to follow and well laid out. I modified it somewhat to what I wanted but it served as a great bae.
Once the whole loom is in place and I know everything works how it is supposed to I will be removing everything for paint, excess holes to be welded and loom to be tidied up with heatshrink and wrap.
I have used a pair of Deutsch connectors to go though the firewall and moved the battery to the back. I'll post some pictures to give you an idea.
As with all things it always seems to be two steps forward one step back and after completing the brake lines I decided that they weren't right and need to do them again. so its back to the drawing board with them. That's what a mock up build is for I suppose. Hope you like the update.

[craigF]

179739My better half with more patience

179740Ignition box inside footwell

179741Deautsch connectors through firewall. Quick release.

179742Main power feed from rear end along sill panel recess and through firewall.

All unused holes will be welded up and firewall painted.

[craigF]

179743Rear end works with Vintage LEDs

179744Gear shift indicator by Lokar

All connector are being modernized with waterproof connectors.

[craigF]

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[Jomanchu]

Absolutely killer build so far. I'm working on my 66 coupe and your craftsmanship and attention to detail are inspiring.

[craigF]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CKbX11HlNJo/?igshid=1hpb8v55s38a1
This is a link to the first time my Mustang has driven under its own power in six years.
Just tried it out to check for gremlins prior to a full strip down for final body work
Let me know what you think

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https://www.instagram.com/p/CKbZbhXl3gY/?igshid=iz225f1fx09f

Another quick shot of a monumental day

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https://www.instagram.com/tv/CKbJLsHlYKr/?igshid=1u0kiilfutfxp

Final run. Everything seems in order ��

[cpd004]

Very cool!! Congrats sir!

[David Sloan]

nice work!
congrats on the first drive!

[MSTSFabbed]

Man I’m not sure how I’ve missed this for so long!
Great build, and very cool to see you and your wife working together on it. What a fun thing to share. Keep up the good work!

You may have said already, but do you have a color in mind?

[craigF]

Thanks heaps for the praise. It’s been a long, slow slog with great highs and frustrating lows. Great to have my wife help and keep me grounded when I blow my top.
i think I’ve decided on the new Mustang colour, Lucid Red Pearl but that may change before paint day. 98 % sure

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Thankyou👍

[Max Power]

Nice work, Craig. Impressive!

[MSTSFabbed]

Oo that’ll look really nice. That’s a great red.

[craigF]

Thank you 🙏

[craigF]

Haven’t posted for a little while so here’s a quick picture.
Car is at about 90% of build to check for fitment and to foresee any issues that may arise. It will then be stripped back to a shell to go to paint and final body finish. Have fitted a Holley Sniper which was so easy to do but the proof will be in the real drive and learning process.188181188180188182188183

[craigF]

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[Peanut1959]

Looking great! Can't wait to read about your first full-build drive.

[craigF]

Thanks. Neither can i

[andrewb70]

I see you have a Sniper system. You might find this useful:
https://forums.holley.com/showthread.php?47957-Wiring-considerations-for-Holley-EFI-systems

I wrote that up a little while back. It really makes for a reliable and tidy Sniper installation.

Andrew

[craigF]

Great write up on the wiring of the Sniper. I have pretty much wire the unit as described and it seems to run really well but has had little real drive time.
i am about to get the car engineer check to enable me to register the car with all the mods. ( Australian laws) Once that is done the car will be stripped to a shell and final body and paint will be completed prior to final build.
I will pull a few ides from your article that will ensure a trouble free unit. It seems most of the problems with these units is poor install or wiring issues with a few unit problems.
Thanks for pointing me to your write up it will be helpful

craig

[andrewb70]

Great write up on the wiring of the Sniper. I have pretty much wire the unit as described and it seems to run really well but has had little real drive time.
i am about to get the car engineer check to enable me to register the car with all the mods. ( Australian laws) Once that is done the car will be stripped to a shell and final body and paint will be completed prior to final build.
I will pull a few ides from your article that will ensure a trouble free unit. It seems most of the problems with these units is poor install or wiring issues with a few unit problems.
Thanks for pointing me to your write up it will be helpful

craig

Glad to help.

Andrew

[craigF]

190216190217190218

Hi all. Haven’t posted for a while but here is a quick update on my hood
Had an MTF scoop hood but wasn’t happy with it being a glass hood so I thought I’d have a go at fabricating a steel one. A friend fabbed the scoop then tigged it to a steel hood. Still in progress but I think it’s coming along nicely

[68EFIvert]

That is a really nice job on the scoop. The build is coming along nicely!