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View Full Version : Project Rustang Revival - Input Wanted



bapgood
03-27-2012, 07:17 AM
The best way I can describe my car is....rode hard and put away wet....you know the type....the ones that look weathered with experience yet still have that somewhat seductive glimmer in the eyes, but the bottom is about to fall out.

My old girl is a 1967 Mustang coupe that has had a hard life dealing with Utah snow/salt and less than loving previous owners.

I blame finding this forum and the scope creep my project has experienced on a set of wheels and one of the current builds on this forum.

I have had my car for ~10 years. It was a driver when I bought it with a tired 289, c4, and basically stock.
I had picked up a 86 mustang coupe with a 5.0 and T-5. I stripped the motor, trans, and a bunch of other misc items. That I intended to put in my 67 coupe. My father had recently bought a 65 convertible that was poppy red (orange by my eye) and pretty nice other than being a three speed manual and a motor with bad valve seats. Seeing how I was planning on replacing my engine he rebuilt my 289 to put into his car and since I'm the awesome son that I am I gave him the T-5 to put in as well. It probably had more to do with the fact that it would be back on the road a lot faster than mine, and being an only child I would get it back eventually :-). But I'm sticking with being a good son.


A little history....
I'm no master fabricator or mechanic by any stretch, however I am lucky enough to know a few guys who are and have taught me thing or two.
I grew up with motorcycles and quads and a constant yearning to tear things apart and figure out how they work.
I have helped my father completely restore his 29 Model A and various projects on his 65 mustang convertible and 1939 Dodge four door sedan.
My first major build was a 86 Jeep CJ-7 that I built for rock crawling. I transplanted in a 4.0 I6 and AW4 from a Cherokee, custom front and rear axles, custom front and rear 4 links with race runner coil overs up front.


Okay enough bs back to the here and now...
My project started up again a couple months back because I was tired of having the 67 around. My intent was to simply put the 5.0 in with Megasquirt, the old C-4, tires and wheels, and a fresh coat of paint and sell it. Kind of polish the old turd thing. The more I got into I realized what I had conveniently forgot and probably why I lost interest in the beginning of my ownership. Rust!!! The frame rails are rusted through, the floors are crap, etc. etc.

However before giving up this time I bought a set of used 2010 GT500 wheels and tires and was determined to make them work.

Then I stumbled across Wes's (user name Wesley J) Thread - 1967 Mustang Coupe, Project "Code Blue" https://www.pro-touring.com/showthread.php?65897-1967-Mustang-Coupe-Project-quot-Code-Blue-quot (https://www.pro-touring.com/showthread.php?65897-1967-Mustang-Coupe-Project-quot-Code-Blue-quot)
I can't decide if I should spit volgar obscenities at Wes or shower him with the accolades he deserves for his great work on his car, the great information his thread provides, and his willingness to share and help others.

I learned very quickly what scope creep was and as such my project is currently in the restructuring stage. With Wes's blessing and help I plan to borrow quite a bit from his car, especially on the front end.

Enough for now....I will add some pics and further description of the project scope soon and I look forward to input from this forum.
Or check out my blog for more pics http://mystangproject.wordpress.com/

Thanks Bradey

I will try keeping a list of the project scope here and update it as it changes.
- Replace engine bay, firewall, frame rails, and floor with custom full frame and sheet metal
- Custom front strut style suspension, SN95 spindles and hubs, 2012 Mustang GT 13.2" rotors and calipers
- Rack and pinion steering
- Custom rear link suspension - style tbd
- Engine 86 5.0 with megasquirt
- Trans T-5
- Lincoln 8.8 rear axle
- I would like to build the car with the fantasy of fitting a Coyote and T-56

bapgood
03-27-2012, 07:25 AM
Had to resize the pics they were way to big

57400

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bapgood
03-27-2012, 02:00 PM
Update the original post with project scope
- Replace engine bay, firewall, frame rails, and floor with custom full frame and sheet metal
- Custom front strut style suspension, SN95 spindles and hubs, 2012 Mustang GT 13.2" rotors and calipers
- Rack and pinion steering
- Custom rear link suspension - style tbd
- Engine 86 5.0 with megasquirt
- Trans T-5
- Lincoln 8.8 rear axle
- I would like to build the car with the fantasy of fitting a Coyote and T-56

bapgood
03-27-2012, 02:12 PM
As you can see from the last pic in post 2 I'm getting close to cutting. I'm going to weld in some supports and legs for the engine bay, and add some lower frame work for future reference during frame fab. Then I guess it will be time to start cutting....a little nervous. Once the engine bay is off I will eye up how I want to cut out the floor and probably add some supports to keep the rockers from moving. I'm thinking I will only cut to the main rear support and fab the frame up to that point while I ponder how I want to do the back part of the frame. Because likely the rear portion of the frame and the rear suspension will integrate.... or at least it might be nice to do so.

Wish me luck.
Bradey

dug
03-27-2012, 02:19 PM
Good luck. I'm looking forward to updates. If it's anything similar to Wes' car then it's going to be awesome.

bapgood
03-27-2012, 02:51 PM
Good luck. I'm looking forward to updates. If it's anything similar to Wes' car then it's going to be awesome.

Thanks. I think I would need to hit the lottery and have a few more skills to be up there with Wes's car, because it is awesome. I'm just happy for the inspiration.

Mine will likely be a little simpler in fab and a lot less in go. I just want it to look decent and work.

Bradey

bapgood
03-28-2012, 06:36 AM
Well the bottom fell out....and front end....they may have had some help

Guess I'm committed now :-)

I will post some more pics tonight.

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rustomatic
03-28-2012, 02:43 PM
That's a good way to simplify front suspension removal! Maintain the momentum!

dug
03-28-2012, 08:30 PM
Looking good. That's big progress.

LeighP
03-29-2012, 03:36 AM
I know my Firebird unbolts like that...but never thought I'd see a Mustang with a subframe..... :)

bapgood
03-29-2012, 06:00 AM
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bapgood
03-29-2012, 06:46 AM
Thanks guys!

I'm on vacation Friday-Monday. But I just ordered 40' of 2x3x1/8 rec tube that will be waiting for me when I get back so I can get going on the frame.

Bradey

bapgood
03-29-2012, 03:48 PM
I need some dimensions or at least some knowledge.....

Main questions is are the rocker supposed to be parallel?

With the front end and floor/frame gone its really easy to measure between the rockers, and when I did I noticed that I'm closer together in the front then in the back. I measured top and bottom several places and it seems pretty linear both top and bottom.

Thanks Bradey

bapgood
04-03-2012, 11:20 AM
I need some dimensions or at least some knowledge.....

Main questions is are the rocker supposed to be parallel?

With the front end and floor/frame gone its really easy to measure between the rockers, and when I did I noticed that I'm closer together in the front then in the back. I measured top and bottom several places and it seems pretty linear both top and bottom.

Thanks Bradey

Sounds like they are supposed to be parallel....guess that means I need to make them that way :)

Bradey

number98
04-03-2012, 06:14 PM
Looking good man! I will have to follow this one....

bapgood
04-04-2012, 05:18 AM
Looking good man! I will have to follow this one....

Thanks...But I will feel better when it starts to look like a car again :-)

Bradey

wellis77
04-04-2012, 06:03 AM
My kind of build. Looking good so far.

Zachalanche
04-04-2012, 08:22 AM
57406

are those ranger wheels?

bapgood
04-04-2012, 08:37 AM
are those ranger wheels?

lol.....maybe :secret:

Yeah and I don't really remember why those got put on or where the original wheels went, but they worked for moving it around. I don't remember ever driving with them.

Bradey

Zachalanche
04-04-2012, 08:55 AM
lol.....maybe :secret:

Yeah and I don't really remember why those got put on or where the original wheels went, but they worked for moving it around. I don't remember ever driving with them.

Bradey

thought I recognized them. looks like you are off to an ambitious start, Im excited to see how it tuns out. I like how you are setting up your jig. Some day I'd like to try a similar thing with my 67 fairlane.

bapgood
04-04-2012, 09:05 AM
thought I recognized them. looks like you are off to an ambitious start, Im excited to see how it tuns out. I like how you are setting up your jig. Some day I'd like to try a similar thing with my 67 fairlane.

Thanks Zach.
Right now its a little tail heavy, if I didn't have the additional front structure it would be doing a wheelie :). I will add some structure in the back just not sure how I want to proceed back there yet.

Bradey

bapgood
04-04-2012, 09:14 AM
So I did a little more cutting (rest of the firewall) and some measuring......but I'm a little confused still about the rockers :hammer:

With the firewall completely gone I was able to measure the width that corresponds with the rockers and it was approximately the same width down to rockers....which is an inch or so narrower than the rockers just in front of the rear wheels.

I have found conflicting information on the web....I have a shot in the dark email out to dynacorn to see if they might share some info, so we will see on that.

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bapgood
04-05-2012, 12:17 PM
I would love to hear some input on suspension. However keep in mind I'm trying to stay on somewhat of a budget and fab most if not all of it myself. I'm not trying to build a track car, just a good driver that can handle the track.

The plan for the front is to do something like Wes's SN95 spindle/hub/coilover strut sexiness (his link is in my first post). However I'm still open to suggestions, and it would be really nice if I could figure out a good way to increase the width so I can run new mustang offset wheels without spacers.

The rear is still kind of open. I'm not quite sure what I think of the short arm four links. Again for what I'm looking for it's hard to beat what Wes did. But again suggestions welcome.

I kind of feel like an unoriginal clown and should probably change the title to Project Pilfer and Plagiarize :)

Bradey

number98
04-09-2012, 09:38 AM
I am with you, I like the idea of a late model strut suspension for these since it will greatly improve handling and drivability... plus the parts a readily available. I am planning something similar for my coupe as well, even been searching for CAD drawings of the newer Mustang chassis to aid in the process (no luck yet though).

bapgood
04-09-2012, 09:47 AM
I am with you, I like the idea of a late model strut suspension for these since it will greatly improve handling and drivability... plus the parts a readily available. I am planning something similar for my coupe as well, even been searching for CAD drawings of the newer Mustang chassis to aid in the process (no luck yet though).

I hope you have better luck finding cad drawings or models than I did, and If you do I hope you share them with me :)

I tried finding some cad models but I couldn't come up with anything.

Bradey

number98
04-15-2012, 04:11 PM
I hope you have better luck finding cad drawings or models than I did, and If you do I hope you share them with me :)

I tried finding some cad models but I couldn't come up with anything.

Bradey

Doubt it... So far I have had no luck at all.

cobragt
04-15-2012, 06:46 PM
How about doing a California Special or High country special PT clone. Haven't scene that done yet.

bapgood
04-18-2012, 05:51 AM
How about doing a California Special or High country special PT clone. Haven't scene that done yet.

Paul,
I'm assuming your talking about the body, I'm not familiar with the high country special PT.

Bradey