Spork82's 68 Mustang Fastback

[Spork82]

Hey PT,

Starting a PT/Restomod build of my 1968 Mustang FB that I have owned since 1998. I had just finished grade 10 and wanted a muscle car and we had a line on one down in Bakersfield. So my dad, two uncles, 1 cousin my brother and I piled into a crammed F150 Crewcab and started the long drive from Abbotsford to Bakersfield (Abbotsford is 50min east of Vancouver BC). This was not a easy road trip, coming into California the transmission in the truck decided to grenade itself and left us stranded in Yreka CA during a US long weekend. I think that stop alone cost double what I paid for the car! $4500 for the transmission and $100 for the hotel and back on our way. We made a pit stop in Salinas and us kids stayed with family while my dad and uncles drove non-stop to Bakersfield. I remember seeing the car for the first time, as exited as I was all I could think was "That's it?"

The car was in primer and the previous owner began restoring it, the inside of the car was stuffed full of parts and boxes. It was complete and rust free. I think it had been parked since the early/mid 80's indoors.

Back in those days my parents owned an autobody shop, when it got slow it was a side project for everyone to spend some time and get it ready for paint. Back then a straight forward restoration was planned, keep the 302 and C4 paint it the factory red and call it a day. In 2000 my parents sold the business and the car never got painted (Thank god, red would have been a bad idea) and it moved into storage. I was still into Mustangs at the time and I remember racing at the local 1/4 mile track and getting spanked by a 91 Civic. I was running 14.0 and he was deep into the 13's. I thought it was the weirdest/coolest thing, I never knew Honda's could do that haha. I quickly jumped ship from domestics to Honda's and entrenched myself in the import world.

I took a restomod approach to Honda's, simple oem clean look on the outside and spent all the money on the driveline and suspension. We had some of the fastest imports in the area. At this time the 68 wasn't even a blimp on the radar. I didn't want anything to do with it and toyed with selling it many times over the years.

From about 2006-2010 I didn't work or build any cars, I was too busy with life and was tired of breaking parts racing and driving uncomfortable cars. I traded my Subaru WRX for a 97 Civic and got the bug to build. I spent almost a year building the civic into a really cool car with rare jdm parts and super fun to drive. Looking back I would say it would have been a perfect PT car of the Japanese world.

It lasted 5 months, the battery took a dump and fried the electrical and the part out began. I planned on selling it off and selling the mustang to get money for a down payment on a house and my girlfriend/fiancé refused to let me sell my mustang, the civic she couldn't care less haha. She knew deep down I would be kicking myself for selling it and never be able to find a replacement. September 2012 the dust was blown off, garage kind of semi sorted and in order, I put in an order for a bunch of parts and started tearing the 68 apart.

My fiancé gave me a deadline, August 2015 to have it done in time for our wedding....You heard it hear PT, she gave me a deadline to have it running with a really relaxed budget that in the year since I started working on it she has only asked once about how much I have spent!

Build specs:



Chassis/Suspension

Rod & Customs MII front clip
Rod & Customs 4-link rear
Subframe connectors
Coilovers

Brakes/Wheels

Wilwood 12.19" 6 piston - Fronts
Wilwood 11" 4 piston - Rear w/internal parking brake
Wilwood triple master cylinder pedal setup - Manual brakes, Hydro clutch
18x8 245/35R18 - Front
18x9.5 275/35R18 - Rear

Electronics

American Autowire Harness
Power windows
Vintage Air
Electric parking brake

Driveline

Original 302 bored .030"
T5z transmission
Hydraulic clutch
8.8" Ford rear end with Eaton posi, 373 gears and narrowed 2"
Fast EZ EFI MPFI
Aeromotive Stealth EFI Fuel tank

Interior

OEM styled with modern updates
Recaro seats
Speedhut gauges
Matched rear seat

Paint/Body

Toying with a couple colour ideas
BMW Alpine white
Aston Martin silvers/gunmetal

I don't want it to look like an Eleanor clone or knock off. One decision I have made is there is to be ZERO chrome on the car. Anything that is chrome will be painted matte or satin black.

Pictures!


Old rear suspension out

Installing RC 4-Link


Test fitting the 8.8


Mocked up the rear brakes for fun

Narrowing the rear housing, a very crude method but effective. Used a sleeve kit from Forte's parts

Tacked in place, to be completely welded by my friend

Rear end assembly - Painted with POR-15, Custom axles from Dutchman - Excellent guys to deal with!

Bent my own lines, they will be re-done in stainless

Wilwood's on!




I have a lot more pictures and the front end is about 95% complete I will post those soon enough!