64.5 Mustang resto-mod

[xsboost90]

Ok so let me start by saying this build has not been received well by some other forums. Im not restoring the car, im building it the way i want. Otherwise, here we go. I have to say, most of the good feedback ive had has been from people who also post on here, so i figured i would move over to a forum that welcomes custom mods etc....

In 2013 just before the birth of my second daughter i bought a 64 mustang from a friend of mine who needed to clean house. Up to this point i had been involved with old porsches (944's mostly) for about ten years and attending track events almost the whole time. I am a PCA instructor and i love driving at the track and teaching at the track. Even did a short stint with NASA as a 944spec racer. Anyway, the car was missing the motor and trans and despite looking pretty nice, really needed alot of work. I stripped the car down to a shell and had it sand blasted in my driveway at my old house and epoxy primered the whole thing. Not much rust issues, partial ds floor pan replacement and a ps quarter, some small holes here and there but not bad. I built a rotisserie to work on the car for awhile and welded in my frame ties, torque boxes and smoothed under the hood some. I'll skip some time by saying ive had about three of everything, rear ends, engines and transmission setups. I finally settled on biting the bullet and bought a new ford 9", 35 spline and mounted it in the car with an AJE rear susepension and ridetech coilovers. The front end is also AJE which uses late model mustang parts and a custom strut and K member. This allowed me to choose any motor, so i found an LY6 6.0 chev. truck motor(352hp stock) with 7000 miles on it and a t56(AstonMartin) trans to use as well. This more compact motor will be cheaper, take up less room so i dont have to cut out my struts, and i just like it. Also in the last year ive moved and taken on a garage project, fixing up an old pole barn into my shop, building a "body shop" area in the back, and just installed a new lift-which is awesome for a guy who has never had one at home.

Some hurtles ive had so far- the t56 i located was originally from an Aston Martin- which is different than say an Fbody trans. But it was very cheap and in great shape. I had to have a spacer for the slave cylinder made to space it forward about an inch, and a custom pilot bearing is in order, but using a camaro bellhousing it is otherwise usable. I will have to use a 30 spline dodge trans yolk but not worried about that. The trans tunnel was cut out completely around the trans to fit and welded back in around it since its quite a bit bigger. Im also using all late model sn95 94-04 mustang steering, brakes and wheels etc. - Front brakes are cobra 13" units, cobra master on a stock booster which fits amazingly well after very little work. Rear brakes are a kit from Right Stuff but is basically a GM metric caliper (88-92 camaro front) with custom mounts and 11" rotors. My clutch master is a wilwood mounted snugly between the booster and the ds apron with custom linkage- seems to work great but we'll see when the clutch is installed. The gas pedal is a corvette drive by wire unit with a custom mount welded to the firewall- should be great! My current wheel setup is mostly for fitment but they are 9-10" x 17" replica wheels called SC i believe that mimmic the Saleen wheels from the 80's and early 90's but with much more lip. They were cheap and i figured if i could get these to fit then any late model mustang wheel will fit as well. Plan on running 275's up front and 295's in the rear- not crazy wide but with a light enough car and only 400hp or so it should hook nicely. I have enough room out back for up to probably a 315 tire, but the front is yet to be determined. Just hoping the 9's are ok up there.

Not much in the way of body mods but i did flare the quarters 2" and if needed i may do the front as well. I did shave the drip rails off and im using fiberglass front and rear bumpers, prob color matched. Im hoping for a vintage trans am racer "basic" appearance with a modern driveline and suspension. No wings, scoops or other stuff. fuel injection will be handled by a Tanks INC pump setup in a new stainless tank. While the car was on the rotisserie i sprayed the entire bottom in bedliner spray. This stuff is great, very tough and should hold up to rocks, driving etc. Im also doing the inside with this stuff under the carpet and in the trunk- should insulate and seal everything nicely. Sorry if im jumping around, its hard to remember two years of welding and spending but otherwise i'll update as i go. Just sprayed under the hood matte black after doing some smoothing out, and the car is back on my lift waiting for me to finish a paint job on a buddys LS1 swapped 944 turbo. Yeah i cant get away from them. Anyway, heres some pics from the last two years and prob. another year or so to the finish, but i wanted to share with some people who may appreciate the effort. Never know maybe i can finally do a power tour when its done.

[andrewb70]

Glad you made it over here from LS1tech...

Andrew

[Spork82]

Im a ford guy and that motor looks pretty cool under the hood for a chev....

Keep up the good work

[xsboost90]

nice to see you here Andrew. Thanks for the compliments. I would have loved to do a Coyote motor but the size and cost of the thing is beyond my budget. These motors are very available and seem to run good and last forever.

[69stang]

While I don't get the whole LS engine thing I certainly appreciate the "hot rod" mentality that goes into building something like this. I'm sure not everyone agrees with what I'm doing to my 69 and I too would be shunned by the purists. Each to their own. Did you space out the quarter skins then glass them? I'm in the process of bumping mine out 2 inches by moving the outer wheelhouses out and blending the quarter skins into the body.

[1968CamaroSS_Sam]

Looks like your project is moving along great. Nice work. Welcome to the site.

[Warlock13]

Awesome, I followed you on LS1Tech and I will here too!

You and a few others are building exactly what I want to build for my wife.

Keep up the great work and the updates!

[xsboost90]

i cut the lip of the wheel opening about an inch from the opening, then pulled it out two inches. Then i relief cut the quarter and strip, and added metal in between. After welded up, i carefully shaped the flare so it was convex around the whole opening. Then i glassed it to seal up the welds and smooth it out. Havent gotten back to those just yet but i have seen them pull the quarters out like you are doing. My dad did that to an old nova for a guy to fit 10" wheels in there. Originally i wanted to cut the quarters at the top and pull the whole shoulder out but i was afraid i would end up with alot more work than i bargained for.

[xsboost90]

gratuitous picture post. Some misc pics from the last two years. And my part time helper (when i can drag her out to the garage.)

[JTC85]

Looks good!, Your car is going to be awesome when its done!, as for the haters until they start offering to pay your bills their opinions don't matter.

[Godbolt]

Looks good!, Your car is going to be awesome when its done!, as for the haters until they start offering to pay your bills their opinions don't matter.

Agree completely with JTC.

Nice job with the flares. I cut my car absolutely to pieces. The only thing left untouched is the roof! It's yours so make it the way you want it. Will look tough when it's done and I am looking forward to following this.

[xsboost90]

Love your car Godbolt- awesome- the Aussies always do things to the max!

working on my buddys car alittle today but still managed to start pulling the 6 liter apart preparing for a bigger cam and clean up, paint and new seals. This motor has 7000 miles on it so inside still looks brand new. Cant wait to see it in there. I also received my pilot bushing in the mail today, custom size to fit the chev motor and large Aston input shaft on the trans. Looks like it will work perfectly!

Any ideas on how to paint the motor? I keep going back and forth - i want a nice clean- almost modern factory look under the hood, no chrome or billet just detailed out. Im thinking paint the block black, keep the heads aluminum- respray the wp with some aluminum color to clean it up. Intake charcoal grey or something BUT i saw a pic of a completely blacked out motor today and it was awesome - all matte black with gloss intake and valve covers would be sweet! Then again maybe grabber blue the motor to Ford it up abit....car is going Guardsman blue like the A/C cobra color. so many options- Andrew is good at this...ideas?

Attachment 111737

[jaybee]

Great project! You're right, many boards are supportive of modified cars...but only if they're modified in "approved" ways. It's your car...build it your way. If it's quality work everyone else can just lump it.

[xsboost90]

mocking up the front end. Cant decide what to do with the lower front valance. Dont want he fiberglass shelby valance, dont want stock. Must modify in some way!!! Cant wait to get the red car done so i can start on my body work.

[Zenith]

Didn't realize that this was a VVT motor. What cam are you planning on running?

[xsboost90]

Mast makes a cam for this-981-202 cam and springs and the 936-745 pushrods- what im planning on. I asked them what i needed for my application. Im guessing that comes with the limiters.....

got my radio delete plate in the mail today- guess the cam better sound pretty good cuz i'll be jamming to that.

[Crestronwizard]

Looking good. You're on the right site now.

[xsboost90]

thanks! i cant help but look at your car and want to go way overboard but i have to keep reminding myself that im going for a vintage look....modern drivetrain. Your car is looking great!

[xsboost90]

so been awhile since ive updated here. Decided this summer that the flares had to go, cut the quarters off and welded on new skins and stretched them over the widened rear wheel houses. After that ive been collecting parts and working on other peoples projects but i have managed to install my MAST cam, springs etc., purchased a swap harness for the motor, im working on installing a six point rollbar, fitting a cable operated hood latch, getting the hydraulics for the trans pieced together and collecting all the little bits and pieces needed to fit all this together. Coming along although it doesnt look like much. I finished shaving the drip rails and welded some 1/8" rod along the radius. Heres a pic of the valve cover/covers on the motor- takes some of the LSishness away. SHould look good all sprayed color. Did spray some more epoxy coat on the car since the bare metal was starting to rust sitting around the garage. Attachment 120353

[I_make_oil]

Like what your doing. It's going to awesome. Subscribed.