67 Fastback - Project Dalamar

**SVTforme** · 02-24-2010

Interesting project - finally going to take the time to comment

. Looks like you have come a long way since you started.

As for the interior, as you know we are doing the exact opposite to you (and plus it is on a Torino and not a Mustang - although they are similar in many ways). I am retaining ther stock interior look, but hiding all the guts from a newer Mustang behind it. I am running an SN95 Mustang suspension front and rear, engine, trans, rear and all the assosiated electronics.

Personally - I think the interior of a old Mustang is just as iconic as the outside of the car. That's why I decided to go original, although it made my life more difficult to get there with all the modern parts in the background. Are you just looking for a more modern feel in the interior? Not meaning to be a critic here - was just curious given the amount of work it will take you to get there. I know I get these questions all the time

.

We ended up removing the stock Torino firewall and replaced it with a 2004 Mustang one. We went back and forth on that one, and in the end decided to go ahead with it once we found out how cheap a firewall is from the Ford service dept. It also made sense since nothing from the original Torino that bolts to the firewall is retained in our cars. It turned out to be much more work than planned, but worth it for what we are doing.

Our reasoning for doing this was:
- Clearance for the 6-speed trans which takes up lots of room
- Mounting of the gas pedal (for use with the cable for the 4.6L engine)
- Mounting of the brakes and clutch. This interfaces with the stock Mustang clutch cable and hydroboost assembly.
- Mounting of the heater box / air dryer from a new Mustang. This goes along with all the Mustang wiring and connects to a stock new Mustang condensor, compressor etc.
- Made it easier to pass the wiring through to the engine compartment, and did not have to patch dozens of original Torino holes.

Major issues we had/have:
- Fitting a new Mustang firewall into a Torino (obviously). The newer Mustang has a different windshield rake angle which changes the proportions of the car quite a bit relative to older cars. This put the wheel wells on the firewall in the completely wrong place. We just cut them out of the firewall and made the panels flat.
- Controlling new Mustang heater control with old Torino sliding controls
- Finding a place for the cruise control buttons
- Operating the newer intermittent wipers from the Torino instrument panel
- Operating a new Mustang light switch from old Torino panel
- Moving the key from the column to the dash (since we are retaining the PATS security system and want to use new Ford keys)
- We do have the same issue as you do when it comes to ducting the fresh air into the heater box. We are just going to scratch build an adapter.
- For the clutch to work correctly, we had to lower the floor 3/4" so the top of the pedal would not interfere with the cowl area and water drainage.
- Making a new gauge cluster work in an old car. Long complicated solution there

. That's a whole other story in its own.
- Original glove-box vs. new heater box

Issues I see you having (all depending on how much of the Mustang front clip you use):
- Contolling the Mustang wiper motor from the new Mustang column. Likely easier in the end to use a motor from a new Mustang on your car. Believe it or not, the rotating arm from a Torino bolts right onto a new Mustang motor - same slot size and everything.
- Adpting a old light switch to a new dash. This one kinda shocked me. A 2004 Mustang light switch bolts into a 1968 Torino dash with no mods at all. They are still nearly identical nearly 40 years later except for the pin outs on the switch.
- Connecting new signal light harnesses from a new column to an old harness. Another surprise here - Ford still uses the same color coding on all the wires even today, so it is an easy cut and splice for you.
- Adapting the gas pedal/cable to your engine. Motion ratio will likely be different, so you may have to make up some custom linkage. Maybe a Fox body carb cable will work?
- Adapting shifter to older trans. I don't speak auto trans.. so can't help you there

.
- Cluster as you already know
- Steering linkages to the new column. Surprisingly new cars still use the same/similar 3/4 DD steering shafts as the 60's cars. Only issue here is the new column does not go straight to the floor. The column kicks to the right to clear the brake pedal.
- Are you planning on just keeping the airbag in the column and making it non-functional? Same thing with the cruise control?

I could go on and on

. I am sure you already know most of this.. but figured I would chime in regardless. You definitely have a lot of work ahead of you as you already know. Good luck and keep the posts coming!

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**Dalamar** · 02-25-2010

thanks for the feedback Preston.
It makes sense what you're saying about the cooler. I wonder how much air flow actually goes in there.

I'm curious - how long did it take you to make metal scoops?

**Dalamar** · 02-25-2010

Thank you for the excellent feedback SVTforme.

That is interesting how we're doing similar but opposites on the engine/interior. Thanks for the info on your experience, very helpful!
The SN95 interior is just under 3" wider than the 67, but there is a formed post on either side.
once we subtracted that it's within 1/2 on the width for the dash mounts. the tunnel is also offset to the passanger
side in the SN and a little extra room around the transmission will be good.

With this IRS - the drive shaft won't need to move up/down, I was thinking of shaving the tunnel down where the rear seat
is so there's not such a hump in the rear seat. we'll see how that turns out.