It's back....

[coz 108]

...or I could have titled this thread "my aching back".

 

Well the Mach1 is back in it's stable after having all kinds of work done. As you may remember I sent it out to have the 351C stroked to 408cid, as well as, some body mods. I will post in detail what was done later and what I've done since it's been back. But here's a couple highlights;

 

I've had some close calls in the past with people coming close to rear ending me. The lack of a 3rd light and 1969 rear brake lights just didn't cut it. So I did the LED upgrade (non-seq. blinkers). Well not only was it easy to do but it's a vast improvement. Really lights up now - both driving lights and braking. I went the extra distance and painted the light buckets and replaced the rubber seals. Would highly recommend this upgrade!

 

I also did the '70 bolt-in door glass upgrade. Again a great improvement but a bit time consuming and a lot of minute adjustments. Also, replaced the door felt and rubber stops while in the door. One other thing I did was paint the inside of the doors with POR-15. There was a sprayed in factory "metalic" coating on the inside of the door that I guess is used for sound dampening. Well it was a bit worn out so the POR-15 helped seal it and prevent any future rust issues. This was not a difficult upgrade but think it out first and my recommendation is to replace any old or worn parts while in the door. I for one, never want to go back into the door once the water shields go on.

 

As for the engine - it is a beast! really more of a race engine than a street engine. It wants to play in the 3k+ RPM range so driving through a grocery store parking lot with a 4-spd is a bit trying. Maybe an AT with a stall on it would help. But on the road it really gets... Pulls strongly all the way up and through 6k - at 6k (which is my rev cutoff with MSD) it's still smoking the tire and the 70mph to 120mph pull in 3rd and 4th gear is neck snapping.

 

I have all kinds of pictures I will be posting and probably enough to do a "how to" on the rear brake lights and bolt-in glass swap.

[Pakrat 1,043]

Yeah, being a little gun shy these days I want to do the std LED upgrade as well. Which one did you get, from who and how much?

 

So with the 70' glass swap did you have to relocate the weatherstrip between front and back to the rear window as 70' also?

[bswor 77]

Sounds like you have been really really busy, I cant wait to see the pictures. I'm interested in what LED's you bought also? I have some sequential ones which are'nt installed yet. Are you using the MSD 6AL box and matching dizzy?

[coz 108]

The LED's came from NPD - something like $140 a pair. If you need new rubber then it's $45 for both sides - inside and outside gaskets. You should all do this - very bright..... MSD 6AL and MSD ready to run billeted dizzy.

 

Pak - are you talking about the chrome and rubber on the end of the door glass? If so, that stays the same. I bought new though.... The bolt-in door swap out cost about $1100 total with gaskets, rubber and new chrome.... I don't know if I would go through Muscle City to order again. You can get the glass from PPG, regulators from NPD or CJ Pony Parts and I have the number for the guy who makes the brackets....

 

Have been very busy - also did;

 

new hood chrome

new rocker panel chrome

new door sill chrome

new mirror gaskets

POR-15 the trunk and then splatter paint - looks great!

new rad. hoses

clean up engine

new trunk pad

new grille

[coz 108]

a couple of pixs added in my gallery of some of the work.

 

Washed her tonight - polish Friday - ride Saturday!

[bnickel 10,004]

Yeah, being a little gun shy these days I want to do the std LED upgrade as well. Which one did you get, from who and how much?

 

So with the 70' glass swap did you have to relocate the weatherstrip between front and back to the rear window as 70' also?

 

the fastbacks don't change, it's only the coupes and verts that have to change the weatherstrip and the chrome trim.

[bswor 77]

http://www.1969stang.com/gallery/COZ-69Mach1

 

Heres the link to coz's gallery.

[bswor 77]

Did you paint the inside of your tail light buckets black?? I went with some chrome/silver paint myself. Also in the last picture did you pickup a humphugger console? I have the same one, and I hid my power window switches in the coin tray

[coz 108]

Did you paint the inside of your tail light buckets black?? I went with some chrome/silver paint myself. Also in the last picture did you pickup a humphugger console? I have the same one, and I hid my power window switches in the coin tray

 

No I topcoated the buckets all over in metallic enamel. Looks like stock. No need for chrome inside the bucket now since I went with the LED's. I think I have a picture of the buckets installed - looks good surrounded by black.

 

Yep it's a humphugger but I'm holding off until I do the interior. I want to work some gauges into the "cell phone" holder area. Like the ones in the ash tray on mine now.

 

Did some minute adjustments on the door glass/trays tonight. Drivers side is perfect - now onto the passenger side.

[351carlo 10]

Coz very nice work. Your car is gorgeous, I hope one day to have a car that clean yet still quick.

 

Ashame you don't have a set of sticky tires, you'd be surprised how fast the car really is when it's not just spinning :) Nothing like my Magnum 500's with Hoosiers on the back... even in the stock 14 inch size too. I love them.

[Pakrat 1,043]

Looking good! Boy, are you going for customer of the month at Por-15 or what?:tt2: Was all that just preventative or did you have a surface rust probelm starting to rear its ugly face? I was surprised to see you even painted the gask tank, the final splatter looks aewsome. I have been pondering doing that or not for at least the sides for a while, I've now decided I will after seeing it. Not sure how I feel about both plaid and speckled mats combined but that is like the only thing that I could even comment on, from top to bottom the car looks super tight my friend!

 

BTW Ben, you have to look into that time out thing further buddy, there has to be a way to change it. We are now running the same forum type as Stangent and the source and they never time out. All I did was spend 5 minutes looking at the pics and then when I went back to the thread to reply I had to log back in. Extremely frustrating. I can't be the only one this happening to as I do not see a personal option for it anywhere.

[coz 108]

Coz very nice work. Your car is gorgeous, I hope one day to have a car that clean yet still quick.

 

Ashame you don't have a set of sticky tires, you'd be surprised how fast the car really is when it's not just spinning :) Nothing like my Magnum 500's with Hoosiers on the back... even in the stock 14 inch size too. I love them.

 

I have my eye on a set of MT street slicks 28" tall - 275/60/15 and will mount them on a set of 15x8 Magnums. I was surprised at how well the BFG's have held up. I spun them out to 6k in 1st gear and while they spin the car stayed straight and ripped a 1/4" out of the asphalt.

[coz 108]

Looking good! Boy, are you going for customer of the month at Por-15 or what?:tt2: Was all that just preventative or did you have a surface rust probelm starting to rear its ugly face? I was surprised to see you even painted the gask tank, the final splatter looks aewsome. I have been pondering doing that or not for at least the sides for a while, I've now decided I will after seeing it. Not sure how I feel about both plaid and speckled mats combined but that is like the only thing that I could even comment on, from top to bottom the car looks super tight my friend!

 

BTW Ben, you have to look into that time out thing further buddy, there has to be a way to change it. We are now running the same forum type as Stangent and the source and they never time out. All I did was spend 5 minutes looking at the pics and then when I went back to the thread to reply I had to log back in. Extremely frustrating. I can't be the only one this happening to as I do not see a personal option for it anywhere.

 

POR-15 was originally purchased to paint the undercarriage but I've put it anywhere I can for preventative measures only. I only had two small spots of rust - drivers torque box and a spot in the trunk and I've taken care of them both now. I like the way POR-15 spreads, fills and levels and it has a great reputation. I saw a demo once were an 8" pipe was painted and then bent. The paint never cracked or chipped. They even invited people to smack it with a hammer. But don't get it on yourself - I have it on my forearms now for over a week. The can states " the only way to remove POR-15 from skin is - TIME"

 

I painted the tank because there were some blemishes on it and they would not come off. Several people I've shown it to commented on painting the tank but I can see no reason why not. That's actually not splatter paint but Rustoleum rough finish enamel. I've had buddy's do the splatter paint and even with the follow up clear coat it just doesn't hold up. That Rustoleum is some kind of tough and really stuck to the POR-15. Plus if I do chip it, shake the can and spray over the problem area. Can't do that with splatter paint.

 

Yeah the mat was a last minute decision. The original mat was the plaid one but it was a bit stained. So I bought the speckled one since it was water proof. My plan was to replace the plaid one with the speckle one but when I went to install it, I noticed it didn't cover the whole trunk. Will be looking around for a replacement.

[351carlo 10]

I have my eye on a set of MT street slicks 28" tall - 275/60/15 and will mount them on a set of 15x8 Magnums. I was surprised at how well the BFG's have held up. I spun them out to 6k in 1st gear and while they spin the car stayed straight and ripped a 1/4" out of the asphalt.

 

Very good choice. I just so happen to have a set of them on 15x8 Prostars.

 

My BFG's held up for a little while, but I ended up roasting the tires in about 500 miles and spun one on the rim and the bead broke. I was lucky I didn't trash the rim, since it's an original Ford.

 

Also, if you're interested Goodyear makes a very nice drag radial in that same size.