Flying Ace's 1970 Convertible Restoration Project

[Flying Ace 10]

My "garage" started as a dirt and stone floor outbuilding that we kept a bunch of stuff in. It took me a couple of years to get it to this point (and a few $$) but I'm happy with the way it turned out. It is a very nice workplace. I had this project in mind for many years and finally I'm underway!

[mustangmanny 10]

Ace,

If you dont mind me asking. How much was the lift you bought? What is your ceiling height? Im looking to purchase a lift myself in the near future. thanks for any info.

 

Your doing a great job. Keep up the good work!

[Flying Ace 10]

Ace,

If you dont mind me asking. How much was the lift you bought? What is your ceiling height? Im looking to purchase a lift myself in the near future. thanks for any info.

 

Your doing a great job. Keep up the good work!

 

It's a Rotary A10ip and I got it for $3,200 installed. I could have gone cheaper, but I know Rotary is a quality and safe product. It even has a LCD screen that shows pick up points for all models of cars and trucks and Preventative maintenance schedules that alert you to safety check stuff.

 

Here's the brochure: http://www.rotarylift.com/library/webPost/marCom_Materials/14.pdf

 

It's an asymetric two post lift capable of lifting 10,000 pounds. If you're looking to get one, get an asymetric lift. It allows you to open your doors all the way without dinging them. It also has 110vac gfci outlets as well as compressed air ports on each side.

 

My ceilings are only 10ft. high but the unit is configurable from 11 1/2 to 13 1/2 feet, and I have the uprights going through the rafters. I could modify the rafters, but I didn't, it lifts most cars up to get under them with only a slight bending over and it's high enough to do anything I need. There's also a safety bar/switch (that it comes with) that I installed on the rafters to shut it down before crunching any roofs.

[mustangmanny 10]

WOW! Thats a great price.:thumbup: Who installed it? I'd like to get there number. I dont live too far from Reading, Pa. i'm in Broomall, Pa. right outside of West Chester. I've gotten quote's from 5k and up. Were you happy with there work? I was also looking into Mohawk lifts. but that is a great price for a topp of the line lift. I'd rather buy a Rotory brand lift. We use them at work and there awsome.

 

Thanks for the info,

Manny

[Flying Ace 10]

WOW! Thats a great price.:thumbup: Who installed it? I'd like to get there number. I dont live too far from Reading, Pa. i'm in Broomall, Pa. right outside of West Chester. I've gotten quote's from 5k and up. Were you happy with there work? I was also looking into Mohawk lifts. but that is a great price for a topp of the line lift. I'd rather buy a Rotory brand lift. We use them at work and there awsome.

 

Thanks for the info,

Manny

 

Manny,

 

I'm an idiot. I posted the wrong price ( I went back and checked the receipt). Your post made me think twice. I had it installed two years ago and the lift cost $3,865.00 (apparently I forgot about the deposit I paid on it). Anyway, I think I remember him cutting me a break on the delivery and install and it was around $4,200.00 installed. A big difference. Sorry.

 

Anyway, I got it from Spatz Hydraulics in Fleetwood, PA just north of Reading. 610-944-9166. Good people to deal with.

[mustangmanny 10]

Not a problem. I'll give them a call anyway.

 

Thanks for the info.

And keep us updated on the project.

[reaper 10]

Nice car as per your dropoffs, this type of work is usually done by a regular body shop and not a restoration place. I have seen butcher jobs on vintage cars that the owner paid good money only to find out when they decide to repaint the car down the road (recently on a shelby, it's crimminal !). Anyway your car from your pics looks solid, I'm sure that you might have to cut out and replace the floor pans like most stangs and take car of those dropoffs. I hope that will be the extent of your surprises with the car, Good Luck !!! ( P.S. you should place plastic sheets on your garage floor before beginning your project, only kidding it's an awesome work place.

[Flying Ace 10]

Got the braces on and most of of the stuff out. Only thing left is suspension:

 

 

 

With the dash out, I can clearly see the damage to the footboards and firewall, the cowl turned out to be OK..

 

 

[Pakrat 1,043]

Cool braces, I like those. Everytime I see a floor board pic of these cars I become more and more amazed that some how my car escaped this common problem and still has it's originals in tact and solid.

[Flying Ace 10]

Cool braces, I like those. Everytime I see a floor board pic of these cars I become more and more amazed that some how my car escaped this common problem and still has it's originals in tact and solid.

 

I got the braces from Accessible Systems. They should do the trick..

 

It is amazing you have good original floors! I got replacements, but am a bit annoyed that they don't make 69-70 floor pans with the proper ribbing..

[Pakrat 1,043]

Yeah I was pretty freakin surprised, just a little surface rust that cleaned right up. I was totally bummed not to find a build sheet though.

[burritoboi5 10]

not fair, you have far too little rust.

[Flying Ace 10]

Yeah I was pretty freakin surprised, just a little surface rust that cleaned right up. I was totally bummed not to find a build sheet though.

 

Damn, that looks great!

[70vert 17]

yes, far, far too little rust. This is me:

 

http://homepage.mac.com/jbauder/PhotoAlbum69.html

 

the during: http://homepage.mac.com/jbauder/PhotoAlbum73.html

 

and some after, with beefy through-the-floor subframes, the way ford SHOULD have done it: :)

 

http://web.mac.com/jbauder/iWeb/6970clutchpedals/tinmansubframes.html

[Flying Ace 10]

yes, far, far too little rust. This is me:

 

http://homepage.mac.com/jbauder/PhotoAlbum69.html

 

the during: http://homepage.mac.com/jbauder/PhotoAlbum73.html

 

and some after, with beefy through-the-floor subframes, the way ford SHOULD have done it: :)

 

http://web.mac.com/jbauder/iWeb/6970clutchpedals/tinmansubframes.html

 

 

Wow!! Nice Recovery! What is the SEM product you refer to in your pics?

[Flying Ace 10]

Finally got the suspension off!! I didn't have problems with any of the hardware up until this point, but the right leaf spring front bolt was frozen in it's collar and required the sawzall to rectify.

 

Anyway, she's finally on the rotisserie!!! Woohoo!!

 

It was kinda funny and a little scary at first but when I rotated it, 37 years of loose crud found it's way to the floor..

 

 

[burritoboi5 10]

You really have too many toys for a simple floor pan replacement.

 

Here's a similiar product to the SEM. It's what I used.

 

http://www.stoprust.net/

[Flying Ace 10]

I wish it was just a floor pan replacement!

 

So far it's looking like:

 

Left & Right Floor Pans, Torque boxes and toeboards

Right outer Wheehouse

Right Rear Quarter

Left Rear Quarter

Right Front Fender Apron

Left Rear fender Apron

 

 

It was interesting to find that the Right rear fender was replaced from an accident early in it's life and there's also a lower patch on the outer wheelhouse. I could tell by the part number and tag on the inside of the fender. You can now see the seam where it was cut in at the top body line. Sometime after that the repair rusted out and was patched behind the wheel.

 

I'm also finding traces of body filler on the various parts of the body. I'll know for sure now that I'm getting ready to strip and media blast it.

 

I'm fortunate to have the tools, I know, it sure makes things a bit easier and I also know it's going to be quite some time before she's back on the road.

[Pakrat 1,043]

It is amazing and almost scary at times what you find on a car once you start digging. I would have never guessed by the before photos that your car needed all that, it really looked like a nice solid driver. A very wise and old time original owner on the Stangnet forums that went by the name of SuperDave used to say "A little bondo and a little paint can make a Mustang what it ain't".

 

Even though it's a been a long and trying nearly 4 years now to get my car back on the road after the accident it was nice to actually totally disassemble and strip it and finally know for sure that it was as solid as I always suspected. I could have easily moved on to another car that appeared a better prospect and turned out not to be. With your ultimate work space and tools though this car is going to be more than you ever hoped for when it's done no matter how long it takes. I've had some serious depression times being off the road for so long but going through the total build stage has been alomst as fun some times too, you'll never have the chance to be so personal and part of a car you love as you do now.

[Flying Ace 10]

I agree with that 100%. I haven't had one moment yet where I was really pissed off or anything like that. I'm taking it easy and slow trying to do the right things. I like the fact that soon I'll know the whole story on what was done to the car and the satisfaction of what I have done and will be doing to it.

[Flying Ace 10]

Started a Media Blasting session over the weekend after I removed most of the undercoating. The process took a bit longer than I expected, but taking my time. I got most of the rear floor area clean and then I treated it with Picklex 20 to hold off on any flash rusting:

 

 

Not too bad. I found a couple of very small holes in the rear floor, now I'm contemplating rear pan replacement or just plug welding the holes. The floor itself is pretty solid in the rear otherwise:

 

 

Here's a close up of one of the holes:

 

[Pakrat 1,043]

Looking good, I don't think I'd go thru replacing a whole pan for something like that.

[Flying Ace 10]

I'm still here guys!!

 

It's just been a bit slow. I've done two more media blasting sessions since my last post. Hope to get some more pics up this weekend..