simplyj 26 Report post Posted January 19, 2009 I figure it's about time to make an official thread about the progress on my car. It started out as a 250 6 cyl auto car. Wimbledon white and maroon interior. Car looked great from the outside but, as these things go, disassembly brought many surprises. There was a ton of front end collision damage that was poorly repaired. Both front frame rails had rust, the driver's side being the worse of the two. The passenger side cowl had damage as well as some patches in the front floorboards. Both shock towers were toast as were the inner panels. So far here's what I've replaced: - driver's side frame rail - both shock towers - rear inner panels - patched passenger frame rail - redid repair behind passenger cowl area - replaced side of the front cowl Metalwork which still needs to be done: - driver's side outer torque box - driver's side floor support frame rail - front inner panels and radiator support - notch shock towers for 4.6 dohc - fill in some holes in the firewall from aftermarket A/C Parts waiting to go on the car: - 4.6 dohc from a 95 Lincoln Mark VIII - all stock except billet fuel rails, cobra intake manifold (still need to source the intake manifold) and exhaust manifolds - TR-3650 - ford racing billet flywheel - Accel DFI gen7 for Ford 4.6 - EZ wire 18 circuit wiring harness - 2003 Mach 1 shaker - 17x9 Hot Wheels Sixty-eight rims (painted to resemble magnum 500's) - Qa1 custom coil-overs (550lb spring and single adjustable shocks) As far as steering goes, I'm hoping to be able to adapt 96+ sn95 spindles using upper balljoint adapters from factory five racing and then rig up a front steer rack and pinion setup. Haven't even started on this except for getting a set of spindles and the ffr brackets. Today and yesterday were spent replacing the cowl area. Figured I'd post this while waiting for the paint fumes to air out before I get started on the torque box and floor support. pics: look at this crap: cut out old repair and replaced with new sheetmetal and primed. Don't have a pic because my damn iphone takes blurry pics half the time. roughly done and primed. I may go back and grind down the welds further when in the body work stage. But it's good for now. now on to the torque box... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
unfrozen1969 11 Report post Posted January 20, 2009 Welcome and feel free to post lots of photos of your progress. Bill from Ottawa Canada. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
simplyj 26 Report post Posted December 13, 2009 Still working slowly on repairing previous accident damage to the driver's side floorboard and toe board, and replacing the torque box. But sometimes you just need to do something to get motivated again. I happened to come across some tires while looking for some other parts and decided to mount the wheels i've had sitting in my basement for a while. The old styled steel wheels and tires weren't holding air anymore so I decided what the heck. It's little things like this that make me excited about the mustang again and see the light at the end of the tunnel... when all it seems like i'm doing is welding, cutting, and grinding all the time. Whisky, my french bulldog, standing guard Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
unfrozen1969 11 Report post Posted December 16, 2009 Since you are changing the engine from a V6, do you need to change the size of your springs? I too have V6, my car is originally meadowlark yellow with a black top. You are a bit ahead of me, and I am at the stage of starting some welding.... Bill from Canada Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
simplyj 26 Report post Posted December 16, 2009 I'm going with a qa1 coilover setup. it's an integral spring/shock eliminating the spring perches. As per john's (opentracker) recommendations I'm going to lower the upper control arm 1 3/4", modify the ball joint angle, and move the coilover mounting point out 1". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
69R-CODE 25 Report post Posted December 16, 2009 I will be doing some front frame rail work and shock towers. Do you have any pics of that process? Also, what parts did you use? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
unfrozen1969 11 Report post Posted December 16, 2009 Post some pix of your front suspension some time.. Thanks Bill Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
d.reese 13 Report post Posted December 17, 2009 Ah, nothing like a little rust to make the day go by!:hammer: Looks great :thumbup1:, you'll love the responce you'll get after all that hard work done!:clap: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
unfrozen1969 11 Report post Posted January 26, 2010 Any progress on this ride? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maxum96 32 Report post Posted January 26, 2010 look at this crap: Boy does that bring back memories! After I'd put the patch in Except I went from the other side! I cut the front end of my car off and put a new firewall in. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
simplyj 26 Report post Posted January 27, 2010 maxum, i had to do a similar repair as you did on the driver's side. it seems the more I repair, the more stuff I find that needs repairing Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
simplyj 26 Report post Posted January 18, 2018 It's almost like starting over, 7 years later and finally an update. Same ol' story as many, life got in the way of this project 7 years ago. I had moved to NYC and kept the mustang at my folks' house to work on it when I could, but work and life just got in the way. Then my folks moved and the mustang went into storage. Thankfully, storage was short lived when, through a stroke of luck and a work contact, I found a shop upstate NY that would take on the build as a side project. Progress was made here and there with all the chassis modifications for the 4.6 dohc being completed before the shop owner had some medical issues crop up and the project sat once again. In the years since, I've moved out to the northern NJ suburbs w/ my fiance and mostly moved on to custom motorcycle builds, but the mustang was always in the back of my mind. The shop owner's return to good health and full time work coincided with our planning our wedding and wanting to drive away in the mustang so work has restarted on the car. Given space and time constraints on both sides, I'll be splitting the workload with the shop. The shop is going to do all the fitting of the engine/transmission, refresh the gaskets, exhaust, fuel/brake/power steering plumbing, rebuild the rear with a posi and steeper gears, as well as reinforce the chassis with frame connectors and front frame rail stiffeners similar to the MTF ones. I will be handing the rest of the body rewiring, interior, brakes, modern lighting updates, and final assembly. Wedding is first weekend in October. Shop said he will have his part done by early spring. I'll mostly be updating with interior parts progress as I'll be recovering door panels and getting the dashpad redone in red, installing aftermarket gauges (speedhut, innovate, and a small turn by turn GPS unit), and potentially some composite parts. Prior to the last time the project was sidelined, I reupholstered fiero front seats and the rear seat with Mr. Mike upholstery. Additional parts purchased: - Pypes 2.5 exhaust with x pipe which will be mated to modified exhaust manifolds (to clear the quick ratio borgeson integrated power steering box) - Flex-a-lite aluminum swap radiator with electric fan - spectra EFI tank & pump assembly - dynacorn GT rear valance Still need to get front and rear brake swap components for a GT 13.2 or Cobra 13" front conversion and explorer rear disc conversion. Current suspension setup is: Global West upper control arms, QA1 coilovers, opentracker reinforced roller lower control arms, DIY adjustable strut rods, and global west tubular inner shock tower brackets. Rear is flex a form composite leafs. Body will stay mostly stock but with shelbyesque side scoops and I'm going to try my hand at creating a bolt on spoiler/end cap solution that will look more like a fastback vs the upright shelby composite parts. Thankfully, I've learned a good deal of composite skills in motorcycle building over the last few years that I hope to use in creating some non permanent body mods. I look forward to updating progress on this forum and hopefully contributing as much as I'm learning. Cheers, Jason Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,190 Report post Posted January 18, 2018 Welcome back Jason. Looks like a really cool build. I'm liking those convertibles more and more. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SWPruett 83 Report post Posted January 19, 2018 Glad your back! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vicfreg 771 Report post Posted January 19, 2018 Hey Jason. Good to see another Convertible here! Your suspension description is very cool. Here is a picture of mine.... Global West, 2004 Cobra Brakes, Open Tracker, Adjustable strut rods, and Viking shocks.... Also have done the Borgeson upgrade. Look forward to seeing more pictures of your progress. My build is on this forum under 1970 Convertible ....lots of pics there. Also originally from Bergen County up there... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mike65 475 Report post Posted January 20, 2018 Jason, welcome back. Keep the progress pics coming. Where are you in northern NJ?. I grew up in Essex county, lived in Morris county for a while, my wife & I lived in Somerset, Warren, & now we are in Ocean county. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
simplyj 26 Report post Posted January 20, 2018 17 hours ago, Vicfreg said: Hey Jason. Good to see another Convertible here! Your suspension description is very cool. Here is a picture of mine.... Global West, 2004 Cobra Brakes, Open Tracker, Adjustable strut rods, and Viking shocks.... Also have done the Borgeson upgrade. Look forward to seeing more pictures of your progress. My build is on this forum under 1970 Convertible ....lots of pics there. Also originally from Bergen County up there... Yep, I recently read through your entire thread. Very interesting stuff and extremely well executed, especially the re-routing of the wiring harness. Looks like we have a very similar suspension setup. Curious, what spring rate did you go for on the fronts? Years ago when I first worked out the suspension setup, I went with 500# springs after discussions with qa1 and John from opentracker. Curious if any real world experience has changed that recommendation in the last 8 years. I live in Bergen not far from Teterboro airport. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
simplyj 26 Report post Posted January 20, 2018 Started messing with the gauge cluster, the speedhut gauges almost fit the openings perfectly without the bezel. Going to attempt to re-use the stock gauge plastic and drill them to adapt the push button reset. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vicfreg 771 Report post Posted January 20, 2018 Hey Jason. Those gauges are cool! I have never seen them before. I used 450# spring rate on the front, so very close to yours. My Vikings have adjustable damping and rebound and I can also adjust the height of the suspension. I have 620# Grab A Track springs on my 1968 Coupe. Stiff ride, but handles good. My Mom still lives over in Ridgefield Park other family in Waldwick and Vernon. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vicfreg 771 Report post Posted January 20, 2018 Oh, I am running a 3393 stroker with A/C, power steering, and a C-6 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
simplyj 26 Report post Posted January 20, 2018 1 hour ago, Vicfreg said: Hey Jason. Those gauges are cool! I have never seen them before. I used 450# spring rate on the front, so very close to yours. My Vikings have adjustable damping and rebound and I can also adjust the height of the suspension. I have 620# Grab A Track springs on my 1968 Coupe. Stiff ride, but handles good. My Mom still lives over in Ridgefield Park other family in Waldwick and Vernon. Vic, what are you running for a front sway? Ridgefield Park is 10min from me. I’m in Hasbrouck Heights. I like speedhut products, I’ve used a number of their customized gauges on motorcycle builds. I got the integrated gauges so I can open up the smaller gauge slots for a wideband A/F gauge and the small navi unit. The speedo is a gps unit so it simplifies integration with transmission swaps and what not. Running a tr-3650 5 speed Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vicfreg 771 Report post Posted January 20, 2018 I am using a Maier Racing front bar. Not hooked up yet. I need to get the engine in the car and get some weight on the front suspension. I am trying to get the car done to bring to Carlisle in June. Not sure I am going to make it...... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
simplyj 26 Report post Posted February 4, 2018 Got a 3D printer recently and first project was a gauge adapter. The blue is just for prototyping, final is going to be printed in black and finished in the same spray “chrome” as the rest of the gauge cluster trim. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mike65 475 Report post Posted February 4, 2018 Looking good Jason, keep up the good work. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
simplyj 26 Report post Posted February 5, 2018 Refined it a bit and figured out a stable mount for the main gauges. Still requires drilling 4 holes and using m4 screws. Still working on the designs for the smaller gauges, but this is a start. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
