Handegard 10 Report post Posted March 8, 2010 (edited) I turned my drums a week or so ago, and bought all the parts I needed for the front brakes, except a few... I still need to get adjusters, but I finally tracked down the wheel cylinder pins I was looking for... I also have a line on a 4.6L DOHC motor, well see how that turns out. I'm hopeful that it will have a future home in my '69. Oh! And I have a date with the State Patrol on March 29th at 1:00pm! If I get it all back together by then (mostly) I'll get my registration. Three years later, I get a title! WoHoo! Edited March 12, 2010 by Handegard drums, not rotors Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handegard 10 Report post Posted March 12, 2010 Today I got the front bumper on again (first time in 8 years) and tried to install front brakes.... Firstly, I found that '69 and '70 front brakes seem a little different. I tried copying a picture I was given of a '70, and that didn't work... But, they gave me the wrong hardware kit at the parts store anyway. So I'll exchange it tomorrow. I at least have 2 shoes installed, and tomorrow it will be both sides. I also need to go get a adjuster kit for each side. Remember, I don't have any brake parts already, so I'm starting from scratch... Then I get to jack the rear up, and see what I need back there. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handegard 10 Report post Posted March 12, 2010 Today I got the front bumper on again (first time in 8 years) and tried to install front brakes.... Firstly, I found that '69 and '70 front brakes seem a little different. I tried copying a picture I was given of a '70, and that didn't work... But, they gave me the wrong hardware kit at the parts store anyway. So I'll exchange it tomorrow. I at least have 2 shoes installed, and tomorrow it will be both sides. I also need to go get a adjuster kit for each side. Remember, I don't have any brake parts already, so I'm starting from scratch... Then I get to jack the rear up, and see what I need back there. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handegard 10 Report post Posted March 12, 2010 Today I got the front bumper on again (first time in 8 years) and tried to install front brakes.... Firstly, I found that '69 and '70 front brakes seem a little different. I tried copying a picture I was given of a '70, and that didn't work... But, they gave me the wrong hardware kit at the parts store anyway. So I'll exchange it tomorrow. I at least have 2 shoes installed, and tomorrow it will be both sides. I also need to go get a adjuster kit for each side. Remember, I don't have any brake parts already, so I'm starting from scratch... Then I get to jack the rear up, and see what I need back there. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handegard 10 Report post Posted April 2, 2010 Figured the brakes out. Now I have all the correct parts for the front brakes. Rear is next. Yesterday I got a fuel pump, and I picked up a set of factory service manuals for '69 (hopefully will be useful with the '70 as well) Today, I ordered a distributor. I may regret it in the end, but I got a HEI unit, with the built in coil, cap, and rotor, or like $50 on eBay. As long as it works for now, eventually, I want to go distributor-less, but there are more important things to do. I'm going to get the front brakes done this afternoon, and hopefully get the rears on tomorrow. Yay! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handegard 10 Report post Posted April 8, 2010 Front brakes are done, rear drums are off, and I need to turn them and get parts... Hopefully, if my neck feels good enough, I'll crawl under there this evening and install a starter... then start going through boxes and try and find all my parts, lay them out, and see whats what... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Burn 14 Report post Posted April 8, 2010 Nice progress. Seems like you're getting close to getting her on the road. Got any pictures? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handegard 10 Report post Posted April 8, 2010 Nah, not even on my mind. There are three goals now- Brakes/Lights- These are so I can tow it on the road, as opposed to trailering it. Starter/Engine- Just hearing it fire will likely provide additional motivation. Body stuff- Need to get it "whole" to pass state patrol inspection, with a eye towards getting a title in 3 years Pics soon. It's come a little ways. I plan to ask the original owner for some financial assistance in the next few days, I fear with a new baby due any day, that the project might slow for a few years as funds are "diverted" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handegard 10 Report post Posted April 10, 2010 1:39AM, rear brakes are installed. I'm missing some pieces, and I have some extras, but it's parking brake related ;) In the morning, I'll turn the drums at work, and hopefully, I'LL HAVE BRAKES for the first time since 1979. I got the new distributor installed, and I'll track down spark plug wires for it tomorrow, and try and get it to fire a little. I also plan to try and track down a bolt kit for my Edelbrock valve covers, I decided I like them more than my black '88 5.0 covers... My goal, while seemingly lofty, is to have brakes by Monday (assuming none of the parking brake hardware is needed for service brakes) and to hear it run, even poorly, by next Monday... I have to say, I credit this website for the progress I've made. I have come further in the last 6 months than in the previous 7 1/2 years prior to that. And most of it has been due to seeing and reading about your cars. And probably my '70. Owning it is a little bit of a downer, but a good motivator. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handegard 10 Report post Posted April 11, 2010 Brakes work, yay! I was going to try and get it to fire, but I bought the wrong spark plugs, silly me. I grabbed some Autolite 25s, assuming my '88 roller used the smaller spark plugs... but I was wrong... So, TOMOROW, I will try and get it to fire ;) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handegard 10 Report post Posted April 14, 2010 New dash! Yeah! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handegard 10 Report post Posted July 12, 2010 Long time with no update, so I'll list it then throw some photos up. I managed to find and fix (I believe) every damaged/chewed/unhooked wire in the car. So thats done. Dash might go in tomorrow, want to clean up and prime behind it. I've got the HEI distributor to fire a little, It's giving me some problems. I'll work on that soon. I modified my '88 exhaust manifolds to clear the steering box. Not sure if the'll work long term, I don't care. For now, I can try and use them for some makeshift "good enough" exhaust to get it running. Probably be too hot for the cabin, the pipes would be right up against the firewall... I put off doing this for months, thinking it would be tedious, but it only took a few minutes. Heres a switch- The '70 is in the garage, and the '69 is in the driveway. Going to do some work to them both.... I pulled my drivers door off today, going to see how hard it'll be to clean up all the rust around the hinges, and to clean out the door and put a window back in. I hope to borrow a sand blaster tomorrow, and try and borrow a air compressor, and then blast the whole car. That'll speed things up, lately, I've been sanding/grinding, then priming little bits at a time. I'd like to blast the whole car, then prime it.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handegard 10 Report post Posted July 23, 2010 Just a couple progress shots. These really show off how bad it is. Not horrid, but certainly the worst of it is the bottom. Progress should increase greatly from here on, my dad just bought a car trailer I can use anytime to wheel it down to the shop... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
unfrozen1969 11 Report post Posted July 24, 2010 Thanks for posting photos, keep them coming. Bill Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handegard 10 Report post Posted August 20, 2010 It's ALIVE!!! Well, not all the way ;) I fixed the fuel line, installed everything in the engine bay properly and tight with gaskets (intake, exhaust, etc) and got the carb in. I haven't got fuel running to it yet, but I got the new HEI distributor wired up and the timming set, gave it a squirt of starting fluid, and it fired right up, and idled for a second. Need to figure out many, many things still, but to hear it run, as I've always assumed, was very exciting! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
70mstang 11 Report post Posted August 20, 2010 GREAT!!! I am looking forward to mine coming home so I can begin putting in the engine. One of these days she'll roar to life too! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handegard 10 Report post Posted August 22, 2010 I managed to nab a driveshaft today... I previously had discovered that a 9th generation Thunderbird (83-88) with a C5 transmission had a driveshaft that was just perfect for my AOD/8" combo. Sadly, the scrap metal guy took my driveshafts mistakenly, but I grabbed one today... If I can get the throttle hooked up, rig a shifter, I might, might be able to take my first drive in a week or two! Right now, I plan to get it going, drivable, then fix things piece by piece. My old plan was to fix everything, then get it running. I'd still like to tear it down to bare metal someday, but now, I think I'll be able to do more if I get it driveable, much easier to get it on and off the trailer and lifts.... Exhaust would be nice to have ;) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handegard 10 Report post Posted August 25, 2010 Yay! Deadlines are great! I've got a State Patrol inspection on Friday, and while the car doesn't have to be running, I'm trying to get it as "complete" as possible, and well, once everything is in, why not hook it up right? So, I found a few new fuel problems today, but tomorow it should run run. The neighbors are going to love that, what with the open manifolds and all ;) I don't plan to run it for more than a a few seconds, I still have no working cooling system. On to that, I have determined that a 1970 radiator will work for my setup. I'm running a '88 5.0, and the water pump is pretty inter-mixed with the brackets for my serp belt setup, so I need to use it. No matter, just have to order one in a payday or two. Hopefully, someone wants to buy my factory '69 radiator *wink*. I am debating if I should stick with the original style alternator and external regulator ($50 for both) vs stick with my current '88 alt with internal regulator, and have to figure the wiring out.... Biggest news of the day, I tracked down a u-joint at work that fit just fine. Driveshaft isn't a perfect length, just a hair short, but it'll work for inspection. I'll have a local shop build me a new driveshaft asap, but I'm not going to drive on my $13 junkyard one, just use it to hold park ;) I also got the throttle hooked up. It feels "funny" (the pedal bottoms out long before hitting the floor) but it does work, so there is that. On a sour note, I took my old '69 power steering hose and my '88 power steering hose to the hydrualic shop, and said "make me one this long with the '88 plug on one end and the '69 plug on the other" and they said "no" :/ Turns out, the '88 style power steering pump uses a non-standard threaded fitting, and they don't carry it, nor know where to get it :( Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ry-speeed 14 Report post Posted August 25, 2010 Good progress. I enjoyed reading the updates. Makes me wish I was closer to hearing mine run. What engine/tranny/rear did you decide to go with? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handegard 10 Report post Posted August 26, 2010 Today, work was slow. I primed some of the body parts for the front valence, and I'm going to try and install them in a few minutes. I also got the old grill out, and I'm going to try and glue up a few cracks. A dirty old grill looks better than no grill ;) I'm going to go bolt the radiator in as soon as I send this. Car doesn't have to be done, but I need it as complete as possible Friday for inspection ;) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handegard 10 Report post Posted August 30, 2010 Car is mostly assembled. Not for the final time mind you, but I'm soon hoping I'll be able to drive it around as-is while waiting for bodywork and a real paint job. I've got pretty much the whole drivetrain done, need to swap radiators and get floor shifter and TV linkage, and I'll probably be able to drive it. Well, exhaust is needed too. Pics soon, I have a ton I need to upload... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handegard 10 Report post Posted August 30, 2010 Car is mostly assembled. Not for the final time mind you, but I'm soon hoping I'll be able to drive it around as-is while waiting for bodywork and a real paint job. I've got pretty much the whole drivetrain done, need to swap radiators and get floor shifter and TV linkage, and I'll probably be able to drive it. Well, exhaust is needed too. Pics soon, I have a ton I need to upload... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handegard 10 Report post Posted September 5, 2010 Things are shaping up... That ugly fuel filter is gone now... First time in almost 30 years! Major milestone IMO. First time having a grill on in almost 9 years... I hardly recognize it... At State Patrol Inspection.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handegard 10 Report post Posted September 5, 2010 Things are shaping up... That ugly fuel filter is gone now... First time in almost 30 years! Major milestone IMO. First time having a grill on in almost 9 years... I hardly recognize it... At State Patrol Inspection.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handegard 10 Report post Posted July 27, 2011 Been along time. Other projects have come and gone, worked alot, worked not very much, etc. Now I spend most my time restoring a '68 F350 with my grandfather (which can be seen here if interested: http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1068477-restoring-grandpas-68-f350.html) Mustang updates- I replaced my sending unit in the gas tank last week. I'm going to pull the tank any day and clean it, then put it back in with some fresh fuel line and gas. I got a new radiator (for a '70) to use with my '88 5.0 water pump. Its bolted in, the hoses need to be cut and hooked up, then it'll be ready to fill with fluids and I believe (fingers crossed!!!!!) that it'll run. Bare minimum to drive it (not finish) I still need: Shift/TV linkage for AOD Some form of exhaust Windsheild, side windows new instrument PCB power steering hoses (custom) Alternator wiring ('88 alt) But if Grandpa wants to help financially (it was his car originally, and he's having fun restoring a '68 F350 with me) I'm going to strip it down to a bare body, blast it, fix all the panels, and then have it primed (and maybe painted) I know that's not as simple as it sounds, but if I get just a little financial help, I can strip/sandblast it myself, I have a friend who'll paint it (no charge, other than materials and beverages) and I'm EAGER to learn how to replace sheet metal (doing it to my '68 F350 soon anyways) it's something that could reasonably be done for not a lot of money and in only a few months. This is a huge deal. If I do this, it's amazing. Then, I get it running, and I just replace parts here and there until the interior is perfect and the mechanicals are flawless. This is a dream that might become reality! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
