Coupe Restomod

[rangerdoc 22]

I guess it's finally time to post up in this forum. It appears time has finally come to get my baby the way I want her. I've owned my coupe for about 20 years now. It's the car my wife and I dated in and all that fun nostalgic stuff. I've been dragging it across the country forever and finally have a breather to get things right.

 

The stats: 302 2V, PS, PB, C4, A/C, standard interior.

 

The goals: A classic appearing and performing restomod.

 

Prior stuff: Back in the early days I put a complete PST suspension on it with shelby drop, 620 springs, 5-leaf mideye leafs. Flaming River box. Tranny rebuilt with shift kit. Engine rebuilt with .030 over and mild cam.

 

Still needed: after current project will be finishing engine with new heads, intake/carb and exhaust.

 

What is happening now: Paint and body along with interior.

 

I've only partially disassembled the car. This isn't a concourse type restoration, but rather a thorough paint and body job. Panels, doors, etc will get removed for paint. The engine bay and underbody will also get done. Adding a Mach 1 hood scoop and blacked out hood.

 

Progress this week: I took apart most of what I wanted on the outside and most of the interior.

 

Misc fun stuff: Discovered the central vent behind the dash wasn't ever secured by the factory. Found a couple bolts today to hold it tight. Found a second build sheet of some sort under the front foot well. Also found a slug of floor pan that was cut and plugged at the factory but the slug was left on the floor pan and painted along with the rest of the car. Left a nice non-painted ring on the floor when I removed it. Also found a nail and screw imbedded in the seam sealer.

[rangerdoc 22]

This week's progress.

[rangerdoc 22]

I discovered I no longer have the wire that connects to the original AM radio and center speaker. Anyone have one? Can't find one from any of the vendors.

 

I'm going to wire the car for 4 speakers, but the expense of a new deck and speakers will have to wait.

 

I'll also have to wait on getting the seat belts redone. Got quoted about $400 for everything. I'll do my best to clean them up with just normal soap and water so I don't damage the material more than they already are.

 

The best part of all this is the parts shopping. I have a spreadsheet with prices from multiple vendors. It's like the ulitimate x-mas experience. Of course, the same can be said for my wallet as well!

[stangme428 33]

originally my coupe was the same color as yours ... same interior etc.. nice

cant wait to see yours done- what color are your going with?

[69RavenConv 286]

I discovered I no longer have the wire that connects to the original AM radio and center speaker. Anyone have one? Can't find one from any of the vendors.

 

There is a pigtail on the AM radio that ends in a 2-pin connector. It mates to a similar pigtail on the speaker. The speaker (with pigtail) is available as a re-pop.

 

I used Woolite on my belts and it does a pretty good job cleaning and softening them up.

Edited May 22, 2010 by 69RavenConv

[rangerdoc 22]

originally my coupe was the same color as yours ... same interior etc.. nice

cant wait to see yours done- what color are your going with?

 

I decided to stick with the champagne gold so I could easily take care of places like the doors, trunk, etc, without having tape lines or going to another color. Plus it'll look better with the blacked out hood.

 

There is a pigtail on the AM radio that ends in a 2-pin connector. It mates to a similar pigtail on the speaker. The speaker (with pigtail) is available as a re-pop.

 

I've looked all over for that wire but can't find it. Maybe I'm looking wrong. Do you know which place sells it?

[stangme428 33]

gonna look nice!!:tongue_smilie:

 

I decided to stick with the champagne gold so I could easily take care of places like the doors, trunk, etc, without having tape lines or going to another color. Plus it'll look better with the blacked out hood.

 

 

 

I've looked all over for that wire but can't find it. Maybe I'm looking wrong. Do you know which place sells it?

[rangerdoc 22]

My first box of parts arrived today. Unfortunately, the bottom was completely open and some parts are missing. Luckily, the new parts will be on their way again soon. UPS never should have delivered the box in the first place.

 

Take a look a the picture of the rear valance. You'll notice how off the current exhaust system is! If you'll look closely you'll also see there are two screws missing. Ford never tapped holes for them, so I guess the assembly person just let it go without.

 

I added a couple pics of the hood scoop with all included parts that I bought off a fellow owner. This was one part I made sure was original. The other pic is just a fun shot through the trunk looking at the dash.

 

I decided to buy an aftermarket radio. It's one of those that fits the original space. Even though I'm not installing all four speakers (just using the center for now) I decided to get the head unit. At a later date I'll probably buy the modified kick panels that have room for a 5 1/4" speaker, get 6x9's for the package tray (I bought the repop with the speaker pods) and get the iPod adapter as well.

Edited May 25, 2010 by rangerdoc

[Max Power 74]

Cool, I love it.

 

I would put a stroker in it and some 15x7 and 15x8 gold steelies with poverty caps. I love the gold on gold color and it would make a great sleeper that way.

[rangerdoc 22]

I wish I could put a stroker in it. I had the engine rebuilt a couple years ago because it threw a rod. I didn't have the money for more than the normal rebuild at the time.

 

Interesting idea about the wheels. I'd never thought of something like that. I also like the gold on gold look. I'll have to put that in the future "maybe" project pile. I'm afraid wheels will probably be the last thing I do since what is on the car still works.

[Max Power 74]

I'm afraid wheels will probably be the last thing I do since what is on the car still works.

 

Yeah, they work, but no offense, they look awful.

 

Maybe even a set of Magnums when the time comes.

[rangerdoc 22]

No offense taken. Those wheels came off of a donor car I had. When I first bought my car two of the original wheels were bent and of course the hub caps on them were in terrible condition. I decided to take the donor wheels since they are 15x7s and at least I could get good tire until I upgrade.

 

I am thinking about Magnums or some classic Torque Thrust type wheel. Whatever I decide it will have a classic look to it.

[Max Power 74]

I was thinking something like this but in gold:

 

[rangerdoc 22]

Even though those are period correct, I'm not sure if they look meaty enough for me. But they are not something you see everyday, which I like. They'll certainly be under consideration when the time comes.

[Max Power 74]

You get them custom made from Specialty in any width you want.

[Armond 10]

That's a nice solid car. Good luck with the paint and clean up. Here is a pic of a friends R code car. He recently sold it. Very rare and Gold!

 

Edited May 27, 2010 by Armond

[rangerdoc 22]

Hey! It even has the correct wheels. Man, I wish I had an R code. It is such a sweet setup. So that's what my paint is supposed to look like!

 

Seeing that picture makes me glad I decided to go with the Mach 1 hood treatment. I wouldn't want to get accused of trying to look like an R code. I don't think people will confuse my coupe with a real Mach 1.

[Max Power 74]

That's a nice solid car. Good luck with the paint and clean up. Here is a pic of a friends R code car. He recently sold it. Very rare and Gold!

 

 

That's what I am talking about. I love that!

[stangme428 33]

wow... talk about a sleeper grocery getter.... nice!!

 

any pics of the shaker setup?... i would love to see some ... of how the shaker sits and looks on the coupe.:whistling:

[Armond 10]

The car was in Mustang Monthly or one of the Mags a year or two ago. I am sure they have pics on their web sight. I don't remember the issue.

[rangerdoc 22]

Thought I'd give an update. I had an issue with the guy who was going to do my paint so I've moved on to another shop. I found a great restoration shop that I'm extremely pleased with. The bad news is I won't get the car finish until the fall. But I know it will be done right and that is what counts. I've been buying misc parts to add to the pile in the interim.

 

My interior came in and TMI made the seats two-tone for some reason so they are redoing them. Had the insert color matched my car I would have kept them, but it was an Ivy Green insert color. If only it was saddle they would have matched my dash.

 

Speaking of my dash I need some opinions...

My current dash has a dash cap on it. It looks good and I've never received a comment about it. The original dash underneath is cracked around the radio grill and the defrost area. But with the cap on you would never know it.

 

So...should I spend the money to buy an original Ford tooling dash (with a/c) and attempt to dye it or should I keep what I have with the cap?

[rangerdoc 22]

Thought I'd give an update. I had an issue with the guy who was going to do my paint so I've moved on to another shop. I found a great restoration shop that I'm extremely pleased with. The bad news is I won't get the car finish until the fall. But I know it will be done right and that is what counts. I've been buying misc parts to add to the pile in the interim.

 

My interior came in and TMI made the seats two-tone for some reason so they are redoing them. Had the insert color matched my car I would have kept them, but it was an Ivy Green insert color. If only it was saddle they would have matched my dash.

 

Speaking of my dash I need some opinions...

My current dash has a dash cap on it. It looks good and I've never received a comment about it. The original dash underneath is cracked around the radio grill and the defrost area. But with the cap on you would never know it.

 

So...should I spend the money to buy an original Ford tooling dash (with a/c) and attempt to dye it or should I keep what I have with the cap?

[70mstang 11]

I dyed my cap to match my ginger interior and it looks good, my opinion of course. I drilled the stock holes for the screws and ran the screws through the cap and the dash. To me it looks stock.

[70mstang 11]

I dyed my cap to match my ginger interior and it looks good, my opinion of course. I drilled the stock holes for the screws and ran the screws through the cap and the dash. To me it looks stock.

[rangerdoc 22]

Yeah, it takes a mustang person to notice there is a cap on there. I guess it's because I know the cap is on there that it bugs me. I just hate to spend the money and hope I get the dye done correctly to match the rest of the dash. I'd be pretty mad if it didn't look correct.