Tips, Suggestion, Storage Ideas for disassembly

[1969 coupe 15]

I now have my car home and am starting to take it apart. Any suggestions, tips, do's, do not's, and storage suggestions would be appreciated. Any particular order I need to do this would also help.

Edited September 28, 2011 by 1969 coupe

[zach69grande 25]

zip loc baggies, sharpie markers, masking tape for labeling, digital camera lots of pictures and organized storage on your computer, and some see through plastic tubs have really helped me keep things organized. Even if i'm not going to reuse the hardware - I keep it with the part for orientation and replacement purposes when it goes back together.

[Lemon Owner 11]

I see in your avatar this is your first rebuild so may I offer some advise, under the assumption your car is not registered and roadworthy. I also assume that because you are asking alot of questions you are not very experienced with cars in general and you do not have anyone around you with such experience.

 

As a first timer I probably would not take on the mammoth task of striping the car completely and rebuilding it from the ground up. I know we all like to do things properly and do it right the first time but that can be a trap for young players. I too have fallen into this trap and half way through the long and arduous task of rebuilding my car I lost interest. It was just too hard and expensive. I did not have the experience, knowledge and commitment it takes to do what buckeyedemon, buening and many others on these boards have done. I don't think there are many people who do have what it takes and I am sure there are others reading this have had this experience. Hands up who have had their car in the garage working on it for the past ten years? I am sure it is not just me, and judging by the ammount of unfinished projects for sale on ebay I am not alone.

 

As I said before it is a huge undertaking and here is what I propose you do. Make your first goal to get the car registered. Fix whatever needs fixing to make the car safe and roadworthy. This will give you much needed experiance in fixing a few things but not everthing at once. It will also give you confidence to move on to bigger projects later on as your experience grows. It will also allow you to enjoy your car and motivate you to make it better. Once it is registered start making further repairs like paint and engine mods but keep it registered and do them one at a time. Also some time to save up some cash won't go astray. Rome wasn't built in a day.

 

Please do not take this discouragingly as it is advice of someone who has made many mistakes and doesn't want it happening to others. And I know it works, my 69 coupe started life this way in December of last year. I had it registered within around a month. Drove it for two months ironing out the bugs. Took it off the road for a month to paint it and I am back to driving it and enjoying it. This idea works well for me and I think it will for you too. Here is a pic that was taken around a week after I painted it. Since then I have added black GT stripes and some small cosmetic and mechanical things with many more to do. And while it is not the best mustang on the road I think it doesn't look half bad.

[jholmes217 65]

Do you plan to restore to concours, or just have a good driver? I think it makes a big difference on how to tackle a project car. When I bought my 69 Fastback 302 car, it was mostly in boxes and coffee cans of unmarked parts. It was a huge help to find other 69 Mustangs that were actually together and running so I could see where all these parts go! Forums like this one can be a big help also. I also to some cans and boxes of parts to a local Mustang shop and for $40, they sorted them, put them in ziplock baggies, and labeled what they went to.

Other than that, like already said, lable everything as you take it off the car, and take lots of pictures before you take parts off. I like to tape the bolts back into the parts when I take them off so I know what bolts go where also.

Edited October 14, 2011 by jholmes217

[Max Power 74]

My 30,000 foot advice is never take a car apart unless you have the money and time already available to work straight through and finish the job.

 

I have seen countless cars sold in boxes years after disassembly because people were excited to get started before they had the resources and ended up never acquiring the resources, or losing interest. Don't take it apart until you are ready to see it through.

 

You are asking for a particular order without giving us even the remotest clue as to what your project actually is, so no tips from me there.

 

All I know is that you can take something apart today thinking you will remember things and as soon as tomorrow you will have forgotten, so, as suggested above, lots of labeling and pictures.

[1969 coupe 15]

Sorry, I guess I am a little excited about getting started. This will not be concours, just hopefully a good driver with a few upgrades. It has been sitting for 16 years, so I know some things will need to be replaced. From the few posts so far, maybe I need to rethink the question I am asking. Like Lemon said I don't have much experience or skill so I guess I need to ask a different question. Here is the revised question.

 

What do I need to remove and how to keep up with it and what do I need to be looking for to evaluate the known problem areas with these cars?

 

I guess this will help determine how far I take the restoration.

[LoneWolf2U 136]

Before I can point you in the right direction post some pic's of what your starting with.

After sitting 16 years it may just need freshing up or pose a bigger problem as to why it was parked 16 years ago.

[LiLMike 42]

Maybe what I am doing will help you decide what to do or where to begin. First off, I am retired so I have the time. I have a budget/money set aside so I have to stick to what finances are available to me. We all want to get everything done but I have broken down different projects and will complete them one at a time. The car is running and looks good at the moment. My car’s wiring is shot and in a mess so that is where I will begin. I have an American autowire harness for the entire car. The only thing that requires disassembly for this project is the dash/interior. I hate to take things apart more than once, so while the interior is out, I want to get some of the upholstery repaired, install Dynamat, replace my gauges, get my bezels rechromed, fix my clock, replace the wood trim in my doors and console, update my door glass to the 70s style bolt in glass, install and nice stereo, replace my dash pad and install a Classic Air air-conditioning system. As you can see, I have to disassemble the interior and when I put it back together, it will be with the new/upgraded parts. I have all of this in my budget. I do want to rebuild my engine and rear-end, not to mention upgrade my disc brakes but they can wait until I’m finished with the wiring project. I guess what I’m trying to say is take it one step at a time. Plan your projects like Zach, Lemon, JHolmes and Max said: Set your goals and complete them one at a time. This will give you a sense of accomplishment and you will be ready to achieve your next goal without losing interest. Use the KISS method….Keep it Simple!! Last but not least, use this forum to the max! I know I will be asking questions, soliciting help and opinions from everybody on here. I know it is difficult to get your thoughts on paper so try and explain your problem one at a time, post pictures and be accurate so everybody will understand what you are asking and wanting help with. Hope this helps.

[jholmes217 65]

Sorry, I guess I am a little excited about getting started. This will not be concours, just hopefully a good driver with a few upgrades. It has been sitting for 16 years, so I know some things will need to be replaced. From the few posts so far, maybe I need to rethink the question I am asking. Like Lemon said I don't have much experience or skill so I guess I need to ask a different question. Here is the revised question.

 

What do I need to remove and how to keep up with it and what do I need to be looking for to evaluate the known problem areas with these cars?

 

I guess this will help determine how far I take the restoration.

 

If it has sat for 16 years, the first thing should be to drain all fluids.

 

Your fuel system (gas tank, carburetor, and fuel lines) will need flushed or replaced as the old gas will have varnished and gunked up your fuel system.

Next check would be check the brake system for leaks, brake pad, rotors, and drum wear and dry, cracked rubber hoses. Also check the wheel cylinders. Safety 1st. If the car won't stop, all other efforts were just wrapped around a tree or worse.

Tires will also need replaced due to dry rot and age.

Your engine was made during the days of leaded fuel. You will need to either have the heads updated, run lead substitute, or I've heard running part racing fuel works too, but haven't tried it.

Next, look at your cooling system. Your radiator and heater hoses are probably dry rotted and/or brittle and will need replaced. Your heater core and radiator will at least need flushed, but will probably need replaced. Cheaper to buy a new one these days than to have a radiator shop fix the old radiator.

Next, check out an accessory rubber hoses like power steering, AC, vaccum hoses, etc. and replace as needed.

 

If at any point you find signs of varmits in the car, or signs of burned wires, you will need to take a hard look at all your wiring. Varmits (mice, squirels, rats, etc.) like to sharpen their teeth or hoses and covered wires. The remains of their nests (and any animal remains or residue) can also get very smelly. I onced had to help a friend deal with a racoon nest in a GTO convertible. We had some gunshot damage to fix after that one when momma racoon came after us!

Once you've addressed all these, replace the fuilds and check for leaks. Check all your grease points, and add grease as needed. If it doesn't leak, it might be ready for a short test drive. Just my opinion after owning 6 old Mustangs from the 60's, and helping buddies work on other old projects cars.

I'm sure I've missed some things, but other will chime in if I did.

[1969 coupe 15]

Before I can point you in the right direction post some pic's of what your starting with.

After sitting 16 years it may just need freshing up or pose a bigger problem as to why it was parked 16 years ago.

 

I have a post on the project progress forum that will explain why it has been sitting, not sure how to link that here. I will post some more pics too.

[RogerC 136]

X2, What others have said. I want to emphasize bag & label as you take things apart. Mine has been apart for almost 25 years for numerous reasons but primarily family priorities. I bagged & labeled most parts. I have parts (reconditioned & new) in bags grouped in boxes ready to install once I'm done with chassis/body work. I don't necessarily agree with max on having the money or time already for the project. While desirable, it is rare that anyone ever have one let alone both. More important is your commitment and desire. Also, have a plan. In the dry years when I couldn't work on the car, I spent lots of time planning and defining modifications. It kept me interested and boosted my commitment.

[TexasEd 191]

My 30,000 foot advice is never take a car apart unless you have the money and time already available to work straight through and finish the job.

 

This is true in almost every hobby. Get it to where you can enjoy it or you will never make progress. Try to keep projects to a handful of consecutive weekends at most.

 

I second the advice of getting it roadworthy, registered and pass inspection.

 

If you have the money to do a teardown and restore then go for it but otherwise you will probably end up in that category of people who tear it apart and never put it together again. I know that my car will not get a full up restoration until my kids are out of college and the youngest is 2 years old. I plan on enjoying it between now and then.

[1969 coupe 15]

This is true in almost every hobby. Get it to where you can enjoy it or you will never make progress. Try to keep projects to a handful of consecutive weekends at most.

 

I second the advice of getting it roadworthy, registered and pass inspection.

 

If you have the money to do a teardown and restore then go for it but otherwise you will probably end up in that category of people who tear it apart and never put it together again. I know that my car will not get a full up restoration until my kids are out of college and the youngest is 2 years old. I plan on enjoying it between now and then.

 

Roadworthy and safe are two different things. If I wait until I have the money to do everything I want, I will just end up waiting 30 years. It is probably going to need a lot to get it safe, so just trying to make the right moves here. I don't have to drive it now, just being able to go out to the garage and see it there is satisfying enough for now.

[69SlowResto 19]

Start with brakes and fuel lines.

[Lemon Owner 11]

I took a look at your pics and as the others have said I would start with the fuel lines/tank. Drain your tank and fuel lines and give them a bit of a rinse out. Then remove the carby and give it a good clean up with carb cleaner. Clean your radiator too and just check all the hoses are not cracked etc. Assuming the engine cranks over put the carby back on and try to fire her up. Work through all the problems that will arise and that will give you a little experience and give you lots of motivation to keep going. It should not be hard to get it running and it shouldn't break the bank. Don't try to have to have it running like a race car, as long as it starts easily and is a genuine runner. Give the engine and trans a good clean and degrease and keep an eye out for bad oil leaks and fix only the bad ones.

 

From there move onto the brakes. Remove the wheels and check for leaking seals by pulling back the rubber dust boots on the brake pistons. Rear wheel cylinders are nortorious for failing in this area which is why they are so cheap to buy. Check the rubber brake hoses as previously stated as they are not allowed to have any cracks even on the outer covering. Obviously check pads and functionality of the hand brake. Bleed all the brakes with clean new fluid and make sure they are not leaking etc.

 

Then I would move onto getting the car to move. With the engine running and brakes operational it will be safe to do so and will be pretty exciting to achieve. It would probably not hurt to change the oil and filter on the trans if it's an auto before mocing too much.

 

Once everything is up and driving it's time to check the suspension. Check all the ball joints and tie rod ends. Over here in Australia there should be no movement in them and all the rubber boots must be intact with no cracks. Check for movement in the draglink and idler arm etc. Shockies will most likely be shot too but they may be ok. Check for sideways movement in the rear shakles and spring eye. Check for movement in the universal joints on the tailshaft. Check wheel bearings front and rear. Movement in the fronts will probably just need a tighten, but the rears movement will mean replacement.

 

Have a look at the exhaust, checking for leaks in the flange etc. It must not be rusted out and leaking to get a roadworthy but minor leaks are fine.

 

By now you will be getting pretty experienced with your car and starting to know it inside out. It will be driveable and safe with good brakes, steering and suspension. You will know by now where all the rust is and what will need removing. Here you are not allowed any rust holes at all but surface rust is ok. Cut out all the rust holes and patch it with new metal. On the underbody make sure you seal all bare metal areas. On the outer body get the rusted areas fixed, prepped and sealed with a similar colour to the rest of the car. Do not try to paint the whole car. You will not be experienced enough to tackle such a big undertaking. Remember just get it roadworthy and registered. The registry office won't care if the paintjob is good or bad, as long as it looks tidy and not multicoloured.

 

Then you can move on lights and electrical. Make sure all the headlights, park lights, turn indicators, clearance lights and reverse lights work. Most that don't work will probably just need a bulb replaced or the bezel could just need a clean. Check your fuel, temperature and oil guages for operation and make sure your instrument panel lights work.

 

By now the car will be pretty solid. The only real thing left will be seatbelts and seats. Here in Oz we are not allowed to have tears in the seats but you may be able to get away with seat covers. I did but my seats were not too bad. The seatbelt cannot have any heavy wear or fraying. Check the anchor points as well, they must be solid and not cracked.

 

Now you should be ready to take it for a roadworthy and they will pick up on anything you missed. Give the engine and transmission a good degrease before you take it so they won't notice any oil leaks. :001_rolleyes: It will also give you a chance to legally drive it on the road to help sort out a few bugs that will be left. Expect in the first month to break down as you need to drive a car to know fully what is wrong with it.

 

Then once it is a solid driver you can start to make improvements. Like replacing spark plugs, points and leads etc. Because you can drive it you can also take it to mechanics to make improvements that are beyond your skills like the trans and diff. Having it driving but not perfect has many advantages like this as well as the motivation.

 

I have registered two Mustangs in the last 6 months and both have been sitting for some years. They were both run into the ground by previous owners and I have had to repair almost every single part of the car so hopefully by now I have a pretty good idea what to do. The only thing I had someone else do was put in a high stall torque converter and I kinda wish I did it myself. But that's another story for the Things that make you go GGGrrrrrr thread.

 

Good luck and have fun :punk:

[1969 coupe 15]

Thanks to all of you that has posted, even you ED. JK I do appreciate all the advice, tips, opinions, and knowledge.

[LoneWolf2U 136]

What do I need to remove and how to keep up with it and what do I need to be looking for to evaluate the known problem areas with these cars?

 

I guess this will help determine how far I take the restoration.

 

Take pad an pencil and start looking and listing items.

Rust is the number one thing to inspect for, Simple poking and prodding will tell alot.

Leaking cowl area is the next. pour water down it and see.

Any previous body/frame damage also uneven poor gaps on body panels/bumpers ect.

 

Once you have gone thru and listed known problems requiring repairs,

it is easier to figure a starting point and how far you need to take it down.

 

Now you need to make the biggest one.... What is the end product your after and how much are you willing to spend?

 

Answer those questions and more suggestions will follow.....:001_smile:

[1969 coupe 15]

Take pad an pencil and start looking and listing items.

Rust is the number one thing to inspect for, Simple poking and prodding will tell alot.

Leaking cowl area is the next. pour water down it and see.

Any previous body/frame damage also uneven poor gaps on body panels/bumpers ect.

 

Once you have gone thru and listed known problems requiring repairs,

it is easier to figure a starting point and how far you need to take it down.

 

Now you need to make the biggest one.... What is the end product your after and how much are you willing to spend?

 

Answer those questions and more suggestions will follow.....:001_smile:

 

 

Well I made a list and needed several notebooks and a 10 pack of pens. I did pour some water in the cowl area and it leaked on the driver's side. I then pulled the carpet back and the floors were not in good shape. The floor looked worse on the pass side so it's probably leaking there too. I don't know much about this stuff but I'm pretty sure seeing the garage floor from inside my car is not a good thing. As far as the end product, I'm not looking for a show car, but a nice safe and solid driver. The money question, I'm not looking to put 50k in it but I am willing to do what it takes to get a nice ride, nothing special, just nice, safe and solid. What next?

[LoneWolf2U 136]

So what did you find in other spots?

Trunk area, fenders, doors , quarters, backseat floor?

Once you have an idea of what needs attention, Get out your parts book and go down your list and put a price next to the needed parts.

A simple addition of the parts needed with shipping included will tell you if it is worth going any farther into it before you start the teardown process.

[1969 coupe 15]

So what did you find in other spots?

Trunk area, fenders, doors , quarters, backseat floor?

Once you have an idea of what needs attention, Get out your parts book and go down your list and put a price next to the needed parts.

A simple addition of the parts needed with shipping included will tell you if it is worth going any farther into it before you start the teardown process.

 

You really want me to keep looking? I didn't know my tear ducts still work but from what I have found so far they do. :helpsmilie: I have no experience with this stuff, I want to keep stressing that so sometimes I don't know what is bad and what is really bad. I have started another thread about floor pans, cowl, and other rust prone areas so feel free to chime in there. Thanks to all for all the help. I will get some pics to help make it a little easier to help guide me.

[d.reese 13]

Having restored a couple of classics and curently building a 65 fastback restomod, you need to look into what the build would bring at sale when completed. You are going to put the same time and money into most restores and if its a loss or break even investment at sale of car, DON'T DO IT, UNLESS IT'S FAMILY HAND DOWN OR YOU JUST NEED THE EXERSIZE!!

Many people have learned this the hard way on 100 point restores with a mid 60's corvette, only to find that their lucky to break even. In this economy, it could be a loss, but the flip side this economy is good buys now purchase's of parts in some case's.

[1969 coupe 15]

Having restored a couple of classics and curently building a 65 fastback restomod, you need to look into what the build would bring at sale when completed. You are going to put the same time and money into most restores and if its a loss or break even investment at sale of car, DON'T DO IT, UNLESS IT'S FAMILY HAND DOWN OR YOU JUST NEED THE EXERSIZE!!

Many people have learned this the hard way on 100 point restores with a mid 60's corvette, only to find that their lucky to break even. In this economy, it could be a loss, but the flip side this economy is good buys now purchase's of parts in some case's.

 

I agree with you completely on not putting more into it than what I could get out of it if I were selling it for profit, but that is not my goal. I have owned this car for 20 years and don't plan on getting rid of it. I have been broke many times over the years and refused to sell it. I am aware that it will never be worth what I will end up having in it, but I hope to keep it reasonable. I just want to fix it the right way so I don't have to do any major work on down the road. This is more about the journey and the love of these cars, I'm not in a hurry and not too concerned about driving it anytime soon. I have waited 16 years to get started and just want to do it right and I could use a little exercise. :lol:

[d.reese 13]

I'd say your ready to go that far and the guys on here will treat you well! Good luck, now go get some exersize!! LOL!!!!!

[Lemon Owner 11]

Have you got anything fixed so far? Anything that is better now than when you started?

[1969 coupe 15]

Have you got anything fixed so far? Anything that is better now than when you started?

 

Not yet, I have started a new job working nights so progress is a little slow. Staying up all night takes a little getting use to. I am taking all the advice you have given me and the others that said to do a little at a time, I do appreciate the advice. I have some new suspension parts up front but need to rebuild power steering to be complete on front end. I am still unsure of which disc brake kit I will go with, drums, springs, wheel cylinders all look to be junk so it won't cost to much more to upgrade to front disk. I would like to keep my factory 14's so not really sure on the best option. I am a little unsure of what I need to do next because I hate doing things two or three times and I know my cowl is leaking, floors are in pretty bad shape, and shock towers may need replacing.