Ash's 69 R-code

[bear80 10]

Hey Ash,

 

any updates???

[Ash 145]

Hey Bear,

 

No, unfortunately. Nothing at all. Between trying to complete this for a customer, complete kitchen build

 

 

And building this for the wife, it started out as just a flat top trailer

 

 

and looking after all of these

 

 

being "helped" with my every move from this thing

 

 

my wife's new toy

 

 

and the duck that followed my wife and horse home on Friday who has no idea it is a duck and stays by my side more so then the dog (the dog wants to "play" with it but I've seen where that leads before).

 

 

There's a couple of other jobs on the go too plus my ebay crap, maybe after this week I might get a chance to get a spanner back on the Mustang. I'm also waiting on some new flap discs to turn up in the post and I also ran out of MIG wire, that's holding me up and not only on the car.

 

I did however get to lay down a sealing coat on the under side of the kitchen bench tops I'm making with my new Iwata LPH400 on Friday. I was very impressed, it quickly showed me how rubbish some others guns that I have used actually are. This is a 2k clear coat on the under side as I said, in some spots still rough sawn, other areas have had a skim through my drum sander to level the surface out, but mostly it is relatively untouched as it wont be seen. Some beautiful colours coming through. All good practice learning this gun and technique for when it comes time for laying some stuff down on the car.

 

Am heading back down tomorrow to finish the work on the top side and to lay day a sealing coat. The sun is meant to be out but the weather is still cool, not ideal but at least it is not raining finally!

 

[stangme428 33]

awesome... looks like somebody has a saw mill.....:biggrin:

[bear80 10]

That kitchen has turned out great, you have an awesome talent with timber :thumbup:

 

Second stage on tattoo will be done on wednesday and thanx for those pics as well.

[Lemon Owner 11]

Looks like you have been a busy man. But with the damn weather the way it has been I know why not much is happening. I have waited the last two weekends so I could finally seal the cowl/dash after I cut both the vents out and replaced them. The weather cleared up enough so I managed to get some painting done sunday. Now I am waiting for my vision to return from the shine from that 2K gloss black! Now I have to paint the engine bay to match!

[Ash 145]

Cheers guys:biggrin:

 

No mill though unfortunately, I have quite a bit of woodwork machinery here but nothing that big. This timber was milled 25 years ago, I'm making the most of others hard work at milling it up all that time back.

 

I hear you Lemonowner on the weather, it just sucks. Every time we seem to set a day aside where we need sunshine, it rains. Not only for getting work done, but for transporting the stuff too. That's another reason for the enclosed trailer, it'll be water tight so I can stick whatever in that.

 

How's the black 2k looking? What paints did you use? Much work to do in the engine bay before it gets colour too?

I've been watching what the SPI guys are up to and they are close to having ready a new black base coat. Once they have it on the shelf, I'll get some on its way over as it'll take a while again then it'll be here with plenty of time to spare for both my truck and the 69.

 

I did get to spray some more on Friday, the sun was out but it was cool. Not crazy US winter cool, but mid teens in the Celsius scale. Am getting the hang of this gun more but will learn more from here once we block back this sealing coat and start to build up the remaining coats.

 

 

[1969mustang 10]

That's some very nice looking craftsmanship Ash!

[Ash 145]

Thanks, Drew! It's taken some time to get to this point but such a relief to finally put some finish down as the end is getting near.

[bear80 10]

Tattoo update,

 

Once again Ash I hope you don't mind, This has all been inspired cause your 66.

 

It's like my ford crazyiness has flared up again

 

 

Take into consideration that the tattoo was 7 hours old and my forearm was heavily swollen when the pic was taken.

[Lemon Owner 11]

Nice looking bit of timber. I would have said camphor laurel being where you live but it looks a little too good for that? Looks like you're better with the gun than me, you shouldn't have a problem laying down some colour on the stang.

 

The concept paints gloss black 2k is a little too gaudy looking for my liking so I am going to paint the engine bay red like the rest of the car. But I will paint all the panels and put it back together and driving before I do the engine bay completely. I will just paint where I have cut out the rust at the cowl for now. The engine bay isn't too bad and won't take more than a day or two. I want to rebuild the engine anyway so I will do it when it is out.

[Ash 145]

I don't mind at all Bear, share away. I still can't believe a bit of a spin around my home town in the 66 turned you well and truly into a Mustang fan. I've loved that car since the day I picked it up, pretty stoked it had that impact on you!

 

Thanks, Lemon. It's some amazing timber to work with. It's actually Silky Oak. But not your typical yellow/honey colour Silky. It's more pink/red. I can't remember the exact species but it was milled from a tree that fell in a storm in Maitland park. The house the kitchen is going in is also in Maitland, bit of a good story point for the owner.

Hopefully I can do ok at laying the colour down on the stang. Between this and the F-truck, I should have some practice under my belt by then.

 

Better finding out you didn't like the black 2k enough now before you laid it down on the engine bay. That's a lot of work to repeat if you were to change it.

The red in the engine bay will change the look totally. Little bit of bling on the motor when you freshen it up and it'll look sweet!

[bear80 10]

I don't mind at all Bear, share away. I still can't believe a bit of a spin around my home town in the 66 turned you well and truly into a Mustang fan. I've loved that car since the day I picked it up, pretty stoked it had that impact on you!

 

It amazes me, and it may have only been a bit of a spin but it's a memory that is permanately etched in.

 

Once again Ash thanx for taking me for the spin in the 66:thumbup1:

 

I don't blame you for loving that car.

[Ash 145]

Got the rest of the floor pan out yesterday

 

 

Still have to remove these rough patches that were put in to fill the gaps, or maybe they were there to act as a backing for the bog/filler that was really filling the gaps :blink:

 

 

And of course, no work can be done without finding some more expander foam which was not only filling some more gaps, but also covering up the welds that were not actually joining anything together.

 

[Ash 145]

Hey guys, I need a bit of educated advice regarding replacement floor pans. I spent some more time today cleaning up the floor area and assessing which way to go. I'd like to do a whole pan swap and know of one I can get for a reasonable price here in Aus. Thing is it is a 65-68 one piece repro pan. I'm not concerned about the floor not being 69 concourse correct, I'm concerned about fitment. I have been told it will fit, but is that always the case?

 

I have also been told that 69 was different to 70 in the tunnel as 69 did not come out with a Hurst shifter. Mine has a Hurst shifter, I think what allows it to fit is the incorrect gearbox cross member to lower it a tad. Question is, if a 65-68 one piece pan is put in, will I run into clearance issues here at all?

[50dan 25]

I think 67 68 is same besides the ribbing. I would just do the sides and butt weld them in. Never done a full pan but how the hell would you get it in there? LOL

[Mike65 475]

I think 67 68 is same besides the ribbing. I would just do the sides and butt weld them in. Never done a full pan but how the hell would you get it in there? LOL

 

IIRC When I have seen articles of them being done they have either gone in through the back window opening or through the door opening.

[Ash 145]

Yes, I don't think it would be too hard to take it up from the under side.

[Ash 145]

Life's been hectic the last few weeks and I haven't had any real spare time to myself. I have managed to get my hands on this which should arrive here in roughly 2 weeks once it makes its way interstate.

 

 

So to get ready for the new floor I went and brought some steel last weekend to make a frame/dolly to brace the body to while major body components are removed. I haven't got any wheels for it yet so it will sit on stands till I do.

 

I followed this diagram to set up the frame to keep the rails square to a datum plane.

 

 

I added 6 inches to space the car higher from the frame, therefore 18.5 inches @ point B, and 20 and 7/8 inches @ point C.

 

When I sit the car on these points though, the rear of the car is sitting 1 inch lower then the drawing. At the front rail where X = 6inches between rail and datum line, I am correct (mine now being 12 inches due to the 6 inch increase). But at the rear where x = 6.5 inches, I am short 1 inch. I should have 12.5 inches, but I have 11.5 inches.

 

 

Would there be any reason that anyone may know of for there be a reason for this, would there be any variances at all between this drawing and 69's? Mine also being an R-code, could there possibly be a variation there?

 

I'm thinking I should I add an inch to the rear at point C to raise it so the rails are level to the datum line? If I do this though, I'm afraid it may throw out out measurements in relation to the specs on the diagram.

[RogerC 136]

To ask the obvious question, is your measurement of 11.5" at the rear to the center of spring bolt hole?

[Ash 145]

I took it in the same place as the diagram, at the bottom of the rail just in front of the spring bolt hole.

[RogerC 136]

Measure from the center of the fwd spring eye bolt hole.

[Ash 145]

Well, my face is red, as you said RacerX, the obvious has eluded me. My bad, yes, everything is correct when you measure it that way. Doh! :blush:

[RogerC 136]

Cool, easy fix!

[Ash 145]

Thanks for you help, appreciate it!

 

What I think through me out, apart from not reading it correctly, was how much of an angle the rockers lay back in this position. I had expected the rockers to be horizontal to the datum, they are very much not.

[Ash 145]

Started having a dig today. First I thought I'd hit the right A-pillar. First touch and it wasn't starting well

 

 

That turned into this. Fuck! :pinch:

 

 

Time to bite the bullet and off came the upper cowl. Doesn't drilling out spot welds suck, what a shitty job!!

 

 

It needs work but it could have been worse. It's the A-pillars that are scaring me.

 

 

 

Also, the drip rails are pretty much non-existent and the edge of the roof is crap. It is amazing what fresh paint, bondo and seam sealer can hide.