70-DropTop's New Plan

[Mike65 475]

WOW!!!! looking good. :thumbup1:

[70-DropTop 12]

Time for an update! Undercarriage, interior floor, and trunk interior was cleaned, seam sealed, and coated with a truck bed liner. The gas tank was installed, with the new filler neck and gas cap. The 3-pedal assembly I bought years ago was refurbished. Brakes should be going on this week. Now, some pics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mike65 475]

Looks great. love the color.:thumbup1:

[70-DropTop 12]

Thanks, man! I'm glad i went with it.

[stangnet33 88]

Things are looking great ! Are you using the original wiring harness for everything (minus engine) ?

[rwcstang 201]

looks good

[zudman 11]

I like the way your going with it, looks sharp!! nice color also.

[70-DropTop 12]

Things are looking great ! Are you using the original wiring harness for everything (minus engine) ?

 

That's generally the plan, except for connections to aftermarket upgrades. So far, a lot of the old stuff looks like it is in good condition. I will likely put new wiring in with relays. Honestly, I haven't gotten through that too far yet. More details to come when I get there :)

[70-DropTop 12]

I like the way your going with it, looks sharp!! nice color also.

 

Thanks! What color is your vert painted? Its the first time I've seen your car...looks a little like tangelo. Your ride is looking really nice!

[70-DropTop 12]

So, i'm planning my engine build and here're my thoughts:

- 302 roller from a '91 mustang (purchased)

- Trick Flow stage 1 cam already in the engine (purchased)

- GT40 3-bar heads, milled, valve job, 1.7 roller rockers (purchased)

- weiand stealth intake (about to order)

- summit racing 600 cfm carb (purchased)

- front serpentine setup from an early 90's stang (purchased)

- thinking patriot clippster mid-length ceramic coated headers (about to order)

- T5 tranny from a '91-'92 mustang (purchased)

- pro 5.0 shifter (purchased)

- RAM HDX clutch kit (about to order)

 

Going to make everything black (e.g. block) or silver in the engine bay (e.g. accessories), except for a few highlights of red.

 

This generally illustrates my overall approach to this ride...to take a saying from someone I know, it's a splurge/save approach...knowing what my priorities are and pay the coin there, while finding cheaper ways to do other things to get me 80%-90% of what I want. So, I splurged on body, front suspension, steering, and brake system, and i'm saving on some drive train components. This car will be still plenty fast when done.

Edited August 6, 2013 by 70-DropTop

[zudman 11]

Thanks 70-droptop, It's Citrus Fire Metallic with a hint of pearl. Having a plan and staying with it is the key(something I didn't do) and keeping your priorities in order (something I did do) helps alot, and I would like to think that's why it's taking us so long...Keep up the good work.

[70-DropTop 12]

Finally time for an update! It is getting very exciting for me now. The engine was completely disassembled, cleaned, honed, new bearings, rings, seals, freeze plugs, etc. Crank was polished and original rotating assemble reinstalled. I stuck with my plan with regards to parts. Here's progression pics...these are from earlier in the month.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[70-DropTop 12]

Long block assembled. These are from last week.

 

 

[70-DropTop 12]

These are from tonight. Almost there!

 

 

 

 

 

[Grabber70Mach 107]

Nice looking progress, glad to see a clean Ford motor going together for it.

[69stanggt 10]

70-DropTop--

What part of the Buckeye state do you hale from?? If you ever make it back and are in the NE part of the state, you'll have to look a couple of us up.

Great lookin' project. The red should be called Grabber RED!! Amazing seeing those wide tires stuffed under the front fenders. Looks like a nice power plant to roll it down the road. Keep it up and thanks for posting. :thumbup:

BTW-- I also purchased my current project '69 coupe in 2006. I sorted out the wiring mess and did some minor stuff in 2007. Then the car sat for a variety of reasons. My good Mustang friend got his work garage completed AND heated last spring. We got started with the serious stripping and body work in July of last year. So I can relate to projects grinding to a standstill. The finish line is in sight for your project. Stay after it. Jim

[70-DropTop 12]

70-DropTop--

What part of the Buckeye state do you hale from?? If you ever make it back and are in the NE part of the state, you'll have to look a couple of us up.

Great lookin' project. The red should be called Grabber RED!! Amazing seeing those wide tires stuffed under the front fenders. Looks like a nice power plant to roll it down the road. Keep it up and thanks for posting. :thumbup:

BTW-- I also purchased my current project '69 coupe in 2006. I sorted out the wiring mess and did some minor stuff in 2007. Then the car sat for a variety of reasons. My good Mustang friend got his work garage completed AND heated last spring. We got started with the serious stripping and body work in July of last year. So I can relate to projects grinding to a standstill. The finish line is in sight for your project. Stay after it. Jim

 

Thanks! Grew up and went to school in NW Ohio, and then moved to the Columbus area after I graduated. I identify, which is curse from my father and grandfathers, with Cleveland sporting teams...Browns, Indians and Cavs :helpsmilie:I also did several big projects for work in Cleveland as well.

 

Very cool about your ride. I so wish I was doing the work myself, like I planned, but at this point, I just want to get it done and start driving it. A good friend of mine back in OH has a '73 Challenger that I was fortunate enough to help some with, so I'm not shy at getting in there and doing things. Keep at it and keep posting!

[70-DropTop 12]

Here's what's going to top off those GT40 cylinder heads:

 

[70-DropTop 12]

Here's what's going to feed the (mild) beast: Mallory 110 fuel pump (gerotor style = quiet), Mallory 40 micron canister fuel filter between tank and pump, Holley 10 micron in-line fuel filter, summit electric relay, and oil pressure safety switch:

 

 

[70-DropTop 12]

Time for an update. Its been a few months, and my car has burned a hole in my bank account :scared:

 

Like the rest of my car, the engine bay will be mostly black, with silver/grey, with red highlights. The yellow battery is just a temp. My Optima Red Top just showed up yesterday.

 

Here's the engine right after they put it in the bay:

 

 

 

Roller rockers installed:

 

 

 

 

And here it is, nearly ready to fire!

 

 

 

 

[70-DropTop 12]

Air conditioning is going in! Found a nice original lower dash and box setup to use...was looking at aftermarket kits, and then this fell in my lap. The only thing is that I'll have aftermarket dash pad AC vents...wanted louvers that had more adjustability to keep the picky one who will be riding in the passenger seat from complaining :innocent:

 

 

 

 

 

[70-DropTop 12]

And now...the day has come!! This is from two weeks ago. You couldn't stop me from smiling for the next three days.

 

 

There was no tuning or anything before this. The video is actually the second time firing it. I was too excited to mess around with the camera the first time. Just finished the fuel line, had everything setup, and hit the starter. No exhaust, except for mid-length headers. WOW did it sound great :devil2:

[Rcodenewf 44]

70-Droptop. Nice work. I'm drawn to the pic of your cylinder heads with the valve covers off. Might be the camera but the locks on the valves look like they are way down on the stem with quite a bit of stem sticking up???

 

The locks don't appear to be deep enough into the retainer?? Maybe I'm wrong or my eyes are tired....lol.

 

Just questioning.

 

John

[CobraMan 10]

I Just jumped into this project. Nice. A few questions (That you may have already addressed), explain the wheels please. Size and bolt pattern. What's the plan on your gauges and did you go back to stock AC?

 

Cheers,

Rik

[70-DropTop 12]

A few questions (That you may have already addressed), explain the wheels please. Size and bolt pattern. What's the plan on your gauges and did you go back to stock AC?

 

Thanks. Wheels are Ford Racing 2000 Cobra R's that are 18"x9.5" with 6.12" backspacing. Its a standard Mustang 5 lug setup...same that they've been using for years, so 5x4.5" if I recall correctly. Funny thing is that even with that backspacing (bigger than most vintage wheels), the wider wheel makes them a great fit.

 

For gauges, I waffled back and forth on a lot of options, and in the end, decided many of them weren't worth the cost to me now. So, the housing was scuffed and painted all black to lose the yellowed chrome trim (looks great!), bought new Scott Drake lenses, and I'm keeping the stock gauges, with two adjustments. I had the ammeter guts replaced and converted it to a voltmeter, and I'm painting the needles to make them all the same and look new. For a tach (I need one with a manual tranny), I'm getting an autometer street tach...likely this one:

 

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/atm-2894

 

Going with stock in-dash AC unit (rebuilt), with nicer middle dash vents. I have a sanden compressor from the serpentine setup I bought that it'll connect to.

Edited November 6, 2014 by 70-DropTop