69 mach restoration

[dbennett 10]

Well I have been lurking in the shadows here for some time and finally ready to start my own. My wife's grandfather has had this car under a car cover for 25 years and about 2 years ago he pulled the interior and some other pieces to put in a 69 grande he was building. I have been trying to get at this car for 8 years and now that I have a garage he let me start work on it and said he may give it to me if not he will pay me for what I have in it.

So this past saturday my son and I started taking it apart alittle at a time. I am hoping that he will give it to me after he continues to see the excitement my little 8 yr old has working on this car. If not I will definatly buy it I am just waiting right now. Some history on this thing is it was painted before he bought it in 87. Since the interior is out of it I can see the insides of the doors and the rear quarter panels. There is alot of bondo on this car from the pics it looks ok with minimal work needed. It needs a new passenger rear quarter, probably both doors well skins if they are cheaper, And most likely a passenger fender, rock guard and splash shield. I should be able to salvage the drivers side front fender and hopefully the rear and 1 rear quarter. So far I have seen a little bit of rust on the floor boards and that is it. Again it has sat for 25 yrs under a car cover so it should be good.

If anyone has websites for decent replacement parts I would love to look at them. It was a factory 351 4v but I was told he had a 390 I could turn to a 428 if it was stamped c6m or a I believe. Well the block is stamped 352 not 390 assuming the worst thats a 352M block form a truck not the mustang

Edited August 13, 2012 by dbennett

[dbennett 10]

more pics of the car

[dbennett 10]

last ones

[Junior2561 10]

Looks like the start to a fun project - good luck!

[dbennett 10]

Thanks. I do believe it will be quite fun and it will take a few years because I'm in no hurry.

[Klutch 17]

Looks like fun. Are you sure it's a Mach 1? You might want to verify it. It's not a big deal, but it would be nice to know. Lots of people assume a 69 or 70 fastback is a Mach 1. I think it would be a good idea to order a Marti Report for your car. It doesn't cost very much and will tell you if the car is a Mach 1 and what engine it came with.

 

If the car originally had a 351W, that would be a good option for a new power plant. Those are great engines with very good parts support and lots of aftermarket goodies. You can even stroke them to 408 or 427 if you really want to.

 

I have ordered many parts from Mustangs Unlimited and I've been very happy with their service. Everything I order is on my doorstep within a few days. Only once was something on back order and the rep told me ahead of time. And even that part took only a few days more than the previous parts. NPD is also a class outfit.

 

I'm no expert, but I would recommend taking your Mustang to bare metal. You just never know what lurks below previous paint jobs. Most of us have seen some pretty frightening things; bondo and caulk where welds should be, 2x4 boards inserted in frame rails. My Mach 1 had road signs riveted to the floor pans. :smile: How you take the car to bare metal is up to you. Some people say sand blasting is a bad idea. There is also soda blasting, plastic beads and other media. But boy, having the car media blasted sure makes things easier.

[turboclevor 10]

looks like a great start much better than i started with or even where mine is now like Klutch said mustangs unlimited and npd are good parts suppliers. just wanted to let you know the 69 didnt come with a 4 ventures 351 that started in 1970 with the cleveland but if it was 351 you have a good chance of it being a mach good luck

[RogerC 136]

just wanted to let you know the 69 didnt come with a 4 ventures 351 that started in 1970 with the cleveland but

 

There were 4 barrel versions of 351W engines in 69. You're getting confused with the 351 Cleveland engines that didn't come out till 1970 and both 351 engine designs were available in 70.

[turboclevor 10]

i did mention that the cleveland came out in 1970 and that it was available in a 4 ventures but i was using this windsor information

 

http://www.vintage-mustang.com/topics/decode/decode.html

 

this decoder says that the windsor was only offered in a 2 ventures

[turboclevor 10]

There were 4 barrel versions of 351W engines in 69. You're getting confused with the 351 Cleveland engines that didn't come out till 1970 and both 351 engine designs were available in 70.

 

4 ventures doesnt mean 4 barrel it just happened that the 4 ventures cleveland was a 4 barrel because the 2 ventures came in a 4 barrel too

 

i dont remember if it was you or not but in my thread "if you had an unlimited budget" somenody mentioned getting a cleveland and when i bought my car it already had one, a 4 ventures and a friend of mine who is helping me with my restoration gave me a 2 ventures that i am selling which is also a 4 barrel

[dbennett 10]

The Build tag says it was a mach with a 351 4v i will order a marti report in the future though. Klutch I have been keeping up with your build and doing great I might add.

As for blasting I don't really have a budget for that but I am goingto build a rotisserie and I have a sand blaster which I will get the plastic media beads for to blast the bottom of the car. I am taking the car to bare metal and I know I can save 1 fender I need to get the other one bare, the doors and rear quarters will have to wait until I get the front done done. The good thing is there is absolutely no rust in the cowl area and the area between the fender and the door, I can't remember what it's called anyway there isn't any rust there either.

The grandfather pulled many of the original mach 1 pieces to put on a 69 grande so the hood was an original shaker it's on the grande the interior, rear spoiler and chin spioler are on the grande as well.

I found a 429 out of a 71 lincoln marquis I might try to pick up fairly cheap. I don't know I have a while before I cross that bridge.

[turboclevor 10]

i believe that specific part is just called the cowl side panel i was looking for one because mine is dented bad

[turboclevor 10]

if you haven't already, get an npd catalog they're free. their prices are very reasonable and they are almost all a perfect fit the only piece that was a little off was the seat platform was too narrow but it still worked with some persuasion.

[dbennett 10]

ill do that. Turbo you are the one who made your own patch panel on that cowl side panel correct?

I was wrong the hood is correct w/ a non functional scoop, & hood pins. It does have a 63c build code on the buck tag.

after 2 hrs of decoding the buck tag because drivers door was replaced the vinsa do match thought so I believe the buck tag. but anyway

born on JAN 27.1969, silver metallic med emerald paint?, mach1 luxury interior,TT- 2 tone hood, hood pins,DE, GT heavy duty suspension,RM racing mirrors, MO rocker moldings. Just need to find a rear axle it was a 4 speed manual trans. We have the trans.

Edited August 14, 2012 by dbennett

[RogerC 136]

Turboclevor,

The asterisk is incorrect in that table. 4V & 2V refer to 4 venturi and and 2 venturi in the carburetor, aka 4 barrel carb and 2 barrel carb equipped. 351C 4 barrel (4V) engine has bigger intake runners in the intake manifold and bigger intake and exhaust ports in the head than the 2 barrel (2V) version. It is a unique feature of the engine design. 351W engines could be had with 4 barrel or 2 barrel carbs with same heads and appropriate intake. The aftermarket has provided 4 barrel intakes for using 4 barrel carbs on 2 barrel (2V) headed 351C engines. Caveat: Australia versions of the 351C engines may be different but the above applies to U.S. produced clevelands.

 

Sorry for hijacking your thread dbennet. According to your build tag, yes it came with a 351W 4 barrel engine. looks like you have a nice project there.

Edited August 14, 2012 by RacerX

[dbennett 10]

Your fine thats what we do ain't it, answer questions and provide info. But yes it did come with a 351 Like I said I do not want to go back with a 351 I want a 429 block.

[Klutch 17]

I'm curious why you want a 429? Nothing wrong with that engine. But I expect building one and installing it in a '69 Mustang will be pretty expensive and time consuming compared to going with the original equipment 351W option.

 

Some issues that come to my mind are you'll have to at least get a different bell housing for your toploader to bolt up to the 429; completely different bolt pattern. Probably have to go with a cable or hydraulic clutch; no clutch Z-bar was made for a 429 in a '69 'Stang. You can't run a shaker. The original, 351W shaker base won't work on a 429. Likely a 428 shaker base wouldn't work either. The 429 is a completely different engine and the carb position, which is critical with a shaker, won't line up with the hole on the hood.

 

And thanks for the comment about my build. I need all the encouragement I can get these days. It's been a rough month. :smile:

Edited August 14, 2012 by Klutch

[turboclevor 10]

RacerX thanks for correcting that for me now i know to ignore that decoder

[turboclevor 10]

dbennett no i havent done that but i need to

[dbennett 10]

No particular reason for the wanting a bigger engine, I am aware of issues as many people on here have done such a thing. I was thinking a mod motor but that just went a whole lot more into the pocket than I was wishing to go plus it just wouldn't be right. A 351 wouldn't be to bad I guess, I live really close to Jon Kasse's race shop and something like his BOSS NINE would be fabulous. It is way out of my price range but I like the looks of an engine filling up the engine compartment. I did have a 351M in an old bronco and after a mild rebuild I had about 400-450 in horspower. Oh but I would like a modern TKO 5 or 6 speed to back it up and get rid of the factory 4 speed. ? I still have plenty of time to decide.

Klutch I was wrong about the shaker it had the mock hood scoop, as seen in the pics.

[turboclevor 10]

you know he can do just the top end for the 429/460 for 4500 to make it a boss nine

[dbennett 10]

I know thats why I was looking at the 429 to build it close to that. I am a machinist and a mechanic. I'm trying to get a job at Kaase's shop or another close one is Warrren Johnson as in Drag racer Warren Johnson. I am waiting for them to return from the west coast before I call again.

 

Some of the clips I've seen of the Boss 9 are sweet, It may not be very streetable but I am hopeing with the right rear and tranny I can drive it on sunny days and to car shows, with gas mileage still around 5-8 mpg. I do have a freind with a 351 w he will give me I could build it mild with fuel injection and get better mileage I just don't know where to go, The 428 is smaller and is still really big in my head, just need a block.

[texas mustang 10]

I wish you luck .

You should go back with the origional equiptment .

Just my 2 cents

[dbennett 10]

When my wife's grandfather got it the guy had put a 302 in it but, and its a big one the guy gave him the supposed 390 block he pulled out of it. Now from sites I had seen the M represents 351 4v and 390. The car being built in Jan COULD have a left over 390/428. the bore is 4.05 I have measured it not to closely but I did check the bore. I need to further read on this engine though next time I go over there. From the tag I did also read it had a special rear axle like 4.30 or sometihng close to that I can't remember off the top of my head. so? Oh the car was built in Metuchen and i know 390 were put in 68.

 

Beautiful car by the way

Edited August 15, 2012 by dbennett

[dbennett 10]

I did alittle on the fenders today to see what was underneath the paint, and ........... The passenger side is good, however the driverside needs to be replaced. Between the rust holes and the numerous amount of damage it was rediculous that someone could put that much bondo on a panel. The body line at the very bottom of the fender had close to 3/8 in bondo in some spots but spread almost the whole length of the panel. I wish I would have snapped some pics but I took it down and tried to knock out the dents until I realized it wasn't worth it.