69 Coupe project

[jeepcj7304 10]

My wife is the mustang lover here I am more of a car lover all together. She has always been a mustang girl. I bought her a 95 GT years ago and she loved it. She decided she would rather have an older mustang then her 95 so a few months ago she sold it and we began looking. I found a local craigslist ad for a 1969 coupe and went to look. Long story short it was a 69 coupe originally a 6 cylinder car that was converted to a 351W with an FMX trans and a 8 inch rear back in the 70's. The previous owner had bought it off the original owner a lifelong friend and was creating a father son project. They replaced all the sheet metal that needed it doors, front fenders, floor pans etc. They purchased a rear fiberglass deck lid and rear quarter extensions. The interior was in a shed and the car had not been started in 5-6 years. I could see the potential and paid 2,000.

[jeepcj7304 10]

I towed it home and pulled out all the misc parts inside and power washed it inside and out. All the metal was great which was nice for me. I began with the interior so that I could get the dash back together and start the old girl. After ordering a new gauge bezel and circuit board along with a set of interior screws (previous owner already had a brand new dash pad) the dash was back together. There is now fuel lines from the new tank to the engine so a line to a gas can and a new battery later she started right up. Engine sounds great and trans shifts. Didnt drive it since the brakes had not been checked and the tires barely hold air.

[70mstang 11]

Great find! What do you plan to do with the car? Taking it back to stock, restomod, daily driver? Love Pics!!!!

[jeepcj7304 10]

My wife wants to do most of it with me so she can learn some of the stuff she doesnt know and build it also. This makes it a little slow and aggravating at times but still great times. While she was finishing up the dash I was looking at the trunk base which I hated. I wanted a solid floor with carpet that was removable to access everything. I built a floor out of osb board and covered it in trunk carpet. It had to be built in three sections to allow for easy removal one of the sections folds in half. I liked the way it turned out and decided to make a package tray myself as well. I cut a piece of thin plywood to fit and covered it with left over carpet. The new speakers were installed and its ready to go.

 

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[jeepcj7304 10]

I am planning or of a restomod for now. Trying to keep it mostly stock looking but with a few Mach treats like hood, mirrors, wheels, and the trunk thats on it is a shelby style which I like. Going to keep the motor and trans stock at the moment. Going to pull the engine and regasket it just to ensure they are good but nothing more at the moment. She is thinking red paint probably a candy with some stripe or flame. She has always wanted to do a ghost flame but Im not so sure how it will look. I dropped the trans pan yesterday and it looked good so I changed the filter added a new gasket and put her together. The rear brakes got replaced last weekend along with parking brake cables. I am converting the front drum brakes to disc this weekend probably the parts arrived yesterday. I also have new seat skins and carpet to install. The headliner needs installed which is kind of screwing me up. I am not sure if I should have the window pulled prior to taking it to the upholsterer to hang the headliner I purchased or what. I also need to complete a little body work around the rear window that will require the window to be out. As of now the plan is to finish the brakes this weekend and check all the bushings and replace the shocks this weekend. Then pull the engine and get it cleaned up, then upholstery, followed by body work and paint. I am hoping to have it done by my wifes birthday in Nov.

[rwcstang 201]

nice resto project! will be following this thread.

[Mike65 476]

Keep up the good work. Lucky for you the sheet metal work was already done. I am in the process of doing quarter skins & outer wheel houses on my 69 Coupe.

[jeepcj7304 10]

This is one of the reasons I chose this over the others I was looking at was the sheet metal work being done saves a lot of time and money. Hopefully I can get the wife to work fast this weekend and get the front end done and prep the motor to be pulled for new gaskets. Looking to get Magnum 500 wheels best price i can find is on Mustangs Unlimited anyone find anything better?

[snafu 10]

Nice project.

 

I would say definitely pull the rear window before having the headliner installed. Easy to do this yourself. Just cut the gasket as you'll want to replace it anyway.

[jeepcj7304 10]

Ya I am going to I am still deciding whether or not to tackle the headliner myself. Also is there any isolators in the door to keep the door glass from slopping back and forth or is it just the seals along the top that I dont have installed right now. When I shut the door the glass bangs back and forth the glue is solid but there is no top seals installed

[jeepcj7304 10]

Ok its been a long week I installed the front disc brake conversion I purchased on Ebay.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/370577132030?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

 

I would definitely recommend this to someone the kit was complete from master cylinder, new lines, slotted rotors, and 4 piston calipers. It looks sharp and went together fairly simple. I am glad to be rid of those huge drums from the front. The rear brakes were overhauled and new parking brake cables installed.

[jeepcj7304 10]

Just a few more of the brakes.

[jeepcj7304 10]

I ran into some issues with my "score" of a motor. I was told when I purchased the project that the motor was a 70's 351 W with only 15k miles on it since a rebuild. I pulled the valve cover this week and found this.

 

So I knew it was B.S. about the rebuild the motor looks like it has 150k and only 3 oil changes ever. I knew the motor even though it runs and sounds fine was working on borrowed time. I immediately began weighing my options. I ended up looking at a couple engines that thanks to the people on this site I did not buy. One ended up being a 351M-400 and the other was a 390 and I was unaware that they both would have required major modification to fit in my 69 coupe. I found a friend of a friend who comes to find out builds Ford engines. He is old school and has been doing this since the 60's. He buys and trades engines and components to build a selection. Anyway I decided on a 94 block 351W roller motor. It is completely rebuilt with new crank, pistons, bearings, oil pump, water pump, oil pan, timing chain/gear, and cover. I matched that with a set of GT40 heads which are also completely rebuilt with a 3 angle valve job and roller rockers. I topped it with a Holley street deliminator intake and an edelbrock 750 carb. The engine will be completely assembled and already had the brake in time completed and will be turn key. He also will have it done by this weekend. I just need to install my pulleys, and alternator and drop it in. The price out the door complete with wires, fuel pump, and dizzy was 2700. I will have pictures of that soon he is still waiting on a few seals and such.

[SM69Mach 68]

Nice progress. Sucks about the other motor, but sounds like you are coming out with a nice motor in the end.

[jeepcj7304 10]

Yes the motor issue sucks but it is going to be much better in the end. I am now trying to get the front headlight buckets, valance and everything on the front mocked up before paint what a pain in the ass previous owner lost all the mounting hardware and everything is out of alignment.

[jeepcj7304 10]

Well my motor was finished yesterday it was running on the bench when I got their sounded great. Got it home and around 9pm got started putting it in. It was me and my wife since it is going to her car she wants to ave hands on. So what a pain in the ass not her just getting the engine in. I didn't want to scratch any of the fresh paint or anything else. Getting the right angle on the crane and chains and tranny still bolted to the car was really starting to piss me off after a while. But that is how it usually goes "for me at least" with putting engines in not already bolted to the trans. Any way so its in. Still needs all the pulleys, manifolds, alternator and wiring hooked up. Then we can start it again and make sure all the wiring is good and get the wires cleaned up and routed correctly. Here are a few engine pictures of where we are now I will add more when it gets done.

[70mstang 11]

Looks good in there. I like the black bolts, it sets off the black valve covers. Keeping the pullies black too?

[jeepcj7304 10]

Yes the pulleys are black along with the alternator. I will hopefully find time today to get those on. I am trying to finish the wiring first and thanks to the help of people on here I think I got it straight now. I am also looking at this air cleaner.

 

http://www.streetsideauto.com/p/ford-racing-m-9600-k302/?utm_source=googlepepla&utm_medium=adword&utm_content=pla&gclid=CIKymfmY4LICFUqi4AodhwEAog

[jeepcj7304 10]

Ok the engine is running now. I had a problem that I just got finished fixing. The engine would run fine for about 20 seconds and then it would die. Finally figured out that the ignition coil that came with the car was bad and would stop sending spark after a few seconds. Replaced the coil and now it runs great. I also finished all the interior and installed the headliner. The headliner looks ok I can live with it for now at least. I am glad I attempted it myself but what a pain in the ass. I will post pictures later today or tommorow of the interior all finished up. I still need to order a set of door panels though. The motor runs great but now I have a new problem. The car cant get traction at all when you floor it. I am not sure if it is the 20 year old tires on it or that it does not have limited slip or posi rear. The exhaust is scheduled to be done next week then off to my friends house for paint.

[jeepcj7304 10]

Photos of the seats before and after and then the finished interior minus radio and door panels.

[jeepcj7304 10]

Engine is all set just waiting on the air cleaner which is on back order like everything from CJ Pony Parts. I also just bought a factory hood at a local swap meet. It is from a California car that the owner pulled it to install a shaker. No rust and perfect condition. My wife took it for its first spin no hood, no front end, and no glass. She was smiling ear to ear especially when she was doing burnouts.

[Mike65 476]

jeepcj7304,

What brand & size is that radiator you have in your wifes Mustang?.

Mike.

[jeepcj7304 10]

http://www.cjponyparts.com/radiator-3-row-aluminum-20-type-340-1967-1969/p/RADA33/

 

It was on sale last month for 200.00

[rwcstang 201]

very nice so far! keep the progress coming!

[rawlinss 14]

looks great!!