Meet Virginia

[MN69Grande 203]

Ok so I've lurked for a while on this site and thought I'd jump in finally.

 

So here is a brief story about about my car. I bought it at 16 (a couple decades ago) from my grandmother. Basic stats are

-Grande - New Lime/Black Top

-Dark Ivy Gold Interior

-302 2bbl/C4

-2.79 Conventional Rear Axle (though I suspect this was changed at some point to something in the high 3s but still not locking)

It was her daily driver. I drove it for a year or so and then I basically killed it in shop class. Had I been my own dad back then I would never had let my kid sign up to rebuild his Mustang Engine in shop class. Just saying.

 

Basic errors - too big of a Cam Shaft, missed an important frost plug that closes an oil galley, dented the door pushing it into a post, scratched the hell out of it when an unsecured hood slipped off the hinges, just to name a few.

 

So I drove it for a couple years, or tried to occasionally, and then parked it. I accumulated a part here or there for about 15 years then decided it was time to get her going again. So I pulled the motor again 3 years ago. Here is where I am at now.

-had the heads worked a bit (all the rocker studs had been pushed out due to the oversized cam) to change over to threaded rocker arm studs, also hardened seats were put in back in the 90s so no worries there

-Swapped the cam with a Competition roller cam

-Changed over to Competition roller rockers

-Moved to a Holley 4bbl 4160

-Replaced the exhaust manifolds with shorties

-Upgraded to duel flow master exhaust

-Changed out the front drums to 4 caliper discs

-GT'd up the suspension

-Rebuilt the front end

-Beefed up the suspension

-Coil over shocks in the rear

-Rebuilt the steering

-Rebuilt the Transmission

-Custom Torque converter

-Hotter Distribution (no more points for us)

-Patch some minor rust holes

-2 new Doors

-16 inch Vintage Wheel Works Rims

-And as of last week Primer

 

Also after media blasting we found 1 fender was a doner and the quarters must have been replaced in the 80s but they did so well we don't have to mess with it. The dented door was just easier/cheaper to replace, while the remaining door was patched to often to bother keeping it.

 

The goal is to be on the road in the next couple of months. I know this is a pretty light build compared to many on here but it's mine and I wanted to share. The new scheme is going to be Black Jade, with a white top, and a double white pin stripe (similar to the black but without the reflective center and painted not vinyl). The interior is going to be Dark Ivy Gold two toned with White Inserts - I'm not sure how this will look but I'm crossing my fingers. Later I'm going to switch out to HIDs head lamps and LED tail lamps.

 

My Paint Guy says it's bad news to have a car without a name. Since this car spent so long in the Blue Ridge Mountains I figured Virginia was fitting. I'll start with the before photos and add some more later in the week.

[MN69Grande 203]

Wish I had more/better images.

[70mstang 11]

Welcome! Virginia will be beautiful when you're done. Great project and story.

[Pakrat 1,043]

I would say welcome too but looks like you've been around a year already so I'll just say nice to finally meet you.

 

So did your Gram buy it new? I'm gald you were able to hold onto it for so long and finally make your dream come true. If you want to put your gear ratio suspicions to rest just jack up the rear, drop her in neutral, mark the shaft and count the rotations until it comes back around.

[MN69Grande 203]

No my Gran bought it used. My Grandpa was a bit of a horse trader. Both with the fury kind and the metal kind. There were never fewer than a dozen cars around his place. His pride and joy was a 57 T-Bird with a 312, Black with the White removable hard top, red interior.

 

At one time in the late 80s I think he had 7 Mustangs - 6 from 65-70 and an 85 5.0 convertible. Funny though because the last car he bought after all that Detroit steel was a super bug.

 

I'm trying to track down where this car was sold, but I have a feeling it was in a shed for years in the 80's, hence the replaced sheet metal. I have the standard Marti I'll probably just break down and pay for the extended report. The dealer code is 25D213. Anyone have a clue where that might be.

 

OK A couple more photos. Breaks and old front end parts. Plus a lonely motor away from home.

[MN69Grande 203]

Four Piston Goodness. Supposedly the same as was used on a dealer kit in the 60s.

[jnet4jt 10]

Did you get your brakes from CSPR?

[MAD IN NC 21]

enjoy the journey.... no matter what you want it will take longer. at least you are in a part of the country you can work and drive almost year round....

 

you have a great list and a known start... finish it, then do the upgrades. keep Pandora's Box closed!

[TexasEd 188]

Great name. I think I called mine Sally back in high school but never used it too much.

 

Don't you wish you had the knowledge in high school that you have now?

[MN69Grande 203]

JNET4JT - Here's the kit your talking about:

http://www.discbrakeswap.com/Mustang%20Disc%20Brake%20Conversion%20Kits%20SWAP1.html

Kelsey-Hayes "Type" Calipers 11 inch vented/sloted rotors.

 

I haven't driven it yet with this kit installed. Once I do I'll tell you how it performs. I can tell you this I locked the 4 wheel drums up plenty when I was driving it and I can't imagine this won't be an improvement.

 

TeaxsEd - I agree I tell my wife at least once a week if I could I'd go back and kick my own @$$.

 

MAD_IN_NC - Unfortunately the family farm is back in the Blue Ridge Area, but I'm living in the land of perpetual winter - Minnesota. So I get about 4 days a year to drive the car. But they should be very good fun filled days!! Though maybe it just means I'll have to take a winter trip once a year. I know a guy with a roller truck maybe we can make a deal to drop the car off in a no road salt state.

[MN69Grande 203]

Couple of Shots...

 

-New Wheel example

-New Coil Over Springs

-Somewhat cleaned up Engine bay

[MN69Grande 203]

So here are some photos after media blasting.

-Proved the quarter's were replaced

-Also showed the drivers door has very ugly patches (forgot to photograph those)

-Otherwise just a small rust whole in the trunk, one in the passenger floor, and one under the heater core

[MN69Grande 203]

Here's the body

[MN69Grande 203]

So question to everyone out there. How do you stay sane when you've sent your ride out for someone else to do some work and it is taking 4 times longer than quoted? I've had this car for 18 years, it's been non-driving for the last 13/14. So I would think a few weeks or months at this point is no big deal. Anyway waiting for paint, but because of all the crappy weather my guy hasn't been able to move it from his prepping garage to the one with the paint booth (why he has never paved his facilities is beyond me). So I wait as the short season in Minnesota winds by. Anyway here are some primer shots. Nothing to exciting.

[MN69Grande 203]

I guess I can be happy I'm not at this stage anymore....

[rwcstang 201]

very nice build!

[70mstang 11]

I can commiserate with ya MN69grande .. Mine was in the paint shop a lot longer than anticipated. I had a friend from Cub Scouts do the final body work & paint and while my car was there, the fella working with him and he got in a fight and parted ways and then he lost his job. When he got a new job it was out of town so he didn't get a lot of time with my car. But the final product was amazing. I just visited the car every other day and helped where I could.

[MN69Grande 203]

Thanks @rwcstang for the props looks like you've been through a lot with your build too. I like those rims you've got going I was on the fence with black ones myself I might still get mine painted.

 

@70mstang - I wish I could visit every other day but the shop is 90 minutes away and wife just won't let me! However I might have a month this summer with no work. In that case I might move down there for a month and see if I can "help out". But he did warn me the rates might go up if I help so there is that. Looks like you've had your car for a LONG time. I thought I had mine a while but are those photos from the mid 80s in your gallery? That is crazy.

[MN69Grande 203]

Ok these are just a couple quick cellphone pics and the lighting sucks. BUT my car is back from paint. Went with Back Jade and a custom duel white stripe painted on. We used a normal back, gold, black stripe as a template and cut the gold out. It was funny because I found a NOS kit that only had one side. The other side was used in the 70's on a repair job. So I got it for next to nothing! Anyway, I'm still a ways away from driving it but my excitement level is back up today.

[MN69Grande 203]

Ok these are just a couple quick cellphone pics and the lighting sucks. BUT my car is back from paint. Went with Back Jade and a custom duel white stripe painted on. We used a normal back, gold, black stripe as a template and cut the gold out. It was funny because I found a NOS kit that only had one side. The other side was used in the 70's on a repair job. So I got it for next to nothing! Anyway, I'm still a ways away from driving it but my excitement level is back up today.

[rwcstang 201]

Thanks @rwcstang for the props looks like you've been through a lot with your build too. I like those rims you've got going I was on the fence with black ones myself I might still get mine painted.

 

 

yeah, its been a long time...4 years to be exact. Glad that my project is almost finished and I can finally drive her again! lol

 

as for the the wheels, I had an extra set and I was going to paint them but they were pricey to paint so I decided to get another set from AM it was less expensive and makes my car look more sinister! lol

 

GL with your project though, can't wait to see it when it's done.

[rwcstang 201]

Thanks @rwcstang for the props looks like you've been through a lot with your build too. I like those rims you've got going I was on the fence with black ones myself I might still get mine painted.

 

 

yeah, its been a long time...4 years to be exact. Glad that my project is almost finished and I can finally drive her again! lol

 

as for the the wheels, I had an extra set and I was going to paint them but they were pricey to paint so I decided to get another set from AM it was less expensive and makes my car look more sinister! lol

 

GL with your project though, can't wait to see it when it's done.

[Pakrat 1,043]

Paint looks good. So are you planning on a white vinyl top or interior to pick up on the stripe?

[Pakrat 1,043]

Paint looks good. So are you planning on a white vinyl top or interior to pick up on the stripe?

[MN69Grande 203]

@Pakrat - Yes and kinda yes. The white vinyl top is for sure. The black looks ok but I think the white will really stand out and you don't see it that often. The interior was originally Dark Ivy and I always liked it. But I did call TMI and they said it would be easy enough to do Dark Ivy seats with white inserts. I saw it done with black and grey once and it was cool. So it is a bit of a risk but in my mind it looks great. I just hope it's not a waste of 400 bucks.