Footcutter11 23 Report post Posted March 12, 2015 It's been awhile since I posted an update. Unfortunately we were hoping to have the car done by this point, but we are still another month or two away. A few weeks ago we did get the car running for the first time: Great feeling eh? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
michael2938 24 Report post Posted March 23, 2015 Finally got the instrument cluster working (studs on the gauges were grounding out by touching the housing). The rear interior of the car is done, console, carpet, sill plates, majority of the dash is done except the radio and fixing the light switch again (those pot metal retainers that screw in the middle are crap). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Footcutter11 23 Report post Posted March 23, 2015 Looking very nice! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grabber70Mach 107 Report post Posted March 23, 2015 Congrats on your progress so far, its looking great. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fvike 173 Report post Posted March 23, 2015 Great progress! Is that a cutpile carpet? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
michael2938 24 Report post Posted March 24, 2015 Great progress! Is that a cutpile carpet? Thanks. No, it's the original style. Here's what I have: http://www.cjponyparts.com/acc-carpet-mass-back-mach-1-1969/p/MC22BR/ -Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
michael2938 24 Report post Posted April 1, 2015 Well I finally finished up the restoration of the steering wheel. It's not perfect, but I think I'll be happy with it given the condition it started in. -Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MN69Grande 203 Report post Posted April 1, 2015 Well I finally finished up the restoration of the steering wheel. It's not perfect, but I think I'll be happy with it given the condition it started in. -Mike Not perfect? It looks amazing to me. I just tried to replace a horn switch and that didn't go so well. Seeing this wheel puts me in awe. I was happy to get a new Pad and clean up the center insert. Luckily I don't have bad cracks. Anyway yours looks great! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
michael2938 24 Report post Posted April 1, 2015 Not perfect? It looks amazing to me. I just tried to replace a horn switch and that didn't go so well. Seeing this wheel puts me in awe. I was happy to get a new Pad and clean up the center insert. Luckily I don't have bad cracks. Anyway yours looks great! Thanks. There are some spots on the underside that I have to go back and touch up with black paint from scratching it and wet sanding the clear too much. I think the "wood grain" look is probably darker than it is supposed to be, but it was the closest I could get without it looking like some chocolate bar. I ended up buying a second switch after trying to get the first one in. I ended up breaking the first one in the process of trying to fit it in there. The wheel was just so warped and that groove for it was very messed up. After the first switch, I ended up using a dremel tool to widen the whole thing again and cut a bigger groove along the top and bottom sides. The second switch went in very smoothly after that. I still need to test it though... they seem so fragile I don't know how they would even continue to work after pressing the horn during normal use. -Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tgriffin91 27 Report post Posted April 1, 2015 they seem so fragile I don't know how they would even continue to work after pressing the horn during normal use. -Mike Case of road rage like me? Steering wheel looks good man. I just bought a fairly decent used one and will begin working on it if I can ever finish up all the other loose ends I have going. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jatkinson 12 Report post Posted April 2, 2015 The car is coming along great! Look forward to the updates. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
michael2938 24 Report post Posted April 20, 2015 We spent 3 days non stop over the weekend (and Friday) getting a lot of work done -- interior is finished up, fenders, wheels, export brace, headlight buckets, grille assembly, front spoiler and other misc stuff is done. Started to fit the hood on the car and it's close, but now need to figure out why the shaker is too high and hitting the hood. -Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Footcutter11 23 Report post Posted April 21, 2015 Nice! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fantastic 57 Report post Posted April 21, 2015 It is amazing how many Gulfstream Aqua '69 Fastbacks are out there these days. This is such a popular color! Mine also is Gulfstream Aqua. It originally had a black interior also, but I just had to switch it out for a white one. Icy! There are three '69 Mach I's in this city. They are all the same color. The other two have black interiors. They are all 351w cars. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,190 Report post Posted April 22, 2015 Started to fit the hood on the car and it's close, but now need to figure out why the shaker is too high and hitting the hood. If you used an aftermarket intake manifold it may have raised the carb. You may have to eliminate the carb spacer and use the vacuum ports on the carb. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
michael2938 24 Report post Posted April 22, 2015 It is amazing how many Gulfstream Aqua '69 Fastbacks are out there these days. This is such a popular color! Mine also is Gulfstream Aqua. It originally had a black interior also, but I just had to switch it out for a white one. Icy! There are three '69 Mach I's in this city. They are all the same color. The other two have black interiors. They are all 351w cars. Over the course of 3 years or so, I had been going to car shows looking for a gulfstream aqua '69 Mach 1. I never found one to see in person. It took me a long time to make a decision on the color, but I finally chose it even without seeing it in person. The other choice was Silver Jade and it took a long time for me to find one of those in person to see. Around me it seems the most popular color is red, assuming I can find a '69 sportsroof of any kind at all anyway. Its a great color and I can see why many people might choose it. -Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
michael2938 24 Report post Posted April 22, 2015 If you used an aftermarket intake manifold it may have raised the carb. You may have to eliminate the carb spacer and use the vacuum ports on the carb. I have a holley 600cfm carb and a edelbrock performer intake manifold on there. I didn't think either of those would cause this much of a difference though. There is no carb spacer on there. I worry that I still have something wrong with the engine mounts. We ended up raising the engine an inch or so because the fan was hitting the cooling lines in the radiator. It's an original '69 block with the correct fan blade, shroud, radiator mounts and radiator and in order for that to fit correctly I don't see how the engine could possibly go any lower. -Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,190 Report post Posted April 23, 2015 I ended up making some Ron Morris adjustable motor mount knock offs based on Buening's pdf dawing. I solved my height problem, but caused another. The engine crossmember interfered with the oil pan and would't allow the engine to be lowered enough. So I made a different crossmember. An option would be to mill the carb pad on the intake. As they say in Vegas, good luck! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fantastic 57 Report post Posted April 23, 2015 I am running an Edelbrock 600cfm carb on the E-Street intake. The shop made the air cleaner base for me so that the shaker sat correct. I think they did a great job. 1 kevin31 reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MichaelJames 12 Report post Posted April 24, 2015 That looks good. I like how it turned out. What engine is that? I just have a stock 69 351w with only a few minor upgrades like headers, intake, and carb. I am trying to decide what decal to put on the shaker. I bought some 351 decals like you would normally see on a hood scoop. Just not sure how it's going to look yet. They look better with cobrajet script I think. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MichaelJames 12 Report post Posted May 10, 2015 Car is almost complete. Slats, spoiler, and stripes are on. Unfortunately after these pictures we decided to redo the black on the hood... Just can't get happy with it. And the carburetor kept flooding really bad so it's getting exchanged. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Footcutter11 23 Report post Posted May 15, 2015 That is F'in beautiful! Nice job! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stangme 105 Report post Posted May 24, 2015 Amazing man, nicely done. I've done all the mechanical work to mine, hoping to get the electrical harness removed/replaced this coming winter. Then once the car runs like I want for good, tear it down and paint it up. Nice to see one going together as well as yours is. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BuckeyeDemon 211 Report post Posted May 24, 2015 it's looking really nice. I like the color. looking forward to seeing it around! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MichaelJames 12 Report post Posted May 24, 2015 Thanks guys. The car is back on the road and home so the restoration/build is officially done. Of course after driving it some I now have some problems to sort out: brake lights may only be coming on when I brake hard, speedometer stopped working, a squeal/rubbing sound only when turning right. Pretty sure all of those I can easily fix though. Oh and I need to get my shaker down another inch.... Not sure how I will do that yet. Of course I'm sure as time goes on there will always be something to do on it. Buckeye, if you are still taking your car to local shows then I am sure our paths will cross again soon enough. I have been to two already this year but both were in Indiana... Shelby Spring Fling in Nashville, In and Riverfront Run in Madison. -Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
