1970 Convertible Restoration

[Vicfreg 786]

Trying to finish up my trunk build before I go to paint.  Mounted my Sub-Woofer, and fabricated panel for my marine access door on the drivers side.  Last thing to do is to finish the passenger side where my battery is mounted, that will require some thought....

 

[RPM 1,225]

Vic, I recessed mine into the subfloor. 

[Vicfreg 786]

Hey Bob, mine is already mounted to the side, along with all my fuses, solenoid, and master disconnect.  I think I am going to build a box of some sort that I can remove and get access to that stuff.  Still pondering that, thanks for your pics.

 

[Vicfreg 786]

Finally off to the paint shop after 5 years of working on the car!   Will take around 60 days,  I have use the shop before, they’re not really fast but they do very high-quality work

I will need a recommendation on hood stripes, I’m not sure if I even want to use them, but if I do, looking for best possible quality product that you all have used.

[Mike65 490]

Congrats Vic, that is a huge step forward.

[Rich Ackermann 174]

 

9 hours ago, Vicfreg said:

Finally off to the paint shop after 5 years of working on the car!   Will take around 60 days,  I have use the shop before, they’re not really fast but they do very high-quality work

I will need a recommendation on hood stripes, I’m not sure if I even want to use them, but if I do, looking for best possible quality product that you all have used.

Congratulations and good luck! Is the paint shop painting the panels on or off the car?

I used a Mach 1 hood stripe temp from NPD. The shop laid down the black and then a mat clearcoat on, after painting the body color/clearcoat and sanding the clearcoat over the stripe area. The mat clear holds up real well to the elements and does not become shiny from wax. Others folks use Hotrod black. It has a nice rich black Mat finish that also holds up well. My rear trunk lid stripe is a tape stripe.

 

[RPM 1,225]

Five years ain't so bad, and 60 days for paint seems really quick in today's world. 

[Vicfreg 786]

Thanks all, should be fun. Will post pics of the process.   I think 60 days is optimistic.....    I hope to get the car back in the fall, which is more realistic....

 I may go with a "no stripe" look, not sure yet.

Rich, one other question I know I asked you before, but can't find where  I filed it...

For the door to body wireways, I think you used later model ('71-'73) flexible conduit.   Is that right?    The hole should be much smaller than the factory 2-1/2" hole on the '69-'70s.   Did yo still drill the hole at the "dimple" in the door?   Any pics/info would be appreciated.

 

 

 

[Rich Ackermann 174]

14 hours ago, Vicfreg said:

Thanks all, should be fun. Will post pics of the process.   I think 60 days is optimistic.....    I hope to get the car back in the fall, which is more realistic....

 I may go with a "no stripe" look, not sure yet.

Rich, one other question I know I asked you before, but can't find where  I filed it...

For the door to body wireways, I think you used later model ('71-'73) flexible conduit.   Is that right?    The hole should be much smaller than the factory 2-1/2" hole on the '69-'70s.   Did yo still drill the hole at the "dimple" in the door?   Any pics/info would be appreciated.

 

 

 

Hi Vic,

Yes, I used Ford 1971-73 rubber door jamb boots. They have plenty of space to run wires, they look stock if that matters, and they fit in the stock door jamb and kick panel positions on a 1969-70.  The factory grommet hole sizes are larger on a 69-70 than the 71-73. If you have the luxury of drilling fresh holes, than the kick panel hole is 1 1/4" and the door jamb hole is 1 5/8". You can use the factory dimples if you have them. IF you are retrofitting them into a door that already has factory holes, then I suggest cutting off the grommets from the 69-70 harness and inserting the 71-73 boot ends into each of the 69-70 factory grommets or inserting them into another grommet of similar size. I had a factory door and a repro door, so unfortunately I had to do one of each. Inserting the boot ends into the factory grommets worked well, but just for added assurance, I used some black 3m rubber weather-strip glue to make certain they stayed together.

They are many to choose from on eBay. Here is a set of 1987 Ford boots that look to be the same as the 71-73 boots.. https://www.ebay.com/itm/325160428669?hash=item4bb512647d:g:n0EAAOSwwp1iZDXr

Then again you could find a set of aftermarket boots.

https://www.keepitcleanwiring.com/catalog/Wire-Management/Billet-Door-Looms/KICDLOOMBLBK/12-Inch-Black-Stainless-Steel-Door-Loom---Pair

Below is a picture of the 71-73 boots installed in my 70 Mach 1 (Top Left) using the factory holes, Installed in my 73 vert (Top & bottom RIght), and a pair of boots (Bottom Left). 

[Vicfreg 786]

Rich, thanks!   I will use the later model year set, and find some.

I had a long discussion at the stop about paint on/off the car.  The entire car will be assembled for final body seam alignment and fit up.  Then the car will be painted assembled.   The front  fenders will have bedliner type paint on the inside.    The trunk lid, cowl, stone deflector valences, etc will be painted off of the car.   The reason for this is to ensure the final seam alignment and fitup can be done with body panels without the final top coat.   Expecially with the way the Mustang hoods mount, it is almost a certainty that the hood will never go back to the right place if you remove it.

It also allows the paint shop to totally mask my car only once, as the undercarriage and engine bay are done, and they will wrap the tires/wheels and mask the car off to the floor.

[Rich Ackermann 174]

2 hours ago, Vicfreg said:

Rich, thanks!   I will use the later model year set, and find some.

I had a long discussion at the stop about paint on/off the car.  The entire car will be assembled for final body seam alignment and fit up.  Then the car will be painted assembled.   The front  fenders will have bedliner type paint on the inside.    The trunk lid, cowl, stone deflector valences, etc will be painted off of the car.   The reason for this is to ensure the final seam alignment and fitup can be done with body panels without the final top coat.   Expecially with the way the Mustang hoods mount, it is almost a certainty that the hood will never go back to the right place if you remove it.

It also allows the paint shop to totally mask my car only once, as the undercarriage and engine bay are done, and they will wrap the tires/wheels and mask the car off to the floor.

Vic,

Just a suggestion, with metalic two stage paints, have seen instances where painting fenders, headlight buckets, and trim parts when they are not sitting in their "natural" position as they would be on the car, causes the metal flake in the paint to be effected by gravity. In another words, painting a headlight bucket by it laying down on a table, instead of hanging it vertically, gravity causes the flakes to to lay flat as the paint dries. When put on the car the paint reflects differently.

That what happened on my 73 Mustang's Medium Copper Metallic when the hood trim was painted. You can see it if you look closely at the pics below...

[Mike65 490]

Vic I am planning on using the 70 Mach-1 hood stripe w/o the shaker on my 69 Coupe.

Graphic Express - 1970 Mustang Mach 1 Dearborn Hood Paint Stencil – Graphic Express Automotive Graphics (graphic-express.com)

1970 Mach 1 Stencil & Decal Kit (phoenixgraphix.com)

[Vicfreg 786]

Thanks Mike, I’ll be looking at those soon

[Vicfreg 786]

Working on my console.  Finalized my switch layout, Made my final templates, this is my production version.   I want to order my switches this weekend, should have the council put together in a couple weeks with all the wiring.

Installed my VHS clock on the passenger side dash assembly.

[Vicfreg 786]

Got my laser engraved blue halo LED push button switches from a supplier in Australia.

Two of the switches are for my VHX Dash, they are momentary push buttons that allow you to change the settings in the speedometer and text display.

Two for the power door locks, One for the interior lights, One for my fog/halo DRL, One for the emergency override - on for my engine cooling fans, and one for the emergency override – on for my trans cooler fans

My power window switches will go where the cigarette lighter is on the console box, working on that next

 

 

 

 for my interior lights

[RPM 1,225]

Outstanding Vic! On my console with those 2 pod gauges at the front, the lower lever button on the AC/heater bezel interfered with the top of the gauge bezel. Keep an eye out for that, but it might just be my application. 

[Vicfreg 786]

Started wiring the switches.  Will be using some terminal blocks.

 

[Mike65 490]

That is some nice work there Vic.

[Mach1 Driver 577]

Did you do the graphics for the switches? Spiffy!

[Vicfreg 786]

Yeah, good winter project, will make this into a console wiring harness. More stuff to be added.

Got the switches from a place in Australia.  Hi quality, came with connectors, mounting nuts and even o-rings in case you are using on a boat I guess.

They come in momentary, or "latching" configurations with one Normally Open Contact, and one Normally Closed Contact.   Buttons are backlit.  ABS buttons have LED halo and backlit symbols, SS buttons have LED halo. The text is laser etched.

They have a lot of pre-etched choices already in their catalog, or you can specify a custom symbol and text.  I mixed and matched to get what wanted.  I also did 2 custom ones for my VHX Dash buttons.   

Another offering is a high amperage switch if you want to go directly to loads like fog lights.  I use relays, so I did not get the high amperage version.  Plus, they are longer, and I am short on room.  

 

 

[Vicfreg 786]

Oh, here is the website.  I am not in any affiliated with this company.

Billet Automotive Buttons - Design your own custom billet buttons 12v

 

 

[RPM 1,225]

28 minutes ago, Vicfreg said:

Oh, here is the website.  I am not in any affiliated with this company.

Billet Automotive Buttons - Design your own custom billet buttons 12v

 

 

We wouldn't care if you were Vic. Well, we actually would, we'd hope you were making a $hit ton of cash. 

 

[Shemp 7]

Hey Vicfreg, hope you can remember back a few years.  A lot of pics from your wiring days don't show up and I'm about to start my AAW install.  Do you remember, did you re-pin the steering column wiring with the GM style blade pins to mate with the AAW plug or re-pin the AAW wires with barrel style pins to mate with the factory style plug.  I'm just trying to think of which type would be the better connection.   

Thanks, Curtis

[Vicfreg 786]

Hey Curtis.  Let me take a look and get back to you.   Is your car a ‘69 or ‘70?

Make a difference because ignition switch is on the column in 1970

Look forward to seeing another Convertible install

Do you have my AAW spreadsheet?   If not I will send

Vic

[Shemp 7]

Mine is a ‘69.  And your spreadsheet would be awesome, thanks!

Curtis