69 Mach 1 Re-restore Restomod

[ThePoose 37]

Hi everyone,

I've been lurking for a few years and I'm finally starting to re-restore my 69 Mach I.  Or more accurately, finish and update the restoration I started about 25 years ago.

To start, a little about the car.  I bought it back in 1990 from the second owner.  While my 69 GT coupe was in getting paint, I needed something else to drive to get to school and work.  I'd seen the Mach sitting for about a year and finally walked up and knocked on the door. As luck would have it, the guy needed money to pay for a lawyer for his upcoming DUI and assault cases.  $1800 firm.  I secured a loan from my wife's (then girlfriend's) grandmother and bought the car.  It's a 351W 4-speed car AC car, originally Acapulco Blue.  This guy had painted in black, but fortunately, the only mods were some speakers cut in the rear deck and some obnoxious, blown-out glasspacks.  I drove it for the next year to finish school, then when it wouldn't start the first day of a new job after graduation, I bought a new Ranger and started tearing this apart. Stripped it down to metal, pulled the engine and rebuilt it, had it painted.  Next got married, got a job, moved 1000 miles away, trailered the cars up there. Then bought a house, so worked on the house. Then started having kids.  Kids, work, and house were the priorities, so worked on the cars very little. Plus, never had money for the cars. Fast forward about 20 years and now my youngest has the Mustang bug and wanted to work on and finish one. So we started tearing it apart after Thanksgiving. On the bright side, all the greasy parts were done.  On the not so bright side, all the work I'd done was toast.  20 years in the Northwest, even in a garage isn't kind.  And the shop we had built at our current house leaked like a sieve for a decade as we fought with the building company.  That also put a damper on wanting to work on the cars.  Shops all fixed after that company went out of business and had someone else repair it. Oh, don't forget the mouse urine, it's nasty to metal. 

I have a few pictures to post. A number before tear down were corrupted unfortunately, but I'm not going to reassemble.

This is a shot of my to-do list.  The Mach is in the middle.  GT coupe is in the foreground.  That's a 91 GT behind it.  The Mach looks pretty good in the picture, but will need to be repainted.  If you notice the "bubbles" on the hood of the 69 GT, it's on the Mach, too.  The guy who did the paint and body, from what I can tell, didn't let his clearcoats cure long enough before wet sanding and buffing.  So over the years, more of these bubbles come to the surface.  It's a shame, too, because the bodywork is nice.  And the paint was, too, for a while.

Because this car was so complete, down to the paint markings, I started with the goal of a concourse level restoration.  But now, I want to have some fun, and make it safer.  I'm keeping all the original parts and won't do anything that compromises or modifies the body or frame.

Plans for the Mach:

Update the 351W with roller cam and lifters, aluminum heads and intake, headers, fuel injection (FiTech or similar), updated alternator and other bits.

Swap the Toploader for a T-5 kit with hydraulic clutch

TCP front and rear coilover suspension, rack and pinion steering, and swaybars (I like the look and engineering of their products)

Front and rear Baer disc brakes (would have been Wilwood, but their MC won't fit. I like Baer better, but prefer the price of Wilwood)

Rewire and hide some of that wiring

Modern gauges

17 (maybe 18) inch wheels and tires

Repaint (ugh)

As of now, I plan to keep the interior pretty much stock. 

 

I'm sure things will change/be added as I go.  Things already have.  I'm likely covering ground many others have, but I'm kind of excited to get started again.  I'll have my son's help at least until he gets a new girlfriend.  Hoping that something I post here can help others, because I know I'm going to need some help.  

 

Thanks all

 

[ThePoose 37]

Another exterior shot, plus some shots of the empty engine bay.  Everything I took before we pulled the motor and trans was corrupted. Figures, only time that's happened.

 

 

Funny, my phone takes better low light photos than my nice camera. 

 

 

 

FWIW, you can see the reproduced paint markings on the steering now surrounded by rust.

 

More stuff out.

 

 

Mice had been making pit stops on top of the brake booster.

 

 

Edited June 25, 2019 by ThePoose
Updated photos to new links

[ThePoose 37]

The engine and trans after they were pulled.  I rebuilt the block and had the heads rebuilt at least 25 years ago and never fired it. For whatever reason I can't remember now, I never put plugs in it. With the amount of oxidation on the outside, I was really worried about the inside.  (Mice liked to stop here, too.)  Dropped the trans and it turned freely.  Once I pulled the intake and heads everything looked great.  Just one little spot of surface rust on the lifter valley. Assembly lube is good stuff.

 

That transmission looked brand new when I put it back in. Blasted and then coated with Eastwood paints. But the Krylon used for the "8" and the daubs on the tailshaft housing look great.  Hmm. Sitting is definitely worse than running it.

 

Engine on a table. When I put this together a quarter century ago, there weren't a lot of parts available for 69 Mustangs and 351W engines. That's the original balancer.  It will be getting replaced this time around.  The Autolite carb is rusted shut and the distributor won't spin.  Getting new this time.

 

 

Edited June 25, 2019 by ThePoose
Updated photos to new links

[blackthunder70 14]

hi

what is the vin number of car as it has big block towers

cheers

barry

[MAC390 327]

Yes , i was going to ask the same question.

[RPM 1,190]

Hey Poose, maybe you'll have twice the fun this time around with your son helping. Real nice shop you've got there. 

I've found these 3 things you be true: life gets in the way, mice eat everything, non use is worse than driving. 

Do you have plans for the toploader? Any chance you'd sell it?

[ThePoose 37]

VIN is 9R02M.  Data plate matches and the stamping on the shock tower apron coincides.  San Jose car with a 351 4V, at least as I interpret it.  I remember writing Mustang Monthly or one of the mags way back before the interwebs, hoping maybe I'd found a long lost big block car.  They said it may have been slated to be a big block car and got switched on the line, the plant ran out of non-supported shock towers and put these in, or it was a mistake.  I'd also heard that toward the end of the year the San Jose plant started putting the reinforcements in because of cracking.  Could be BS.  Any new insight is appreciated.

Thanks, RPM.  Since the car was so intact, I plan on keeping all the parts for now, including the trans. Fortunately, I have the space.  Also, learned my lesson about getting rid of parts.  My GT had the square clock originally.  It didn't work so I tossed it and put in the blank insert.  Now I see those clock panels on ebay going for $900-$1000.

[RPM 1,190]

Smart move on saving stuff. I foolishly tossed many parts back in the 90's.

[Vicfreg 771]

Wow, really good stuff, especially going back to something you did so long ago and finding out that the work you did has prevailed over all these years.  Well done!

[ThePoose 37]

Welding classes have been taking the evenings, so finally got back out there.  Still mostly disassembling and cleaning. Pulled the original AC box out that I rebuilt years ago.  Big mouse condo.  They thoughtfully used the new (20 years ago) firewall pad to make a nest in here. There are parts now to do it right, but I'll upgrade to a new Vintage or Classic air unit.

 

 

The fan doesn't really turn now for some reason...

 

 

Edited June 25, 2019 by ThePoose
Updated photos to new links

[ThePoose 37]

Pulled off the front suspension.  So far this rebuild has been the story of backorders.  The TCP front suspension arrived, except for the top mounting plate, which was back ordered. All the parts to rebuild/restore the clutch and brake pedal, back ordered. Pair of aluminum heads, they sent one. The other is back ordered.  I supposed the wiring kit I should go ahead and order since it already says back ordered.  Meanwhile, still things to pull apart and clean.

 

Passenger side on the table.

 

 

Still find it funny that some restoration bits remain.  Taped a pretty good line on that lower control arm.  Can't even tell on the top it's so rusted.  Better paints and powder coating this time around.

Edited June 25, 2019 by ThePoose
Updated photos to new links

[ThePoose 37]

It's been a while.  Work has been crazy and when the photos all disappeared, I was a little demotivated.  So in the past year, I stripped and refinished the engine compartment.  Self-etching primer, then gray primer.

Then semi-gloss black.  

 

[ThePoose 37]

The TCP coil-over parts finally arrived and installed.  I had the spindles powder coated black.  I liked how they sort of disappeared and let the expensive suspension shine through.

 

13-inch Baer disc brakes added.

I have some more pictures to take tonight of the TCP rack.  

[Grabber70Mach 107]

Nice looking progress, can't wait to see some more of it.

[ThePoose 37]

Here is the TCP power rack installed.  That sticker is coming off.  Power booster rebuilt and installed. Stainless front brake lines in.  Baer master and prop temporarily installed.  Mounting base for hydraulic clutch  mounted beneath that.

From the back.

It's a really nice piece.  It ought to be.  Probably the nicest it will ever look.

[ThePoose 37]

Saved up for one of these as a Christmas present to myself.  Wanted it for years and wondered why I waited so long.  The only thing worse that cleaning the underside is doing it on your back. 

Not the wheels that will be on the car, just using the wheels off my son's 2003 Mach 1 that have been sitting in my garage for two years.

Cleaned off all the old undercoating and seam sealer.  Removing fifty years of gunk and grime suuuuucks.

Added new seam sealer.  Still some more prep then prime and paint.  I'm on the fence whether to add Raptor liner to the bottom.  I don't expect I'll be driving it in anything but the best weather, but the liner is easy to clean and will help hide ugly welds that are coming with the subframe connectors and rear suspension.

 

 

[ThePoose 37]

 

It was a busy summer. And fall. And winter.  But made progress.

First was getting it ready prepped and ready for the TCP rear suspension.  Aside from all the wire wheels work, I had to take this out and smooth it out.

Stripped and primed.  With the TCP rear suspension, you have to use the upper rack to place the weld-in brackets. Problem is once they're welded in, the bolt-in rack won't come out.  I decided to go with the Raptorliner, so I had to go in stages.  That's what the blue tape was for. 

I also trimmed and capped the bump stops while I was at it.

 

[ThePoose 37]

Raptor Liner on the back half of the car.  I really like how it turned out.  Not hard to work with once you figure it out and pretty forgiving. Color is actually black.  Just a strong flash.

With the carrier installed and ready to weld.  This is why I sprayed the liner first.  I like the contrast.

I used the Raptor spray can to touch up.  This is closer to the actual color.

 

[ThePoose 37]

A few shots of the installed suspension.  There were a few steps in between, like welding the brackets to the housing.  I've since attached the sway bar and added brake lines.

 

Instead of changing gears and adding a True Trac, it was pretty much a wash to get a new nodular housing from Quick Performance, with a lower ratio and the True Trac. Then went with 31 spline and new axles.  Scope creep.  I didn't put the snubber on, not knowing if I'd need it with this suspension.  I think I'd have a lot of other problems if it bottomed out.  If I need to add it back, please share.

I can't set it up until all the weight is on the car, but it rolls again.

[Ridge Runner 1,112]

I noticed it has the stagger shock mount in the floor as well as the big block towers. I have a F code San jose car with the same set up ,they must have started out as big block cars but maybe they were needed to fill an order 

[ThePoose 37]

16 hours ago, Ridge Runner said:

I noticed it has the stagger shock mount in the floor as well as the big block towers. I have a F code San jose car with the same set up ,they must have started out as big block cars but maybe they were needed to fill an order 

I started a thread because I thought mine might have been a CJ car they repurposed because of the staggered mount, but in sounds like the staggered mount was available on a variety of setups.  Yeah, I think they just pulled bodies when they had orders to fill.

[RPM 1,190]

Real nice work. Don't know how your thread fell off my radar. No need for the carrier snubber as the control arms keep the axle from rotating.

I bought and thought I'd need a rear sway bar, but my car with a suspension simular to yours handles great and really neutral. Did you do the Shelby/Arning upper control arm drop?

[ThePoose 37]

On 12/31/2019 at 2:10 PM, RPM said:

Real nice work. Don't know how your thread fell off my radar. No need for the carrier snubber as the control arms keep the axle from rotating.

I bought and thought I'd need a rear sway bar, but my car with a suspension simular to yours handles great and really neutral. Did you do the Shelby/Arning upper control arm drop?

Thanks, RPM.  I might have fallen off because I haven't been very timely in posting.  Been a busy few months of work.

I considered not getting the sway bar, but as I remember, it would have been quite a bit more expensive to add it later, so I went ahead and bought it.  I bought the drop brackets for the TCP control arms, so yes, I did the drop without drilling the shock towers.

[ThePoose 37]

After the back was done, I was able to then move on the the front of the car.  I added Tin Man subframe connectors and then was able to finish the Raptor Liner. It was pretty forgiving with tape lines.  Then I set-up the new e-brake cables, added a stainless front-to-rear brake line and started putting in body plugs, which was strangely satisfying.

 

[ThePoose 37]

A few other things that have happened.  Finally got the Baer master cylinder installed and plumbed.  Ready now to bleed the brakes.  Bought new hinges from WCCC and finished them to look original.  Don't know that the black springs were original to my car, but like the look.

Installed the Vintage Air box.  This ended up to be a bit more of a challenge than I expected.

And laid a fair amount of insulation.  I also restored all the pedals and added the pieces for the hydraulic clutch.  Some before:

And after: