My new 1970 M-Code Mach 1 Project

[Rich Ackermann 174]

Having been a Mustang owner since 1975, when I bought a 73 Vert. I have done a few restorations over the years. In the past I did not do sheet metal, paint or engine rebuild work. This time I am going to tackle all but the paint and short block rebuild. 

My 1970 Mach 1 is an original Calypso Coral, M-code, 3 spd Top loader, open rear with Vermillion Red deluxe Mach 1 interior. No P/S, no A/C, and no front disc brakes. A build of January 1970.

My plan is to keep a very original appearance while stroking the Cleveland to either a 383 or 408, and adding upgrades such as Borgesson P/S, Classic Air A/C, Power Windows, Power Disc brakes, a Tremec TKO-600 5 spd with Hydraulic Clutch, upgraded suspension (possibly a Global West kit), and Eaton TrueTrac anti-slip Diff. Also going with TMI interior.

I bought the car in June 2018 and disassembled it down to the body shell and stripped off all the paint. It's now on the body cart awaiting some sheet metal work.... the usual stuff: Cowl, Floors, Torque Boxes, rear lower quarters and wheel lips, RH front inner fender (Battery) Apron and the driver side door is shot. The fenders, hood, trunk lid, shock towers, frame rails, rear seat floors, trans tunnel, tail panel, trunk floor all in good shape. Finally, there is minor damage to the passenger side of the radiator support, apparently from a fender bender otherwise, the car is solid.

I a familiar with 1969 and 1973 model years, but never having worked on a 70 Mustang before, I was surprised to find how different the exterior light wiring is from the 69 model. Quite frankly, the side marker and turn signal wiring is confusing, with the lights wired in series. This will change to be like the 69 model with the lights wired in parallel, I don't care about having my side markers blinking alternately with the valance and tail turn signal lights and who wants to debug ground issues with that setup!

Obviously, there are many other things to work out as I go forward. 

Here are a few pics to start with....  Check out the 60s-70s era 14" Ansen Sprint Aluminum Slots and trailer hitch that came with it.

[Rich Ackermann 174]

So my first few questions.....

Did the mid-production year 70 M-code manual 3-4 spd cars come with a Hurst Shifter and was the lever round with a round ball or flat with a T handle?

Does anybody have experience they would share... good/bad with using Dyacorn door shells?

Has anybody used a Borgesson power steering upgrade on the manual shift car? I read it does not fit with the Z-bar, which one of the compelling reasons I am converting to a Hydraulic clutch to eliminate the Z-bar, but then I also have to use a smaller diameter power steering booster. How did it work for you?

Is it safe to use the front drum spindles with a disc brake upgrade package....like a Master Power Brakes Legend Series Front Disc Brake Conversion Kit or any other kit. Any preference? Why?

Thanks All!

[Mike65 475]

Rich, welcome to 1969stasng.com. It looks like you have a nice foundation to start with, I love the color of your Mach. I am using a l/s repro door shell on my 69 Coupe that I purchased from CJPP, here is a link to the one I used, https://www.cjponyparts.com/door-shell-reproduction-1969-1970/p/DR3-V/ I found the fit & finish to be good & it lines up nicely with the body lines on my l./s repro quarter skin. I used a power disc brake upgrade that was designed for drum brake spindles that I purchased from Oopentracker Racing. Here is a link to the kit I used, http://opentrackerracing.com/product/ford-kelsey-hayes-type-4-piston-caliper-power-disc-brake-kit-v8-with-manual-transmission-1967-1969-copy/

I am installing a T-5 5spd in my Coupe & used the hydraulic clutch kit from Modern driveline, here is the link to the kit I used, http://transmission.moderndriveline.com/speed/pc/1969-70-Mustang-Cougar-Hydraulic-Clutch-Master-Kit-LF-Series-Type-3-25p520.htm

[RPM 1,190]

Welcome to the site Rich. Those KH disc brakes Mike listed are real nice, or of you're going to run 16+ inch wheels MustangSteve makes a nice 13" Cobra conversion. 

[Rich Ackermann 174]

10 hours ago, Mike65 said:

Rich, welcome to 1969stasng.com. It looks like you have a nice foundation to start with, I love the color of your Mach. I am using a l/s repro door shell on my 69 Coupe that I purchased from CJPP, here is a link to the one I used, https://www.cjponyparts.com/door-shell-reproduction-1969-1970/p/DR3-V/ I found the fit & finish to be good & it lines up nicely with the body lines on my l./s repro quarter skin. I used a power disc brake upgrade that was designed for drum brake spindles that I purchased from Oopentracker Racing. Here is a link to the kit I used, http://opentrackerracing.com/product/ford-kelsey-hayes-type-4-piston-caliper-power-disc-brake-kit-v8-with-manual-transmission-1967-1969-copy/

I am installing a T-5 5spd in my Coupe & used the hydraulic clutch kit from Modern driveline, here is the link to the kit I used, http://transmission.moderndriveline.com/speed/pc/1969-70-Mustang-Cougar-Hydraulic-Clutch-Master-Kit-LF-Series-Type-3-25p520.htm

Thanks Mike. I see you are from South Jersey. Are you a member of the South Jersey Mustang Club? I usually bring a car to the Holman Show they have been sponsoring for years. Also like to attend the Parade in Vineland each year.

I had been looking at the doors on CJPP and thought I would avoid the cheaper no-name ones...thinking that Dyancorn would fit better and better quality, bt if you had good luck with those, I am all for saving a few bucks or rather spending those bucks on something else I need. 

MDL is where I was thinking of getting the trans, clutch, driveshaft, they are not cheap but they seem to have it all figured out. Did you use your original Top loader bell housing (assuming that's what you had before)? Why a T5 and not a TKO 600?

Looks like the Disc brake kit you got covers 65-69 years. I know in 1970 Ford when to a larger Bearing, Spindle, and Tie Rod Pin diameter than previous years. I found their kits for 70 models. Are the spindles they provide repro of the stock disc spindles or their own design? Factory rotors were 11 19/64" the rotors from OpenTracker Racing are 11", so I assume they fit stock 14" wheels? I'm not planning on using stock wheels but I like keeping my options open.

[Rich Ackermann 174]

8 hours ago, RPM said:

Welcome to the site Rich. Those KH disc brakes Mike listed are real nice, or of you're going to run 16+ inch wheels MustangSteve makes a nice 13" Cobra conversion. 

Thanks! Not sure what wheel size I am going with yet, but I  am thinking of going with a stock size rotor to keep my options open.

[Mike65 475]

11 hours ago, Rich Ackermann said:

Thanks Mike. I see you are from South Jersey. Are you a member of the South Jersey Mustang Club? I usually bring a car to the Holman Show they have been sponsoring for years. Also like to attend the Parade in Vineland each year.

I had been looking at the doors on CJPP and thought I would avoid the cheaper no-name ones...thinking that Dyancorn would fit better and better quality, bt if you had good luck with those, I am all for saving a few bucks or rather spending those bucks on something else I need. 

MDL is where I was thinking of getting the trans, clutch, driveshaft, they are not cheap but they seem to have it all figured out. Did you use your original Top loader bell housing (assuming that's what you had before)? Why a T5 and not a TKO 600?

Looks like the Disc brake kit you got covers 65-69 years. I know in 1970 Ford when to a larger Bearing, Spindle, and Tie Rod Pin diameter than previous years. I found their kits for 70 models. Are the spindles they provide repro of the stock disc spindles or their own design? Factory rotors were 11 19/64" the rotors from OpenTracker Racing are 11", so I assume they fit stock 14" wheels? I'm not planning on using stock wheels but I like keeping my options open.

No I have not joined any car club yet, but I do try to get to several shows in the summer. I am cheap when it comes to spending money on the Mustang which is why I went for the cheaper door shell. My 69 Coupe was almost a bare shell when I acquired it so I did not have an engine & trans. I went with the T-5 because I had purchased it for another project that was going to be for my wife but she lost interest & we sold the car & I kept the trans. The disc brake kit I purchased  from OTR did not come with spindles, I used the drum brake spindles that were already on my Mustang, & I am using the 14" 68/69 GT wheels that I had from a 68 GT I had back in the 80's, & they clear the K/H calipers.

 

[Rich Ackermann 174]

Restored my wiper motor and sail panels on my 1970 Mach 1 project.

[Rich Ackermann 174]

Going "mostly" original with the interior and exterior in appearance, .... The previous owner had butchered the rear inner quarter panels by cutting speaker holes, but that was about all that was wrong with them. So I decided to repair them instead of replacing with repro. Also finished up on the Mach 1 rocker moldings. They needed stud repair and bright-work dent repair. Painted them a dark charcoal gray rather than the stock dark argent. We will see if my stud repair method holds once I install them.

[Rich Ackermann 174]

Apparently, Ford would spray black on the tail panel around the filler tube and inner tail lamp areas to eliminate the body color from showing thru around the Mach 1 tail panel trim.

Did Ford paint the Mach 1 stripe on the rear from the factory as it appears below or was it tape? 

[Rich Ackermann 174]

Looks like I might be missing a mounting bracket on the passenger side. The driver's side has it but not the other Circled in green. Can someone tell me if it missing and what these two mounting brackets are for?

 

[Rich Ackermann 174]

A good cleaning and some Vermillion vinyl die and the back seats look pretty good. Unfortunately, the fronts seats are too far gone, so I'll be giving TMI a call to get front replacements.

 

[Ridge Runner 1,112]

10 hours ago, Rich Ackermann said:

Looks like I might be missing a mounting bracket on the passenger side. The driver's side has it but not the other Circled in green. Can someone tell me if it missing and what these two mounting brackets are for?

 

Back seat mount

[Rich Ackermann 174]

17 hours ago, Ridge Runner said:

Back seat mount

Thanks for your reply. Should there be a seat mount on both sides or just one as it is in my car?

 

 

[Ridge Runner 1,112]

Both sides 

[Grabber70Mach 107]

Nice looking progress. 

[Rich Ackermann 174]

Disassembled and cleaned up the dash gauges and clock.

[RPM 1,190]

Nice work so far. Are you going original appearance on the tires as well? If you're going to store it, I'd suggest wider tires on the rear, and a traction loc third member of your choosing. Peg leg drive is not fun. 

[Rich Ackermann 174]

On 12/30/2018 at 11:43 AM, RPM said:

Nice work so far. Are you going original appearance on the tires as well? If you're going to store it, I'd suggest wider tires on the rear, and a traction loc third member of your choosing. Peg leg drive is not fun. 

Bob,

I plan on installing an Eaton TrueTrac anti-slip third member with 3.50 or 3.70 gears with a Tremec TKO-600 5 spd. As far as rims and tires, going with a staggered setup. Probably an aluminum slot or Magnum 500  wheel between 15 and 17 inch. Like to keep it looking close to original but with a more modern tire.

Rich

[RPM 1,190]

Cool, me like. You didn't ask, but...I went with 3.70's with my aod and 27" rear tires. I also had a set of 3.50 or 4.11's on hand to use. Using those rpm calculators online, I'm really happy turning 2,300 rpm at 80mph.

Re your login issues. I know it's not optimal, butt maybe just do a new account with your last name. Since we're all hear heads here, your last name is pretty appropriate. 

[Rich Ackermann 174]

Some of the sheetmetal just arrived. Decided to go with Dynacorn's "Weldthru Primer" version. Still waiting on a few more on back order, then I can get started.  We will see how well it fits.

Already had a NOS OEM RH inner fender apron.

 

[mustangstofear 608]

You will  appreciate  working with the  OEM  sheetmetal. 

[Rich Ackermann 174]

On 1/3/2019 at 2:43 PM, RPM said:

Cool, me like. You didn't ask, but...I went with 3.70's with my aod and 27" rear tires. I also had a set of 3.50 or 4.11's on hand to use. Using those rpm calculators online, I'm really happy turning 2,300 rpm at 80mph.

Re your login issues. I know it's not optimal, butt maybe just do a new account with your last name. Since we're all hear heads here, your last name is pretty appropriate. 

Bob, 2,300 rpms at 80mph sounds perfect. What your final gear ratio on your AOD?

[Rich Ackermann 174]

Removed the radiator support, Inner fender apron, and cowl....

[Rich Ackermann 174]

Converted my non-A/C dash to use the stock left and right lower dash A/C vents. Someone had punched a 3/4" hole in my original dash in the area where the A/C vents go, so it was either trash it or turn it into an A/C dash. Made left and right templates of the holes from an original A/C dash and then cut the holes on my non-A/C dash. Fortunately, that allowed me to salvage my original dash and use it with a pair of stock A/C vents I bought.  I'll go with a Classic air aftermarket system for the rest. Does anybody need a real nice original bare-bones 69-70 Mustang A/C dash?  I have one for sale.