This blog will hopefully be a place where I can track and comment on the progress of restoring my baby back to life.
My baby is a 1966 Mustang Coupe that I first got in 1992 when I was 16 years old. It was my first car, and I swore I would never sell her. To this day, I have not.
I drove the mustang most of high school (when it was running) and as much as I could in College, but eventually her age, and my neglect got the better of us, and she has been parked ever since.
It was originally a 6 cylinder car, that the PO (previous owner) poorly upgraded to a V8. Don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem with 6-cyl to V8 upgrades...But this guy just assumed that if the motor bolts in and the car moves foward, you're good to go.
So a large part of this restoration will be about correcting the poorly done upgrade, and making this poor old car solid enough to continue moving forward.
Obviously, this blog will contain tons of pictures, and I hope to get those going soon, but it's not time for that yet.
Right now, I live in the Atlanta area, and my mustang is in Columbus, 2 hours south, at my parents' home. I have lived in Apartments for years, and had no place to store my baby, so I didn't feel good about bringing her home. Now my wife (Julia) and I have moved into our first home, and one of my requirements was it have a garage. So I finally have a place for my mustang to sleep, so it's time to get her up here and get to work!
I am planning a multi-phase attack on the car, and phase 1 will be all about budget and bang for the buck. I want to correct as much as I can while spending as little as possible. For example, I need a new Export Brace. I can either go with a re-inforced stock brace that I can buy used for 20 dollars, or the 570 dollar TCP adjustable job. Obviously, the TCP option is a better option...But versus 20 dollars? Even if the used 1 piece shelby unit I'm about to buy only performs at 60% as well as the TCP unit, It will be hard to justify the purchase.
Hopefully Phase 2 will come later, and include all the things I've always wanted to do to the car, but can't justify when Budget is priority #1
SO, here is, as best I can do, my Phase 1 build plan:
Interior
- Recover the Mach1 Seats
- Fix the Mach1 Mounting system
- 3Point seatbelts
- White Face Gauges, using original stock gauges
- Replace broken ampmeter
- Voltmeter set in a gauge cup, mounted on the steering column with the tach (ghetto rally pack)
- Blue LED Dash Light kit from MustangProject
- Repair Horn Button
- Replace driver's side cowl Top Hat
Body
- Install SideScoops(I already have these)
- Install Shelby front apron(Already Have these)
- Front Parking Lights
- Reverse Lights
- Neutral Safety Switch
- Correct Headlights with Halogen upgrade
- Hook up Fog Lights(already on the car, need to be wired)
Engine
Sticking with what I currently have, but just getting two upgrade parts:- AirGap Intake Manifold
- Demon Carb
- Front Disc Brakes from CSRP
- Rear Disc Brakes (Buying a used kit)
- New set of Wheels and Tires, preferring late model GT or Bullit Rims
- 1" Front Sway Bar
- 620lb 1" drop coils
- 4 1/2 leaf Reverse Eye Rear Leaf Springs
- 1 Piece Export Brace
- Mote Carlo Bar
- V8 Steering Upgrade
- New Steering Box
- Mini Sub-Frame Kit
- Koni Shocks
- Roller Perches if budget allows, otherwise Poly Perches
- Sub Frame Connectors
- Underride Traction Bars
- MAYBE some Torque Boxes
- Mildyne or Prothane Bushings everywhere I can stuff them
Paint
uhh, we'll cross this bridge when we come to it. For now, though, I'm thinking of either a deep sparkly blue,OR going completely Murdered OUT SON!
