Restoration Order

[Taranis]

Hi Guys. It's been a while, after having another little girl, getting a new job, and moving, I'm finally going to try to start working on the stang.

After about 2 years off from working on it. I'm kinda' at a loss of where to continue.

Brief Recap:
I got a '69 Mach 1. No engine and no tranny. I gutted the mustang and welded new fender aprons onto it, installed a new floor pan, cleaned up the interior, installed new 9" rear end, 4-wheel disc brakes, front coil over, new rear springs, and a fuel cell. Oh yeah. I was forced to get new wheels because the rims that were on it wouldn't fit over my new rotors.

I would like to start getting some of the large purchases out of the way like the engine, tranny, and steering, but I'm not so sure that's the best course of action. Here's a list of things I know needs to be done or things I want to do.

1. Engine (Some 351W-based crate engine, haven't decided yet)
2. Tranny (AOD)
3. Interior (refurbish the existing dash and associated electronics)
4. Exterior (buy a hood, fit all the panels, lay down a coat of primer)
5. Chassis wiring (painless kit or similar)
6. Steering (R&P. old steering is dead)
7. run brake lines
8. probably some other things I'll remember I have to do as soon as I submit this post.

Does anyone have a good path forward for me? I would appreciate any help.

 

[jlangholzj]

1. Why not BUILD one?? if you've got a torque wretch, molly lube, anti sieze and a shop...you can do it! plus...its a heluva lot more fun

although I don't know what you time/space restraints are.

351
performer or air gap intake
670 cfm street demon
some heads ~180 cc intake runners
mild cam 270-280* duration ~.5" lift
then ~high 9's for piston comrpession

the list would make a nice lil 351 with mid 400's you can go a little more mild than that, just a bump up from stock, and still be happy

2. yes. 28 oz. imbalance flexplate, and any AOD (not the AODE) will be great. I'm putting one in myself!

6. go to a junk yard. I've seen guys put R&P out of a taurus into their stangs. Get some dimensions and do some searching.

8. Radiator. If you don't have a motor, I'm guessing you don't have a radiator either. we're going to purchase an aluminum summit brand radiator with the electric fan kit for the 350. looks like a slick setup. might want to look into that.

good luck!

 

[jikelly]

If money is no issue then get you some aluminum heads to go on that engine and maybe go with a 302 stroker motor. It will be lighter than the 351w. Search the forum I think there was a good discussion about the strokers a while back.

1. Wiring harness (I used a 21 circuit EZ harness, more work for you to fit it to your car, but way cheaper)
2. Steering column (look into a rack and pinion conversion)
3. Brake lines
4. Exterior
5. Engine
6. Tranny (I went with a 5 speed)
7. Interior (I say this last, but you could certainly move this up to before the exterior)

This one guy suggested using SN95 Spindles on his stang and I thought it was a cool idea. It might be the way for me to get rack and pinion steering on my 73 mustang. (my year has a crossmember in the way of where the rack would mount if I retained my orriginal spindles.) http://forums.stangnet.com/767645-front-suspension-idea.html

 

[Taranis]

I would like to try and build an engine, but also like the convenience of getting a crate engine. I'm planning on EFI for it.

So, the engine and transmission should be some of the last things I put into the Mustang?
Thanks.

 

[jikelly]

I would like to try and build an engine, but also like the convenience of getting a crate engine. I'm planning on EFI for it.

So, the engine and transmission should be some of the last things I put into the Mustang?
Thanks.

It will be easier to do some things (brake lines and engine bay detailing) before the engine and tranny are in place.

I did a poor boy restoration on my mustang. It had to run since it was the only car I had So I did things out of order, usually during the summer. I've got lots of pictures that I need to put up online of the various projects.

I actually waited till the end to do my exterior. My order would have been...

1. Engine
2. Tranny
3. Interior
4. Wiring harness
5. Exterior
6. Engine (new cheap crate motor from City Motor Supply)

Engine shows up twice because I decided to ditch my 40 thousand mile 351w block in favor of a new 351w roller block. It took me a couple years to do the exterior and my car just sat in the garage. Luckily my wife let me ride to work with her.

 

[Taranis]

This will be a weekend warrior car, so luckily I don't have to ride with my wife to work!

My main concern would be something like the steering and the engine: Say I get a new R&P this year and start working on the Exterior. Then I get an engine and find out that the two don't mate well.

Or I get an engine and tranny, then its going to be another several years before I can even get it running because no steering, or dash, or ancillary engine components.

My budget isn't so much a fixed $$ amount, it'm more of a $/time period budget. Basically, I'm "allowed" to spend my OT on the Stang. I have to make the OT first.....

 

[SadbutTrue]

Hi Guys. It's been a while, after having another little girl, getting a new job, and moving, I'm finally going to try to start working on the stang.

After about 2 years off from working on it. I'm kinda' at a loss of where to continue.

Brief Recap:
I got a '69 Mach 1. No engine and no tranny. I gutted the mustang and welded new fender aprons onto it, installed a new floor pan, cleaned up the interior, installed new 9" rear end, 4-wheel disc brakes, front coil over, new rear springs, and a fuel cell. Oh yeah. I was forced to get new wheels because the rims that were on it wouldn't fit over my new rotors.

I would like to start getting some of the large purchases out of the way like the engine, tranny, and steering, but I'm not so sure that's the best course of action. Here's a list of things I know needs to be done or things I want to do.

1. Engine (Some 351W-based crate engine, haven't decided yet)
2. Tranny (AOD)
3. Interior (refurbish the existing dash and associated electronics)
4. Exterior (buy a hood, fit all the panels, lay down a coat of primer)
5. Chassis wiring (painless kit or similar)
6. Steering (R&P. old steering is dead)
7. run brake lines
8. probably some other things I'll remember I have to do as soon as I submit this post.

Does anyone have a good path forward for me? I would appreciate any help.

Get the boring/PITA stuff out of the way first. IE deal with any rust, get your body in good shape, etc. No one enjoys doing this stuff, and its where projects get hung up when you're talking about semi-serious car guys.

Things like transmission, rearend, brakes and obviously motor are more gratifying and will feel better if you know as soon as youre done with em' you get to drive the thing

So, for me:
Step 1: Restore body (rust, dents, sand, take fenders/body panels off replacing whats needed as you go, check cowling)
Step 2: Wiring and electrical (definitely easier when its apart)
Step 3: Brake lines/steering stuff/etc
Step 4: Paint
Step 5: Interior
Step 6: Goodies
Step 7: Start it up
Step 8: Drive it like you stole it
Step 9: ???
Step 10: Profit

 

[Taranis]

I thought step 3 was profit?