68 Mustang On A Pallet

[horse sence]

I was brought this 68 coupe needing sheet metal .It was brought in on a flat bed trailer setting on pallets,took 4 of us to lift it off the trailer .
I will have to clean out a spot in my work area then level it up and start to work . It needs a full floor ,both rear quarters ,tail light panel and all the engine compartment sheet metal .I already have all the replacement Dynacorn metal so this weekend i will get it set up and ready to go

 

[horse sence]

Got it set up and leveled this morning .I used jack stands under the front and rear torque boxes and at the front of the front frame rails and end of the rear rails,it is verry solid.

I leveled it front to back and side to side ,i will be starting with the floor.

 

[horse sence]

I am going to start removing the old floor this morning . I have my tools ready ,and my new Dynacorn floor and seat boxes

 

[horse sence]

The first thing is to find all the spotwelds and center punch them for the spot weld cutter .it is fairly easy on this one because it has been sand blasted and primed and the spot welds show up easily .this is going to take a while ,there is a lot of spot welds

 

[horse sence]

Well ,got side tracked i managed to drill a few spot welds just so it felt like i got somthing done today

 

[68GT500KR]

Doesn't look in bad shape

 

[horse sence]

Well ,got side tracked i managed to drill a few spot welds just so it felt like i got somthing done today

A little worse than it looks ,but mostly in good shape

 

[horse sence]

Since it is just about impossible to get the floor out in one piece ,i cut it in quarters and remove it piece at a time ,it saves a few cut fingers ,just remember there is a fuel line and brake lines under there. If you are expecting it to just fall out after you drill the spot welds think again ,this one ,The guys at ford added a few overlaped spot welds and on top of that the tack welded it also .

 

[horse sence]

Because i have new seat boxes i just blew these off with an air hammer,they can be saved just by drilling the spot welds.
The spot welds are drilled in the driver side ,i am going to split the tunnel down the middle ...be careful not to cut through the tranny brace inside the tunnel.

 

[horse sence]

Driver side is out

 

[horse sence]

The floor is out ,i would have had it out sooner but my sister brought out some jalapeno corn bread so i had to stop,you have to try this ,it sounds odd but damn is it good .
Now i have to lightly grind the spot welds that were left ,sand blast the lip around the edges and primer it before the new floor goes back in.

 

[horse sence]

I got it ground down ,sand blasted and primred .tomorrow the floor should go in

 

[imp]

@horse sence

1968? The side-marker light holes seem to be missing, rear quarter. imp

 

[horse sence]

Two different types of side markers were used in 68 ,one was recessed and one simply mounted on the surface by two studs at the back of the light ,that is what this one had
It is actually just a reflector.

 

[horse sence]

No side vents

 

[horse sence]

My floor is set on benches waiting prep .I bought a new 3/16 hole punch ,wore out my old one . I punched holes around the edges for plug welds .

I need holes for the floor support and rear frame rail so i measured from the inside of the rockers and transfered it to the floor and drilled 1/4 inch holes for plug welds

 

[horse sence]

Floor is ready to go in

This is the entry point ,simple with two people ,but i am doing it Lone Ranger

After a few minutes and running from side to side ...we ,or I ,have touch down . Now for the welding part.

 

[horse sence]

I am starting on the driver side front and moving to the passenger front . My handy dandy home made tool holds the floor tight to the floor supports ,a small block of wood because my screws were to long help hold the floor tight to the trany tunnel brace . I used a few sheet metal screws to hold the floor in place for now ,they will come out as i weld the floor in.
Now it is ready to weld .

 

[horse sence]

I got ole pop and spatter pluged in and started welding .driver side is done and part of passenger is done and it just got to hot ,maybe i will have it finished later this evening

 

[horse sence]

It was still to hot for welding so i cut off the inner aprons ...ALWAYS TAKE MEASUREMENTS BEFORE YOU REMOVE ANY SHEET METAL! That was the first thing i did .

I trimmed away all 4 aprons but i still need to remove the front crossmember and trim the left overs at the firewall. I also have a couple patches at the top of the towers.