Hi all.
I am getting a 1976 Mustang II Ghia this Saturday. I have been involved in vintage mustangs for many years, but am a newbie to the II's (except for having owned one back in 1982 for a few months. So I apologize in advance if any of these are too basic or just plain stupid.
The car I am getting is a project. No engine or trans. Lots of rust, but just how much I won't know for a while. I couldn't really get under it. But the fender aprons are pretty bad.
Which leads to question number one. What if any sheet metal is being reproduced and where can I find it? You can almost build a brand new vintage mustang these days, even before the Dynacorn bodies came out, just from replacement panels. I am thinking from the searching I have been doing that with the II's that isn't the case.
Second question. I was doing some internet reading the other night and one sort of history type sight mentioned that the front subframe on these is bolted on, as opposed to being welded on like the older Mustangs. True or false? Not having the car yet I can't just go out and look.
Third question. This car originally had a V6. Again doing some searching I have found that some people say that means the rear is an 8 inch, and other places say maybe not. I did try to look and see (and even feel) and it sure felt like the typical 8 inch housing, not with a bolted on rear cover plate like the 6 and 3/4 like is on my Pinto.
Fourth question(re the fender aprons/inner fenders). On the older Mustangs these are pretty critical structures especiall since the shock towers attach. Now I know that the II's don't have shock towers, but does that mean that they aren't as critical? In other words, how worried do I need to be when repairing or replacing them? If all they really do is hold the fenders and such, I wouldn't stress over making sure they are perfect(would most likely want to replace them anyway, but being in Ohio the odds of finding anything better locally aren't good).
Fifth and Sixth questions. Subframes. I also read that these don't really have a rear subframe like the older cars. True or false? Again, another one that if I had the car here I could run out and look. Also along those lines how about subframe connectors? On the older Mustangs they are pretty important if you want to run decent horsepower plus they just add a lot of structural integrity. I have seen "Stubby's" (or something like that). Are they worth it on these cars? I am not sure if I would use those or make some of my own. I have lots of ideas from my vintage Mustang years that I would like to carry over.
I am sure that I will have many more questions later on. Right now my goals are just to get the car here in my garage and start disassembling it. Just how much rust it is going to have is a concern. But I have no real deadlines on this, it is meant to be something to work on when I feel like it and to be a destresser in my life. So there is no rush.
Thanks all
Russ
I am getting a 1976 Mustang II Ghia this Saturday. I have been involved in vintage mustangs for many years, but am a newbie to the II's (except for having owned one back in 1982 for a few months. So I apologize in advance if any of these are too basic or just plain stupid.
The car I am getting is a project. No engine or trans. Lots of rust, but just how much I won't know for a while. I couldn't really get under it. But the fender aprons are pretty bad.
Which leads to question number one. What if any sheet metal is being reproduced and where can I find it? You can almost build a brand new vintage mustang these days, even before the Dynacorn bodies came out, just from replacement panels. I am thinking from the searching I have been doing that with the II's that isn't the case.
Second question. I was doing some internet reading the other night and one sort of history type sight mentioned that the front subframe on these is bolted on, as opposed to being welded on like the older Mustangs. True or false? Not having the car yet I can't just go out and look.
Third question. This car originally had a V6. Again doing some searching I have found that some people say that means the rear is an 8 inch, and other places say maybe not. I did try to look and see (and even feel) and it sure felt like the typical 8 inch housing, not with a bolted on rear cover plate like the 6 and 3/4 like is on my Pinto.
Fourth question(re the fender aprons/inner fenders). On the older Mustangs these are pretty critical structures especiall since the shock towers attach. Now I know that the II's don't have shock towers, but does that mean that they aren't as critical? In other words, how worried do I need to be when repairing or replacing them? If all they really do is hold the fenders and such, I wouldn't stress over making sure they are perfect(would most likely want to replace them anyway, but being in Ohio the odds of finding anything better locally aren't good).
Fifth and Sixth questions. Subframes. I also read that these don't really have a rear subframe like the older cars. True or false? Again, another one that if I had the car here I could run out and look. Also along those lines how about subframe connectors? On the older Mustangs they are pretty important if you want to run decent horsepower plus they just add a lot of structural integrity. I have seen "Stubby's" (or something like that). Are they worth it on these cars? I am not sure if I would use those or make some of my own. I have lots of ideas from my vintage Mustang years that I would like to carry over.
I am sure that I will have many more questions later on. Right now my goals are just to get the car here in my garage and start disassembling it. Just how much rust it is going to have is a concern. But I have no real deadlines on this, it is meant to be something to work on when I feel like it and to be a destresser in my life. So there is no rush.
Thanks all
Russ