Finally Got Started

[first mustang]

Where do I start? Finally got around to bringing this heap out to tinker with it after buying this yard find around 8 months ago. This car has not been on the road since 1988. Not sure how many miles, could have a billion or not that many. I'm certainly a newbie when it comes to Mustangs as I've said in other posts I've owned a pile of cars but never a Fox Body. Got this really cheap, did not even know if the engine or tranny was any good. Thankfully they both are!!! But a lot of everything else wasn't much good. Put new gas tank, fuel lines, carb rebuild, all wiring, tires, brakes, radiator, water pump, thermostat, bearings and soon a rear end kit and exhaust. It's rough but doable as it really isn't rotted out as it could be. I guess my goal is to get it all mechanically really good first, then do entire interior and then body last. I might, (I say might) just leave it as an original paint car, Replace all light lenses cracked, (Has new windshield already) and just shine up the rest of the trim, body molding, paint the best I can. I'm on the fence on that idea. Any way this is the first pictures I've actually taken. I'm gonna post another thread of I'm baffled about when I started tearing this car down. Anyone's input would be greatly appreciate. I know there are Mustang (trying to be polite) nuts out there, as with anybody who thinks their brand of car is the best. So this is my car. Probably over my head.

 

[Ponyprez]

It's easy to get over your head in any car but to me the key thing is "do you Love It". Any classic car can become a money pit but the returns in your love of that can help you justify the cost's. what you want it to be can also help you decide on what direction to go. Can you do most of the work is a big question and I have known teenagers with little skills buy a service manual and get it done. In the photo's it looks like it has a lot of sun damage but except for the damage on the passenger side , it looks fairly straight. Does it have rust in the floors or elsewhere as that is costly to repair? Fortunately there are a lot of restoration parts available and the technology in these vehicles are not beyond the scope of newbies and the electronics usually don't require a degree in computer science. Just make a list of needs and want's and go from there. Personelly I find the original paint to far gone and would want to redo it but that's a choice you need to make. My 7up car is costing more than I planned, will be less than perfect but after installing the new upholstery and having a pro install a new top, I am not so disappointed. By the time I get it to my liking I will be all in about what it's value will be but it is bringing back youthful memories and how can you put a price on happy memories. I just wish my body would let me do more of the mechanicals.

 

[broncojunkie]

Cool project. Looks similar to the one I'm currently working on. It's always a bigger job than you think, but the end result is worth it.

A couple suggestions. 1) Do interior last. It will probably get covered in dust, overspray, grinding slag, etc along the way. 2) Don't forget this is going to have a flat tappet cam! Use appropriate oil. Some say heavy duty diesel oil will have the zinc or zddp or whatever, but others say that's not true. Some say the additive works fine, others say no. My suggestion is stick to the hot rod oil or whatever that stuff is. Pennzoil makes it, I think? You can get it locally, but they may have to order it. Summit sells it too, I think. Or take your chances with the additive. My next door neighbor has been running that for many years in a classic Chevelle.

"Lucas Hot Rod & Classic" oil. Sorry. Just had to look it up.

 

[first mustang]

It's easy to get over your head in any car but to me the key thing is "do you Love It". Any classic car can become a money pit but the returns in your love of that can help you justify the cost's. what you want it to be can also help you decide on what direction to go. Can you do most of the work is a big question and I have known teenagers with little skills buy a service manual and get it done. In the photo's it looks like it has a lot of sun damage but except for the damage on the passenger side , it looks fairly straight. Does it have rust in the floors or elsewhere as that is costly to repair? Fortunately there are a lot of restoration parts available and the technology in these vehicles are not beyond the scope of newbies and the electronics usually don't require a degree in computer science. Just make a list of needs and want's and go from there. Personelly I find the original paint to far gone and would want to redo it but that's a choice you need to make. My 7up car is costing more than I planned, will be less than perfect but after installing the new upholstery and having a pro install a new top, I am not so disappointed. By the time I get it to my liking I will be all in about what it's value will be but it is bringing back youthful memories and how can you put a price on happy memories. I just wish my body would let me do more of the mechanicals.

Thanks for your message. Well I say I'm a newbie but only to a Ford Mustang. Yeah, I can do a lot myself basic mechanics, valve cover gaskets, fuel pump, even brakes and bearings, but not engine rebuild stuff like that. Body work, I can make a dent pin straight as blocking with a guide coat is pretty easy. For rust, rear floor pans, 2 tiny spots on the fenders where the body molding curled and water got in, spare tire compartment a couple of spots and roof though is shot. Roof as thin as a tin can, sorry not nearly the quality of a Oldsmobile, so there are holes around the sunroof but not in the channel of the sunroof itself. But overall pretty solid. Dent on door isn't as bad as it looks as it can be pulled out pretty easy. Shuts nice though. What is weird for sure, when I took out the hatch driver rear rear hatch panel there is a rear window washer bottle that was set up for a rear window wiper, though the car don't have one. I'm thinking factory put a bottle in and realized it didn't have one.

 

[broncojunkie]

I'm pretty sure there's a code, maybe on the buck tag (usually attached to radiator support) that indicates it has a rear wiper.

Here's a link to a Pace car registry. Your car may already be on here. If not, you can have it added.

1979 Ford Mustang Indianapolis 500 Pace Car Registry

 

[Ponyprez]

Thanks for your message. Well I say I'm a newbie but only to a Ford Mustang. Yeah, I can do a lot myself basic mechanics, valve cover gaskets, fuel pump, even brakes and bearings, but not engine rebuild stuff like that. Body work, I can make a dent pin straight as blocking with a guide coat is pretty easy. For rust, rear floor pans, 2 tiny spots on the fenders where the body molding curled and water got in, spare tire compartment a couple of spots and roof though is shot. Roof as thin as a tin can, sorry not nearly the quality of a Oldsmobile, so there are holes around the sunroof but not in the channel of the sunroof itself. But overall pretty solid. Dent on door isn't as bad as it looks as it can be pulled out pretty easy. Shuts nice though. What is weird for sure, when I took out the hatch driver rear rear hatch panel there is a rear window washer bottle that was set up for a rear window wiper, though the car don't have one. I'm thinking factory put a bottle in and realized it didn't have one.

Sounds like you know what you're in for so it's not like you're going in blind. I had friends where I used to live, and they could weld so little patches shouldn't be a game changer if you or a friend can weld thin metal. I found your wiper fluid bottle fascinating as I have never seen one in a Mustang but I did see one on a Mustang based Capri so it must be pretty rare. Ford has done interesting things in the past and it is entirely possible someone misread the build sheet. I found on my 90 that it has the wiring for the radiator recovery tank low level warning but no special cap for the recovery tank. Good luck with your project and update us as you go. I had in distant past, a 1966 Cutlass Convertible and it was my pseudo-Mustang, I got that when I couldn't afford a 65 vert but the Cutlass had similar but not proportionate lines.