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Kats Project

Kats66Pny

Active Member
Ok here are some pics. :)

Hood - As you can see it's not sitting right and there's a gap I can shove my hand down.
http://i904.photobucket.com/albums/ac247/Kats66Pny/1966%20Mustang%20-%20Before/IMG_3879.jpg

Drivers side headlight thing is messed up and maybe need replaced?
http://i904.photobucket.com/albums/ac247/Kats66Pny/1966%20Mustang%20-%20Before/IMG_3863.jpg

What use to be where the battery was! I have to figure out how to fix that.
http://i904.photobucket.com/albums/ac247/Kats66Pny/1966%20Mustang%20-%20Before/IMG_3882.jpg

Since that is rusted all out, the battery is in the trunk. It's probably going to stay there too because I really don't want to mess around trying to move it back under the hood.
http://i904.photobucket.com/albums/ac247/Kats66Pny/1966%20Mustang%20-%20Before/IMG_3894.jpg

The shifter was replaced with a B&M slapshift and moved back some so now there is this hole where the original auomatic shifter was.
Those switches in the center are for electronic fuel pump, interior dash lights, ignition something. All I know is you have to flip the two outter ones on in order to even start the car.
http://i904.photobucket.com/albums/ac247/Kats66Pny/1966%20Mustang%20-%20Before/IMG_3866.jpg

But before you can even flip the switches to start the car, you have to turn on the battery with the switch on the trunk! Seriously.. :wtf
http://i904.photobucket.com/albums/ac247/Kats66Pny/1966%20Mustang%20-%20Before/IMG_3898.jpg


I won't post all 30 pics in one post but the rest can be found here:
http://s904.photobucket.com/albums/ac247/Kats66Pny/1966%20Mustang%20-%20Before/


Any and all tips on getting this stuff looking good is more than welcome! :)
 
Looks like a nice project.

Be sure to ask any questions you need to. Plenty of knowledge here.
 
First thing is to get the springs replaced and sway bar added. Ordered a kit off mustang plus. That should be here Tuesday or Wednesday. Then off to a shop because neither hubby or me have the know how to get it done, or the proper tools. Not to mention theres some lines from the trans. cooler under the car that need to be lifted up and possibly rerouted. They hang like 5 inches from the ground.

After that, well.. I have no idea where I need to start. I guess it wouldn't kill me to just take apart the whole front and check the cowl vents. I read that mustangs are notorious for rusted out cowls and the driver and passenger side do seem to collect water.
 
For the hood gap, you can play with the hinges. And for the headlight bucket, you can take that off. There are just 4 screws. Check if the headlight assembly is in good shape. Looks like the car played on the drag strip.
 
Thanks for the tips. I just want to start taking it apart and get going on things, but got to wait until the springs get replaced.

As for the drag strip, the guy was working on it specifically for racing, but don't think he ever got it out there. He did a lot of stuff to the mustang.. even went in and set it up for nitrous (has the plate & solenoids). But I'll be using it as a daily driver once I'm done with it. No drag strip for me... although tempting. :naug
 
He must have been planning on some "real" drag racing since he installed the kill switch. Although, with the battery NOT in a box, they would have turned him away. You could replace that wet battery with a dry cell (Optima type) and that would get rid of any fumes that may come off the current battery.

Looks like you have a lot of little items to work on.
 
so tell us a little about your plans... you said it will be a driver. Going for the "restomod" look or something else? What made you buy this one? It looks solid but will need a lot of little things.
 
Yeah, I'll be going with the restomod look. Don't ask me yet though about specifics. I still have no idea what I want. Feel free to toss idea's out there though! I do know for a fact those seats are going. I am dead seat on the original look for seats. Oh and keeping the original radio. No clue if it works or not, but I like the idea of having it there. Rims are going too. I forgot what year the rims are, but they are from an older Mustang GT.

Keeping the engine or not is still undecided. Transmission was rebuilt not long ago and everything runs great. I see no reason to replace anything under the hood right away, but I was thinking of maybe going back to original 289 some day. I don't remember if I posted it or not but this is what I was told about the car "has a 1990 Mustang GT 302 roller motor in it, steel crank, GT40 Heads, Air Gap intake, Holley Carb, Headers, Mallory Ignition, Aluminum Radiator, Setup with serpentine belt, flowmaster dual exhaust, new gas tank, new Brakes, master cylinder, lines and hoses."

As for why I got this car... well it's a red mustang and I look damn good driving it! :pbj Seriously, because I wanted a project but not too big of one. Since I have no clue really what I'm doing (yeah thats the girly girl in me lol), I didn't want to take on too big of task. I want to make it mine. I want to do as much work on it myself that I can so when it's all done I can smile with pride, and hopefully learned a few things along the way. Hell, I'm only 32.. never too late to learn how to restore cars and appreciate the classic mustangs.
 
Welcome to 'da Fix!

Have you dove in deep enough to find out how much rust is prevalant? Take up the carpet & check the floors, toe boards, etc.

How about the body? Any bubbles forming in the quarter panels, wheel wells etc?

I think your worst enemy may be the work done by the P.O. though. Buy some assembly manuals - especially the electrical ones. They are great help.
 
Well there's no carpet at all in the car so easy enough to see the floors. The floors look ok. Some surface rust and dirty as hell, but no holes.
IMG_3874.jpg

IMG_3873.jpg


As for the rest of the car.. there are some rust holes around the front wheels, and few spots where paint is bubbled up some along the body, mostly around the windows all over.
cuda4310169.jpg


oh and inside the trunk there are holes.
IMG_3895.jpg


I'd like to sand the car down to bare metal to see the whole body and do some rust prevention/treatment if needed. Since I can't do any welding, I guess I'm going to have to go the body filler route for treatment?
 
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No, don't cheap out and do filler over the rust. That's not a fix - but a temporary bandage. Sorry to say.
 
Pour a gallon or so of water into each side of the cowl and see where it comes out at. Anything inside the car and you got a job....possible but a task to deal with for sure.
 
"AzPete" said:
Pour a gallon or so of water into each side of the cowl and see where it comes out at. Anything inside the car and you got a job....possible but a task to deal with for sure.
yeah, until you know the cowl doesn't leak or it's fixed, don't bother with the floors!

It's a sweet project (red coupe!), I like the motor, if it runs good I'd keep it. The 289 and 302 are basically the same externally so unless you just want a 289 for conversation sake that roller motor is a better engine for a couple reasons. Hardened valve seats for unleaded fuel and the roller cam for today's low zinc motor oil. Plus it's got a lot more torque and HP. Besides, you could always just tell people it's a 289, most people wouldn't know the difference!
As for the wheels, those were available on 68 and later Mustang and Torino GT's and will bring some $$ on ebay.
As for ideas, the possibilities are endless. Here are a couple I really like
DSC00901b.jpg

DSC_0114-1.jpg

Picture004-1.jpg
 
I have a deep suspicion the cowls leak. I washed the car down to remove dirt and dried on bug guts so I could check out the body better. Since the windshield is cracked I paid attention not to get water on it for fear it would leak inside. But after I washed the font of the car, there was a water puddle on the drivers side, about a couple inches deep. The passenger side didn't have as much water as the drivers side, but was still there. My husband also noticed that oil, grease, or something dark colored was leaking on his brand new white shoes when he was driving it home the day we got it. Not sure what that was, but haven't noticed it other than the time it was driven home and we've driven around town several times since we got it. It seems to have come from the base of the steering wheel.

Engine wise - I'll take your word on it. LOL All I know is that I had a few guys tell me I don't really need the 302, that it's 'too much car' for me. :eek:mg I like it though. Sounds hot. LOL

Thanks for the info on the wheels! As soon as I get new ones, those are definitely going for sale. They look ok, but not really the look I want.
 
I'd venture to guess its oil. The gauges are probably mechanical and the fitting is loose.
IMG_3866.jpg
 
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"Kats66Pny" said:
I had a few guys tell me I don't really need the 302, that it's 'too much car' for me. :eek:mg I like it though. Sounds hot. LOL
non-sense! That's why God gave us a right foot! seriously, it is a better engine. If you feel it's too much, it can be tamed down but I suspect you can handle it!
 
Those type guys need to ride in some 6 cyl. Mustangs I have been around. Power is not based only on engine cubes.....
 
Sounds more like the "guys" have serious women issues and are intimidated by you!
 
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