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Restofied - My '66 Coupe Project

Re: Restofied - My '66 Coupe Project (Another Attempt!)

WOW! Hadn't seen that movie in a loooong time. Not I had wanted to again!
 
Re: Restofied - My '66 Coupe Project (Another Attempt!)

"Ponyman66" said:
Thanks guys. The foliage was actually from where I parked it after buying it. It sat for about 8 months before I even touched it! There were some title issues that I needed to get straightened out (again, THANKS-B).

No worries man. Glad I could help. Oh I figured on how to get the one rate box to tape shut! :stu I would give your some more crap but I figure my 65 Hipo moutns would show up in one of those one rate boxes looking like a jig saw puzzle when you send em back. :confu
 
Re: Restofied - My '66 Coupe Project (Another Attempt!)

"5f09CNot4Sale" said:
No worries man. Glad I could help. Oh I figured on how to get the one rate box to tape shut! :stu I would give your some more crap but I figure my 65 Hipo moutns would show up in one of those one rate boxes looking like a jig saw puzzle when you send em back. :confu

A jigsaw puzzle with a piece or two left out!!! :roll
 
Re: Restofied - My '66 Coupe Project (Another Attempt!)

"Ponyman66" said:
It sat for about 8 months before I even touched it!
What kind of a guy is restoring a fastback they have had for 20+ years only to go and buy a coupe to fix up, only to not touch it (the coupe) for months and months? :sarc



I guess I should have used :stu
 
Re: Restofied - My '66 Coupe Project (Another Attempt!)

"5f09CNot4Sale" said:
What kind of a guy is restoring a fastback they have had for 20+ years only to go and buy a coupe to fix up, only to not touch it (the coupe) for months and months? :sarc



I guess I should have used :stu

That easy to get out of....errrr, answer. I posted that the WIFE bought it! Just don't tell her I blamed it on her! :roll
 
Re: Restofied - My '66 Coupe Project (Another Attempt!)

That is cool, just Don't tell my wife about my coupe. I am enacting the bro code :rulz
 
Restofied - My '66 Coupe Project (Another Attempt!)

Supposedly I have a classic Mustang restoration business that I started out of my garage until I get a loan for a shop and Fred is my first clients car. LoL
 
Re: Restofied - My '66 Coupe Project (Another Attempt!)

Here's some updates:

The battery apron is in, just waiting to weld the front to the radiator support (which is still waiting to be finished...don't ask, don't get me started, grrrr...):
Dscn1142.jpg


These are posted in the P&B forum, but here's the left side frame rail after replacing the bumper bracket nuts inside:

Dscn1138.jpg Dscn1141.jpg



Last, but not least, I've started the fitting of the left side floor pans. The toe pan is fitting really nice! Hopefully I'll have the left side completed over the next few days.

Dscn1143.jpg

I'll be so happy to FINALLY get the sheetmetal work done. I still have a few other major repairs, but the end is finally in sight! :yah
 
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Restofied - My '66 Coupe Project (Another Attempt!)

AMAZING. Nice work, and I really need to learn your method of getting so much done soo quickly.

How did it go with the toe board? I need to replace my LS toe board. I already have it but its been too cold according to my sissy standards.
 
Restofied - My '66 Coupe Project (Another Attempt!)

(You probably have already done this, but in case you didn't.)

I almost forgot to cut that welded in metal shield from the old apron and weld it on to the new one. Just thought I would bring it up.

4c66d5e7-29f6-9e23.jpg
 
Re: Restofied - My '66 Coupe Project (Another Attempt!)

Actually, I haven't transferred the mounting brace over yet. You'll notice the battery apron also has no primer on it. Both are due to further mods coming for the (ex) battery apron. The battery is being moved to the left side of the engine compt. and an air box is being installed in it's place. I need to fit the donor panel in with the air box mounts so I want to ensure what I have to modify for the fender brace.

Regarding the driver's toe board, I just rough trimmed everything and then set it in place. There's some final trimming to do before it sets down properly. The joy of it was getting it so close already with little fitting. The right side was a TOTAL pain! When I put it in place for welding I'll use the same method as the other side. That is to get the frame rail flanges marked out on the bottom of the panel. Then pull it back out and drill all my holes for plug welding. That way I know they'll fall properly on the frame rail flanges. When I set it in I then take 6 to 8 small self tapping/self drilling sheetmetal screws and screw the thing in place. The screws hold the panel snug against the frame rail for nice flat fit on them. On the sides I just use pressure from a screwdriver at each one and panel clamps on the inner buttweld at the trans tunnel joint.

I wish I got stuff done quick! Any flash rust you see on the panels is due to them setting in my garage awaiting installation. The right pans took me over a month to complete. Whenever I'd have time off work, I'd have crappy weather! It is starting to pick up though now that good weather is here (he says as lightning and rain just started while typing this!).

BTW Abe, thanks for all the nice comments. I'm fortunate though that I had a father that did paint and body work. I learned a lot from him while growing up. Since he's now passed away a good friend that I've known most of my life is my tech guy. He's been doing it since shortly after getting out of high school. I've also had a lot of practice from doing the metal work on my fastback. I'm STILL learning though too!!
 
Re: Restofied - My '66 Coupe Project (Another Attempt!)

"Ponyman66" said:
It is starting to pick up though now that good weather is here (he says as lightning and rain just started while typing this!).

Really it is raining there? Humm did someone not tell you that was going to happen and you said No way it is not supposed to rain? :roll
 
Re: Restofied - My '66 Coupe Project (Another Attempt!)

:rant It was all YOUR fault!

The sun came out this morning though. It started out a little breezy and chilly, but nice and sunny. After getting my piece from the metal shop (finally!), when I got home I dove in. No pics because I worked until sunset. Gotta work tomorrow, but then I have 4 straight days off. I hope to get LOTS of work done then. Can't wait!!!! :thu


p.s. There'll be pics for sure!
 
Re: Restofied - My '66 Coupe Project (Another Attempt!)

Well, I had the last four days off and the weather was reasonably cooperative. That meant a TON of work got done! As an added bonus, the weatherman was entirely accurate for today, which turned out to be in my favor! They said we'd have thunderstorms all day so I had planned on doing some engine cleanup in the garage. When I woke up it was cloudy and had rained a little. While screwing around inside I noticed sunlight through the windows. I took a chance and started dragging tools outside, but held off on the welder. The skies turned nasty looking again for a short time, but no rain. The skies opened back up to wonderful sunshine and I was working on the body again! I only got a half day today, but it was better than NO day!

Here's the latest progress-

Yesterday I got the driver's toe board almost completely fitted and ready to weld in. That was done today!

DSCN1152.JPG


I also got the left floor pan under the rear seat fitted yesterday and ready to weld. Again, got that done today too!
DSCN1155.JPG


The previous day I got the old stuff cut out and all cleaned up to prep for the install. I also got the radiator support welded in and both strut rod support braces welded in. Other than modifying some stuff in the engine compartment for the 5.0 install, the engine compartment welding is now done. I've got to weld the little side support "L" on the toeboard, as well as splice back in the section around the bottom of the steering column. I'll need to pull the column for that though. I figured it would be easier to reinstall the old piece then to form the flange out of the new one. I used the opening as the starting point to allow access for the body saw to trim out the top of the toeboard. I then cut the section out of the old toeboard and saved it. I also have to weld back in the bracket for the rear seat bottom. Had I been blessed with a full day today I feel i could have gotten the main floorpan in too. I'm happy with what I did get done though! Once I dress the welds I'll start on the main pan. Hopefully the weather will be nice again on my next days off.

BTW, no pics of the radiator support install today. I didn't want to pull the tarp off the whole car to allow access to shoot pics. I was afraid if I had pulled it, the rains would start and I'd be scrambling! I'll get some at the end of the week when I start back on the car. I see primer in the very near future!!
:yah
 
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Re: Restofied - My '66 Coupe Project (Another Attempt!)

As always, amazing progress John. I have to say, I derive much motivation from you, thank you.

2326055130070710241S600x600Q85.jpg


Question for ya, I noticed that the seat platform does not have the channel as shown in the following photograph.

M131RH.jpg


What is the fix for this little issue, I noticed my full one piece floor pan does not have the channel either.
 
Re: Restofied - My '66 Coupe Project (Another Attempt!)

I believe that channel is 65 specific, designed to let the parking brake cables clear.
 
Re: Restofied - My '66 Coupe Project (Another Attempt!)

Randy is indeed correct, '65 specific. With that said I have a confession to make. Errrr, did you notice all the really clean and shiny metal on my pan where you would normally see that channel on a '65 style? Well, when I got the pans in I found they were '65 style, not the '66 ones I needed. Yeah, the channel was in mine! Call me hard headed, but I said SCREW IT, I'll MAKE them into '66 style! It took me about two hours for the left one, but I sectioned in the end of the rib (which wasn't there due to the channel), cut and dollied out the rest of the channel (where you now see the "flat area"), and then cut and dollied out the small rectangular depression that was at the top of the pan. Everything got welded up and dressed before I started fitting it in the car. The same process was also done to the right side pan I had previously installed. The second one went quicker due to learning exactly where to cut/modify on the first one.

I greatly appreciate all the compliments. While I only posted a fraction of the "before" pics, there's several Stangfixer's that saw the whole gallery on my laptop while attending MBB several years ago...Randy being one of them! There's been a pretty huge change in the car already. Once the main floor pan is in the remaining BIG job is the cowl. While I look forward to tackling it, I DON'T look forward to drilling out all those darn spot welds! Been there, done that once already on my fastback....UGGGGGHHH! It all starts with the first cut though! Hopefully this coming weekend will result in even MORE significant progress. Supposedly the weather will be good here. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Motivation has been part of my biggest downfall. I'd love to have back all the weekends I wasted sitting on my butt in front of the TV instead of working on the car. Now that I'm making some decent progress I just don't want to burn out. I could probably get more done on a given day, but I frequently pause, sit down in front of the car, smoke a smoke and just "contemplate" my next move. Honestly, I probably waste about 1 1/2 hours total throughout the day doing that. But hey, it's not my job, it's my hobby! I also think we all motivate each other. Hell, I look at Ryan's progress and that motivates the CRAP outta me!

One last thing for you Abe; I saw in another post your comments about media blasting Fred. Trust me when I say that patience to get what you want can be REALLY frustrating. It also starts to lead into compromising. Lay out your overall game plan and stick to it! It totally sucks now, but better now than down the road having to say "gee, I wish I woulda done what I had originally planned!". Over the past several years I can't began to tell you how many times I started getting thoughts of deviating into an "easier" plan. Thankfully I've stuck with my original outlines! When I get the next batch of progress pics shot and posted, I'll shoot my BIG stumbling block....my power rack and pinion kit. It took me over two years to FINALLY have the funds set aside for it. That came in week before last...and it was like Christmas all over for me! :yah Talk about having to be patient for what I really wanted (and originally planned on) !!!

Enough of my rambling. Thanks again everyone for the kind words!
 
Re: Restofied - My '66 Coupe Project (Another Attempt!)

Small update today, huge milestone! WE'VE GOT FLOORS!!!!! :yah

This was one of the two biggest projects to tackle with the car, the other being the cowl (next in line!). I couldn't do any work on Thursday due to crappy weather and rain all day long. I hit it hard yesterday and today though. At quitting time last night the main floor pan was tacked in and ready to be welded. The welding was completed today! I also finished installing some of the various brackets and braces too. I only had one flap disc left (and it was on it's last legs), so I saved it for cleaning up a few areas for welding. I still have to clean the welds up. I'll (hopefully!), be able to pick some more disks up tomorrow on the way home from work. Last night I sat down and typed a list up of all the remaining sheet metal work that needs to be completed. Other than the cowl, everything is pretty small stuff. Here's the pics of the new drivers side pans and toe board:

Before:
DSCN0947.JPG

After:
DSCN1163.JPG

I can't tell everyone how thrilled I am to no longer have holes where floors are supposed to be!
 
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Re: Restofied - My '66 Coupe Project (Another Attempt!)

That looks super!
 
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