’71 Mach 1 Resto Project

[beejman]

Here here..... I Agree!!

 

[Vern Cook]

So a group of guys going gar gars over a wheel well don't have a problem right?

 

[tpj71mach]

So a group of guys going gar gars over a wheel well don't have a problem right?

No, That's totally normal, isn't it?

 

[Vern Cook]

We are the luckiest guys on the planet.
It all comes from knowing the effort and affection that goes into our cars and appreciating the results.
One of the best wheel wells I've seen. shmick

 

[beejman]

Were ALL crazy about these old gals...... Love and look forward to the updates, info, and random stuff EVERY day! Just checked the forum TODAY (cuz I thought my steering wheel was upside down and I was right!) All good now and thanks to ALL for being so sharing and helpful
Cheers and carry on!!!

 

[Bill Perkins]

Such a Sharp Ride

 

[torbsim]

What an incredible transformation. Wonderful!!!

 

[tpj71mach]

What an incredible transformation. Wonderful!!!

Thank you! What a long strange trip it's been, haha.

This was my first Ford full resto, and it was a learning experience, I built a lot of cars back in my teens and twenties, usually engine swap on one, paint job on another, sometimes both mechanical and body on one the same car. I never performed a full frame off restoration back then, I never had the budget or space to do it. As an adult, I have only done full frame off restorations on Chevy's. After taking a multiple decade break from restoring cars, raising four sons, building my business and paying bills, I have to admit I was spoiled by building these Camaro's and Chevelle's. By the time I reentered the hobby, everything, for those cars, was being made reproduction, often by multiple manufacturers so you can compare price and quality. I am confident that you could build a 69 Camaro completely out of a catalog, they make fricking everything for that car, haha. With our cars though, I learned if someone makes it they are probably the only one that does make it, so whatever the quality, it is the only one out there. I also had to figure out who the best supply houses for Mustang parts were, and who weren't so great (not wanting to name the not so great but their initials are CJPP, haha).

I found that I needed to remember how to do it like we did back in the day. I have to admit, I found it strangely more satisfying though. Hunting that needed part down gives a sense of accomplishment that ordering it from a supply house simply doesn't give you. Networking was the key back then, going to car shows and swap meets trying to meet the guy with the honey hole full of parts. Thankfully, in addition to all of our old school tricks, which are still invaluable, we now have the luxury of the internet with Craigslist and eBay.

Hats off to Idaho Chris for referring me to this forum, it has been a life saver. There have been so many helpful people that helped this yahoo from Chicago with mostly GM experience to not screw up a Mustang too badly. I appreciate all of the support, advise, tips, and parts assistance that I received from the members here as I travelled down this road. Thank you again for all of the advise and guidance that all of the members here have given, I really appreciate all of it.

My car is still not completed, ( I have a new piece of cardboard taped to the wall with a bunch more to-do's listed on it) but it is a driver and I am trying to drive the tires off of it before winter. All of my friends have put their cars away for the winter already, I helped a friend winterize his Vette yesterday and to my knowledge that was the last one to get tucked away for hibernation. I want to keep driving mine until the beginning of December. We usually don't get snow around here until after that, but once the snow hits the ground, in Illinois that means rock salt on the streets and that is when the party will be over for this year.

God willing, we will all be here digging them out in the spring and firing them up and performing our civic duty, trying to keep the streets maintained by repairing areas of the asphalt with rubber patches, wherever we can.

 

[torbsim]

Thank you! What a long strange trip it's been, haha.

This was my first Ford full resto, and it was a learning experience, I built a lot of cars back in my teens and twenties, usually engine swap on one, paint job on another, sometimes both mechanical and body on one the same car. I never performed a full frame off restoration back then, I never had the budget or space to do it. As an adult, I have only done full frame off restorations on Chevy's. After taking a multiple decade break from restoring cars, raising four sons, building my business and paying bills, I have to admit I was spoiled by building these Camaro's and Chevelle's. By the time I reentered the hobby, everything, for those cars, was being made reproduction, often by multiple manufacturers so you can compare price and quality. I am confident that you could build a 69 Camaro completely out of a catalog, they make fricking everything for that car, haha. With our cars though, I learned if someone makes it they are probably the only one that does make it, so whatever the quality, it is the only one out there. I also had to figure out who the best supply houses for Mustang parts were, and who weren't so great (not wanting to name the not so great but their initials are CJPP, haha).

I found that I needed to remember how to do it like we did back in the day. I have to admit, I found it strangely more satisfying though. Hunting that needed part down gives a sense of accomplishment that ordering it from a supply house simply doesn't give you. Networking was the key back then, going to car shows and swap meets trying to meet the guy with the honey hole full of parts. Thankfully, in addition to all of our old school tricks, which are still invaluable, we now have the luxury of the internet with Craigslist and eBay.

Hats off to Idaho Chris for referring me to this forum, it has been a life saver. There have been so many helpful people that helped this yahoo from Chicago with mostly GM experience to not screw up a Mustang too badly. I appreciate all of the support, advise, tips, and parts assistance that I received from the members here as I travelled down this road. Thank you again for all of the advise and guidance that all of the members here have given, I really appreciate all of it.

My car is still not completed, ( I have a new piece of cardboard taped to the wall with a bunch more to-do's listed on it) but it is a driver and I am trying to drive the tires off of it before winter. All of my friends have put their cars away for the winter already, I helped a friend winterize his Vette yesterday and to my knowledge that was the last one to get tucked away for hibernation. I want to keep driving mine until the beginning of December. We usually don't get snow around here until after that, but once the snow hits the ground, in Illinois that means rock salt on the streets and that is when the party will be over for this year.

God willing, we will all be here digging them out in the spring and firing them up and performing our civic duty, trying to keep the streets maintained by repairing areas of the asphalt with rubber patches, wherever we can.

I know exactly what you mean, I'm also fully involved in the project: https://7173mustangs.com/threads/mustang-mach-1-1973-351c-v2-h-code.44836/.

 

[tpj71mach]

I know exactly what you mean, I'm also fully involved in the project: https://7173mustangs.com/threads/mustang-mach-1-1973-351c-v2-h-code.44836/.

I have been watching your thread and commenting as you go. Your car is looking great and you are really making a lot of progress!

 

[torbsim]

Yes, of course. Sorry, sometimes I get confused with the names.

 

[tpj71mach]

Yes, of course. Sorry, sometimes I get confused with the names.

No problem, I just wanted to let you know I was watching your build and am impressed by all you are doing and the quality of the workmanship.

 

[torbsim]

No problem, I just wanted to let you know I was watching your build and am impressed by all you are doing and the quality of the workmanship.

Thank you so much! Appreciate it

 

[tpj71mach]

Early on Monday morning, I drove up to Saginaw Mi. (about 4 1/2 hours from me) to pick up some door panels from new member EstateNancy. They replied to my classified ad looking for door panels because they are running an estate sale and have a bunch of 71-73 Mustang parts. My understanding is the actual sale is coming up soon, and that the family is keeping the cars but wanted to liquidate the collection of parts. I bought the two sets of deluxe door panels that they had and got a few other things that I needed to complete the build from them. Overall a long ride but well worth it. I bought a real nice set of a-pillar interior moldings in black. They were a gamble because I honestly could not tell if they were for a coupe or a fastback. I bought them because they were in such nice shape, luckily they are for a fastback and will fit my car, so no money wasted.

 

[tpj71mach]

I disassembled and thoroughly cleaned all of the components of the door panels. After that I reinstalled the nicest inserts, moldings and handle on the nicest panels and those will be the door panels I am installing in my car. The other two panels I will assemble with the remaining parts and might see if someone needs them maybe for a driver. They cleaned up pretty well so far, we will see how good they look when I am done with them, and if anyone wants them. The first set of panels that are for my Mustang came out pretty nicely, not at all perfect, but way better than the ones that came with the car, haha.

I ordered new ferrules for the lock knobs and retaining clips from NPD, so I plan to install the door panels on the car this weekend.



Of course, way better is pretty easy to achieve when the baseline is set as low as the condition of the original panels set it, LOL.

I had never seen a door panel so rough before these, the passenger side actually was split down the middle top to bottom.

The saddest part is the front was the "good side" the backing material had all but disintegrated on the original panels.

 

[Moderator73]

Wow...what you've accomplished is amazing. I so enjoy following your accomplishments and use it for inspiration. Mine will never come close to your quality, but I am enjoying trying (where I can). Those restored door panels look better than new.

 

[torbsim]

Wow, they look like new. Fits perfectly! Unfortunately, there aren't that many of us in Germany driving cars like that, so no chance, and I had to have reproductions installed. The material is different from the originals, which is a real shame.

 

[Sheriff41]

Those cleaned up nicely! Should make your interior a much more welcoming place for you and your passengers.

 

[tpj71mach]

Wow, they look like new. Fits perfectly! Unfortunately, there aren't that many of us in Germany driving cars like that, so no chance, and I had to have reproductions installed. The material is different from the originals, which is a real shame.

Thanks, TBH they look better in the pics than in real life but they will do, at least for now.
As Sheriff stated, they will be much more welcoming for passengers than Wimbledon White steel is, but at least it is clean freshly painted steel, haha.



I originally planned on installing reproductions. Unfortunately, as it usually happens towards the end of my projects, Mama starts to complain about the spending, even though she really has no idea what I invest in these cars(probably best that she doesn't), she is aware it is substantial. I have to slow down on the parts buying briefly and let her ruffled feathers smooth down for a bit. This gives her some time to buy some crap she doesn't need for a bit and then I am back off the leash for a while, haha.
The reproduction panels alone are $974.00 for the better quality ones from NPD. I needed new inserts($300), handles($90 each), retaining clips($25), lock knob ferrules($10)speaker grilles($90), which was around $1600 plus tax. I knew my wife wasn't ready for that right now, so I wanted to find a decent set of used ones, at least temporarily. I am currently saving my pennies to order all of the seat covers and foams, so I can reupholster the seats over the winter yet, so new door panels was not a fight I wanted fight at this point, haha.

Hey Rick@NPD, can you help a poor kid from the southside of Chicago, just trying to make it in this cruel hard world, out with a coupon? LOL

 

[mjlan]

Nothing fits like OEM, and those look nice enough. Plus you won't be paranoid about damaging them.

Looking good!