1972 Mach 1 Restoration, Where to start?

[72MichiganMach1]

Hey all! Pictured is what used to be my dads 1972 Mach 1 Mustang, which was parked , and has been sitting for 25+ years. I really have always dreamed about bringing it back to life and onto the roads again, I think now is the time to official start making that a reality! I dont plan on doing a full restoration, in the sense that I don't want to make everything absolutely pristine and gorgeous, but time will tell what direction I truly end up going with this I suppose. I'm making this thread mainly to ask for some advice on where to start on this project. I have a fair bit of knowledge working with carborated engines, but most of that is with small bikes rather than cars. I know and understand that a lot of work is going to have to go into this car, and I just need to be put into the right direction. I know I should start out with the simple stuff like fluids, a battery, and checking for fuel and spark. Any information would be greatly appreciated, as I could desperately use it. It has a 351 Cleveland under the hood for those who are wondering.

 

[OzCoupe72]

Great that you have taken the decision to get her back up and running.

As you say check all the simple stuff. Does it turn over easily? Bores could be rusted so maybe spray a bit of WD40 down the spark plug holes to help loosen it up a little. If it was running well before it was parked up so long ago then you shouldn't need to make any adjustments such as timing or carby.

Be sure to check the wiring before you hook up a fresh battery, don't want to start a fire, check fuel lines for cracks and replace also.

If it was me I would just go over it, new spark plugs, points if fitted some fresh fuel and give it shot, fire it up and blow out the cob webs.

One thing you could have problems with though is the carby after sitting for so long can gum up a bit so wouldn't hurt to put a kit through it including float valve.

If you're lucky enough to get it going easily and have given it a decent run you can assess the mechanical condition of the trans/diff/brakes/suspension etc and work out what needs to be done to your needs.

Things that can deteriorate over time such as belts, hoses and old wiring need to be replaced or tidied up

Of course you will want to make sure she hasn't any structural rust

You might even be able to get the paint job looking good with cutting compound although reckon you will need a big tub of it for the passenger fender!

In the end though it will be what you want out of it and also your budget/skill level

A word of warning - once you get started and peel the layers back you will become addicted and contract the dreaded "while I'm at it" disease turning a small project into a major restoration. More satisfying when you can do most or all of the work yourself.

Perhaps once you get it going post back on the condition of the rest of the vehicle particularly rust issues. Looks pretty decent in the photos but underneath will tell.

 

[TommyK]

If your immediate goal is simply to get it running start by removing the spark plugs and determining if the engine will rotate by hand with a breaker bar on the balancer bolt. Use OZCoupe72's suggestion to put some lubricant down the cylinders first. If it does rotate I would pull the valve covers and see if all the valves are moving when the engine is rotated and that there are no obvious signs of valvetrain problems. If that all checks out good I would put a battery in it, disconnect the fuel line from the tank at the fuel pump and see if it will rotate with the starter and check for compression. If that goes well I would change the oil, clean the carb and see if I could start it on a gas can.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Welcome to the Forum first from North Carolina. 

Last year I did a similar task. I had let my Mach 1 sit for 37 years. Like the guys have said do not jump in there and throw a battery in the car and turn it over. If you have a stuck valve the piston will hit and you will break a valve one piece or not. 

Before I parked my car I did flood  the engine with mixture of oil and gas to lube all the valves and cylinders really good. Even though I did that I still removed the engine. I did not even try to turn it over. I pulled the oil pan, valve covers and spark plugs. I could see the bottoms of the cylinders were not rusty, no water in the oil pan. I pulled a rod cap and oil was still in the bearing even after 37 years so I felt good about the engine. I turned the crank by hand so I knew it was not rusty. So I did spray WD-40 in the cylinders and rotated the engine to check for any stuck valves and again all was great. So I brushed some oil onto the rockers and push rods and put covers back on and an new pan gasket and the pan back on. 

I have a thread on here of what I actually did. I removed the front suspension and replaced anything that had rubber or plastic parts for safety reasons. The car only had 12,000 miles on it. 

I removed the gas tank and just replaced it cheaper than cleaning the old one. I changed all the rubber fuel lines to ethanol resistant. I filled the metal fuel line with denatured alcohol to clean all the old varnish out. I would let sit over night then blow into a bottle with paper towels in it until it came out clean. 

Of course brakes were all rusty so I replaced rotors, calipers, wheel cylinders and brake shoes. I removed the master cylinder and rebuilt it and sent booster and had it rebuilt. 

I took the entire interior out and cleaned and replaced the heater core and cleaned the AC system. I took all the trim off the car and polished and put back. 

I did it all by myself except removing and replacing the 4 speed. It took me 10 weeks at 71 years old for reference. I have a bad disc in neck so some days I did nothing and others were 16 hours. 

This car sat in an open pole barn on dirt floor for 37 years so you can for sure get your Dad's going again. You might be lucky enough to find a used black fender for the passenger side. 

Never toss anything you take off and take pictures before and during tear down and bag and tag. Lots of items on these models are not available. 

Enjoy the clean up. JUST DO NOT TRY TO START THE ENGINE OR TURN IT WITHOUT CHECKING IT OUT.

 

[MustangNJ]

don't change the stance. the wheel size is great.

 

[cv_72mustang]

Hi, Great car. I let my car sit for +25 years also got it running last year. Did all the stuff mention above. One thing that this forum recommended was getting a set of service manuals. Think I got mine from NPD. I opted for the paperbound, 5 volumes in two books. About $80 bucks. I page through them at night and refresh my old brain since I had the car when I was a young guy.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

I just realized something on your Dad's car. I bet if you open the drivers door and look at the door sticker there will not be a paint code on it. In 1972 & 73 Ford eliminated Black paint from the option list. But the DSO could place a Special Paint and Trim order and get it painted black. The extra cost will show up on a Marti and window sticker. You should have a six digit DSO code. Note they put chrome front bumpers on Mach 1's with special paint in 1972 and also 71 but in 73 no chrome so they put Argent front bumper on. If you find your build sheet under carpet, seats, etc. It will show special instructions on bottom of the sheet to install the chrome bumper. Put up pic of the doors sticker if you can. Might not be original paint either.

 

[OMS]

I just realized something on your Dad's car. I bet if you open the drivers door and look at the door sticker there will not be a paint code on it. In 1972 & 73 Ford eliminated Black paint from the option list. But the DSO could place a Special Paint and Trim order and get it painted black. The extra cost will show up on a Marti and window sticker. You should have a six digit DSO code. Note they put chrome front bumpers on Mach 1's with special paint in 1972 and also 71 but in 73 no chrome so they put Argent front bumper on. If you find your build sheet under carpet, seats, etc. It will show special instructions on bottom of the sheet to install the chrome bumper. Put up pic of the doors sticker if you can. Might not be original paint either.

David, you said they installed chrome in 73. When you ordered special paint you got a chrome bumper

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

I just realized something on your Dad's car. I bet if you open the drivers door and look at the door sticker there will not be a paint code on it. In 1972 & 73 Ford eliminated Black paint from the option list. But the DSO could place a Special Paint and Trim order and get it painted black. The extra cost will show up on a Marti and window sticker. You should have a six digit DSO code. Note they put chrome front bumpers on Mach 1's with special paint in 1972 and also 71 but in 73 no chrome so they put Argent front bumper on. If you find your build sheet under carpet, seats, etc. It will show special instructions on bottom of the sheet to install the chrome bumper. Put up pic of the doors sticker if you can. Might not be original paint either.

David, you said they installed chrome in 73. When you ordered special paint you got a chrome bumper

No I said NO Chrome in 73 so they gave you an Argent front bumper. I have the build sheet for mine stating that on the bottom. I sent a copy to Marti and he said was first he had ever known of that. He never got the Special paint records. We have another member right now restoring a Black special Paint 73 he thought someone had painted the bumper argent, it had original paint.

 

[OMS]

I just realized something on your Dad's car. I bet if you open the drivers door and look at the door sticker there will not be a paint code on it. In 1972 & 73 Ford eliminated Black paint from the option list. But the DSO could place a Special Paint and Trim order and get it painted black. The extra cost will show up on a Marti and window sticker. You should have a six digit DSO code. Note they put chrome front bumpers on Mach 1's with special paint in 1972 and also 71 but in 73 no chrome so they put Argent front bumper on. If you find your build sheet under carpet, seats, etc. It will show special instructions on bottom of the sheet to install the chrome bumper. Put up pic of the doors sticker if you can. Might not be original paint either.

David, you said they installed chrome in 73. When you ordered special paint you got a chrome bumper

No I said NO Chrome in 73 so they gave you an Argent front bumper. I have the build sheet for mine stating that on the bottom. I sent a copy to Marti and he said was first he had ever known of that. He never got the Special paint records. We have another member right now restoring a Black special Paint 73 he thought someone had painted the bumper argent, it had original paint.

No you said CHROME... this is where we got off on the wrong foot...Ray and I doubted that Ford would put a Chrome bumper on a 73 as it would not be tested for the new crash rules and you got all bent out of shape

 

[midlife]

David, you said they installed chrome in 73. When you ordered special paint you got a chrome bumper

No I said NO Chrome in 73 so they gave you an Argent front bumper. I have the build sheet for mine stating that on the bottom. I sent a copy to Marti and he said was first he had ever known of that. He never got the Special paint records. We have another member right now restoring a Black special Paint 73 he thought someone had painted the bumper argent, it had original paint.

No you said CHROME... this is where we got off on the wrong foot...Ray and I doubted that Ford would put a Chrome bumper on a 73 as it would not be tested for the new crash rules and you got all bent out of shape

Don:

Re-read the original statement: chrome in 72, but argent urethane in 73.

As for where to start, start with opening up your wallet/checkbook.

 

[7173Vert]

David, you said they installed chrome in 73. When you ordered special paint you got a chrome bumper

No I said NO Chrome in 73 so they gave you an Argent front bumper. I have the build sheet for mine stating that on the bottom. I sent a copy to Marti and he said was first he had ever known of that. He never got the Special paint records. We have another member right now restoring a Black special Paint 73 he thought someone had painted the bumper argent, it had original paint.

No you said CHROME... this is where we got off on the wrong foot...Ray and I doubted that Ford would put a Chrome bumper on a 73 as it would not be tested for the new crash rules and you got all bent out of shape

Don, I read his response as being correct for ‘73 car’s. What am I missing here? Thx.

 

[OMS]

No I said NO Chrome in 73 so they gave you an Argent front bumper. I have the build sheet for mine stating that on the bottom. I sent a copy to Marti and he said was first he had ever known of that. He never got the Special paint records. We have another member right now restoring a Black special Paint 73 he thought someone had painted the bumper argent, it had original paint.

No you said CHROME... this is where we got off on the wrong foot...Ray and I doubted that Ford would put a Chrome bumper on a 73 as it would not be tested for the new crash rules and you got all bent out of shape

Don, I read his response as being correct for ‘73 car’s. What am I missing here? Thx.

Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs; Wrote  Did you Know? If you ordered a Mustang a not factory color, had to be a color they used on some other model Ford, that they did not put the rubber bumper on? This is because the bumpers were not painted with the car just like today. The bumpers come to the assembly plant already painted. The paint process and temps in the oven are entirely different. The reason I know this is that when I went to order my 73 Mach 1 I was looking though the information book that the dealer gets for every model, big note book binder. In there I saw the option of a non factory color so we went and looked and I picked a Lincoln color that was a really dark brown metallic. The cost for this was like $125.00 to cover the transport of the body to Fords custom shop for paint and then ship back for final assembly. I was at work and they had started the buck of my car and called to tell me they would have to install the chrome bumper because they could not match the color with the rubber bumper and they explained why. I did not think it would look right so I had to pick a new color on the phone and went with the medium brown metallic. Now I wish I had went with the chrome bumper and I would have the only Mustang that color.


I hope he sends the Marti on the car so I can see what the DSO code and color code shows. The color should be blank from what I am told.


This is how the Playboy Pink mustangs came to be. I guess they still do it today but have not checked.


David

OMS


David, I highly doubt Ford would have installed a non approved bumper on a 73. It would not meet the 1973 impact requirement.


I can't see them violating federal law to accommodate a special color.


This had to be some dealer BS to get out of it.


I have had 2 - 1973 convertible parts cars - both special order black. Both had the correct 73 bumper and I have the Emminger window sticker for one, it shows special paint was a 99.95 charge.

I feel like we are hijacking this thread but to address David's assumptions about the bumper -


I called my cousin who sold Fords new for 30+ years in Oklahoma City at one off the nation's largest dealers; Fred Jones Ford. He sold about every Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicle from about 1963 - 1998.


I explained the information as mentioned by David and then Don.


He said he had never heard anything like that. He did say when the bumpers changed some customers preferred the 71/72 bumpers better and asked if the new 73 car could be 'changed' to the earlier style bumpers - both chrome and urethane ones. He told me about the bumpers on the 73 were different but not only in looks. -of course I already knew but found it fun to listen - he is a retired salesman so now he really like to talk! He said Ford changed the bumpers on purpose to meet government mandates which were forcing all manufacturers who sold in US market to pass front bumper impact standards. He said some were worse than the Mustang, mentioning the LTD's bumpers looked like Armco barriers (guard rails) and really changed the look of the cars. He said customers did not like the look of them - at all.


He also said that in NO WAY a dealer would ever sell a car that had been modified changing something related to safety. Especially during that time since the subject was so heavily emphasized. The liability for the manufacturer and the dealer would be huge!!! He agreed the salesman gave that excuse to David because it took quite a bit longer to hassle with ANY special ordered car. Special order buyers were commonly seen as a PIA by dealerships. He said sales managers would try to discourage special orders and always preached to sell what was on the lot!!! They didn't even like dealer transfers. The only ones that didn't get hassled were fleet buyers - because they bought so many - the dealers would deal with the headaches of special orders for those select customers.

 


I cannot guarantee that David's information was told in error but it is highly unlikely that Ford and the dealer would both allow a new car to be sold and blatantly bypass safety requirements backed by Federal Law.

 


Ray

Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs


Boy has this caused an uproar. My dealer must have been different than yours they were happy to order anything you wanted. They never felt is was a problem. One of the salesmen at this dealership had awards for being in the top ten in the entire U.S.A. Bobby Childers is his name if anyone wants to verify.


I did place an order for a non standard color and I did receive a call from a Ford representative not the dealer and they did say they would put a chrome bumper on. I know this because it happened to me. I know all those in the know will not believe it. I changed the color because I did not want the chrome bumper. That did not change the special order at the dealer at all it still had the 27 options I had picked. Never heard of a dealer that would not order your car. This same dealer let me have their 20th. anniversary mustang at a price less than sticker and all other dealers were selling for over sticker. Due to the hard times in recent years the family sold the dealership. My daughter went to the dealership when she first got married and they were sitting there doing the paperwork for the new Mustang GT they were getting about 85 or 86. She told the salesman that she was expecting her first child. The salesman, Bobby Childers look at her and her husband and said you just got married and expecting a baby and you want to buy a new car? She said yes and he tore the sales contract up and told her she would have to go somewhere else that they needed to save their money. That was the kind of dealership I deal with.


When I did received the 73 Mach 1 I ordered I broke three yokes off the rear end from May until July the last one I told them that something had to be wrong. They had a Ford representative come in and put the car on a lift and as soon as he walked under the car he said that it had the wrong type 9" rear with too small a U joint. They changed the yoke and driveshaft and I never broke another. But I am sure someone here will say that was impossible. Ford put the wrong rear & driveshaft in the car because they didn't have what they needed the day it was on the line.


Sorry I do not agree with all of you that think that Ford built cars one way and one way only they did not. Even today we made substitutions for raw material for parts that went on cars recently, electro galvinized to hot dip galvanized. Deviations are made all the time in assembly and production plants you are not going to stop a line because of some little part or issue.


Most of the parts we sent to service were rejects that had to be hand worked off line. Racks of parts would set in rework waiting for service orders but when it came to the end of the model they would be shipped and would have production dates months behind others on the assembly line. Cars were and are made with mixed up production dates on the parts.


I have been at model changes at the Ford assembly plant watching the assembly. While in the paint area, with special permission and suit, I was watching the operation where the chip guard was sprayed on the bottom edge of the econoline van. The robot doing the spray stopped and had an issue so the vehicle did not get sprayed and went to the next station. When I said something to one of the guys standing around with his hands in his pockets he said I don't F*%$#@ care. So someone got a van without the chip seal applied. This was 30 years after the Mustang.


Many things were missed, changed left off or deviated on our mustangs they are cars not aircraft. There is no book or no person that knows every variation of car build and there never will be.


In the future I will only ask questions and not share from my experience of building the tooling and assembly equipment and producing the parts used to make perfect vehicles.


Everyone have a great day still raining here seem to never stop in this drought.


David




When a man is in the woods and talks and no women are there is he still wrong??

David

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

When I ordered my Mach 1 I did order the first time with a Lincoln color of paint. A while after the order was in I received a call from the salesman that did my order and he told me that Ford had called and that they could not match the color in the urethane bumper. He said, not me, "They say they will install a chrome bumper".  I thought that would look odd so I changed the color to a factory color. 

Years later just about 5 years ago I saw the Special Paint car on Ebay but they had not taken a pic of the door tag so nobody knew it was non factory color. I got the owner to pull the car out and take a pic. and it has the six digit DSO. So I bid on and got the 73 vert that is Black and then I went to Michigan and picked it up. I got it home and pulled the interior out and found a really bad copy of the build sheet. I had ordered the Elite Marti so I scanned the build sheet and sent to Marti. Marti got back to me and said he could not make out two of the Special items listed in the remarks section but he said one he for sure could read. It states, "Install Argent Front Bumper". Marti said this was a first for him and did not know that. 

I am sure that the salesman at the dealer miss quoted what Ford had told him that they were going to install an agent front bumper. He stated chrome and he is who I quoted. I have absolutely no reason to make up what I was told. 

That build sheet is somewhere on the forum I lost the scan in computer crash. 

Later on another black 73 Mustang vert came up for sale on ebay and it had never been painted. One of our members actually ended up buying it. I suspect what some of the other items were on my unreadable build sheet were the two rubber fillers on each side of the rear bumper. The second car had argent fillers in the pics along with the front bumper. I have posted those pics in the past also.

As those on here that paint know that if you paint the rubber parts you have to have a special additive in the paint to allow it to flex. Ford chose to have one paint color for bumpers and fillers in 73 to be argent and not worry about special mixes for so few number of cars. Seems like the 73 vert was one of 144 with my interior option. 

So my take on what Don is saying is that I told a lie about what I had experienced in 1973 when I ordered my car. I absolutely did not I quoted what was said to me by the dealer which was incorrectly stated. Ever since finding the build sheet I have always stated the Argent and not chrome bumper. 

Every time I see a black 72 or 73 mustang I get in touch with the owner. Most have been repaints. The car at the beginning of this thread might also be a repaint but the chrome bumper can be original to a Mach 1 if it has the 6 digit DSO code. I do hope it is one and he still has a build sheet to add into to the forum on those unique cars.

 

[OMS]

I never said you lied

But... when you originally posted this I disagreed and questioned it .... read my response I actually said the dealer was probably bs'ing you

No there was no way it was like is was gospel to you ... wow how could these two guys on the forum dare to doubt you ... Look at your response at the bottom , you were pissed, not going to post anymore.

YOU RESPONDED

I did place an order for a non standard color and I did receive a call from a Ford representative not the dealer and they did say they would put a chrome bumper on. I know this because it happened to me. I know all those in the know will not believe it.

Now you are saying the DEALER called you .....Ford representative not the dealer

I'm still finding new stuff on these cars today, you came on here  and well ...  never mind I've had enough

To the original poster ... sorry to hi jack your  post

 

[mach71351c]

Take lots of pictures and don't trow anything away till your past that part of the project.

 

[MustangNJ]

you think finding out facts about your cars is hard, I have a 73 Mexican Mach 1, assembled in Mexico City. only 300 reported to have been built. crazy as it sounds, I have all the *original* dealer paperwork from Mexico City, but that still creates mysteries like: the dealer invoice shows Air Conditioning, but there are no firewall holes for A/C....and thats just the beginning. Marti is no help because of the foreign VIN...