71 Mach 1 - Novice Restoration

[GAK the Anorak]

Howdy, I recently acquired a 1971 Mustang Mach 1, it was originally a M-Code 4 speed car but the original engine blew up and has been replaced with a correct period 351c 2v. This car was originally owned for about 20 years by my aunt's father in law but due to old age, family, life, etc. it has now become a shattered dream for him. It was once a running and driving mustang but the FIN was an autobody expert by trade and wanted to restore what would be his dream car unfortunately he wasn't able to get around to that in time. As it sits now it is completely disassembled with 95% of the parts still intact and useable, including enough sheet metal to create a new car, which would normally not be needed but it suffers from pretty rough Minnesota Rust. My goal is to restore this car into something drivable and in the best condition I physically and mentally can achieve, looking for local car show quality but not good enough to be scared to drive it. Although I should preface this with my knowledge and know how in this field is minimal, I am 19 and nearly all of my automotive knowledge came from my dad and working on my own 1977 trans am. My weakness within this project is going to be my lack of experience, but with enough time and research I can accomplish a lot. The final vision for this car is faithful to how it came from the factory with some minor changes, grabber blue exterior, black interior, cragar s/s wheels (might trade for mags), mild engine hop ups, and maybe some other quality of life changes, I am starting with bare metal so I have plenty of time to plan and change things.

As for my current project, I will be in the rust repair department for the next couple of months before I can start piecing it together. Since it is apart I figured I should do it right and remove all the rust and make it a solid car. Future projects include, block sand, block sand, block sand, paint, minimal interior redye, small engine rebuild, the whole shebang. Everything will be my own labor done at home with some help from my dad and what ever knowledge the previous owner can lend to me.

That is about it for the initial post, looking for any input, information, and comments you guys have to offer through out this restoration. Thanks.

some pics...

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I'm nearly 50 and in the same boat! Just acquired a '71 Mach 1 and am beginning the restoration process. Like you, I know little about engines--but I WILL learn and get this thing back to running and show condition. I would love to stay connected with you as we learn. Mine is in a bit better condition but has been sitting in a mouse infested garage since 1995.

 

[Zach]

I'm nearly 50 and in the same boat! Just acquired a '71 Mach 1 and am beginning the restoration process. Like you, I know little about engines--but I WILL learn and get this thing back to running and show condition. I would love to stay connected with you as we learn. Mine is in a bit better condition but has been sitting in a mouse infested garage since 1995.

Good thing about mine being completely disassembled is it doesn’t hurt to take away or do anything to it. If mine was similar to yours condition it would suck to have to rip it apart, especially for rats, they can get anywhere. Trade offs, good luck with your build.

 

[Zach]

Howdy, been making steady progress, interior is completely solid now, finishing up engine bay, after that its just the tail light panel before I can start painting everything besides the exterior. Although I have changed my approach a little bit, I am thinking about saving the exterior rust/bodywork for next winter and focus on making the car mechanically sound and solid so I can get it on the road sooner since I wont have much time during the summer. I am just wondering how hard metal replacement is when the car is already fully assembled. There really isn't any critical rust, its mostly just all on the lower side, quarters, fenders, etc, etc, common rustbelt rust. My main concern is the quarters panels, I have a half patch that I am planning on fully using and I am curious how to deal with the quarter to rocker spot welds. Thanks.

 

[midlife]

Definitely easier to do body work when the car is fully disassembled. Why? Hidden rust, welding splatter is bad for interior and glass parts, and grinding dust will make the car a mess. It's also easier to paint the car without interior and engine.

 

[72MustangSprint]

I’ve got Trans Am and Mustang sportsroof (fastback) so I know what you are going through. I’m finishing a restoration of a 1980 Trans Am Indy 500 Pacecar and working on a 1972 Mustang Sprint sportsroof.

 

[tpj71mach]

I’ve got Trans Am and Mustang sportsroof (fastback) so I know what you are going through. I’m finishing a restoration of a 1980 Trans Am Indy 500 Pacecar and working on a 1972 Mustang Sprint sportsroof.

I had two of those Indy pace cars back in the late eighties, they were awesome. One of my buddies bought one of mine and still owns it today. I loved the grey upper body on the white car with the hood bird separating the colors. I even liked the white turbo wheels on them although TBH most people that saw my cars didn't. I also had a 79 T/A 10th anniversary that had the same paint scheme only gray upper body on a silver car and the turbo wheels were polished. That was a 400 4speed car a bit faster than the 80's were bone stock. It had the "lost in space" space man suit interior, ugly as sin on it's own but somehow worked with the car, lol.

 

[72MustangSprint]

I had two of those Indy pace cars back in the late eighties, they were awesome. One of my buddies bought one of mine and still owns it today. I loved the grey upper body on the white car with the hood bird separating the colors. I even liked the white turbo wheels on them although TBH most people that saw my cars didn't. I also had a 79 T/A 10th anniversary that had the same paint scheme only gray upper body on a silver car. That was a 400 4speed car a bit faster than the 80's were bone stock. It had the "lost in space" space suit interior, ugly as sin on it's own but somehow worked with the car, lol.

The T/A is what mine will look like next week. It’s in body shop jail.

 

[tpj71mach]

Howdy, been making steady progress, interior is completely solid now, finishing up engine bay, after that its just the tail light panel before I can start painting everything besides the exterior. Although I have changed my approach a little bit, I am thinking about saving the exterior rust/bodywork for next winter and focus on making the car mechanically sound and solid so I can get it on the road sooner since I wont have much time during the summer. I am just wondering how hard metal replacement is when the car is already fully assembled. There really isn't any critical rust, its mostly just all on the lower side, quarters, fenders, etc, etc, common rustbelt rust. My main concern is the quarters panels, I have a half patch that I am planning on fully using and I am curious how to deal with the quarter to rocker spot welds. Thanks.

As midlife said it is always easier to do body work and paint with the car disassembled. That is how I have always done it, I strip my cars down to empty shells and body work and paint them disassembled. It makes it easier as you don't need to mask anything off, usually. However, on my Mach 1 restoration I have changed that up substantially, mostly out of necessity. I actually did sheet metal first, and then suspension, brakes, drivetrain, and even dash and electrical before body work and now soon paint. I just have to mask off the interior and under carriage when I spray the body instead of just painting an empty shell not a big deal to me.
I like your idea of focusing on making it safe and sound to drive and getting it out there and enjoying it next summer. I say, drive the tires off it and enjoy it and then next winter you can work on some more sheet metal and body work. Replacing sheet metal on fully assembled cars is not that much harder, body shops do it every day. You should not let the few extra steps you will need to take on an assembled car make the decision for you. We have all done sheet metal and body work on complete cars, it just takes a little more fore thought to make sure trim and glass is protected. You might need to remove some parts that you may have recently installed to access what you plan to repair but at least you know how it comes off and goes back on already, lol. Bottom line, enjoy your car and the journey of fixing it up and doing it in stages and enjoying it in between sounds like a good way to do that.

 

[tpj71mach]

The T/A is what mine will look like next week. It’s in body shop jail.

That's awesome, brings back memories. Looks just like the ones I had, gotta love that turbo 301 Pontiac engine, lol. If I remember right it was rated at like 210 HP. In 1980 that was pretty good, the Mustang GTs with the 5.0 didn't come back until 1982 and then they were only 2 barrels at first and were only like 160 HP. They brought back the 4 barrel in 83 or 84 and the HP climbed a bit and then switched to fuel injection a few years later. Of course they were also a lot lighter than 70-81 GM F-bodies.

 

[72MustangSprint]

That's awesome, brings back memories. Looks just like the ones I had, gotta love that turbo 301 Pontiac engine, lol. If I remember right it was rated at like 210 HP. In 1980 that was pretty good, the Mustang GTs with the 5.0 didn't come back until 1982 and then they were only 2 barrels at first and were only like 160 HP. They brought back the 4 barrel in 83 or 84 and the HP climbed a bit and then switched to fuel injection a few years later. Of course they were also a lot lighter that 70-81 GM f-bodies.

Stock 301 was 210 bhp, the turbo 301 like the one in my car was the highest HP in 1980 at a neck snapping 240 BHP.

 

[Zach]

Appreciate the responses, guess it comes down to how long the winter lasts here. I’ve done so much cutting and welding that I know where all the rust is already so I know the remaining rust is going to be cosmetic. Would be nice to not have to rush through bodywork and paint in order to get it on the road. I need to rebuild the 4 speed in the T/A before the summer aswell, can’t have a mustang that’s running better than our pontiacs. Although it’s a smog 77, a w72 400 4 speed posi is still fun, 180 some hp but like 370 torque, just enough. The 77 t/a, 71 Mach 1, and the 68 firebird are most likely never gonna leave the fleet.

 

[Cleveland Crush]

Zach, concerning your above comment:
"can’t have a mustang that’s running better than our pontiacs"

Our forum by-laws CLEARLY STATE on page 842; paragraph 497: "All 1971, 1972 and 1973 Mustangs shall take precedence in the repair, restoration, financial expenditures and physical efforts over any and all other makes, models and years of car.

Just wanted to point this out to you before one of our forum administrators viewed your by-law violation.

 

[Zach]

Spent some time getting one of the braces on today, just want to check and see if you guys agree the fit is right, I had nothing to base it off of besides some pictures. I just plug welded where ever I could, I grinded down all of it since I am unsure what is visible inside the engine bay. I also hung a fender and well pretty much none of the places it bolts to are correct so that'll be fun, It is a replacement from another car so lets just hope that is the reason.

 

[tpj71mach]

It looks like you have it positioned pretty close to me, but if the fender doesn't line up it is probably isn't lined up. If the fender is correct, the mounting holes should all line up. The panel looks like it has been reconstructed, was there a repair done to that panel while it was off the car? It may have been repaired incorrectly and have the incorrect dimensions or the fender mounting hole is too far forward. It looks like it is about right. Do all of the other fender mounting bolts line up except the rear one on the panel you welded in? Sorry, I don't have any close ups but here are a couple pics of my car and it is all original sheet metal there. Hopefully they are helpful.

 

[Zach]

It looks like you have it positioned pretty close to me, but if the fender doesn't line up it is probably isn't lined up. If the fender is correct, the mounting holes should all line up. The panel looks like it has been reconstructed, was there a repair done to that panel while it was off the car? It may have been repaired incorrectly and have the incorrect dimensions or the fender mounting hole is too far forward. It looks like it is about right. Do all of the other fender mounting bolts line up except the rear one on the panel you welded in? Sorry, I don't have any close ups but here are a couple pics of my car and it is all original sheet metal there. Hopefully they are helpful.

None of the other holes along the aprons are factory which may be the case, previous owner redid the entire engine bay and only drilled some of the holes out so there is a chance those are misaligned. The lip of the fender aligns perfectly with the aprons although all the mounting holes barely line up, if at all. The cowl to apron brace seems to be repaired but I believe it is only a patch so the shape should still be original. Think I am gonna try and hang the doors and align with the quarters before I try the fenders again, if they align I will just adjust the bolt holes. Thanks for all the help, definitely a challenge when you weren't the one that disassembled it.

 

[Zach]

Got the second brace in, this one went a lot more smooth. I test fitted the fender and this side fits significantly better, It must just be because the other is a replacement fender from another car. Bolt holes still don't line up but I can just redrill.

 

[Zach]

My next project is to replace the tail light panel as well as the bumper braces, seems straight forward although do I need to brace the trunk or no? All metal is currently still attached and its sitting on the wheels, only thing that'll be removed is the tail light panel. Seen some people do it and others not, wondering if it matters. Thanks.

 

[tpj71mach]

I didn't brace it, I just took measurements and rechecked them all with the new tail panel in. Mine did not shift at all, everything lined up fine. You can see a lot of pictures of the steps I took in my build thread if you want to see how I replaced my taillight panel. I posted a lot of pictures at different stages of the replacement on that thread. I also replaced the trunk floor at the same time and did not have any issue.

 

[Mister 4x4]

Greetings Zach! Nice work so far!

Yours is hardly a rust bucket (not minimizing what you've got, but there's always one that's worse). My avatar was the Craigslist pic that spoke to me - even as bad as it was, I had to have it. Everybody told me I'd never get it done, or it was too much work, or I'd give up on it at some point... which just emboldened me and I fed off the negativity - those were their excuses for not taking on such a project. Just because they weren't confident enough with themselves, doesn't make it my problem. All the fine folk here at 7173 Mustangs were my greatest resources for information, inspiration, and encouragement. You came to the right place!

I cheated on my front clip and just cut one off a '72 coupe from a local junk yard, had it sand blasted, cleaned it up, repaired a few minor things, coated it with Rust Bullet Black Shell (epoxy primer) and welded it on.













After all that, moved on to the floor pans, trunk, cowl, quarter panels, and got the drive train sorted out. I used reproduction sheet metal for just about everything, and I'm very happy how it came out (driver quality that still manages to pull awards at local car shows). Is he perfect? Nope. But, I can honestly say that I [re]built this car from the ground up, touched every square inch, nut and bolt, and did everything myself except for the 'blasting and paint (mostly because I didn't have those facilities at my disposal - just the Auto Hobby Shop on base, and later when it closed, my garage/driveway.




I was a novice myself, and as I mentioned, just getting in there and going for it paid off with the cool car I have now. Keep at it and have fun... when it feels like it's becoming a burden (and it will at times), put down the tools and take the Trans Am for fun run (awesome car, BTW). It'll come back together... just takes time, effort, money, and patience.

You got this! Can't wait to see it all come back together!

 

[Zach]

Took me a couple hours to get the tail light panel off. Imagined it being a lot easier since I thought it was just riveted in. Didn't realize it was also spot welded as well as brazed on the corners. Now I need to figure out the rusted bumper brackets, really regretting cutting up my trunk floor now.