Hello

[72Mach168Cam]

Hello all! About to embark on a restoration journey on my wife's 72 Mach 1. We've owned the car for 12 years after rescuing it from the previous owners yard. Life stuff got in the way of the restoration along the way. But it has been stored in doors in our shop. The Mach 1 sat outdoors neglected for 10 years with a shot out (pellet gun) drivers door window. There was shag carpet on the floor for several of those years just soaking up moisture, year after year. By the time the previous owner tore out the carpeting, the floors had rusted. The tunnel, rear seat area, rockers and firewall are good to go. But needs full length pans both sides. It's a pretty solid body otherwise, with non-original front fenders, passenger door and hood. Previous owner replaced those body panels for reasons other than a major accident, so no underlying structural worries. 

It's originally a 302, manual trans, non-ac, 8 inch rear, tach/instrument gauges,  Mach 1. Currently has a 351W motor installed of unknown origin and condition. It had many missing parts when we brought it home. The gauges were not missing thankfully, hope they'll work. Some parts were purchased years ago; front buckets, door panels, tail lights. Disassembly of the interior was done by my wife, with everything bagged and tagged and many pictures taken before disassembly.

I've done a partial restoration on a 68 Camaro(yes I am one of those guys), but have never done a restoration of this magnitude. My wife is very mechanically inclined and isn't afraid to get dirty. She likes Mustangs and I've always been a Camaro guy. Although I've never been a Ford vs. Chevy confrontational car person. Good natured ribbing is all in fun. I've been a fan of fastback 71-73 Mustangs since my Air Force days 30 years ago (friend had a 71). My wife and I  went back and forth over the years on selling her Mustang or buyng something further along. Recently we've decided to jump in with both feet and see where this journey takes us; time and money permitting.

 

[Don C]

Welcome from Oregon.

 

[Kilgon]

Welcome aboard from Ohio. You are a lucky man to have such a talented wife. Just remember these cars are diamonds in the rough. With some perseverance, a lot of sweat equity and a few dollars you will reap the rewards of having one of the best looking cars ever built.

 

[73pony]

Welcome from Iowa.

 

[Bobby]

Welcome to the fold from Texas!

 

[mjseakan]

Welcome from Central New York.

Good luck with your project.

Mike

I'm just fixin' to get ready to start to get going.

 

[71 gbvert]

Welcome from Illinois!

 

[NOT A T5]

Welcome from Omaha!

 

[Fabrice]

Another 7173 in good hands!

Welcome from the northern Netherlands

 

[72Mach168Cam]

Thanks all!

We're calling the body shop today and getting on the waiting list (December). Being that there is a waiting list and we've seen pictures of his work(nice!), the shop must be competent. Yes, that is an assumption. I've asked my other-brother (x-BIL, long story) who is "in" the car community far deeper than us to ask around to check their bonafides.

We're a family of 5 with only 1 income. So the first stage is going to be get the floors replaced and radiator core support straightened or replaced.

The core support got bent when towing the car out of the dirt. The yard the Mach 1 was sitting in was full of dog crap. I mean f-u-l-l of dog crap. We couldn't tip toe through the yard to avoid stepping in dog crap, impossible. So, when the tow truck showed up and was ready for us, my other brother had to get on his hands and knees to wrap the chain around a cross member, he mistankenly put it around the core support. To this day he feels bad, even yesterday he offered to pay for the core support (straightened or replaced). I said no way. In the heat of the moment, incorrectly using his triple A free towing coverage insurance (not supposed to be used for derelict, abandoned cars), nervous tow truck driver (worried about getting in trouble for towing a not covered vehicle) and a yard full of dog crap. My other brother quickly wrapped the chain around the first solid looking structure he laid his eyes on, so he could stand up and get his hands and face away from the dog crap. Hence the bent core support. I did tip the tow truck driver, it's been 12 years, but I think 40 bucks. It was only just over a mile from our house.

I digress. The Mach 1 will then return to our shop, where we will do as much prep as we can for the next stage. We'll mock up/install complete drive train for fitment, then remove. Detail/paint engine compartment. Rebuild suspension. Then back to body shop for body work, paint. All this is as time and money permits. We are hoping for $12k body shop bill, but willing to go to 18k. A coworker just had a 72 Chevelle restored (not our shop) and spent 24k. He spent 5k in PPG paint alone (my guess paint from Germany, hopefully NSA doesn't talk to EPA, LOL). So we are aware of how deep our pockets need to be in 2019, if upon stripping old paint/bondo more body work is required.

The Mach 1 was a 4Q, dark green, with silver lower body paint. Urethane front bumper (reusable), no rear spoiler. And I'm just learning, so I'm guessing no stripe, but probably had just had Mach 1 decal.

This will be a fun journey and at times not so much. But I'm the type that loves numbers and statistics (guns and cars) so the research and learning about all things 71-73 Mustangs will be good brain food for my 50 year old mushy brain.

Cheers

 

[72Mach168Cam]

Here is a very close approximation of my wife's vision. She's not sure about adding a front/rear spoiler, hockey stripe, chrome front bumper (if her urethane bumper is ok probably not), or choice of wheels. But it is THE color her Mach 1 left the factory as...



4C IVY GLOW

 

[JimB73]

Welcome!

Sound like you have a good plan for moving it forward. Having your wife involved is a bonus for sure. Good luck!

 

[Hemikiller]

Welcome from another plain-jane 302 Mach1 owner.

 

[72Mach168Cam]

That is awesome Hemikiller!! I showed the pic to my wife and that is probably more the level of her vision. To put her Mach 1 back to how it came from the factory. I like the steel wheel, hubcap look. She's undecided.

It's been an exciting week, finally deciding to restore her Mustang. Every conversation on how she would like to see her Mach 1 when it is finally back on the road has ended up with her wanting to have it in the colors and options as it was built originally. Including finding another 302.

We met with the body shop today and formulated a plan. During our dinnertime conversation this evening it changed 3 or 4 times. The biggest single expense that we will face is going to be paint and bodywork. Originally it was floor replacement, replace radiator core support and paint engine "bay". Bring it home and do drivetrain and suspension. Then bodywork/paint.

We now think that step progression is in error. Because of some rust issues that may grow bigger and more expensive. As of this evening the plan is; bring to the body shop a rolling shell (in about 2 months). With fenders and hood removed. What we bring home will be a complete painted rolling shell. Drivetrain, suspension and interior will come later. Never having done a restoration this big we may be wrong and plans can change.

 

[goodnigh]

Welcome from northern California.

mike

 

[mach71351c]

Welcome From San Diego. Get the dirty nasty body work done first. No point of getting over spray and wet sanding sludge all over the restored suspension.

Take a look at some of the build threads on the forum to get some Ideas were to go with your project.

 

[72Mach168Cam]

Thanks Mike! I'm about 10 pages into your restoration thread. Impressive. Love the rotisserie! Our current thought process is for my wife's Mach 1 to arrive back home from the body shop as pictured in your post. Assembly we can handle. We are full of elbow grease, but unskilled in welding, bodywork and paint.

My wife picked up her keys today. A couple of days ago we dropped off a door lock and the trunk lock at a local locksmith shop. Her project car came without keys 12 years ago. So it was an epic occasion when I got home from work today for us and our kids to go out to the shop and try a key in the ignition. It worked! She didn't wait "until" I got home from work, she had arrived back home at the same time as myself. But she sure hightailed it out the back door for the shop as soon as she could. Me and the kids had to catch up.

A seemingly insignificant part or step to the overall restoration from an outside observational point of view. It was not I assure you all. It brought tears to my wife's eyes. She has keys to HER 1972 Ford Mustang Mach 1.

Being able to unlock the steering column will make it sooo much easier to move her Mach 1 out of the shop and onto a trailer when the time comes.

Thanks all

Brett

 

[Bru]

Hello and Welcome from 'The Peoples Republic of California'

Bru

 

[mach71351c]

Thanks Mike! I'm about 10 pages into your restoration thread. Impressive. Love the rotisserie! Our current thought process is for my wife's Mach 1 to arrive back home from the body shop as pictured in your post. Assembly we can handle. We are full of elbow grease, but unskilled in welding, bodywork and paint.

My wife picked up her keys today. A couple of days ago we dropped off a door lock and the trunk lock at a local locksmith shop. Her project car came without keys 12 years ago. So it was an epic occasion when I got home from work today for us and our kids to go out to the shop and try a key in the ignition. It worked! She didn't wait "until" I got home from work, she had arrived back home at the same time as myself. But she sure hightailed it out the back door for the shop as soon as she could. Me and the kids had to catch up.

A seemingly insignificant part or step to the overall restoration from an outside observational point of view. It was not I assure you all. It brought tears to my wife's eyes. She has keys to HER 1972 Ford Mustang Mach 1.

Being able to unlock the steering column will make it sooo much easier to move her Mach 1 out of the shop and onto a trailer when the time comes.

Thanks all

Brett

  Brett the project will be full of mile stones big and small. Any time you move forwarded is a good thing.