Mustang Build - Take Two!

[OMS]

Sorry this happened. Bummer, I have a trunk lid if you need it. I'll let it go cheap. I'm in NC I agree with Jeff it's a good time to do some upgrades. Make it better than it was.

I definitly want to spend more time block sanding it this time. I don't know what was going through my head last time??? Totally missing two partial panels. I know better!

Also going base coat/clear coat this time.

I tried to answer your PM's but the site keeps saying you have PM's locked out?

Don

 

[computercarguy]

I tried to answer your PM's but the site keeps saying you have PM's locked out?

Don

Sorry about that, Ithink I found and changed the setting.

 

[computercarguy]

Here are some pictures after a visit to the frame machine. This should help make panel changing a whole lot easier.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

That will be some of the best dollars you spend on your restore. So many do not get the platform right and then nothing fits right and the panels get the blame. Yes some are not so good but I have seen factory panels put on a twisted chassis that could not be made right. Shims do not always make something fit and nothing to shim in the rear.

Great start

 

[computercarguy]

Latest acquisition. Used Miller spot welder.

 

[luxstang]

Oh, s@&t's about to get serious!

 

[computercarguy]

Oh, s@&t's about to get serious!

Talking with the body shop that did the work for me on the frame machine, they use panel adhesive AND spot weld the quarter to the roof. So, that is what I am going to try doing. Best of both worlds. Hopefully the unit still packs a punch. I generally stay away from buying used electric devices but I didn't want to fork over the around $700 on a new one or go the Harbor Freight route which would have cost $170.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Oh, s@&t's about to get serious!

Talking with the body shop that did the work for me on the frame machine, they use panel adhesive AND spot weld the quarter to the roof. So, that is what I am going to try doing. Best of both worlds. Hopefully the unit still packs a punch. I generally stay away from buying used electric devices but I didn't want to fork over the around $700 on a new one or go the Harbor Freight route which would have cost $170.

I have one of those Miller welders. It is actually illegal to use them in N.C. for body repair has to be mig welded. I did weld all the front panels on my 20th. ann mustang with one and then the X wrecked it again. When on the frame machine pulling not a weld broke. You need to do many test welds. It is dependent on how long you hold the trigger. Not long enough and the weld is nothing, too long and you melt it away. I warn you those arms get very hot so be careful. As the copper heats up the resistance changes so let it cool a lot. Clean all the paint and rust off where welding and do samples to get your trigger time right. It should pull a nugget out of the two pieces actually leave a hole from the weld when you tear them apart. That is why they do not allow you to do for repair in body shop you do not have the control they had during production. Even then bad welds get out. I worked in a stamping plant that did automotive stampings and welded assemblies so I am familiar.

 

[computercarguy]

Thank you. Great information.

 

[computercarguy]

So thinking ahead. I like the BOSS paint scheme but instead of the BOSS 351 decals I was thinking of 351 FORD. Thoughts?

 

[Mister 4x4]

Maybe if you straighten out the "F" and make the "R" match the "B" more?  Like this:



To replace the "BOSS 351" decal on the trunk, maybe just put "MUSTANG" in the same open-style font as the BOSS letters.

Just a thought.

 

[computercarguy]

Maybe if you straighten out the "F" and make the "R" match the "B" more?  Like this:

To replace the "BOSS 351" decal on the trunk, maybe just put "MUSTANG" in the same open-style font as the BOSS letters.

Just a thought.

I was thinking the same thing for the truck.. MUSTANG or 351 MUSTANG. Especially if I use a flip gas cap.

There seems to be some optical illusion going on with the letters. The F, R and D are all made from the B. If I have this done I would see what the printer could do to clean it up.

 

[Mister 4x4]

Do you have "351 RAM AIR" decals on the hood?  If so, you might want to remove the '351' a la Boss 351 style (just has 'RAM AIR' - that way it won't be '351' overkill.

I saw what you did with the letters, and if that's what you like, then go for it - it's a very custom look, after all.  I was just thinking that most of the 'normal' font treatments wind up looking how I made the letters (I have something like 15,000 different fonts in my machine at home, for creating graphics).  If you went that way, the decals would look a little more "factory," and have people scratchin' their heads wondering if that was offered as an option.  By no means am I saying my letters are better than yours - I was just offering up another option if you like.

I think it'll be cool, no matter what you come up with.  Just don't go with Frank Cone "FC/GT" anywhere, and you'll probably be fine. rofl

 

[computercarguy]

Just Ram Air on the hood. 

I am considering a different outlined letter style. The factory font, as you noticed, doesn't lend itself to the F and R very well. Recommendations? The choices I have in my old Photoshop Elements software did not please me.

 

[Mister 4x4]

If you're going to do outlined letters, I'd recommend keeping the font as simple as possible, and stretch it sideways to get the similar effect as the factory Boss letters.

Here's a bunch of different normal fonts (built with the 'stroke' of 6 with no fill and stretched to about the same width) - if there's one you like, let me know and I'll shoot you the font so you can play with it.

 

[computercarguy]

Thanks. I'm partial to the bottom one on the left.

 

[Mister 4x4]

Yeah - it looks the most 'simple' and possibly even the closest to the original letters.  You could probably even put some solid letters inside, kind of like the Mach 1 letters, and it would still look pretty cool.

I actually like the middle one on the left.  It's the same font used on the old sci-fi show Babylon 5, and one of my favorite fonts.  The second one from the bottom the right looks good, too - if it just had a more 'normal' number "1."  Which, since you're effectively creating a new logo, clip out that "1" and make a new one that fits better.  I do that sometimes if I like most of the font, but just can't hang with one or two of the oddball characters that make the font different from the others.

I think I only found about 80 different fonts that seemed like good candidates for 'outline' letters like this.  Most of them turned out like the top left - all very similar... enough to not waste time on.  I don't know why I kept the middle one of the right - it just looks out of place.

I'll grab the font for the lower left one when I get home and send you an e-mail.  It starts with a 'V' and it's some kind of crazy German- or French-looking name.

 

[computercarguy]

Oh Babylon 5, my wife hated that show. She didn't like Farscape either

If I were to duplicate the Mach 1, I was thinking 351 CI.

 

[Mister 4x4]

I'm sorry - I got home last night to my Mom telling me she broke her car again - of course, in "Mom-speak" ("It won't go forward or backward - just like last time")  That's all I've got to work with at this point.  Great.

I'll make sure to get it to you this evening (since I told her I'm not doing anything about her car until Saturday morning).

Babylon 5 and Farscape are a couple of my favorite Sci-Fi shows... right up there with Stargate SG-1, Falling Skies, Marvel's Agents of SHIELD, Alien Nation, Space: Above and Beyond, V, Star Trek, etc.  I'll watch just about any sci-fi show, but if it turns out to be too campy, I'm done (which is why I've never really been interested in Dr. Who).  I'm kinda diggin' "Timeless" right now - I hope they renew it.

 

[computercarguy]

No hurry.

Want to talk campy sci-fi... ever watch Red Dwarf?