soonerbillz
Well-known member
... So I mentioned in my introduction post that I was looking for a project to work on as I wind down my motorcycle racing days.
I said then I always loved the 71-73 Mustangs.. and was intent on doing one...
As luck would have it, my initial post proved to be the linchpin to getting my hands on a project car much sooner than I expected. A very helpful member of this forum contacted me and offered me a deal on a car at a great price and allowed me to work it out so it did not hurt me financially through the holiday season.. we all know how stressful and expensive the last part of the year always is.. so it was a blessing to get the help!
Anyways, so now I have my project.. and I am looking forward to the day when it is complete..!!
My new project is a 1972 Grande Coupe.
The Grande is a H code 351-2V with the FMX automatic and a regular open 2.73 rear. It was optioned with the white vinyl roof over the bright metallic blue body color., high back buckets done in blue vinyl/cloth.. a full console, am radio, air conditioning, tilt steering column with power steering and power disc brakes. That's about all the extra fancy options it came with.
As a Grande model the car could have been ordered with many more options.. so I believe the car likely was a dealer ordered ride as a mid level inventory filler(I am no expert on these things so I could be dead wrong here)
The car has been sitting awaiting restoration for a long time.. it is in need of repair or replacement of most every part.. but it is a pretty solid base for a project. It has rust in some areas, lower quarters, rear floor pans and some where the vinyl roof covered the roof/quarter seams, Some rust is evident on the aprons. But overall the rust is not too bad.. at least where I can see outright. When I tear the car down.. the real condition will be determined of course.
When I first decided to get a project my dreams went running wild... thoughts of finding a J code dirt cheap.. or a Mach 1 and build a screaming blown monster.. and myriad of differing fantasies.
Reality of course set in and as I said.. I got lucky to have a kind member assist me in actually getting into a project I could truly afford. Thankfully, because I could have wasted lots of time searching for a non existent golden goose.
So even with that.. I was insure of what path to take in this project.. Over the last month or so I went through a thousand variations in my mind of what to make with this car.. a Grande/Mach 1/Frankenstein build..or a cool solid color with matching color wheels.. maybe drop in a big block or build a monster blown coupe thing... and a million other ideas.
As I wound on down to the actual day of becoming the official owner of this car.. I became certain of 2 things.. 1) Just because I finally got a car.. that did not make me instantly financially capable of fulfilling my wildest dreams, 2) If I really wanted to get this car into a nice condition.. I had to pull on my reins and be realistic of what I am capable of.
So I decided that instead of some custom car project.. I will restore the car back to it's original, as sold, condition.. I will repair and restore all the components and trim to the way it sat on the showroom.
So I have a plan, I am making a project checklist and will attack this logically, repairing and restoring it over time pi
ece by piece, part by part... as I can afford to.
I said then I always loved the 71-73 Mustangs.. and was intent on doing one...
As luck would have it, my initial post proved to be the linchpin to getting my hands on a project car much sooner than I expected. A very helpful member of this forum contacted me and offered me a deal on a car at a great price and allowed me to work it out so it did not hurt me financially through the holiday season.. we all know how stressful and expensive the last part of the year always is.. so it was a blessing to get the help!
Anyways, so now I have my project.. and I am looking forward to the day when it is complete..!!
My new project is a 1972 Grande Coupe.
The Grande is a H code 351-2V with the FMX automatic and a regular open 2.73 rear. It was optioned with the white vinyl roof over the bright metallic blue body color., high back buckets done in blue vinyl/cloth.. a full console, am radio, air conditioning, tilt steering column with power steering and power disc brakes. That's about all the extra fancy options it came with.
As a Grande model the car could have been ordered with many more options.. so I believe the car likely was a dealer ordered ride as a mid level inventory filler(I am no expert on these things so I could be dead wrong here)
The car has been sitting awaiting restoration for a long time.. it is in need of repair or replacement of most every part.. but it is a pretty solid base for a project. It has rust in some areas, lower quarters, rear floor pans and some where the vinyl roof covered the roof/quarter seams, Some rust is evident on the aprons. But overall the rust is not too bad.. at least where I can see outright. When I tear the car down.. the real condition will be determined of course.
When I first decided to get a project my dreams went running wild... thoughts of finding a J code dirt cheap.. or a Mach 1 and build a screaming blown monster.. and myriad of differing fantasies.
Reality of course set in and as I said.. I got lucky to have a kind member assist me in actually getting into a project I could truly afford. Thankfully, because I could have wasted lots of time searching for a non existent golden goose.
So even with that.. I was insure of what path to take in this project.. Over the last month or so I went through a thousand variations in my mind of what to make with this car.. a Grande/Mach 1/Frankenstein build..or a cool solid color with matching color wheels.. maybe drop in a big block or build a monster blown coupe thing... and a million other ideas.
As I wound on down to the actual day of becoming the official owner of this car.. I became certain of 2 things.. 1) Just because I finally got a car.. that did not make me instantly financially capable of fulfilling my wildest dreams, 2) If I really wanted to get this car into a nice condition.. I had to pull on my reins and be realistic of what I am capable of.
So I decided that instead of some custom car project.. I will restore the car back to it's original, as sold, condition.. I will repair and restore all the components and trim to the way it sat on the showroom.
So I have a plan, I am making a project checklist and will attack this logically, repairing and restoring it over time pi
ece by piece, part by part... as I can afford to.
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