New Member in AZ, Joined to try and put together a Build plan for a 1973 Mach 1 that is in need of total restoration, trying to keep it simple cheap

[73 mach 1 1962]

For starters I found Out I have a Granada REar!

 

[Sheriff41]

Well, that's a mess!

Seriously, welcome to the forums and howdy from Texas! You'll find plenty of helpful advice and encouragement from the members here.

What do you mean by total restoration? Are you looking at taking it down to a bare shell and bringing it back for a concours level restoration, or are you thinking more of a mechanical and cosmetic restoration for a cruiser, cars and coffee car? If you cruise through the build threads in https://7173mustangs.com/discussion-forum/mustang-registry-project-build-threads.78/ you'll get some good ideas. You can ask questions of those that have been down that road before you. Check @tpj71mach for a recent build.

It looks like your 73 has the competition suspension, is it a Mach 1? Tell us more about your car and post more pictures of it when you can.

 

[Stanglover]

Hello and welcome from SW Ontario, Canada.
You'll get lots of help here, so ask questions before discissions are made would be my advice.
As for cheap, well that depends on where you want to go with this project. It's the little stuff that costs most oftentimes.
Good luck and please post more pics.

 

[Steve McMahan]

Welcome from Fort Mohave Az and So Cal. Where are you in Az? That diff looks like the dust on all of my Az patio furniture. Yes, tell us your build plan and more pics. I assume someone replaced the rear end to get rear disk brakes? Welcome!

 

[Hemikiller]

That's bizarre. The WER rear axle was used in the full size Fords as the "light duty" axle. Had no clue that they also used it in the Granada/Monarch line - yet there it is.

 

[1973 Mach-1]

Welcome to the group, from Phoenix!

 

[73 mach 1 1962]

Well, that's a mess!

Seriously, welcome to the forums and howdy from Texas! You'll find plenty of helpful advice and encouragement from the members here.

What do you mean by total restoration? Are you looking at taking it down to a bare shell and bringing it back for a concours level restoration, or are you thinking more of a mechanical and cosmetic restoration for a cruiser, cars and coffee car? If you cruise through the build threads in https://7173mustangs.com/discussion-forum/mustang-registry-project-build-threads.78/ you'll get some good ideas. You can ask questions of those that have been down that road before you. Check @tpj71mach for a recent build.

It looks like your 73 has the competition suspension, is it a Mach 1? Tell us more about your car and post more pictures of it when you can.

By total restoration, I mean its original, it was sitting in AZ heat for 20 years any thing rubber is Shot and in need of replacement. I am going to start with Mechanical work them go to cosmetics. 351 W and staggered shocks

Hello and welcome from SW Ontario, Canada.
You'll get lots of help here, so ask questions before discissions are made would be my advice.
As for cheap, well that depends on where you want to go with this project. It's the little stuff that costs most oftentimes.
Good luck and please post more pics.

By Cheap I mean not looking to make a race car out of It!

 

[73 mach 1 1962]

Welcome to the group, from Phoenix!

Thanks! Nice Yellow!

 

[73 mach 1 1962]

That's bizarre. The WER rear axle was used in the full size Fords as the "light duty" axle. Had no clue that they also used it in the Granada/Monarch line - yet there it is.

View attachment 95339

I was scratching my head too!! Looking to replace it with a Ford explorer rear w/ disk brakes, the Granada has drums!

 

[will e]

Welcome from Phoenix! (Actually Mesa) What area of the State do you reside?

 

[73 mach 1 1962]

Welcome from Phoenix! (Actually Mesa) What area of the State do you reside?

Im up in Chino Valley

 

[73 mach 1 1962]

A question, AS stated I plan on replacing all the Dried up Rubber, But Im not certain about the Steel Brake lines, they Look to be in perfect condition, Would a flush be OK, Can I stick with the 50 year old steel brake lines?
Im looking to replace the Booster and master Cyl and all rubber brake lines.
Thanks,

 

[Sheriff41]

A question, AS stated I plan on replacing all the Dried up Rubber, But Im not certain about the Steel Brake lines, they Look to be in perfect condition, Would a flush be OK, Can I stick with the 50 year old steel brake lines?
Im looking to replace the Booster and master Cyl and all rubber brake lines.
Thanks,

Being an AZ car, I would think you could get away with flushing the lines. My 72 has lived its life in AZ and TX and I'm still running the original lines. You'll know when you flush them if there are any issues as you'll get some debris out.

 

[tpj71mach]

Welcome from Chicago! Car looks nice and solid.
That's strange that they installed a Granada rear differential, at least if they went with a Lincoln Versailles, it would have had the rear discs. Is the Explorer differential the same width as our cars and is it a better differential than the 9 inch that came in our cars? Wouldn't it be easier to get a 9" out of a 71-73 and add a rear disc kit to it? It wouldn't have to be a Wilwood or Baer set up, they have less expensive options out there.
Sorry, don't mean to hit you with a bunch of questions or opinions, I was just thinking maybe a stock 9 inch might be more efficient (cost and effort to fit) and ultimately more correct in the long run, but I am the first to admit that I am not that knowledgeable in the Ford arena and maybe the Explorer differentials are the best way to go for cost and durability. I have a friend that installed an Explorer rear differential in his F100, and it worked out very well for him.

 

[73 Mach 1 4 me]

By total restoration, I mean its original, it was sitting in AZ heat for 20 years any thing rubber is Shot and in need of replacement. I am going to start with Mechanical work them go to cosmetics. 351 W and staggered shocks

By Cheap I mean not looking to make a race car out of It!

My first Mach 1 was that color. Unfortunately that couldn’t be it, that car joined the ranks of rear end coming around and there was a tree to stop the motion. Trees and poles have a way of transforming a beautiful body into U shapes.

 

[giantpune]

Somebody didn't get the memo. They were supposed to granada swap the front end of the car to get disc brakes, not the back end to get the light duty axle.

 

[Stanglover]

I also noticed that you said "351W" It has a Windsor motor in there as well as a Granada rear end? If so, perhaps someone pulled motor AND rear end from a Granada. Mind you, off hand I don't know what motors Granada's had in them, but as 351C all but died in 73, it could be.

 

[73 mach 1 1962]

Being an AZ car, I would think you could get away with flushing the lines. My 72 has lived its life in AZ and TX and I'm still running the original lines. You'll know when you flush them if there are any issues as you'll get some debris out.

Thanks!

 

[Steve McMahan]

If you’re going for the budget build, you could, for the time being, just go with the rear axle you have. If it’s not damaged and working, you might want to save money for the unknowns you haven’t encountered yet. For most of us, that list turned out to be very long. Just another idea, good luck.