Nick and Rick Learning as We Go

[NicknRick]

yesterday I repainted the headlamp buckets and other front of the car parts slop gray. I then painted the upper shock mounts, hood latch catch, and LH & RH hood hinges to match the phosphate & oil they were originally. I repainted all the parts because after reading posts on the forum and doing some research I felt the parts should be painted as close to the correct color as original. Today I painted the transmission, transmission mount, motor mounts to frame, and the driveshaft cast blast. Next I fixed the LH door panel mounting clips. When I took the door panel off I accidentally ripped some of the holes where the clips fit into, not knowing the panel was made of cardboard. I fixed it by cutting a strip of sheet metal and welded the clips to it then drilled holes and screwed it to door panel. Here's some pictures.

 

[mach71351c]

Post some pics of the painted parts please! I'm about ready to do the same parts and would like to see colors.

 

[NicknRick]

Here's some pictures of the parts I painted the last few days. I am also posting a spreadsheet listing each part, its original paint and what brand paint I used to replicate the original paint. The word document lists all the paint brands I used. The paint brands are numbered to match the paint codes in the spreadsheet. The other word document describes the external paint colors for each part.

Exterior Parts Color.xlsx

DRIVETRAIN PAINT.xlsx

ENGINE PAINT EXTERNAL.docx

MUSTANG PARTS PAINT BRANDS.docx

 

[tizzdizz]

Great attention to detail! Love the progress so far. Incidentally, my wife and I recently moved to Sacramento and I'm about to bring my rotten old 73 coupe home to start dusting off the cob webs. If you ever need a hand holding a wrench, let me know!

 

[NicknRick]

I'm trying to figure out the correct shifter handle for a 1971 3 speed. The one I have now I like the 4 speed Hurst shifter but without the gear selector numbers. The threaded hole on the shifter handle is larger than the thread on the shifter rod. I am also in the progress of putting the carpet and the rest of the interior in. I was also wondering if there was a backup lamp for a 3 speed in 1971.

 

[NicknRick]

Nick here, I'm working on wiring my backup camera system and was wondering if I could wire the camera system and radio to the same power source. I'm worried I could overload the system. If I can't use wire them together were is another source of power for the backup camera system.

 

[midlife]

Radio, backup lights, and part of the wiper switch work off of a 20 amp circuit breaker. What is the current rating of your camera? I think you'll be OK.

 

[NicknRick]

It needs 12v power supply and consumes 5W.

 

[midlife]

That's less than an amp. Go for it!

 

[NicknRick]

I have one final electrical question my new radio has a wire that gets connected to the ignition switch, what wires do I need to connect to. Also there is a wire for illumination, can I use the wire for the original radio light bulb.

 

[midlife]

For radio power, look for a white/purple wire. For radio lamp, look for a blue/red wire. There should be a two prong male plug on the main underdash harness that has these wires. The white/purple side has two wires on this plug.

 

[sdstang]

Looking good!

 

[NicknRick]

I'm installing a new grant challenger steering wheel and am having trouble with the adapter. When I installed the adapter it sits to close to the steering column and wont allow the wheel to turn. The new one is different from the old one that the previous owner had put on. I may be istalling it incorrectly or do I have the wrong the adapter. THe steering adapter I got was part # 3249 which is said to be compactable with a 71 mustang.

new





old

 

[71XR7VERT]

I put a grant on my cougar which has tilt, iirc there are a few of those adapters, did you double check the part #?

 

[NicknRick]

I'm thinking of painting my valve covers with high temp ford blue engine paint. What are the chances that the paint will come off due to the heat from the engine when it runs.

 

[73pony]

If you prep it properly it should not flake off. Those look like aluminum valve covers though. It is difficult to get paint to stick to aluminum well. The steel ones on mine from the factory still have the original paint. a few chips in them now that they are 43+ years old.

 

[protouringstang73]

As Jason said, prep them properly, maybe use some wet sandpaper grit 400 or 800 (depends on the condition of the aluminum) and add some thin layers primer and then finish off with the blue you want. It should never go bad that way! I am painting engine blocks, calipers for disc brakes with normal autopaint and have never had a failure

 

[computercarguy]

Would you recommend to start with a self-etching primer?

 

[protouringstang73]

Self etching primer?

 

[73pony]

Clean with prepsol or similar. Sand with 400 grit clean with prepsol. Wet sand 800 grit. Clean with prepsol. You can prep the surface with some stuff called alumaprep it etches the surface. Use a zinc chromate primer. Good adhesion and it will lay nice and flat. I got some Krylon last time from Sherwin Williams it worked nicely. Then top coat. Hope that helps. Or just polish them up nice and clear them. Or take to a powder coat place and have them powder coated. I had my intake done.