- Joined
- Jan 7, 2015
- Messages
- 8,032
- Reaction score
- 526
- Location
- Western North Carolina
- My Car
- Multiple Mustangs!
I picked up a 1972 Mustang Convertible Q code automatic a couple years ago. It was a failed build interrupted by the PO going through a divorce. He had invested $16,000 in buying the car, purchasing NOS parts, having the car dip stripped and was back to rolling chassis in primer when he was forced to sell. He had built the transmission and engine but I will tear the engine back down and have one of the local NASCAR engine builders do it again, Ben Barnes in Asheville.
The car came with like three sets of fenders and since it was a Q code has the NASA hood and came with a Ram Air set up. It was a pretty well optioned car as the Marti supports. I was not aware it was so rare when i purchased it off craigslist from Statesville, N.C..
It was originally sold at Parkway Ford Inc. in Winston Salem so always a N.C. car. He bought the car at the Charlotte race track swap meet.
He also installed a 31 spline Detroit Locker rear out of a 429 car I was told I will have to pull and verify.
The car came with the following options.
GF Gold Glow Paint
CF Ginger Knitted vinyl interior
Black Power Top
F-70 X 14" WSW tires
Convenience Group
Power Steering
Rim Blow Steering Wheel
Tilt Steering Column
Power Disc Brakes
Floor Mats
Am / 8 Track Stero
Appearance Protection Group
Color Keyed Racing Mirrors
Tinted Glass
Trim Rings & Hub Caps
Competition Suspension
Instrumentation Group
The Marti report tells the following. There were 377 convertibles with Gold Glow Paint, 216 made with these paint and trim options, 330 with the Q code and automatic, this car is a one of one due to being the only gold glow with and AM / 8 Track Stereo.
All of this equipment came with the car but when they did the body work they welded up the holes down the side that held the bump strip that was part of the protection group and he did not have them or the locking spare tire.
I have searched for other parts for last couple years and have pretty much everything to do the car. I purchase a crashed one owner Gold Glow 1972 Convertible that was beautiful until hit and rear and pushed into another vehicle in front also. Was a summer car in Michigan and was in great shape. It was also a Ziebart coated car so not rusty. I has the identical original Ford interior I needed for the Q code so the interior is covered. It was an H code with Instruments and long console also. He had just put a new stainless dual exhaust system on and also ceramic coated headers so they will go to the Q code also.
The crashed car had a NOS Ford front rubber bumper, inner reinforcement and bumper brackets. I think the bumper can be fixed. The Q came with chrome bumper. What is odd about the crashed car is that it is one of the 82 3 speed manual convertibles made so it is actually very rare in it's own right.
The spare in the crashed car had never be used it is NOS also.
So I started the tear down of the crashed car last night. Got it on the 2 post lift and got front end sheet metal off. The right front fender did not get damaged in the crash and appears to be a NOS Ford fender installed when they painted the car.
The crashed car had the Decor Group option and all the side chrome is present and in pretty good shape. This car had a new black to that I installed on my 73 mustang for now just unbolted the entire frame and swapped it over.
I did score a near perfect set of Ginger Knitted seat covers off eBay, front and rear for the vert also, they are Ford and not repo.
I also purchased another 72 vert H code that had some good options also. It had air and power windows, PS, PDB, Console, AM/FM and more.
So now comes the time to make some decisions. I have no intentions of selling the Q code when finished. I am 69 so not many years left to worry about it. I am thinking of changing the Q code to the Decor Group so it would have the black out on the bottom. Also adding the air conditioning and the power windows. I would put the black Mach 1 stripe on that was available on the vert but no Mach 1 badging. I also have several NASA hoods with locks. The Q did not have locks so I would probably paint two hoods when I do the car one with locks / black insert and one without. I am also considering putting the rubber front bumper on the Q. I have the chrome but will need a re-chrome. That would pretty much option out the Q with every option that you could get on a vert. The only addition that would not be reversible would be the holes and studs for the Decor Group side trim. Most people cut the studs off do the paint then use some studs that screw in so you don't have them in the way when sanding and buffing.
Since this will have a pretty hot 351 with the early closed chamber heads and will be blueprinted with cam and such. I am also going to look at adding a roll bar so I can do some 1/8 and 1/4 mile runs.
BIG QUESTION SHOULD I GO BACK LIKE IT WAS ORIGINAL OR ADD THE OTHER OPTIONS TO LOAD THE CAR WITH EVERYTHING AVAILABLE THAT I ALREADY HAVE? It is one of 330 made for sure, how many are left? OK now talk me into it or talk me out of it, lol. I am on the fence right now and will not have to make a final decision for months when the assembly starts.
The pictures are the Q as I got it and the crashed 72, and I still have the donor car with P.W. but have already removed all interior and dash.
BTW I will have some extra stuff from the cars so if you need something for a 72 vert ask and I will see if I don't need and sell. I need to thin out the hoard some.
One other thing I am considering is to build a trailer using the back end from Door jam to rear bumper of a vert and paint to match the car to pull to shows.
I was amazed that both doors on the crashed car still open and close, the radiator was not broken and you can still start and drive the car as is. It was driven onto the dolly and into garage.
The car came with like three sets of fenders and since it was a Q code has the NASA hood and came with a Ram Air set up. It was a pretty well optioned car as the Marti supports. I was not aware it was so rare when i purchased it off craigslist from Statesville, N.C..
It was originally sold at Parkway Ford Inc. in Winston Salem so always a N.C. car. He bought the car at the Charlotte race track swap meet.
He also installed a 31 spline Detroit Locker rear out of a 429 car I was told I will have to pull and verify.
The car came with the following options.
GF Gold Glow Paint
CF Ginger Knitted vinyl interior
Black Power Top
F-70 X 14" WSW tires
Convenience Group
Power Steering
Rim Blow Steering Wheel
Tilt Steering Column
Power Disc Brakes
Floor Mats
Am / 8 Track Stero
Appearance Protection Group
Color Keyed Racing Mirrors
Tinted Glass
Trim Rings & Hub Caps
Competition Suspension
Instrumentation Group
The Marti report tells the following. There were 377 convertibles with Gold Glow Paint, 216 made with these paint and trim options, 330 with the Q code and automatic, this car is a one of one due to being the only gold glow with and AM / 8 Track Stereo.
All of this equipment came with the car but when they did the body work they welded up the holes down the side that held the bump strip that was part of the protection group and he did not have them or the locking spare tire.
I have searched for other parts for last couple years and have pretty much everything to do the car. I purchase a crashed one owner Gold Glow 1972 Convertible that was beautiful until hit and rear and pushed into another vehicle in front also. Was a summer car in Michigan and was in great shape. It was also a Ziebart coated car so not rusty. I has the identical original Ford interior I needed for the Q code so the interior is covered. It was an H code with Instruments and long console also. He had just put a new stainless dual exhaust system on and also ceramic coated headers so they will go to the Q code also.
The crashed car had a NOS Ford front rubber bumper, inner reinforcement and bumper brackets. I think the bumper can be fixed. The Q came with chrome bumper. What is odd about the crashed car is that it is one of the 82 3 speed manual convertibles made so it is actually very rare in it's own right.
The spare in the crashed car had never be used it is NOS also.
So I started the tear down of the crashed car last night. Got it on the 2 post lift and got front end sheet metal off. The right front fender did not get damaged in the crash and appears to be a NOS Ford fender installed when they painted the car.
The crashed car had the Decor Group option and all the side chrome is present and in pretty good shape. This car had a new black to that I installed on my 73 mustang for now just unbolted the entire frame and swapped it over.
I did score a near perfect set of Ginger Knitted seat covers off eBay, front and rear for the vert also, they are Ford and not repo.
I also purchased another 72 vert H code that had some good options also. It had air and power windows, PS, PDB, Console, AM/FM and more.
So now comes the time to make some decisions. I have no intentions of selling the Q code when finished. I am 69 so not many years left to worry about it. I am thinking of changing the Q code to the Decor Group so it would have the black out on the bottom. Also adding the air conditioning and the power windows. I would put the black Mach 1 stripe on that was available on the vert but no Mach 1 badging. I also have several NASA hoods with locks. The Q did not have locks so I would probably paint two hoods when I do the car one with locks / black insert and one without. I am also considering putting the rubber front bumper on the Q. I have the chrome but will need a re-chrome. That would pretty much option out the Q with every option that you could get on a vert. The only addition that would not be reversible would be the holes and studs for the Decor Group side trim. Most people cut the studs off do the paint then use some studs that screw in so you don't have them in the way when sanding and buffing.
Since this will have a pretty hot 351 with the early closed chamber heads and will be blueprinted with cam and such. I am also going to look at adding a roll bar so I can do some 1/8 and 1/4 mile runs.
BIG QUESTION SHOULD I GO BACK LIKE IT WAS ORIGINAL OR ADD THE OTHER OPTIONS TO LOAD THE CAR WITH EVERYTHING AVAILABLE THAT I ALREADY HAVE? It is one of 330 made for sure, how many are left? OK now talk me into it or talk me out of it, lol. I am on the fence right now and will not have to make a final decision for months when the assembly starts.
The pictures are the Q as I got it and the crashed 72, and I still have the donor car with P.W. but have already removed all interior and dash.
BTW I will have some extra stuff from the cars so if you need something for a 72 vert ask and I will see if I don't need and sell. I need to thin out the hoard some.
One other thing I am considering is to build a trailer using the back end from Door jam to rear bumper of a vert and paint to match the car to pull to shows.
I was amazed that both doors on the crashed car still open and close, the radiator was not broken and you can still start and drive the car as is. It was driven onto the dolly and into garage.
