Tim's 1973 Mach 1 rebuild thread - it's done in 2023 on it's 50th birthday!

[luxstang]

Hi Tim

Like David said, the tape is original. Mine has it too.

And yes: "happy wife, happy life!"

You met mine, so you know I'm working hard on that front.

Didn't you guys wanna come over someday? I guess that might get you some points in the "happy wife" department.

 

[timachone]

Yes, Mike,

I know, I know... That's what our eye circles talk about

Coming over is on my to-do-list to make everybody happy including me! But it is not as easy as it seems to be these days - 6 cars versus 1 wife versus job against time - guess who is the loser in this game...

It is not forgotten, Mike, and one of my last wills - keep the wife happy until "it" come... ::devil::

 

[timachone]

Currently I am preparing my garage for paint work, sealing every part, making it all safe and so on... a lot of work but an end is in sight. In the meantime I disassembled the parts of the car like the fenders completely and had to handle some not totally great surprises...

Obviously the previous owner liked to repair some rust spots with aluminum foil over rust and hiding it with tape... :banghead:

damn :atomic:

The wheel arches seem to be a well constructed fabric of original sheet metal, bondo, rust and aluminum foil! I am wondering now what there will be under the whole arch of rear driver and passenger side.





















Another new surprise is that it was painted in an other color before the current color and the original color - now seen after removing the side marker frames - interesting color...



Now to the good news: at least the original splash shields on the front fenders are there and I have a complete set of spares, too.



Yipieeeh...







I will keep you up to dated for the issues!

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Tim,

That is pretty common when someone is just trying to make one shine long enough to sell it. They use to sell what they called body tape to put over the holes and then cover with bondo and sand smooth. That is where a rubber magnet is good to take along to check for all steel when buying.

To do it right you need to cut it out and put new in. You do not have to cut the whole panel off unless the rust is extensive. You can make just the small patches if it is a localized area. If you butt weld and grind back level it will look like one original piece.

If you are going to paint this car at home I suggest you use a mask that supplies fresh air for you to breathe not just a filter. You have to have a compressor that does not have oil to feed the air you breathe to keep from getting chemical pneumonia. I painted for years with out a good mask, I have always had a full beard, masks did not work too good. I now have COPD and lost 40% of my lungs some due to the paint. Some of the new paints like the rust blocking POR are deadly to breathe if sprayed. It's drying is accelerated by moisture and it sets up in the lungs like concrete and will kill you. Getting a home shop where it is safe to paint can get expensive. Can you just rent time in a paint shop for final color. I did that a couple times got the body work done primed and took to a body shop to final sand and use their booth for color.

Do you have technical schools there. Here you can go and take the course in body working and do a car while in the class. The one here has a great down flow booth. You might be able to make a donation to the school to let you use the booth. If you have not painted it does take some time to learn and you need to be able to use both hands not just one. I did jobs in the past that I was in booth for over 12 hours with just short breaks to clean equipment and change materials.

You cannot get your lungs back once they are gone I am here to tell you that. Just the smallest amount of smoke or dust and I am done for now.

Be safe first.

David

 

[timachone]

David,

thank you for your warm and caring words - feel hugged!

Yeah, there was a really fine-mechanic on work before - I am windering what's really under... I hope it is only the inner wheel arch border as it seems to be but we will see... I will sand in small steps and have a look out for the bad sections. If there are no more I will stop and let the original gold paint there as it is as the best primer you can get. Then the common things like filler, bondo and primer over all.

It is not a big thing as it seems to be at first to repair that locations but I was very frustrated that it was all they did: no cut out and welding, just hiding. That does always make nothing better in the hidden places... Now I have got passed the buck and the task to do it right.

I am sorry for your lung damage of the years of painting before! That is an evil result you got! I am going to paint the whole car at my little workshop by a friend who had that done several times before. But he will do only the gold glow and the clear paint. All the other stuff is on mine. I have made great experience on all the engine compartment, engine and chassis parts I did before - they look as great as on the photos But you are right - the big and smooth body shapes are over my skills, they are for somebody with experience to do that so my friend will come in that game. I have too great respect of that...

I always have a closed mask with filters now for sanding and for paint work also closed another mask with filters. I do not smell anything while painting! It is always like a shock if you put it off and smell how the air is still affected by the fumes... David, you don't think that's enough to protect?!?

Additionally I will install a fan on the biggest window of my little workshop to blow out the fumes and the paint clouds.

 

[machmeter1]

Hi Tim

That reminds me on my quarter section...I got one cut out section from Don Ohio Mustangs in US and replaced a part of my quarter panel with it. Was also covered by bondo. Don't get frustrated yours doesn't look that bad as mine did! Its all about fixing it the right way.

Cheers Wolfgang

Before and after:

 

[timachone]

Holy Moly :jawdrop:

That looks like a victim of a bank robbery... Well done, Wolfgang!

Thank you for your words - you're right - that cheers me up ::thumb::

Have a nice evening!

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

David,

thank you for your warm and caring words - feel hugged!

Yeah, there was a really fine-mechanic on work before - I am windering what's really under... I hope it is only the inner wheel arch border as it seems to be but we will see... I will sand in small steps and have a look out for the bad sections. If there are no more I will stop and let the original gold paint there as it is as the best primer you can get. Then the common things like filler, bondo and primer over all.

It is not a big thing as it seems to be at first to repair that locations but I was very frustrated that it was all they did: no cut out and welding, just hiding. That does always make nothing better in the hidden places... Now I have got passed the buck and the task to do it right.

I am sorry for your lung damage of the years of painting before! That is an evil result you got! I am going to paint the whole car at my little workshop by a friend who had that done several times before. But he will do only the gold glow and the clear paint. All the other stuff is on mine. I have made great experience on all the engine compartment, engine and chassis parts I did before - they look as great as on the photos But you are right - the big and smooth body shapes are over my skills, they are for somebody with experience to do that so my friend will come in that game. I have too great respect of that...

I always have a closed mask with filters now for sanding and for paint work also closed another mask with filters. I do not smell anything while painting! It is always like a shock if you put it off and smell how the air is still affected by the fumes... David, you don't think that's enough to protect?!?

Additionally I will install a fan on the biggest window of my little workshop to blow out the fumes and the paint clouds.

As long as it is a really good mask it should be ok. Most here just use the hood with air supply to make sure. Some of the two part paints are very bad if it gets into your lungs. I know each day I get out of breath doing little things and I am sure some of it was from all the paint I inhaled. When I was young I was bullet proof or thought I was. I did an airplane with some special water base paint the guy wanted I think that was worse than the solvent based.

David

 

[stebby]

hello

do you know what is it t-5?

 

[timachone]

As long as it is a really good mask it should be ok. Most here just use the hood with air supply to make sure. Some of the two part paints are very bad if it gets into your lungs. I know each day I get out of breath doing little things and I am sure some of it was from all the paint I inhaled. When I was young I was bullet proof or thought I was. I did an airplane with some special water base paint the guy wanted I think that was worse than the solvent based.

David

Ouch, that's bad... I am sorry for you that you now have to suffer from :-/ !

hello

do you know what is it t-5?

Yes I know it very good - you too or should I explain it to you ?!?

In short: it is the German version of a Mustang with some specifics like no "Mustang"-badges all around, km/h-speedos etc. They weren't allowed to be namend "Mustang" in that time because of other products which were named already Mustang in Germany...

Here is some detailed information:

http://www.ponysite.de/fmcog/t5/t5-2.htm

http://www.fordt5.com/history.html

Edit:

After writung this I saw in your Introduction that you have also a T5 from 1965, so you should already know...

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

As long as it is a really good mask it should be ok. Most here just use the hood with air supply to make sure. Some of the two part paints are very bad if it gets into your lungs. I know each day I get out of breath doing little things and I am sure some of it was from all the paint I inhaled. When I was young I was bullet proof or thought I was. I did an airplane with some special water base paint the guy wanted I think that was worse than the solvent based.

David

Ouch, that's bad... I am sorry for you that you now have to suffer from :-/ !

hello

do you know what is it t-5?

Yes I know it very good - you too or should I explain it to you ?!?

In short: it is the German version of a Mustang with some specifics like no "Mustang"-badges all around, km/h-speedos etc. They weren't allowed to be namend "Mustang" in that time because of other products which were named already Mustang in Germany...

Here is some detailed information:

http://www.ponysite.de/fmcog/t5/t5-2.htm

http://www.fordt5.com/history.html

Edit:

After writung this I saw in your Introduction that you have also a T5 from 1965, so you should already know...

Tim,

I will keep an eye out for the T-5 emblems here they turn up every now and then. I have some NOS for the 65 and a couple of the dash emblems used on the 71-73 if you did not have gages. I think the ones on your car are the same as the GT badge used on the some of the Ford Fairlane models here just a different sticker in the casting. The 65/66 emblems are actually off of the Mercury Comet 202. They were on the rear of the comet on the quarter panel. Ford just made a different sticker for the T-5.

I also found a NOS hub cap at a swap meet the guy did not know what it was. It is also 65 and just has a black plastic center instead of Mustang. A lot of them came back to the U.S. by way of the military. Soldiers stationed in Germany would buy a T-5 there and when their tour of duty was over the government would bring it to U.S. for one dollar.

My old boss man was a pilot on B-52 bomber and they loaded one of the Generals cars into the bomb bay and brought it back to U.S. without going through customs.

The stickers for your emblems are on ebay right now for $75.00 for two of them. http://www.ebay.com/itm/67-68-69-GERMAN-MUSTANG-NOS-T5-EMBLEM-INSERTS-GENUINE-FORD-/351520677764?hash=item51d843df84:g:RN4AAOSwdsFUOx7J&vxp=mtr

This ad is for 65/66 T-5 emblems he is crazy wants $2,400 for a pair, lol. http://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-1965-1966-Ford-T-5-Emblem-for-German-Export-Mustangs-/121784157296?hash=item1c5ae6c470:g:fv8AAOSw34FVDXaG&vxp=mtr

I think this emblem is the one used on your car with the different foil insert saying T-5. Might be the same as the fairlane?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/C5ZZ-16098-DC-Mustang-Fender-Emblem-Red-GT-Badge-Concours-1965-/121818196831?hash=item1c5cee2b5f:g:~QwAAOSwT4lWTIxe&vxp=mtr

David

 

[timachone]

David,

thank you for looking out for me for parts and sending me the links :thumb::

So out of your words you mean that my T5-badges are the original ones for my car although tagged for 1966 but have missing the blackening inside?!? I did not recognize that before and I did not bother about that before in that detail. I was only happy to have them because I know they are pricey...

Should I take the ebay-ones, remove the old inserts and glue the new ones in for that original look?!? Or did they have different colors and my pair is original?

The 65/66 emblems are way high in worth, wow!!!

I have gauges originally in the middle console so I don't have any originally meant position place them - unfortunately...

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

David,

thank you for looking out for me for parts and sending me the links :thumb::

So out of your words you mean that my T5-badges are the original ones for my car although tagged for 1966 but have missing the blackening inside?!? I did not recognize that before and I did not bother about that before in that detail. I was only happy to have them because I know they are pricey...

Should I take the ebay-ones, remove the old inserts and glue the new ones in for that original look?!? Or did they have different colors and my pair is original?

The 65/66 emblems are way high in worth, wow!!!

I have gauges originally in the middle console so I don't have any originally meant position place them - unfortunately...

Tim,

I would get the pieces on ebay they might be reproducing them but they say they are original. The cast part of your emblem I think is the same one as the GT emblem I sent the link on. I think Ford just put the other sticker in place of the GT. There should be a Ford part number on the back of your casting. Look and see if it is a C5 or C6 that would be 65 / 66 then the part number. Ford used them on the mustang and the fairlane and I think your T-5 is the same emblem.

The ones on the 65 / 66 like the ones on ebay were from the Mercury Comet emblems and they just put the T-5 sticker in place of the 202 Comet sticker.

I contacted the seller with the 2400 price. He did that so people will contact him he has a T-5 and says he finds more parts by putting the emblems up at price nobody will pay. The contact him and have parts.

Good way to go I guess.

I believe if I were you I would get the two T-5 stickers and check with the manufacturer of the GT emblems and see if they are the same size as your or have the same part number and you could have new ones.

David

 

[timachone]

I believe if I were you I would get the two T-5 stickers and check with the manufacturer of the GT emblems and see if they are the same size as your or have the same part number and you could have new ones.

That sounds like a plan ::thumb::

I think my old ones are original though because I have seen black ones, silver/white ones like mine and on my father's vert (also a T5) and even red ones... So I will save them in the condition they are and will looking for spares with the method you mentioned.

 

[timachone]

Time goes by in big steps but I was not idle in the meanwhile... I keep the work up in every free minute so I missed the contribution a little bit on this beloved forum of mine. Sorry guys, I miss you! But some hard work has to be done and at the moment it feels like a big hill...

Anyway - here is my progress of the last weeks! This was the beginning, the beginning of the end... (some words out of the last Black Sabbath - Album... )

It started with a very small crack on the outer wheel arch lip. As of a guy I am I am ever getting to the bottom of things. And the things were bondo, tin, rust and... yes, bondo. A real piece of art. But not as durable I want it to be...

On the other hand there is also much of good material there. So come and see the results:












In the meanwhile I bought some sheet metal - two outer quarter panels from which I will cut the pieces I need.

To be replaced there has to be the lower quarter panel at the back, the half of the outer wheel arch and the outer piece of the b-pillar. But not the rocker panel - it is flawless.

Now there is the question of how to cut and weld it right on the right spots...











How it is about the left side I will see the next days...


In parallel I am not waiting till summer twiddling my thumbs but checking and sanding all the other parts and places... The region over the wheel arches are perfect, the roof is the same - no rust and damage ::thumb::







Original tin



I call it "Layers"









The passenger door is near finished for the next steps of primering and fillering, only a small rust-hole was there. A little sanding then the first layer of real primer.







The drivers door isn't as good as the passengers side. There was some real rust in the seam between outer and inner sheets of the door. And there were some craftsman in the past, too... Not too bad at all but it is improvable!













That will be not too easy but I saw on projects of you guys that there were some other more serious things to do so I will be optimistic!

Some good things - I will protect it

 

[Jeff73Mach1]

Well, you are doing a nice job of knocking the ugly off that quarter panel!

 

[timachone]

The hood is in quite good condition - jippieeeeh ::thumb::

All of the feared spots are fine. One small hole on the outside, some torned hood-socket and the outer sheets of the hood latch bolt need some sheet metal. A little bit of love and it will look right















Interesting patterns also are opening up - looks as if the hood was painted twice factory. The first time in Gold with the Ram Air Tutone - although this does not cover original holes for the hood latches left and right! The second time in Gold with no TuTone. Mysterious...










The rocker panel is fine!



Thats all about the passengers side. Tomorrow I will begin to sand the drivers side!

Thanks to our friend Manu from France I got the original molding for my original vinyl roof. Flawless with original clips. Manu, I love you ::thumb:: Many thanks - you have one free by me...







No I am "forced" to do it. Do the damn vinyl roof, Tim. Yes! I will, master. This is how it could look if it was mine with the vinyl roof added - this perspective has it all - I am convinced now! It looks damn good - for me. But I could be a bit more gold glowing but that is now on my turn...



Accompanied by such beautiful thoughts I will go to bed ::thumb::

Good night - I will keep you posted!

Well, you are doing a nice job of knocking the ugly off that quarter panel!

Jeff,

thank you! Yes - I think now alone without that whole crap on it it looks more... natural

 

[Jeff73Mach1]

It is interesting to see all the layers as you are sanding, kind of reminds me if some art work I have seen in the past.

 

[jbojo]

Tim,

You're car is looking good. Agree with Jeff, the different layers reminded me of the hippie movement art work and the early Laugh In show

 

[mudbilly]

Great Thread, thanks