2020-2021 Restoration Phase II

Welcome Home!

OK, Show Me!

It was worth a shot, but it didn't work.

I started with the brakes and suspension.

I replaced the calipers, rotors, bushings, shocks, springs, etc.

I cleaned and polished everything in sight.

I used Chassis Saver paint to coat everything in the wheel wells.

Caution: Chassis Saver paint does not come off your skin!

As I prepaired to bleed the new brakes, I found gravel in the master cylinder. I later found gravel in the radiator, overflow tank and washer fluid tank. I am not sure if this was all part of the vandalism in 2001, which could have caused the accident, or if it happened after it was parked in a field.

After considering how perfect the paint and interior were going to be, it made sense to take the next step and pull the engine to detail the engine and engine bay. A compression check of each cylinder showed all were between 152 and 155 PSI. That was good news.

I removed piece by piece, and put every part in zip lock bags with associated fasteners.

I took pictures of every section to help with re-assembly.

With the help of Brian and Mathew, the engine is out

With the engine out of the way, I stripped the engine bay down to the wire harness and took it back to Moore's Body Shop.

They painted the engine bay and the bottom of the hood, both areas I had told them not to do the first time around.

I took the time to replace every section of wire loom. I removed one piece at a time and replaced it with the exact length and reattached with the same tape or clips that came off.

Out with the old.

The fuel tank was crusty

With a wire wheel, spray paint, a new fuel pump and sending unit, it cleaned up nicely

I removed the fuel lines and brake lines and polished them with a wire wheel

New exhaust from Rock Auto. I had to have the intermediate pipe altered slightly, but everything else was an exact match

The Ziebart undercoating did it's job, but there was no good way to remove it.

Chassis Saver paint covered everything

A few hours in the sand blaster and a wire wheel

and they look like new

Brake cleaner and a wire wheel cleaned it up

Fresh paint, new air tubes, sensor, and starter, and she looked like new again

Hendricks Transmission shop rebuilt the transmission and made it look like new

Time to put the heart back in.

These guys take this job seriously

One piece at a time

The mice made a nest in the ductwork and around the heater core. I replaced the entire duct system including the heater core. I wanted to make sure there was no lingering rat smell when I was done. Thanks again for the donor car.

I used a lot more from the donor than I expected. Fortunately almost everything I needed was in good shape in the donor.

New carpet from StockInteriors.com

I like red, but that steering wheel has to go. In goes the refurbished console from Hawk's Motorsports.

Thanks again to the donor car for the stock steering wheel

Repaired and cleaned door panels with new top rails and weatherstrip from Classic Industries

Matching floor mats from StockInteriors.com

New headliner from StockInteriors.com

The original T-top bag cleaned up nicely.

Nobody will ever see it, but I know it is there and it is perfect.

I thought I had paid attention to every last detail and restored this car to perfection, until my friend Jay brought me this AC Delco battery. He noticed I had installed a Duralast battery, and said that simply wouldn't due. Thank you Jay!

As I reviewed the original engine bay pictures, I noticed the fuel rail clips were painted blue, so I removed the bare metal clips and painted them like the original.

Several people disputed that was original, but after they looked closer at their cars, they saw traces of blue paint as well.

Another glaring issue was the worm gear radiator hose clamp. That had to go, but nobody makes one that looks original and will fit this hose.

My friend Joe had two in a box in his garage and they fit perfectly after a little wire wheel polish. He has no idea where they came from, but he was pretty sure it was not a Mustang.

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