My new Mustang.

[donsrods]

It's really bent under there. Tonight I removed that bent fender and cut out the caved in inner fender so I can get a battery in it to let me drive it around the block to make sure it runs and shifts ok before I pull the motor. Up until now I have been running it with a battery sitting on top of the motor because the area where the battery goes is caved in.

I found a lot of wood splinters, which supports my theory that he hit a telephone pole.

Don

 

[05snopro440]

It's really bent under there. Tonight I removed that bent fender and cut out the caved in inner fender so I can get a battery in it to let me drive it around the block to make sure it runs and shifts ok before I pull the motor. Up until now I have been running it with a battery sitting on top of the motor because the area where the battery goes is caved in.

I found a lot of wood splinters, which supports my theory that he hit a telephone pole.

Don

Cars don't usually splinter, so your telephone pole theory is probably accurate [ddd

I hope you can use a bunch of parts off that car! The wheels look cool too.

Too bad it's not a wrecked 2004 cobra

 

[donsrods]

Three of the wheels are perfect, the one on that side is hit hard. I am not a fan of the Shelby wheels so I may sell the 3 off and buy Bullit rims instead. Don has those on his 04 GT and I really like the look of them.

You are right, I should be able to score a lot of good parts off of it to make the 6 cylinder car a v8 car. I will have some parts to sell off too, like the doors, trunk lid, and spoiler. It has a glass Steeda (we think) hood that has a crack in it from the wreck, but I might be able to sell it real cheap on CL and let someone do a little glass work and save some money.

I am going to do what I did when I built my Caddy daily driver. I found a really clean body with a blown motor in it and then I found a 50,000 mile wrecked Caddy that I pirated everything out of to make one car. While I was in there, I redid all the AC and things like motor mounts, cooling system, belts, hoses, etc so I wouldn't have to go back in there for a long time. That is my plan here too, to replace all that kind of stuff so that it should be dependable for years. Stuff like AC, clutch, motor mounts, etc.

Don

 

[05snopro440]

Three of the wheels are perfect, the one on that side is hit hard. I am not a fan of the Shelby wheels so I may sell the 3 off and buy Bullit rims instead. Don has those on his 04 GT and I really like the look of them.

You are right, I should be able to score a lot of good parts off of it to make the 6 cylinder car a v8 car. I will have some parts to sell off too, like the doors, trunk lid, and spoiler. It has a glass Steeda (we think) hood that has a crack in it from the wreck, but I might be able to sell it real cheap on CL and let someone do a little glass work and save some money.

I am going to do what I did when I built my Caddy daily driver. I found a really clean body with a blown motor in it and then I found a 50,000 mile wrecked Caddy that I pirated everything out of to make one car. While I was in there, I redid all the AC and things like motor mounts, cooling system, belts, hoses, etc so I wouldn't have to go back in there for a long time. That is my plan here too, to replace all that kind of stuff so that it should be dependable for years. Stuff like AC, clutch, motor mounts, etc.

Don

That sounds like a good plan. The Bullit wheels will look good on your silver car.

I nearly bought a fox body this week. It was a very good deal.

 

[donsrods]

You should have bought it, they are getting tougher to find, especially in good condition.

I realize that Mustangs from 79 up are kinda belly button cars, but they are pretty much this generations 32 Ford. Very simple to work on, parts are available everywhere, and they are still pretty reasonable to buy. With a little work they run like mad too.

Trouble is, they are also a little light in the rear and end up into telephone poles sometimes.

Don

 

[Bamamav]

I like that style of the "jellybean" Mustang better than I do the earlier design. They went back to the triple tail lights which say Mustang to me.

So, if this one is after the roadster pickup, does that put the Bantam drag car on the back of the list? [S

 

[donsrods]

Today I put the spare tire on the front, put a battery in it, and took it for a test drive. Wanted to make sure it was ok before I start on the transplant. Motor runs great, good oil pressure, runs cool, and lots of power when I got on it. AC also blows ice cold.

There is a slight grinding when going into 3rd gear, not sure if the clutch needs adjusting or if something is wrong internally. He might have been in 3rd when he wrecked, damaging something. It has a goofy short throw shifter on it and I couldn't get used to it, so maybe it is just me, but I am going to have the trans checked out before I put it in.

There is a 10 x 20 storage unit opening up June 1st in our complex so I am going to stash it in there to keep any of the parts from getting stolen until I can get around to dismantling it. Our two shops are jammed with no room to put it in either one, so this will have to do for a while.

Don

 

[donsrods]

So, if this one is after the roadster pickup, does that put the Bantam drag car on the back of the list? [S

I don't know ! The drag car keeps getting put onto the back burner. I think I have more projects than years left.

I have to spend my day off Friday pulling the 6 out of the first Mustang. I advertised the motor and 5 speed on CL, and some guy wants it, so I have to get it pulled out. I didn't want anyone else doing it because that is the car I want to fix up and drive and didn't want someone else damaging it when removing stuff.

Don

 

[donsrods]

I put an ad on Craigslist for the blown v6 and 5 speed out of the Mustang I am going to convert to a v8. A guy called this week and needs the 5 speed and is going to buy the v6 for parts. Today was my day off so I decided to pull the engine and trans so he can come pick it up tomorrow.

My Son Dan was helping me, and as he was pulling the headers off from underneath, he said "I think I see why this thing quit running, there is a big hole in the oil pan !" When we got it out I was able to see what he was talking about, and it is a HUGE hole ! I can see one crank journal up in there where the connecting rod broke loose and took out a lot of parts.

This is pretty funny to look at actually . I guess he wound it too tight one time too many.







Don

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

So that's what a "Dry Sump" looks like.

.

 

[Bamamav]

Wow! A visible V6!

 

[donsrods]

Yep, that pan really was dry, and I considered making it wall art, like of like those cut away motors you see sometimes.

I like the story the guy gave me though. Said he thought it was a timing belt ! [cl I told him I didn't care, I only wanted the body, and it is a good thing I didn't intend on fixing the 6.

I moved the v8 donor car into a storage unit so now I can get back on the rpu and not be distracted by wanting to be working on these two.

Don

 

[donsrods]

Haven't had much to post about this car lately, for the past couple of weeks Dan and I have been dismantling the parts car and getting rid of unneeded parts as we cut them off. Finally, last night, we cut up the last of the chassis and put it into a dumpster.

Probably the hardest work we have done for a while, a lot of 3 oclock in the morning nights at the shop and a lot of heavy lifting. I am super sore today, but the carcass is gone and I have all the parts I need to keep in a storage building.

I've also been doing a lot of 1-800 shopping, got all new suspension for under the one I am fixing up, lowering springs, ball joints, sway bars, bushings, new struts, etc, etc. It should handle well being dropped down 2 inches and with aftermarket suspension stuff.

Also ordered a lot of new parts for the engine today from Rock Auto, everything from new water pump, tensioners, spark plugs, gaskets, hoses, belts, etc. I don't want to have to go back in and do anything to the car for a while, so I am replacing any maintenance items now that I have the motor out.

Now it is time to tear into the one I am keeping. I bought an 8 point cage to weld in, mainly to stiffen the chassis and to look cool. I am going to strip the car down pretty far because I think I am going to have it repainted in the same white as both of my son's 2004 Mustangs. Theirs look so good in white that I keep looking at them, wishing mine was that color.

Don

 

[donsrods]

I'm still alive ! Sorry I have been such a bad member the past few months, but I haven't had anything to post and have been spending every waking moment either working or working on the Mustang project. I have finally gotten it to the point where we can start welding in the subframe connectors and the roll cage.

It is now inside the shop, Dan and I made room for it this week, and got it inside to make it easier to work on and do the welding. The car is pretty much stripped bare except for the front and rear suspension, which we have to leave there until the subframe connectors are all welded in place. (the car needs to be sitting on all four wheels so the chassis isn't twisted at all)

Here are some pictures from last night:










Once the connectors are welded in, the front and rear suspension will come off and the body will go on the rotisserie so we can weld in the cage and I can paint the underside of the body. I am still on the fence about the final color, I love the white ones both of my sons own, but the silver that is on the car would save me having to paint the jams and all. However, I am still going to paint the motor room, so I guess painting a little more would not hurt.

Take care , guys. I'll try to be around a little more from now on.


Don

 

[Old Iron]

That's what I like about you guys, y'all don't mess around [cl [P [P [P