0327 July Update
 

While in the SF Bay Area this week, I visited my friend's body shop in Santa Clara, CA. 0327 is now on the calendar to go in for body and paint work in mid-August. I won't know until he sees it how long it will take, but he knows I want it to look good so it will probably take some time. But with some luck, and if I can make a pending connection with an interior shop in my area, 0327 just might be done by the end of this year.

How much work does your interior need?

I stripped all of mine out of the car prior to it going to paint jail. Sent the seats out to the trim shop to be rebuilt and recovered while it was there. I rebuilt and refinished the center console and shotgun rack, cleaned up the door cards, kick panels and rear quarter panel covers and sourced a new carpet and headliner while waiting for the car to return.

Once #3035 was back, I was able to dive right in to putting the completed interior back in the car. During this down time I also got all the trunk components ready to install. Car came back to me painted on July 3 and I was just ready to show the car for the Ripon show in early October. Would have gone a lot faster if I didn't have that inconvenient thing called work always getting in the way back then!

It needs a substantial amount of work, but with the help of chp1982 I have a complete set of restored seats, leaving carpet, headliner, door trim, package tray and misc items. I have the materials to make a new package tray (2nd try, I didn't like the way the first one I made came out), and I'll work on the other parts while 0327 is in the shop. I want the headliner professionally installed and I do want to install sound-absorbing material so that will take some time.

One of the difficult things I see with the interior is the status of all the plastic trim parts. Some have cracks, many have been discolored by sun exposure.

The only way I won't drive 0327 to Ripon in October will be if it's still in the body shop. But I will certainly be at Ripon.

Moving right along! I'd recommend having your bodyman take a look at the interior plastics. He should be able to match the color spot on. The crack on the driver a-pillar should not be an issue. The rear quarters will take a little more work to match the texture where the sun chalked them up. It has been done though.
I have a-pillars and a few other bits if you need them. Carpet install is pretty easy.

One Last Equipment Check for 0327
 

In preparation for going into the body shop on August 8, I did one last check of emergency equipment before the spotlights, antenna mount, and the rest of the interior is removed. I made a short (20 second) video of this, with 0327 sporting the new "Historical Vehicle" license plates that make her street legal:

https://youtu.be/Xw7PuW-xd18

The Code 3 part is short; I didn't want to disturb the neighbors too much!

When 0327 goes in to the body shop, I will take ongoing photos to document the process. I will probably have some questions for the Forum, so please stay tuned!

Too cool!

very nice Steve.

Very cool! :cool:

Good job Steve !!
It will look sharp once painted and completed ! Looks good now !

Congrats !

After a 160 mile drive today, 0327 is now at the body shop in Santa Clara, CA. This is going to be a lot of work; all removable parts will come off including hood, trunk lid, fenders, doors. Painted separately then reinstalled. They want to strip off all the white paint that Earl Scheib put on 33 years ago. I need to get new side moldings for the front fenders and rear quarter panels. I told them it's gotta look good. I do plan to stop by from time to time and may even pitch in and do some work. I will get progress photos to post here.

160 mile drive, wow! How was that? Looking forward to progress photos!

0327 performed well. Didn't overheat, lots of power. I noticed after about an hour that it seemed like running at highway speed and full temp it got some cobwebs out. That hesitation in accelerating I told you about went away. At 65 mph it was smooth, at 75 I started getting vibration in the drive train. Perhaps driveline needs balancing, wheels need balance? At 80 it was uncomfortable (the vibration) so I stayed at about 72-75 for most of the way. The route included some long and steep grades. 0327 went right along at 70 and never even slowed down; I didn't have to open the throttle on the hills to maintain speed. Other than balancing wheels and maybe the driveline I won't do anything about the vibration, because I won't be driving very often and don't need to exceed 70.

Glad to hear you made it fine and now the body shop fun begins! It is a GREAT idea for you to visit the shop OFTEN for two reasons:

First, it reminds the crew there to keep up progress on your car and it gives both you and them many opportunities to review and assess the details of the work being performed. This will help eliminate the possibility of what could be important decisions (large, medium and small) being made in your absence because nobody wanted to "bother" you or thought they could reach you. When it comes to getting an absolutely correct restoration, you will want to be "bothered" and the best way is to just present yourself as often as possible.

Second, photos of the car in disassembly, refinishing and reassembly is a VERY important part of the documentation for your car. Having these will ensure you have proof of what your car is and of what and how the restoration work was done. It will support the value of your car in the future. Take as many photos as possible and if you can't be there at important points ask the shop to take some photos for you.

You are at a disadvantage due to distance but try your best. I was lucky as I was able to get my body and paint done at a shop in the city where I was working at the time so I would randomly scoot over there during lunch breaks 2-3 times a week. I knew when they took their break so I would plan to arrive about in the middle of that time when the shop was empty and I had full access to shoot photos at will. After that, they would be coming back on to work and I could chat with them briefly and work out any details I noticed before they continued. I made sure they knew I was politely watching them and they took it well because I never became overbearing or excessively demanding. I was happy with the outcome and they told me they actually enjoyed working WITH me on a car we were both proud of at the end. Hopefully you can accomplish the same so keep posting progress pics and info!

Thanks, Michael for the suggestions. The shop owner is a friend (25 yrs) so I can stop by anytime. I am in the area often so that won't be any problem and I will take lots of photos along the way.

I also want to see how they do some of the work, in particular, applying the paint. I told them it's gotta look good, that's more important than cost or time.

0327 Body Shop Update
 

I visited 0327 in the shop today. The front end and fenders have been removed (first pic below). Now I know why they like to take things apart there; removing all that skin metal enables inspection and cleaning. Removing the front end revealed two builder tags attached to the front top of the radiator support (last photo). They had the exact colors used.
Some old damage was found to the lower corner (passenger's side) of the radiator support; likely someone hit a high curb or something that was low enough not to damage the front end or bumper but high enough to catch the radiator support. It pushed the radiator support in a few inches, causing the plastic front end to not fit perfectly. The last two photos are of the hydraulic straightener tool in position after having straightened out the damage, which will then be cleaned, welded and painted.
Tomorrow I am going back to help vacuum, brush, and blow out the 35 years of dirt, leaves, and debris that have accumulated in all the nooks and crannies. Then wash and clean everything, after which it will be sandblasted where rusty then painted. Lots of work, but I think it will be worth it in the end. All of the removed hardware goes into a tumbler; when it comes out it looks like new. Details, details. But I think it is going to be worth it.

It will be well worth it, Steve. I'm so envious of the progress you're making. Great work and you get to join in on the fun, too!!

Looking good!

More 0327 Pics
 

Since I was still in town, I went back to the body shop yesterday and put in about 4 hours working on 0327. While the Maestro completed straightening, welding, grinding, and priming the repaired damage to the lower portion of the radiator mount (visible in first photo below, left lower corner), I removed most of all the body parts that can be removed: taillights, rear bumper cover, impact bar, sail panels, gas filler cover, wipers, cowl cover, cowl trim, and hood scoop. All that is left are the trunk lid, hood, and doors. All will be removed and stripped, straightened, primed and painted. It looks pretty unrecognizable with so much removed, at least from the front and back.
It's a small body shop, but they are really old school when it comes to attention to detail. All removed metal fasteners are tumbled and look new when done. Brackets, metal assemblies removed are sandblasted and treated, looking like new. I think 0327 will be ready for a museum when done.
0327 itself will be scrubbed clean, all rusted areas treated and primed, then painted and reassembled. Might even be ready to drive to the Ripon Emergency Vehicle show the first week of October.

I still recognize her! Stay on the the shop and you may have the quickest completed paint job in history.

Great progress! :thumbsup:

Coming along nicely! Restorations in progress are definitely welcomed at the Ripon show.

0327 Update
 

Good to see the Forum back online. I visited 0327 at the shop the other day. Coming along slow but sure. You never know how much rust there really is or how many parts need sandblasting, straightening, or rust removal/repair until you get it all apart.

From the way this is going I'm confident that when this is all back together it will arguably be better than original. The paint will look better, and the fit and finish will probably be better as well.

Visited 0327 Today at the Body Shop
 

Slow going but steady. The doors are getting ready to come off. As each piece or panel is removed, it is cleaned, paint removed, any imperfections or rust dealt with, then primed and readied for paint. All items will be painted separately then reassembled. I have heard some don't like to do that, because separate batches of paint may not look the same, plus reassembly can be tricky.

This Artiste does it that way because he feels that the distance and angle of the paint spray can be held closer to a constant with parts off the car and carefully positioned. He also is comfortable mixing paint batches consistently.

Today when I went by he was taking the doors apart before removing them. Everything comes out; glass, control assembly, latches, locks, glass, all trim and channel. I'll have to find new window channel material. So much work. When I told him I was surprised he was going to that level of detail, he said "You want it to look good, don't you?" There's only one answer to that question...

All rusted portions of the trunk around the license plate have had new metal welded in, and are primed. Fenders and the hood have been straightened, all paint removed, then primed.

Attached are two pics; one of the passenger front fender waiting for paint, then one of the veh as it is now. Doesn't look like a Mustang right now.

Looks great, Steve. Way to go saving that decklid. That's a lot of work but worth it to have the original sheet metal.

Good to see the progress. Gotta strip them all the way back to get the best results. Mine at about that stage:

https://media.fotki.com/2v9q7B9rx3RqKh.jpg

That's about what it looks like, Michael. I just hope this guy remembers how it all goes back together. I read a book recently by a guy who worked for the Harrah's Collection in Sparks, Nevada for about 20 years and he was saying at their shop they had a procedure on how they would photograph and document their restorations. Every assembly, every part as it was coming off would be photographed. It was almost like a forensic team procedure.
Now putting a Mustang back together might not be as challenging as reassembling a one-of-a-kind 1921 Gilbert Gobstopper 6 months after tearing it down, but I know I wouldn't be able to do it without the photos.
This guy has been doing it his way for 30 years. No pics. I just have to trust his memory is a lot better than mine...lol
I saw a '56 Chevy he recently completed and it looked really good.

Went by the shop on Friday January 5. I'm again amazed at the level of detail. The driver's door is off and is being rebuilt. Everything came out/off, including the glass. All moldings will be replaced (after I order new ones). He actually sandblasted clean the inside of the door besides removing all paint to the bare metal (see pic). The fit and finish will be awesome.

I do believe this vehicle will be better than new when done.

Steve, I think I sent you pics of what original paint breaks look like on the black to white transitions on the doors, a-pillars, etc. Let me know if you need anything.

Visited 0327 The Other Day
 

Went by the shop to see how 0327 is coming along. The last items are being prepared for paint then reassembly. Here is a picture of the trunk lid, stripped to the bare metal. All parts taken off. After fixing any issues, it will be primed then readied for paint.

My shop friend wants to strip the trunk area clean, replace the rubber mat in the area behind the rear seat, and paint the trunk too.

It should be at the point soon where the body can be painted. I've paid $3k so far to the shop but there's a lot left to do. I don't know what the total is going to be but whatever it is I think it will be worth it, considering the level of detail.

That's great you were able to save the decklid. It was toast, or so I thought. That car somehow managed 100k miles in service, one civilian owner before I got it and another 100k miles. All with the original engine and body panels. I can't wait to see the reassembly pics!

Great work, Steve. I love the attention to detail you and the shop are giving this car. I’m really interested in how they will replace the black matting at the front of the trunk, behind the rear seat. I’ve never seen a reproduction that I recall.

Thanks, it's taking a long time, but I think it will be worth it in the long run. chp1982 says there is a company that makes those trunk insulation pads.

I'll almost be afraid to work on this vehicle when it's finished. Afraid I might scratch something. I will put all the emergency equipment, including the trunk gear, back when it is done. Carefully...

Great job on the restoration, can't wait to see the end result, it will be worth the wait!
I've never seen an original sound deadener between the trunk and seat but, Late Model Restoration sells an item that says has a thicker jute padding on the interior and a black material on the trunk side. There is a video on their YouTube site. Hope this helps you out. Let everyone know if it is appropriate, looks original.
Bruce

Fear not, it's the most enjoyable and rewarding time of the project. Just be patient and take your time with everything and you won't go too wrong. I did so and really only ruined one part the whole time. I broke one of the inside A pillar covers but luckily had a spare pristine used one. The only scary moment was drilling it for the spotlight shaft.

Thanks, I'll check it out.

looking good Steve.

Thanks Jim. I'll keep the updates coming and I got the info on the trunk sound deadener mat so I'll order it.

Visited 0327 Yesterday
 

The shop has been busy doing insurance work so not much has progressed since last visit, but this time I did some work myself. This was a great opportunity to remove the fuel tank and see what was inside. 4 bolts, disconnect the hoses and wiring and it was out. No problem. I've attached two photos of the tank, one as it came out, and the second with everything removed.

I was very surprised, the gas that we emptied out was clean and so was the inside of the tank. Almost no sediment, no varnish, no crud. Don't need to do anything to the inside.

There is some rust on the outside. Not bad, and certainly no danger of rusting through. But I'd like to clean the outside, remove the rust, and then do something to protect it for the future. I wonder if there was any sort of treatment done to the metal to keep it from rusting, and perhaps it wore out in just the few places? If I wire brush, steel wool, or sand that rust off, I'll likely have to protect the metal or it likely will rust again. Should i just sandblast the whole thing and apply a coating or paint? I hesitate to paint it because even though it is not visible in service that is not the way it was stock.

The other thing I did was take the ignition key (original Ford key) and the door and trunk lid locks. I'm going to see if a locksmith can modify the door and trunk locks to work with the ignition key, as was original.

Soon, I am told, the body (sans doors, trunk and hood, rear pillar glass and trim) will be painted black, then the white parts painted over that. Those pics will be much more interesting to post here.

I looked at some Youtube vids on fuel tank restoration. One guy had a tank that was in very good shape inside, but he still used a cleaner, an etcher, then poured some coating material inside.

In the case of one like 0327's, where it is very clean and I don't see any rust inside, I'm reluctant to use any kind of coating or other chemicals internally. I figure it ain't broke...

This guy sandblasted the exterior and then painted the outside black. I like the idea of a rust-resistant paint for protection, but it wasn't stock. I'm struggling with that part.

0327
 

Hi Steve
As for your gas tank, I would check with a radiator shop, some also repair fuel tanks regarding getting the rust off the outside....sparks vs gas fumes?
If I remember correctly, some fill the tank with water to dissipate the fumes before welding them, others I have heard use dry ice dropped in the tank to do this. Also remember a brass drift when reinstalling the lock rings. Eastwood Company has a product called Tank Tone for coating the outside. It might be a bit shinier than OEM but I assume you will reuse the black plastic tank shield.

In the matter of door locks, I suggest you contact a locksmith shop that has been in business for a long time and ask for a brand of automotive locks called ASP. They made the door & trunk cylinders with the same keyway as the ignition. I tried a distributor in Wash. state a few years back but they are no longer made. Have heard the offshore ones wear out quickly.
Bruce