Pretty sure '82-'83 didn't have the tank shields.

Thanks for the suggestions Bruce. The tank protection product sounds good and I'll call around to see if I can get a lock shop that is accustomed to auto locks.

I might just use some steel wool or fine sandpaper to hand sand the rust off. It isn't deep and should come right off. Then apply that protective material on the outside.

Went to a lock shop today and they said no problem modifying the door and trunk locks to work with the ignition key. Should be ready tomorrow.

I think I'll experiment with removing the rust spots on the outside of the tank this weekend. I'll try light hand sanding, then pressure-wash the whole thing with a detergent/degreaser solution.

Great news, Steve!

0327 Locks Updated
 

No problem getting the door and trunk locks modified. I found a lock shop that easily modified them to work with the (original) ignition key. So I didn't have to replace the locks, and now 0327 is back to the CHP single-key spec.

This weekend I'll tackle the fuel tank resto.

Good to hear you got those locks back the way they came originally.
Post some photos of the tank resto, when you are able.
Regards,
Bruce

Fuel Tank Restored
 

Finally finished restoring the fuel tank this weekend. I had left it out in the sun at my shop for a few weeks and there were no traces of gas fumes left. First I scrubbed it down good with detergent water and a wire brush, then used coarse steel wool and #220 sandpaper to hand sand off all the rust. I found a Rustoleum paint/primer combo that looked very much like the original steel when dry, so I gave the outside two coats. I did the same to the mounting straps and hand scrubbed the plastic shield with soap and water. A day to dry and it's ready for reinstallation.

Here are a couple of pics. Compare the top pic to the previous one I posted, what a difference. I was lucky there were almost no dents, just a few very small dings. This has got to make 0327 feel good after all these years.

Paint should be starting very soon. I'll visit her this week.

Nice job. That looks factory.

Looks like a new tank, Steve.

Looks great. Can you post a photo of the paint you used? Thanks.

Thanks again everyone for the tips and suggestions. It helped a great deal. I took the tank back to the shop where 0327 is today. Below is a pic of it sitting on a stand behind 0327. Just need to glue the protective matting on the top and reinstall. I was hoping to do that today but we just didn't have the time.
My buddy who runs the shop has been super busy, so not much progress lately. But when I go back in to reinstall the tank I'll try to push him a little on the schedule.
I am in the SF Bay Area until Thursday; when I get home I'll post a pic of the primer/paint combo material brand I used.
When I think of how long these restorations take I remember a TV show where they had a yard full of rusting hulks and they'd go pick one out and restore it to sell. No matter what they picked it seemed like in two weeks they had it looking showroom new. And claimed they made a profit selling it...

That turned out great Steve!

Paint Used for Fuel Tank
 

Here's a pic of the paint I used to restore the fuel tank. Rustoleum Satin Nickel, got it at Home Depot. It is both primer and paint. As I posted earlier, I took care to get all the dirt and grime off, then hand-sanded and steel-wooled all the rust off. Finally, I used sandpaper to rough up the surface to get good adhesion. Gave it two coats. Even my friend at the body shop said it looked good.

I just got the door glass channel rubber, so I'll take that in next week and see if we have time to reinstall the fuel tank. I'm hoping we make some good progress now, but I doubt it will be ready for the Ripon show in October.

The old adage of restorations taking twice as long and costing twice as much as expected still holds true. It was a minor miracle when I got mine through the body shop in the first six months of 2005 which left me three months to complete assembly before its debut at Ripon. I worked on it at max pace during all my free time and it still ended up still being at 95% done when the show rolled around but what the heck. I showed it anyway and then took my time with the remaining work over the winter. Have fun with yours and just do things right and don't worry too much about schedules.

Fuel Tank Reinstalled
 

Went by the shop today and got my hands dirty. Reinstalled the fuel tank. The hardest thing about that was trying not to scuff up the bottom of the tank while getting it in place and the straps on. The plastic shield helped out a lot.

The trunk is now painted as is most of the rear end of the car. I am told the progress will accelerate now as a previous (big) project is out and the Mustang is project #1. Next week I'll take the front and rear bumper bars to be sandblasted along with some front end parts.

I'll post more pics when it is interesting.

Thanks for the update Steve!

Finally, paint!!

Progress
 

Great to see progress and it is being posted on here i'm jealous still trying to get NHP in paint shop.

Progress on 0327
 

Greetings, everyone! Awful hot here with a week around 100 degrees or above. I visited 0327 and am pleased to report paint is going on. Most of the parts I had sandblasted have been painted. The inside of the hood, trunk lid, the inside of the trunk, and the back end of the veh have been painted. Next are the doors, then they'll get reassembled. I got all new rubber for them so the fit should be good.

I have attached a few pics: Inside trunk lid stripped, then painted. Inside of the hood painted, and finally the back end of the veh with fuel tank reinstalled and paint on the outside.

I think I'll bring the spotlights and install kits in and have my buddy install them. He needs to paint the shells satin anyway, and I'd rather have him tangle with them. I don't want to be scratching the new paint.

A lot of great progress!

Things should progress quickly now. Looking good!

Today I called in to the shop where 0327 is. I let them know it is going to be a while, likely 8 weeks, before I make it back in. I was intending to bring the spotlights in, so the shells could be painted and the spotlights installed later, but on August 9 I suffered a fractured fibula bone in my left leg that will require surgery to repair. So right now, with a lot of pain, I am awaiting surgery next Tuesday and mostly just surviving. I'm already getting sick of watching TV.

I did see on the local (Sacramento) news station yesterday a story about a 1979 CHP Camaro somebody had restored. I remember that trial; CHP tested 12 Camaros, mostly in Southern California and the desert areas, but the engines couldn't stand up to rigors of patrol use and CHP went on looking for a suitable candidate. They found it in the SSP Mustang. The Camaros do look cool, and with only 12 they must be very rare.

Ouch, been there and done that...no fun. Best of luck with the surgery, then rest up adequately and you'll get better sooner. Old bones just don't take the licking and keep ticking like when we were younger. I took a spill out in my yard 2 weeks ago that has had me laid up since (shoulder and ribs). Kills me to not be getting much done during the long days and good weather of summer but what'cha gonna do? Hope you'll be mobile in time for the Ripon show, take it easy Steve!

The Camaro on the news is the clone that was owned by the CHP Museum and has many deviations from the originals. It's believed that the high rate of engine failures in the test Camaros was due to employee sabotage during their build at the GM Van Nuys plant. The poor ergonomics and long heavy doors plus higher price of the Camaros worked in favor of the decision to purchase Mustangs.

Thanks for the encouragement and positive response, everyone.

I had the surgery yesterday and it went well; I feel a lot better. While this info is not related to SSP Mustangs, I don't have much else to do these days and thought I would post it here. I'm already getting sick of watching TV and have no interest in Keeping Up With The Kardashians, Springer or Maury, or most of the other inanity on daytime TV that seems to serve as entertainment.

I think when 0327 is complete, I'll contact Local Channel 3 and see if I can get it on their news segment.

I did notice the Camaro was fitted with repro E plates, which I have been wondering about for some time. Since the State of California shut down the guy in Florida who was making repro E plates, would they have any objection to repros on a vehicle in a museum or otherwise publicly shown? I wouldn't want to be served with some kind of legal process due to that.

Good news Steve, rest up!

As far as reproduction E plates, I've never received any grief for displaying them on my car when it's stationary at a show or event. I even kept them on when I was in a parade or controlled event like the escorted burn relay I did a few years back because the car just looked goofy with regular passenger plates on it while all the insignia was uncovered. But since I've replaced the regular plates with historical vehicle plates, I just tend to leave them on when doing those types of events on the road as they sort of "tell the story" of what the car is all about.

https://media.fotki.com/2v29brAPPx3RqKh.jpg

Glad to hear the surgery went well, Steve.

Thank you, Jon.

Hey Steve, this nugget was posted on a CHP related Facebook group. Anything here look familiar?

https://media.fotki.com/2v2J5nrwyx3RqKh.jpg

I wonder if that isn't the intersection of Highway 140 and Highway 165 back in the day. While just within the very northern limits of the Los Banos area, I never had occasion to go up there.

Last Friday, now being slightly mobile, I was able to get to the shop and visit 0327. Over the last month most of the metal pieces taken off the body have been painted. Doors are painted black, hood scoop, hood trim, etc. Next the doors will get the white paint, then the body will be painted.
I think once the body is painted things will move along much faster.

It was identified as Los Banos Area.

End of January Update
 

I visited 0327 last week. The body is being painted now. The black areas are mostly done; next is the white top, then the parts (doors, trunk, hood, etc. go back on). I am shooting for an end of February completion of the body and paint, then the interior will start.
Below are some photos. This guy likes to paint the body in sections. Seems odd to me, but it's the way he does it; he's the artist and I would never tell an artist they're holding the brush wrong...

My painter paints it all in pieces as well. Then bolts the panels back together.

Looking good Steve. My car was painted in that same sequence as well.

I'm happy to know this isn't an unusual process at all; thanks for the comments.
When we begin the journey of restoration, especially when it takes a long time, sometimes it's useful to take a look back and see what we started with. I've had to be patient with the progress, but I do believe it is being done right. Just as a comparison, here's a pic of what 0327's back end looked like when it was stripped down and what it looks like today.

Be sure and try to take as many photos as possible of the body work and paint process. They are vital documentation of the quality of your restoration and play an important part in establishing the value of your car.

Sooo close, Steve!

Will do, thanks for the suggestion!

As of Jan 31, the white roof and sail panels are complete. Windshield and back window trim are installed. Next the doors will go back on, followed by the fenders.

The front end (that goes over the bumper bar and includes the grill) came out rough on first painting, so it was sanded down again and it will be repainted next week.

Looking great, Steve. These stages are always exciting. One day I’ll get there!

Greg