Long overdue post. Progress on the truck has been slow, but steady. Got my wheels and picked up some tires from Discount Tires to fit them. Opted to do some trim rings and chrome lugs, but have not decided what to do from there. These rims are outies, so can't put the typical gear-looking poverty caps on it.





Took the picture after dark, but you can see what the wheels and tires look like.

Have spent the past few evenings after work chasing down a short. After hooking all the dash back up with my new insulator j-block I hooked the neg terminal up first with a a jumper and a light. It glowed pretty steady, so there was a current draw coming from somewhere. I thought it was in the dash wiring at first, but it ended up being a solid state voltage regulator having failed. So I swapped in a mechanical regulator I had floating around and no more short. Checked all the new wiper setup and heater and dash - all good!





Here's the new j-block installed. Still need to clean things up under here, but that'll come when it warms up a little outside in the carport.





Picked up the LED lights from the guy I'm building the Mustangs for. He didn't need them - going Dakota Digital on the '69 Stang - so got these for a song. I like he effect!

So should be starting it up in a few days and getting the thing over into the garage so I can do some body things and weatherstripping.

 

So do you have mustang build threads? Im building a 67

 

Not really. This is this guys 3rd Stang in 12 months. I get them looking and running great and he ends up selling them (for a profit). Selling up, I guess, since he had two 67 coupes and now has the 69 sports roof (AKA fastback). The 69 was a running driving car, pretty healthy, and then one too many burnouts the clutch disintegrated causing a 'while I'm at it' event, which ended up being entire drivetrain rebuild and swap including steering and braking upgrades and interior mods. The list of changes is long. He may have a thread on it on a mustang forum somewhere, but its not mine, so I don't have the desire to. If you have any Q's I'm pretty Ford savvy and can probably lead you to an answer. But if you're just interested for the sake of interest, I did post a few pics on somebody's 66 f100 thread here a couple weeks ago and can probably start one if its worth it to you. Would be no problem. But I wish I had the time spent on his Mustang to put into my truck. Real soon now, as they say.

 

Its no big deal, i just follow threads that are related. Get ideas and such. I actually just ordered a front suspension rebuild kit, springs, and other stuff...Im pretty deep in on my coupe and slowly but surely im learning. Just cant wait to finish my hack job cowl fixing and get the suspension on so i can drive it again.

You get bored you can see my amateur hour at
67 Coupe 302 Build Thread - Vintage Mustang Forums

 

After 3 months of this that and the other thing I finally got the thing running again today. Lots left to do, but now I can play musical cars and get this into the garage and do some of the stuff I need 100% dry to do, like weatherstripping and rubbing out or fixing some of the paint stuff. Drip rails need re-sealing as well.

Anywho, here a few pic's of the interior closer to being done.





Feels way comfy for a 66. Need to make or buy a console for between the seats.





Friend gave me a leather steering wheel cover. I dyed it and wrapped the wheel.





Someday I'll pull the column and paint it to match.


If there is anyone in the Seattle area looking for a stock seat - I have the original available for free. Just let me know. I've got to get it out of my garage, so I may have to strip it down to the frame and springs so it can go out into the rain without going soggy.





In better shape than it appears, but the back below the window dry-rotted. The darker spots are just worn areas, not dirt.

 

Steering wheel is gorgeous.

 

I have to admit, those LED lights are pretty cool

 

Thanks Olaf65... Didn't like the thread supplied with it, but it feels nicer than hard plastic.


1964, I agree. They are not dimable though, but they are so subtle I don't see the need. I didn't use the turn signal or high-beam LED bulbs. Kept them incandescent.

Should be putting it in the garage in the next day or so and then it will come together fast. Lot's of pics coming of all that, as they happen.

 

Very impressive work & attention to detail is beyond most!!! Nice

 

Very Nice work!! Keep it up and keep us posted with pics!!

 

Thanks for the encouragement guys! Long overdue posting, but working on it more than using the computer these days.

A couple weeks ago I finally got it all running again and on the ground, then played musical cars and trucks and got it moved into the garage for the more detailed work. Sadly it is a lot of truck for not a lot of garage. Or I have too much stuff now. I suspect the latter.

Now that it is in a controlled environment I started taking some of it back apart. The engine bay is getting a minor detail - not near to my standard, but it'll be night and day when done. I'm also doing an upgrade to electronic ignition while I'm in there. I concluded the steering box is seeping too much, so will be pulling that, maybe tonight, and dropping it off at Red-head Steering, nearby, and have them go though it. Looks like they had it at one point, but it'll get done and I'll then add a PS cooler to it. Bendix boxes are prone to getting too hot.

Also dealing with the only rot it has, which is in the front of the bed. I was told this was due to a bed gas tank, but once I was into it a little I could tell this bed could not help but rot out. Designed that way. So I just picked up some 1/8" plate and cut out the rot I cleaned the cross-member well, POR-15'd it, and then welded a 6" x 70" rolled steel plate to it and added a 3" x 70" piece against the bulkhead - and started stitching it all back in, including a couple smaller patches on the left and right. Should last longer than me now. I also drilled some drain holes into it. I'll LineX it all when I'm done.

So as I do more I'll report in. Hope to have it all back together over the next couple weeks or so - time allowing.

Here's some pics...























There, it's fixed. I put a band-aid on it.

 

Pretty good idea, most people do that but dont cut out the rot! I wouldnt even know where to find some plate metal like that around here. Mine is rotted out like that too

 

A person can order sheetmetal and other stock cut to size online and have it delivered. Sounds crazy but it's not bad. Or if it is close enough just go there. Metal Supermarkets has a bunch of locations, including one in Nashville. Their prices for cut metal is very good. They do charge a bit more to crank up the plasma cutter if you want rounds or other special shapes. If it's just normal straight cuts they are downright cheap. I've even asked for some small stock to mess with and they couldn't seem to give me enough. Square tubing, several thicknesses of sheet in various sizes. They have scrap bins at the locations that they pull from and didn't seem to mind me taking pieces. Nice guys at my local store.


Metal Supermarkets | Buy Stainless Steel, Aluminum, Hot-Rolled, Cold-Rolled, Alloy, Bronze, Copper, Brass, Tool Steel, Galvanized


429 Enos Reed Dr.
Nashville, Tennessee, 37210


I hope that is helpful. Didn't mean to thread jack there.


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I got the metal cut to the 70" lengths and the 1.5" x whatever it was down at Pacific Industrial Supply in SouthPark in Seattle. But I'm sure every city has a place like this. This place used to be down in industrial Seattle, but moved to SouthPark some time in the past 10 years. Hadn't been there is a long time, but they will hack it up to your size for a modest cut fee. I sold my other truck already, so it had to fit in my little rice-burning car. Which it barely did. I still need a couple pieces for the sides, but will probably get those at Home Depot or Tacoma Screw, which both sell metal shorts.

Today I ran over to RedHead Steering and exchanged my steering box, which I pulled out last night: Red-Head Steering Gears - Custom Rebuilt Steering Gear Boxes in USA
Didn't expect they'd have one on the shelf, but they did and cost the same either way. $500 later... and I can throw it in without waiting. I'll be adding a cooling radiator for it since they say it's prone to getting hot - plus it mounts pretty close to the headers.





Beginning to clean and prep for engine bay detailing. Picked up some Marlin Blue [PPG 12902] from the paint store today too to touch up some of the yuckier bits. Not palnning a repaint, but someone replaced the front rock guard and I want to paint it blue instead of rusty silver.

Pulled all the wiring harnesses and ancillary bits from under the hood when I pulled the steering box last night. I would love to pull the grille off this truck too and do some work on it and paint behind it - but they didn't make that an easy task, let me tell you. Hidden bolts, j-nuts not letting go. No significant rust on the bolts I can see, just can't spray at them all real well with Kroil, which I love to use. A couple bolts I could spray seem to want to loosen some and then spin up against the grille with enough force I'm afraid to tear the grille tab right off. May leave well enough alone for now.

More as I can...

 

Sounds like you are on course there double-00.


Incidentally, the rock guard was originally argent silver on all 1966 2WD trucks so that rusty silver would probably be stock paint no matter the original color of the donor. Matters not, just some info.


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