 Tech Editor Mark Houlahan...  Tech Editor Mark Houlahan checks the door tag on the 1966 hardtop. Amazingly, the door doesnt come completely off its hinges when opened. |
 It&8217s interesting how...  It’s interesting how you can look at one car and memories come flooding back. My 1966 had rust damage in the exact same locations on both doors. As you’ll see, skins won&8217t be enough. |
 The bottom of both doors are...  The bottom of both doors are rust-perforated. This happens from years of dirt and leaves accumulating at the bottom of the door, allowing moisture to eat away from the inside. All new door shells must be used, along with a dose of antirust coating inside. |
 Another argument for a full...  Another argument for a full door shell is that the driver-side latch assembly has pulled through the inner skin. Repair patches for this problem are available, but the rest of the door is too far gone. |
 The front wheels were missing...  The front wheels were missing and these aluminum mags were holding up the front end of the car. We were about to add them to our list of sale items when Lindsey informed us he wanted the wheels back for his 1965 convertible. |
 The cowl had primer all over...  The cowl had primer all over it and the rest of the car had partial restoration work performed (more on that in a minute), so we hoped the cowl might have been repaired already. |
 The person who sold the Mustang...  The person who sold the Mustang to Lindsey had installed lower quarter patches himself. The work wasn&8217t too bad, but the metal was never primed and the rust that ensued tells us the work must be performed again. |
 Though the lower quarter patch...  Though the lower quarter patch was a stamped part, the trunk drop-off and outer wheelhouse patch were nothing more than scraps of galvanized sheet. This work would have to be redone. |
 The trunk lid looked as though...  The trunk lid looked as though it had been sanded down to bare metal and then left to rust away with the rest of the car. There are numerous pinholes along the top of the trunk. We&8217d better add a trunk lid to the list of things to do. |
 The radiator core support...  The radiator core support appeared to be in good shape and the framerails and torque boxes didn’t look too bad either. The worst we could see was the corroded inner fender where the battery resides. The shock towers were never torched, and they weren&8217t cracked either. |
 Another area that resembled...  Another area that resembled rust on my old 1966--common on northern cars (my 1966 was from New York and this 1966 came from Pennsylvania). If the outer wheelhouse warrants replacement, we&8217ll probably install full quarter skins. |
 Arrgh! Shackles! As a kid...  Arrgh! Shackles! As a kid too young to know about shackles and air shocks, I&8217m glad I missed the 1970s. |
 We were told the 200 six will...  We were told the 200 six will run. We’ll verify that just before we pull it out. The C4 is supposedly toast, though. Editor Ford&8217s soon-to-be-modified 1966 Ranchero will give us a 289, C4, and V-8 front suspension and brakes to make way for a 351, AOD, and dropped spindles wearing Granada discs. Half our V-8 conversion battle is already accomplished! |
 Except for the previously...  Except for the previously mentioned battery area, the rest of the underhood metal seems to be in good shape. These dimples help deform the front of the Mustang in an accident. They all appeared to be fine, indicating the wasn&8217t involved in any serious accidents. |
 After inspecting the outside...  After inspecting the outside damage, it was time to venture inside and see what was waiting for us there. |
 The driver-side door hinges...  The driver-side door hinges were surprisingly quiet and supported the door. We may get away with a new bushing and pivot pin; cleaning and beadblasting will tell. The cowl sides and inner rockers seemed solid as well. |
 Scratch the idea of having...  Scratch the idea of having a decent cowl. A half inch of water was found in the front floor area. It&8217s really spooky--I had the exact floor mats in my 1966 when I bought it! |
 The headlight buckets were...  The headlight buckets were both in the back seat. We&8217ll consider keeping them since we have budgetary concerns. |
 Most of the exterior brightwork...  Most of the exterior brightwork had been removed and thrown inside the car, including the outer door handles (good thing the vent windows weren&8217t locked). Next to the sheetmetal, the chrome and brightwork will be the biggest ticket items. |
 The Grant GT wheel is another...  The Grant GT wheel is another throwback to the 1970s. It might clean up and make for good swap meet fodder because we&8217ll have to hunt down a Deluxe interior wheel sooner or later. |
 The original Ford AM radio...  The original Ford AM radio was still at home in the center of the dash. This was a home run for us, as this meant the dash was uncut. We have the correct radio if we decide to install it, or it would make a good saleable part if we decide to go with a more modern tuner. |
 While we will still have to...  While we will still have to gut the complete interior to really get the lowdown on the potential problems lurking under the 80/20 loop pile, a quick look found the majority of the pans in good shape with just one or two small repairs made from galvanized sheet, and Pop-riveted in place. We&8217ll keep our fingers crossed. |
 Moving on to the trunk, we...  Moving on to the trunk, we found a horde of old parts. There was even an extra gas tank shoved in with the mess. I am a firm believer in a new clean tank as a sound investment in any restoration. |
 The original hubcaps were...  The original hubcaps were underneath fuel tank No. 2 in the trunk. Since we will be going with the timeless look of Styled Steel wheels, we can hopefully clean and detail these for the next swap meet. |
 The previous, unfinished restoration...  The previous, unfinished restoration left us a few good parts. A new rear valance, some small brightwork, trim screws, and more were found new in their packages, presumably from Mustangs Unlimited (we found a sale flyer and this card among the parts strewn throughout the interior). |
 There were several duplicate...  There were several duplicate used items such as these extra quarter-panel extensions. This will give us a nice selection from which to pick two good ones. |
 The two front wheels were...  The two front wheels were in the trunk as well. Perhaps we can find a good home for these four-lug wheels after we have converted to the V-8&8217s five-lug affair. |
 I recall buying the correct...  I recall buying the correct fuel filler cap as my first new part for my 1966 when I was in high school. My car came with a 1965 cap and as soon as I found out it was incorrect, I visited a local Mustang shop to get the correct cap. I think I will detail this one and hang it in my office as a reminder. |
 We even found a box of 1969-70...  We even found a box of 1969-70 parts in the trunk. We were hoping to sell these for some "resto money," but Editor Ford wants to go through them first to see if there is anything of value for our 1970 SportsRoof project. I suppose that&8217s fair. |
 In the next installment, we...  In the next installment, we hope to have the car gutted and accomplish a more thorough evaluation of the sheetmetal repairs, which will be handled by Classic Creations of Central Florida [(941) 665-2322]. The owners, Merv and Pat Rego, recently moved to Florida after closing up Central Jersey Mustang. We are lucky to have such an enthusiastic Mustang facility in our backyard that is willing to work with us. Stay tuned. |