When the interior goes into your car, you know the end is near. You start pushing your work nights and weekend workdays. Grass goes uncut, household honey-dos stack up and are threatening to get you fired as significant other. But at last, you can see the end of the tunnel, and for once, the glow you see isn't the light of an oncoming train. Lazarus has finally reached that point. After months-and years-of work, we have finally reached the stage where the interior gets installed. Seats that sat complete in the attic for the last six years can now be assembled and placed in position. Carpet that was bought five years ago from John's Mustang as a Christmas gift can now be laid down. Seatbelts from Ssnake-Oyl can now be applied next to the CJ Pony Parts headliner and the carpet. And now that the dashpanel and engine have been installed, we can take a trip over to Tampa and have Classic Auto Air complete our A/C system.
The first order of business...
The first order of business is the Sport deck rear seat. Since the side panels and the door were in great shape, all we did was scuff them and paint them with semigloss black. The side panels were installed in their original mounting holes but left loose.
Our next project was to cut...
Our next project was to cut and apply the carpet we received from John's Mustang to the various panels for the fold-down. These were glued down using 3M trim adhesive. We used the original carpet as a template for our cuts.
Next, we used the new '71-'73...
Next, we used the new '71-'73 Sport deck seat mounting-hardware kit from AMK to replace the worn, rusty screws on all the parts of the deck.
The original mounting for...
The original mounting for the door left a great deal to be desired. After setting the center door, we began to play with the side panels to give us the correct position. We also set the trim panels in position, since the lip for these fits between the door and the side panels. We ended up moving the side panels in at the top and out a bit at the bottom for a good, even fit.
The rear window trim piece...
The rear window trim piece received a bit of strip caulk at the factory. We did the same. This was performed to prevent the panel from rattling.
Though the hood bumpers that...
Though the hood bumpers that we received from AMK aren't an exact match, they were close enough so that no one would know. We did have to remove a small amount of material in order to make them the correct length. These were then screwed into their new homes.
Our seatbelts were-at best-tired....
Our seatbelts were-at best-tired. However, we were fortunate that the Deluxe buckles and tags were still in great shape. We were also fortunate to find the correct clip covers for the shoulder harnesses (arrow) through a new old stock parts vendor. The belts were sent off to Ssnake-Oyl for refinishing.
Though the webbing on the...
Though the webbing on the belts looked safe, after 28 years of sitting inside the Mach 1, they had lost their sheen. They also had sealer on the webbing and tensioning pulls. Another annoying problem was the elastic that holds the shoulder harness-it was worn out.
We couldn't believe the difference...
We couldn't believe the difference in the belts when they arrived. The chrome shone like a mirror, and the webbing was glossy. These belts will now be a shining spot rather than an eyesore in our interior.
This is how the shoulder belts...
This is how the shoulder belts looked after we installed them. Note the retainer clip. These chrome, W-shaped clips helped to hold the belts out of the way. Though this '72 did not have them, we found a set at a salvage yard in a '71 Mach 1 and snagged them. We are not sure if these clips were used in 1972 but feel quite certain that they were part of the '71 Mustang package.
We used our Jim Osborn assembly...
We used our Jim Osborn assembly manuals (available from most Mustang parts houses) to help get the rear belts installed, as per Ford requirements. The fronts will have to wait on the carpet. These manuals are worth their weight in gold when reassembly time comes.
Our factory-style underlayment...
Our factory-style underlayment from Ssnake-Oyl went in without a hitch. We used trim adhesive to set the pieces after we were certain of the fit. We also set the carpet several times to make sure that the rug would lay correct.
We laid our carpet over the...
We laid our carpet over the engine bay, then coated it and the top of the underlayment with 3M trim adhesive (PN 08090), then we carefully laid the carpet in position. We installed the front first, then the rear. The trim adhesive will keep you from having bulges or lumps when it is laid out. Be sure to spray the sill area as well.
There are a number of wires...
There are a number of wires that pop out of the carpet when you have the Convenience Group. In the center of the floorpan is the seatbelt warning buzzer and seat-back latch wire. A hole had to be cut where shown to allow the wires to attach. The same step was repeated with the wire that cancels the seatbelt warning buzzer as well as the seatbelt mounting hole. Remember to start small when cutting these, because you can cut too much material and expose the underlayment.
The trim panels were installed...
The trim panels were installed next. The trim piece on the passenger side was a bit off, so we had to redrill the holes and shove some insulation into the area behind the sail panel to get a good, tight fit.
The base was aligned and set,...
The base was aligned and set, the belts were pulled through the panels, and the retainer clips were installed.
Next, we installed the seat...
Next, we installed the seat back-and-hinge assembly. These were moved around until they centered up and the latching mechanism operated properly. We installed a set of fold-down bumpers for the '65-'70 and found that we needed to bore the hole in the trim piece out just slightly to get them to fit.
Note the nice line of the...
Note the nice line of the seat back and trim panel. This could only happen when you take the time to adjust and custom-fit the panels.
Finally, the seat base goes...
Finally, the seat base goes in and the belts are pulled through.
The original seats were a...
The original seats were a bit dirty, especially in the heavy-grained accent stripes. We used our Krud Kutter and a toothbrush to bring the seat back to its original color. After the seats were cleaned, we wiped them down with Lexol leather conditioner.
After the seats were cleaned,...
After the seats were cleaned, the seat tracks were sprayed with semigloss black and regreased. Don't forget to clean the seat tracks-though this area is seldom seen, it is a nice detail touch many folks miss.
The seat bolts are other items...
The seat bolts are other items that don't receive a lot of attention, though they are fairly easy to see. We used a wire wheel to remove all the crud, then installed them through the carpet. Once again, use small holes. After we installed the bolts, we used some Eastwood Nylac on a brush to prevent the bolts from rusting.
While our console was sitting...
While our console was sitting loose, we installed our CD player from Antique Automobile Radio. We snagged an old console glovebox from a salvage yard, so that we wouldn't ruin our original glovebox by hacking a hole in it for the wiring. When you shut the lid, no one is the wiser.
AHHH Air
With the interior complete, we trailered the Mach 1 over to Classic Auto Air in Tampa for the final air conditioning line assembly. We also had The Muffler and Exhaust Center in Lakeland, Florida, build us a temporary system so that we could test the A/C and engine and not go deaf.
While our system was sitting around in the months prior to assembly, some bonehead decided that the lines needed a kink in them. This is usually disastrous for these lines. Fortunately, ours are still holding their charge of 134A. Lloyd Malott gave us some tips on what to look for where these old hoses are concerned:
- Check for discoloration at the kink. If the line is a brownish color, you could develop a leak.
- Check original hoses for fraying. This could be a weak spot-especially with the higher line pressures of 134A.
- Check for looseness/oil at the fittings. This could be a sign that the lines have been pulled and twisted.
Lloyd Malott vacuums the system...
Lloyd Malott vacuums the system to get the system ready for 134A. We used Classic Auto Air's more efficient evap core to help overcome the slightly less efficient coolant.
Another telltale sign that...
Another telltale sign that the system is 134. These fittings must be left on by law.
Things really get moving now....
Things really get moving now. The seatbelts and the console went in at this point. We recommend that you install the seats after the console to aid in getting the console to fit correctly.
This sticker must be prominently...
This sticker must be prominently applied in the engine bay when a system has been converted to 134. Failure to do so could cause damage to a shop's recovery equipment if they assume that you have R12.
Last but not least, Lloyd...
Last but not least, Lloyd Malott uses an extremely sensitive sniffer to detect leaks. Afterward, we started the car and got nice, ice-cold air from our vents.
Finished door. You've seen...
Finished door. You've seen it before, but we like our new old stock door panel so much, we just had to show it again. Actually, what we are showing here is the new old stock power-window bezel as well as the door panel. What was really fun was cutting the hole for the power windows in the panel. It still gives us chills.