We made every effort to get our Styled Steel wheels onto our Project '66 in time for the Silver Springs Mustang Show, but unfortunately the UPS driver showed up a day late with our tires and we ran out of time for mounting. Originally, Tom Sensebaugh of Specialty Wheels suggested a 15x7-inch version. We were fine with that, as long as we could still use a trim ring (it is, after all, a '66). After attempting to install a countless number of trim rings, Tom called us back and told us none of them looked appealing (he usually sells the custom sizes with a chrome '65-style rim). So we opted for the '67 Styled Steel wheel (a 14x5.5-inch model with a black painted rim) and all the lugs, caps, and rings we would need.
Once we figured out the wheel, we moved on to the rubber that will ultimately meet the road. After hearing positive statements about Hoosier Tires' new radials, we decided to try them out. Hoosier, well known in the racing industry, introduced its line of street radials in 13- to 17-inch sizes approximately a year ago. These tires feature an outstanding 440 rating in tread wear and an "A" rating in both temperature and traction. They look great in either black sidewalls or raised-white-letters; it's your choice. We opted for 205/70R14s at all four corners.
 29 Once the basecoat and...  29 Once the basecoat and the clearcoats have been applied to the underside of both the hood and the decklid and allowed to dry for up to three days, these areas are masked off with tape and masking paper to prevent any overspray during the final body painting. |  30 Depending upon how much...  30 Depending upon how much you've disassembled your Mustang will determine how much time you will spend masking off areas to prevent overspray. Since our Mustang was a bare shell, we simply masked off the window openings to prevent overspray on our primed dash area. |  31 Now it's time for the...  31 Now it's time for the first coat of paint. After proper mixing and preparations, the first coat of Anniversary Gold is applied. Every painter has a different method for application, so use what's best for you to ensure uniform coverage. Some paints fill better than others and require fewer coats. You want a wet coat but not so thick that it runs. |
 32 Be especially cognizant...  32 Be especially cognizant around the detail areas, such as under the taillight panel and at the bottom of the rocker panels. Sometimes these areas don't receive enough paint (it's OK to bend over while painting--honest!), so be sure you catch these areas. Sometimes a second set of eyes are needed to detect those missed or thin spots. |  33 Apply the first few coats...  33 Apply the first few coats of your top color to loose items, such as headlight trim and valances, on spray stands. When it comes time for the final coat of color, bolt the items loosely to the body so that the flow of the paint from the gun will match from one panel to the next; this is especially important for metallic paints. |  34 Once the basecoat has...  34 Once the basecoat has had ample time to dry, we mixed our PPG Concept 2021 clear with the proper reducer and hardener for our application temperature (again see the product bulletin) and laid down two wet coats. Notice the hood and the valances are still in place from the last coat of color applied. |
We ordered a set of these nifty paint pens from our lifesavers at The Eastwood Company. The pens come unassembled in a pack of six and are ready to be filled with your custom mix paint. We mixed up a little bit of our Anniversary Gold, as well as the two different blacks for the engine compartment and interior and added them to our show kit. Get a little stone chip, break out your paint pen, and touch it up fast. We used our pens quite a bit during assembly (those vent window frames are tough to install and can cause a scratch or two). And best of all is the price. In Eastwood's last catalog these pens (order no. 34071) are just $9.99 for the set of six!
 35 After allowing sufficient...  35 After allowing sufficient time to dry (at least 16 hours), the front of the hardtop was carefully disassembled so that we could paint the engine compartment. Using PPG DCC 9300 Concept Black with PPG DX685 Flattening Agent (you'll have to see the product bulletin to determine the amount to mix for the gloss you desire), we achieved the perfect eggshell gloss finish we desired for our engine compartment. |  36 Finally, we taped off...  36 Finally, we taped off the fresh doorjambs and applied PPG DIA 9295 lacquer to the dash and the doors. This paint mix code was supplied to us by Bob Perkins and is an exact match for the '66 interior black color, though lacquer is continually becoming harder to find. |  37 With the paint application...  37 With the paint application complete, it is now time to bring out the shine. Wet-sanding the clearcoat is not for the fainthearted. Using a rubber sanding block and 1500-grit wet sandpaper, carefully sand the finish to remove runs and any imperfections in the clear. You don't want to break through the clear finish, so continually check your progress. |
 38 After the clearcoat has...  38 After the clearcoat has been wet-sanded, the next phase to bringing out our show-winning finish is applying a buffing compound. Using a high-speed machine buffer is the only way to accomplish this. Watch the corners and sharp edges to prevent burning through the clearcoat. You want the pad spinning away from the edge, not toward it. |  39 Switching now to a foam...  39 Switching now to a foam pad, a glaze or a polish is applied next. This step removes the common swirl marks that occur during buffing. Again, keep the buffer moving to prevent burning the surface. |  40 A coat of high-quality...  40 A coat of high-quality paste wax that is clearcoat compatible is applied to give us the final sunglasses-required, stop-and-stare shine. Make sure the wax contains no silicone. We've now reached the top of Mustang Mountain, and the rest is all downhill from here! MCA 25th Anniversary, here we come! |
I originally planned to paint the '66 myself with some training and help from Classic Creations of Central Florida, the shop responsible for the bodywork and prep up to this point. My hands became dirty while sanding and blocking (and even a little wet-sanding afterwards), but I never got a chance to hold a spray gun, because our time leading up to the MCA Grand National last year quickly ran out. Even so, the loads of manual labor made me appreciate what skilled bodymen do every day all that much more. Classic Creations doesn't usually perform paintwork because the time involved and the space needed precludes the folks there from painting, so they contract with a local custom painter. They graciously spent their valuable time (even spraying the clearcoat on an early Sunday morning) helping us get the hardtop's Anniversary Gold sprayed in time for the really big show in Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina, last year.