gc65restomod

This is my diary of my first mustang. It started as a seemingly respectable 65, 289 2V convertible with what appeared to be the original engine, and transmission. The previous owner billed it as a daily driver with a lot restoration work completed like floor pans and such. When I purchased this car things looked ok, but I am no expert and such started the learning process.

gc65restomod

I started by decoding the numbers and found out that the interior was new and not correct for the car. I thought that this and a paint job would be the big ticket items for the car.

The numbers are as follows:

Year = 5
1965
Body = 08
Convertible
Engine = C
289 2V
Unit Number
702757

Body = 76B
Convertible with Luxury Interior
Color = 5
Twilight Turquoise
Trim = F7
White with Aqua Trim Luxury
Date = 21R
April 21
DSO = 33
Detroit
Axle = 6
2.80:1
Trans=6
C-4 Automatic
Engine=C
289 2V

gc65restomod

She sat idle, garaged in the New Mexico desert for several years while I was living out of the country and then it was time to start the work. I decided I would take it all apart and do a good job with the restoration. And the lessons begin. Things started out ok but got real ugly real quick.

Grell

THis hobby is alot of hard work. From my own point of view, I usually walk away from cars that have had alot of repair work done to them. I guess I figure depends on how the work is done. By that I mean not just was it done right or wrong and how much filler and etc. but was it done for actual use of the car or does it look pretty and as soon as you get in the car to drive it, the fllor metal pops and bangs and door clang and rattle so you park the car and never really enjoy it for driving. The really pretty show cars that are modified heavily and intended for show purposes mainly, usually are not good drivers. Cars with set back engines are uncomfortable to ride in cause you loose leg room, the seats are in the wrong position, hard to see out of the glass and you end up monkey grabbing the steering wheel. And then on top of it, you can go buy a restored car and pay big $$$$$$ and 6 months later the bondo starts cracking and you find spots where they didnt replace the panel they claimed they did. Or my favorite is , It is all new parts and new meaning new to them, hence Junk yard parts. Dont get me wrong though, there are some people who do really nice quality work but there are more that doing shoddy work and push it off.

I guess what does this post mean? I guess, if you go buy a car first crawl all over it on the top and bottom, Stay away from salvaged titled cars. If you think this is the last one on the earth, think again there are alot more out there and possible in better condition and maybe better pricing.

Well that is my 2 cents worth.

gc65restomod

So after some stripping and poking around with a screwdriver, I found out I had more hidden rust than there was car. At some point you have to make a decision: do you start over and scrap what you have or suck it up and rebuild. If I had it to do over again I might have started over but in this case I decided to rebuild. I had no idea what it would cost but chose that route anyway. To start the car was put on a frame table and reference points were welded in at key spots to keep the geometry. All of the measurements would be checked along the way to make sure things stay square.

At that point, stuff started coming out of the car as you can see. Ever see commentary on a mustang rebuild that say the outer rockers were fine but the inners needed replacing or vice versa? I bet they are lying. I don't see how you could have one side good and one side bad the way these cars were put together.

gc65restomod

How in the heck have these cars stayed on the road this long? The rust is everywhere. There is a rib inside the rocker panels that on this car is completely rusted away. I wonder how many people replace one side and don't know that it is supposed to be there. The frame rails and wheel wells are crumbling apart. They had been well covered by glass and bondo.

390 4spd

I fill your pain brother ...

I'm rebuilding a 67' vert thread http://forums.bradbarnett.net/showthread.php?t=455471


It just takes time and money....maybe i should put the word money first!

gc65restomod

Part's Time: this is what I think I need in the first round. I am sure there will be more...
Floor Pan (complete)
Trunk Floor Complete
Both Rear Full Frame Rails
Firewall – Full
Both Quarter Panel Assemblies
Both Front Frame Extensions
Full Seat Platform
Both Outer Rocker Panels
Both Front Frame Extensions
Both Inner Rocker Panels
Both Inner Wheelhouses
Inner Floor Frame Support x2
Both Outer Wheelhouses
Both Torque Boxes
Both Cowl Side Panels
Both Floor to Firewalls
Front Fender Apron
Both Outer Rocker Panels
Both Rear Fender Apron Extensions
Both Inner Cowl Vent Repair Panels I am ordering everything new and I am sure there will be issues fitting it together. There is not too much left of the original car.

future9er24

argh, those rust issues don't look fun my friend

best of luck

gc65restomod

certainly not.

pakrat

Ouch, this looks like a job for Dynacorn! That certainly is one expensive pile of rust, sorry to hear you fell victim. A great man used to say " a little bondo and a little paint can make a Mustang what it ain't" boy does that apply here. I know it is hard to walk away from a 12k lesson but it may have cost less to do so in the long run. I guess the up side is that pretty much any part is available for the 65', if this was my 69' vert It would be hopeless.

If it makes you feel any better, folks have had it worse. This article always brings a tear to my eye. http://www.classicmustang.com/Storie...Novakovich.htm

gc65restomod

Wow, that story is amazing. I don't think I was as cheated as that guy. The seller did over represent the car but there was not as much cover up. Mine was not attempted to be made into a GT and the car was not oversprayed prior to sale. I think he knew about the poor floor repairs and he also would have known that the car was sagging by driving it periodically.

In the end it would be much cheaper to start over but I decided to take this car to the Restomod route due to the lack of original parts and performing a better than new construction. Here are some more pictures of the progress.

These photos document the cowl repair. What a mess. I will say this one time and it will stick in this thread. Every piece of metal is coated with rust encapsulator and every weld is coated and seam sealed. For as long as I and the next owner live, this car will not rust.

pakrat

I hear that. When my car got totalled I had a tough decision to make as well and I chose to spend all the insurance money fixing it as opposed to starting over, I just couldn't walk away. My car was an all original rust free 2 owner 46k mi California car, repainted twice but that was it, even the floor pans were rust free original. There was no way I was letting it become one with the weeds on my watch but it of course would never be all original again so I chose to go restomod as well. Fortunately my car is only titled in MA and I lived in NH when it got hit and they don't issue titles so there is no salvage title on it, big factor in my decision.

Good luck, I hope it all works out for you in the end!

Clark Kent

Wow!! I always wanted a classic, and it was probably my next buy. However, this makes me feel very timid

hiznherponies

I wish I had more money and time to put into my '66!! Great progress on your 'vert, my friend!! I wish more people would try to save the "tough-to-restore" or "misrepresented" cars!! John

gc65restomod

There are so many people out there that can help you avoid the pitfalls. The key is to learn my lesson and that of some others here and be very careful with the purchase. I am photo and diary documenting this entire build. IF I ever was to decide to try to sell this car there would be no question about rust. If you see a car that is "restored" without an open view of what was done that would be a red flag. Even then, poking around with screw driver under the car and walking around with a magnet can tell you a lot but not everything. If you are going to spend $20k on a car, it is well worth $200 to get an expert opinion on what you are buying.

hiznherponies

Do you still live in NH, Pakrat? Just wondering, I'm moving up there this summer.

BTW, when I bought my '66, I didn't worry about its condition too much, considering I only paid $1700 for it.

svopaul

Not true, I am a Dynacorn Dealer and they have released a full floor, firewall, cowl that are 69-70 specific now....so more and more parts are now available so you don't have to make so many things work.

Just last year in my shop we had to fabricate patches for a '69 cowl.....now we no longer have to do that so as time goes on, things are getting better as far as replacement parts go.

pakrat

Yes I do, I live in Exeter, right on the coast, what little there is in NH. Where abouts you moving to? Unfortunately my new job is in Canton MA like 83 miles south so I will probably be moving back to taxachusettes in the near future.

gc65restomod

On with some progress, the rockers are **** hard to replace. I guess that's why people don't do it very often.