Well, the project is off the ground...literally. I have to take the car to DMV, and since it doesn't have wiring, it's on the trailer.
It's a very straight, non-rusty 1968 Coupe with some nice goodies.
Good:
Aluminum Radiator-new
Stock Gas Tank-new
Complete Wiring harness-new, in the box
Holley 650-new
Edelbrock performer RPM intake-new
Trunk Battery Box-new
Flowmasters-new, but nasty job
Bad:
In primer with light patina of rust, which means he may not have sealed the bare metal
Hole where the old battery tray was-oh joy, I get to weld...unless I con my daughter into doing it.
No dash components-wait, my other car has that all new!
The story-I currently have another 68 Coupe that is suffering the ravages of rust, misaligned panels, poor workmanship on the floors and basically is put together from 4 different cars. This was fine because I drove it daily, but as of late, it became apparent that the car was unsafe. A tally of the repairs showed that it was cheaper to find a good shell and build another car. (Yeah, it was actually cheaper to get the new fastback shell, but we're on a budget here.)
The idea is to move over my old coupe's interior, suspension and drivetrain to the new coupe and build a decent restomod. If people here are interested, I'll keep a detailed account of problems, solutions and observances while building the new car.
Keep us up to date from time to time. Projects like this are fun to watch and others can always get new ideas.
As for the old coupe body try selling it to recover some funds, even if it's only a few hundred. There are people out there that may have interest in making it a drag car or other uses. Some may have interest in a good roof if it is in good shape to transplant onto one that had a vinyl one that rusted.
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1968 Mustang coupe, Acapulco Blue, 289 2v, C-4, Power Steering.
Hopefully a 1969 convertible or Sportsroof (non Mach or Boss) for next Mustang project
Trying to find my father's 1973 Mustang Grande he bought brand new. 3F04F126773 last known registration and title was in New Jersey, 1982.
I wish the old shell was solid, but here's just a few of the problems:
Rusty cowling-the previous owner used lots of silicone and fiberglass to patch it
Nasty floor pans-Not sure if this was the previous owner, the pans look like they were cut from another Ford, and I bet it was a Maverick. Anyway, it's a hack job.
Front Pass torque box-yeah, two inch hole right below the cowling.
Roof-The headliner and vinyl top were new on the car when I bought it. It never leaked. It does now. I pulled back the headliner to reveal one nasty front brace behind the windsheild.
Drivers side shock tower-rewelded
Rear fender drivers side-it's totally bowed. The rear quarter glass never has sealed right.
Rear passenger fender-it's straight, it looks good, but there is a one inch gap in between the fender and the wheelwell.
If I posted a pic of the car, you would wonder what the heck I was griping about, it looks good. I plan on selling the shell, because it would make a good drag car etc.
05 - Zeon body kit, Saleen S/C, 3.6" pully, 90mm MAF, L/T Heders, Catted X-Pipe, Saleen Race Craft suspension, Axel brace, Pan hard bar. More to come this spring from my friends at PMP and Larry H.
65 - Street force coil over front suspension, Wilwood disk breaks at all 4 wheels, More construction in progress! More to come this spring from Simons Auto & Restoration!
Some information that might help others buying out of State:
Make sure they have a clear title, and that the VIN, Name, and description match.
See if your State requires a Bill of Sale to register. Arizona titles don't have a place to put the price, and New Mexico requires that knowledge, hence a Bill of Sale is needed.
Affidavit of Storage. Nice to have while the car is out of commission. Take this in when you register.
Insurance. My insurance company also gave me a storage waiver. It's good for one year.
Hopefully this helps some folks out. I'm sure other states have different rules etc. So check 'em out first.
Just remember that not all states issue titles for older vehicles. CT is one state that doesn't issue them anymore. I don't have a title to my 68 and the state won't give me one either if I sell it which means the new owner won't get one either from me. Here older cars are sold with bills of sales only.
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1968 Mustang coupe, Acapulco Blue, 289 2v, C-4, Power Steering.
Hopefully a 1969 convertible or Sportsroof (non Mach or Boss) for next Mustang project
Trying to find my father's 1973 Mustang Grande he bought brand new. 3F04F126773 last known registration and title was in New Jersey, 1982.
Thanks for the input about CT. I wish it was that easy here.
OK, the car is still on the trailer. Insurance and paperwork are ready for tomorrows trip into the bowls of the MVD. I have to tow the car there so they can take a peek at the VIN.
I managed to start cleaning the car out and came upon a mystery, at least for me.
The first thing is the wiring harness this guy bought. It's a Kwik product, and perhaps he wasn't paying close attention, but he blew a wad on a product that claims to use the GM wiring colors. Anyone got a GM based rod? LOL
Next, I finally got the seat moved enough to pull the carpet all the way back. Under the carpet on each side were tar mats and underneath those a fiber like substance measuring 12x12. Anyone ever see whats underneath an original carpet? What is that stuff?
Oh, and so far not enough rust to be worried about.
Almost all the aftermarket wiring harnesses are designed for GM applications. This is due to the fact that more streetrodders and customizers use GM tilt columns and SBC powered vehicles than Ford or Chrysler. It's all in the demand.
You can use it for Ford, you just have to convert the wiring colors over and may have to solder/crimp on different plugs.
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1968 Mustang coupe, Acapulco Blue, 289 2v, C-4, Power Steering.
Hopefully a 1969 convertible or Sportsroof (non Mach or Boss) for next Mustang project
Trying to find my father's 1973 Mustang Grande he bought brand new. 3F04F126773 last known registration and title was in New Jersey, 1982.
I may once again recruit my neighbor for his input. He's a retired Electrical Engineer who collects un-used components as a hobby. (I don't know what he's brewing in his garage, but it has lots of dials and blinking lights.)
I've usually rewired my own cars in the past using the same colors and connectors. Not an easy job, but much easier if you go section by section. IE Underdash, rear taillights, front ignition, front lights. I think I would have sprung for the failing section first then worked my way around the car as needed, using repro parts. They just didn't have them when I got into this hobby.
I may barter a trade with my other neighbor, he is building a hotrod, and I need a Nine inch rear
Finally got the New Coupe in the garage, and the Resident Coupe under her car cover in front.
Looks like we'll be purchasing one Passenger inner panel to fix the battery tray hole.
However, time to fix the body budget first.
One thing I'm changing my mind on daily is the fiberglass front I wish to use. I like both the 67 and 68 Shelby look in front. I know my pros and cons, but I'd like to hear yours.
Heres a pic of a classic "lightening hole" courtesy of a leaky battery.
Last edited by countymounty; 10-03-2007 at 11:07 PM.
Here's a pic of the car on the trailer just before we left Arizona.
OK, the interior is out. Two things popped up right away.
First, behind the front seats on the tranny tunnel, two holes appeared. Looks like the hangers for the exhaust got pushed through.
Second, those fiberglass looking patches are indeed fiberglass. What was underneath? A big hole? Nope, nice metal. I wonder if someone thought ahead about the air conditioner condenser drain line dripping into the car?
Last edited by countymounty; 10-03-2007 at 11:10 PM.
Picked up 1968 Mustang Coupe Saturday 
