Overdue Update

Life gets pretty busy sometimes so I do not have all the free time I need to keep up with this blog.

One of many projects with the car I have been working on is getting the car ready for a painter to take over and get the sheet metal straight and shot with color. My part in this endeavor includes making all the custom changes I want such as side marker deletions, antennae delete, side “Mustang” emblem delete.  Included in the sheet metal fab work I have done is installing both new rear quarters, installing 2” oversized inner wheel houses, removing and squaring up the outer wheel houses to facilitate larger tires being tucked up inside the fenders.  Tailoring the rear panel with key-hole delete and also to accommodate an aftermarket gas cap instead of the original pop open gas cap.  Fabbing up a cable and mechanism to remotely pop open the trunk from the cockpit.  Custom fitting the hood with the 2012 Mustang hood scoop, and also smoothing or shaving the engine bay to remove unsightly holes and seams.   These are most of the cosmetic sheet metal changes that will be apparent to the casual observer, but there are several other changes I have made and will be making over the course of this build. 

Another part of the sheet metal work I am doing is to remove all the rust and I have been working steady on that as well, fixing small areas with patches.  Besides the floor pans and lower quarters, there was not too much rust on this old car considering how long it had been sitting outside in the elements. After I remove all the paint which includes two repaints of red and the original white, I have been prepping the metal and shooting it with an epoxy primer to seal it so no new rust forms.  While removing the paint layers I have also been removing any and all sloppy body work.  Actually there was not much bodywork to remove as there was really not much previous damage to the vehicle.  The car had been hit once on the left quarter and I cut this panel off to replace with a new one so there was no bodywork to remove there.  Also all the loose body parts were clean and free of any bodywork or repairs so it was only a matter of sanding off the three paint layers to get to the bare metal.  They have a few minor dents and dings from over 40 years of life.  Once bare, they are coated with epoxy primer as well to stifle any new rust growth.

Sheet Metal Work on the Fenders

After I stripped the original paint and two repaints off the fenders, I cut pieces to fill in the side marker lights and the antennae hole.  I welded in these patches and also welded closed the “Mustang” emblem mounting holes on the fenders to eliminate any unwanted distractions in the lines of the vehicle.   After I filled the holes, I applied metal prep to etch the sheet metal and I shot the fenders with an epoxy primer to seal them.   (All of these things were supposed to have been done by the used car salesman I hired and paid in advance to do.)  He never did any of it.

Here you can see a dated picture where I was stripping the original paint along with two layers of red repaint.  All of which I had payed the used car salesman todd watkins to do and he never did. 

He stole my money.

Paint is stripped here, both fenders are stripped then I started filling holes.

Just wanted to see what it looked like sitting on the car, it's been awhile.

 Side marker hole that was supposed to be filled by the used car salesman who was paid in advance, but he stole my money.

 

Same thing here.

Plug I cut is in place and ready to weld in.

Started the job of welding the plug in place.  Both sides completed.  Along with other trim holes I will not be using including the antennae hole.