Mach 13 

my 1969 Mustang Restomod Project

Page 1 The early Years

   

T his is my 1969 Mustang Mach 1 restomod project I call Mach 13.  Just a little disclaimer here. This build has been nothing but a pain in the butt.  I should have listened to the experts (those who have done it before) and just put in a nice carb engine probably best to be what it came with and then some mild tried and true mods at the most.  No, I had to follow my dream...  

 

 

E-bay 2004

These black car pictures were from E-bay way back in January 2004. You can see the hood is gone and the wheels are just out of date cast offs to get it on the trailer.  Many parts were sold off on E-Bay and many others purchased there.  Like many cars now days the credit card and E-Bay are my buddies.  I bid low and someone else won.  They backed out when they saw it in person out in Phoenix.  I was offered the car at my lowball bid and took it.  It arrived on a transporter in Indianapolis on the day my daddy died at the age of 83.  I hereby dedicate this effort to him as he was always fixing things and was never intimidated by a job around the house. 

 

When it left the factory, this car was a Mach1 4 speed posi shaker scooped 390 cube beast with black jade paint and the mach 1 stripes and a white interior.  When I dragged it home, the hood engine and posi were nowhere to be found.  In their place were a 302, C4 and open rearend with broken teeth.

    I like the build date 6-9-1969

By 2004, the body was poorly painted black with the rear bumper molded in and falling apart.  The front fenders each had problems which could only be properly solved with the purchase of better used ones.  The doors and trunk lid had seam rot which I do not want to deal with and there are nice replacements made now. 

 

 

I drilled out the spot welds and removed the rear panel, one of the few areas with rust.  Also the previous owner had molded in the rear bumper screwing up that area.  That's me welding.  Thanks to Mike Hanson for the use of your welder and some welding lessons.  I am a metallurgist but that does not mean I automatically can run a torch. 

 

  Here you see the radiator support and battery apron removed and replaced.  These were victims of battery acid and accident damage.  Note the shock towers are still in place.

 

 Of course I can fix that with  a drill and the saws all...From the dates it looks like cutting on July 4 holiday 2004.

 

Cross Member welded in, new Rod & Custom Mustang II suspension package laid out and installed.    

      

That is Kevin of Carmel Welding doing the heavy duty stuff with his portable welding rig in my garage. Lotsa nice sparks at the end of July 04.

       

Note the adjustable upper spring perch.  It can be set down in the weeds and the coilovers have some adjustments too.  Don't worry, later it all went black.

 The engine went in and the cross member and custom fabbed engine mounts were welded up.  I had to drop the 390 manual crossmember 2 inches by adding estension ears.   All this by the end of 2004.  Then a lot of waffling on what to do next.  I cut holes in the hood for 70 twist locks and for the boss 429 scoop bolts.  I trim the hood reinforcements to clear the coolant recovery tank.  Time passes tick tick tick maoney runs low. 

A decision is made to use a credit card with real low interest to finance the next major steps.  Hey I am desparate to get this project back in gear.  Back out with the engine for body work and paint at my buddy Martin Cody's place.  To do it right we had to replace rear quarters and outer wheel wells which made for a smooth car but wow was that scary! 

 

    

 

A plasma torch and flange jogging tool and hole punch made for the perfect seams.  Here Martin Cody grinds down his quarter panel seam welds. 

 

 

 

   

 

Putty and sanding and primer and putty and sanding.  Finally all smoothed out in primer ready for paint. 

 

                               

Then up on its side in the crazy German tilter mechnism to clean up the bottom and pinch seam damage from jacks over the years.  

 

 

Now for a while my living room was a haven for blue parts. They are still in storage bt in  a corner of the sun room.  Yes, that is a 1970 color commonly called Grabber blue.  I am going for that boss 429 look.  I love those big heads and valve covers on the 429 NASCAR engine but like most people don't have the scratch to buy one.  So I noticed the late model DOHC engines look kinda similar except for the lack of round air cleaner on top. 

   

   

 

Coming home after paint.  Person in the picture was the wrecker driver.  That's a 22 gallon Fuel Safe fuel cell mounted in the car with stainless fasteners.  I never liked the idea of a normal fuel tank being the floor of the trunk.  Twin electric fuel pumps are internally mounted. 

    

Putting the engine together hopefully for the last time even test fitting the full dress kit. 

     

 

I weld in the new floor braces to make up for cutting out the seat risers to clear the 04 Mach 1 seats.  

  

   

                                       

My oldest son Lee and me the old bald bearded one.   

   

Then prepping the engine bay and putting some things in behind the dash like the restored AC unit and wires. 

   

Here I am painting the wheel wells and cutting the extended U-bolts for the axel dropping blocks while the younger boy Andy hands me stuff.  I want this sitting low.  Imagine how low it will be with all the interior and fenders and a full tank of gas.    I Put on the new wheels and tires after the mustang show in 07.   

                           

 

I dropped the late model modular 4.6 liter DOHC 1999 - 2001 Cobra engine in place with the AODE tranny.  A note here for those of you who are confused.  Yes the cobra has 8 crank bolts and all of them were manual and the automatic I mentioned uses 6 on its flywheel.  The Mach1 cast crank uses 6 and that is what I used along with the Mach 1 computer from an automatic car.  I am not as dumb as I look in that picture.  Or maybe I am... Hmmm

      

 This is what was doing through October 2008, wiring stuff up and finishing off the engine bay so I can put the hood and fenders back on.  The computer wiring interface board is from the Detail Zone and I have it mounted on a hinged board to dissapear into the trunk fender area behind black carpet. Now it is November 2008.  I am shooting for July 2009 car shows when this car turnes 40 years old.  These fuel injected engines and electronic trannys use over 100 wires to control things so this is no easy thing.  There is precious little realestate to run wires to the trtunk so I had to be crreative.  I think a digital networked communication and control system would clean things up but maybe I am talkin' out my a$$ as I am no electrical expert.  But I know a couple thank goodness

Five more short pages follow.   

Page 1    You survived it - The early years

Page 2    Interior Work 2008

Page 3    December 2008 to January 2009

Page 4    Vanity Plate

Page 5    February and March 2009

Page 6    April thru June 2009