Birddog0347 rescues a Fox

[bird_dog0347]

I also just started a new Youtube channel to put some videos on as we go with this, as there are a few that will show the scope of this project and the gremlins hiding underneath... Kevin will keep sending me videos and I'll document it that way. He and I have been planning since about last May so some of this is catch up, but he got the car yesterday. Also after talking to him yesterday about the engine bay, originally I had planned/budgeted for him to just pull the stuff out and paint the bay, but I will kick myself if we don't at least smooth the strut tower's forward on the bay so that will now happen as well.


Hopefully today we will have a shell to steal panels from to fix all the nonsense hiding in my car. More to come.

[bird_dog0347]

I appreciate the offer, but my only need is a driver's side rear fender. Mine got crunched when some asshole backed out of my neighbor's driveway in the middle of the night, hit my car and drove off.

I have zero body experience and I don't know if it can be repaired or if the fender will have to be replaced like you're doing.

If it's just dented it can likely be repaired with a stud puller, but since mine would have to be welded anyway it's easier to just find a better fender and replace. Post a pic of yours.

[TX_92_Notch]

I'll ask Kevin to let me know what's good on the shell that I don't need and can make you a deal on whatever is left. Assuming you need it.

I appreciate the offer, but my only need is a driver's side rear fender. Mine got crunched when some asshole backed out of my neighbor's driveway in the middle of the night, hit my car and drove off.

I have zero body experience and I don't know if it can be repaired or if the fender will have to be replaced like you're doing.

[bird_dog0347]

Too bad you're not using the passenger side fender from that shell. I also need a driver's side rear fender for my car unless the dent in mine can be repaired.

I'll ask Kevin to let me know what's good on the shell that I don't need and can make you a deal on whatever is left. Assuming you need it.

[TX_92_Notch]

Too bad you're not using the passenger side fender from that shell. I also need a driver's side rear fender for my car unless the dent in mine can be repaired.

[Rick Modena]

Holy Bondo Batman!

That is some shoddy ass work for sure.
I can count 8 coats of Bondo and that black shit at the shoddy weld job looks like Marine Tex that used in the paint and body business to adhere fiberglass panels to metal and then finished off by plastic fillers.

[bird_dog0347]

So as I mentioned last May, the car is going in for a full paint/body setup. We also have a full T-top roof that is going on it, and a coupe shell that we will at a minimum be using the driver's rear quarter from, maybe the cowl too, we will see. The shop doing the work is K and K in Tennessee and you can see some of their work here. 2nd link is Kevin's personal coupe he's putting T-Tops on that will show his process, same as he will do on mine.

https://www.facebook.com/kandkcustommustangs/

https://www.stangnet.com/mustang-forums/threads/%E2%80%9Crising-from-ashes-5%E2%80%9D-86-4-eye-t-top-notch-build.918378/

They already have the T-Top roof/glass/etc, and here's pics of the shell he is picking up tomorrow for $550.






My car had some driver rear fender damage before I got it, that some idiot covered in bondo after cutting it with a cutoff wheel so I knew that was going to be a big problem when I saw the bondo crack under the paint and sanded it down to see what we are working with... screw this fender! And especially fuck the asshole that did that!




Anyway, the car was picked up yesterday and is on it's way to K & K for the next 1-2 years, but it will get a complete makeover with show quality paint and some T-Tops.

[Broncojohnny]

I love picking up random tips like this.

It is like I have doing this shit for 30 years on the same POS car.

[Shorty]

In the future, always start with the last header bolt first and work your way forward. If you have to pry any tubes into place it is easier to pry the front tubes. I always tighten the bolts as tight as I can get them with a short wrench.

I love picking up random tips like this.

[bird_dog0347]

Nick, I've got a hoist and would spend a day helping out if you go this direction.

It would be an easy task to repair a thread with the engine out. I recommend a Time-sert but a Heli-coil would work.

I appreciate that, but I doubt I'll have time to do that at this point. The engine will be coming out, just not in my garage.

Never heard of a time-sert, I'll have to google that one.

[slow84lx]

I'm leaning toward full retard. If I do that, anyone want to help me pull the engine/trans? I don't have an engine hoist or experience with it.

Nick, I've got a hoist and would spend a day helping out if you go this direction.

It would be an easy task to repair a thread with the engine out. I recommend a Time-sert but a Heli-coil would work.

[Broncojohnny]

Chase it with a tap, as mentioned. If you have to repair it, use a timesert rather than a helicoil. The difference is that the timesert is a solid piece instead of a coil of wire. You should be able to repair it in the car if you will remove the header.

In the future, always start with the last header bolt first and work your way forward. If you have to pry any tubes into place it is easier to pry the front tubes. I always tighten the bolts as tight as I can get them with a short wrench.

[bird_dog0347]

I'd try removing the bolt and assessing the thread damage. Being aluminum it will probably be mangled but you may be able to chase it with a tap and get a bolt or stud in it to hold. The advantage to using a stud (if clearance allows) is that once in and holding you only need to remove the nut for service work. A helicoil will work fine in aluminum if it comes to that. As far as pulling the head or not, as long as you have good clearance for a tap or repair tools then you should be able to do in installed.

I might try that, but for now, the exhaust leak is going on the back burner and can be dealt with later... I've got to pull ALL the interior in the mean time and finish restoring the 1/4 windows that are sitting in the box in my garage.

Operation full retard is a go for paint and body, not going to spoil anything yet but it's a full send. The engine upgrades/changes, whatever else will have to wait.

[Gasser64]

Ummmm, yeah, it gets driven. And I'm only OCD about a few things. While I do intend to clean it up, I don't intend to jack it up and clean under it for anything other than I've got it in the air to replace something and I might as well. Fuck that noise... a collector can buy a pristine car and care for it like that.

lol! There's detail enthusiasts over at the detailing forums that do that kind of thing to their daily drivers every couple of weeks. But yeah I couldn't do that either. What I want is some kind of automation that does all that for ya. Effectively, not just the spray thing at the car wash

[shumpertdavid]

I'd try removing the bolt and assessing the thread damage. Being aluminum it will probably be mangled but you may be able to chase it with a tap and get a bolt or stud in it to hold. The advantage to using a stud (if clearance allows) is that once in and holding you only need to remove the nut for service work. A helicoil will work fine in aluminum if it comes to that. As far as pulling the head or not, as long as you have good clearance for a tap or repair tools then you should be able to do in installed.