The New Project: Part Deux!

[njsteve]

Got the rebuilt clock, door solenoid and new front speaker back in the car this evening. And everything actually works now! Even the high speed position on the heater box, now that the new engine harness is in place. Now i just need the new radiator and I can bolt the front back together.

[Grant Didmon]

Awesome job Steve you are doing on the 72,I am so glad that we met and both pulled the trigger with selling /buying the Formula.
You will remember that I told you I had had a 64 1/2 Mustang convert,and then a 65 convert,before I bought the Formula.When I was a kid,I worked part time at A Safeway food store,during 1965.My Assistant Manager at the time,bought a triple black 65 Mustang GT convertible,with the A code 289 and top loader 4 speed and Pony interior.From 65 to 67 ,every Saturday,he let me take the car to my house on my lunch break,and wash it for him.You actually could here me smile on the way home and back going through the gears.Unfortunately in 67 a RCMP officer broadsided the car in pursuit of someone and the car was written off.I have always had a soft spot for triple black 65/66 Mustang converts,but they are really quite rare,even back then.
Well I found one,and so many similarities to the Formula story.The original owner died in 1999 of cancer,and his widow had his best friend buy the car.Ther 2nd owner,finally got tired of the car and I saw the ad.The one repaint is 30 years old,it has been garaged since new,bought in LA,taken to the Seattle area till this month when I got it.It has the most options of any Mustang convert I have ever found,it is an A code also,with a very rare $24.10 optional bench seat with fold down arm rest.Even the factory ordered air blows cold.The car went 3500 miles the last 24 years,and has 4000 miles more than the Formula has on it.The spare is original,and a log back to 1988 is sitting in the glove box.I do not know how to send pictures on the site,so I will send a couple to your email.
thanks, Grant

[njsteve]

I saw the photos you sent me, Grant. Awesome car. I'm so glad you found what you were looking for. You should start a new thread in the Ford section here, so everyone can see it.

Here's a link to the photo posting tutorial: https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/ubbt...opics/179667/1

[njsteve]

Spent the weekend getting the car ready for the frame repairs. A lot of loosening of nuts and bolts. I got the new set of rear springs (which the company of course guaranteed would sit the car at the correct ride height -NOT). Anyway I put them in and the ride height did come down an inch from the 30+ inches at the wheel well arches. Now it's 29-1/2" tall.

I measured the ride height of my prior 72 T/A with its original front and rear springs and F60x15 Polyglasses installed and it was at 28-1/4" rear, 27-7/8" front. That is what I am shooting for. The company said they can de-arch the springs if I want. I will be calling them tomorrow. Luckily they are close by in PA.

So, I got everything disconnected and then reconnected for the trailer ride to my bodyguy who will be doing the frame work.



And the generic 5-leaf Nova springs that were in the car, next to the new 4-leaf replacements that I labeled with the stencil I made from my T/A's spring numbers a few years back.



And here are the old generic springs in case anyone can use them, I'll give you a great deal! Part # 21-339 comes back to a 70-79 Chevy Nova V8 "Heavy". http://www.stengelbros.net/21-339_p_2847.html

[njsteve]

I also pulled the fuel tank and was pleasantly surprised at how nice the trunk floor was from the bottom side. Of course, I didn't find any magical broadcast sheet under there, unfortunately. The Norwood Assembly Plant was not too keen on putting them there back in the day.

[njsteve]

Original vent line hoses still in place. Nice and pliable, too.





And the fuel tank straps that are covered in the black overspray on the top and bottom sides of the straps, from the assembly plant.



And the original fuel tank. The US Steel stencil on the other side has a date of 12/30/1970, which is rather interesting. I believe the explanation is that the stencil date is the actual date of the steel being stamped by US Steel, into a roll and not the date of the fuel tank being created.

[njsteve]

I just got back from dropping the car off for the frame rail repairs. I brought the rear end back with me, along with the springs to be de-arched.

Spent an hour carefully cleaning the rear differential and found some paint marks. Rather interesting in that there is an orange "G" or maybe a "6" or a "9" depending on which way it was intended to be looked at. The G/6/9 is on both the top and the bottom of the center section. Also, some green paint at the bottom edge of the center section (just like on my 72 T/A, which had a giant orange "E" on the bottom and nothing on the top). The rear is a 3.42 posi, just like my old T/A (and built around a week after it in late December 1971).





And the yellow paint on the yoke nut.

[mockingbird812]

Nice archaeology MacGuyver! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

[njsteve]

I brought the new springs back to Stengel Bros in Allentown, PA and they de-arched them an inch. We'll see how it goes when they go back in the car next week.

Pulled the cover off the 10-bolt rear differential. Looks like it has been rebuilt recently (or at least prior to the last couple decades that it was put into storage). New clutches in the posi and the original 11/1971 dated 3.42 gears are thankfully, still there. Factory &quot;CM&quot; code stamping on the front of the passenger side tube was intact as well, dated 351st day of 1971. That's three weeks prior to the January 11, 1972 ship date.





BTW, here is the spec page for the part #80-335 1970-73 T/A and Z/28 leaf springs:

http://www.stengelbros.net/80-335_p_2927.html

[njsteve]

I forgot to post these last week when I got all the A/C hardware back in place.

I also spent some time plastic welding the ABS plastic radiator shroud. The original equipment shrouds from these cars are extremely rare to find intact. The GM replacement part has a large circular notch cut in the bottom and a bracket hole in the top for an overflow tank bracket that the 70-72 cars do not have. I have seen mint shrouds go for some big bucks recently.

Here's the shroud as is, when I bought the car. It had a 1-1/2&quot; circular hole cut in the top and three 3/4 holes in the side and bottom, all for mounting of the aftermarket electric fan:



And here is how it looks after the welding (and inhaling of melting ABS fumes)



and the finished A/C reinstall (minus the R12).