Tag Archives: Ford Motor Company

1973 Mustang SportsRoof – Floor Pans Getting To It! – Part One

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The last three post we basically a run down of the extent of the rust damage in the floor pan areas on #ProjectSportsRoof.  As you saw the right side was bad, especially the under the rear seat on that side and the left side not as bad.   Interesting enough it ended up being about the same work for both foot wells and a lot work for the whole under the rear seat.  (You’ll notice in at least one of the videos I mentioned that all I needed to do was to buy the panel for under the rear seat – but I was wrong.  Those just are reproduced.  What I ended up doing was purchasing a 3rd foot well pan and “modifying” that to get the whole patched.)

As this is my first time actually doing floor pans, I did a lot of “making sure” up front work to limited the size of the mistakes I might make.  Last thing I needed to do was cut in the wrong place or make the opening to big.  As you know the Mustangs of that era only had  sub-frames and the floor for the most part were what held them together.  A major screw up there and you’ve weakened the structure and then it’s body off complete floor replacement – NOT IN THE BUDGET!!!

Here’s some of the preliminary work.

 

So of course there isn’t a rear panel (see above) and the drain in the panel is not plugged with a rubber stopper, but with a metal screw down plate – sealed with seam sealer.

I worked the left side first (some I could keep the car mobile – for pulling in and out of the garage) so I left the driver’s seat and most of the carpet in place.

 

Coming up is the first cuts of the right side floor pan and fitting of the replacement panel.

 

Thanks for reading.

Tim

#ProjectSportsRoof

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1973 Mustang SportsRoof – Floor Pan Discovery – Part Three

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Thanks for checking in on the 1973 Mustang project.   Below is the last part of the discovery process for determining the extent rust damage.  Here is the driver’s side.

FloorPanLRr-2

This shot doesn’t look too bad, especially compared with the right side.   Below is a video recap of what needs to happen.

Of course still need to remove the rest of the carpeting. All indications are that everything else is solid!!

 

Thanks for reading

Tim

1973 Mustang Sports Roof – Floor Pan Discovery – Part Two …

Mar 2, 2016 … Among these things are coins and #ProjectSportsRoof had an abundance of lost change. The first coin I found was a nickel. It was under the …
1973 Mustang Sports Roof – Floor Pan Discovery – Part One

Feb 29, 2016 … Thanks for following along with #ProjectSportsRoof. Over the next couple of weeks (giving myself a lot of time to get this all down in the blog) …
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Welcome back to #ProjectSportsRoof. We beginning the actual work on the vacuum system on the projects 351C starting with the valve assembly distributor ( the …
07 and 73

07 and 73

1973 Mustang Sports Roof – Floor Pan Discovery – Part Two – Incidental Find

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As with most car restoration projects discovering what needs to be worked on and to what extent is an experience to say the least.  Sometimes that discovery is a bit disheartening like the rust to floor pans on the right side, sometimes is a major relief  and sometimes it’s cool.

As I began removing carpet – which I’m now sure was 33 years old, it uncovered the normal dirt, pens, papers (no build sheet… bummer) and just about all the normal things that slide between the seat cushions and work their way under the carpet.  That can show a lot about its previous owners and how the car was used.

Among these things are coins and #ProjectSportsRoof had an abundance of lost change.   The first coin I found was a nickel.  It was under the underlayment which I found to be a tough place for nickel to have worked its way.   Interesting enough it was dated 1973.

1973 Jefferson Nickel. Placed by a a worker at the factory? hmmmm....

1973 Jefferson Nickel. Placed by a a worker at the factory? hmmmm….

This reminded me of an often told tail of auto workers leaving tokens of some sort in an inconspicuous place.  Wouldn’t that be interesting.

Over all nearly $30.00 in coins were found and of those 3 were from 1973 (a nickel, a quarter and a penny).  With a huge cap between 1979 and the 2005 (perhaps indicating it’s break in service when the car was left in a field, junked and then saved.

Someone in the Ford factory back in the day leave this 1973 Jefferson nickel so that someone years later might find it?   Interest thought!!!

Thanks for reading.

Tim

projectsportsroof

1973 Mustang Sports Roof – Floor Pan Discovery – Part One

2 days ago … Thanks for following along with #ProjectSportsRoof. Over the next couple of weeks (giving myself a lot of time to get this all down in the blog) …
restored-cars | Tumblr

Welcome back to #ProjectSportsRoof. We beginning the actual work on the vacuum system on the projects 351C starting with the valve assembly distributor ( the …

 

1973 Mustang Sports Roof – Floor Pan Discovery – Part One

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Thanks for following along with #ProjectSportsRoof.  Over the next couple of weeks (giving myself a lot of time to get this all down in the blog) I’m going to take you through my process for repairing the floors in the 1973 Mustang.  I’ll be interrupted by  (air quotes)REAL (end air quotes) work and a couple of car shows between now and then.

As much as I’d like to say I was aware of the rust on the floor of the Sports Roof, I can’t.    I really missed seeing the extent of the damage.  Needless to say I was a bit depressed when I brought it home and climbed in the back seat and notices the floor seemed a bit….’crunchy’.

Take a look at these videos:

You might be able to tell by my voice that I wasn’t overjoyed with the condition of the passenger side floor.  To make matters worse I eventually found out they don’t reproduce a patch for under the rear seat for the 1973 Sports Roof.  More to come on that in a future post.

Just to issue a reminder as you might be wondering why you see the back seat now in the car as in the previous video it was out, but my goal is to have this as a rolling project and able to at least speed on down to the local petrol station fill it up and grab a Pepsi. (You just can’t work on a car without a Pepsi!!! – Hey maybe they’ll sponsor this rebuild and I’ll change the license plate to read “1973DrinkRealSugarPepsi”.)

O.K. so if you were listening closely you’d realize that I started the floors back in Dec (2015) and it’s now the last day of the Feb 2016 and I’m just getting to post this up now.  So it’s taken me a good chunk of time to do this all by hand – including all the cutting with just a hand-held dremel and some metal snips.

I appreciate any and all comments so let ’em fly!!!!

BTW day on this Leap Year day – we’ve surpassed 20,000 registered user on this blog, thanks everyone!!!

Thanks for reading.

Tim

#ProjectSportsRoof

 

projectsportsroof

1973 Mustang Sports Roof – Vacuum System Part IV

1 day ago … This will be a longer post as I finish up the vacuum system on #ProjectSportsRoof , the 1973 Mustang Sports Roof. We have to make a repair, …

 

1973 Mustang Sports Roof – Vacuum System Part IV

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This will be a longer post as I finish up the vacuum system on #ProjectSportsRoof, the 1973 Mustang Sports Roof.  We have to make a repair, hose to the master cylinder, charcoal filter, and the transmission.

Take a look at the broken vacuum “T”:

 

So from the broken “T” I moved to the master cylinder and then to the transmission and finished off with the charcoal canister.

 

 

One final task to finish up the vacuum system and that is the charcoal canister that is supposed to catch the fumes from the gas tank.

 

Back at the beginning I mentioned that I need to get this done because the Stang was coming due for its renewal and smog check.  Just a couple of days after finishing I planned driving over to the emissions testing facility and I got my renewal notice via email.  Here in AZ you can register you car online after you pass your smog check.   The notices normally tell you that a an emissions test is required.  My said “No Emissions” required!!!!!!!     Well the vacuum system needed tending too anyway and now it’s check off the list.

Thanks for reading

Tim

 

projectsportsroof

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Jan 7, 2010 … Thanks for checking back on #ProjectSportsRoof. Progress is being made and I’d like to finish up these post on the install of the Mach 1 grille …

1973 Mustang Sports Roof – Vacuum System Part II

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As I get started I’m reminded of watching my father working though the vacuum systems of the cars we use to own – mostly  Chevy.  Those always ended with vacuum hose tide off in knots or screws/nails unused holes.    But back then in New York emissions weren’t tested as part of the annual State Inspection.

Here is how I’m tackling it:

 

 

Thanks for reading.

Tim

#ProjectSportsRoof

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1973 Mustang Sports Roof – Vacuum System Part I

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I am sooooooooooooo  far behind in my blogging in general and specifically with the work on #ProjectSportsRoof.  I’m catching up this weekend (actually it’s going to take a week or more to go through the videos) with the work I’ve done on the vacuum system.

The goal started out to get this all completed before the end of January when I had to renew the registration, but first it needed to pass emissions.  So I had to hustle.  The next few blog post cover this process.

There are some questions that come up and most of them were solved.   In particular the Vacuum Distribution Solenoid locations.  All the diagrams I pulled off the web were for non-A/C cars.  This solenoid was moved to the back when A/C was installed.  Take a look.

Of course the long vacuum hose leading down under the firewall does in fact run to the transmission.

More coming on the vacuum system.

Thanks for reading.

Tim

#ProjectSportsRoof

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Auto Factoids for Week of Jan 17, 2016 – Corvette, Cadillac and Gas Turbines

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Here are your #AutoFactoids for the week up Jan 17, 2016.

 

Jan 17, 1903 Cadillac introduces its first car at Madison Square Garden

1903 Cadillac

1903 Cadillac

I say ‘car’, some say ‘horseless carriage’.  Regardless it was a high-end run-about powered by 1.6 liter, 1 cylinder/2 value engine – producing 6.5 hp to haul around it’s 1300 plus lbs.

Jan 17, 1953 Chevy introduces the Corvette at a Motorama show in NYC

From the 1953 Motorams - Corvette Display

From the 1953 Motorama – Corvette Display

Jan 17, 1956 Ford becomes a public company

They offered 10.2 million shares of stock at $63.00 each – shares opened at $64.50 and closed at $69.50.  Today Ford stock is running around $12.00.

Jan 20, 1942 Chevy ceases car production to help support war effort.

As United States as drawn into WWII the Federal government asked the car companies to stop production new cars.  The metals and rubber were in short supply and providing the military with these items was the first priority.   Most of the car manufacturers retooled to help the war effort.  Chevy produced the T-17 Staghound armored scout cars in Flint, Mich.  These cars were armed with 37 mm Cannon.  Production began in Oct. of 1942 and 3,800 were produced through April 1944.

ChevyWWII

 

Jan 21, 1954 Turbo Cruiser Bus produced –  the 1st gas turbine engine vehicle

 

http://www.turbinecar.com/mags/trueauto55/trueauto55.htm

http://www.turbinecar.com/mags/trueauto55/trueauto55.htm

 

Thanks for reading

Tim

cool and old cars on Pinterest | Cadillac, Chevy and Buick

Auto Factoids for the week of Aug 26, 2012. Cadillac Runabout, 1902. 1902 Cadillac Runabout. 1902 Cadillac. 1. Pinned from. Uploaded by user. Pin it. Like.
Cascadia Classic – Vintage cars in Portland Oregon: 1973 Volvo …

I seriously like the lines of this car!! Auto Factoids for the Week of Jan 18, 2014 http://wp.me/p2YxYx-3d4. my Mum had one of these in dark green.. this one from  …

How to Start The New Off – Take the ’73 Mustang for a Drive!!

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It just a great way to start the New Year, firing up the project car and take it for a quick jaunt down the road.  Of course the car is ‘under construction” but still have to take out for a short distance.

The ’73 Stang is a long ways from being completed and yeah…I would be taking it out on the freeway just yet, but I does need to get driving.

 

My New Years resolution for #ProjectSportsRoof?   “Get Her Done!”   Next Years Day’s video will be 100% different from this one!!!!

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

Rare trip.  Just far enough to get the engine hot, take the C6 transmission through the gears and top out at  about 70 mph.

Out and About!!! #ProjectSportsRoof

Out and About!!!
#ProjectSportsRoof

Got a “Car Resolution” for 2016?   Let’s hear it!!!

 

Thanks for reading.

Tim

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1973 Ford Ranchero For Sale

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I don’t often post up cars on Craig’s list or elsewhere, but I happened to run to the owner filling up the Ranchero at the Shell station down the street.

The pics in this post are from the Craig’s list ad, but I can tell you body is in great shape and straight.   The wheels are awesome looking.  The engine sounds strong and the interior is in great shape.

Take a look at these pics and it looks even better in person.

73R-1 73R-2
73R-3 73R-4
73R-5 73R-6
73R-7

Has the 400 in it…very cool (only a 2bbl carb….needs 4bbl – easy)   Will need a transmission – easy to find a used one.

Wheels are great looking.  Engine was pretty clean.  Interior was great condition.   Sounded awesome!!!

Body was in great shape.  Originally delivered to DSO 74 (Seattle), so it’s a west coast car.

Check it out here:
http://tucson.craigslist.org/cto/5368828992.html

Thanks for reading.

Tim

1973 ranchero1973 ranchero