It’s been a while since I’ve been able to take my ’73 Mustang for a nice drive. Today was the day.
And to swap the passenger seat into the driver’s position until I can find the bottom seat frame and springs for the that side. But it worked great!
And don’t those new wheels look great? Yeah…I think so too!!!! I’m happy with the 15″ wheels!!! If you turn the volume you might catch how #ProjectSportsRoof sounds!
TURN IT UP!!
Still got a list of things to do. You’ll see most of it there!!!
Pushing though the upholstery replacement on #ProjectSportsRoof (#SR73), as you might expect from a car that is 47 years old, the seat supports need some help.
In this episode I’m working on the bottom rear seat and discovered that the metal tap that holds the end of one of the main springs was not fastened. Most likely a ‘miss’ at the factory.
Here’s a bit of an analysis for the seat springs and the fix for the tab:
I’ll be working on the spring in the next video and then move on to foam and the recovering.
Progress is moving along with #ProjectSportsRoof (#SR73 – what will be it’s new hash tag when it’s mostly done).
I’ll be focusing on the interior for a bit. As you’ve seen the floors were done some time ago with patch panel installed and a layer of heat and sound proofing and new carpet. I have the headliner to do (which I’m not looking forward too!!) and some dash work including these:
Mach I triple gauge center dash panel. I have a set of working gauges for it as well!!
One of the more time consuming is re-upholstering the sets so I’m tackling that while I’m still on break from teach, which really doesn’t give me much time (my district starts back in mid July), of course with all the on going issues (COVID19 and other stuff) we’ll see what happens.
Here is my introduction and quick plug for TMI, super quality products and the beginning of the work on the rear seat for my ’73 Stang.
I really wanted to show the work on #ProjectSportsRoof. But a few things made that difficult. Top of that list was the 20 stitches gash I put in my knee, while trying to loosen the bolts on the bracket for the caliper.
So I’m piecing together some clips to include a couple of tips for installing the new calipers. So hang on this ride will be a little….choppy!!!
Check out the video:
More coming up on the front brakes replacement and more!
Oh well this is crazy…of course it would have been easier if I followed the old adage, measure twice – post once. I’ll get to that in a minute.
Every one of the parts house and everyone in one of the online forums and Facebook groups (including mine Average Guy’s Car Restorations and Projects) said the rear brake shoes for #ProjectSportsRoof were 10 inch by 2 inch. Maybe because that’s what the parts books said it should be so I went with that. I did a quick measurement of the shoes (not the drums).
Ordered the 10×2 and went to install them I noticed they seemed too small. I ordered a set from NPD and attempted to put them on, too small. Called them up and went over it with them. Together we thought they were just miss packaged. They comp’ed them and sent me another set. Check it out:
Those were (of course) the same as the last set. By chance I thought let me order a set from SummitRacing. Those too were too small.
Here a quick video:
Clearly there’s been a swap of some kind. Now if I had taken the measurements and done so thoroughly, I could have saved some frustration. Taking the shoes back and forth the local parts stores (more then one and more then one time) I found little help. I will say that CarQuest – which is way across town from my place, were the best at helping me track down the shoe size. The guys on 3 Facebook groups all were helpful…but I made a mistake there. I had mocked up the drums you see in the video just to show them the size difference. Well that led to a lot of post freaking out about the lack of auto adjuster parts – which aren’t necessary, if you don’t mind making the adjustments yourself, when you feel the braking a bit off – NOT RECOMMEND however for general/common drivers and the spring wouldn’t fit…because the shoe were too small to hold them in place I popped any spring that I could get on easily. As always you’ve a few condescending “experts” that missed the point of the pics/videos but that’s gonna happen on the web.
So the hunt began. I’ll fill you in on that in the next post and show you the measurements I “SHOULD” have taken.
I’ve finally put the fuel issues to bed with fuel line insulated, crushed line repaired, fuel pump upgraded and now a new carb. Through the process I’ve eliminated vapor lock – video proof showed the issue was with the carb float. Final analysis is that the float was cracked, filled with fuel and failed to control the level of fuel in the bowl.
Now the new carb is 1406 Edelbrock which is a downgrade from 800 CFM to 600 CFM (1413 Edelbrock). The #ProjectSportsRoof is running well. However, I don’t think I’ll leave it with the the 600. The 800 was in bad shape. Maybe only 60 miles on it, but it sat for too long, with bad fuel and just cleaning it up didn’t work. Some say the 800 is too much for the 351C but I noticed a difference between the two carb so the 800 it going back for a professional rebuild and it will end up back on the SportsRoof.
Here is the removal of the 800 and the installation of the 600.
There is still a lot coming up on Average Guys Car Restoration. Bill had some hinge work on #ProjectBeepBeep and there a lot more on #ProjectSportsRoof.
Well we’ve landed here temporarily with the vapor lock – not series of posts. Clearly we aren’t having a vapor lock issue and had I set up a camera much earlier I would have seen the issue pretty quickly.
With fuel spewing out of the carb, which isn’t ideal, we can narrow it down to a carb issue, not a fuel line getting to hot and not a fuel pump issue (but I’m glad I upgraded from the old one).
Here is the video of the float adjustment:
So my options at this point is to have carb rebuild or down size to 600CFM Edelbrock.
So much work going on with my ’73 Mustang (#ProjectSportsRoof, #SR73), new carb, brakes, shocks it would seem that there should be time for the smaller projects. But currently due to the pandemic supplies locally are focused on newer cars and the things that don’t sell quickly aren’t being stocked at the local auto parts stores. Most major parts have to be ordered and shipping times are Sooooooooooooooo Slooooooow, that there is time for these side project.
What better way to spend that time then to get the Mustangs shock tower braces ready for installation. Waiting until all or most of the engine work is done before actually installing them, because I don’t want work around them or keeping removing them to gain access to upper parts to the engine. But they need painting. I opted not to use the chrome plated option and go with steel and paint them myself.
Why bother adding Shock Tower Braces? Dude….for unibody chassis, like the early Mustang had (only sub-frames) they provide extra stiffness between the shocks. Helps keeps things from twisting when doing some “spirited” driving or on the track.
Here is the prep of the braces for my Mustang:
Part II will be coming soon and you’ll show awful the first shots of paint turned out.
Also brakes and and upholstery coming for the big Stang.
As I shelter in place during the 2020 CoVid19 historic event (why didn’t they call it CovVid2020? that would have been cool…actually I really don’t care. m) I pondered many things. One of the most important ponderings (not a word) was the difference in body styles of the 1973 Mustangs like #ProjectSportRoof (#SR73).
According the all the numbers and confirmed by my Marti Reports (plug – the folks at Marti Auto Works are have access to soooo much Ford (and other brands) information. I always get their full set of reports and invoices/window stickers/data plates etc for my cars. That includes for my 1970 Mustang Coupe, my 2004 Ford SportTrac (pickup) and my 1973 SportsRoof – if you’ve never heard of them #1 Where you’ve been? and # 2 – Here ya go – https://www.martiauto.com.) #ProjectSportsRoof is a SportsRoof, not a Mach I. It’s body code is a 63D. As far as numbers goes that’s a good thing if you want/like unique. With only just over 10k produced (10,820 to be exact) my #SR73 is the lowest production body style for the last year of the Big Stangs. And we all know that – low production equals rare and rare equals more desire and more desire equals more value. (It doesn’t really – at least not always and not in this case…yet…check with me in about 100 years.) Just to give you the rest of the data, Mach I’s (body style 63R) numbers are over 35k – the 2nd highest. First highest is 2dr hard top (body style 65D) at 51,480, followed by Grande (body style 65F) at just over 25k, and by then the Convertible, body style 76D at 11,953.
The fact that there are different designations for the body styles (back to my pondering) what is the difference? I’m looking for the answers for at least the my 63D vs. 63R. Maybe even the between Grande (65F) and the 2dr hardtop (65D).
I think it would be “nice to know info”. For example all the welds on the SportsRoof were done by blind, one armed welders, using a mirror. (that’s not true…I don’t think!) I’d like to know that. There’s one response suggesting that they have a “…unique body code due to the added standard features.” Which is not specific enough. My SportsRoof came with Mach 1 interior package and slotted aluminum wheels those could be add by checking a box when ordering.
So I’ll keep send out quires and see if I can get anything more refined.
But the fact that my body designation is unique is cool. I have a habit of selecting unique cars. My 1970 Mustang was one of only about 11k produced that year, last of the medium sized Stangs. My 1984 Corvette was first year unique, for body style, engine, Z51 suspension and lowest drag coefficient windshield up to that point (yes…really).
If you think you know or have a guess drop me a note and I’ll update this post, or write a new one with and update.
