During the course of a restoration that are the major processes that need to be tended too, like body work, engine rebuild or interior work that takes the lime light and a the bulk of the time spend on the project. There are often small gaps when there’s a some free time, like waiting for parts, etc. or just a break for the big stuff to take care of some of the little.
For example: If you’ve watched the videos, in particular the engine walk through post (Link it) you’ve seen the radiator reservoir was….um…a little lower than what would be considered normal.
A tad bit low.
Broken!
Here’s a little clip on the repair.
It’s always great to accomplish something on a project, even the little things.
There is a quick walk-through of the 351C tucked between the fenders of the 1973 Mustang Sportsroof. (It took about 5 takes to get this video…a slight improvement.
Continuing on with the leaks and Pertronix install on the 351C, below you’ll see the cleaned up valve covers (BTW – only the right side was leaking – which may explain.
#ProjectSportsRoof will be the way I want it, which I haven’t nailed down yet, so suggest way by dropping me a comment (got your crate motor idea swimming around in my head, Bill) and that will happen fast or slow and cost …
Thanks for checking back on the #ProjectSportsRoof progress. Wrapping up the Pertronix install, I’ll had an issue. After install the system the car would not start. So I re-gapped the Pertronix and still it wouldn’t start. I was sure I didn’t screw up the firing order when I put the new cap on, but I pulled out the book and rechecked. Not the problem.
So I went about putting the points and condenser back in and it still didn’t fire up, put the old coil back on and still no luck. I put the Pertronix back in and of course the beast would not fire up.
This video covers it.
If you read the previous post and watched the video, you would have noticed gas seeping from a crack in the rubber line just above the “steam punk” fuel pressure gauge and the collection of hose clams. Truly a work of art – no doubt, but totally a mess.
Ye,s I should have looked that over better and replaced it prior running the car. However, it’s better now and a solid temporarily fix. Here a clip.
Again, this is a temp fix and a proper line will be installed eventually.
Here’s a wrenching tip: When install hose clamps on a gas line, be sure you’ve tighten them all before your start the car. Gas has a tendency to not flow in the desired direction, when not well contained. Yeah…gas everywhere and not just a little. Here’s garage tip: Cat Litter – buckets full!!! ‘nough said!!!
Thanks for reading and as always….let me hear from you.
As I march down the dark path that is the diagnostic process to find out the health of the 351 Cleveland, the first steps are to clean up a few leaks (mainly so it.
As I posted before, after a vigorous (not read ‘desperate’) I finally found my next personal project. The 1973 Mustang Sports Roof Fastback is what I settled on.
Continuing on with the leaks and Pertronix install on the 351C, below you’ll see the cleaned up valve covers (BTW – only the right side was leaking – which may explain.
Continuing on with the leaks and Pertronix install on the 351C, below you’ll see the cleaned up valve covers (BTW – only the right side was leaking – which may explain the gunked up spark plug).
As I was cleaning up the valve cover gaskets and notices a couple more issue that need addressing.
Let me know your thoughts on the transmission cooling lines.
Finally we get to the main event for this past weekend wrenching, the install of the Pertronix Ignition system. (Yeah…I didn’t think I’d get here either.)
This a relatively easy install, unless you are me!!!! You’ll see in the video – it really wasn’t related to the Pertronix.
Here’s what is being installed.
It will replace these.
Now I’m not going to show the install CJ Pony had a good video on the process and I don’t have a camera guy to take the shot. Here’s a link: CJ Pony Install
So the audio is not that great on this clip but it is running better then previously. You’ll notice toward the end of this clip…a new problem!
I’ll address that in the last part of this section.
There is a quick walk-through of the 351C tucked between the fenders of the 1973 Mustang Sportsroof. (It took about 5 takes to get this video…a slight improvement.
#ProjectSportsRoof will be the way I want it, which I haven’t nailed down yet, so suggest way by dropping me a comment (got your crate motor idea swimming around in my head, Bill) and that will happen fast or slow and cost …
Welcome back to #ProjectSportsRoof. I run my car projects much like I run my IT projects. You always have to know where to start and know the end game. As with any project that isn’t being built from scratch, in other word, …
I get a lot of questions on just what I’m going to do with the Sports Roof. Some of those are posed as inquires of interest and others can be interpreted as “What the.
As I posted before, after a vigorous (not read ‘desperate’) I finally found my next personal project. The 1973 Mustang Sports Roof Fastback is what I settled on.
As I march down the dark path that is the diagnostic process to find out the health of the 351 Cleveland, the first steps are to clean up a few leaks (mainly so it doesn’t bleed fluids all over the garage floor and driveway) and replace the points and condenser with a Petronix system.
If you are not familiar Petronix it’s a simple electronic ignition system (as compared with a MSD electronic ignition system) that keeps your car looking stock, as it all tucks under the distributor cap.
First I need to trouble a few leaks. If you wonder why I’m whispering in the any of the video it’s because to avoid the 100 plus temps I get started early.
Of course the power steering has nothing to do with the engine, but it is substantial and annoying. As a side note, when is a garage not a garage? When it’s the most used entry way into your home. Hence the desire to tackle these leaks before move the Mustang under cover. Of course I can put something on the floor but you know as well as I do, that doesn’t matter, because one of the unpublished laws of physics, that goes something like “Car fluids defy all published laws of physics and go where the hell they want.”
Here is the power steering cleaned up a bit.
We’ll see if it leaks again. On to the next leak!
Now we’ve got one more leak to take care of and that is the valve covers. Check it out:
I’ll get Part II post up here shortly. I’m breaking it up as too many videos tend to slow the loading on the page.
I get a lot of questions on just what I’m going to do with the Sports Roof. Some of those are posed as inquires of interest and others can be interpreted as “What the.
As I posted before, after a vigorous (not read ‘desperate’) I finally found my next personal project. The 1973 Mustang Sports Roof Fastback is what I settled on.
I get a lot of questions on just what I’m going to do with the Sports Roof. Some of those are posed as inquires of interest and others can be interpreted as “What the hell were you thinking when you bought that!!!”. Truth is I don’t have that all planned out yet and the direction can change base on the results of the discovery process.
It would be very difficult to produce something horrifying if you stick to the bare bones of the car. There may be some catastrophic cause such as the 351 Cleveland not being able to perform up to par. That would allow for a host of different directions, such as bringing it back to originality by installing a slightly beefed up 302 or dropping a monster crate engine in, maybe even a conversion to a manual 4 speed. There is always a ripple effect – carb changes, exhaust changes (it just isn’t loud enough now) and more. Having plan set in stone is not in the cards for this project at this point.
Here is what I can tell you. The car will be returned the factory color Bright Red. The interior will be redone most likely with kits from TMI kits and back to stock, with Dynamat as sound and heat barrier. A/C will be re-installed. There will be changes to the wheels for sure and everything else will be as stock as can be.
So number one priority is to shake down the Cleveland and go from there. That is where we start and the next few posts will cover getting the 351 to run a well as it can – removing the little things that can impact functionality. For example, removing the points and condenser and replacing with Pertronix system, new distributor cap, rotor, plugs and wires and tackle the vacuum system (NIGHMARE!!).
There is a quick walk-through of the 351C tucked between the fenders of the 1973 Mustang Sportsroof. (It took about 5 takes to get this video…a slight improvement.
#ProjectSportsRoof will be the way I want it, which I haven’t nailed down yet, so suggest way by dropping me a comment (got your crate motor idea swimming around in my head, Bill) and that will happen fast or slow and cost …
Welcome back to #ProjectSportsRoof. I run my car projects much like I run my IT projects. You always have to know where to start and know the end game. As with any project that isn’t being built from scratch, in other word, …
As I posted before, after a vigorous (not read ‘desperate’) I finally found my next personal project. The 1973 Mustang Sports Roof Fastback is what I settled on.
There is a quick walk-through of the 351C tucked between the fenders of the 1973 Mustang Sportsroof.
(It took about 5 takes to get this video…a slight improvement over the earlier attempts.)
As you can see there’s work to be done. Below is a quick video on the cap/rotor/points and condenser.
While taking a look at the plugs, I discovered a good use for Rewards Cards.
There you have a quick overview and a little insight in to what needs to be done. I think I’ve talked my self in to keeping the 351C, even though it’s not original to the car and a year older, I just like the idea of a period 351C – yup a re-manufactured is a an option, but let’s see what this is looks like first. Your thoughts?
Next up will be the install Pertronix system and cap and rotor, then plug and wires.
As I posted before, after a vigorous (not read ‘desperate’) I finally found my next personal project. The 1973 Mustang Sports Roof Fastback is what I settled on.
Welcome back to #ProjectSportsRoof. I run my car projects much like I run my IT projects. You always have to know where to start and know the end game. As with any project that isn’t being built from scratch, in other word, …
#ProjectSportsRoof will be the way I want it, which I haven’t nailed down yet, so suggest way by dropping me a comment (got your crate motor idea swimming around in my head, Bill) and that will happen fast or slow and cost …
Wade Hiscock of Carbonear poses in front of his impressive 1973 Mach I Fastback Ford Mustang. It was one of three vehicles Hiscock had on display as this weekend’s Shine and Show in Carbonear. Hiscock moved back to Carbonear last year after 26 years …
No I’m not going to ask for donations…although….well…nah! HEY…maybe a Go Fund My Ford website? Well if any parts house (@NPDLink – you guys rock), restoration supplies or tool distributors send something – even a t-shirt, I’ll post up an ad on AGCarRestoration.com for you, heck I’ll wear the shirt during one my unprofessional videos!!! Um…not that I’m doing anything unprofessional….just not a professionally produced videos.
Seriously now, I was asked to day – thanks Bill for reminding me that I should touch on this – what my budget is for this project. My real answer is I don’t have one. Not…”I don’t have one” as in it’s unlimited – remember average guy, average budget – more like “I don’t have one” as in “I don’t know where that moneys coming from” .
I didn’t set a budget with my 1970 Mustang, things just happened and I went with it.
1970 Mustang Mods for 300 HP
It will be the same with this project. #ProjectSportsRoof will be the way I want it, which I haven’t nailed down yet, so suggest way by dropping me a comment (got your crate motor idea swimming around in my head, Bill) and that will happen fast or slow and cost what it costs. I’m not going to flip the car – this one is a keeper. (So was my 1970, up to a certain dollar amount.)
This project is different than the ’70 Stang, I want this one to be more of my work than the ’70 was – although I did a lot of work on that beast. This project will be at a slower pace, I think, than the 1970. (If you recall the the ’70 Stang was helped along by the fact that driving a 6 cylinder (250CID – with 159,000 miles) with the A/C on was like peddling a bike up the Washington Monument and the young kid who was to busy entertaining his GF to stop behind me at a red stoplight.
This one will be different.
Like this? Maybe.
Coming up tomorrow will be the 351C walk-around (actually performed that a couple of days ago, but videos were…bad!! I even lost the first segment).
As I posted before, after a vigorous (not read ‘desperate’) I finally found my next personal project. The 1973 Mustang Sports Roof Fastback is what I settled on.
Welcome back to #ProjectSportsRoof. I run my car projects much like I run my IT projects. You always have to know where to start and know the end game. As with any project that isn’t being built from scratch, in other word, …
Welcome back to the #ProjectSportsRoof. As the discovery process continues we move to the interior. Now each area of the car (engine, body, interior, undercarriage) I’m conducting an inventory, gathering all items that need to be replaced or missing and the work that needs to be done.
Here is a quick run through the interior:
Just a note: I not a camera guy, these are filmed with my Android (sometimes my IPhone) so these are the greats shots. But they will be improving as I learn the art of digital editing.
From these videos I’ll end up with a list of everything – discovered (there will me more). From this list, I’ll be able to build the project plan and with tasked ordered in what is hopefully a logical approach, with the goal of keeping it on the road as much as possible.
Thanks for reading and please feel free to drop a comment or two.
I pulled this dash cluster from a 1973 Mustang Sportsroof that was in a junkyard in 1980. The car had the three center gauges in the mini cluster but had no Tach. Instead it had this clock with a brake warning light in the pod …
Related Finds. 1973 Mustang SportsRoof 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Under Tarp 1970-mustang-boss-302 1970 Boss 302 · Get Email Updates! Instant Daily Weekly. Categories. Stories · Sightings · Our Projects · Events …
As I posted before, after a vigorous (not read ‘desperate’) I finally found my next personal project. The 1973 Mustang Sports Roof Fastback is what I settled on. Now we start the project that has been dubbed #ProjectSportsRoof (yes I find it necessary to use the ‘hash’).
1973 Mustang Color Code 2B.
I run my car projects much like I run my IT projects. You always have to know where to start and know the end game and the key to that is knowing what you are starting with. As with any project that isn’t being built from scratch, in other word, you have to work with what you’ve got, the final goals may change based on what you start out with and/or find later. To help reduce the surprises, there will always be something that pops up unexpectedly, it’s a good idea to begin with an inventory of what we have and what is needed and a logical starting point. We (as in me and you the reader) are at the beginning of the project.
Coming up next are the a few videos (maybe on only three, never sure, since the camera guy and I are one in the same) will be my first inspection.
Please feel free to interject via a comment or an email, always welcome the discussions.
1973 Mustang SportsRoof. If Mach 1 Mustangs have gotten a little too pricey for you, may I suggest a less flashy fastback like this? The 351 under the hood isn’t as powerful as the top-of-the-line Cobra Jet, but it’s the same …
