Build Thread Bird_dog0347's Frankenstang, holy crap it's a car again (for a minute)

[bird_dog0347]

It always amazes me how much work hacks are willing to put in doing it wrong.
Is that the car I'm saving the back glass for?

Don't think so... @95steedamustang just scored my back glass this week (not listed in the update) and it's a nice piece, once the tint mess is fully cleaned off. But if you have a nice back glass for sale for a coupe I assure you Kevin would be interested, and if he isn't I am.

 

[General karthief]

I have 'stuff'

 

[95steedamustang]

I have 'stuff'

Your saving it for me. I’ll take any “stuff” you got

 

[bird_dog0347]

Well, Kevin has been a busy boy this week! He managed to get the T Top frame test fit, and to no one's surprise his cuts were exactly correct and it fits perfectly. He also managed to get the passenger rear fender replaced with the one from the donor car and shot it with epoxy. Next up will be the driver's A pillar and rocker to repair the rust in those areas.

 

[SorsCode]

I didn't know this build exists. I will be following along for the ride.

 

[95steedamustang]

Well I have @bird_dog0347 s notch all torn down. May have taken a little too much off tho

 

[bird_dog0347]

which notch? lol

 

[SorsCode]

Well I have @bird_dog0347 s notch all torn down. May have taken a little too much off tho

You missed a spot.

 

[Mustang5L5]

T-top aero notch

 

[bird_dog0347]

Should be easier to fix the remaining problems on the body now.

 

[bird_dog0347]

 

[General karthief]

I vote you're gonna do the clip

 

[bird_dog0347]

I vote you're gonna do the clip

Yup... that's the plan. It's faster and easier than fixing all this mess and you'll never know it was done. Plus the cowl has damage I'm guessing from the hood flying up at some point, but it's only dented in on the driver's side and not the passenger side.

 

[95steedamustang]

I vote you're gonna do the clip

Its the right way to deal with all the damage.

 

[95steedamustang]

I vote you're gonna do the clip

Its the right way to deal with all the damage

 

[General karthief]

I helped with a few when I was a kid.
And no, the saw blades were not wooden

 

[bird_dog0347]

Well Kevin had another busy week with the Frankenstang and the shell is now rust free, and free of crappy "repair" jobs. Since we had a complete and almost perfect front clip from the donor car (the cowl wasn't perfect) and there was a ton that would have to be replaced due to rust or damage on mine, Kevin just swapped the whole front clips. He did have to swap the cowl with a good one he had on hand though as well as the core support, but other than that it's all from the donor. He also replaced the whole driver's lower rocker panel as it also had rust issues. You can't even tell they were replaced though as it's all done to look like the factory with the factory looking spot welds.

Next up will be getting the doors (the red one in the pics is just one he had laying around), fenders, hood (which I will likely have to sell and buy a cowl to get the engine to clear it), and bumpers test fit and make sure the gaps will be good... then it will get the engine bay smoothed from the shock towers forward and finalize the T-Top frame install.

At this point, the only original untouched parts of my car will be the back half of the roof, the passenger door and front fender, and the fuel filler door.

The Rocker

Door Jamb

 

[bird_dog0347]

I'd say we got our money's worth out of the donor, I think I paid like $800 for it plus whatever time for Kevin to go pick it up... this was all that was left and went to scrap.

 

[95steedamustang]

I'd say we got our money's worth out of the donor, I think I paid like $800 for it plus whatever time for Kevin to go pick it up... this was all that was left and went to scrap.

Like I said. @bird_dog0347 gets my award for “best use ever” of a parts car.

 

[bird_dog0347]

In the last couple of weeks Kevin was able to get the driver's side door, front and rear fenders, and trunk lid aligned and gaps worked on. He and I discussed my previous floor pan repair that was documented on page 12 of this thread... while a good solid repair that would last for another 30-50 years easy given it's storage conditions, I felt it wasn't acceptable to have that repair easily identified when all of Kevin's work was made to look 100% factory correct. Thus, he also fixed my B- repair job with his usual A++ work. Next up will be the sandblasting of all the undercarriage, engine bay, and any yet to be explored parts so we are 100% sure it's a straight clean shell. I also ordered the Cervini's Terminator style heat extractor hood for clearance of the 97 Cobra engine (and the looks).