1966 to 2011 Conversion

[transentence]

(First Post .. not new to Mustangs .. just new to this forum)

Just picked up a 1966 Mustang Coupe 289V8 Auto for pretty cheap.

One of the previous owners did a hack job restoration on it about 10 years ago. I'm kind of happy I found this - I've been wanting to do up a Restomod Mustang - but I would NEVER be able to cut into a factory, restorable one. If someone else has already desecrated it, well, then I don't feel bad.

I have to re-do most of the body on this, figured might as well do some fancy things while I'm at it. I can put on some of the more common things.. racing/Eleanor bumper.. side scoops.. side skirts.. etc. but, those have been done a million times and I'm just not impressed by them.

How weird would a 2011 front end look if grafted onto the coupe? The measurements work, I'm competent with the necessary fabrication, that's not the problem. I'm just having troubles picturing it, not sure if this is a great idea or a horrible, horrible idea.

Also thinking about switching the taillight panel to one from the 2005-09 body style.

The interior is getting modified this way.. OEM modern seats + center console, with elements from the dash and door panels getting blended in.

Thoughts?

 

[DukeGnarley]

horrible horrible idea. Do the interior however you want, but the point of driving a classic is for the classic looks, otherwise you might as well just buy a new mustang. if you want something 2011 you could swap in the new 5.0 with MII front suspension. won't be cheap though.

 

[gregski]

you know I am excited about your idea, heck if you have the skills and know how, why not morf it, but often times I prefer the gen 1 transplant onto a modern drive train, know what I mean, good looks of the 60's with the "performance" of the 11 teens (lol) but don't let anyone here to sway you one way or the other they made a million of these cars so do what you want with it, there are plenty of hacks out there who try to keep them "original" and desecrate them more than what you are planning on doing, just take your time, do your research like you already started to do, measure twice, cut three times type a thing, LOL and have a great time doing it

 

[Wicked65]

Probably one of the worst idea's ive heard.

 

[65coupe408w]

I think this gets the point across although its an 04 turned into a 67...kinda

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2004...9960020?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item35b16cbc54

 

[tx65coupe]

That sounds disgusting! I saw a new one that had a 67 front and rear on it. Thats terrible too. That Ebay one is what I saw. Gross!

 

[robbz28]

I have to give the Ebay guy props for the work, it looks better than I thought it would, but it still looks strange....im not fond of the back profile, the a$$ is up in the air too much...would I buy it, no, but it's a head turner.

 

[transentence]

That eBay Mustang.. wow. The rear end turned out well.. but the front end, and the thing leaning on it, are going to haunt my dreams tonite. Like Robbz28 said, props for doing the work.

I started looking into this a lot more today.. I'm not the first person with this idea.
Obsidian Mustang: http://image.mustangandfords.com/f/...06+autoworks_internation_obsidian_mustang.jpg
Nemesis Mustang: http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_images/3/1635/1101/29085550036_large.jpg
..and one of the guys from the show Trucks! started to do something similar, then gave up posting pics halfway through the work.

I guess the big problem with this is making the body lines flow. The newer styles are much more angular and straight, which contrasts strongly with the detailed and curvy lines of the vintage body.

Now I'm thinking more about the "Form Follows Function" concept. With the front end, what is there that justifies modification?
- Lighting. I'm big into safety, and upgrading the headlights/foglights/turn signals is a top priority. From some of the examples I've seen, the newer headlights look pretty good without a total riced-out look.
- Bumper. I would like better foglights, integrated turn signals, flush mount for license plate (stupid MA laws), inlets for ram air, second grill to make any future additional radiators work better. Those features aren't really available now, and putting on a modern body kit bumper is just going to look bad. This is my biggest concern, and is going to require some design work. Not sure what kind of direction I want to go with it (modern or vintage)
- Grill. It's a Mustang - I need the pony and corral there. I just haven't seen any unique ways of doing this. I'm not sure if this part should even be unique.

For the rear end.. I just want it to look less distracting. Again, modifying the lighting - LED sequential brakes/turn signals, projector reverse lights.. maybe utilizing newer housings. Running exhaust through the current reverse light holes. I would love to find a different way of doing the fuel door, without re running the lines. Maybe a flush mounted door, released electronically from the interior?

 

[transentence]

@DukeGnarly: I would absolutely love to have a vintage body with that new 5.0 . Too bad that crate engine from Ford costs about double what I paid for the car. I'm hoping to get a Fastback by Fall/Winter, that might be a more appropriate/worthy candidate.

 

[DukeGnarley]

you don't have to buy it from ford, I'm sure someone's wrecked a 2011 gt by now. for the lighting you could put fog lights where the turn signals usually go (would need to be modified), then use the newer 7" headlights with the integrated signals. I think it was the sn65 project that had the license plate mounted in the middle with ducts that went around it for increased radiator flow.

 

[robbz28]

It really just comes down to what you want to do and how deep your pockets are. These old mustangs are SOOO customizable, but you can get carried away and have thousands and thousands of dollars in the thing and it be worthless to everyone else. Example, I was watching Mecum the other night and there was this 72 (i think) corvette, it was modded to the max, probably had 100k worth of custom fiberglass and chrome and paint, the interior matched, but it was the most horriffic vette I have ever seen, it sold for around 20k. So with that in mind, if its going to be extreme, just make sure you really like it. I like to be different, but I usually do it with small details, my car is currently in the body shop right now with a few mild mods done to it, salivating to get it out of the shop and see it shine.

 

[transentence]

@robbz28: My pockets are pretty shallow for this. As in, $1000-1500 budget for the entire body + paint. Thankfully I'm talented with this stuff, and have a lot of favors owed to me. Most of the exterior is getting rebuilt by hand anyways, might as well have some fun with it.

@dukegnarly: That SN65 is slick, haven't seen that car before, thanks! I'm looking at that bumper, and thinking something like that could also work pretty well with the Shelby-style racing apron.
I like the integrated turn-signals in the headlights.. if I remember correctly, Hoffman Group/Autoloc makes a pretty slick one. I've heard visibility for the turn signals is almost zero when the headlights are on at night. Is that something people here have dealt with? Are there any solutions to that, or other brands? Or is it not as big of a problem as I've heard? Haven't seen it in person at night yet.

 

[Randy'65]

There was a guy in Australia that used to post on here (Marshall maybe?) that was doing some pretty neat stuff on the interior and engine bay, but I can't remember him doing any body work like you describe. I remember him writing about the modern dash he was using being too wide, he had to cut a 2" or so wide strip out of the middle and fuse the two halves back together. I think he stopped posting before he showed pictures of the finished product, but I do remember it being pretty cool.

Edit: just did a search, he got these pics by me.

http://www.stangnet.com/mustang-forums/787064-cool-restomod-custom-66-a.html

 

[gregski]

Nemesis Mustang: http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_images/3/1635/1101/29085550036_large.jpg

Love the front facia on this white one, front valance / bumper what ever you call it. The skinny front bumpers on the first gens remind me of the thin pencil mustache.