Build Thread '83 T-top Coupe - Cliff Notes Edition

[Davedacarpainter]

I've been doin' sum larnin'.:zombie: Larnin' 'bout dem door panel carpets and the door panels themselves.

The '83 can be identified by the door panel. The '84 has a slightly different look. Fascinating to me (I enjoyed statistics in college, btw). Look at the "stitching"/heat stamping on the panels. They're different between the '83 to '84 models.

Chris @Mstng93SSP was so kind to send me his extra door panel carpets. This lead me into figuring out exactly what's different between the years. Chris, you sent me a set used for the '87-'93 coupe or hatchback. I can easily modify for my purposes now that I can sew like a GREEK GOD!!!!

For anyone looking, the '87- door panels are 1.25" longer than my '83's, other than the obvious curvature toward the speakers on the newer mustangs. I haven't even looked at Doby's '86 door panels to know if there's a difference there.

Also, more trivia carpola, Convertible door panel carpet is much taller. Makes me think of the old guys that would pull their pants up to their nipples.

So, what i'll need to do with those carpet panels Chris sent me is to remove the vinyl trim from around the area to be trimmed, measure out what i need to cut them, trim them, resew the vinyl trim back. Then i'm divided if i want to go through the sewing of the carpet to the vinyl upper or just glue that sob onto my new backing panels. Sewing would obviously last longer. My poor fingers....

If i do that i'll need to paint the panels first. Monday the vinyl will become black. Then i'll decide.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

So, more sewing.

As you seen, these carpets are for the 87- door panels.

The first thing i did was to rip out the seams of the vinyl trim to about 2" back from where i had to cut. I then put a locking stitch at the two areas to prevent the seam from separating while working on it, or later in it's life.

I then measured out and marked what i wanted to cut and used a sharp knife to slowly cut off the extra.

I then resewed the vinyl trim back on around the new edge and tah dah:

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Here's a lovely little picture of my new backing for my door panels. I'm taking a jigsaw to work with me tomorrow and hopefully will get after this part of the panels. I want to paint the vinyl parts tomorrow as well.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

To keep on topic, here's what i did with the boards today. I was busy with customer cars most of the day, so I didn't get as far as I thought I might.

I layed out the pattern from the original boards

and cut out the main shape of the two panels. I almost finished the driver's side, I need to bring my wood rasps to work with me tomorrow. The passenger's side has only two differences compared to the driver's. One, no map pocket and, two, the window crank hole is a circle instead of a square. Maybe tomorrow i'll start painting them.

Page seventy of the regular thread!

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Ok, for you 4i'd guys out there with wobbly mirrors, I found out how to fix that today.

I was looking at the mirror mechanism today to figure out this wobbliness that i have.

The springs guides that the adjustment wires run through are crimped at the mirror adjustment side.

I simply used a small screwdriver and uncrimped them, pulled the guide towards the mirror and recrimped them.

Tah dah! Mirrors are now solid as can be without a hint of wobble.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

I got my driver's seat base back from the sandblaster finally today. Nice, huh?

The first thing i did was to drill a couple pilot holes through the new pieces while sitting on the frame so i could realign it just right during the welding process, then cut out the spotwelds for the back brace and cut out the rotted area.

Then i cleaned all of the e-coating off the patch pieces and cleaned up the back side of the brace.

Then i started to learn how to use a spot/pinch welder. This thing is freaking awesome! I started with the small strip on the inside. That's a buddy of mine showing me how it works.

Next was the large patch panel.

Then the brace back onto the new panel.

And finally, this is how it sits right now.

Tomorrow i will trim the edges of the patches and stitch weld most of the perimeter of the new panels and fill in the guide holes. Then a little grinding and paint. Then rebuild!

 

[Davedacarpainter]

AND, i made it back to the yard today and got the taillights! I also got that funny little trim that's in front of the mirrors (I'll get a picture of them tomorrow).

So, getting to the lights was really, really fun. I removed the insulation between the rear seat back and the trunk and forced my body over the brace. I was thinking that i could just shove a flat tip screwdriver into the latch and turn and pop open the trunk. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy......NOT!

With the old lock cylinder still in place it wouldn't turn, freaking yay!

So i removed the two bolts holding the striker in place and the deck lid opened.

I have had shoulder surgery in both shoulders, reaching overhead and having strength is not really possible for me. I wasn't weeping while doing this, though I may have pee'd myself a little bit. My prostate got a good workout.

Since i had the lid open i went ahead and removed the old lock cylinder. I already have new ones, but, as you know, I already have painted the replacement deck lid. So it'll go in later. A gratuitous photo of the new decklid.

Here's the taillights. I'll pull the lenses off and clean the hell out of them. Then i'll sand them down and clearcoat them. They're in really nice shape! Yay me!

The final photo is of Robby as he sits now. It'll probably take me about two to three weeks to fix the stuff i have, then i'll get the driver's door finally.

 

[Noobz347]

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Oh stop. You're going to hurt his feelings.

Shut up, let the man speak.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Lots to talk about today. Let's start with the door panel backing boards.

I finished making them, hooray for me! I painted one of them, this is using one coat of sealer and two coats of clear. I think this will seal them up pretty good. The holes are dead nuts on to the originals! On a related note, i ordered the new dew wipes today too. I just need to paint the vinyl and i'm ready to put them back together.

Next up, the driver's seat base is done. I stitch welded the new patch panels, I also found a tear at the right front that needed fixing. Last repair for this part is in the helical spring holes that the spring set attaches too. They were wollered out really bad, time and a heavier driver wore these holes down. I just filled them in a bit with the welder. I painted it and got the spring set on.

I took one rear taillight lense off. The one i took off has a small crack in it. That's the only damage, so i'll fix it, sand the lenses down and clearcoat them. I'll have to redo the black trim, the paint is chipped up pretty bad. BTW, the clips are in great condition. I can get all of the butyl tape from work for free. Reassembly will be cheap. I'll cover these in more detail later.

Tomorrow i want to get the seat base put together. I still need to stop by the hardware store to get more steel rod to make the new listing rods for the cover though. I'll see what i can get done.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

I'm getting ready for work and i thought i would include one small victory that i paid attention to when i got my taillights. Those are my t-top bags. They're in great condition! It's like no one has used them in at least fifteen years....

BTW, what do I want to do today? I want to get my other backing board painted, that should be done before seven.
I want to get the driver's seat back rebuilt and maybe painted today.
I want to get my listing rods made for the seat bottom and ......possibly.......build the seat bottom.
I want to sand the windshield trim and finish sanding the mirrors and get them painted.
I want to win the lottery

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Btw, remember my earlier question about what this switch was? I got a better picture of it. It is immediately below the headlight switch.

Ideas?

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

Man! You know what though Mike? I want so bad to be at that point someday.

You know, when I decide I want to do "a" project on the car. Then i can focus all my attention and funds to that project. Even if it's a big one like a new drivetrain. Just one. Not an entire car.

I'm not getting worn out, but i really will appreciate when this is a driving project!

Though there is the fun learning side to each layer of this one. Though wiring is about to raise it's ugly head.

Thank you for your comment though.

Naww it has to be said Dave,.....What you've done to save the body panels, bumpers, seats, interior panels, seat/door upholstery, and the mirrors,.... is so far beyond a "build thread."You've actually created a new prefix category.......Restoration.

Every build/progress thread on this site throws away the stuff you've saved. Those wooden door panels floored me. They look like they were stamped. Sewing zippers back on seat covers w/ a needle and thread,...experimenting w/ paint finishes to get the "dyed" finish to look as good as it does,...salvaging the rotted interior quarter trim, and coming up w/ an alternative surface coating to put texture back before finishing them, saving those seat bases, and restoring them to "I wanna sit on those" status....all of this stuff proves that w/ a little fore thought, and a lot of work,..a fox Mustang can be brought to "10" status for far less than anybody thought.

I built my door panels too,...but they don't look like that.

My hat is off to you....You do amazing work. Good job Dave

 

[Davedacarpainter]

What about today?

Let's start with the backing board, got the other one shot.

I rebuilt the back, but haven't painted it or the headrest yet. I started by glueing on some thin plastic across the top and the bolsters (it helps SOOO much to do this step).

Then I rolled on the cover and put in the necessary hog rings.

Done for today.

I rebuilt the bottom. I made new listing rods for it at lunchtime. A before and after photo.

That's probably it for today, I feel lazy.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Opinion Time!

I was thinking about painting where the chrome trim was the same grey as the outside trim. It will have the same half an eggshell sheen to it as everything else in the interior.

What do y'all think?

 

[Davedacarpainter]

I finished the driver's seat today.

Tomorrow I'll start to reassemble the door panels.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

I got started on the driver's door panel. First thing was to attach my new backer panel to the aluminum upper.

I used nine rivets with washers on the squish side. I also used panel bonding adhesive.

I sanded the top of my new panel and the aluminum upper so the pba would have something to bite into. I ran a bead of pba.

Then i riveted the panels together. and filled the extra holes with some pba. That panel is not coming off of the upper without a grinder!

Tomorrow i'll trim a little and attach the vinyl cover. Once that's on there, i'll paint it.

I got my new dew wipes in today, so once the panel is painted, i'll just need to put on the carpet and the dew wipe and i'll go on to the passenger side.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

I don't have a lot of time today so I thought I would get the passenger side put together. Tomorrow I'll lay out the vinyl.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

I'm starting off the morning with glueing the plastic vapor barrier to the back of the vinyl. Once the glue is good and dry, I'll trim the edges and get on with attaching it back to the backer board.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

All trimmed, just got to have the time to hook it up to the panels, maybe around lunchtime.