body/frame work (Long post, need lots of help)

none67

New Member
Oct 19, 2003
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hey, although i probably won't do any real serious body/frame work yet i figured i better get a good knowledge on it before hand.

ok, i'll lay it down like it is: i'm 16, my whole life is poured into my car, and i can't not, no matter what, can afford a pro do any body work. so i can either drive a fully restored car and a body that looks like a rust peice of swiss chesse, or i can atleast try it myself.

i need to know how to: remove a bit of rust on the hood (which i can already do with no problem), replace both rockers, both rear quarter panels, the trunk floor (the PO replace the trunk floor, and the floor with fiberglass, althuogh he did do a good job on the floor, the trunk floor isn't worth the paint thats on it), also the A piller has a crack on the drivers side. i will try to get pictures soon.

Fame work: i need to know how to: replace the torque boxes, front subframe(s), and rear one(s).

i need to know the way to do all these things right. i don't care how much work, i want it done right. i also know that it may not be 100% perfect, but i will make sure thats its the best i can do. i guess if this stuff was easy everyone would be doing it.

Thanks all who help, or even bother to read.

I should also add that i've never done any other serious welding before as i am just learning. i will probably buy a "smaller" mig welder soon. The university instructer who let me use his mig(at some show for jobs at school) was very impressed with my welding and said i was a natural. i hope he is right.

Spec: 1967 mustang coupe. 289(not stock). and a soon to be 4spd.
 
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You have set yourself a tremendous task....but you seem realistic about your situation and goals, and for that I applaud your outlook.

Your post covers far too much ground to be answered in a single post. I recommend long and diligent searches of this forum's archives, and the ones at the Corral, and especially at www.vintage-mustang.com for info on all these topics. Every one of them has been covered in detail, and then when you have a basic grounding in each of them, you can pinpoint detailed questions at specific areas to fill any gaps.

Good luck! :nice:
 
I agree to do searches as all the subjects your talking about have been discussed several times. You will learn alot if you do all that your planning on. It sounds like a big project, good luck with it. You should document it as you go too that way you can look back and say look what i did.
 
I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL! I bought my '72 mach when I was 15... and i'm a little more than a year into the restoration. I fixed the floorboard, wheel flare, and trunk with fiberglass, as well as replace a rear quarter panel. Body work has been a b**** to say the least... but I think its turned out really nice. If you want my help on anything... email me at [email protected] :) goodluck!
 
I had a similar experience when I bought my Mach when I was 15. I drove it as a rusted hulk for 6 years before I made any attempt to fix anything. Then, I did simple stuff like fixing the hood front edge and a lower quarter (mostly with a grinder and some bondo. Then I welded some patch panels in the floor. This got me by for 3 more years.

Fast forward another 3 years, during which the car just sat, outside, rusting to death, and I finally decided to start the real restoration. I realized that I had to do some serious consideration of whether it was better to do the car I had, or find a better car to work with. This is what I recommend for you... if the car is as bad as it may require the list of things you mentioned, seriously consider getting a car with a better body. In the end it will save you enormous amounts of time, money, and frustration. On top of the knowledge you seek, the huge array of tools that would be necessary is cost prohibitive (unless you've already got a good mig welder, big air compressor, air tools, etc.).

Make this decision before you get so attached to the car that you can't think straight. That's what happened to me... I owned my Mach nearly 10 years before I started a real restoration; I was attached. If I wasn't, I would've realized that I could've bought a very decent rolling rust free chasis for less than the $5k I spent on repairing the rust on this car. And that was just full floors, torque boxes, full quarters, lower doors, taillight panel, battery tray area. No subframe work, no trunk work, no shocktower work.

Take a bit of my wisdom, and seriously think about it... I wish I'd had this kiind of insight 12 years ago.
 
none67 said:
thanks guys, i'm serching right now, finding some good stuff!

Over my head? Theres no such thing. Just things i don't know how to do yet.



That's what I am trying to delecately tell you. The posibility of drowning here is REAL. Don't just jump into some unknown body of water without knowing the depth.
 
Before you pick up a welder, body hammer or grinder, you need to get a detailed plan together. Spend a few days going over the body of the car and figuring out the best way to fix the problems so that at the very least you know what you're getting into. For instance, replacing floors is a very extensive project, so save that for later. Try to tackle a small rust spot on a flat panel (lower door rust is a good one to start with) and build confidence and skill with it. Read everything you can on bodywork, and consider buying a video tape to assist you. www.paintucation.com sells a great set of tapes and rust repair is among them. Spend $40 now and see what's involved. I really like your attitude and hope you feel the same way a year and a half into the project as you feel now. If you do, there is no limit to what you can learn and accomplish. After all everyone has to learn sometime, right? I'm guessing you didn't spent much on this car, so you really don't have much to lose, so treat it as a learning tool and go for it!
 
I have to agree with DarkBuddha. The tools alone that you will need to get a COMPLETE restoration done are pretty extensive. I was lucky... my Dad used to race so I had a garage and pretty much everything I needed waiting for me. In my opinion... if you really are passionate about getting some work done on your Mustang... decide what you want to do. I mean... do you want to completely strip it down and start from square one, or are you okay with it being a driving project? There are so many different routes you could go with restoring your 'stang... and in the end, its all up to you. If there is a Mustang Club in your area, you might want to consider joining. My local mustang club [The South Texas Mustang Club] has been a great resource for me. I'm sure there are people that are in your area that would be able to give more appropriate instructions because none of us on here know exactly what you're dealing with. From what it sounds like, though, you really love your Mustang and you're not going to just give up. It'll be hard to get it restored, but I'm sure you can do it. Good luck!
 
Well, i'm should have already stated this. I am already about 1/2 threw, but i saved all the frame/body stuff till later on, for the reason that i didn't know what i was going to do about it. (i don't really have any problems as far as mech. stuff goes, just all this body work i'm a little "weird" at)

Oz, I know, and i thank you for it. Its just that i know that i can really get in some deep stuff here, i'm trying to stay positive about it. I've already gone threw a lot of other problems with my Mustang and so far i've been good with them.

Mach1blondie, Thanks a lot, you got any pics of you car?

DarkBuddha, thanks, but, waaaaay too late for that, i love my car like.. uhh.. yea.. i love my car a lot. I've had her for over a year now and shes always been there for me, and even though i have yet to drive her I'll never let her down (atleast i hope not). Plus i figured if everyone dumped there car because it wasn't easy to do then there wouldn't be many mustangs left, and i really hate when people dump their cars anyway.

Zookeeper, thanks I will check them out. And my dad paid 1,000 dollars for her (me and my dad don't get along very well... its a long story) plus 750 to get her shipped it (all in CDN). No, shes not just a tool for me, shes my car, and i have everything to lose.


I know I have a lot of work ahead of me, but its all good i guess. Its just a PITA.
 
Well... my Mach has gone from...

THIS....
scan0002_online_version.jpg


to this...
20018_online_version.jpg
 
I guess its too late to say "Always take care of the mechanicals first!" Otherwise, you have thousands invested and may have to abandon a lost cause... Having said that.

Maybe you could go around to some good body shops and see if you can work there, (moving cars around, sweeping floors, whatever), in exchange for some expert help on your car. From what you said about yourself, I honestly believe this job is way outside your abilities, if working basically alone.

I've hired several kids to do odd jobs for me in exchange for working on their cars. As a car guy and business owner, I'd much rather rebuild a C4 tranny, than cut my grass, if you see my point. You have enthusiasm, just let the body shop owners see that and I'm sure you can work a deal with someone... for some supervision and expertise, if nothing else. I don't suppose you have an auto shop in your school?