Build Thread Finally! 89 Notch 2v Swap Progress Thread Project: 89mach1

the dash is still an 89 dash. There is a digital guage panel sitting where the stock cluster used to be, and that will be it until I get the rear and front end treatments complete. like every thing else on this car, maybe a 67/68 dash and console will find it's way in there in the future. Right now however that seems far off as I sit here pecking at the keyboard w/my left hand cause the surgery on the right was just done today....several weeks before i can use it like i'll need to to git r done.

actually, its easier to glance at considering it's telling me where the needle "would" be on a analog tach. The price was too good, tach that displays to 9999,in 100 RPM increments, a speedo that displays to 300 mph,(w/trip and several built--in timer functions) oil p, water t. volts, and fuel level w/ high beam and turn signal indicaters for 269.00 w/ the senders!

WLDHRSE said:

Nice work dude! You gonna do anything to the front? That tail light panel would prolly look pretty good with a nose like my 93 GT.

I'll be putting a 67 dash in my Capri. May actually get working on that this year. If you leave the dash and center console in, think about sliding HVAC controls instead of round knobs. That could look retro and still flow with the interior you have.

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The front is a point of contention. I was originally gonna modify the aero nose to accommodate a more 60's look. I'd start by removing the inner running lites and use that space to build a filler piece. Cutting out the entire center section of the stock bumper cover and then fabricate a grille opening that looks more like a open mouth 68 style grille.

Id use these headlites, because they convey a round shape (as opposed to the stock rectangular light assy)

I'd use the outers as well.

The reason I'm not too warm and fuzzy about this plan is:
#1. I gotta find some stuff that will adhere to the urethane that will not seperate or crack that I can add fiberglass/bondo to in order to blend this all in.
#2 I'm deleting the body side moldings, and filling in the groove that is there, however the bumper cover has those stupid things molded in, and I'll have to cut them out as well and blend the repair in (see problem #1)

The other option,....WAAYY more iffy as to how I'll make this look non-morph-a dite is this:


This thing is all fiberglass. I've done a bunch of research into this thing and I can make it fit like it belongs there. (whether it'll LOOK like it belongs there is the problem.) It will require TONS of work though, and with the hood, bumper and lights will cost well over 1000.00

I'm still thinking................................

95BlueStallion said:

I say go all out and go for the fiberglass front end. You would have to square it up somehow though, since the round body lines would not flow at all with the square lines of a fox. If you could pull it off, it would compliment the rear panel IMO.

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agreed. that's why I've looked into this fiberglass piece because of all of the squaring/modifying I'll have to do on top. the sides of the headlight buckets could easily be "flattened" and The bottom of the nose is pretty close once you take off the fender skirts.

A 67 shelby nose or not?

I'll let the majority choose this one (depending on how many voice their opinions)

The Bumper!!

Today, I go to my first therapy session, and the therapist removes the cast-like bandage, and puts me in a splint that as she said "will allow me to do anything I can stand to do"

Enough said, I go back home and decide to work on the mustang.

It didn't take long however before it started hurting pretty bad, so I only got the bumper shortened, mounts made, and mocked up so I can tell what I'm gonna have to do to make it look right.


After getting it in place, the next big hurdle pops up....the body side molding and the upsweep on the bumper clash. (like,..really bad) I'm gonna do away w/ the BSM, but the lines still are all wonky. I'm gonna paint the bumper, so I am not worried about the fact that I cut up a perfectly good chrome bumper. It still needs to be narrowed an additional 1/2" on each side. Then maybe I'll get a better Idea to make it blend in. But in the meantime,...I'll do what I always do when presented w/ an obstacle like this:

I Stare at it...............
I'll figure something out after I look at it for a couple of hours (or 4 or 8).

the spoiler

For the longest time,...the pics I've posted have always carefully ommitted the spoiler that I welded on the trunk. I was undecided as to how I'd intgrate it into the tail light panel, But looking at a classic mustang mag, I had an epiphany.

California Special. A notch w/ a big-assed spoiler.

So now w/ a model in hand I set out to marry the two up.

It's all hand fabricated,...and it's only partially done, But I think it's gonna look great!

The sun is directly hitting this thing at sunset, so the pics are a little hard to make out detailwise


I have alot of welding and body work to finish it (I'd say 40 hours) but if you look at a 68 GT/CS...you'll see where I got my inspiration from

90stang5speed said:

that is looking so cool. it looks like th trunk is welded closed though. or am I looking at it wrong? doing awesome though. keep the pics coming

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Nahh, the trunk is definitely welded closed (right now). I wanted to be sure that the lines were right before I cut the trunk free. Thanks all, (I have to stop looking at it),...I'm so freakin' happy w/ the way its turning out.

Seats and headlights

Well, I've been thrashing around doing all kinds of stuff, and getting nothing done (at least it seems)

I've decided to use the front end parts off a 68 as well. I ordered them last week, and they showed up late Thursday. I managed to get one of the headlight buckets roughed in. I made an extension that will still un-bolt from the fender, but the headlight assy is "screwed and glued" to the front side. My intention is to blend the headlight in and eliminate the "line where the headlight meets the extension. I knew that it could/would move from road shock, so not only did I use the 3 studs to lock it together, I epoxy'd the thing as well.
The fiberglass piece wouldn't work as there are height issues between the two cars, so I had to order the potmetal bucket assemblies instead.

The two pics I took do not show it, but there is a "bump" built into the bucket that lines up w/ the first body line. The pics also make it look like there is a pretty good slope down to the round part of the bezel, and while there is a slope, it's not as bad as the pic makes it look. The biggest "transition is at the bottom of the bucket. I had to make a curved piece that fills the space, as the 68 fender curves under to accomodate the front bumper. AND I'm not gonna have one. So I made this hicky-doo to fit in the space. I'll have to decide how I'm gonna attach it to the potmetal headlight bucket later. For now, it's close.
I left the extension below the fender because I knew I was gonna have to blend it in w/ filler anyway, Better to be "low" and have to fill it than to be too high and be F'd. So, all-in-all, I'm pleased w/ the way the first one has come out.


I also piddled w/ the interior. I got tired of stepping over the seats, so I got an epiphany, and put them in. The seats show the new mach 1 upholstery, which while very comfy, was a real PITA to install because of the pleated "comfortweave" backs and seat cushion. I won't even talk the difficulty I had w/the knee bolsters.
BIG mistake was buying generic front seat belts. they only cost 119.00 for the pair, but they suck so bad, I can't wait until I convert the front seats over to recaro style and get to use a 4 point belt instead.




I still have to install the passenger seat, but other than that, I'm done w/ the interior ( save for cleaning all of the dust off). I've left the passenger kick off, but now that I've ran the serial cable from the MSD timing computer, and made it accessible once you open the glove box, I'll put that back on as well.

Maybe now it's obvious why I chose that color of red to dye the interior.