Optimus Prime - The '68 Coupe

gregski · Feb 13, 2011

The Work Shop

this is where the magic happens - big day tomorrow everybody

gregski · Feb 13, 2011

Consumables

Wanted to share with you what happened when I tried to use different name brands of consumables on this project. I've been using Harbor Freight wire wheels, wire cups, what ever you wanna call them. Then one day I was at Lowe's and decided to splurge on Black n Decker and Dewalt name brands.

This is just an observation of what took place, by no means am I advocating cheap tools.

First after less than half a day of use the Black n Decker wire wheel began wobbling my angle grinder. It got to a point where I had to stop and take a look at it as my hands were getting so fatigued. You can see in the second picture where the brushes have worn out in one spot and that's all it takes, that wheel is now garbage.

Is the the Black n Decker which costs twice as much better than the Harbor Freight ones - - - no, is it twice as good as the cheaper Harbor Freight Jobies - - - No! (I think it was even made in America which makes it that much more sad)

Next was the Dewalt 3 inch cup which costs three times as much as a similar cup from Harbor Freight. It wore out completely after a day of off and on use. Is it better than the Harbor Freight one, maybe, is it three times better - - - No!

again don't all of you run out there to HF to buy cheap wire wheels/cups, yes the HF brushes wear out too, they are just cheaper to replace, that is my point, this is just my story, and I'm sticking to it, I hope this information helps some of you out

Rusty67 · Feb 14, 2011

The uneven wear on those is terrible. You are either doing horible things to those wire wheels or they were defective. I'm going to bet on defective.

NasaGT · Feb 14, 2011

I've used both, and IMO the DeWalt lasted far longer than the Harbor Freight when used in similar tasks. I've found that edges will chew up those wire brushes if you're not careful.

gregski · Feb 14, 2011

Fun Fact

We began tonight's update with a little trivia. We all know the first generation Mustang doors are big and beautiful, but how much do they actually weigh? No you didn't? Did this fool actually weigh a door, all those fumes must have gone to his head!

A. 25 lbs each

B. 100 lbs each

C. 100 lbs as a pair

D. none of the above

First I had my wife calibrate the scale for me... LOL, jk

gregski · Feb 15, 2011

Door Window Part I

Time to remove the door window. I am doing this for two reasons. First it doesn't work, it doesn't go up and down so it's time to take it out and inspect it, and hopefully fix it. Two I want to paint the door and not get any overspray on it, and I want to paint the inside of the door as well.

I expected this job to be a pain, having dealt with door windows and regulators in the past. I'm sure someone out there is dying to tell me it's because I haven't done it right, well. Yes I'm sure there are procedures for removing the door glass, but guess what, no one wakes up one day and say's I'm going to disassemble my perfectly good working door by following the proper procedures. No, usually you need to remove it because something is jacked, it doesn't take much, possibly one stubborn bolt or roller thingie to make a job out of this task.

gregski · Feb 15, 2011

Door Window Part II

many hours later, you would think with all the grease that they put on those parts inside the door, the window would at least slide up and down right, well, the one thing the grease is supposed to do, it doesn't, but it does ruin your favorite pair of deer skin gloves

gregski · Feb 15, 2011

Progress Shots Of The Doors

the crud that accumulates inside our Mustang doors over the years and some progress shots of stripping the doors

gregski · Feb 15, 2011

More Door Stuff?

If you think you are sick of looking at these pictures of the doors, just think how sick I must be of working on them. I tell you if I had a choice between rebuilding an engine or rebuilding a set of doors, I would watch NASCAR instead, LOL

just hang in there we are almost out of the woods...

gregski · Feb 15, 2011

De Gooping

having learned my lesson by working on the driver side door while it was still on the car, this time, I removed the passenger door, took it outside, even covered up the vehicle, and first took off the bigger pieces of goop with a spatula, then wire brushed the rest off

this job was a -2 on a the fun scale of 1-5, LOL

Rusty67 · Feb 15, 2011

gregski said:
I tell you if I had a choice between rebuilding an engine or rebuilding a set of doors, I would watch NASCAR instead, LOL

How to tell if you had an absolutely terrible week at work.....

Take a job that neither you nor anyone else on the planet would want to do every day. Do that instead of work. Find yourself relaxed because what you are doing is rather brainless by compairision and the tediousness of the task is actually relaxing to you.

In my case it was rebuilding a set of 4 piston K/H calipers for my friend's 65 Barracuda 2 weekends ago (they used the same basic caliper as the 65-67 Mustangs).

Red5oh · Feb 15, 2011

Did that 66 include all the glass and hardware inside the door?

NasaGT · Feb 15, 2011

Your doors look like they are in excellent condition! Are you going to treat the surface rust inside them?

gregski · Feb 15, 2011

NasaGT said:
Your doors look like they are in excellent condition! Are you going to treat the surface rust inside them?

Yes they are, and yes I will. I plan on brushing off as much loose rust as I can then shooting the same rattle can rust converter that I used on the inside of the trunk lid, see a couple posts up.

gregski · Feb 15, 2011

Time To Cheese Out

There comes a time where you have to cut your loses. Trying to remove the door hinges is that time. These things are literally held on by a round peg in a square hole, with what seems like a 1/2 inch thick 3 by 3 inch backing plate, (see picture below to the left of the speaker). There is so much free play on those things that I am afraid that when I remove them and go to put them back on, I won't even be in the same ZIP code. Also how do you get to the top plate, the dash is in the way?

So unless you can tell me of some tricks on getting the alignment right, those puppies are staying on. Yes I am whimping out, but so far I have done way more than the original rattle can primer job this was going to be.

gregski · Feb 15, 2011

Phase 3 - 90% COMPLETED moving on...

Aside for the intimidating door hinges Phase 3 is done for now, I am taking a bit of a different approach with this phase. I won't be shooting primer on the doors and door jams until I shoot the front end all at once, tired of cleaning up the garage to be spotless in between phases. Also I won't need to buy more replacement charcoal filters for my mask. I guess this is one of those lessons you learn when you're not trying to learn anything.

So here are the parting shots of you guessed it... The Doors!

mercurycapri · Feb 16, 2011

You have inspired me I want a classic mustang now. Ive been searching craigslist for a 67 mustang and I found one. I'm thinking about buying it and doing what you are with your car.

gregski · Feb 16, 2011

mercurycapri said:
You have inspired me I want a classic mustang now.

Well heck, and your comment inspired me to grow a pair and post my first video. I don't know how to work the camera, I don't know how to narrate, so check it out and be gentle, I don't need you to drill me a new one especially if you wanna see more videos of an average guy like you, learning, struggling, and just working on his classic Mustang, hope you like it.

YouTube - 1968 Mustang Monday Morning

Rusty67 · Feb 16, 2011

gregski said:
so check it out and be gentle, I don't need you to drill me a new one

Yah, thats what she said......

Sorry, I couldn't resist....

Your WMDs are torsion rods. They are made of spring metal and as you know they are what attemps to keep the trunk lid open. Mine provably need adjustment as on almost any angle other then flat my trunk hates staying open.

gregski · Feb 16, 2011

Phase 4 - The Front End

So we round third base, and we're on the home stretch. Why am I boring you with the step by step remove left blinker, remove right blinker detail. Well because that is the point. This is a big job. There is a reason why professional paint jobs cost so much, they are worth it. I just happen not to be able to afford one. If you can not deal with the amount of detail in this thread, then you won't be able to tackle this job properly, sad but true, am I right people?

Now let's start by removing the front bumper guards, that just sounds funny, it's like saying these are the body guards for my body guard, lol.

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