Restoring A 2000 Gt Convertible

[Gary Ugarek]

I took it from this: Bought May 11th 2013

To this: (Finished June 4th 2013)

Cost of car $6,000.00 Miles at purchase 105,968

Paint job and body work $1,303.80
Suspension upgrade: $$564.75 (installed)
Misc. Interior molding parts replaced $50.00 (Junk Yard)
Headlights and tail lights $140.00

Left to do: New Top

 

[Mattstang04]

Looking good. You planning on keeping those hood pins?

 

[Deek]

Nice job looks way better than before!

 

[Gary Ugarek]

Nice job looks way better than before!

Looking good. You planning on keeping those hood pins?

Thank You Deek.

Matt. Yes on the hood pins. Since I had the car completely re-shot, and couldn't get my replacement hood in time I said screw it and left them in.

My new top is in two weeks. I also want new wheels, but finding the right set, in stock, has been a pain in the ass so to speak.

Glad I did the suspension. Technician showed me the broken front springs. Rear shocks were shot. So really the stuff left to do is minor at best. I figure by mid summer it will be fully restored.

I am also replacing the GT Hood Stripes. This was a Spring Edition 2000 GT Vert. I don't know what happened to the original graphics, but I have new ones on order

 

[yellerstang]

Nice job, get the stripes they will really stand out. I have the same car in yellow, I replaced my stripes myself. Its not hard, I never did it before and they came out nicely. The Spring Feature car wheels are getting very hard to find, keep them if you still have them.

 

[Mattstang04]

What kind of wheels are you putting on? I like that you're putting the Spring Edition stripes back on. It will look good in near stock form with just a few subtle changes. That is how I'm kind of keeping mine.

 

[Gary Ugarek]

I am thinking Bullitt Wheels. I was going to go Anthracite, then I noticed Anthracite with Rivets, and Gun Metal with Rivets. However, now that I want to put the SE Stripes back on it... I may go with Black Bullitt with Rivets. However, all 3 rivet style Bullitts are Out of Stock at various Wheel dealers (AM, Cruzing Concepts etc etc) I don't need the tires as I would just pull the Sumitomos currently on the OEM 2010 rims and put them on the new Bullitt rims.

I also have access to the original wheels but they are so torn up and pitted the restoration of the wheels would be pointless. My problem is finding that 18x9 and 18x10 configuration i want in stock.

The 2010 OEM wheels on it are staggered so the tire swap will be easy.

 

[Gary Ugarek]

I did get my fender badges today, and installed them.. DS is a tad crooked, will order new one and re-do it, but now it is 95% complete.

and yes for the record, the 2013 GB premium is mine... that is Poppa Smurf.

 

[Mattstang04]

I hate back orders. Hopefully it won't take too long.

 

[Deek]

Yeah back orders do suck, was picking out wheels for my truck first one out of stock, then the next 6 or so were also out of stock in my size crazy how a wheel company doesn't have there wheels in stock...

 

[Gary Ugarek]

You're telling me. It has been driving me nuts. I mean the wheels aren't a must have right at the moment. Considering how the car looks now. But before the paint work and restoration... They were a must have right now. However, since the B springs and struts/shocks were installed and body work done... It makes it a whole lot easier to deal with when looking at it even with the 2010 OEM style wheels on it.

I can live for a few weeks if that is what it takes to make it right. (Too bad I didn't use that logic with the hood)

Anyhoo, I leave it with one last picture, taken this morning. (I detailed it up last night)

 

[Deek]

Are those the stock wheels just painted black? doesn't look too bad...

 

[Mattstang04]

I wouldn't get too upset. The current wheels don't look bad by any means. They work well with the color of the car. Still, I understand wanting to get things your way in a hurry.

 

[Gary Ugarek]

I wouldn't get too upset. The current wheels don't look bad by any means. They work well with the color of the car. Still, I understand wanting to get things your way in a hurry.

Yeah I can live with it.

I was outside at lunch looking at the car and now questioning whether I want to do the S/E stripes I spoke of earlier. After cleaning up the car (Spent 4.5 hours on it yesterday) I thought "Damn she looks sexy when clean, and was wondering if putting the stripes on it would be worth it. Now that its back to factory (almost) and clean with fresh BC/CC makes me question putting the money into the stripes. Sure it is a spring edition model, but do I really need it. I could use that $120.00 on something else... like... funds towards a whole new exhaust.

In other news I was talking with the guy I bought the car from and he has an 03 Mach 1 coming in that is a little rough, but with solid mechanicals. Depending on how much he wants for it I may grab it and do another restoration job then flip that car. I know the vert gets a lot of looks now I bet it didn't get before. Sure she is 13 years old, but she looks damn good, and unless you look you can't tell it was a re-shoot unless I say something about it.

 

[Gary Ugarek]

Are those the stock wheels just painted black? doesn't look too bad...

Nope they are the 2010 OEM wheels from AM. Previous owner put them on it. Staggered set.

 

[Kornnut]

Just say no to the stripes. You got the ghetto mess it came with off there. Don't go back towards it.

 

[Gary Ugarek]

Just say no to the stripes. You got the ghetto mess it came with off there. Don't go back towards it.

I was kind of thinking that when looking at it today. Like I said the original plan was to restore it to the original factory look, which includes the GT hood stripes for S/E models which this car is, but I think it just looks great as it is... aside from the wheels.

I am sure we can all say when we plan on fixing a car we walk into it with the best intentions and a list of things to make it better, then as the process carries on and you see the significant changes in the look you then go back an re-evaluate your original position.

That is what I was doing today...

I think I will forego the stripes and use the $120.00 on something else, which is looking to be exhaust to get those BUTT ugly black tip extensions the previous owner installed.

Oh and top has been re-scheduled to next week So I drop it off Monday for the top.

 

[Mattstang04]

Stripes vs. no stripes is all personal preference. If my choice was between stripes or exhaust, I'm going exhaust all day.

 

[Gary Ugarek]

Stripes vs. no stripes is all personal preference. If my choice was between stripes or exhaust, I'm going exhaust all day.

Yeah I opted exhaust. I did swing by AM today since I live 20 minutes away and picked up some quad shocks. Tomorrow I am tearing out the rear diff cover, draining everything and cleaning it out and putting in new fluid and a new cover.
Already got grease smudged on my new paint job, aint that a bitch?

 

[Gary Ugarek]

NEW TOP NOW INSTALLED