Progress Thread Swiss Cheese - 1965 Fastback Build Thread

82merc · Apr 10, 2014

I've been looking around for a good place to post progress and get some much needed info for this build. Looks like this is the right place!

The car is a 1965 Fastback, 289 C4, not many options. Came from my great aunt in Long Island where it sat, rotting, for many years. My cousins and I started stripping it down last fall. We got it down to the bare frame in January, and sent it out for media blasting last week. We just picked it up yesterday, so the real work can begin.

It's going to be slow going as we're all in University and have jobs, but progress should hopefully be steady at least!

Here's how it was delivered:

And at home in the garage

82merc · Apr 10, 2014

We got to work, building the workspace. We needed to build walls, it was too depressing and dark in there

12' sliding door

We painted the room and had some wall mounted lights installed, it made a huge difference and really made it nice to work in there. We got started tearing the car apart pretty quickly. The signs of serious rust were everywhere

82merc · Apr 10, 2014

Continuing the disassembly

I pulled a valve cover and the engine is shockingly clean inside... I'm thinking the engine was actually rebuilt sometime close to when the car was stored

Things weren't looking too great... this is the passenger shock tower. Cracked and patched by a crackhead

82merc · Apr 11, 2014

This brings us to the past couple of weeks, and the reason for the thread's title. I have a few questions too... Is there anywhere I can get full dimensions for the chassis? I've seen a basic diagram, but nothing more. As for quality of parts, is it just safer to go with Dynacorn for everything? Are their parts reliable, like the fully pre-welded front frame rail/shock tower assembly? I'm thinking CJ Pony Parts will be supplying parts as they have free Canadian shipping every once in a while.

Loading the car up, taking it to the blaster

And here's how she looks now. As you'll see, it needs full floors, rear rails, whole trunk, quarters, lower firewall, inner cowl, drip rails, front rails and shock towers, radiator panel and crossmember, rear fenderwells, and that's just the inner structure. I'm debating on where to start with this car.

Drivers side

Passenger side

That crackhead patch again. Not to mention, the tower is cracked in multiple places

The roof is good, with minor pinholes toward the front right

So there it is, swiss cheese.

horse sence · Apr 11, 2014

Dynacorn sheet metal is the best best ,You may have to go with the complete floor structure . I am afraid with that much rot the inner frame rails and rockers will be rusty inside . The complete front frame rails ,towers and aprons is very nice ,however the aprons are one piece instead of two piece as the original were .I split them at the top of the fender shelf over the spring towers where they are supposed to be and add the over lap so they look correct. The radiator support with the cross member already attached is the best way to go . The wheel tubs come as two piece or full tub,full tub is what i would recommend . the door jamb at the latch area is going to be a bit of a problem as that piece is not offered . I have several 67 full striker plates left and right hand ,that whole face were the striker bolts ,they would have to be modified for the striker and the quarter skin but that would not be to big a deal. The roof ,if not to rusty could be patched ,the new roof skins are very nice.
The lower rear window panel is a pretty good piece although the step where the window sets is not square ,it is kind of tapered into the channel but the glass still fits fine . The rear quarters are very nice and i would probably do both sides . The rain gutter is available and fits very well. The smaller areas you will just have to make patches.

82merc · Apr 13, 2014

Thanks for the reply! It's good to hear that Dynacorn is reliable. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to replace the rockers. Other than some localized damage toward the rear wheel well, the insides are pretty rust-free.
The frame rails are another story. The left rear rail had been very poorly repaired. The last 9 inches or so were just boxed plate with a shackle bushing welded in. This box section was welded to other plates that were welded onto the rotted trunk floor, and also welded to the tail panel. It wasn't even welded to the original rotted frame rail. Needless to say, the rear rails will be replaced.
Front rails will be replaced, along with the aprons as an assembly. It's good to know that they're not constructed as original, but it's not much of a concern for me as this is something of a freestyle restoration.
The main debate in my head is whether I should just go for the entire assembly for 2500$, or do the repair work section by section and keep some of the original metal in there. I think it'll be less work and cheaper in the long run to just buy the assembly, and might be worth it.

I intend to fab up some tight fitting subframe connectors that will looks factory, and include outriggers to the rockers. I also want to fab some front torque boxes and triangulate the firewall to the fender aprons. I'm not a big fan of the Monte Carlo bar and export braces so hopefully I'll be able to get similar rigidity by doing this, without cluttering the engine bay. Just some ideas going through my head.

66Coupe289POWER · Apr 14, 2014

Here is a thread where someone was going to install one of those $2500 floor sections. They never replied on how the job turned out but he had some issues with the black finish and surface rust. Might want to send him a PM about it.
http://www.stangnet.com/mustang-for...ll-floor-pan-all-the-way-to-the-trunk.828363/

horse sence · Apr 14, 2014

I did a full floor all the way to the back with frame rails ,not the welded floor though.I welded it my self .It was a lot cheaper to do it this way but you need something to measure from because it is a lot of panels and getting the measurements off could be easy to do. It was pretty simple with the measurements from another car ,you just have to make sure it is welded together level and square

candphall · Apr 14, 2014

Level and square. That says it all!

82merc · Apr 14, 2014

With regards to fitting sections piece by piece, is this diagram reliable enough to go from? I definitely don't have access to a car for measurements, and I don't trust my car. It looks like enough critical dimensions to go off of, but I don't like the fact that the floor is the datum. I don't have a perfectly flat, level surface to go on. Seems like the bottom of the rails would be easier as they are supposed to be on the same plane.
http://catresto.ieasysite.com/catresto2blue020003.jpg

horse sence · Apr 14, 2014

Link doesn't work ,but if you follow the dimensions i can't see why it wouldn't

horse sence · Apr 14, 2014

Every thing attaches off of the floor ,as it came down the assembly line it started off as a floor and frame rails and built up from there.

65-Fstbk · Apr 24, 2014

82merc said:
This brings us to the past couple of weeks, and the reason for the thread's title. I have a few questions too... Is there anywhere I can get full dimensions for the chassis? I've seen a basic diagram, but nothing more. As for quality of parts, is it just safer to go with Dynacorn for everything? Are their parts reliable, like the fully pre-welded front frame rail/shock tower assembly? I'm thinking CJ Pony Parts will be supplying parts as they have free Canadian shipping every once in a while.

I admire your determination with this one but I must be a voice of reason here. Is that one really worth saving? It seems like she is pretty much gone and it will take a ton of time and $$ to rebuild it. If you have the time and the $$ then go for it. Just want to let you know before you get too deep.

Loading the car up, taking it to the blaster

And here's how she looks now. As you'll see, it needs full floors, rear rails, whole trunk, quarters, lower firewall, inner cowl, drip rails, front rails and shock towers, radiator panel and crossmember, rear fenderwells, and that's just the inner structure. I'm debating on where to start with this car.

Drivers side

Passenger side

That crackhead patch again. Not to mention, the tower is cracked in multiple places

The roof is good, with minor pinholes toward the front right

So there it is, swiss cheese.

red'67coupe · Apr 24, 2014

Just purchased a dynacorn driver's side full frame rail assembly (with aprons) from Cj pony and I am really pleased with the way it looks and the structural integrity it has. I'm only replacing the one side because the pass. side rail is only rusted near the radiator support... Just be sure those measurments are accurate... I got one of the reprinted original shop manuals for my '67 and it has all of the structural dimensions down to a hundredth of an inch. If the '65 version is the same as the '67, this is the one i'd recommend for you: http://www.npdlink.com/store/products/shop_manual_reprint_of_original_1965-138038-1.html My experience with Cj pony has been excellent so far and would recommend them also.

82merc · Apr 25, 2014

Thanks for the responses, guys. I'm not planning on giving up on this thing! My uncle is funding this project, and my cousins and I are doing the work. We have to analyse the costs, and come up with some numbers for him, so as long as he's cool with it then we're cool with it.
With the fact that Dynacorn is reproducing the entire floor section of this car, along with the front rails and aprons, we would have a clean 65 Fastback body shell for about 5-6k plus consumables. We already have a welder, a good work space, a car that was essentially free, and a few people willing to work.
Sometimes I look at that car and think "what the hell am I getting in to?", but other times is makes sense, and I'm excited to get to work on it.
Anyone can go and buy a clean shell, or a restored car. That's not what I'm into, and that pretty much defeats the purpose of owning any vintage car in my opinion. I would rather build this one to my liking, and be proud of it than have to strip someone else's half assed project!

That being said, it's all about the money, so after my exams are over I'll be posting more progress, and hopefully a game plan for the car.

Thanks for the structural dimensions, good to know!

65-Fstbk · Apr 26, 2014

Looking forward to seeing the progress. You have the right attitude and there's something to be said for doing it your own way. Good luck!! (Post pics as you go)

7991LXnSHO · Apr 28, 2014

That driver's b pillar door area would concern me alot.

82merc · Apr 29, 2014

How does the b-pillar on the coupe/convertibles differ from the fastbacks? I see that the fastback panels aren't available.

horse sence · Apr 29, 2014

The only difference is the hole for the quarter window and that can be patched ,i do it when i do a conversion ,coupe to fast back. The coupe part is available

82merc · May 6, 2014

Well, I came up with a plan. The car will be done in "stages".
Stage 1 will be fixing all of the minor rust areas on the inner structure that attach to the main floor sections. Fender wells, inner cowl panel, kick panel areas, trunk surround, rear scuttle areas, outer rockers, and any miscellaneous patches will be fabricated and welded in.
Stage , the body will be rigidly braced, and the entire will be replaced with the Dynacorn assembly. This will be followed by removal and replacement of the front rails/aprons (I'm expecting this stage to take longest).
Stage 3 will be replacement of quarter panels, tail panel, b-pillars, and roof/wind shield channels. The more aesthetic part. Once this is all done, we will brace the floor (through-floor subframe connectors, front torque boxes, outriggers).

I walked around the car, marking areas that will need to be removed/replaced for stage 1:

Kick Panels

Inner Fenders/Rockers:

Trunk Area:

It looks much less daunting when divided into stages. I like the systematic approach.

Side note, what is the name of the brace that goes in between the bottom of the rear glass, and the front of the trunk? I need to replace the full brace that fits underneath, but I don't know what it's called.

Progress Thread Swiss Cheese - 1965 Fastback Build Thread

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