Tear-Down for Painting Questions

[97fxdwg]

Hi Folks-

I’m tearing my 68 coupe down for media blasting, and then the rest of prep for paint, and I’m running into some problems – hopefully someone here can give me some pointers:
1) How do I remove the wire/bulb from the socket/lens whatever on the front turn lights and the parking lights. And I apologize if those aren’t the correct names for the parts or lights. I’ve got them both out and dangling from the wires, but I’m unable to twist or just yank the wire/bulb out. And the bulk of the light won’t go back through the hole of course, so now they are just dangling there waiting for someone to help.
2) The backup lights way down low in back – I have no idea how to get them out, I can’t even get them to dangle. Getting my head up and behind, I see 2 regular screwdriver heads that look like they might be holding the light in place but there is no way to get a screwdriver anywhere near them. What gives?
3) Is the norm to leave your windows in the doors for painting? Dropped down I can remove the weather-stripping but I can’t figure out how to get the window out of the door even if I did want to pull it..
4) Ditto for the quarter-windows - ?

Thanks for any help!

 

[jcode68]

1) How do I remove the wire/bulb from the socket/lens whatever on the front turn lights and the parking lights. And I apologize if those aren’t the correct names for the parts or lights. I’ve got them both out and dangling from the wires, but I’m unable to twist or just yank the wire/bulb out. And the bulk of the light won’t go back through the hole of course, so now they are just dangling there waiting for someone to help.

Just disconnect the wiring harness and you can remove the light as an assembly. The harness connecton is located above the front valance behind the bumper/stone deflector.

2) The backup lights way down low in back – I have no idea how to get them out, I can’t even get them to dangle. Getting my head up and behind, I see 2 regular screwdriver heads that look like they might be holding the light in place but there is no way to get a screwdriver anywhere near them. What gives?

Remove the lower fasteners for the rear valance and this should give you plenty of room to access the fasteners for the backup lights.

3) Is the norm to leave your windows in the doors for painting? Dropped down I can remove the weather-stripping but I can’t figure out how to get the window out of the door even if I did want to pull it..
4) Ditto for the quarter-windows - ?

I left mine in the doors when I repainted, BUT suggest you mask off all the chrome surrounding the glass. ny overspray on the glass is easy to clean off with a razor blade and or cleaner. Unless you need to repair window regulators or something mechanical to do with the glass, I suggest leaving them in. They are a PITA to get out and more so to put back in and get adjusted properly. Last tip on this, on the doors, there is a rubber stop at the bottom of the doors that prevent the windows from being rolled down tooo far. You should remove this and lower the glass all the way down into the door. I think it just pops in place without a fastener, but it's been a while and I could be wrong. Hope this helps.

 

[billbanshee]

id take the front and rear valance off myself as far as the windows go id like to hear some tips from an expert too im a pro auto glass guy ive installed 7 to 14 windows every day for the past 9 years and the door and quarter glass in my 67 coupe is the most pain in the ass i can remember comming across

 

[97fxdwg]

"jcode68" - :SNSign: THANKS! - You were right on the money. I removed both valances, disconnected the wiring rather than fiddling around with the bulbs (how the hell do you change bulbs in the miscellaneous lights other than tail or head anyway? - What a PITA!) Those were easy money instead of killers.

Next question - How are the "Mustang" and Running Pony attached? How do they come off?

Thanks again.

 

[billbanshee]

the ones in the trunk and fenders just pry off gently with a screwdriver they have little studs on the back with pressure clips on the body

 

[jcode68]

Glad that helped. Sounds like you are going to be facing challenges at every cornet of disassembley, never mind when it's time to put it all back together again. I highly suggest you check out these assembly manuals for your particulr Mustang. They are cheap and provide all the diagrams on how things go together and come apart.

 

[97fxdwg]

Great ideas and input - Thanks!!! It goes to media-blasting on Tuesday. Yikes!!