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My 68 Build thread...and I'm in no hurry.

72K views 383 replies 61 participants last post by  arcane73 
#1 · (Edited)
So it begins....
Up until last Saturday I've been without a project car for 15 years and without a classic mustang for 20. My wife (after many home improvement projects) agreed that it was time to fill the barren third bay.
I was patient and knew what I wanted and finally landed a 1968 Coupe. The plan *at the moment* is a reliable cruiser and occasional autocrosser.
This thing is solid....and that is something I'm not used to coming from New Orleans to Phoenix. It currently has a 200 6 cylinder mated to a 3 speed but that will eventually change. But again...see the 'no hurry' part in the title.
Now....on with the pics!

This is what I saw when I drove up to talk $$.



And after i drove it home at 8pm in 100 degree heat.

 
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#5 · (Edited)
Luckily the bees had been dealt with before I found them so all I had to do was clean up the mess.....good times.







The next step is a full tune up and brake job. It needs to go and stop better and I'm willing to spend a couple hundred bucks to be able to tool around in it while I stockpile more parts.
I don't know how much interest there would be for it but I will likely post pics of both of those endeavors as they happen....for posterity!
 
#7 ·
Get any honey out of that bee hive?�� Nice car by the way.
Sadly, most of the honey ran down along the bottom of the door onto the body trim. My leg kept getting stuck to it when I was getting in and out. :p
Thanks for the compliment. Here's to it looking better as we go!:drunkies:
 
#12 ·
Love the 67/68 coupes. Yours looks great - a nice solid foundation to start with and it looks like its all there.

Best of luck with it.

Paul
 
#19 · (Edited)
Thanks for all of the compliments...and corny jokes. You guys are terrible....although I will say that the wife giggles at them.

I never did find the bullets in the door. Best I can tell, it looks like all three went through and the door panel was just replaced at some point. Hard to say really.

I'm going to leave the holes for the time being. One reason is because I'm not quite ready to start on the body stuff. Second is I think it *does* add a bit of character.....and I'm hoping that whoever left those holes will decide to not try it again.

The drive was uneventful. It was one year ago yesterday that the wife and I closed our on house sale in New Orleans and headed west. We showed up at the closing with all of our belongings in a Penske truck. Pretty crazy idea but it's been a grand adventure!

Side note: all bee business aside, the wife has dubbed the car: "Big girl Pearl"...or Pearl for short. Don't know why, but she won't be swayed. :)
 
#20 · (Edited)
Busy work for the weekend.
Tune up parts arrived!


New cap, rotor, wires, plugs:


Carb tear down/clean/rebuild results:


Flushed the cooling system several times. This mess looks like some of the coffee from work!


Finished the weekend safely tucked in the garage....between our two imports. Funny, the 'pony' car is the biggest car we own now! :)


Brakes are next, I believe. Door tuneups after that.
 
#25 ·
Brakes are next, I believe. Door tuneups after that.
1. Make it stop.
2. Make it handle.
3. Make it go.

in that order...

Good luck
Paul
 
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#22 ·
Tune up the drums. But I'm eventually working towards discs. If I threw budget out of the window, it would be big Baers on all 4 corners. But who knows at this point. Recycled parts from late model stuff would be more budget friendly, but I don't want to go that route and then replace it all later for more stuff.
 
#23 ·
Id consider keeping the bullet holes, just rust proof it. How many opportunities is there to build a true 68 bullit mustang?
 
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#27 ·
Yes, leave the bullet holes in. They went in one side but not out the other so they must have just rattled around the interior.

Paul
 
#29 ·
Update!
Brakes: fixed! A leaking front driver's wheel cylinder was replaced and new shoes added. Tada! it stops!...amazing how well drum brakes work when they're not swimming in brake fluid.

Carb: PITA! The expansion plug above the power valve...someone had tried to drill it out. Yeah, fixed that and now I have one less vac leak to chase. At idle the car has 15hg of vacuum. Not ideal, but the stumble on acceleration is gone. Now I just have to chase down the 'dies when clutch is pressed in & stopping' issue. Tomorrow will be float level/more vac leak chasing..

Windows: rear quarters had popped off of the rollers. Picked up new ones and greased the snot out of the tracks = FIXED!

Fuel gauge: still need to order a sending unit. Baby steps!
Dash lights: see above and insert 'headlight switch'.

Insurance: got turned down for classic car ins by my normal carrier AND Hagerty for the car's lack of 'restoration'. Called Larue classics based on recommendations from several local friends and now I'm covered! Simple enough.

Thought about laying out a plan for the car. Right now I'm focused on getting it pseudo-reliable. The friend that was once the owner of a gorgeous 69 coupe and now has an LS powered 70 chevelle keeps pushing me to the expensive end of the pool. Him: "Go full front clip and LS!" Me: "No." Him: "Go Detroit Speed clip and Coyote!" Me: "No" Him: "Go all-out 6 cyl with efi and turbo!" Me: "what part of b-u-d-g-e-t did you miss?" Him: "it's easier to spend when it's not 'my' money."
Don't we all love friends like that? I know my wife does....:p
 
#30 ·
On the insurance, I would call JC Taylor. I've had them for over 20 years and had no problems or regrets. They insure all my "non daily drivers".
Good luck with the project, looks to be a very solid start, especially considering what we typically see in the rust belt.
russ
 
#31 · (Edited)
Nothing to see here, just making notes. Move along.

Fix List:
Fuel sending unit
headlight switch
pedal pads
driver's seat right side gangster lean
vacuum leak under carb? heated carb spacer possibly?

Wish list:
TCP suspension - stage one. Dropped UCA, Springs, non-adjust shocks. Front and rear sway bars. Rear mid-eye springs, non-adjust shocks.
Subframe connector/export brace setup.
8.8 swap - not fond of explorer offset.
302/351w swap - roller blocks better for mild DD/cruiser? (can of worms)
T-5
Mild Baer brakes? Upgrade to mustang steve kit and use late model brakes?
Classic Auto Air (wife wish list)
Dakota digital gauges - vhx
TMI - upgrade foam/upholstery, retain factory frames.
Mid-length headers (jba?) x-pipe, pypes? borla? magnaflow? flowmaster....please, no more drone.

Eventually:
Pull it apart, blast it to metal, fix any ugly spots, evaluate quarter, fix door corners, prime (spi?), dynamat the bejeebus out of it, paint (keep the yellow).....how to retain bullet holes....hmm

Find home for/sell off functional L6/3-spd/7.25 rear and all stock pieces.
 
#34 ·
IMO, a six cylinder 68 is the best value out there. Very little necessary to convert to V8.

My '67 convertible is undergoing the last step of mods, and I followed the order prescribed exactly.

I went CSRP for disc brake conversion and left the rears as drums. And even all manual my Daisy will stop breathtakingly fast.

I went Unisteer R&P with a UCA drop and a 1-1/8" sway bar with heavy duty springs and Biltstein shocks. If I were to do it again, I'd go with a new standard or quick steering unit.

Now, I am putting in a '95 roller 5.0 in it. I'm building it myself, but honestly? If mine were a coupe and not a convertible, I'd put a 347 stroker in it, full roller. In fact, once I recharge my savings account, I see a '68 coupe in my future....
 
#35 ·
I know what you mean 120. I had thought about leaving the 6 and building it up but it's not what I wanted. And I couldn't pass up this car for the price and how solid it was. So I'm sure some purist out there will shudder to think that another 6 cylinder will get swapped in favor of a modern v8. But I'm ok with that
 
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