slow progress, 66 sedan

Thought I'd share, not that anyone cares


So my wife buys this 66 mustang a few years back, that didn't run.
Parked outside in the elements, windows open even. After an engine fire.
Paint ruined, interior ruined, engine room looking pretty rough. Rust
damage in the body.

Well fast forward a number of years, I only a couple of weeks ago
started working on the car for real, when we trailered it to my work,
where I have a small workshop for building maintenance.

I found a carb rebuild kit in the wife's pile of junk in the bedroom as
we were moving a while ago, and I used it. The carb on the car was
supposed to be rebuilt by the previous owner, just before the engine
fire. Hmmmmm.... Right. Not a single gasket anywhere near the
carburator! On top of that, it had gummed up and full of dirt, after
sitting for so long, with no air cleaner too.

I spent a lot of time on the carb.

New fuel lines, filters, fresh fuel, oil change, tranny oil change, new
plugs, static timing the engine, etc.etc...

The beast now runs! For the first week or two the idle was really rough
and hard to find, but yesterday I finally realized where one of the big
breather hoses from the valve covers go. Umm.. to the large port in the
intake manifold! DUHH. I had a massive air leak without the hose in
place. Engine immediately started purring smooth. I was pleasantly
surprised, and ashamed to have missed that obvious hose fitting. (I am
no newbie when it comes to cars, but I am new to mustangs and I can't
find my repair manual).


We have a big parking lot at work too. I was able to drive it around
some, but only to discover that the engine leaks oil from the
bellhousing, between engine and transmission. Ugh.

Before I found the disconnected hose, the tranny didn't want to work
much at all either. With the problematic idle, it was impossible to even
check the ATF level. I flushed the tranny with some stuff by TransX or
something, to try to free up possibly stuck parts. I'm back to using
straight up type F ATF. Next I will drop the oil pan and see what I can
find. Wish I had my book...

With the engine air leak fixed, I hope the tranny will start working
better too. I think it uses intake manifold vacuum for some sort of
control signal. I haven't had time to really look into the tranny yet,
more concerned about the engine and the brakes. Had a front brake
cylinder leaking.. a lot. Bought a repair kit (could not find the
correct one so I used only some of the critical rubber parts) and
hopefully fixed it yesterday.

I'm off work today (Mon) so tomorrow, work permitting, I can take her
out for another test drive I did leave some long black tire marks on
the pavement behind the building already.. oops. Careful with that
throttle

Anyhooters. I'm excited.

Jan
Orlando,FL

Jan sounds to me like a really fun project. how bad is the rust? Are you
going to redo the interior like new?

"Jan" > wrote in message
...
>
> Thought I'd share, not that anyone cares
>
>
> So my wife buys this 66 mustang a few years back, that didn't run. Parked
> outside in the elements, windows open even. After an engine fire.
> Paint ruined, interior ruined, engine room looking pretty rough. Rust
> damage in the body.
>
> Well fast forward a number of years, I only a couple of weeks ago started
> working on the car for real, when we trailered it to my work, where I have
> a small workshop for building maintenance.
>
> I found a carb rebuild kit in the wife's pile of junk in the bedroom as we
> were moving a while ago, and I used it. The carb on the car was supposed
> to be rebuilt by the previous owner, just before the engine fire.
> Hmmmmm.... Right. Not a single gasket anywhere near the carburator! On
> top of that, it had gummed up and full of dirt, after sitting for so long,
> with no air cleaner too.
>
> I spent a lot of time on the carb.
>
> New fuel lines, filters, fresh fuel, oil change, tranny oil change, new
> plugs, static timing the engine, etc.etc...
>
> The beast now runs! For the first week or two the idle was really rough
> and hard to find, but yesterday I finally realized where one of the big
> breather hoses from the valve covers go. Umm.. to the large port in the
> intake manifold! DUHH. I had a massive air leak without the hose in place.
> Engine immediately started purring smooth. I was pleasantly surprised, and
> ashamed to have missed that obvious hose fitting. (I am no newbie when it
> comes to cars, but I am new to mustangs and I can't find my repair
> manual).
>
>
> We have a big parking lot at work too. I was able to drive it around some,
> but only to discover that the engine leaks oil from the bellhousing,
> between engine and transmission. Ugh.
>
> Before I found the disconnected hose, the tranny didn't want to work much
> at all either. With the problematic idle, it was impossible to even check
> the ATF level. I flushed the tranny with some stuff by TransX or
> something, to try to free up possibly stuck parts. I'm back to using
> straight up type F ATF. Next I will drop the oil pan and see what I can
> find. Wish I had my book...
>
> With the engine air leak fixed, I hope the tranny will start working
> better too. I think it uses intake manifold vacuum for some sort of
> control signal. I haven't had time to really look into the tranny yet,
> more concerned about the engine and the brakes. Had a front brake cylinder
> leaking.. a lot. Bought a repair kit (could not find the correct one so I
> used only some of the critical rubber parts) and hopefully fixed it
> yesterday.
>
> I'm off work today (Mon) so tomorrow, work permitting, I can take her out
> for another test drive I did leave some long black tire marks on the
> pavement behind the building already.. oops. Careful with that throttle
>
> Anyhooters. I'm excited.
>
> Jan
> Orlando,FL

The car is going to be somewhat of a custom, but probably nothing
outrageous. I like the stock interior, and at the moment I am leaning
towards redoing it just the way it was, maybe some hidden stuff added.
Like a modern stereo system out of sight, and minimal amount of gauges,
perhaps hidden too until they are needed. I won't reveal all of the
ideas here... but think about a boost gauge for the twin turbos popping
up from the dash only when there's boost pressure

Oh yea, I am seriously considering turbos. The increased power comes
with better brakes and suspension, I want to lower the car somewhat and
make it handle much better. Quick steer kit, perhaps a rack and pinion
setup too. Hmmmm.... but all of this is a distant, hazy dream at this
point. No time, no money, no decent place to work on the car. I miss my
workshop.

Oh yea, we'll be having a baby too in May, I'm sure I will have even
less time for cars. That's why I want this thing in running, safe
condition for now, so I can at least enjoy driving it and move it around
as needed. First things first.

The body rust would look bad for most people, but I ain't skeered
Some holes through the metal, and some very rough spots. I will
eventually get rid of all rust. Hopefully do a body off rustoration.


Big talk, based on previous experience with cars in another country,
with 2 garages and tons of tools, big house.... now I'm stuck in a condo
with no garage, and minimal hand tools. Argh. I hope I can back it all
up and show some results some day


Jan





Les Benn wrote:> Jan sounds to me like a really fun project. how bad is
the rust? Are you
> going to redo the interior like new?
>
> "Jan" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>Thought I'd share, not that anyone cares
>>
>>
>>So my wife buys this 66 mustang a few years back, that didn't run. Parked
>>outside in the elements, windows open even. After an engine fire.
>>Paint ruined, interior ruined, engine room looking pretty rough. Rust
>>damage in the body.
>>
>>Well fast forward a number of years, I only a couple of weeks ago started
>>working on the car for real, when we trailered it to my work, where I have
>>a small workshop for building maintenance.
>>
>>I found a carb rebuild kit in the wife's pile of junk in the bedroom as we
>>were moving a while ago, and I used it. The carb on the car was supposed
>>to be rebuilt by the previous owner, just before the engine fire.
>>Hmmmmm.... Right. Not a single gasket anywhere near the carburator! On
>>top of that, it had gummed up and full of dirt, after sitting for so long,
>>with no air cleaner too.
>>
>>I spent a lot of time on the carb.
>>
>>New fuel lines, filters, fresh fuel, oil change, tranny oil change, new
>>plugs, static timing the engine, etc.etc...
>>
>>The beast now runs! For the first week or two the idle was really rough
>>and hard to find, but yesterday I finally realized where one of the big
>>breather hoses from the valve covers go. Umm.. to the large port in the
>>intake manifold! DUHH. I had a massive air leak without the hose in place.
>>Engine immediately started purring smooth. I was pleasantly surprised, and
>>ashamed to have missed that obvious hose fitting. (I am no newbie when it
>>comes to cars, but I am new to mustangs and I can't find my repair
>>manual).
>>
>>
>>We have a big parking lot at work too. I was able to drive it around some,
>>but only to discover that the engine leaks oil from the bellhousing,
>>between engine and transmission. Ugh.
>>
>>Before I found the disconnected hose, the tranny didn't want to work much
>>at all either. With the problematic idle, it was impossible to even check
>>the ATF level. I flushed the tranny with some stuff by TransX or
>>something, to try to free up possibly stuck parts. I'm back to using
>>straight up type F ATF. Next I will drop the oil pan and see what I can
>>find. Wish I had my book...
>>
>>With the engine air leak fixed, I hope the tranny will start working
>>better too. I think it uses intake manifold vacuum for some sort of
>>control signal. I haven't had time to really look into the tranny yet,
>>more concerned about the engine and the brakes. Had a front brake cylinder
>>leaking.. a lot. Bought a repair kit (could not find the correct one so I
>>used only some of the critical rubber parts) and hopefully fixed it
>>yesterday.
>>
>>I'm off work today (Mon) so tomorrow, work permitting, I can take her out
>>for another test drive I did leave some long black tire marks on the
>>pavement behind the building already.. oops. Careful with that throttle
>>
>>Anyhooters. I'm excited.
>>
>>Jan
>>Orlando,FL
>
>
>

On Mon, 09 Apr 2007 13:28:24 -0400, Jan >
wrote:

>
>
>The car is going to be somewhat of a custom, but probably nothing
>outrageous. I like the stock interior, and at the moment I am leaning
>towards redoing it just the way it was, maybe some hidden stuff added.
>Like a modern stereo system out of sight, and minimal amount of gauges,
>perhaps hidden too until they are needed. I won't reveal all of the
>ideas here... but think about a boost gauge for the twin turbos popping
>up from the dash only when there's boost pressure
>
>Oh yea, I am seriously considering turbos. The increased power comes
>with better brakes and suspension, I want to lower the car somewhat and
>make it handle much better. Quick steer kit, perhaps a rack and pinion
>setup too. Hmmmm.... but all of this is a distant, hazy dream at this
>point. No time, no money, no decent place to work on the car. I miss my
>workshop.
>
>Oh yea, we'll be having a baby too in May, I'm sure I will have even
>less time for cars. That's why I want this thing in running, safe
>condition for now, so I can at least enjoy driving it and move it around
>as needed. First things first.
>
>The body rust would look bad for most people, but I ain't skeered
>Some holes through the metal, and some very rough spots. I will
>eventually get rid of all rust. Hopefully do a body off rustoration.
>
>
>Big talk, based on previous experience with cars in another country,
>with 2 garages and tons of tools, big house.... now I'm stuck in a condo
> with no garage, and minimal hand tools. Argh. I hope I can back it all
>up and show some results some day
>
What you feel is totally understandable.... Like a kid at Christmas
:0) Soooooo......

PRIORITIZE FIRST
1. What you need to make it streetworthy
2. Where you want to go with it:
3. How to get from 1 to 2:
4. What you can afford to do and in what order you need to do them.

If you expect to carry a wife and child, I recommend SAFETY over
LOOKS.

Personally, I went with the stock exterior look, with tweaks. It's a
light restomod. Then did the Cobra Drop, 16" mag style wheels and BFG
tires, surround sound stereo, halogen headlights, and LED tails and
parking, etc. Everywhere I go, it draws attention. And it's really not
radical. Right now I'm doing the most radical change and that's from
stock manual steering to power rack and pinion along with a tilt
column with cruise control.

Here's to you and your new toy. Remember, when the wife won't speak to
you, the Mustang will :0) Go for it and "git 'er done".