1973 Mach One

[sLoWnStEaDy]

i had a build thread on this a while back but it has switched directions, been put in storage, been neglected and now finally getting worked on so i figured i would start a new thread and try to keep this one clean without all the BS that was finding its way to my old threads. Feel free to comment and everything but please try not to open up cans of worms that turn into pages of arguements and/or off topic discussion.

This is how I got it, back in January '10
http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/6114/machonefront.jpg
http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/5834/machonepass.jpg
http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/1333/machonedrivers.jpg

The car came with a lot of parts actually, most of which are brand new and a lot are even OEM/NOS, I will be selling them though as I am doing a "restomod" and don't want to waste the NOS/OEM parts on my car when someone else could use them. It came with a complete new interior (except door panels), all new suspension, 9" posi, new gas tank, new seals, brakes, emblems, nuts/bolts etc... I have a bunch of little zip lock bags with 2-3 screws from a mustang place with "NOS" and then a description on them as to where they go and a price of like $15 on it. Couldn't imagine spending that kind of money of a couple tiny screws.

The car had a 351W and a C4 when I got it, for some reason, it was all painted black and Chevy orange. The only thing I really HATE about the car is the "universal wiring harness" that came with it. the entire harness is an aftermarket piece, seems like it should work out fine, I just don't like universal crap. The only thing that I do like about the harness is that it says "left turn signal", "right turn signal", "left brake light", "right brake light" etc... on the actual wires themselves every few inches so it should be fairly easy to lay it all out. Gauges will be aftermarket, ignition, fuel etc... will all be aftermarket so it will basically just be running the exterior lights, horn, stuff like that. I haven't decided if I want to run A/C or not but I doubt I will.

[sLoWnStEaDy]

So, i started by stripping the horrible paint job and of course found a nice surprise on the bottoms of the quarters.
http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/4626/machone.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/207/machone.jpg/)
http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/631/machone2.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/9/machone2.jpg/)

Only scale I have is my fish one so I robbed it out of my tackle box and it shows about 18lbs, I think it is a little heavier to be honest though. That scale was one I got for my birthday like 15-20 years ago so...
http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/3282/machone3.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/525/machone3.jpg/)

Easy enough though, it is just the bottom so a simple patch panel will get it done. I was planning to ditch that side marker anyways so, not too upset about it really. That is all the bondo I found except on the front fenders, they did the same thing, pounds of Bondo... Again, not to upset as I am going with fiberglass fenders and probably a fiberglass hood as well.

[86svo9L]

Looks like it will be a great project. That is a crap load of bondo!

[sLoWnStEaDy]

The engine/trans will probably end up being a boosted modular motor as that was my original plan. For now though, I have the 460/C6 I built for the fox body that I am going to put in it. No dyno numbers or anything yet of course but based on the "experts" (460ford.com) I should be in the 500hp-550hp range. We all know that doesn't mean anything really though. It basically consists of a stock long block with roughly 60K miles (from a 76 T-Bird) decked, D0VE-C heads with giant valves, shaved with a TON of port work (came off a 9-second 557 stroker powered Torino), Lunati 61605 cam, roller rockers, high volume oil pump, "high flow" aluminum waterpump, aluminum radiator, Ford Racing intake (Performer RPM copy basically), Davis Unified HEI distributor, MSD 6-HVC, and a Holley 850 DP'er. Compression should be in the 10.7 range according to Horn. I will be running ram air of course, headers will be 2" primaries to 3"-3.5" duals (probably 3"). It will also be getting sub frame connectors, strut bars, some sort of roll cage etc...

only engine shot I have sucks, this is of it in the Fox Body...
http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/9267/mustangroller005.jpg

[Drifte]

neat project, and I have never seen so much bondo before. Thats like, entire buckets per corner.

[86svo9L]

Sounds stout. Have you run it with that DUI distributor yet? Alot of guys are unhappy with how they perform and go with a Duraspark dist. with an MSD box. I was thinking about running one on my 79 mustang one time for simplicity and everyone I talked to hated it so I went with the MSD setup.

[sLoWnStEaDy]

I have not run it yet. Wasn't really something I planned to buy in all honesty. I was looking on eBay and seen this one posted with no reserve and a 49.99 starting bid. I got it for $49.99 with free shipping and it came with an extra cap and rotor so I figured I would give it a try. If nothing else, I could probably make a few bucks selling it and then go back to the Duraspark that everyone uses.

Forgot to mention: I am replacing the floors and the trunk pan as well as the quarter patches now. Floors/trunk really aren't that bad, a few holes the size of golf balls, or so but they welded flatsheet metal over them in BIG chunks so it is a mess and I just want to replace it all. I am also considering running different seats, I am thinking of changing up the interior a little bit with just different seats mainly. all black leather but I think I want to run a rear seat setup similar to the newer mustangs where it is like a one piece bucket seat, like this:
http://0.tqn.com/d/mustangs/1/0/V/Z/-/-/rear-seat.jpg

[86svo9L]

For that great of a deal it is definitely worth a try.

[sLoWnStEaDy]

holy crap, i am considering scrapping this car and finding a nicer one!! I got the old trunk floor tore out today and discovered the tail light panel and trunk floor drops are also covered in 1/2"+ of bondo. Not really a huge deal but this thing is just getting under my skin. That leaves me replacing the floor pans, seat mounts/braces, trunk pan, trunk floor drops, tail light panel, fenders, inner fenders and lower 1/4 patches, SO FAR.

Subframes are good, firewall is good, roof, doors, rockers, glass etc is all good. Has a 9" posi under it with all new suspension front and rear, all new interior, new gas tank, fuel lines, brake lines, brakes and some other misc stuff

[Domestic Disturbance]

holy crap, i am considering scrapping this car and finding a nicer one!!

There's no such thing. They are all scrap heaps. Fuckin mustangs!

[Drifte]

You cant quit Keith..

http://iowaautoforums.com/showthread.php?12618-The-build%28s%29-I-WILL-finish!&highlight=builds+finish

if you have any 4x4 winter beaters you want to sell to help fund this one let me know.

[sLoWnStEaDy]

You cant quit Keith..

http://iowaautoforums.com/showthread.php?12618-The-build%28s%29-I-WILL-finish!&highlight=builds+finish

if you have any 4x4 winter beaters you want to sell to help fund this one let me know.

no 4x4s to sell, just the alero for $1600. Funds aren't the problem, i have everything except the drops and tail light panel. Those are like $150 for all three. Its more the time as of right now, working a normal 8-5 job now and weekends are for hunting right now.
I wont give up on it, just frustrating the kind of crap people will do to cars! With all the money he had in new parts, i cant believe the HORRIBLE job that was done on the body work. I bet he had a good $5k in new parts i got with the car. There are baggies with two or three screws that have like $14.99 on them a bunch of them actually, al labeled as to what they are for.

[Drifte]

My guess would be he wasn't involved in the body work.

[sLoWnStEaDy]

possible, he kept teling my how solid and rust free the car was. I guess it would be hard for rust to get through inches of bondo! LOL

[Domestic Disturbance]

I wont give up on it, just frustrating the kind of crap people will do to cars! With all the money he had in new parts, i cant believe the HORRIBLE job that was done on the body work. I bet he had a good $5k in new parts i got with the car. There are baggies with two or three screws that have like $14.99 on them a bunch of them actually, al labeled as to what they are for.

My project is the same way actually. Tons of new parts, but I keep finding stuff that was done wrong. Not from the guy I got it from, but just from some point in the past. Have to remember though, these things have been around for a while. Who knows how many people have done what to them.

[AutoMods]

dd: your car going to be at next years shootout?

[LT1Dan]

dd: your car going to be at next years shootout?

Oh that would be awesome.

[Domestic Disturbance]

Come hell or highwater

[Deimos]

keep going sounds like what my buddy and I had to do except he had to have a roof done too.

[sLoWnStEaDy]

I got the brand new gas tank all holed up and sump installed. Got the trunk pan cut out and the lower quarters cut off. I need to get smaller wire and accessories for my welder, .035 just isn't working out on 20gauge sheet metal. :D Worked great for motor mounts and some other super secret stuff I have done recently (LOL) but def. not going to work for my needs right now. I have been debating scrapping the damn thing or just leaving it as-is and making it a track car but I am too far in now. I am not going to get too crazy carried away doing the pretty butt-welds and all that stuff on the floor/trunk pans. Just going to do the 1/2" lap joint and seem seal it since the inside will be covered with carpet and underneath with be coated as well.

I am going to be getting a 3in1 press brake, shear and slip roller so I can do my smooth firewall and inner fenders up front. Goal is to get the engine bay and floor pans done ASAP so I can get the engine/trans in the car and out of my damn way! My main issue is tools breaking and/or just not having tools I need. I have went through like 10 of those damn air body saws from Harbor Freight in the last couple months. Just broke another the other day so I tried the saws-all, didn't like that, tried the cut-off wheel and didn't like that either. Thought about buying a plasma cutter/TIG combo but just can't justify it as of right now. I don't TIG very often and my buddy has a nice Miller setup he lets me use whenever I do. Then I thought about a cheap plasma cutter but figured that would just be a waste of money.

[AutoMods]

I wouldn't buy a harbor frieght tig welder. too complicated of a part to trust in hf. and whenever you do shitty welds you will question the machine. whenever i do shitty welds i just blame myself since my welder is known to be decent.

[sLoWnStEaDy]

well, after find more jank repairs, i have decided this is just going to have to be a gutted track car. Kind of sucks but i will probably grab a 69/70 fastback instead in the near future for a "driver".

Only good thing is that means this should be running/driving a lot sooner than expected. LOL

[85XR7Project]

Sounded like this was a bad starting point all along. Bad paint, tons of bondo, all this took a dump on a good idea. I'm sorry to hear it didn't work out. You could check out coyoteclassics.com and see if he has one.

[AutoMods]

well, after find more jank repairs, i have decided this is just going to have to be a gutted track car. Kind of sucks but i will probably grab a 69/70 fastback instead in the near future for a "driver".

Only good thing is that means this should be running/driving a lot sooner than expected. LOL

sounds good, you going to register it for the street car shootout?

[sLoWnStEaDy]

scrapped... Look for v2.0 later in the year. ;)
i have everything i need except a solid body! LOL

[85XR7Project]

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!?

This is a disappointment, what happened to it being a stripped out track car?

[sLoWnStEaDy]

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!?

This is a disappointment, what happened to it being a stripped out track car?

i started the floor panss today, got the drivers side out only to find the subframe rails were also bono'd and fiberglassed. Literally the only piece of sheet metal that was good was the roof. I kept everything i had for it and am looking for a solid roller. I think i am going to make some stuff out of some of the parts.