Joe Ruggirello, Gapp and Roush Mustang II

SuddenDeath

SuddenDeath

Forum Member
Thought I should start a new thread for the car on its own, rather than continue to tag on updates on another.

Here's an old photo to get us started again and I'll follow up with an update!

RoushDrivingSD1977.jpg
 
I put in around 30 hours on the car this past week and have the rear suspension back to the original setup as it was first built by Gapp and Roush. The coilovers were very poorly done. I still have some cosmetic repair to do later due to the hacking done by that installation, but at least its now sorted out again. Still have to install a fuel filter (you can see the tank outlet is capped) due to the one I had in mind being too big. Thankfully, they didn't cut out the leaf spring mounts/axle perches!

I was thinking today...I know you can smell smoke!, but really, I had some milestones I set when I got this car..wheel/tire restoration, turbo removal/header fabrication, hood/scoop fabrication/install, find a way to save the original seat that was busted, get the car safe/running well, driveable, and finally the rear suspension back to original setup.

Funny to think, only thing left now is paint/body/cowl repair (someone decided it was a good idea to notch it)! I know there's a lot of cosmetic work on components before the re-install, but at least its all sorted out now. Worst part is that I really dread having to take it apart again!

BEFORE as I got it:

RoushMustang25.jpg


NOW back to the ORIGINAL setup!

SDRearSuspensionResto20.jpg


SDRearSuspensionResto18.jpg
 
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Thought I'd add a couple more pics of the car during the last test/tune drive before beginning the rear suspension work. I'll get some more taken later this week now that the suspension is done. The ride height is back to as it was in the original photos now, so it sits/looks MUCH better!

AprilSDdrive26.jpg


The engine runs great now and things are sorted out. I'm still waiting on completion of repairs to a vintage Accel BEI ignition setup (as was used originally) to install. When the car goes to paint, I'll completely disassemble it for restoration of all components before they go back in/on the car.

AprilSDdrive22.jpg
 
This car is way before my time me being 21 and all but I grew up next door to an old street racer from the mid to late 70's so I've heard alot of stories from back then and I read the whole thread that you where originally posting in this stuff is so cool I wish I was around back then to see the real cars running around on Woodward and not all of those rice burners thanks for posting keep them coming these cars are the reason I'm into drag racing.
 
cjmatt said:
I shot the pics over to rugirellos nephew to forward to uncle joe, well see what he thinks :)
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That is AWESOME! Thanks for doing that! It would mean a lot just to know that Joe might approve and know that I'm doing my absolute best to do the car justice.
 
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svopro said:
Wayne Gapp helped to !
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Thanks Terry, he sure did! When I talked to him at the Gatornationals (got to meet Wayne and his son Jeff), he remembered the car and doing the chassis work on it. Bill Jameson also did quite a bit of work on the car.
 
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