black88coupe
Club Member
x2!
Joe Ruggirello, Gapp and Roush Mustang II
- Thread starter SuddenDeath
- Start date
SuddenDeath
Forum Member
Completed the rear lower floor repairs last week.
Today began the last of the worst repairs on the car. Somewhere in the past, someone really did some damage to the drivers side lower rocker and wheel tub areas with a hammer. They beat the front of the wheel tub in until it shifted, along with buckling the rocker and ripping the metal up behind it.
Today, got the tub shifted back into place, cut out the small buckled area. Dan (my partner in all this) worked out the buckle and shaped the piece to fit correctly while I worked the remaining metal to allow fitting up. That little curvature is factory and matches the passenger side, so now good to go.
It now has the factory curve to it again and welded back in place. Still have to trim up everything and weld the large panel back in place in the tub next weekend. I'll also blast everything in there to clean it up well before some epoxy primer is put in there.
Dan worked the hood today and hopes to have it in primer this week. He also continued to smooth out the engine compartment aprons inside/out. Once I finish this repair next weekend, the plan is door removal/stripping for primer on those and blasting the inside rear of the car for primer as well.
Today began the last of the worst repairs on the car. Somewhere in the past, someone really did some damage to the drivers side lower rocker and wheel tub areas with a hammer. They beat the front of the wheel tub in until it shifted, along with buckling the rocker and ripping the metal up behind it.
Today, got the tub shifted back into place, cut out the small buckled area. Dan (my partner in all this) worked out the buckle and shaped the piece to fit correctly while I worked the remaining metal to allow fitting up. That little curvature is factory and matches the passenger side, so now good to go.
It now has the factory curve to it again and welded back in place. Still have to trim up everything and weld the large panel back in place in the tub next weekend. I'll also blast everything in there to clean it up well before some epoxy primer is put in there.
Dan worked the hood today and hopes to have it in primer this week. He also continued to smooth out the engine compartment aprons inside/out. Once I finish this repair next weekend, the plan is door removal/stripping for primer on those and blasting the inside rear of the car for primer as well.
black88coupe
Club Member
Very nice progress.
SuddenDeath
Forum Member
I found some previous owner history today...turns out SD was at one time (1997) owned by Mark Martin (NASCAR). I spoke with someone who worked on the car that year while he owned it. I don't know when Martin bought SD, but could have likely been when I saw it at the Fun Ford event in 1995. It was delivered, enclosed truck, to a place in Indiana for cosmetics and tuning in preparation for auction at Auburn Auctions (now RM Auctions) in Auburn, IN and sold by Martin to someone.
I sent email to RM Auctions asking for any record of sale. The guy who worked on it has photos while it was there, so is going to send those to me.
Now, if I could only talk to Mark Martin!
If anyone can help, please pass on my info!
I sent email to RM Auctions asking for any record of sale. The guy who worked on it has photos while it was there, so is going to send those to me.
Now, if I could only talk to Mark Martin!
If anyone can help, please pass on my info!
black88coupe
Club Member
That is some real exciting news. Sounds like you might be able to get some answers on some things with the car. Congrats and good luck!
SuddenDeath
Forum Member
I hope so...I've got friends working on that lead right now to see if Mark remembers the car. The guy I spoke with sure was quick to relate the story and details, so didn't sound like a made up story. He knew details which you could only know if you were there.
Right now working an estimate for re-anodizing all the window trim on the car. Not going to be cheap, but its the right thing to do to get the original NOS type finish.
Right now working an estimate for re-anodizing all the window trim on the car. Not going to be cheap, but its the right thing to do to get the original NOS type finish.
svopro
Club Member
How about powder coat on the trim they can do some pretty cool stuff that looks lke original finish
strawboss38679
Club Member
Looks Great
SuddenDeath
Forum Member
Long day at the shop today. Didn't get off to a great start having issues with the sandblaster right from the start. Need to get some finer media. Got the driver's rocker half finished. Had one of those days where you know you need to step back and wait for another day..ya know?
Dan got on the passenger side and started stripping it, so I quit the metal work for the day and helped him finish up that side. Thanks to Dan, the tail light panel, RH rear quarter, half the roof, passenger side door, all stripped to the metal to begin working. At least progress was made! Good news is only one dent on the door and what appears to be a minor rust repair in one corner. Quarter was clean, other than the expected filler around the wheel opening which will be redone.
This coming week I'm going to work on building a box to ship all the moldings off to be done.
Also found a pair of NOS roof rail weatherstrips, so good to go there.
New heads will be on the way this week as well, so I can begin sorting out the engine for reassembly.
I picked up the radiator from the shop and got the pinholes repaired in the gas tank. I'm going to use the eastwood kit to seal the inside as well. The fan shroud is home so I can begin restoring the finish to be clear powder coated when done. The intercooler damage is repaired.
Thats it for now! Hope to get some more days on it over the Thanksgiving holidays.
Dan got on the passenger side and started stripping it, so I quit the metal work for the day and helped him finish up that side. Thanks to Dan, the tail light panel, RH rear quarter, half the roof, passenger side door, all stripped to the metal to begin working. At least progress was made! Good news is only one dent on the door and what appears to be a minor rust repair in one corner. Quarter was clean, other than the expected filler around the wheel opening which will be redone.
This coming week I'm going to work on building a box to ship all the moldings off to be done.
Also found a pair of NOS roof rail weatherstrips, so good to go there.
New heads will be on the way this week as well, so I can begin sorting out the engine for reassembly.
I picked up the radiator from the shop and got the pinholes repaired in the gas tank. I'm going to use the eastwood kit to seal the inside as well. The fan shroud is home so I can begin restoring the finish to be clear powder coated when done. The intercooler damage is repaired.
Thats it for now! Hope to get some more days on it over the Thanksgiving holidays.
black88coupe
Club Member
Your are making awesome progress. This is a GREAT thread!!
SuddenDeath
Forum Member
I've made more progress on the car. Entire exterior now stripped to bare metal, with only jambs, rockers, hatch weatherstrip areas left with white paint! It looks so much better. You would not believe how much paint was on this car. There were 2 entire white/blue paint jobs on top of the original silver, so you can imagine how hard it was to get all that off with 6-8 layers of paint!
The filler around the rear wheel wells is from the original build and will be removed/re-worked to make sure nothing comes back later on.
This coming weekend the doors, roof and upper quarters will be in primer to begin working/blocking.
Got the new heads, valvetrain, and pieces needed to begin the engine work. Headers will have to be re-worked at the flange to fit. Kind of disappointing, but will have to be done. Picked up a new timing set, Kaase bronze thrust plate, new bolts for cam/thrust plate.
Shipped off the carb to Pro Systems to be worked for more CFM and response.
Next time you see it, there should be some primer on it! Getting closer to paint!
The filler around the rear wheel wells is from the original build and will be removed/re-worked to make sure nothing comes back later on.
This coming weekend the doors, roof and upper quarters will be in primer to begin working/blocking.
Got the new heads, valvetrain, and pieces needed to begin the engine work. Headers will have to be re-worked at the flange to fit. Kind of disappointing, but will have to be done. Picked up a new timing set, Kaase bronze thrust plate, new bolts for cam/thrust plate.
Shipped off the carb to Pro Systems to be worked for more CFM and response.
Next time you see it, there should be some primer on it! Getting closer to paint!
black88coupe
Club Member
Great job!
SuddenDeath
Forum Member
Made some more progress this week. Removed all the body filler from the wheel openings, finished stripping the rockers and door jambs. Doors are now off for final prep for primer. Cleaned up the windshield opening of sealer to allow cleanup for primer. We hope to have much of the car in primer this coming week! I'll try to post up some more new pics this coming week once we get some primer on it.
black88coupe
Club Member
Great
SuddenDeath
Forum Member
Hope you guys don't get bored hearing this stuff!
Another 9 hour day at the shop on SD.
Cleaned, removed seam sealer, and blasted.. the A pillar/door hinge areas, windshield opening area, hatch seal/hinge area, tail light panel, roof rails to ready them for primer. Trying to finish up the small stuff, so I can move on to blasting/cleaning the rear floor/wheel tub area. Those years the car sat exposed in New Jersey took their toll on it.
There is now NO white paint left on the car! I have 3 days off this coming weekend and intend to spend all of it on SD.
Another 9 hour day at the shop on SD.
Cleaned, removed seam sealer, and blasted.. the A pillar/door hinge areas, windshield opening area, hatch seal/hinge area, tail light panel, roof rails to ready them for primer. Trying to finish up the small stuff, so I can move on to blasting/cleaning the rear floor/wheel tub area. Those years the car sat exposed in New Jersey took their toll on it.
There is now NO white paint left on the car! I have 3 days off this coming weekend and intend to spend all of it on SD.
SuddenDeath
Forum Member
Getting some primer on the car this week!
Here is the cowl before...rusty, rusted out holes in each side, a rounded butcher cut in the center of the original square firewall notch.
Cowl today, both sides repaired of rust holes, blasted clean, we preserved the original ends of the square notch and only replaced the center portion. Looks great now!
Here is the cowl before...rusty, rusted out holes in each side, a rounded butcher cut in the center of the original square firewall notch.
Cowl today, both sides repaired of rust holes, blasted clean, we preserved the original ends of the square notch and only replaced the center portion. Looks great now!