74NovaMan's 66 Mustang GT (Dad's first new car)

[74NovaMan]

Here is the donor just a few hours later:

[Russell]

Cool project take two and make one, sell whats left over. Look foward to watching

[74NovaMan]

In April of 2009 my neighbor and I bought a rotisserie to share on our projects. Here is the car mounted on it and ready to spin:

[74NovaMan]

Fast forward to the present and things do not look very different. Over the last 4 years I have started scraping and cleaning the bottom of the car but I still have a long way to go.

Recent developments have resulted in moving this project to active status:
· With the Nova on the road, it is our only non-running car
· I have a few dollars left in the car fund to get started (enough to buy the sheet metal I hope)
· Most importantly, my wife wants it done and I believe that she has even agreed to taking out a loan to that end. (that belief will be put to the test in the next couple of weeks)
· The ultimate goal, as mentioned earlier, is to Long Haul it on the 2014 Power Tour

Unfortunately, major body work is my nemesis when it comes to large projects like this. I can do it, but I do not have the time or energy at this point in my life. As this is the first logical step on a project like this I will obviously need help. To that end, I have an appointment this Friday with a really good body guy who is just getting started with his own shop. I am hoping to get a ballpark cost, finalize my shopping list and get on his calendar.

I am hoping to get both shells and all the sheet metal moved from the back corner of the garage tonight so that we can get a good look at everything on Friday. If I’m on task I should have a few fresh pictures tomorrow.

[mike343sharpstick]

I have an appointment this Friday with a really good body guy who is just getting started with his own shop. I am hoping to get a ballpark cost, finalize my shopping list and get on his calendar.

Are you ready for a big fat number on that, the materials alone are expensive these days!

[74NovaMan]

I have already gotten a quote from NPD for the following:

2 Full Quarters
2 Door Shells
2 Outer Wheelhouses
2 Trunkdrops
2 Fenders
Hood
Deck Lid
Front & Rear Valence
Master Body Hardware kit
Splash Shield Kit
Door Hinge Rebuild Kits

$2,062 delivered to my door.

This is using the "Better" reproductions where available. Some items, fenders for instance, have a base repro, better repro and Ford tooling ($$$$). My total hypothetical budget at this point is about $17,500. I am hoping to get body work and paint (including materials) completed for 5-7K over and above the new sheet metal cost. Let me know if you think that sounds realistic. Thanks.

[mike343sharpstick]

Basically the body shop material costs have gone way up in the past few years, especially for the big brand names like PPG. People that have done projects like this (even DIY guys) a decade ago are surprised at the current cost of body and paint materials.

Obviously it depends on how much of a good-guy deal you get on labor to, I would say it could easily go over $7,000. That said, if you get a good labor deal, the guy is fast, and the steel is in very good shape you may be OK in the range you have stated.

[74NovaMan]

Mike - I'm figuring $2,000 for paint and supplies and hoping to help with the labor. I'll certainly let everyone know how it pans out.

[74NovaMan]

Here is the current condition of the floor (underside) including the holes to be patched:

[74NovaMan]

The holes in the floor are outside the stamped area so I am hoping to just use some sheet metal scraps for these.

[mike343sharpstick]

Nice! Looks solid, if you can do some of the body work yourself that's a huge savings!
Any reason you don't take the body to get media blasted (sand or otherwise), and save a few zillion hours of sanding?

[74NovaMan]

The engine compartment should clean up nicely with a light sandblasting.

[74NovaMan]

Nice! Looks solid, if you can do some of the body work yourself that's a huge savings!
Any reason you don't take the body to get media blasted (sand or otherwise), and save a few zillion hours of sanding?

I have a 5hp, 60 gal compressor and a pressurized sandblaster I am planning to put to good use before delivering to the body guy. I may look at farming that out though, if it makes sense. I will have to remove the thick chunks myself one way or the other. Stay tuned for the roll on bedliner pics.

[Huskinhano]

Nice project, what are you going to do to it as far as engine and so on? Definitely lower the upper control arms, it does wonders in how the car drives! Down 1" and back 1/8" it's called the Arning or Shelby drop.

[74NovaMan]

One of the previous owners decied that a roll on bed liner was a great idea as under coating and rust prevention. The entire interior floor including the trunk has been coated. This stuff is incredibly tough and hard to remove. I'm OK with it under the interior carpet but I need to remove it from the trunk area. The other spots that were treated were the front suspension sheet metal areas. The pics below show the right side which has not been worked on and the left (drivers) side which I spent a few hours cleaning up. I willl probably strip these areas to bare steel. Any tips for removal of this crap are welcome!