How much work do YOU do on your 'Special?

[admin]

I'm just curious how many of our group work on their own cars and how many send them out to shops.

When I was younger the only thing I didn't do myself was shoot the paint. It was partially a "more time then money" thing. I'm still mostly that way because I enjoy working on them, but as I get older (and more busy with my family) I'm starting to farm more work out.

 

[Diesel Donna]

I'm like you Jon, I did a whole lot of the work myself, except to shoot the paint. ( I did do a lot of sanding though) I worked for a company that had a fleet account with a Ford dealer and every paycheck I was there using my discount and buying some new part. This was way before all the Mustang parts houses started popping up. So I often couldn't find interior parts in my ivy gold color. I still do my own work if I know how to do it. Really time for a new paint job and engine detail though....oh boy, look what you started now.

~~~~Donna :grin:

 

[68CaliSp]

I am still relatively new to the whole restoration process but plan to do as much of the work as I can. I have only been able to do minor mechanical work with the help of my father and only take the car to a shop if I have to. When I have more time I plan to do the work myself.

 

[68sunlitgold]

Since I don't have my CS with me I answered this for my coupe. I have done everything so far to it myself but I don't want to even try to attempt to do the body and paint. I will let the experts do that. I have and plan to do some metal replacement on the convertible once I get it down here, but only in places not real noticable...ie the floor pans and trunk.

Doug

 

[68gt390]

Since owning at least 9 Mustangs over the years, I started out with just oil changes, tune-ups and have today with my GT Coupe and CS done every thing except body work, and paint. I figure since I drive both my cars it's been a learning process with the help of other's who are better qualified in some areas than myself. At present I am currently in the process of putting together a 428CJ motor to hopefully be installed by February 06. This will be my 2nd motor rebuild and again as in the past I am employing the help of one who is better qualified in this area than myself. But, it will be a joint effort. It has allowed me to save substantial dollars throughout the whole process. And it has helped me to learn something new everytime I pick up a wrench.

Don

 

[390cs68rcode]

I do 95% of the cosmetic stuff, some of the easy mechanical stuff and leave the difficult engine stuff to people who know what they are doing.

 

[Perkchiro]

Since I'm restoring my own CS, I've done all the work except body panel repair and paint. I also had the tranny rebuilt, but I rebuild the engine. I will have the alignment shop do the front end for me. Since I know pretty much every detail of my car, it'should be alot easier to repair when somethng goes wrong, however I won't hesitate to call on the experts when required.

 

[rvrtrash]

I've done it all on one car or another. I have found that it's about the same price to have an engine rebuilt as to buy the parts, have the machining done and assemble it yourself, plus you get a warranty with the shop built one so it's hard to justify doing it yourself. If I need a car painted in the winter, I go to a shop. Other than that, I really do enjoy turning wrenches and grinding on metal.
Steve

 

[hcsstang]

My son attended a automitive school. so i can reap his experience. he's working on a 02 mustang and the owner is spending about 40,000 on the Cobra. He put doors that swing out than up. It's a six speed plus a black con.

 

[PFSlim]

As for our restoration of our car, we did everything except put the final paint on the car, build the motor, recover seats and install headliner. we also had our painter help us with cutting off rear quarters and rocker panels and installing new. Pretty much everything else we did. Painter also gave us guidance in body work to get the body as straight as we possibly could.

My brother Brian had perform several of these tasks before starting the Mustang. However, we both did some learning when it came to cutting out rear main frame rails, torque boxes, floor pans, etc and rewelding those back in. Wiring was my baby as I did not know anything before I started our project.

Now it is up to us to maintain the car. But after what we went through to restore it, maintaining or working on the car seems like small stuff.

Paul