1968 Jai's Build Thread

[dr1v3n]

Hey all,

So this is my first classic car, I am really excited about this build. The car is more of a mess than anything I've ever owned. I've been a late model car person up until now, but I've always had a soft spot and love for the beauty of classics. I have been working on a parts list for my car I thought I would share with you all. This is my first stab at it, I am trying to get everything together in one list so maybe I can go to a local reseller and get a better deal on the majority of the parts I am seeking.

Would love you opinions on what parts I want to buy and maybe what you would buy in my shoes given you all have been doing this much longer.

Thanks,

Jai

 

[Mosesatm]

I have an excellent set of '69 deluxe seat belts. Pm me if you may be interested.

 

[franklinair]

What color interior?

Tail light harness: contact thecoralsnake.com Excellent rework of your original harness
Headliner: TMI? Color?
Steering wheel: what color? Deluxe (woodgrain)?
Pwr steering, Pwr brakes: shop E-Bay (Drum brakes CAN be Pwr Brakes- just add booster)
Eng, Trans mounts: NPD
Engine gauges: Do you intend to stay Stock? (I also recommend converting ammeter to volt meter)
Dash trim pieces: Standard or Deluxe? NPD or VA Mustang
Door panels: Color? Deluxe? CJ Pony Parts
1157 bulbs: use plasma LED's for tail lites (requires their flasher unit) West Coast Classic Cougar (VERY BRIGHT)
1157 bulbs: use LED's for front turn signal

Neil

 

[p51]

Hmmm... it's bit hard to put together a complete parts list without knowing the current state of the car, what you want the car to eventually be (eg stock driver+, restified, full out high hp resto-mod, etc) and how much $s you can spend.

Anyway, as a starting point I'll put together a parts list that I would have made out for me after I bought my GT/CS.

My goal was "a car that looked 1968 but drove/handled 2008", was fun "stoplight to stoplight" and was relatively safe (at least safer than 1968 standards) while getting "the first 80% of the value for the 20% of the price" (80/20 rule). When I bought the car it was pretty much stock 3-speed 302 J-code with rebuilt original engine, A/C, power steering.

In rough priority order:

Handling:
(1) Export brace
(2) Arning drop
(3) Beefier front sway bar
(4) Front disk brakes
(5) Front coil spring roller perches
(6) Subframe connectors
(7) Metal divider for behind back seat
(8) More aggressive caster setting (if you have power steering)

Safety:
(1) Headrests (I bought some used '69 seat backs which was actually cheaper/easier than buying/installing headrests on the existing seats)
(2) High intensity LED brake lights

Fun:
(1) T5 transmission

If you have a carb setup (or is your 5.0L swap full efi?)
(1) Upgrade the stock? distributor with Pertronix ignitor

Other:
(1) Since you are replacing the headliner, this one piece from TMI looks interesting
http://www.cjponyparts.com/tmi-headliner-kit-molded-one-piece-unisuede-coupe-1967-1968/p/HL52-V/

A good site for suspension upgrades:
http://dazecars.com/dazed/suspension101.html

Good video on the suspension subject for Cougars (and, therefore Mustangs) from West Coast Cougar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgxL4xnTTZ4

Also, I agree with Neil, if you are sticking with a stock dash the ammeter to voltmeter upgrade is nice.
http://www.rccinnovations.com/index.php?show=menu-mustang-all
A mini-tach where the clock goes is also a nice "looks-like-stock" upgrade.


.

 

[dr1v3n]

I have an excellent set of '69 deluxe seat belts. Pm me if you may be interested.

Would these work okay in a 68? I am concerned about a regular two point or three point belt in this car? I saw a picture of a wrecked classic the other day with what looks like a head print from hitting the windshield. Would a harness be much safer than an after market deluxe or retractable seatbelt?

 

[robert campbell]

Neil is your man for sourcing the restoration parts to get her looking good. I love P51's thinking on the "fun and safety" upgrades to your car. The 5 speed is way cool and the rest of his recommendations are spot on to make it a lot more fun. I would add 3.25 or 3.50 rear gears on P51's list!

I have seen the TMI one piece with an integral upper console. It was kinda cool.

I would love to help with engine build and thoughts on exhaust, intake or EFI and such. I love to spend other peoples money!!

Rob

 

[dr1v3n]

My replies in italics below:

What color interior?

Tail light harness: contact thecoralsnake.com Excellent rework of your original harness
Headliner: TMI? Color?

Black vinyl, yes TMI one piece

Steering wheel: what color? Deluxe (woodgrain)?

I dont know what to buy yet, something fancy with a nod to the original style

Pwr steering, Pwr brakes: shop E-Bay (Drum brakes CAN be Pwr Brakes- just add booster)

I dont know what booster to buy, never replaced one before.

Eng, Trans mounts: NPD

I have a 5.0 swap in the car, not sure what mounts may have been used for the swap, but whatever it is, it's solid and bad

Engine gauges: Do you intend to stay Stock? (I also recommend converting ammeter to volt meter)

I suppose I am indifferent, I would prefer the easiest and best functioning route. Maybe new gauges would be easier to hook up to the efi motor?

Dash trim pieces: Standard or Deluxe? NPD or VA Mustang

I'd love something aftermarket, maybe brushed steel if it's available. Deluxe is wood grain? I'll pass.

Door panels: Color? Deluxe? CJ Pony Parts

Black, same issue as dash trim, it should match the dash

1157 bulbs: use plasma LED's for tail lites (requires their flasher unit) West Coast Classic Cougar (VERY BRIGHT)
1157 bulbs: use LED's for front turn signal

I've already bought standard bulbs, I am okay with this for now, should be easy to upgrade later.

Neil

 

[dr1v3n]

Hmmm... it's bit hard to put together a complete parts list without knowing the current state of the car, what you want the car to eventually be (eg stock driver+, restified, full out high hp resto-mod, etc) and how much $s you can spend.

Anyway, as a starting point I'll put together a parts list that I would have made out for me after I bought my GT/CS.

My goal was "a car that looked 1968 but drove/handled 2008", was fun "stoplight to stoplight" and was relatively safe (at least safer than 1968 standards) while getting "the first 80% of the value for the 20% of the price" (80/20 rule). When I bought the car it was pretty much stock 3-speed 302 J-code with rebuilt original engine, A/C, power steering.

In rough priority order:

Handling:
(1) Export brace
(2) Arning drop
(3) Beefier front sway bar
(4) Front disk brakes
(5) Front coil spring roller perches
(6) Subframe connectors
(7) Metal divider for behind back seat
(8) More aggressive caster setting (if you have power steering)

Safety:
(1) Headrests (I bought some used '69 seat backs which was actually cheaper/easier than buying/installing headrests on the existing seats)
(2) High intensity LED brake lights

Fun:
(1) T5 transmission

If you have a carb setup (or is your 5.0L swap full efi?)
(1) Upgrade the stock? distributor with Pertronix ignitor

Other:
(1) Since you are replacing the headliner, this one piece from TMI looks interesting
http://www.cjponyparts.com/tmi-headliner-kit-molded-one-piece-unisuede-coupe-1967-1968/p/HL52-V/

A good site for suspension upgrades:
http://dazecars.com/dazed/suspension101.html

Good video on the suspension subject for Cougars (and, therefore Mustangs) from West Coast Cougar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgxL4xnTTZ4

Also, I agree with Neil, if you are sticking with a stock dash the ammeter to voltmeter upgrade is nice.
http://www.rccinnovations.com/index.php?show=menu-mustang-all
A mini-tach where the clock goes is also a nice "looks-like-stock" upgrade.


.

I will attach some pics of the car, and I will reply to you shortly completely fair to say you need to see the current shape! and its fun!

 

[p51]

... I would add 3.25 or 3.50 rear gears on P51's list!

Rob, I forgot that one on my list... I upgraded my diff with a 3.40 gear when I did the T5 swap... great minds think alike :grin:

James

 

[robert campbell]

Jai,
I like some of the tasteful mods already on you car. The one piece headliner I was referring to is from Mustangs to Fear. It can come with or without a headliner.

http://www.mustangstofear.com/page....ece_headliners&prod=one_piece_headliner_coupe

As far as you motor mounts are concerned, I would get this car up on a rack to check for "sound shorts" where an engine component or exhaust component is touching the frame or underbody of the car. Your exhaust tips (I like them) seem to be touching the rear valance or very close. If they touch you will get all sorts of vibration and weird sounds under power.

How about these tips!



This is the TMI SPORT 500 Seat covers and buns. Goes on the stock frames and gives you more bolstering around the legs and torso. and you can brighten up the interior a bit



Rob

 

[robert campbell]

Jai,
I may have missed it. What tranny does it have in it?

Rob

 

[p51]

I will attach some pics of the car, and I will reply to you shortly completely fair to say you need to see the current shape! and its fun!

Nice pics. Especially like the engine bay... what tranny do you have in it?

Looks like a new paint job is in the future. Since you're open to suggestions:
(1) Black with gold strips (looks killer with the old '68 license plates)
(2) Red with black stripes
(3) Forest green with white stripes

Or since it's a resto-mod how about a Green Hornet clone? Especially if you plan on redoing the front end of the car and have the extra $s
http://mustangsdaily.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/01-1969-shelby-gt500-exp-500.jpg

 

[green56]

if you are looking for a set of springs for your 68 i have a set I bought them thinking i needed them But took it in and found out it was my leaf spring it was not fiting in the hole they fix that so i did not need the springs So if you need them i have them for sale Tom WI

 

[dr1v3n]

Hmmm... it's bit hard to put together a complete parts list without knowing the current state of the car, what you want the car to eventually be (eg stock driver+, restified, full out high hp resto-mod, etc) and how much $s you can spend.

Anyway, as a starting point I'll put together a parts list that I would have made out for me after I bought my GT/CS.

My goal was "a car that looked 1968 but drove/handled 2008", was fun "stoplight to stoplight" and was relatively safe (at least safer than 1968 standards) while getting "the first 80% of the value for the 20% of the price" (80/20 rule). When I bought the car it was pretty much stock 3-speed 302 J-code with rebuilt original engine, A/C, power steering.

In rough priority order:

Handling:
(1) Export brace
(2) Arning drop
(3) Beefier front sway bar
(4) Front disk brakes
(5) Front coil spring roller perches
(6) Subframe connectors
(7) Metal divider for behind back seat
(8) More aggressive caster setting (if you have power steering)

Safety:
(1) Headrests (I bought some used '69 seat backs which was actually cheaper/easier than buying/installing headrests on the existing seats)
(2) High intensity LED brake lights

Fun:
(1) T5 transmission

If you have a carb setup (or is your 5.0L swap full efi?)
(1) Upgrade the stock? distributor with Pertronix ignitor

Other:
(1) Since you are replacing the headliner, this one piece from TMI looks interesting
http://www.cjponyparts.com/tmi-headliner-kit-molded-one-piece-unisuede-coupe-1967-1968/p/HL52-V/

A good site for suspension upgrades:
http://dazecars.com/dazed/suspension101.html

Good video on the suspension subject for Cougars (and, therefore Mustangs) from West Coast Cougar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgxL4xnTTZ4

Also, I agree with Neil, if you are sticking with a stock dash the ammeter to voltmeter upgrade is nice.
http://www.rccinnovations.com/index.php?show=menu-mustang-all
A mini-tach where the clock goes is also a nice "looks-like-stock" upgrade.


.

I am looking to replace whatever doesnt work with something of better quality but I dont want to break the bank. Like I would go with a full disk brake setup but I am not sure I would necessarily go with a wilwood kit. I also dont plan to go high horsepower, I plan to build something else when I am ready to go fast.

I'd love to do handling stuff over time, but the car has so many other bigger issues that need to be addressed first to make it safer on the road. Metal divider sounds good, this covers up the seat springs you can see when you pop the trunk?

The car already has a five speed in it but I dont know what the model is, I am guessing whatever comes with a mustang 5.0 factory.

I do want a TMI headliner, but I would go vinyl instead of uniswede, I think it would fit closer to the original style of the car.

 

[p51]

I'd love to do handling stuff over time, but the car has so many other bigger issues that need to be addressed first to make it safer on the road. Metal divider sounds good, this covers up the seat springs you can see when you pop the trunk?

The car already has a five speed in it but I dont know what the model is, I am guessing whatever comes with a mustang 5.0 factory.

From the looks of it you already have an export brace and monte carlo bar. The Arning drop is free if you do the work.

The metal divider goes right behind the rear seat. Pull out the seat and install it with screws, rivets, or you can weld it (if you wish). It is just basically a replacement for the cardboard divider that came in mustangs (stock) and is likely missing in your car (since you see the springs in the rear seat from the trunk). The metal divider has two functions. (1) Safety: In a rear end collision less likely to get fuel/flames into the passenger compartment (2) Handling: It stiffens up the car side-to-side. Aside: Realize that the floor of your trunk *is* the top of the fuel tank.

If the transmission was swapped in with the 5.0L engine from the same donor car it is likely a T5 transmission. These can handle (per spec) either 300ft-lb or 330ft-lb of torque (depending which version it has) which is enough for a stock or stock+performance setup.

James

 

[robert campbell]

+1 on the T-5. A perfect match to your current engine. Looking at the engine compartment I would look for any place the pieces that make up to Fuel Injection system on your engine for touching the engine compartment or export brace and such. It looks like it has the stock 302 short headers that came with the engine and they may touch somewhere. Curing this if it is occurring, should help the entire car feel much better. Keep in mind that the engine loves under power. It torques up on the driver side and moves a bit to the passenger side. So the contact point might not show at idle in the driveway.

Looks like a great car and you already have modern fuel injection! There are many mods to that engine and setup that can be done at a later date to wring out more horse power.

Rob

 

[dr1v3n]

I have to say thanks to Neil H, I got the tail light panel, I will test fitment this weekend!