The Disgustang Project

You can always polish stainless steel, but chrome rusts if you don’t take car of it.  That’s basically the overview of my experience with bright work. While I’ve been working a lot lately and haven’t had the time these past two weeks to suit up in grubby clothing, get out the tools, and dive in … Read more

I keep having to remind myself: there’s no point in rushing.  I’m doing this for fun, not to finish it in a particular timeframe.  While it would be nice to have more time to work on the car, and I’m certainly looking forward to the future, I’m not looking to sacrifice my work, life, or … Read more

When packing for a long trip, the best advice I’ve heard is to “lay out all the clothing and money you think you’ll need, and take half the clothing and twice the money.”  The same thing seems to be true for auto restoration, at least when it comes to allocating project funding. I’m in the … Read more

The night before last, I began the slow process of disassembling the accessories in preparation for engine removal.  Mustang disassembly is fairly straightforward when it comes to the engine compartment; it’s pretty obvious what goes where, what each thing does, etc. The first step was to disconnect the radiator hoses, heater hoses, and bypass hoses. … Read more

I spoke to a highly recommended local engine builder today, and the engine rebuild (if he does it) will cost around $4,500, which is more than double what I’d budgeted.  Hopefully this doesn’t portend continued budget-busting throughout the project! My initial $2,000 figure was calculated by taking the purchase price of a remanufactured long block … Read more

As of September 9, my current budget is $17,000 all-in (including the price of the car).  As it stands, that’s already a bump up from where I’d wanted to end up, but my goal has changed.  Several months ago, I’d planned to try and save as much as possible, restoring the car to the same … Read more

Tonight I finally started the arduous task of inspection and disassembly, the first step in starting restoration of the Disgustang.  The main objective today was to drain the crankcase, transmission, and radiator of their respective fluids in preparation for removal.  Draining the radiator was amusing, since the drain petcock squirts coolant out at varying angles … Read more

Square 1 for the Disgustang Project — Here’s what I’m starting with.  The pictures speak for themselves, but to avoid any doubt, I can conclusively say that this car needs everything.  But, with just surface rust and a straight body without any frame damage, it’s not beyond saving.  Take a look and let me know what … Read more

My new-to-me 1966 Mustang coupe was lovingly delivered by my friend to my house on May 25, 2013…two days before I left to work in Canada for three and a half months.  The delivery went semi-smoothly–I sat in the car to steer while my friend guided and pushed the car off the car trailer.  His … Read more

I bought jack stands today from Harbor Freight so that I can leave the car jacked up, sitting outside, without worrying about exposing my good American-made stands to the weather.  While the people in China may be very nice, I don’t trust their steel or their industrial prowess with my life, so every time I actually … Read more