lacquer – One Man And His Mustang

After a what seems like and eternity and day my car is back. Now I must point out that Adam at Mustang Maniac has been leading me a merry dance here. They have been telling me the paint is bad, the primer is reacting with the top coat, the work load is so much it will be another month etc. the bunch of wind up merchants and all little lies. In the mean time, of course the car has been going along as smooth as silk without any problems at all. The guys confessed that it was so it could be a surprise for me and an “early Christmas prezzie”. I am so glad it was a surprise, I wouldn’t have been able to sleep otherwise. I turned up to see Adam as usual to do a bit more work on my rear axle, but Adam said “I got something to show you in the yard”. I was shown to Yogi’s workshop where a car was sitting under a static dust sheet. I had a double take to realise that it was mine. Now I’m not saying my jaw hit the floor, but it have a bruise on my chin, OK, a slight exaggeration there, but I think you get my point! I should have realised what was going on when the whole gang walked over to me, before I walked into the workshop. I am not ashamed to say that they witnessed me just melt into the floor. I didn’t know what to say – and yes, that does make a first for me.

The car is stunning.

The paint job is so much better than I could have imagined it to be. So much so that I forgot to take full set of pictures, but I will soon sort that out don’t worry. To quote Yogi “it’s as good as it gets”. The outside is Acapulco blue and almost pearlescent depending on what light you look at her in. The inside is wonderful cream on the dash and door tops to match the headliner I am after. I have managed to get more pics from Adam during the painting process who has now let me have them. Paul has done an amazing job he honestly has.

The final prep of the primer.

Masked and painted.

Underhood is going back the traditional satin black for the stock look.

All assembled and painted.

Arrival back to the Mustang Maniac yard into Yogi’s workshop. The guys had put her over the hydraulic ramps so she could be lifted up to fit the underside and rolling gear.

When I got there she was covered in a static wrap sheet to stop the dust ready for the grand unveiling. Then I was let loose to take some pictures but I forgot the inside in my excitement.

The paint is just like cream and liquid to look at. The under seal of the car is immaculate, the interior is incredible with the cream dash and A pillars. The roof has even been done in a black to match the floor pan even though you will not see it. The attention to detail is second to nothing I have seen.

Side view and wheel arches, even the underside is brilliant.

rear arch

front arch

rear

from inside the trunk

Under the hood is amazing and seems a shame to put the hood down on it.

I really have had an excellent early Christmas Present from Paul at the paint shop who has worked flat-out on my car, and ALL the Guys at Mustang Maniac and Yogette who have kept the big surprise for me. Their hard work, knowledge and guidance has allowed me to have a shell that looks this good, so much better than I ever expected it to ever be. The big day that I had been waiting for had finally arrived.

Thank you all so much.

I was told that “now that the car is painted the hard work begins”. But hey, I am happy – just bring it on! 🙂

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The weekend still arrived slower than ever after a Bank Holiday at the beginning of the week. I was excited to get down to Mustang Maniac to see what had been done to my car. The lower cowl was going to be replaced as it had rotted through and that piece of work was known about. With the cowl off the guys could see the fire wall and the back of the dash clearly in daylight. On full inspection of the dash they could see it had gone a little thin underneath and rusted pretty badly all along the inside. A discussion was had to either replace the whole dash, or weld parts onto the old dash. This would mean shaping metal and replacing the radio slot that is always butchered on the classic cars. The decision was made to replace the complete dash, not a cheap option but it was going to be worth it in the long run. As ever Adam had a full dash in stock and was fitted, welded and brazed into place. It’s a little difficult to see black on the dark underside but you can make it out.

The top part of the firewall had to be fabricated as it was little thin in the top crease, so again it was decided by Terry to cut the top off the firewall and replace it with fresh metal and shape it to the new lower cowl. Metal work skills being displayed in all their glory and you can’t even tell it has been replaced. With the lower cowl now firmly welded in place it was masked up and then given the first of a couple of layers of primer. It was at this point I was sent this teaser photo by Adam to show the primer had been applied to the cowl, this is the first piece of fresh metal to get proper paint.

I turned up very excited and itching to see the car expecting to see the cowl in primer. I wasn’t disappointed the lower cowl was painted in the colour that I wanted, Acapulco Blue. Obviously I am biased big time here, but it’s a bit different and a stock ’67 Mustang colour, I am absolutely delighted with it. This was the first time I had seen the colour on my car. A pretty special moment.

Acapulco blue

new dash and cowl

I got a bit carried away having a little bonding session with the fantastic paint job much to the amusement of the guys who followed me in to see my surprised look. Adam broke the news to me about the very busy day ahead of me. The trunk was to be removed and then strip it back to bare metal to see if there was any “little surprises” waiting for us as Adam puts it. What he means is, are there any pin holes or rust that have been covered up. I started on the top side and then worked my way to the underside. The underside took a lot longer due to all the corners and curves that made it hard work. I am pleased to say after a few hours hard work that the trunk is solid and no rust at all, except for a two very light surface areas where the paint had chipped off on the top side.

The next job was to red oxide the inside firewall as I had stripped it back to metal last week. The end results are pretty amazing I must say.

I was spoilt this week in my own little sanctuary, a nice guy Chris was given the dubious pleasure of working with me for the day. It’s normally quiet in the work shop, but last weekend it was a nice change to have somebody to share a conversation with all things cars. Chris made a great job of stripping the right side B pillar and the rear panel under the rear screen. Thanks for your hard work Chris. Throughout the day the normal visits from the guys was in full flow and towards the end of the day I was given some “homework” by Adam. That homework was to take home one of the fenders and strip it back to bare metal. Adam was right it was a busy weekend for me with a few more to come like it. Things have stepped up a notch, big time!

Sunday, I got up with a full day in front of me and the backs of my legs aching. My homework was to be completed along with the trunk hinges and sprung bars that connect them to hold the trunk open. The hinges were to be stripped and all paint removed as it has to be painted the same colour inside the trunk. I though I would try to be clever to strip and clean the parts with the sprung tension bars in place. Unfortunately this turned out to be a nightmare so I had to remove the bars.

I held one of the hinges in the vice and lever out the first bar. This was enough to start a cascade of events. The sprung bar unleashed itself like a coiled cobra and the end of the bar slapped me on the left hand at the base of the knuckle, the instant pain caused me to rub my hand as the other bar sprang away hit the man cave rubbish bin, this in turn was sent flying leaving a cloud of old sanding dust and rubbish all on the man cave floor in the doorway. After the initial clean up and the bruise on my thumb and wrist getting darker by the minute, I took the hinges back outside to complete the strip down. Both hinges came out pretty well and I was well pleased. To protect the inside of the hinges I gave a coating of Eastwood Rust Encapsulator to prevent additional rust on the inside of the hinges. The sprung bars were given an undercoat of red oxide and then a top layer of silver.

first hinge

before and after from each side

both cleaned

sprung bars

inside treated

The homework was a dilemma, how to remove the paint from the fender. I decided on my Dewalt dual action sander with a 100grit discs. I intended to go down to the undercoat and then use a lighter and lighter grades to get to the bare metal. Some of it went to plan and some of the paint came straight of and I went to the metal. I will have to fine buff the tiny swirl off the metal work now this weekend. The purpose of the homework? to see if there were any little surprises waiting for me. I am pleased to say I didn’t find any on this original panel so far. I still have the top edge to complete but that could be later in the week or next weekend.

right fender

starting the clean

holes for the emblems

A big update again and a lot has happened, I intended to post on Sunday as normal. But, I had so many pictures to edit it was very late to start writing this little lot up. Forgiven?