Bottom of rear quarters - Repair

 Rust removal

One key task to complete for the roadworthy was to repair the rust in about the only place the car has it. Thats the bottom of the rear quarters. The right rear had been done before and had all fallen out. The long term plan is to replace the drop sections from the inner rail and the bottoms of the rear quarters.

The short term plan is to just repair with aluminium mesh and body filler. This is my first attempt at body repair, so a watched a few Youtube videos and rolled up my sleeves.

Per the pictures below, the situation on the right rear was fairly bad.

The first few pictures show how it was before I started.

These show the work needed once all the body filler and small aluminium plates were removed from the last repair job.

Here are the pictures of the left rear.

I cleaned up as much rust as I could. I used rust converter and cleaned up the surface.

Then I used aluminium fly screen in the bottoms to form up where the body should be. This also provided a base for the body filler to stick to. I used the body filler on the insides of the guards to hold the mesh in place and then set about filling from the outside.

As per the pictures the right rear really needed the mesh to make a base.

Once repair was completed I used 40, then 80 then 120 then 240 sand paper to get a smooth surface.

Then I masked up the area and added a rattle can primer. Then completed another 240grit sanding.

Then on with the gloss goat. I added 2 coats of gloss.

Here is the end result.

It is not perfect by any means and not body shop quality (if you get right up a personal with it), but it will do the job for now.

While I was at it, the rear stone tray was fairly poor with paint chips and a white surface on it.

As seen here.

As the newly painted rear quarters sit along side the stone try, and as I had it removed to complete the repair, I sanded back the stone tray and then painted it with primer and then gloss paint. While again, it is not perfect, from 5ft away, it looks ok and matches the patina of the rest of the car.

The next task is the exhaust, then roadworthy and registration. 

Then off to the parties we go.

Rear indicator conversion

 Better with amber.

The stock build of US mustangs for the stop lights and indicators is for the stop lights to flash when the indicator is turned on. While it is perfectly legal for my 1972 Mustang to retain its red flashing indicators to register it here in Australia. The main concern is that no other cars (or next to no cars other that old US imports) have flashing red indicators. So the worry is that people will not recognise the flashing as an indicator and run up the back of the car. Up until now I had been keen to keep the tail lights and wiring standard. 

I gave up on the idea of stock lights and devised a way to stop the brake lights from flashing and add a Amber globe (LED) to the centre clear section

After studying the wiring diagram I determined that I could run 2 wires from the wiring harness that plugs into the steering column loom to the back of the car and connect them to new LED's that I installed into the centre section that has a clear lens for the reversing light.

I then also need to cut and join the wires that go from the brake switch to the 2 wires that go to the stop lights at the back and remove the indicator switch from the circuit. 

While I hate cutting factory loom wires, I figured that this needed to be done as I would not be going back to red flashing stop lights for indicators.

Here are a few pictures of the install and the end result.

A while back I installed LED lights in the dash. Here is a night time picture of the end result.

This weekend I am also finishing the repair of the rust in the rear quarters. The plan is to just repair them with body filler. Then once the car is road worthy and I have time, I will get new lower rear quarters and do it properly.

Here is a picture of what needs to be repaired. As can be seen, a repair has been done before and the rust is now significantly worse.

More pics to follow of the rust repair.

Rear seatbelt install

 More work completed

After a week away over school holidays with Michelle and Lily, I was able to get back to working on the Mustang. The task for today was to complete the rear seat belt install.

I had been thinking about trying to repair the rear plastics as they are chipped and brittle. 
I managed to get the local Autobarn to do a colour match for the paint but then decided that it was not a simple task and will probably require fibre glass work and a whole lot of messing around. So I stopped short and decided to just reinstall them as they are. My plan is to see if I can source a better set from a wrecker in the US.

Once I decided not to try and repair the back plastics I set to completing the install.

A few weeks ago I had installed the rear eye bolts for the removable section of the belts but was not happy with the way the bolts pulled in the rear sail panel. After a trip to Bunnings I decided that a simple steel collar  / pipe to hold the eye bolt out further would be the best bet. My preference is to source a longer eye bolt as it still pulls in the panel a little, but, the thread on the eye bolt is not the same as those that can be purchased from Bunnings or ebay, so I gave up on that idea also.

Here are a few progress pictures.

Fortunately, there is a hole in the inner rear quarter panel already pressed into the metal, so I did not need to drill a hole and the access to the bac to install the metal plate was simple also.

Here is the eye bolt a plate that needs to be installed.

Here is the plate installed with some small self tapper metal screws installed to hold it in place.

Here is the eye bot installed

I then painted the eye bolt the same colour as the trim so it blended in.

As can be seen, the plastic trim is cracked and broken in places.

I also painted a bunch of screws with wide heads and used them to hold the plastic trim in place. The original ones are small and were just pulling through.

Here is the belt installed

When not in use I push then back down into the cavity behind the plastics and just roll up the remaining buckle section.

As can be seen, the plastics are fairly marked and being ginger it stands out.

The next task is a front end alignment and then off to Ferndale exhausts for a new exhaust system.

Here is the settings needed for the front end

I have a new set of exhaust hangers from Just Mustangs. However, they attach to special mounts on the mufflers and I doubt Chris will have these types of mufflers. Here are a few pictures I have found where people have used the original OEM brackets and adapted them to fit.

Only exhaust and rust in the rear quarters to be completed before I go for the VASS and roadworthy cert.

UNSUNG HERO: WHY THE 1971-73 MUSTANG MIGHT BE THE BEST CLASSIC MUSTANG

 The best Mustang?

This article appeared recently and I have to say, I agree..

UNSUNG HERO: WHY THE 1971-73 MUSTANG MIGHT BE THE BEST CLASSIC MUSTANG

• MARCH 23, 2021
 
•  Story By 
  Mike Garrett

When it comes to the classic Ford Mustangs (pre 1974 for the sake of argument) all of the models and body styles have their fans.

For some it’s the classic 1964-1/2 that started it all. Or the 1965 Shelby GT350 fastback that shined a new light on the Mustang as a performance car. Then came the iconic Mustangs like the ’69 Boss 302 and its larger displacement counterpart the Boss 429, as beloved today as they were when new.

But despite being a significant part of Mustang history, the 1971-73 models—particularly the fastback or “sportsroof” body style is a car that doesn’t always get the respect and attention it deserves.

Here are some reasons why these cars might just be the best of the classic Mustangs.

The Look

While its underpinnings didn’t differ much from the Mustangs that came before it, the look of the redesigned ’71 Mustang was quite different.

The 1971 Mustang was moderately wider and longer than the 1970 model, but its styling made it look even more so, with a long nose and a roofline on the fastback models that sloped all the way to the rear.

With a redesigned Camaro and the newcomer Challenger and ‘Cuda on the pony car market, these styling updates aimed to give the Mustang a sleeker, more muscular look and it worked well.

The Performance

When it comes to performance, the '71-'73 carries over the same basic chassis layout and powertrain choices that made the earlier cars so successful. Engine options were plentiful, ranging from a base 250 cube inline-six to the 302 small block, to the potent 351 Cleveland and the big daddy 429 Cobra Jet. 

Even more important today is that the aftermarket for these cars is essentially the same as the older Mustangs, meaning you can find just about anything—whether you are looking to go faster, handle better, get better fuel economy and reliability or anything else.

Bang for the Buck

While the the ’71-’73 Mustangs have plenty of fans, you’ll find that fastback/sportsroof cars from these years are often quite bit cheaper than the ultra desirable 1970 and earlier Mustang fastbacks.

A quick look around West Coast classified ads suggests you can get a decently restored ’71-’73 Mach 1 for around $30,000, solid drivers for under $20,000 and running projects for much less than that.

Obviously the rare and desirable factory optioned cars are going to bring big bucks, but the more common models still delver great bang for the buck.

A Movie Star

As an added benefit, this generation of Mustang also cemented its status as an automotive icon after starring in the cult classic 1974 car chase film Gone in 60 Seconds.

Sadly most people will identify “Eleanor” with the GT500 from the 2000 Nick Cage remake Gone in 60 Seconds, but the ’73 Mustang from the original is the real deal—and in our opinion one of the greatest movie cars of all time.

And speaking of movies, we can't leave out the fact this generation of Mustang also was immortalized as a Bond car in Diamonds are Forever.

A Character All Its Own

If there’s one unfortunate thing about classic Mustangs is that there are just so many of them out there. Classic car meets and cruise nights are full of 1960s Mustangs built in every way imaginable.

The 1971-1973 cars though, are far less common while still delivering all the benefits of classic Mustang ownership—and great looks to boot.

Somewhat overlooked in between the beloved Mustangs of the ‘60s and the controversial Mustang II of the mid ‘70s, for the reasons above the ’71-’73 Mustang might just be the best of the breed.