My Restoration - A View From the Outside

Once I finish the front suspension, brakes, and steering, the car will no doubt be better. It will handle better and be much more road worthy. However, once the sheet metal is back on, no one will understand why this project took so long or they will not even be able to identify the work done.

The first several projects for my Mustang involve areas not really visible to the masses. After this project, the next will be floorpan replacement followed by the rear suspension/undercarriage. This approach is best as I would rather have a car which is reliable with a well prepared foundation than a piece of junk painted to look nice. Besides, if I started with the paint, I would likely damage it while completing one of the other projects.

Never-the-less, when I am done, I would like someone to see my work and say "Wow, that looks great'. Unfortunately, I'll more than likely hear "What did you just finish doing to it again?".

Master Cylinder Purchase

I used my winnings from yesterday's eBay auction to purchase a master cylinder. The master cylinder is a Raybestos Professional Grade Plus piece (MC36440). This a master cylinder from a 1974 Maverick with a manual disc/drum setup. The use of a Maverick master cylinder is very popular among those with manual disc/drum systems.

The reason I selected this master cylinder is the bore diameter is 15/16" bore versus the stock 1" bore. When you decrease bore size, you increase pedal movement and decrease required foot pressure. The increased use of leverage generates greater brake pressure at the pad given the same amount of pressure at the brake pedal. Since Ford used the same mounting configuration, the master cylinder will mount into the original location with no modifications.

The following website posting has additional detail on bore sizes:
http://forums.vintage-mustang.com/showtopic.php?tid/1464796/


Edit 11/28/08: The master cylinder arrived today. I've included a picture of it below.

Selling Old Parts on eBay

I've saved many of the suspension parts I've taken off the Mustang and they are cluttering my garage. I had always planned to take them to a scrap metal recycler. However, I called the local scrap yard and found they pay $1.50 per 100 lbs of steel. After learning this news, I decided to seel the parts on eBay.

I listed my old hub caps, strut rods, coil springs, idler arm, master cylinder, and a few unneeded brake parts. The auctions completed tonight and all of the items sold except the hubcaps for a total of $61.43. Although it is not a large amount of money it is better than nothing and will offset the final few purchases I need to get the car back on the road.

Purchase of Rims & Tires

I won the eBay auction fot the set of 1969 Style Steel rim and tire set. The final price was $500 which is not too bad considering the tires are new and cost $300.

I drove to Magnolia this morning to pick up the tires. It was a nice drive as it is getting cold and not too many people were on the road. I made it to Magnolia in about an hour. The sellers name was Jarrod Griffin who is an Aggie (Class of 1995).

The seller was really nice and we spoke for a while after I loaded up the wheels. He has a 1969 Mustang couple which he is restoring. His is considerably farther along than mine but his attention to detail is not as great. He has a great paint job and nice new rims (Magnum 500) but the engine compartment and interior lack detailing. Overall it is a good car and not everyone is as OCD as me).

The tires are Road Hugger 225-70R14's which are better than the RoadMaster 215-70R14 tires I currently have. Despite how close their specifications are, the new tires are about 3/4" to 1" taller and 1/2" wider. The new ones also have raised white letters on the sidewall which makes the larger sidewalls not seem out of place.

The first picture below was the rim/tire I was using followed by the new rim/tire.

Rims & Tire Package Options

I've known from the beginning the upgrade to disc brakes would require I use a different rim and tire combination. The stock steel wheel used on '67 Mustangs with drum brakes just does not have any room for a disc and caliper of any reasonable size. I've just hesistated on buying any as I don't want to spend a large amount of money on rims at this point in the project.

I've been looking at the items available on eBay for a few months now. The options are basically include aftermarket rims, original sytle rims, and take-offs from a new Mustang.

Many are buying the rims and tires taken off of new Mustangs for classic Mustangs. These are 16" or 17" rims with new tires. The packages sell for between $550 and $650. These are not ultimately what I would like but they would allow me to drive the Mustang. Selecting one of these would mean the following:
- New tires and rims in a popular size for a good price
- The offset is wrong requiring the use of spacers up to 1.5" wide
- Low resale value when I decide to sell the rims
- The tires are larger in circumference than stock which impacts speedometer function and appearance.

I've looked for aftermarket rims of the correct offset but they cost around $150 - $175 each. After purchasing tires, this would put me way out of my price range. I've not seen any used packages of these tires on eBay or CraigsList.com in my area.

I've also looked at the original style rims on eBay and decided to bid on a set of these this week. They are original GT Styled Steel rims from a 1969 Mustang. These were original used along with the disc brake system I purchased. They are popular so they would have resale value if I later change my mind. They come with new tires and trim rings. Finally, these rims bolt on perfectly without the use of spacers and keep the classic appearance.