Interior Mustang Mods

I don't think we were hotter this last weekend. I did the 90K service on the 92 Tbird. It took the better part of Friday and Saturday. Jobs in the summer take about twice as long.Now I have to do front struts, sway bar end links and upper control arms. I might wait a few more weeks. I think I got the tranny leak fixed. It was the pan gasket all along. I found no sludge in the pan but only paniced for a few seconds when I found the fill plug in the pan. I thought it was a stray part but then remembered that trannys go to the factory serviced and they use a plastic plug in the dip stick hole to keep the crud out. That was a close one. When they install the tube for the dipstick the plug falls in the pan.It's just another car that's pretty worthless but in too good of shape to get rid of. We don't suffer rust like the eastern climes that use salt. I swear the engine has more hp than the old one did. It'll spin the rubber right off the tires. Not bad for a 3.8. I did measure the dash and it's five inches wider than the Fox Cougar. Darn. I'll guess I'll have to keep it. 20 K on the engine and has a cool Kenwood stereo with ice cold R12 air conditioning.

 

The T-Bird sounds like a keeper, alright. Hot again today, but I have to finish the under-car stuff before it rains tomorrow.

 

Excellent article on Mustang/Capri and classic Mustang parking brake systems and pictorial replacement DIY article.

http://www.mustangmonthly.com/howto/mump_0703_mustang_emergency_brake_repair/index.html

I was looking for ideas for the Cable Receiver brackets and this article shows that AMK make them. They specialize in Ford and Chrysler parts but also have parts for GM fastener products. Lots of hard-to-find chassis and brake brackets. REALLY worth looking through the PDF Catalog index page. REALLY. :
http://www.amkproducts.com/parts.htm

http://www.amkproducts.com/fastener_kits.htm

http://www.amkproducts.com/Catalog_PDF.htm

 

Wow Norm...... Wow.
One of my favorite former cars was my '81 Fairmont wagon, I even had the same color interior.......... You make me want to go find one again...

The Fairmont wagons are rare as hen's teeth around here nowadays

Excellent job!

 

I'm really having an inner debate about nicknaming it. Foxes and Coyotes are descendants of other breeds, and so is mine now! I was thinking that if I use a Zephyr Grille with four headlights, I could call it the Zorro IV. FairStang, CapMont, Ford Mongrel.

The vehicle registration authourities only go by the grille when you register a homebuilt vehicle. So if I used a 1934 Chrysler Airflow Grille on a 1964 Chevy Frame with a 1958 Chrysler Hemi, it would still be registered as an Airflow.

The problem really gets complex if I want to cross the US/Mexico border with that grille. Since the car was built in Mexico, but Ford never made a Zephyr there, would they let me pass? The VIN is Mexican, and so is the Offical embedded National VIN. Oops! Zorro IV might be just a nameplate.

EDIT: Corrected Airstream to Airflow (a blonde moment )

EDIT 2: Pic of Airflow Grille:
http://www.imperialclub.com/Yr/1934/34Airflow/03.jpg

http://www.imperialclub.com/Yr/1934/34Airflow/index.htm

 

Tedy, you suggested this a while back, for the ebrake cables, using tubing to guide them around the floorpan curves. From one freak to another, you're a genius!

Your idea has proven perfectly matched to this install.

Here's what I did:

I used the smaller of the original AC hoses from my 302 system. The hose was NFG anyway. These old tubes are galvanized steel with copper plating on the inside, and have a 1/16" wall thickness.

Tools used: Tube cutter, tin shears, hammer and drill.





Painted:


Fits over cable end perfectly!


I chiselled off the Fairmont Cable Anchors at the 3 spotwelds, grinded off the welded bits, squared them up, painted them and on they go!


See the Tedy Tube?!


The mounting bolt heads are right smack dab in front of the backseat riser. Nobody puts their feet there, and the carpet underlay will take care of the slight rise.


The Fairmont cables had rubber hose covers at the rear control arms, so I imitated a good idea. The Capri cables have a plastic cover, but they used a zip tie to keep them close to the Capri suspension.


Temperatures under the tarp were much higher early in the afternoon. This was at 8:00 PM:


Thanks Tedy. Andy too for some ideas on tubing types. I guess that makes us Mech-Canuks!

 

Ah, almost forgot. In the 1979 Ford Shop Manual - Chassis volume 1, the only sketch (no pictures) of the Mustang/Capri ebrake cable routing shows LEAF SPRINGS, not coils. Don't know if that was the fact or not, because the 1979/1980 Mustang/Capri Haynes manual shows coils. I wonder how the Ford editors let that slip.

 

Nice clean install on those cables. You may work slow (heat related) but you work good.

 

Thanks TBird. I was gonna over engineer them to reduce wind drag underneath. But the KISS principle was too strong.

Actually, I'll secure the other end of them with one of those rubberised wire clamps once I adjust the cables, later today, if the rain holds off.

 

Now she looks Foxy.

The front seats and rear seat cushion, door panels and carpet came from a 1984 LTD (Baby! ). The mounting holes and seat mount studs didn't match in the Fairmont floor, so I had to repair them. Had just enough scraps to fill the 8 LTD holes, from cutting out for the console brackets.



The goodies in the console (bulb condition and w/s washer fluid and low fuel level display, and the digital clock almost gave me a 'gotcha'...

The console items have their own harness, but I couldn't figure out (remember really) what the 2 extra bulbs were for, until I noticed how the bulb covers mounted.


Here's what it looks like from the front. I like that black radio bezel.


Now I can finish the interior and wiring and maybe start her up tomorrow.

 

Oh yeah, and the Ebrake cables adjusted perfectly too.

 

I'm just completely and utterly jealous. What a beautiful job.

 

Thanks! Coming from a fellow foxer. Now if I could find a hood ornament for it. Which one? Mustang and Capri didn't have any. How about a Fox TBird!

Its raining for the next 48 hours, on and off. So I'll dance between raindrops and measure the other tailgate and mark it for drilling out the rear wiper and moulding holes, inside and out. I wanted to vacuum off the carpet and install the front seats, but mama Nature has a bladder control problem.

Can't complain about the rain, though. The forest fires in BC, Saskatchewan and Alberta meant that we shipped out a bunch of our firemen to help out. We maybe wet, but we're in our own homes. Amen.

 

Norm, your wagon has come a long way for sure. I'd love to see some side by side before and after shots of both the interior and exterior. please!

 

I've been keeping an eye out on ebay for a nice hood ornament for you.
Here's a before shot. You should peruse Norm's gallery, it's over 40 pages.