Interior Mustang Mods

Miserable day to go to the Junkyard Mass, but I need the sunny days for the renos, and fit the car in between.

HandyAndy was doing a great sales job on a similar console without the E-Brake, but with Cupholders:



I've had the console-type e-brakes before and they really are useful, when you're in a slippery or tight spot. I thought I could get away with just the new cable, but I need some of the chassis hardware too. Won't get a better chance than this Capri. The cable even looks in good shape.

EDIT: Just called the owner. He won't be in until tomorrow. It really is too miserable. Rain winds and cold enough for a windchill warning. Tomorrows nicer in the morning than this day will be all day.

 

Console EBrake Update for my Fox Wagon

This might be a First for Fox Sedans and Wagons, but not entirely unfamiliar to Classic Mustang owners.

Apparently Classic Mustang owners have been struggling with the foot pedalled Ebrake conversion also. This guy upgraded his but discusses the way he did it for his rear Disc brake upgrade, as well as the brackets he made. I've got 10" Drums on mine, so I don't need the complexity. Its an excellent write up with links to parts, and pics of his homemade brackets:
http://home.bresnan.net/~dazed/e-brake

Most of the Mustang Magazines have similar articles using off-the-shelf kits, also usually for the Disc brake upgrade.

All I need is a couple of homemade brackets of my own.

The Capri/Mustangs from 1979 up to 1986, have a passthrough above the subframe rail at the rear of the rear footwell for the cable to pass to the middle of the car, the Fairmont subframe doesn't have that but it does have holes to pass it through. I just need a steel washer to hold the cable retainer with a standard hairpin clip (stock part).

The next item is the parking brake cable bracket which is spot welded to the Capri/Mustang floor. No moving parts. It just allows the exposed steel cable to slide around the corner. Colorado Mustang do have replacement parking cable brackets for the original ones:
http://www.coloradomustang.com/SubCategory/Brakes/Parking%20Brake%20Cable%20Brackets.aspx

I don't even need those. Using that guy's solution for his classic mustang, I can just use a 3/8" diameter (Inside Diameter) fuel line or a piece of nylon cutting board with a groove, inside a small bracket and rivet it to the floor. The rest is all stock.

The Capri floor was so bad that the brackets had rotted, making the cable removal really easy. Like I mentioned they were spot welded, unlike the classic Mustang brackets, which are only screwed to the frame, not bolted. Anyway, the only time they get any linear or side tension is when you use the parking brake, and the Capri nylon coaster/slide was not worn at all, after 29 years, so I feel comfortable with my idea, so far. I'll know better when I start fitting.

To get the locations for the mods, I'll install each parking brake cable first, and see where the best spot is through the subframe, then move toward the tunnel and footwell corner. Like I said before, the Fox Wagon floorpan is only 1" longer than a Mustang Capri floorpan, and the adjustment hook rod is over 6" long, with a 3" thread. I'm pretty sure it will work, but I can always scoop one from a 1981 TBird coupe parts vendor, if I need a longer one.

I'll post pics when I get to those EBrake Mods. I just wanted to get my thoughts down for now.

 

Now here's a nice Bench Seat Console for a Falcon/Comet (or a non-smoking Fairmont/Zephyr):



http://www.redfalken.com/pages/console.html

The guy is out of Seattle. He's done a lot of mods to the suspension, and other areas of the car.
http://www.redfalken.com/index.html

 

Got started today, at last!

I started off with pictures of the present wiring setup, even though I won't be using it. I'll be using the 1981 Capri harnesses and merging in the dual horns (stock on Mexican Squires). It should clean up the wiring changes I made to use the 1987 Mustang gauges and instrument panel, as well as give me the wiring for the console wiring.

Anyway, I got the original V8 AC condenser and dryer up from the basement and noticed that mine is in better condition than the Capri units are (roadsalt in Ontario is tough on aluminum), plus the mounting system is different than a Fairmont AC.

Then I took out the alternator, hoses, rad and disconnected all the under hood electrical.

I found 3 of 4 brackets to mount the condenser and HandyAndy has the other, but I've got to take the dash and seats out to get the rest of the harness out, do some engine compartment cleaning, and a whole lot of parts and brackets to refresh.

So far, so good.

 

What a perfect day for parts cleaning and painting - sunny, 75 F, gentle breeze. Must've got more than half of the bits done! De-rusting in vinegar/salt sure does a job on the parts.

Andy found the missing condenser bracket and we went for a joyride in his wagon. Smmooooth and quick and LOTS of top-end. The speedo doesn't have the old Mopar stop-pin, but it would've been bouncing like a fiend last nght! It went vertically 'DOWN' (120-ish MPH?) and had more to give! Amazing on these little sixes. They usually fade at 90 MPH!

She's a beast.

He could spin that speedo with a Turbo setup.

 

woohoo that was fun.
I'd better get some speed-rated tires.
That's 120mph with a 1bbl carb.

 

And that big speedo, mainly to tell you if the cop was close enough on the tickets.

 

I was thinking, since I actually have a police car, it has a rev limiter that sets the top speed at about 108mph. It would be funny to see a little Fairmont wagon with a six walking past a cop car at WOT...

 

Swapping AC issues

When I restored mine in 2007-2008, I yanked the V8 AC system right out, except for the heater core. Now that I got a complete system from the 1981 Capri I6, I figured I'd put it back in.

Well, I forgot two little brackets that support the condenser behind the grille. Since mine is almost gutted (only car) to get the console and new harnesses in, I figured I'd look at my AC hoses and condenser for condition (perfect). So I cleaned them up and repainted them. The Capri hoses don't connect the same way, because the V8 compressor is on the Driver's side, and the connectors are completely 'baby-proof'. The evaporator (sits in the heater box) connections are different too, making the V8 AC, virtually useless for this swap.

Bottom line is the 1978 to 1979 parts work fine, the 1980 and up AC parts don't play friendly with the older Fox cars.

I got HandyAndy's brackets all clean, derusted and painted though. We'll get out there soon to pick them up. Already paid for, but I forgot them.

Everything else is identical (dash controls, plenums, ducts, vacuum motors)

 

We've got this product called Rust Check. I bought a can yesterday and read the instructions. I have my doubts about it, but I'll try it anyway. I usually use Rustoleum on engine compartment brackets, but I think I goofed with it too, because the hood latch and other cowl parts were starting up again.

I used my vinegar-water-salt to clean them back in 2007, and painted them, once dry. I think I should have rinsed them off in clean water, because the vinegar-salt-water gets rusty too. Instead I wiped them off with thinners, let them dry, then painted. Hence the new rusty mist, especially in the corners, where the old residue remained. Rustoleum doesn't need a primer coat.

So I read the Rust Check label. If the rust is heavy, use primer, then 2 coats of their product. hmmm...

So I cleaned off my bottom AC condenser brackets (exposed to roadsalt 24X7) in the Vinegar-Salt-Water (VSW) solution overnight, rinsed properly, and primed them with Rustoleum's primer, then 2 coats of Rust Check.

Let's see how that works. If it works, I'll use Rustoleum's primer and 2 coats of its paint when I have to clean off new parts exposed to the elements like under the hood.:confused:

 

Disassembly starts today. I'll pull the dash and seats and carpet today and cut the holes out on the tunnel for the console, shifter and e-brake handle. I have to pull the entire harness anyway, and replace it with the Capri harness. I'll take pics, before, during and after and post later.

Might have to get a new AC Condenser. but at least everything will be fitted. It had gas at the junkyard, but it looks like this might be its last gasp. Pretty pitted at the bottom row.

The newer (1981 Capri) condenser mounts are very different from my 1979 Fairmont. When we get a close look at the 1981 Fairmont next week, I'll see if they would fit better. Its a 4.1 V8, but the condenser looks like this Capri unit, except that it's hoses are old-style threaded types, not the newer slip-in type.

My old condenser is in great shape, because they used copper tubing, not aluminum, but the hoses are a pain to find, in decent shape, and wouldn't connect to the interior Evaporator connector block. Simpler to replace the condenser and still find parts for another decade or two from some Mustang vendor.

 

The Before Transformation shots!

I found a few things I didn't like. My engine compartment took a beating from the roadsalt over the last 2 years, and I've only put 3,000 miles on it, since the resto. The interior is holding up nicely. My Mustang instrument panel looks right at home, and my dashpad grew a crack. That'll change.

Here's some pics of how it IS, before any changes.



Dash:


Cargo tool compartment (wish I had one on the other side too) The speakers won't be there after this upgrade. They 'hear' all the sound, instead of me. Those are 6X9 sony 3-ways (200 watt). Stock is 4 X 6, 30 watts)


This is the Capri Console floor mods that I have to make to get the shifter in and the ebrake:


I took dimensions and made templates, starting at this front seam below:

 

Why Ford is my friend!

I took detailed measurements from the Capri console floor mounting, not expecting any reference marks in my wagon floor (tunnel). I peeled back the sound deadener outline on the tunnel and there they were! The four shifter mount dimples, indented and marked for drilling!


Here's the Capri pics again:



Mine is gutted. No old wiring left, except the cargo wiring at the very back. I got the Capri's better firewall sound deadener panel to replace mine, but I was surprised to find a bonded layer underneath the old one, one the passenger side, but I figure it's to cut the exhaust heat. Mine was a mess.


If it stops raining enough, I'll start cutting the console holes and fabricate the e-brake mount.

 

Oh! If you Ford guys ever have to take the column shifter levers out, the easiest way is to remove the nut on the engine side, and snake that bracket into the inside of the car. The plastic lever rod ends are one beach to get out. There is a special tool and Ford manuals have detailed procedure to use boiling water on the plastic holders, rather than an open flame. Its still a major PITA!

I have to go back to the Capri and get the neutral switch/shift lever from the trans. Mine has the old-style (1979) plastic holder, while the Capri uses a nut mount. I think mine will work though, once I get it off. It just may not shift properly because of the shape.

 

Went to the yard yesterday and tried to get the Capri lever arm off. No Go! Requires dismantling the transmission. So Plan B is to modify mine to do the job. The column shift system has a nut embedded in those plastic retainers that will do perfectly. So I scooped the one off the Capri. A bit of bending and it will do the trick. This nutted shaft (about 1" long) has two sides squared off for the slotted end of the lever, which keeps the lever stable and squared up. Back in the old days, these adjustment slots would really take a beating and need replacement, especially on standard transmission linkage.