Summary:
From Factory:
- 200 CI (3.3 litre) inline 6 cylinder engine
- 3 speed auto transmission (C4)
- Manual drum brakes
- AM Radio
- Wimbledon White
- Built in Metuchen, New Jersey
When purchased:
- 390 CI (6.4 litre) V8 engine
- C6 3 speed auto
- 1972 Mach 1 interior
- 9 inch rear
- Rattle can matt black
- Manual drums
My parts wish list and to-do list at June 2012
Parts wish list:
Spoilered Shelby trunk Lid with Quarter Extensions - $484.95 - Tony Branda
Trunk Quarter extensions - $109.95 - Tony Branda
Lower side scoops - $93.93 each - Maier Racing
Fuel gauge sender - $26.95 - California Mustang
Front seat cover - $90.50 each - NPD
New doors - $349.95 each - California Mustang
Rear drum brake overhaul kit
Exhaust tips
Heater matrix - $49.95 - California Mustang
Schutz or Por15 for underside of car
Headunit
Wheel bearings front and rear
Spigot rings
Heavy Duty coil springs - $95.95 - California Mustang
Basic front suspension kit (upper, lower arms and perches - $273.75 - California Mustang
Coil spring insulator - $3.95 x2 - California Mustang
Lower rear quarter LH - $37.95 - California Mustang
Hidden aerial - $32.95 - California Mustang
To-do list:
- Seal firewall
- Boot lining
- Fix heater
- Windows/doors
- Fix seat latches
- Underseal with Schutz
- Touch up paint in some areas
- Sand back and polish
- Locking mechanism for grill
- Rear brake refurb
- Strip and paint air filter satin black
- Install oil cooler hose
- Check for further oil leak
- Cleaner PCV valves in paraffin
- Install coil spring insulators
- New coil springs
- Install spigot rings
- Install sway bar ends
- Measure sway bar
- Driver’s side camber adjustment
- Install fuel sender/fix old one
- Rear wheel bearings
- Install amp better
- Install rear seat belts
- Bolt front seats in properly
- Wheel bearings/(vibration/grating noise beyond 55mph ish)
- Install new headunit
- Cover rear parcel shelf in black vinyl
- Install B&M shift kit
Andy Holten (www.holten.demon.co.uk) sent me a photo he took in c.1984 of my car at Yorkshire Dragway, where I beleive it ran a few times. The livery says ‘Too Hot To Trott’ and the paint I exposed fits with this paint scheme. The guy I bought it off said he had bought it from a guy in Yorkshire.
Back on the road in time for the Spring Picnic at Waddesdon Manor five years after it attended the first one. March 2011.
Also at the show was a truck that I fell in love with - a similar one will definately be my next project.
At this point I realised that my lack of mechanical skills meant I needed to get someone else to rebuild the engine, which was running very badly. I sent the car to Tony at Wheels In Motion in Bletchley. After stripping it down it was found that one of the pistons had melted at the top, a valve had dropped and been badly bent (I can’t find the photo of the valve at present), and the bores were badly worn due to the carb overfueling and washing the bores. The Accel distributor had seen better days, as had the Holley carb. The exhaust manifold was also cracked and FE engines are known to be quite restrictive in that area.
The engine was bored out to +.0.040 and fully rebuilt. I bought a Mallory electronic ignition from Real Steel. I also got some unused but second hand hooker long tube ceramic coated headers. The engine also has a new Elebrock carb with manual choke. The old exhaust was made of straight steel tube and cherry bombs, and Tony built a new exhaust using summit racing back boxes from Classic US Autoparts in Newport Pagnell.
I really wanted these wheels but couldn’t justify the cost, and seeing as I had a set of slot mags which where fine bar the missmatching colour I decieded to paint them.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-84-5765/?rtype=10
I painted the calipers red to stop them rusting, A bit boy racery but seemed to match the paint.
Installing the new headliner after painting the roof with red oxide and glueing in some foam to try and insulate a bit. I also installed a discreet LED third brake light as in sunshine the original brake lights are quite dim. The ‘shark fin’ ariel in the boot is a temporary solution as I welded up the fender mounted hole, and there happened to be a hole in the trunk lid. The trunk lid is badly dented and in a bit of a state and my aim is the get a new shelby convertible style lid and end caps in fibre glass, when funds allow…..
The windscreen came from Peter Jones Windscreens and is bonded in. Thanks to Martin for kindly giving me the top trim piece which I was missing.
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