1968 Mustang Coupe
 

I took this Mustang in trade toward some of the labor on painting a 68 Shelby that belonged to a friend of mine a few years ago. Over the years I have changed my mind a lot on how I was going to build it. This is what I started with it had rust in the floor boards, trunk floor, bottom of quarters and doors.

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The first thing we did was the rust repair and than I flared the fenders and quarters with steel. I left them attached at the bottom and spread them out 1 1/4" at the top.

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I know you:yes: Welcome aboard Rusty.

Guys,Rusty has a hotrod/restoration shop in Florida and builds some off the scale cars.He'll be building my next car.

The guy has an incredible NHRA/IHRA background and is a great benefit to this site.Even though he's a Ford guy:thumbsup: he can help all of us.

Don't be shy Rusty,show us some of your other builds.

Welcome, Rusty. :cheers:

Since I have raced a big block FE since 1969 that is the only engine for my coupe. I have fought shock towers all those years so they had to go. I went with Rod & Custom coilovers with dropped spindles.

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Welcome 2 :lateral: :cheers:

I decided I wanted that smooth look so I did away with the drip rails and the cowl vents.

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The headlight buckets were bonded to the fenders and the Shelby end caps to the quarters

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Keep the pictures coming! Great looking build..:cheers:

Rod & Custom front suspension


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We installed the second kit that Rod & Custom made for the rear. I wanted it welded instead of bolted in.

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Epoxy primer

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We sprayed SPI bedliner on the bottom of the body

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Great looking progress :thumbsup: :cheers:

The car looks great, nice work! What are you going to use for rear brakes with the big bearing old style?

I plan on disc brakes not sure of the brand yet. I want the car to set low so we will have to narrow the rear since it was out of a 63 Galaxie and once we install the brakes it will be to close to the quarter.

The fender aprons were sprayed with SPI bedliner the engine compartment is epoxy primer

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At one time I was going to use the deluxe taillight panel but we did this instead.

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I still need new lenses.

Nice Stang I was contemplating getting one for myself...Good to see someone from my neck of the woods I am in St Pete not to far from you..Now I know a shop I can take my car to.:D

I modified the hood by bonding the turn signals to the hood and making them an air extractor.

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The major body work is finished on the body. I still have to block it out and work on the gaps.

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It has been awhile since I worked on my car so this weekend we took out the 63 Galaxie 9" and narrowed it 2" so it would be the same width as a Mustang.

After it was narrowed


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great looking build! what are your paint plans?

At this time Red but it will be awhile before it is painted and I may change my mind but my favorite color is red.

How did you bond the headlight bucket and rear valance?

The headlight buckets were bolted and also bonded with Nortons panel adhesive as were the end caps. The rear valance was welded.

I have been going back and forth on the front and have changed my mind again and have decided to use this one from an Eleanor kit

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I wanted a cleaner look so I'm doing away with the the fog lights.


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Welcome Rusty. Thanks for all the pictures. It is really looking awesome.

It's the new year I'm tried of not having a Mustang that I can drive so it is time to get this car running. I have gone round and round on engines and I do like FE's but I want something that I can drive and not have to stop for gas all the time. I have a 88 Mark VII that I bought new and was wrecked and has been sitting for over 3 years so we have decided to use the engine and trans in the Mustang. It needs a little cleaning.

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As you can see in this photo the bottom of the deck lid sticks out past the quarter and on the bottom it doesn't line up with the taillight panel

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I added material to the back and sanded the front

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I spent today block sanding the deck lid trying to get it to match the quarter. I will be painting it SPI red the same as my Fairlane. What can I say I like red.

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More block sanding it's getting closer.

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love the look of this stang...:thumbsup:

I finished block sanding the deck lid trying to get it to match the quarters than epoxy primed


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Sprayed SPI Turbo primer

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I spend most of the day working on something that you don't see 95% of the time the back of the deck lid.

I finished sanding and than epoxy primed

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Today I sanded the deck lid than sprayed a coat of SPI white epoxy

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I waited a couple of hours than sprayed 3 coats of SPI single stage red.

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I was not happy with the hood after block sanding. I added a little filler than epoxy primed again.

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I block sanded the hood again and epoxy primed white next I need to sand and paint the back side of the hood.

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It has been awhile since I got to work on the 68 so today I decided to add a little filler to each quarter to tighten the gap on the fiberglass deck lid and I block sanded the roof and taillight panel.

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We had a problem with the drivers door sticking out 1/4" at the bottom even after elongating the holes in the hinge. We cut 1/4" out of the bottom of the door.

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Brian had to cut out a section to get at the inner brace to cut it. After the brace was welded he brushed some epoxy primer than welded back in the piece he cut out.

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I sprayed SPI Red yesterday on the hood and deck lid and the clear today. I will wet sand and than spray 3 more coats of SPI Universal clear.

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Ready for 2 coats of epoxy primer

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