Payback - Garage built full frame 66 fastback conversion mustang project
 

Hello all, I've been waiting sometime to finally start a thread for my car. Since I was 17 I have been lurking these forums. Now I'm 23 years old and I'm building my all time vision of a dream car in the garage with the help of my dad, and a friend who is 20 years old who aspires to build cars like me as well. I have had a few late model mustangs, 70 c10s, and this is my second old mustang. Currently I have a fully built sn95 mustang and this car. I will be building a full custom frame for this car, grafting a fastback roof, using a four link rear suspension, c6 front suspension fabbed to fit my frame, custom floor pans, flares, 6 speed, and I'm not sure of the engine yet. The plan is too use alot of modern cnc accented features, some ringbrothers pieces, and to make my own custom sheet metal. Its going to be built 80% in my garage at my dads until we can take it to our paint shop for the finished product. Here is my progress as of now...the last pic is to show the mock up of the track width I want to run the car as I'm basing most of my dimension on a c6 z06.

Specs:

Car - 1966 Mustang Fastback(conversion)
*tentative list*
Suspension-
Custom frame
Heidt's rear four link
JRI shocks
c6 front suspension
c6 rack
custom sway bars

Brakes-
c6 z06 brake system
wilwood master cylinder
custom bent lines




Powertrain-
Engine ???
t5 gforce
Moser 9" housing, with 31 spline axles, and 3.70 gears
Custom headers and 3" exhaust

Exterior-
Wheel flares
Custom Scoops
Ringbrothers accent trim

Interior-
Custom sheet metal
Rackpak
Ferrari inspired suede interior
Bride Gias II seats

Wheel/Tires-
HRE 448r 18x10 and 18x12
295/35/18 and 335/30/18 nitto nt555s and nt555r

Somemore progress pics. Just waiting on some more suspension parts to mock up drivetrain so I can start building the sheet metal and what not. Another thing I'm pondering what material for the cage and how am I gonna bend it so it looks right. Any advice let me know please and thanks lol.

Interesting build. I'll be watching for updates. Good luck.

Mike

Are you sure you need the top front end bars and structure? I'm referring to the vertical and curved bars holding the fenders up. If you're planning to cage the car, I would think you could go much lighter tubing to hold those pieces in place and that also are incorporated into the cage itself. Just curious. I certainly don't have a clue. It just seems like a lot of material to me.

Good luck with the build and thanks for starting the thread. Sounds like it's going to be a great project.

I agree, your going to have down bars anyways. Just tie into the fenders with 16g MS.

Honestly I just wanted to use square tubing to be different the whole car will be tied in with Dom 1 3/4 tubing after this point. I just wanted to do some different square tubing as it will be hard to use tubular for me as a tubing bender adds a lot of expense to the budget so at this point I can mock up the drive train without the extra expense of a tubing bender which will allow me to prolong the expense of one. Hopefully this week I can set the drivetrain in it.

Awesome build

I gotcha. You may want to check out pirate 4x4 about benders if you're not already aware. They have plans for home made benders that are much cheaper than purchasing one. Good luck!

Thanks man I will look into that forsure! Any advice I can take is welcome. Thanks others for the comments. Just collecting parts right now. I purchased a sbf 302 for a mock up engine and need to pick up my c5 control arms and spindles. I can than start mocking up the drivetrain so I can move further in the build and make some sheet metal. Here is some parts I gathered so far. Its not much but tilton pedal set, t5 core that will be sent to gforce, mustang ii crossmember I will modify to accept c5 control arms, moser 9" housing, 4 link panhard bar setup, and the c5 upper control arm brackets.

Nice project. Keep up the good work.

Cool project.

Any idea of the weight of that frame? How are you insuring it's perfectly square and level with jack stands and a garage floor?

I'm looking forward to following the progress on this one.

Cool build.

There's a point where being different to be different ends up costing you. The square tubing fender supports add a lot of extra weight on a car that is already front heavy.

As long as the floor is flat and level it's pretty easy. We have had customers installing clips without a chassis table since the '70s. All you gotta do is measure twice and cut once.

Nice project, terrible name. :unibrow:

Thanks for the replies. Basically what chassis works said is what I went off of. It's pretty square the frame is swuare within a 1/8". Do you have any recommendations on what to use? I was thinking about using Dom tubing instead. I have no access to a tig welder so chromoly is out.

ha ha ha

Finally got a drivetrain for mock up purposes, this past weekend I got everything sat in place. This week I need to get some gas for my welder, some tubing, and I will start making motor mounts and trans mounts. I also set the car at ride height so I could mock up the 18x9(265/350 and 18x11(335/30) setup off my 98 cobra to get an idea on tire size and width wheels to run. I'm pretty set on 18x12.5(335/30) and 18x11(285/35) setup. Playing with the idea of cutting 2 to 2 1/2 inches out of height out the quarters and front fenders to get the body lower to the ground. Looks really high to me... but atleast the project is moving forward again!

Raise the wheel wells up past the body line and slap on some flares, you'll be good to go! The projects looking good, stick with it and if something doesn't work out you can always cut it out and start over. It's clear you know how to cut out metal!:D
Looking forward to seeing more.

:cheers:
Dan

Nice update keep going at it way more heart then what I got to madding a car like that.

It cracks me up how far Pirate travels. :flipoff2: Admin'd and mod'd it for years before the sell out.

There are also a bunch of used benders for sale.

Heck, pay shipping and I'll loan you one.

Thats my plan! Thanks for the comments!

Thank you means alot! I was more than scared of trying this but theres no way I can afford to pay someone, so the only way I would ever own a car like this was just try it my self!

I honestly don't know enough about them to invest into one but I need one that can atleast do a 180 degree bend so I can make my drive shaft loop too. If your serious I'd be more than happy to pay for shipping to borrow one it would really help on my tight budget!

Got alot done the past two days! Got motor and trans mounted in the car. Still not sure if I like the trans mount, may make a tubular once I buy a tube bender. What you Guys think? Also mocked up the suspension if anyone has any insight on setting up the c5 geometry let me know! Also started playing with sheet metal and tryin some "lightening" holes on the front frame.

Progress is looking good, keep at it! If I were you I'd get the tubing bender ASAP. Once you get comfortable you'll be making all sorts of goodies with it and want to change a bunch of stuff.....didn't someone offer to loan you one?

:gitrdun:

Thanks man and yeah he did but I plan on doing this as a career so I'm gonna go ahead and grab a protool mB 105

Well got the front end finalized minus the tie rods, sway bars, and coil overs. Got the brakes and wheel setup figured out too. Hoping to start on the rear suspension next weekend hopefully! Gonna have to fab up a spacer for the wheel as the brake caliper is touching it, shouldnt be to hard to fix though!

Please gusset those upper control arm mounts.

Did you make the engine crossmember, or get it from street rod garage also.

I plan too use a triangle gusset but do you have any other ideas that will look good?
I got from speedway. It's a modified mustang II unit.

No, a simple triangle will look good. To help keep it clean, you may consider trying to incorporate the upper coilover mount and gusset into one piece.

Any new updates?

Very cool project. I like the weight reduction holes in the front... They also add a crumple zone, which is a nice safety feature.

Once you get it all up and running, give Ron Sutton a call/ email. He is a member on this forum, and he will help you set up your suspension correctly.

Interesting setup!
 

That's one heck of a setup