Article and photos by MCSD member Richard Blackman.
If you recall, I purchased a 1969 Mustang Mach 1 and a 2016 Mustang GT with the objective of merging the best of the GT into the Mach 1 and make it a modern driver. This article (second in the series) focuses on the dismantling of two cars and the initial steps taken when building a 21st century driver.

One of the most important things to remember is that the older car has several valuable parts that are very much in demand by enthusiasts who want to restore a Mustang back to its original condition. There are several sources out there that will buy parts you are certain you will never need or want. I wish to thank Don Cole for buying the engine and transmission from the ’69 Mach 1.

Removing everything in the engine bay is not complicated, but it is time consuming. Every nut and bolt, every part, hose or electrical component must be labeled. This is an important step as memory will fade and if you don’t do these important steps you’ll make multiple mistakes when putting the car back together.

With the removal, comes the big surprise; we found rust, lots of it. Floor rust was concealed under metal plates intended to cover but not solve the rust problem. The underbody was heavily undercoated, so the disguise was on. Next we found rust in the two rear quarter panels and the outer floor panels in the trunk. Fortunately, there was no serious frame rust.

When I budget a project like this, I set aside a 15% contingency to be used for stuff you can’t always know or anticipate during the initial stages of a build. This rust issue chomped a big bite out of that contingency.

With the engine bay cleared of everything including the shock towers, and the floor rust taken care of after buying partial floor pans (Scott Drake), I purchased the front end suspension, power rack and pinion steering, Flaming River steering column, sway bar and Wilwood 12” disc brake kit complete with spindles. For this I went to Heidts Superide II set up. Many people refer to this as a Mustang II coil over suspension. While this is true for the design, there are several aftermarket suppliers that’ll have a setup just right for your particular needs.

What I like about the Heidts set up is the step by step instructions that come with the kit. They are readable, easy to follow and can be done on a weekend. If you don’t have some basic welding skills, not to worry, there are people in our club who can help or at least point you in the right direction. If you are having trouble following or understanding the instructions, give Heidts a call. Their technicians are very helpful and can walk you through the process. And believe me, they don’t mind the calls.

I like to dress things up a little bit, so I Powder coated the upper and lower control arms, oil pan, transmission cross member and engine cover in a color that would complement the cars paint scheme.

Now, back to the rust issue; the rear quarter panels and trunk pockets that form the trunk were the biggest concern. I also found rust in the outer wheel wells. All need replacing. Scott Drake or CJ Pony Parts are a great source for the rear quarter panels. Depending on your skill level, this is work that I left to the professionals. A couple of good friends of mine recommended Active Auto Collision in San Marcos as a reputable company that has expertise in classic car body restoration. Shadi and his brother own the company and they are very accommodating. Just don’t rush them. This is not a two week project. My experience is that it’ll take a month or more if done well.

Most of the metalwork is complete with the exception of a couple of featured design ideas I want to incorporate. I’ll leave those to the painter who also happens to be one of the best metal benders in the county.

On Thursday, October 18th, the motor from the GT made its first journey into the engine bay of the Mach 1. Over the course of time this will happen at least five times (or more) before everything is finalized and the engine is firmly bolted into position. On this first occasion the engine is positioned to determine firewall clearance, and how much of the transmission tunnel and firewall will have to be cut away. I know this to be true for a Tremec T56 6-speed manual; it may not be necessary for an automatic or 5-speed manual transmission.

The newer Gen II/III Coyote 5.0L engine has a fuel/air recirculating pump on the back of the engine that won’t allow the engine to sit in its proper location without removing a portion of the firewall in the Mach 1. This added feature is designed to help improve fuel efficiency and boost horsepower (I think). Anyway, we chose not to remove it as it may require some modification to the computer. I could get very technical here but suffice to say, today’s automobiles are run by computers. So do as little as possible with computer interfaces.

It’s November and the engine and tranny are installed, inner wheel wells covered where the shock towers once were, engine bay holes plugged, firewall rebuilt, and the engine bay ready for paint. Due to some new and improved design changes with the Heidts IFS, we had to modify the bracket for the alternator as well as modify a portion of the front frame to allow for minimal tolerances.

It’s now the second week of December and the car is heading off to the painter, Braun Mollenhauer, whose shop is in Alpine. Braun will have the car for two to three months where he will do some additional custom metal work, prep the body for paint including all of the ancillary parts and
then paint the car. Stay tuned!