RAU03MACH
Legend
thats what it is all about gives you something to do as a hobby
200,000 mile GT build
- Thread starter Akurma
- Start date
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Akurma
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Oh absolutely! I've been quite bored without something to do now lol. Guess it might be time to start working on the 65' Mustang again.
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Akurma
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The winter rust repair project begins...
That hurts my heart. I know you’ll fix it up right though. Keep us posted!
Fck cancer!!!
I hate ford!
Im watching you save her tho!
I hate ford!
Im watching you save her tho!
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Akurma
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It hurt mine as well. I knew it was there but not this bad. Time to make it right!
Its the worst! By the time i'm done with her, it'll be many many years before this returns!
Musturd
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doing this old girl right bringing it back to its former glory .
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Akurma
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Doing the best that I can!
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Akurma
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This ones going to be picture heavy.
I've been looking for replacement sheet metal for a while. NOS frame rails are next to impossible to find, let alone quarter panels and finding rust free used versions was proving difficult. after months of searching and calling yards down south, I got lucky. In the middle of the summer on one of the Facebook pages someone up in the Poconos posted that they part out Mustangs and had an entire rear section of a 1999 GT. I drove the 4hr round trip up there and picked up an entire rear floor pan from torque boxes back. Had to cut it down the middle to fit it in the bed of the truck but I really only needed the frame rail. Put it in storage until the time came for this project. Fast forwards to last week and here is that same section cut in half flipped upside down.
Tore the trunk and bumper apart and got to work. Original plan was to only cut the rail about a foot or so back (white lines in first photo) as we didn't think the rust was that bad elsewhere. But with anything involving rust, there is always more once you dig into it. That plan quickly changed as we noticed further up there was a questionable looking spot as shown in photo 4 below.
Once that was noticed we decided that the best course of action was to take it back further and section it in. Marked out all the spot welds, drilled them out and began separating it from the car. Once we had the rusted section out we went over to the good section I picked up and marked out it out and began the same process again.
Once the old rail was out we noticed that a good bit of the trunk floor was soft and rusting from the underside. Boxed out a section of it and cut it out and replaced it with fresh metal.
With the old rotted metal out of the way it was time to test fit to new section. After a bit of finagling and massaging into place it fit like a glove and was ready to be welded into place. In addition to the rail the bumper support mount needed to be repaired as well. Took the good section from the donor rear that I picked up and made a patch plate for it. I was surprised at how bad that area was. Definitely makes me wonder if driving it around like this was such a good idea.
I've been looking for replacement sheet metal for a while. NOS frame rails are next to impossible to find, let alone quarter panels and finding rust free used versions was proving difficult. after months of searching and calling yards down south, I got lucky. In the middle of the summer on one of the Facebook pages someone up in the Poconos posted that they part out Mustangs and had an entire rear section of a 1999 GT. I drove the 4hr round trip up there and picked up an entire rear floor pan from torque boxes back. Had to cut it down the middle to fit it in the bed of the truck but I really only needed the frame rail. Put it in storage until the time came for this project. Fast forwards to last week and here is that same section cut in half flipped upside down.
Tore the trunk and bumper apart and got to work. Original plan was to only cut the rail about a foot or so back (white lines in first photo) as we didn't think the rust was that bad elsewhere. But with anything involving rust, there is always more once you dig into it. That plan quickly changed as we noticed further up there was a questionable looking spot as shown in photo 4 below.
Once that was noticed we decided that the best course of action was to take it back further and section it in. Marked out all the spot welds, drilled them out and began separating it from the car. Once we had the rusted section out we went over to the good section I picked up and marked out it out and began the same process again.
Once the old rail was out we noticed that a good bit of the trunk floor was soft and rusting from the underside. Boxed out a section of it and cut it out and replaced it with fresh metal.
With the old rotted metal out of the way it was time to test fit to new section. After a bit of finagling and massaging into place it fit like a glove and was ready to be welded into place. In addition to the rail the bumper support mount needed to be repaired as well. Took the good section from the donor rear that I picked up and made a patch plate for it. I was surprised at how bad that area was. Definitely makes me wonder if driving it around like this was such a good idea.
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Akurma
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With all the welding, patching, sanding and grinding done it was time to paint. Being nearly 25 year old Rio Red paint, its not going to be a spot on match. I was aware of this but think the color match is pretty decent. Especially for areas that nobody is going to see.
Next up is the lower quarter extensions. This part might be worse than the actual frame rail replacement as I couldn't find clean, non-rusted sections and its has a few different angles. I had a smashed up section from the donor piece that I was able to make work. Did the best we could but was very tedious. Finished the driver side which was far worse than the passenger. Passenger side is up for repair tomorrow. Then the rust converter and undercoating begins!
Next up is the lower quarter extensions. This part might be worse than the actual frame rail replacement as I couldn't find clean, non-rusted sections and its has a few different angles. I had a smashed up section from the donor piece that I was able to make work. Did the best we could but was very tedious. Finished the driver side which was far worse than the passenger. Passenger side is up for repair tomorrow. Then the rust converter and undercoating begins!
Dood thats some top notch work. Looks really good! Is this something you do for a living?
weendoggy
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^ Agree 100%! Damned impressive and nice to have lots of room to do it.
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Akurma
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Thanks! This isn't something I do for a living but my brother does and has for the last 15 or so years. I know somethings but not nearly as much as he does. truly lucky to have the knowledge and skill available to me.
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Akurma
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First things first.. HAPPY NEW YEAR! hard to believe this car is now 25 years old!? Its been a busy last week of the year for me, lots of time in the shop to get this done before I have to head back to work tomorrow.
Made a patch for the passenger rear quarter extension from scratch. Cut the rotted and cracked metal out and welded and then seam sealed the new stuff in place.
Then it was go time. The moment i've been waiting for. Undercoating and preventing this from happening again for as long as possible. I picked up a Quart of POR15 and their Chassis Black top coat. In addition to their degreaser and metal prep. Set a tape line and then got to work. Sanded, scuffed, degreased, metal prepped the underside from the axle back. so much time getting in every little nook and cranny. I would have liked to go further but with the rear axles in the way and was proving difficult to reach the spots with my hands. So I opted to go from the top of the rear axle, where the upper control arms attach all the way back. Photos below are of the process.
Picture 1 - sanded and scuffed
Picture 2 - degreaser spray
Picture 3 - Results of the metal prep spray (the white/gray powder is Zinc iirc attached to the surfaces from the metal prep solution)
Picture 4 - First coat of POR15
While I waited for the first coat to dry I debated if I wanted to do the top of the gas tank "while i'm in there." The top of the tank looked pretty rough but still solid. I picked up a new gas tank a year or so ago but haven't swapped out of fear of breaking those two blue plastic vents. One of them is discontinued and very hard to find, at least from my research.
Anyway. decides to hit the top of the tank with a wire brush and scuff pad. Then the same process, degreaser and metal prep then dry. Once it was bone dry I hit it with 2 coats of POR15. Little sloppy but not going to be seen.
After a painfully slow 12 hours day spent watching paint dry on this undercoating it was finally finished. Photos below are after all coats were applied and cured. So these are final results. Hopefully its obvious which ones are before and after lol.
Made a patch for the passenger rear quarter extension from scratch. Cut the rotted and cracked metal out and welded and then seam sealed the new stuff in place.
Then it was go time. The moment i've been waiting for. Undercoating and preventing this from happening again for as long as possible. I picked up a Quart of POR15 and their Chassis Black top coat. In addition to their degreaser and metal prep. Set a tape line and then got to work. Sanded, scuffed, degreased, metal prepped the underside from the axle back. so much time getting in every little nook and cranny. I would have liked to go further but with the rear axles in the way and was proving difficult to reach the spots with my hands. So I opted to go from the top of the rear axle, where the upper control arms attach all the way back. Photos below are of the process.
Picture 1 - sanded and scuffed
Picture 2 - degreaser spray
Picture 3 - Results of the metal prep spray (the white/gray powder is Zinc iirc attached to the surfaces from the metal prep solution)
Picture 4 - First coat of POR15
While I waited for the first coat to dry I debated if I wanted to do the top of the gas tank "while i'm in there." The top of the tank looked pretty rough but still solid. I picked up a new gas tank a year or so ago but haven't swapped out of fear of breaking those two blue plastic vents. One of them is discontinued and very hard to find, at least from my research.
Anyway. decides to hit the top of the tank with a wire brush and scuff pad. Then the same process, degreaser and metal prep then dry. Once it was bone dry I hit it with 2 coats of POR15. Little sloppy but not going to be seen.
After a painfully slow 12 hours day spent watching paint dry on this undercoating it was finally finished. Photos below are after all coats were applied and cured. So these are final results. Hopefully its obvious which ones are before and after lol.
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weendoggy
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IMPRESSIVE!! 
RAU03MACH
Legend
That is great bring it back to life
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Akurma
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IMPRESSIVE!!
Thank you thank you! It's nice to have motivation to work on this car again. Can't wait to put miles on it this year once the weather gets nice!
Dood, I appreciate all the detailed photos and process. I fear my car is in or close to the same condition and you breaking down the process gives me confidence.
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Akurma
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I always like reading threads with photos so I always try to take as much as I can whenever I do something. If your car was/is a northern rust belt car i'd highly recommend giving the shock towers and rear frame rails a good hard look lol. But if its the car you have a thread about I think you're in the clear because that thing looks clean!
I appreciate that! The car spends most of its time sitting in the garage waiting for me to build and rebuild the engine. I cant leave it well enough alone. I get an idea for an improvement and i act on it making the improvement a 5year process.
I dont believe it was a northern car, I bought it local, but there is a nice rust hole on the trunk floor between the fender and spare tire well. I fear its in the beginning stages of what yours has turned out to be. So one day ill have to investigate the cancer damage and possibly correct why its doing what its doing. Seeing your handy work gives me hope that it wont be as bad of a repair as my mind is making it out to be.
I dont believe it was a northern car, I bought it local, but there is a nice rust hole on the trunk floor between the fender and spare tire well. I fear its in the beginning stages of what yours has turned out to be. So one day ill have to investigate the cancer damage and possibly correct why its doing what its doing. Seeing your handy work gives me hope that it wont be as bad of a repair as my mind is making it out to be.
