Black Gold 380R's 65 Mustang Build Thread

[Black Gold 380R]

Then I decided to make one more patch panel before I called it a day.

The two circles with the rectangle underneath are where my engine harness goes through the firewall. I'm going to reroute those wire in order to give my firewall a cleaner look. So, out with the cutting wheel...….

Patch panel made. I'm really happy with how my ability to make these patches to line up great is getting. Makes welding so much easier...….

And this is where I ended. Didn't get a chance to get all my welds grinded smooth. It was just too damn hot LOL. As you can see I didn't even get a chance to get those two patches for the lower part of the passenger side firewall completed either...……

 

[Black Gold 380R]

Are you just replacing bad metal or are you smoothing and stuff?

Right now it is mainly replacing bad metal, but the purpose is to smooth out the engine bay for a cleaner/smoother look.

 

[DSG2003Mach1]

Then I decided to make one more patch panels before I called it a day.

The two circles with the rectangle underneath are where my engine harness goes through the firewall. I'm going to reroute those wire in order to give my firewall a cleaner look. So, out with the cutting wheel...….
View attachment 1651843


View attachment 1651844




Patch panel made. I'm really happy with how my ability to make these patches to line up great is getting. Makes welding so much easier...….View attachment 1651845

Patches look pretty good, what are you using to cut them?

 

[Black Gold 380R]

Patches look pretty good, what are you using to cut them?

I'm mainly using my grinder with a cutting wheel since I'm making straight cuts for the shapes. However, for my plugs I use my plasma cutter as it's easier to cut round shapes that way.

I also have an air powered cutting wheel that I also use to get in to tighter spots since it is smaller than my grinder.

I'm learning as I go. I've had to redo a couple things as I either cut the patch wrong or I used too thin of a metal and the weld warped the crap out of it LOL.

Cool thing is I can just show the end results here. Feel like I'm editing like they do on TV. Because you know even the pros screw up every now and then lmao......

 

[geoffmt]

Nice work! WAY past my skill level. I am loving the updates. 106-108 is too warm for me I will melt


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[01yellercobra]

Might be late to the party, but what about using the outside blade of a hole saw to make round patches? I imagine getting it started might be a pain, but I would think it's a little easier than the plasma.

But I could be way off base and there's a reason I don't do sheet metal work.

 

[Black Gold 380R]

Nice work! WAY past my skill level. I am loving the updates. 106-108 is too warm for me I will melt

Thank you sir! It's a lot of work, but I'm having fun while doing it. Yes, 106-108 is dreadful. My wife is always coming in the garage and telling me to go inside LOL. I tell her as soon as I feel it you can bet I'm going inside to cool off...……..

Might be late to the party, but what about using the outside blade of a hole saw to make round patches? I imagine getting it started might be a pain, but I would think it's a little easier than the plasma.

But I could be way off base and there's a reason I don't do sheet metal work.

That is a good idea Bob and one I have thought about. The issue is right now I'm plugging small holes and my hole saw blades are too big. However, once I have to plug a hole that is larger I will try to use the hole saw. It's much cleaner and smoother with a hole saw, but the Plasma is easier to make small dime and nickel size plugs.

 

[RunninHorse]

I hear you about this brutal Texas heat. My metal garage is not air conditioned or insulated yet. It's an oven. I keep a couple wet bandannas around my neck, and stick my head under the faucet regularly. If I do that and chug water it's manageable. Keep in mind that a fan blowing on you helps, but can mess with the gas shield when welding.

Are you using pure Argon gas or a mix?

 

[Black Gold 380R]

I hear you about this brutal Texas heat. My metal garage is not air conditioned or insulated yet. It's an oven. I keep a couple wet bandannas around my neck, and stick my head under the faucet regularly. If I do that and chug water it's manageable. Keep in mind that a fan blowing on you helps, but can mess with the gas shield when welding.

Are you using pure Argon gas or a mix?

I do have a fan circulating air. I think it does help. I also walk inside, open the fridge and chug some cold water too. It's been working so far.

I was curious about that after I got the bottle. Says 75% Argon and 25% carbon dioxide.

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[RunninHorse]

It's been a while since I had my bottle filled. I believe I'm using the same ratio.

 

[Black Gold 380R]

It's been a while since I had my bottle filled. I believe I'm using the same ratio.

I'm new to this. I walked in the welding shop, told the guy what I was wanting to do and that is the type of gas he gave me. Not sure if pure Argon is any better.

I do know when I was hooking up the gas my welding machine did display a setting asking what type of gas I was using. So, I know my welder is set up properly and the new welds have been great. Welding with gas is awesome …..LOL.

 

[Black Gold 380R]

Hello Everyone,

Well, this weekend was a birthday weekend in my family. So, I only had one day to work on the car. Not much done, but progress was made …..

This is under the dash. The black is the back of the firewall and the brown is under the cowl. I'm not running A/C or a heater. So, I'm using this area to mount my electronics. My MSD Box, Starter solenoid, Relays and other electrical items will go here. So, I'm welding some square tube in order to mount a plate so I can screw my items to the plate and not put a bunch of holes in my original sheet metal.

cleaning up the metal to prepare for welding.

Got my square tubing welded in. I need to get the plate measured up. Then I can lay out my electronics and then screw them in place.

My buddy was able to make it over. He's a WAY better welder than I am. So, he came over, got my welder set up and went to town on the main items that my suspension will be mounted too. Man, his welds look sweet.....

Then i was able to clean up my spot welds on the firewall.

I was able to spot weld the plates in place on the bottom part of the passenger side firewall.

Lastly, I ordered my torque boxes and Mustangs to Fear frame stiffeners. So, I started to get the drivers side outer firewall area cleaned up and remove all the under coating. Damn, is it a pain in the _____......

 

[01yellercobra]

That's a good idea about mounting everything under the dash. I'm surprised you have no A/C out there though.

 

[Black Gold 380R]

That's a good idea about mounting everything under the dash. I'm surprised you have no A/C out there though.

Thank you Bob!

I hear you, but I don't plan on driving the car in 100 degree heat or in the winter or when it's raining (I do have working wipers in case it does rain on the way home from a car show). MBTB is in October and it's not that hot then. Mustang week is in September. American Muscle does have it's show in June, but it's up north in PA and it's not near as hot up there as it is in TX LMAO!!!! So, this is basically going to be a weekend toy and utilized in good weather.

I would love to go on the hot rod power tour one day, but it would depend on time of year and location. Not going to do it in July and driving through Arizona LMAO!!!

I do understand I'm limiting my options on when and how I can enjoy the car, but all my other cars have A/C, heat, power windows, etc. And believe me, in this town, people do not schedule car shows when it's hot as hell outside LOL.

 

[Black Gold 380R]

Hello Everyone,

Well, I left off with trying to clean up the outer firewall area in order to prep it for my torque box installation. Well, that's what I got completed this weekend.

Some of you may be thinking that's all I got done in two days. LOL, well all I can say is I'm new to this and I take a methodical approach to the job. I need to make sure I cut the metal properly in order to make sure it fits snug and correct.

Remember I'm a rookie when it comes to metal work. So, I'm going slow and steady and will get there eventually LOL.

Torque boxes come welded together. I seen a guy on YouTube (Jo Daddy's garage) and he separated the boxes prior to install. After doing this I don't see how these can be installed without separating them.

Got the outer firewall area all cleaned up. Man, that undercoating is a B!T(# to get off LOL.

Got the area sprayed with weld thru primer to protect the metal.

Got the backing plate trimmed and mocked up.

Got the backing plate welded in place and covered with weld thru primer.

Got the outer box trimmed and mocked up.

Outer box welded into place.

It was the same process for the passenger side, so here is a picture of the final result.

 

[geoffmt]

That would have taken me way longer than 2 days. Good job! After this past weekend I decided any 4 wheeled toy I have that’s street driven WILL have A/C. Even up here in Montana


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[Black Gold 380R]

That would have taken me way longer than 2 days. Good job! After this past weekend I decided any 4 wheeled toy I have that’s street driven WILL have A/C. Even up here in Montana


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Thank you geoffmt! I hear you on the A/C. Does make driving your car much more enjoyable. I did have this car built in 2010 and it did not have A/C then and I don't remember driving it and thinking it was unbearable.

I know to be a true restomod it needs to have A/C and other comforts, but I'm just going for a really clean build. I do agree A/C would be nice though.

Thanks again for commenting in my thread. Really appreciate it!!!

 

[ashleyroachclip]

Vintage air and heat is a very clean install , and you will tank me later !! .nice job.by the way

 

[Black Gold 380R]

Okay everyone,

Made some good progress this weekend. Got my firewall and rear fender aprons finished by smoothing out the remaining holes I wanted filled on Saturday.

Fender Apron holes.

Wire harness pass through on fire wall I'm moving.

I decided instead of trying to cut circles/plugs I would just cut out squares as they are easier for me to work with.

The patches are made, welded in and ground smooth.

 

[Black Gold 380R]

Then on Sunday I decided to start mudding the firewall. Again, this is the first time I have attempted body work, so it will probably go slow and l'll probably have to do it a few times in order to get it straight LOL.

Based on my research this is what I'm doing:

I'm using a fiberglass filler to fill in areas I feel are a little deeper than I'm comfortable with. I feel the fiberglass filler will be less susceptible to cracking than regular body filler. Then I'm using body filler to smooth out the rest of the area. Then I'm using 40 grit to knock everything down. Then I'm using 80 grit to shape it. Then I'm using 180 to finalize the area and to prep it for a 2K primer.

This was my progress on Sunday.

(NOTE: I'm not plugging this product. I'm just showing what I'm using).
This is the fiberglass filler I'm using.

This is the body filler I'm using.

Here is the firewall after all the metal work. You will notice on the top portion of the firewall, where I had to weld, is not the smoothest. Those are the areas I feel I need to use fiberglass filler instead of body filler.

Here is my initial skim. The areas in green are fiberglass and the tan area is normal body filler.

My initial knock down with 40 grit. Although this process does go quick, when you have to sand and sand and sand it gets tiering LOL.

Another skim of body filler as low spots were showing.

I put a little more body filler on the passenger side of the firewall and worked it all the way through on the entire firewall (i.e. 40, 80 then 180 grit). This is where I stopped Sunday afternoon as I was tired from all the sanding. I still have way more body work to do, but it's a start .