My 7 month SN-95 bottom restoration project! (Video)

[Goose17]

Well, the day is finally here. I just spent hours putting together a video to partially show what the heck I’ve been consumed by for the past 7 months. This project has taken many, many, MANY hundreds of hours to get the car to the level I am happy with. If I knew then what I know now, I would have NEVER taken on this project. I have spent countless full days and nights in my garage plugging away at this project. The car came out of an older gentlemen’s collection from the northeast. It was described to be “like new.” I got a big surprise the night before it shipped. I opted to go through with it since I figured some rust treatment chemicals would solve most of the problem. I was incorrect in my assessment. The problem was much worse in person. I started the project with the intent to just soak the bottom with various chemicals. Then I needed to remove the driveshaft for access. Then I needed to remove the exhaust for access. Then I needed to remove the rear ended to get the exhaust out. Then... Then... Then... the project just kept growing and growing. The realization finally hit me that I was well into a full bottom restoration. I knew I was fully committed when I pulled the fuel tank, fuel lines and brake lines. There was no turning back. Having never done anything like this before, the learning curve was STEEP! What surprised me most was the car went back together... one piece at a time and it actually started on the first attempt!

I finished the project with a full polish/paint correction and an interior detail. The car now has 141 miles on the clock and will be art on wheels in my climate controlled garage.


The video captures about one tenth of what I had to do to this car:

 

[ccq8le]

Beautiful car though!! Well done Goose! Congratulations

Sent from my SM-G965U using the svtperformance.com mobile app

 

[ccq8le]

I didn't realize these Indy pace cars had the dark sections on the wheels. I had thought those were not available until 1996 cobras.

Sent from my SM-G965U using the svtperformance.com mobile app

 

[Goose17]

I didn't realize these Indy pace cars had the dark sections on the wheels. I had thought those were not available until 1996 cobras.

Sent from my SM-G965U using the svtperformance.com mobile app

Yes, they made their debut on the 94 Pace and then Ford put them on the 96. My 96 Mystic and 94 Pace have the same wheels. They are also both still rock’n their original tires, which is fun.

 

[Tabres]

I'm normally the last person to be an advocate for what I'm about to say, but..

Please never drive that car ever again. You're an absolute madman for this, and I love that. The result is insane. Maximum commitment, wow...

 

[CobraBob]

Wow, Goose, lots of blood, sweat and tears invested but the final product is stunning. It will surely made a great addition to your corral. For a first time venture, you did mighty well. Very professionally restored!

So, when you got the video the night before it shipped, had the seller been hiding the extent of rust, or was he as surprised as you? I'm thinking the latter and that it had been hidden from him by the previous seller.

Did he refund you any of your payment due to the heavy bottom rust?

 

[Chip Schweiss]

Hats off to you! Many others would have flipped the car once again.

Goes to show the importance of moisture control where you store your cars.

I hope I can one day have my pace car looking as good.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Goose17]

Wow, Goose, lots of blood, sweat and tears invested but the final product is stunning. It will surely made a great addition to your corral. For a first time venture, you did mighty well. Very professionally restored!

So, when you got the video the night before it shipped, had the seller been hiding the extent of rust, or was he as surprised as you? I'm thinking the latter and that it had been hidden from him by the previous seller.

Did he refund you any of your payment due to the heavy bottom rust?

Thanks Bob. I got the impression that he had never seen the bottom of the car. The seller and his son have a used car business. This car has been in his collection for a handful of years. The day before it shipped, he pulled it out of his collection and took it to the used car place a mile away. That’s where the transporter was going to pick it up. Since they had a lift there, they raised the car and saw the rust.

I did not ask for a reduction in price. I already negotiated a price significantly lower than what he was asking. I went forward with the sale for 3 reasons:

1. When would I find another 140 mile 94 Pace...?
2. Money was already sent and shipper was heading that way.
3. I figured I could correct it by simply applying rust dissolving chemicals (this was an incorrect assumption).

 

[Goose17]

Hats off to you! Many others would have flipped the car once again.

Goes to show the importance of moisture control where you store your cars.

I hope I can one day have my pace car looking as good.

Thanks for sharing!

Thank you sir!

Regarding moisture, my garage has always been climate controlled, but for the times when the AC isn’t running a lot, I recently added a large dehumidifier. It’s amazing how much water it pulls out of the air.

 

[dkblue98gt]

Wow, that is spectacular. Very cool time capsule.

 

[dkblue98gt]

Wow, that is spectacular. Very cool time capsule.

 

[gimmie11s]

Glad you finally put some grease and dirt on that floor!

Results came out amazing, but still don't represent what a 140 mile car should be IMO.

Did you verify mileage before the purchase?

 

[Goose17]

Glad you finally put some grease and dirt on that floor!

Results came out amazing, but still don't represent what a 140 mile car should be IMO.

Did you verify mileage before the purchase?

It’s obvious the car is a low-miler. The interior looks like no one has ever sat in it and the top looks brand spanking new. I was told it had been put down once previously to verify it worked. The floor mats are still in their original plastic in the trunk. It’s a cool time capsule and now the bottom is as nice as the top side.

 

[gimmie11s]

How could the top be so pristine, but the undercarriage look like it did? It was obviously stored outside somewhere moist so im shocked the top is in good condition.

I have the utmost respect for the elbow grease you've invested, but cant help to think there are other things going on with this car.

Hopefully not, and again.. job well done.

 

[Chip Schweiss]

How could the top be so pristine, but the undercarriage look like it did? It was obviously stored outside somewhere moist so im shocked the top is in good condition.

I have the utmost respect for the elbow grease you've invested, but cant help to think there are other things going on with this car.

Hopefully not, and again.. job well done.

In a garage without a moisture barrier in the floor, there can be a lot of moisture coming out of the ground. This will take its toll on the underside of a car. I purchased a '66 Mustang a few years back that was similarly corroded when stored in an old garage for two decades after it was fully restored.

This can happen in any region that has enough moisture in the ground near the surface. Add in temperature fluctuations and that moisture will condense on everything on the bottom of the car.

 

[Goose17]

In a garage without a moisture barrier in the floor, there can be a lot of moisture coming out of the ground. This will take its toll on the underside of a car. I purchased a '66 Mustang a few years back that was similarly corroded when stored in an old garage for two decades after it was fully restored.

This can happen in any region that has enough moisture in the ground near the surface. Add in temperature fluctuations and that moisture will condense on everything on the bottom of the car.

Exactly!

If the car was “stored outside,” the whole thing would have been in rough shape. With a rusty undercarriage, it is exactly as Chip described.

 

[gimmie11s]

In a garage without a moisture barrier in the floor, there can be a lot of moisture coming out of the ground. This will take its toll on the underside of a car. I purchased a '66 Mustang a few years back that was similarly corroded when stored in an old garage for two decades after it was fully restored.

This can happen in any region that has enough moisture in the ground near the surface. Add in temperature fluctuations and that moisture will condense on everything on the bottom of the car.

Wow...not good!