The Phoenix will rise from the ashes (Completed 26/09/09)

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[demon]

As many of you will know my 68 GT Fastback was damaged in a workshop fire and now requires a complete strip down back to the bare metal. I've rented my friends neighbours double garage and started the task on Monday 15th September.



I was going to restore her to original but I'll always wish I had done a proper muscle car. So my plan is to build a resto mod with sympathetic changes that can be revesrsed.

The plan is to have the body ready for the media blasting in two week before I go on holiday, working only for a few hours after work and the odd Saturday when I have time.

The running gear of the car is good as is the steering and brakes due to the complete replacement of them before the fire. The interior will need replacing as this now stinks of smoke etc plus it was fairly tired.

So far I've had no real suprises as I had a pretty good idea of what the car need when I bought her. I may re phrase that after blasting. Parts of the floor and passenger toe board need need repair or replacement. At this stage I think I'll replace both driver & passenger floor pans. I know the near side rear quarter panel has been repaired in the past so that will be done and maybe the outer wheel well to.

The drip channels look like the have filler in them or maybe it's just the 7 or 8 layers of paint.

So far the interior has been stripped out and the engine, gearbox and exhaust are out.



Drivers side....



Passenger toe board



Here is some strange damage to the rear seat hooks and access to the dampers.





And finally the heart is out



I will be slotting in a nice fruity motor so this old girl will go and good as she'll look.

[Blackstang66]

Oh yeah.........Restomods rule!!

Time to go shopping!!!   http://www.mustangsplus.com/xcart/home.php
 

[GT350]

Good luck with the project keep posting pics as it keeps the rest of us with projects motorvated.javed

[66coop]

I may have missed an earlier post, but did your insurance company see you right in the end?  Was it written off and bought back?

Either way, looking forward to progress reports...!

[demon]

Cheers Javed, Yes it was written off and I bought it back as salvage.

[Dag A]

Great news! 
Restomod is the way to go!!
Really looking forward to follow your progress!!

[phil k]

I'm sure this one will be a cracking car when finished, glad your going the restomod route.

Phil

[candy69]

Correct choice i belive 

[demon]

Unfortunately I didn't manage to get the car off to media blasting before I went on my hols. I got back on Tuesday and got cracking with the strip down. It's amazing how quickly the big parts come off and the small parts take for ever.

Here's where I'm to so far.





I've still got the left door, fender, the lower control arms, some of the dash and screen to remove. Fingers crossed she'll be leaving on Monday afternoon for blasting. So far the she looks in much better shape than I was expecting. As soon as she get back I'll know the whole picture.

[phil k]

Nice work. What is that in the left rear arch in the top picture next to the exhaust??? Is it a fuel pump??

Phil

[demon]

It's a MOPAR fuel filter, seems to have been added at some time in her life.

[demon]

I'd like to start with a big thank you to Stephen for giving up his Saturday to help me get the last few bits stripped off the car. And to George my mate for all his help so far and I know for the future on this and what ever projects I take on.

Ok so where are we up to with the car. She's all stripped out and all in all is really good shape. At some time she's had a prang on the passenger front corner and the front apron has been replaced, not to well either. There's a small amount of rot in the right of the front cross member so both of these will be replaces. This afternoon she was loaded on to the truck and taken to the media blasters. There they'll blast and phosphate coat her, so fingers crossed I should have her back in about 10-14 days.

[phil k]

No going back now. Your in for the long haul. 

Phil

[demon]

It reminds me of when I restored my last jeep, I looked at all the parts spread around the garage and thought "What have I done " she went from this....



to this....





Here's a link to the rest of the pictures, you have to start from page 7 and work backwards.

http://www.surfacezero.co...php?cat=650&ppuser=27

demon

[kermit]

It was a pleasure helping you on Saturday

[GT350]

you guys are lucky having resources like that dahn saff.javed

[351mustang1972]

Glad to see a good outcome to your story. Is it now a winter project or a more longer term project

Scotty

[demon]

you guys are lucky having resources like that dahn saff.javed

What you mean you don't have recovery truck up there ?

Glad to see a good outcome to your story. Is it now a winter project or a more longer term project

Scotty

It'd be nice to have her done by Xmas but I know that's not going to happen. I'm now at the mercy of the blaster then the body/paint shop. Fingers crossed and all being well I hope to have her done by the end of January.

[kermit]

updates?

[Dag A]

Still got the jeep!
Nice!!
When i did my service, i was part of a team that inspected
cars and material stored away in case of war.
I had the pleasure of driving a jeep that had 44 miles on the odometer!