This is the Build Thread for 1969 Mach 1 Restoration/Restomod. Reply below.
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Gen1 1969 Mach 1 Restoration/Restomod Build Thread Profile - Gen 1 Mustangs
- Thread starterJ_Pro205
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #2
Hey all!
I wanted to share something I'm working on, even if it hasn't seen the track yet. This forum regardless has been really helpful in my planning and implementation phases, but now I'm about 650 hours into building and wanted to show some progress.
I have an in-depth build thread I just started over at VMF. I'll copy the link below in case anyone wants to see the whole shebang (if pasting a link to another forum is allowed, of course). Here I will share topics related to my plans with it that brought me here in the first place; AutoX and track capabilities.
Full Build Thread at VMF:
www.vintage-mustang.com
I wanted to share something I'm working on, even if it hasn't seen the track yet. This forum regardless has been really helpful in my planning and implementation phases, but now I'm about 650 hours into building and wanted to show some progress.
I have an in-depth build thread I just started over at VMF. I'll copy the link below in case anyone wants to see the whole shebang (if pasting a link to another forum is allowed, of course). Here I will share topics related to my plans with it that brought me here in the first place; AutoX and track capabilities.
Full Build Thread at VMF:
1969 Mach 1 Restoration/Restomod Build
Forum Introduction: Hello everyone, after about 6ish years of purely lurking, and 3 years since purchasing my Mustang, I figured its time to make a build thread to share progress and pick up advice along the way. Some basic info to introduce my car: 1969 Mustang Mach 1 Purchased...
Sounds fun. Good luck.
- Thread starter
- #4
I started planning this car in 2016, right out of college. I had helped a very close friend of mine build his pretty potent track car (non mustang, but a really cool home built car giving some track super cars a run for their money in SCCA and Gridlife the past 6 years!), and decided it was time for me to build my own car before life got too hectic.
Right off the bat I knew I wanted this car to do many tasks, and wanted it to do them all well. I knew this was a tall task for any car, so I researched and planned for years before even looking for a car for myself. I had pretty much settled on Shaun's Street or Track full floater 3 link rear thanks to numerous recommendations and 1.5 years of conversations with Shaun.
To plan for the front, I also knew I wanted to make room for the wider DOHC engines as they are mostly available and I didn't want to do structural work on this again later if I went with a push rod engine first and then changed my mind, so I started looking for front set-ups that were not just for show. This led me to only a few options, and I settled on Cortex after 2 full years of conversations with the entire team to plan what was best for my car and use.
I actually was not settled on a powerplant for awhile. Originally, I had decided to try and salvage the 351C that came with the car (not original or even an option for 1969), but the block and most of the components were not really salvageable, so I started looking at other options. I almost got my hands on a 13-14 GT500 Trinity drop out, but that fell through. I then decided to move focus towards the Coyote Modular structure as they are lighter, have good power output, and can be easily found. For fun, I told myself I'd look out for the 5.2 FPC VooDoo as a novelty idea, if I could find a full car only due to the drop out prices part out yards want for them. This was actually the route my brother really wanted me to take the night we brought the car home, but I wrote him off as crazy. Well 2 years of waiting and looking netted me a 2018 GT350 with a side impact and 6,700 miles. So I guess either my brother wasn't crazy, or we both are because I'm going to give it a shot.
I'm excited to continue to share what I come up with during this process and to eventually share track time with some of you guys/gals on here! I'll work on sharing specific updates on the suspension installs and the parts car soon. My wife and I welcomed our first child a month ago, which is the only reason I have the time inside to make these forum posts rather than work in the garage.
Right off the bat I knew I wanted this car to do many tasks, and wanted it to do them all well. I knew this was a tall task for any car, so I researched and planned for years before even looking for a car for myself. I had pretty much settled on Shaun's Street or Track full floater 3 link rear thanks to numerous recommendations and 1.5 years of conversations with Shaun.
To plan for the front, I also knew I wanted to make room for the wider DOHC engines as they are mostly available and I didn't want to do structural work on this again later if I went with a push rod engine first and then changed my mind, so I started looking for front set-ups that were not just for show. This led me to only a few options, and I settled on Cortex after 2 full years of conversations with the entire team to plan what was best for my car and use.
I actually was not settled on a powerplant for awhile. Originally, I had decided to try and salvage the 351C that came with the car (not original or even an option for 1969), but the block and most of the components were not really salvageable, so I started looking at other options. I almost got my hands on a 13-14 GT500 Trinity drop out, but that fell through. I then decided to move focus towards the Coyote Modular structure as they are lighter, have good power output, and can be easily found. For fun, I told myself I'd look out for the 5.2 FPC VooDoo as a novelty idea, if I could find a full car only due to the drop out prices part out yards want for them. This was actually the route my brother really wanted me to take the night we brought the car home, but I wrote him off as crazy. Well 2 years of waiting and looking netted me a 2018 GT350 with a side impact and 6,700 miles. So I guess either my brother wasn't crazy, or we both are because I'm going to give it a shot.
I'm excited to continue to share what I come up with during this process and to eventually share track time with some of you guys/gals on here! I'll work on sharing specific updates on the suspension installs and the parts car soon. My wife and I welcomed our first child a month ago, which is the only reason I have the time inside to make these forum posts rather than work in the garage.
- Thread starter
- #5
Thank you Patrick!
Yep. If you’ve never been in a car with SorT suspension, you will like it. We run his front suspension on the ChampCar. Handles superb.
- Thread starter
- #7
I have been given a short, spirited ride along some rural roads in a car that had Shaun's front suspension set-up, and that was an impressive showing so I'm sure on track it's only amplified! Very cool you run your classic in ChampCar! I have a few friends that run that series as well.
The track car in my signature is pure vintage race…all period correct.
This is our ChampCar…
This is our ChampCar…
- Thread starter
- #9
Oh wow, that's awesome! I'm digging that color combo on there as well. Is that grill the same out of a 2010-11 mustang? Almost looks similar to my brothers from that time frame.
LOL...yes. It actually was almost a perfect fit.
- 5,373
- 6,354
I grew up on these cars...
- Thread starter
- #12
Haha I love it!
- Thread starter
- #13
Street or Track Rear suspension install:
As I had mentioned before, I had been almost entirely set on working with Shaun using Street or Track's Full Floating 9" rear set up with the 3 Link Watts Link set up. I spent a lot of time speaking with Shaun and planning my car before purchasing, but ultimately settled on the set-up listed with -1* camber, SoT's Sport Valved Bilsteins with Hyperco Springs, 4 Pot fixed calipers with a 13" rotor (non parking brake), and Diff expansion tank.
With all of the metal work I had already done, including replacing both rear frame rails, I was worried that the saddles provided for the Watt's link frame work and the front 3rd member frame work wouldn't fit right. With minimal massaging, everything fit well to my surprise!
With the frame work all mounted in, I mocked up the rear end and rear suspension. I'm really excited to see it in the car after the years of researching and planning. I'm also really excited to get to tinker with the settings in the rear to dial the car in, but I have a feeling that's a bit farther down the road.
The picture attached of the rear brakes show my stock 2004 Honda Civic Si front brakes for a size comparison! I plan to calculate front/rear brake bias and size the front's accordingly, but the size difference was still a cool comparison.
As I had mentioned before, I had been almost entirely set on working with Shaun using Street or Track's Full Floating 9" rear set up with the 3 Link Watts Link set up. I spent a lot of time speaking with Shaun and planning my car before purchasing, but ultimately settled on the set-up listed with -1* camber, SoT's Sport Valved Bilsteins with Hyperco Springs, 4 Pot fixed calipers with a 13" rotor (non parking brake), and Diff expansion tank.
With all of the metal work I had already done, including replacing both rear frame rails, I was worried that the saddles provided for the Watt's link frame work and the front 3rd member frame work wouldn't fit right. With minimal massaging, everything fit well to my surprise!
With the frame work all mounted in, I mocked up the rear end and rear suspension. I'm really excited to see it in the car after the years of researching and planning. I'm also really excited to get to tinker with the settings in the rear to dial the car in, but I have a feeling that's a bit farther down the road.
The picture attached of the rear brakes show my stock 2004 Honda Civic Si front brakes for a size comparison! I plan to calculate front/rear brake bias and size the front's accordingly, but the size difference was still a cool comparison.
- Thread starter
- #14
I am a little jealous! Although I did grow up around quite the array of cars, which I feel fortunate for. My dad instilled an appreciation for the older muscle cars from a young age, and that was definitely a driver for me to jump on this 69 for my own project.
- Thread starter
- #15
Cortex Front Suspension install:
In a similar fashion to the rear suspension, I had started doing a lot of reading on front suspensions for my car. With the want to create a little more space in the engine bay by removing the stock sheet metal shock towers, I knew I would need to look into some of the bigger names for that kind of set-ups. I called a number of companies and asked all the same questions to find out more about the set-ups, their adjustability, capability, and how they have been used/tested on track, and Cortex was the only one that took the time to not only answer my questions, but show track pedigree of their systems (other companies also have pedigree, but didn't seem to want to have much of a discussion with me). They also helped me come up with the right front set-up for what I want to do.
I ended up going with the Xtreme Grip Radial X Front setup with the Radial X spindles, double adjustable Penske front dampers with Hyperco springs, an SN95 rebuilt rack, and the Upper shock mount jacking screws.
Of all the metal work I have done, setting the front hardpoints made me the most nervous. I spent a lot of time dropping a plumb bob to the floor to make sure the car was set up square and that my front suspension points would be aligned with the frame rails and the rear suspension. From there, I followed Cortex's directions for the K member placement and the UCA mounting plates. I then bent up some tubing to be a base support under the UCA plate.
Placing the jacking screws in space was the big hurdle. I made a jig per Cortex's direction to rough them in space. From there, I made supports from the front of the frame rail, rear of the UCA tube support, and outer firewall corner to help triangulate the point in space. There will be a removeable support connecting both points to the center of the firewall as well, but that will be made later.
With all of that tubing mocked up, I installed the front suspension parts and realized I needed to edit a little bit to help run the shocks centered in the upper arm. Thankfully, that didn't require a remake of any of the tubes, just modifications. Between the first revision and the final, my wife actually came out and asked "will your engine fit between those front tube supports?" Without her asking that, there would have been a 3rd revision as I had forgotten the golden rule of measure twice, cut once....
It's definitely an exciting point now having all suspension mocked in front and rear. I'm not ready to pull it off the frame jig, but that thought is in sight!
In a similar fashion to the rear suspension, I had started doing a lot of reading on front suspensions for my car. With the want to create a little more space in the engine bay by removing the stock sheet metal shock towers, I knew I would need to look into some of the bigger names for that kind of set-ups. I called a number of companies and asked all the same questions to find out more about the set-ups, their adjustability, capability, and how they have been used/tested on track, and Cortex was the only one that took the time to not only answer my questions, but show track pedigree of their systems (other companies also have pedigree, but didn't seem to want to have much of a discussion with me). They also helped me come up with the right front set-up for what I want to do.
I ended up going with the Xtreme Grip Radial X Front setup with the Radial X spindles, double adjustable Penske front dampers with Hyperco springs, an SN95 rebuilt rack, and the Upper shock mount jacking screws.
Of all the metal work I have done, setting the front hardpoints made me the most nervous. I spent a lot of time dropping a plumb bob to the floor to make sure the car was set up square and that my front suspension points would be aligned with the frame rails and the rear suspension. From there, I followed Cortex's directions for the K member placement and the UCA mounting plates. I then bent up some tubing to be a base support under the UCA plate.
Placing the jacking screws in space was the big hurdle. I made a jig per Cortex's direction to rough them in space. From there, I made supports from the front of the frame rail, rear of the UCA tube support, and outer firewall corner to help triangulate the point in space. There will be a removeable support connecting both points to the center of the firewall as well, but that will be made later.
With all of that tubing mocked up, I installed the front suspension parts and realized I needed to edit a little bit to help run the shocks centered in the upper arm. Thankfully, that didn't require a remake of any of the tubes, just modifications. Between the first revision and the final, my wife actually came out and asked "will your engine fit between those front tube supports?" Without her asking that, there would have been a 3rd revision as I had forgotten the golden rule of measure twice, cut once....
It's definitely an exciting point now having all suspension mocked in front and rear. I'm not ready to pull it off the frame jig, but that thought is in sight!
- 5,373
- 6,354
Just don't paint it red/black like Parnelli Jones' car.
- Thread starter
- #17
I definitely don't think I have the driving skills to rep those colors, maybe with many more years of practice!
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