Welcome to Classic Cars and Tools!
67 Mustang radiator support and strut channels
Hi, Dne’ here ; ) Welcome to Classic cars and tools!
This particular blog focuses on the radiator support and battery tray, but inevitably included the strut channels as well. As Forest Gump’s mom said, “life is like a box of chocolates; never know what you’re going to get!” Though I use this expression often, it somewhat applies to classic car restoration!
Anyone that has done car restoration professionally probably can see what will need to be replaced other than the obvious. Non-pro’s such as me, goes by the seat of my pants! I use common sense and logic, which seems “logical”, maybe that’s why I agree with Spock on Star Trek most of the time!
For sure, I’m just going to replace this battery apron and start making some real progress!
See, test fitting of the right front fender? Wont be long and I’ll have this stang back on the ground! ha ha ha!
To be quite honest, which I am honest all the time and I don’t really need to say, “To be quite honest”! I don’t remember why I removed the radiator support! What I do remember when my husband took this photo, I was contemplating tackling the removal of the crossmember right in front of “Yours Truly”, but the strut channels are connected to that cross member of which the new crossmember and radiator support is the same, integrated I suppose. OK, I’ll remove it!
At this point I was getting a little nervous about future things lining up! eek! I don’t want my right front fender to be lower or higher than the other!
Here I’ve re-installed the old battery apron, trying to attain some form of alignment!
The original strut channels were bashed pretty good. I tried hammering on them to straighten them out, but decided on new ones. These have to be cut away from the radiator crossmember anyway!
However, these original strut channels are secured well, cutting torch again!
Now I’m intelligent enough to know that when I cut that last spot weld, the frame is probably going to go “Kaboing!”
***************************************************************************************************************************
Now listen up my followers ~; ) before proceeding to permanently install the radiator support, I needed to pay attention and fix the nuts what will hold the right bumper bracket in place! The old nuts in the frame were gone! How despicable!
I cut a piece of flat bar I had in my pile of scrap, welded on a couple appropriately sized nuts.
Notice the other holes in the frame next to where the nuts would be.
I made an opening in the right front frame rail, slid this new piece in that I made, and welded it into place. Of course I cleaned the frame up and painted it. Ah, you think I left it like that!lol
***************************************************************************************************************************
OK, before you were rudely interrupted by the last 3 pictures I had forgotten to put in, It was more like a little thud~ Here I used a motorcycle tie down to pull the frame back together and tack it in to place with my mig. : )
I if had it to do over again, I would have made the corner where the battery apron and top of the radiator support come together, fit better, without and overlapping! That way when the fender would be put on, there would not have been a gap. Oh well~ now was just a matter of making spot welds~ I like welding, even spot welding! Check out my welding machines in the tool section! 😉
Notice the seam sealer? I’m good at that! I can seam seal baby! ; )
Yikes, this picture is in the wrong place! So? IT’s just a reminder in showing and telling you how much I love my mig welder and making spot welds~
My mig welder from Northern Tools did awesome!(I said this already?) and the new struts went in without too much of a fuss!
Test fitting of the fenders looks OK~ isn’t that nice! All new Taiwan metal? : ( Shame we don’t make much stuff here for out American Muscle cars!
A little seam sealer in all the crack and crevices and let the epoxy primer flow! ; )
OMG! Miraculous isn’t it! Amazing what hours and hours and hours of work will accomplish!
I should have just left it like this and rolled it around on a dolly in my garage! Now I drive it all the time! Seriously, this was hard work, but! Very rewarding! I could have done it much quicker and better these days! As with anything, we generally learn from our mistakes and the second go round it’s easier through knowledge! I hope you’ve enjoyed this and found it a tad helpful. If you have any questions~ please write, and please subscribe to my website for updates! Take part! ; ) dne’
- Posted by
admin - Posted in 67 Mustang Coupe Blog Posts
Sep, 05, 2012
6 Comments.
6 Responses so far.
Leave a Reply
Recent Blog Posts
Blog Archives
Blog Categories
Website Index
Subscribe to My Blog via Email
Dne’s Recent Forum Topics
My RSS Links
RSS - PostsMy Blog Calendar
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
| 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
| 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | |
RSS - Posts
This is terrific. I am just starting on my 67 Mustang. I need to replace at least on strut channel. Where did you find the new channel? I have been poking around but haven’t found where to buy.
Hi Doug! Just starting on your journey? As much as I enjoyed the experience, I don’t know if I have it in me to do it all over again!;) The channels can be found by searching google, but I found some on Mustangdepot. I forget where I bought mine, it’s been a few years. They’re not terribly expensive and do look much nicer once installed! If you do remove both, be meticulous in your measurements as this is critical in your caster adjustments! You may want to check out a site I belong to, http://www.Stangfix.com. I haven’t been on there in a while, but they are good people and a great resource for advice,etc. If you join the site, please let them know Dne’ is still alive and kicking! I’d love to see your start up, what condition, and what you have in store for your classic mustang!;) dne’
http://www.mustangdepot.com/OnLineCatalog/images/SheetMetal/3640FA.jpg
Hi there,
The restoration on the mustang is very impressive. I’ve been there and done similar repairs (maybe not quite a extensive as yours) Did you do all the work yourself? How did you clean and prep the engine compartment and frame supports? It was pretty bad and the only way I can image cleaning it would be sandblasting it. Do you have any photos of it before you primed everything? I’m curious why you replaced the strut channels. They didn’t look like they needed to be replaced and they’re almost indestructible. Anyways keep up the great work.
PS: I own a 67 mustang GT convertible
regards
mike
Hi Mike! Thank you for the compliments! yes, I do all my own work. As for the engine compartment, it was grungy than anything. First I used aircraft paint remover to remove the old paint, then used my DA (sander) to get it further down to metal. As for the struts, the left one was bent (where the bushings go) further than I was willing to use my torch to heat it up and attempt to bring it back into specs. Another thing, the radiator support/front crossmember is a one piece item. The struts are welded to the bottom of the radiator support/crossmember. Rather than try to save the struts, I felt it to be a good time to go ahead and replace the strut channels. They weren’t terribly expensive, I forget how much, but not bad for such an important part of the frame. After all said and done, I sprayed the engine compartment with epoxy primer, then seam sealer in strategic places. I’ll see if I can locate a picture or two of the places you asked.
thanks!!
dne’
ps: I’d love a GT convertible! 😉
dne,
I’d love to see photos of the engine compartment after it was cleaned and prepped and prior to priming and more photos of the installation of the crossmember and radiator support. So, whats next for the mustang? I have been doing restoration work as a hobby for the past 40 years. If there’s anything I can help you with, please let me know. I don’t guarantee I’ll have the answer, but I just might. Is it possible to post photos on your blog?
mike
Hi Mike! I was looking through my photos, which are numerous as you can imagine! and I don’t have a photo, not one prior to priming/painting of the engine compartment! 🙁 I may have to pictures of the crossmember and radiator support, but the blog you were looking at has the best pictures of that part. I’d hate to have to do that again! lol hm, I’ve asked people to send me pictures, but that’s never happened. As far as posting pictures on my blog, I do have a forum IIRC that’s never been used. I’ll ask my husband how to do that, it would be nice to have my followers Classics on my Classic Cars and Tools.
As for what’s next on my Stang, of which I haven’t posted yet, is installation of Edelbrock heads, but what initiated it was the wiring loom beneath the battery decided to melt together! Don’t know why either. It started by the starter engaging while driving! eeeek! Then the starter solenoid wouldn’t allow the engine to stop running. Long story! Since then, replaced ignition switch, Alternator with stock, VR, Solenoid, installed a mini starter, which led to the heads upgrade, which led to finding holes on my headers! lol and a ha ha ha! 😉 The headers had to come off to get to the starter, which was an excuse for the mini starter upgrade.
Right now I’m involved in overhauling a Subaru DOHC engine~ Things I get myself into! lol
dne’
ps: you can always contact me at Classiccarsandtools@gmail.com , please send a few pics, then I’ll see how to engage the forum this evening;) Should be fun!