Black Gold 380R's 65 Mustang Build Thread

Black Gold 380R · Jul 6, 2020

When I built this car the first time my brother and I notched the front of the frame rails in order to fit the radiator. When I first bought this car I ALWAYS had over heating problems. So, I bought a huge radiator from Summit to cure that problem. In order to fit the radiator I had to notch the frame rails. Back then my brother and I just winged it. Well, now that I'm a little older and wiser AND I have way better tools I wanted to check the notches for alignment.

Time to bust out the laser and see how far off we were back then.

Laser lined up with lower part of notch on passenger side (notice bolt coming through notch?).

Here you can see the lower part of notch on drivers side is almost a half inch below laser level. Time to add some metal and get it right.

Metal plate added.

Laser line marks new place that needs to be cut.

New notch created. On the drivers side I placed the back plate at an angle to make room for the bolt and to create a better support for the bottom of the radiator.

Verifying the pocket is correct.

On the passenger side I had to install an angle plate in order to match the drivers side (in this picture you can see I finally cleaned up the welds on the cross member and shock mounts).

Close up of drivers side notch (I'm not too worried about the welds on these notches as I'm going to line each notch with a rubber material to protect the radiator).

Passenger side notch.

Black Gold 380R · Jul 6, 2020

Once I got to this point I wanted to ensure everything would line up from this point forward. So, I mocked everything up to ensure I would not have any problems from this point forward.

So, I put everything on and used clamps to hold everything in place.

Man, to say I'm stoked is an understatement...……….

Radiator support put in place after I got the frame rails cleaned up to check fitment. I had to make some minor cuts on the drivers side, but I got it on and level.

Spot on.... SWEET...…….

Okay got everything mocked up. Looks like it's going to come together nicely and within original measurements

.

I even got the sway bar mounts mocked up and the new front frame rail support/jack pad in place (after I got to this point I verified all the measurements I took off the original sheet metal. Everything lined up perfectly. Awesome!).

Black Gold 380R · Jul 6, 2020

I took everything back off except the sway bar mounts and front frame rail support/jack pad. I permanently welded those in place. I then removed the radiator support.

I'm leavening the radiator support off in order to give me more access to the engine bay. I need to fill a few more holes at the back of the frame rails and I want to plug some holes in the fire wall. Then I want to body work my frame rails where I will not need to weld.

So, I feel the radiator support will just be in the way at this point. So, I'm leaving it off for now.

Here I'm checking to see if the frame rail support/jack pad is level.

I was bent over the fender apron. So, picture is crocked, but jack pad is level LOL.

Here the jack pad and sway bar mounts are permanently welded in. You can see some welding slag on the sway bar mounts. I just order a mini belt sander. Once it gets here I will be able to clean those up (this is how it will stay until I get the back part of the engine bay finished up and I get some body work completed).

Black Gold 380R · Jul 6, 2020

RANDOM PICTURE...……..

I went to my parents house this weekend and my brother was there with his car. Pretty sweet car. Too bad it's a Chevy LMAO!!!!!

Black Gold 380R · Jul 7, 2020

Okay all,

I understand this is SVTP. However, I'm not getting much interest in my build here (understandably so). Therefore, I'm moving my build over to the vintage Mustang forum. I didn't want to as I felt people may want updates faster than my build was progressing. However, I do want feedback and ideas and feel people over there probably have more experience in vintage builds.

So, if you're interested in continuing to follow this build here is the link.

Project 65 Mustang Resto-Mod Ver 2.0

I'll still check in here every so often, but for now vintage Mustang forum will be my new home until this build is done.

Have a good one my friends...………..

kazman · Jul 7, 2020

Damn dude, don't cut us out of the loop. I've been watching this when you update it. It's a fine build, keep on keepin' on!

Black Gold 380R · Jul 7, 2020

kazman said:
Damn dude, don't cut us out of the loop. I've been watching this when you update it. It's a fine build, keep on keepin' on!

Thank you Kazman. Really appreciate your comments.

Not trying to cut SVTP members out. I just felt there wasn't that much interest here in the vintage stuff.

Most here seem to really be into performance mods and not so much a resto mod build.

So, I thought my thread would get more interest on the vintage site. Then again, I could be wrong because now my build will be considered a dime a dozen lol.

Sent from my SM-G950U using the svtperformance.com mobile app

geoffmt · Jul 7, 2020

I have been silent ish watching for a while, Loving the progress, just haven’t commented much. It’s way past my skill level but I love what you’re doing

Sent from my iPhone using svtperformance.com

Black Gold 380R · Jul 8, 2020

geoffmt said:
I have been silent ish watching for a while, Loving the progress, just haven’t commented much. It’s way past my skill level but I love what you’re doing.

Thank you geoffmt! Well, if a lot of guys here are checking out my build then maybe I should reconsider.

To be honest, I posted my build over on vintage Mustang forum yesterday morning. As of this morning I have only had one comment LOL. Then again although I have been a member over there for years, I do not post much at all. So, a lot of people over there don't know me. Could be a factor...…...

kazman · Jul 8, 2020

Comments are not necessarily a true gauge of interest of a thread. I didn't comment because I have nowhere near the skills you possess, I have nothing I can add, I'm watching to learn. As I said before keep on keeping on brother.

01yellercobra · Jul 8, 2020

kazman said:
Comments are not necessarily a true gauge of interest of a thread. I didn't comment because I have nowhere near the skills you possess, I have nothing I can add, I'm watching to learn. As I said before keep on keeping on brother.

This. Just because we're not saying much doesn't mean we're not watching. Plus there isn't much for us to say really. Unless you want comments like "MORE WELD PORN!!!!!".

bigja01cobra · Jul 8, 2020

lots of lurkers who do not post this thread has 2270 views so people are paying attention just not posting. At the same time making posts takes time and if you would rather not post on two forums that makes sense. A lot of the guys who post this stuff actually are posting on social media and just copying and pasting onto the forums for those not on social media. A good build thread is always entertaining.

DSG2003Mach1 · Jul 8, 2020

Ive tried to make sure to like the posts as I enjoy seeing how it's done but I've got no useful information for you lol

01yellercobra · Jul 8, 2020

bigja01cobra said:
lots of lurkers who do not post this thread has 2270 views so people are paying attention just not posting. At the same time making posts takes time and if you would rather not post on two forums that makes sense. A lot of the guys who post this stuff actually are posting on social media and just copying and pasting onto the forums for those not on social media. A good build thread is always entertaining.

I've tried to get him to get in Instagram, but I think he's too old.

Black Gold 380R · Jul 8, 2020

kazman said:
Comments are not necessarily a true gauge of interest of a thread. I didn't comment because I have nowhere near the skills you possess, I have nothing I can add, I'm watching to learn. As I said before keep on keeping on brother.

That is true Kazman. I'm guilty of watching threads and not commenting LOL.

01yellercobra said:
This. Just because we're not saying much doesn't mean we're not watching. Plus there isn't much for us to say really. Unless you want comments like "MORE WELD PORN!!!!!".

LMAO!!! I hear you Bob. Right now that's really all I'm doing. Weld, grind, weld grind. Then more welding and grinding LMAO!!!

bigja01cobra said:
lots of lurkers who do not post this thread has 2270 views so people are paying attention just not posting. At the same time making posts takes time and if you would rather not post on two forums that makes sense. A lot of the guys who post this stuff actually are posting on social media and just copying and pasting onto the forums for those not on social media. A good build thread is always entertaining.

That's true. Guess I need to pay more attention to view count than post count

…...

DSG2003Mach1 said:
I've tried to make sure to like the posts as I enjoy seeing how it's done but I've got no useful information for you lol

I have noticed that DSG2003Mach1. I appreciate the likes and you taking the time to do that. Thank you!

01yellercobra said:
I've tried to get him to get in Instagram, but I think he's too old.

Once again you're right Bob. I'm too old and don't play well with social media LMAO!!!!

Okay you guys have convinced me. I will continue to update this thread.

Thank you all for your comments and point of view on the situation.

Black Gold 380R · Jul 14, 2020

Hello everyone,

Made some decent progress this past weekend.

I'm starting on the firewall area. So, I wanted to remove my seats (mainly to wrap them in plastic and protect them) and then I removed the front portion of the carpet to keep from setting it on fire lol.

Black Gold 380R · Jul 14, 2020

Then I got started in the engine bay. I got started on the passenger side and tried to work my way around to the drivers side.

Here is the top of the passenger side apron. Had some rot mixed in with the spot weld holes. So. I decided to cut it out. Trying to smooth out to top rails any way.

The lower part of the passenger apron had a small rot spot. Time to cut out the bad metal...….

There were two bad spots of the lower part of the firewall on the passenger side (you can see the plate my brother welded on the inside of the car. Not the right way to do it, but it kept water out). I got it cut out, but it has been upwards of 108 degrees outside. So, I didn't get a chance to patch this area yet. Sure is hard to weld in 108 degree heat with no A/C in the garage LOL...….

Here are the bad pieces I cut out. Here you can see the two bad pieces I took out of the lower firewall area.

01yellercobra · Jul 14, 2020

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

Black Gold 380R · Jul 14, 2020

Then I got started on the rear portion of the frame rails.

Picture of passenger side frame rail with factory holes.

I used my plasma cutter to cut out some plugs since the hole was too big to just try and weld it up.

All welded up and grinded out.

Drivers side finished up (Those dark spots are not holes, but spot welds. I'll use some body filler to get those covered up).

There were some built in bolts in the drivers side frame rail. Don't need them so out they come.

My friend told me about the use of Argon gas during MIG welding. So, I went and got a tank of Argon gas and hooked it up to my welder. MAN!!!! Things are so much cleaner now. Wish I would have started out welding like this. Would have made the project much easier. Oh well, live and learn.....

Black Gold 380R · Jul 14, 2020

Then it was time to start working on the firewall. Originally there are support braces that went from the shock towers to the firewall area. Well, shock towers are gone, so I wanted to shave that lip with the bolt holes off. I think it looks so much cleaner now. I still need to do more cutting/clean up in the corners. However, I wanted to get things welded up and grinded smooth. Should look pretty cool once the body work is completed.

Here is the lip with the holes I was talking about. FUGLY...…..

Here is my initial cut. There are two spots you can see I got a little over zealous with the cutting wheel. Oh well, can patch those areas up later...…...