About 10 years ago I dragged the rear half of a 67 Mustang coupe home with the intention of making a trailer out of it to tow behind my 67 Fastback.  My kids were young and if we went anywhere for more than a day trip, there was no cargo space in the Fastback trunk.  The trailer was to provide additional cargo space.  I never made the trailer.  I thought about making a smoker out of it but that never happened either.  I work 60-70 hours a week so my project time is limited.  About 7 years ago I decided I would make a trike out of it and wanted to use a 2.3 Pinto motor as the power plant.  As I've stated, I had 3 Pintos between 1983-89 and always liked them and the 2.3 engine.  I looked for a Pinto and as you know, they aren't cheap and aren't plentiful.  I found the 1980 orange one 5 years ago but couldn't make the deal.  I waited 2 years, called again and this time I got for less than I originally offered.  I dragged it home but it had to wait its turn as I had other projects in front of it.  Last Fall I started doing the body work on the Mustang.  It was a rust bucket and should have gone to scrap but I like to make something useful out of junk.  I cut both quarters off, welded in new rear frame rails, new trunk floor, wheel houses, quarter panel skins, taillight panel.  When I got the Mustang to build the trailer, I didn't want the roof.  Once I started on the trike project, I realized the roof would be nice.  I contacted the guy I got it from and he still had the roof.  I acquired it last November, cut it down, and welded it back onto its original body.  That was a chore...the lead in that area made it challenging to weld it back on.  After the roof was tacked on, I put it away for the Winter and resumed in the Spring.  I sold the 82 EXP I restored between 2014-2017 that my son had no interest in so it freed up floor space now it was the Pinto's turn.  I got it to run, now the engine is out.  Next is to fab a frame and mount the Pinto Power Plant onto the frame, then resume body work.  If I can fab the frame, get the engine/tranny on the frame and get the body in epoxy primer, I will feel that I got a lot done this year.  My outdoor and garage projects end in November.  I am in the heating business so it's 7 days a week/70 hours until late March.  Here are a few pics so you can see what I'm up to...

I can't wait to see the finished product!!!


Dwayne

Tomorrow I am planning to start fabbing the frame for my project.  I have about 12" of Mustang frame from the parking brake cable mounts-forward to tie into.  I plan to use the forward leaf spring eye bolt as the positioning connection and use a couple of other bolt/nut attachment points, but then weld and add extra brackets to really make a solid connection between my "new" frame and the existing, old Mustang frame.  I am going to try to figure out a way to tie it rearward to the rear Mustang frame rails so it is completely solid.  I will send updates and likely ask for advice.

My progress:  I mocked up the firewall and trans hump to the Mustang body.  I bolted the trans mount to the tunnel to be sure I get the shifter linkage in the right position.  I removed and stripped the steering and suspension from the front frame section.  I will be grafting that into the remnants of the rear Mustang frame with c-channel and 2 x 4 square tubing.  I will bolt everything and tack weld, then drag it to a weld shop I use and let him weld everything solid.  I have a Lincoln ST-125 wire feed that is great for bodywork and light gauge steel but I want to be sure this is solid and strong.  I am going to spend part of today welding patches in the Mustang floor under rear seat section.  I want to sand down the body and spray with epoxy primer over Labor Day weekend.  My goals before November 1 is to get the frame buttoned up, the engine bolted back into frame, and the body in primer.  Then I can put it away for the Winter.  I only do oil changed and tire rotation, and emergency repairs, if needed over the Winter.  I work 7 days a week and the shop becomes a storage barn in the Winter.  It will come back out in the Spring and the build will resume.  How do I move this thread to the "Your Project" section?  I think it would be more appropriate there. 

Thank you for moving this thread.  I participated in a Back the Blue Motorcycle Run today, then another Pinto owner stopped over to look over my parts to see what he can use.  Heading back out to the shop to continue cutting/patching the rear floor area. 

Last week I took the subframe to a sandblaster to get it blasted and epoxy primed.  I hope to have it back soon so I can fab the transition from the Mustang frame to the Pinto Frame.  Over the weekend I fabricated under-seat floor patches for the Mustang section and welded them in place.  I welded the Pinto Parking brake mount in the Mustang's driveshaft hump.  I cut the Mustang parking brake cable mounts off the frame and relocated them to the underside behind the rear seat.  What was left of the cables fit perfectly to the Pinto Parking brake mechanism.  I placed the rear seat and inner quarter panels in place to see what it will look and feel like.  Of course I sat in it, pressed the accelerator and pretended to "drive" it!  Next weekend I plan to start sanding the body with a plan to spray epoxy primer Labor Day weekend.  I hope to have the subframe back by then so I can fab the transition, pin the two frame assemblies together, then take it to a welding shope and have everything welded up solidly and professionally . 

Progress:  Wire wheeled, sanded, and scrubbed the last two weekends.  Today I shot epoxy primer.  It's sealed from the elements and I can do a little body work before I put it away for the season.  The bodywork will consist of filling my welding seams and smoothing out areas that can use it.  I fabricated my transition piece to get me from the Mustang frame to the Pinto sub frame and it's at the welder's shop.  I hope to get it back this week so next weekend I can tie the two frames together, then take the whole assembly back to the welder to get everything tied together properly.  After that I can bolt the engine back into its frame and wheel it into the corner till Spring!

We had several days in the 90's this Summer with essentially no rain in Jun and into July but now were into the 70's and there will be a few straggler days in the 80's but it's all downhill from here.  I will close my pool next weekends.  It doesn't get used much after mid-August so it's a waste of electricity and chemicals to keep it open.  It's going to rain on and off all day today.y

Trike Content: It's 6:00 AM here; in a few minutes I will go out to see if the primer is full cured. 

It is so nice to see a project progress. While it seems to happen on all car forums, it seems more prevalent here that cars a bought, parts are purchased..., and little to nothing happens. People vanish into thin air. It makes me wonder what happened to all those Pinto's? Soldier on, I know you are seeing cold weather soon so here is hoping for an early spring.

I can't wait to see the finished product!


Dwayne

Today I pinned the fames together.  Tomorrow I will remove the engine from the chassis and get it ready to take to the weld shop.  I also cut off about 6" off the driveshaft tunnel.  It shortened it up a bit and allows better reach to the accelerator.    I would have gotten more done today but I spent several hours helping my son install a stupid siren system in his car.  It was against my better judgement but I was able to spend time with him and teach him some mechanical skills.  He usually fights me on everything so since he needed my "assistance" I worked on his project instead of mine. 

After being at the weld shop for a month I finally got it home a couple of weeks ago.  The Pinto and Mustang frames are married together and a caster is mounted to the crossmember so I can move it around the shop.  I re-installed the engine and tranny for floor space saving purposes.  It is in its Winter spot and I won't mess with it until at least April.  Today I made the decision that it is not going to be a trike.  Finding an appropriate motorcycle front end and then finding a shop that is willing and able to fab and mount it was going to be difficult and expensive.  I have decided to keep it a four-wheeler.  It will be an open-air, engine-exposed buggy.  Not a trike, but still a cool project.  I am going to buy a Mustang II front end kit that will provide upper and lower control arms, steering rack, tie rods, brakes, and other pieces/parts.  It will be a lot cheaper than going the MC front end route.  I will need to get my sway bar and strut rods back from the guy I gave my leftovers to.  I don't think he will have a problem with that (I hope).  I think this will be a better way to go and will ne a cool little roadster.  In retrospect, I would have done things differently if I thought about going this route than making it into a trike.  It wil come together more quickly this way.  I will post more when I get parts or get back to work on it in the Spring.

This is the kit I am going to order for my Pinto/Mustang Roadster:

https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Mustang-II-IFS-w-New-Stock-Control-Arms-Springs-Shocks-and-Spindles,35670.html

There is another kit but it has 2" drop spindles.  I think I am better off staying with the stock spindles.  If for no other reason, I think it would be better for alignment purposes, not to mention normal ground clearance.

Has anyone else bought and/or used this kit?  Was it a direct bolt on?  Was it necessary to purchase anything else?  I know it doesn't come with a sway bar so I will have to get my back that I gave away. The good news is I don't think the recipient had plans to use it so I think he'll give it back.  It appears to be a complete kit.  The one mod I will have to make is to have the rotors drilled for a 4x4.5 lug pattern.  I have no plans to change the Mustang rear end to a 5-lug so I want all 4 wheels to be the same 4-lug pattern.  I am going to use Ansen Sprint Slotted Mags on all 4 corners.

https://www.tirerack.com/wheels/WheelCloseUpServlet?target=wheelCloseUp&wheelMake=American+Racing+Authentic+Hot+Rod&wheelModel=VN69+Ansen+Sprint&wheelFinish=Polished&tab=wheels

I am thinking 15x7 in the rear with 225 60 15 tires...any advice in the front?  I am thinking a smaller, tire in the front.  I don't know if the rims come in 15x6 and not sure of the tire size...maybe a 205 60 15?  It would give it a little bit of a raked look. 

Any feedback on my change of plans or advice?  Any experience with the front suspension kit I am planning to buy?  Is there any real difference between Mustang II and Pinto?  The kit says it will fit an '80 Pinto.   I thought the trike project would be cool, but finding someone to engineer the front was going to be a challenge and registering it in the People's Republic of NY would be even harder. 

Thank you for the advice...I reached out to NY State DMV long before starting the project and I have all the info saved.  I think it's going to be easier to register now that it is going to be a 4-wheel vehicle rather than my original plan of a 3-wheel.  That would have been a bit messier.  Since my last post on this project, I ended up ordering the complete Mustang II front end kit, but rather getting the one with the stamped steel control arms, I got the one with the tubular arms.  It will be a bit sturdier.  My only concern is it is a strutless system so I don't know how camber will be adjusted?  I also order many other parts:  some for the Mustang portion and some for the Pinto portion.  I have received some already, with more coming.  I will be able to hit the ground running as soon as Spring gets here!

I've been collecting parts for the last few weeks but I won't be working on it until at least April, and maybe May depending on how the Winter goes.  In November I rearrange my shop and everything goes into its Winter spot, not to be moved until Spring.  I will attempt to attach the parts list that represents my orders and receipts to give you an idea of what's in receipt and yet to come.  Green shade means it is been received.  Yellow means it has been received, but not by me.  I wasn't allowed to ship the header to NY State but I will have it in my possession before Spring.  Unshaded means I have not yet ordered or received.  I have a few more things to order so I will have plenty of material to work with once the weather breaks.  The first mission will be to degrease and clean the underside of the Mustang, including the rear end and leaf springs, then spray epoxy primer and black paint.  Then I can start/finish bodywork and get ready for primer and paint (frame and body).  Once that is done, I can detail the engine and tranny, weld the cowl back to the firewall, and weld that assembly to the frame.  Then I can start putting everything together.  I have plenty of time for new ideas to pop into my head so there will be a plan.  Thank you for inquiring...I won't have many updates through the Winter but I will have questions and updates on which parts I have purchased or plan to purchase.