Always good when a DMV story turns out right. Glad it worked out for you.

Ain't that the truth!?!?!?

So there you have it....an off-season progress report. 

Way to go!!!

Dwayne

I picked up my seat today.  Overall it came out pretty nice.  The upholstery shop owner did say that the seat cover material was pretty crappy quality and wasn't completely satisfied with the way it came out.  It looks fine to me and this isn't supposed to be a pristine show car anyway.  He had to modify it by cutting a slit in the center for the parking brake lever to protrude through.  On a Mustang, the parking brake is under the dash and pulls rearward.  I cut the Pinto parking brake well out of the area between the front seats and welded it into the Mustang driveshaft tunnel between the rear seats.  Since that isn't where it normally would have been, the seat cover needed a slit cut.  He did a nice job of building up material around the slit to create more integrity.  As a side note, it was almost impossible to find rear seat-only upholstery for a Mustang.  I had no need for the front seat upholstery as there are no front seats in this ride (will be driven from the rear seat) so I didn't want to buy an entire kit.  What I found wasn't high quality, and not even a proper reproduction with correct ribbing, but it was all I could find so that's what I got.  Take a look below.  I have the interior quarter panels but they are green and not ready to be installed.  I hope Winter is over soon so I can get back on this project...

Yep, thanks...good enough for me!  I got the seat frames from an old, defunct junkyard and the original covers were blue and in terrible shape.  The burlap was rotted and vinyl ripped and cracked.  I did a little fabbing and welding on the frames and now with the new padding and seat covers, they are WAY BETTER! 

I can't remember who I bought it from...I bought it 2-3 years ago.  I have the packing slip and/or invoice in my project folder.  I can look it up.  The upholstery guy was pointing out deficiencies that are noticeable if you look for them but it's good enough for this project. 

Still snowing here in Upstate NY, but Spring starts tomorrow so it's a matter of time.  I plan to rearrange the shop mid to late April so I can start working on it again.  I am looking forward to getting back on it and getting it running and roadworthy over the course of the Summer.  I know my wife will want me to do other things, but this project is high on my list to get done.  I envy those of you that have nice weather year 'round and can can play with your toys whenever you want!  Hopefully soon I will be making more regular progress reports, and requests for advice and help...

I finally spent a little time on my project after a long Winter!  I didn't do much but it's the first progress since November unless you count replacing the right side motor mount in January and getting the car registered in my name in November or December. 

So today my progress was to permanently mount the steering rack.  I won't re-hash all the details but late last Fall I had to order longer mounting bolts as the T-Bird rack requires spacers between the rack and crossmember.  By the time they came in I had already pushed the car into its Winter spot.  I had to cut about 3/4" off the right side bolt as it would have hit the bellhousing by the starter. 

Next on the list is routing and installing the power steering hoses.  Fair warning...I may be asking for guidance in routing them.  I can't remember how they were routed when I disassembled the car.  Something that has to be done first is to get the hose ends at the rack end cut off and converted to AN-6 flare (female).  The originals are o-ring bubble flare and the T-bird rack has flare adapters.  I don't want to buy hoses, pump or rack so the easiest thing to do is get the hose ends modified.  Hopefully the local hydraulic shop can do it.  The former shop owner (retired) says they can do it. 

When I go to install, I will likely need guidance on hose routing.  I'm glad to be back on it. I hope to make good progress this Summer. 

Yesterday I dropped off my power steering lines and today I picked them up.  Flare ends were installed at the rack end, just like I needed!  I loosely fit them to the rack and the pressure line to the pump and the return to where the cooler will mount.  The routing seems odd.  the pressure line essentially goes vertical from the rack, then to the left, then turns inboard to the pump.  I don't remember how they ran when I disassembled the car so maybe they are correct.  Since there is no inner fender to attach them to, it may make them look like they are routed incorrectly.  As long as they don't leak or impinge on anything else, I will be pleased.  I don't think I will get much time on it this weekend.  I have some other must do chores on Saturday and Sunday will be devoted to Mother's Day:  Mom, Wife, and Mother In Law. 

I JUST REPLACED THE WHOLE STEERING SYSTEM ON MINE. `NEW ' RACK , PUMP AND ALL HOSES AND OUTER TIE RODS.THE OLD RACK FELL RIGHT OUT BUT THE NEW RACK WOULD NOT GO IN UNTIL I RAISED MOTOR UP .THE BODY WAS CONSIDERABLY LARGER DIAMETER.I MADE A BLEED TOOL OUT OF A 2 INCH RUBBER FREEZE PLUG ``PICTURED ''. PURGED ALL THE AIR OUT WITH MY VACUUM PUMP AT 45 LBS,CYCLED THE WHEEL A COUPLE TIMES,WORKS JUST PERFECT.DRIVES GREAT!

THEY ARE ALL STOCK REPLACEMENT PARTS ,THE NEW RACK FITS PINTOS & MUSTANG IIS WITH 1 3/4 INPUT SHAFT LGTH.

I catch a lot of military shows on Smithsonian Channel. As I get old it makes me grateful that I was never called to fight. So many died young. My older brother did two tours of duty in Vietnam. One with sentry dogs and one on river boat patrol. Thankfully he made it back and also survived a career as a Federal Agent (he was Military Police in the Army). Both the draft and the Vietnam war ended just before I graduated HS in 1975. I had considered the military given the peacetime aspects but I had to have surgery right out of high school due to a track injury and my life took its own course from there.