Rustoration of 1991 FOXBODY Mustang GT as a Cobra Clone

It gets worse before it gets better. I am digging into the wire harness and finding clipped wires, stripped and exposed wires and lots of sticky electric tape that's past it's prime. When I cleaned it up i didn't go past the master cylinder.  I split the harness that runs on the fire wall out along with the msd connections. I have to unbolt the vacuum tree and the bap sensor to pass the wires from behind them.  I will rewrap the harness with cloth wire loom.

Problem solved. So I solved the problem of the main harness stuck between the master cylinder and the strut tower. I loosened the 4 brake booster bolts above the pedal under the dash. Believe me it was a pita to do 1 handed. I was able to wedge a piece of wood in enough to wiggle the harness around the master cylinder and then tighten back the booster bolts. I had to pull the metal knee plate under the dash just to see the upper bolts and my socket and swivel got stuck on the booster bolts twice and I had to fish it out with a hanger and magnet. Finished labeling the wires and separated the headlight harness, the crash sensor, the fan relay, the ignition solenoid and the alternator wires. Now I can work the main trunk and vacuum tree away from the firewall and start cleaning and scuffing for paint. I want to move the tach signal wire to the passenger side and deloom the wires from the ecu to the coil because they route to msd box which is inside the car close to the ecu. Honestly

Wires are pulled back on the passenger side to the fire wall. On the drivers side I got to the master cylinder and the harness is stuck. I have to de loom it to pass it between the master cylinder and strut tower. Also the msd box wires, the electric fan and the fog light relay are merged with the main loom on the drivers side. I will try to deloom the main harness because I don't want to pull the master cylinder for fear it's leaking. I'll add that to the list of brake parts needed.

Let the engine bay cleanup begin. I decided to pull the entire harness and clean and paint the engine bay. Then a wire tuck.

Stripped K-member, treated with phosphoric acid and applied rust converter. I started wire wheeling the underside but holding the grinder with my left only became tiresome so it needs more. I also went to remove the rear quad shock and strut, but with 1 hand I just don't have the strength. I want to do this, to pull the exhaust and fix the mid pipe on the drivers side. It has rusted out at the ball flange. I did install the spring compressors so when i do have 2 hands the job should be cake.

Started cleaning the k-member. 20 min of flat disc-ing. I attempted paint stripper but its to much of a pita and just won't work for the shape of the part and space. I also have hamburger disc and a knotted wire cup brush to try. Id love to get inside the frame but without surgery it not going to happen. 

Door is on and adjusted. Because I only have 1 hand, a thanks to joe for helping me get it on. I adjusted it by wedging the lower hinge with a piece of scrap and using the jack with some wood to lift it about a half inch above where I wanted it. The striker needs another 1/8 inch of depth but it's right there. I also sealed up a small crack in the rubber wire tube with some gasket sealer.

Today I using a process to treat rust. It may change in the future but this is the present procedure. 1. assessment, if it's weak, through or you can not access it, you need to cut. I find weld through primers are weak and don't last. The white iron phosphate, black phosphate or black oxide created chemically is better rust prevention and does not seem to add porosity to welds. Small parts that fit in a 5 gallon bucket get wire wheeled and an overnight soak in 50% vinegar 50% water bath and hosed off. I am considering a 55 gallon drum to do this in the future but haven't found a part that needs this that i am willing to tackle. Control arms, i have my eye on you... 2. Bring the rust and paint down to the point you can chemically treat the area and you are sure none is hiding under paint. Wire wheel, wire knotted cup brush, Flap disc, roloc discs. Occasionally carbide shanks and cone sanding shanks. 3. Choose your chemical weapon. I like phosphoric acid in liquid and gel

I applied the 2nd top coat to the A pillar and dug into the door hinges which have some pitting and rust. I think i need to go back in with naval jelly. I find it stronger but doesn't leave any protection on the metal like the phosphoric acid. This is all in preparation to hang the door so I can make some room to do work on the exhaust and rear end. Untreated hinges  Hinges after phosphoric acid treatment and sprayed with rust preventative paint  hinges top coated with por15 top coat chassis  passenger A pillar after rust treatment, rust preventative paint primer sealer and por15 top coat  Thread chasing the door hinge mounting plates after stripping them out of primer, chemical rust treating, rust preventative paint and por15 top coat The door hinge bolts before getting put in a vinegar bath overnight.  passenger A pillar with the hinge mount plates installed and 1 new bolt

Cleaned up the minor rust on the lower strut tower and started cleaning k-member which looks like it has some por15 on it that wasn't done right. It sticks well to the paint and is rather difficult to remove. But you need to treat rust before using it or the rust just grows underneath. Next year I think I may change out the entire k member or stick it and the control arms in vinegar for a few days. I want to fab up an engine support beam for that project.

A little side project I decided to do. A subbox for the garage. Basically I have a half dozen computer psu's laying around from old recycled computers. I also have an old subbox I built ages ago with a set of radioshack 10inch sub's in it and a little 125 watt pioneer amp. Honestly I never thought i would play with it again after it went into storage. I connected the green psu wire to a black ground and it powered right on running 12.6v on all the yellow wires. I twisted all the black wires together and all the yellow wires for power. I jumped the control port on the amp to the 12v power and it works great. Needs some zip ties but it should make a nice little bass kick. I will run analog input to the amp until i can grab wire to rca adaptor plugs.  

Today was very productive despite the broken thumb. I finished painting primer sealer on the underside of the floor pan. I cleaned the passenger wheel well strut tower and painted it with rust inhibitor primer. I started scrapping and cleaning the k member of grease and rust.

Spent the afternoon prepping, painting the underside with rust preventive paint. Applying primer sealer to the interior and A pillar. I also pulled the radiator and washed the crude off and rinsed it. Next is to primer sealer under carriage. Clean and remove rust from the k member, lower frame rails and radiator support.

The great battle of the seat belt bolt was won. After trying 4 different ways of removing this annoying bolt over 3 sittings, I had to take a drill and tap to it and some still remains in the hole. I sliced the head and hit  it with a old school impact driver from the top and the bottom, cut the channel wider and stuck a piece of angle iron with a pipe wrench into it. I welded a bolt to it and the bolt sheared in the middle, not even at the weld. I hammered a socket over the bolt and that just removed material. I heated it up until the paint around it bubbled. Finally I just used a 1/4 drill bit and went through it and then a 3/8 bit which is the largest I can go with a small chuck drill. Then a 7/16 tap with a 1/4 inch socket extension upsidedown to get the clearance to actually turn the tap.