Alright, let’s talk about the ’67 Eleanor project. It’s been quite the journey, not just a weekend thing, you know?
Getting the Ball Rolling
So, it all kicked off with finding a car. Not just any Mustang, needed a ’67 fastback. Spent weeks, maybe months, scrolling through ads, visiting barns, garages. Saw a lot of junk people were calling ‘restorable’. Finally landed one. Looked okay-ish on the surface, decent frame rails, but knew it would need stripping down completely. Handed over the cash, got it towed back to my garage. That’s where the real fun, or pain, began.
The Teardown Phase
First job: take it all apart. Pulled the engine, transmission, interior, glass, trim – everything. Bagged and tagged bolts and bits, thinking I was being super organized. Spoiler: still ended up with mystery screws later on. Stripped it down to a bare metal shell sitting on jack stands. Found the usual hidden rust spots in the floor pans, cowl, quarters. Nothing too shocking for a car this old, but still more work.
Bodywork and That Famous Kit
This was the long haul. Had to cut out the rusty metal, weld in new patches. Floor pans, torque boxes – standard stuff. Then came fitting that Eleanor body kit. Let me tell you, fiberglass kits straight out of the mold? They don’t just bolt on perfectly. Lots of trimming, grinding, fitting, taking it off, more grinding. It felt like sculpting, but with more dust and itching.
- Shaping the hood scoop.
- Getting the side scoops aligned.
- Making the fender flares sit right.
- Endless filling and sanding to blend it all in.
There were days I just stared at a panel wondering how I’d make it fit right. Almost gave up on the side exhausts fitting neatly through the skirts. Just patience and persistence, I guess. And a fair bit of fiberglass resin.
Engine and Guts
Didn’t go completely crazy here. Wanted something reliable that sounded right. Found a good Ford V8 block, had it rebuilt. Nothing too exotic, just solid performance. Dropped it in with a manual transmission – gotta have that third pedal. Getting the headers to clear everything in that tight engine bay was tricky. Needed some ‘persuasion’ with a hammer in a couple of spots, don’t tell anyone. Upgraded the brakes and suspension too, obviously. Needed it to stop and handle better than it did in ’67.
Paint Job Saga
Prep work is everything, they say. And they’re right. Seemed like 90% of the paint job was sanding. Block sanding the whole body until my arms felt like noodles. Primer, guide coat, more sanding. Finally, it was smooth. Laid down the Pepper Gray Metallic. Seeing that color flow onto the body was a huge milestone. Then came taping off those Le Mans stripes. Man, that took forever to get perfectly straight and evenly spaced. Sprayed the black, peeled the tape… relief!
Putting it Back Together
This is where it starts looking like a car again. Wiring was… an adventure. Chasing down electrical gremlins is not my favorite hobby. But got the new dash in, gauges working, lights hooked up. Installing the glass without scratching the paint or breaking the windshield requires steady hands and maybe a prayer. Bolted on the grille, the distinctive center lights, mirrors, door handles. Fitted the interior – seats, carpet, headliner. Put the wheels and tires on. Rolled it out of the garage for the first proper look.
The Finish Line?
So, there it is. It runs, it drives, it looks the part. Is it perfect? Nope. Still got a few rattles to chase, maybe tune the carb a bit more. These projects are never truly ‘finished’, are they? Always something to tinker with. But firing it up, hearing that V8 rumble through the side pipes, taking it for a spin… yeah, it feels pretty darn good. It was a long road, lots of late nights, busted knuckles, and moments of doubt. But we got there. Now, just gotta enjoy it.
