Chuck's Garage

There is a lot of pre-planning to move a car that has not moved in several decades. This was my first concern and a source of great motivation to throw myself into the history and mechanics of a 55 year old car. As an amateur shade-tree mechanic I’ve performed oil changes, brake jobs, and minor repairs to the entire fleet vehicle’s I’ve ever owned.  All the way up to rebuilding a V-8 boat engine with marginal success, so I am no stranger to mechanical theory. Just not as skilled as an undertaking such as this requires within the scope of a car restoration from top to bottom and front and back.

Once we had decided we were all in on this car, I started absorbing as much information as possible on the car, its history and its systems. I bought a Hayne’s Mustang Restoration manual that outlines a full restoration in text and detailed photos, made even more perfect by their use of a 1965 Mustang Convertible as their project car. So here was a writ in perfect context to my own project, a nod from the universe that made me feel a little more comfortable with the journey we decided to take. While I might not have the know-how, I can follow step by step instructions made even more understandable with photos. I sought out and joined a few Facebook groups such as ‘1965-66 Mustang Restoration’. At my fingertips is the collective knowledge of over 10k members, some helpful and some not so helpful. For example, the guy that posted a picture of his wife, or girlfriend or daughter in booty shorts standing seductively next to his Mustang when I asked a question about side view mirrors.

Through this group I discovered there is a factory manual that details every system, every part and how to remove, repair or replace it. I also discovered there is no shortage of parts suppliers which will be nice when replacement parts are needed. Some folks comment about their favorite suppliers and fuss about the one’s they don’t like. I was fortunate to find there is a large, reputable Mustang supplier just down the road a short distance, close to Lexington, KY. When I visited their website they offered a free catalog of their inventory by mail, of which I requested. Something for this restoration that doesn’t cost me a dime, already saving money.

I also found a book that was about the development and history of the first generation Mustangs called “Ford Mustang, The First Generation” by Clive Branson. I read it cover to cover in a weekend at the lake in early summer 2020. I also spent a lot of nights in bed watching YouTube videos about anything Mustang. Reviews, documentaries, rebuilds, restorations, repairs, and the subcategories of each. A vast collection of videos to complete the sentence, “How do I ______?” Quite a few nights were spent up later that I should have been learning how to replace a wheel hub, how to rebuild an engine or get an engine started after years of sitting. Each video led to the next, and it’s easy to tailspin into a vortex of informational videos on YouTube. With every video I gained a little knowledge, and my fingers ached in anticipation of getting dirty. I was getting more and more excited to get working on this car.

Because of my absolute intrigue in this subject, I soaked in information as fast as I could gather it. Digital resources make it even easier to access on demand, with the ability to be mid-project and Googling something when you get stuck on an issue as I have often done.

I started formulating a master plan for the restoration and attempting to categorize each project, assign a cost to it, and if it’s something needed or wanted. My though process was to have a reasonable outline of what to expect and how to go about it. There is a list of hundreds of little projects that make up the whole restoration, and likely that many more I haven’t even thought of. Within this process, the internal dialogue gets turned up and I found myself constantly deviating from my current thought into another one. I don’t have the headspace to retain these mental lists, so why not a giant ass Excel spreadsheet! Perfect. This made it easy to create tabs with all these induvial projects such as ‘Wheels & Tires’, ‘Convertible Roof’, and ‘Power Steering Conversion’. I tracked parts prices to keep a running total of expenses and included hyperlinks to parts and equipment I have found on the internet. I needed an organized and consolidated space for all this and that is exactly what I created. Now time to save the file, but what should save it as? Certainly not ‘New Workbook’, had to be a little more descriptive and flashy. I thought for a moment and started typing, ‘Project Babs’.

I was keeping myself busy while my uncle was clearing out his garage and making the car assessable so we could move it to her new home. With the Corona virus and the associated quarantine, combined with a hectic working from home schedule, there was less time to think about the car. But I managed to fill in any gaps with mentally escaping to a not yet constructed garage and slowly and gracefully sitting down in the warn bucket seat. Gently turning the ignition key, dropping the gear selector into drive, releasing the brakes and cruising out into the world. It was a bit of escapism, which was much needed with added stress with work and living in a pandemic. In a text exchange early on with my older brother we outlined a ‘recon’ trip to the garage to better evaluate the condition of the mechanics of the car specific to the parts needed to roll, steer and stop the car. The holy trinity of sorts in starting a car restoration. I already knew the tires were flat and older than my college aged son, so I had already been formulating a plan for wheels and tires. There was a concern about the brakes being stuck, rusted together in a concoction of steel, rust and dust from the years of inactivity. Even with manual steering, I had no idea what to expect when it came time to turn the steering wheel.

In September, the garage was cleared out enough to access the car and I hit the send button on a text to my brother, it was ‘GO’ time. We had a lunchtime phone call the day before to coordinate a plan, and mostly I wanted to know what to expect. My brother, a career mechanic, already had a full plan at the ready complete with a list of tools needed and tools needed when it doesn’t work at first try. We met after work at my uncle’s house on a slightly overcast Friday that was cooler than normal for early September.

We, and by ‘we’ I mean my brother, got to work right away. My uncle had already put air into the right side tires and by the luck of the Mustang Gods were holding air. The left side tires were presenting a great challenge. The left side tires were an old pair of snow tires that were so pancaked they kept their deformed, square like shape that looked like they had melted to hot asphalt as we jacked up the car. Absolutely no hope of putting air in these bad boys. They were in such bad shape that just by looking at them we knew they were not going to do what we wanted them to do, which is roll. Square tires are good a keeping cars in place which was opposite of what we were trying to accomplish that day. There was a spare tire in the trunk and after some attempts to put air into it we successfully were able to fill it with air, and for the moment it appeared to be keeping air inside the tire. We, again I mean my brother, was able to pull the front tires off and with relative ease got the front wheel hubs to move, that’s a good thing. We left two of the ‘good’ tires on the front and moved the jack around to the back.

Let me tell you specific feature of the 1965 Mustang, it’s length from front to back. When it was built, it was built as a small, sporty car to resemble the European sports cars of the day, cars like MG and Triumphs. The long hood and short deck was a popular styling in the 60’s and coined the term ‘Pony Car’. These European cars looked like they could fit in your pocket. In the 60’s the term ‘small’ is equivalent to the current length of a modern day SUV. The 1965 Mustang is 15 ½’ long, this is not a short car by any means. Put that 15 ½’ car in a garage that is 18’ which requires the nose of the car nearly pressed up against the inside wall of the garage. Needless to say this was the situation we were up against. We needed to move the car back some to give us a little more room and get around to the front of the car to lift the hood up. Not that we planned to do any engine work, just look at it. The guys reading this will get it, it’s an instinct to lift the hood of a car and stare inside. Especially when it’s a 289 cubic inch, carbureted V-8 motor.

We lifted the rear axle at the center differential to get both rear wheels off the ground and used the floor jack wheels to help facilitate movement off the wall. My cousin and I each took a fender in hand while my brother manned the jack at the rear of the car. One-two-three grab and push. With unexpected ease the car rolled backwards at our command with very little resistance which likely was from the heavy-duty caster wheels on the floor jack. I’m surprised the car did not shoot out of the garage at the speed of light given the death grip we had on the car and the amount of muscle we were at the ready to put into her, prepared to move an unmovable object. None of us said it, but I think we all expected it was going to take the force of entire football squad to push this 2,500 sled back a foot and a half. The car moved and that is a good sign.

Starting with the left rear wheel, using a long ½” ratchet as a breaker bar pressed between the wheel lugs for leverage, a tap or two with a hammer and round the wheel hub went, success. At this point 3 out of 4 wheels had turned and down to the last one. Approached with the same method, breaker bar pressed between lugs, a heavy heave from the upper body. No movement. Into the toolbox for some lubricant and a bigger hammer, tools found in every mechanics tool boxes, regardless of skill level. After some additional taps with the hammer and more lubricating spray we achieved some rotation with force, which is enough needed to move the car.

This left steering and brakes to evaluate. Reaching into the door, I grabbed the wheel and gave it a little twist and the steering wheel twisted with free and unrestricted movement. That is another good sign. To this point we have successfully made the car able to roll and steer, now to stop it. Brakes need brake fluid to act as a means to transfer the force of stepping on the brake pedal to the brake drums. When this car was manufactured power brakes were an option on most of them and the 1965 Mustang was no different. This car did not have power brakes. In fact, one of the key selling points of this car was the expanse of options one could select when purchasing. With the Mustang, Ford was introducing a whole new way to buy cars with letting the buyer select the features and options they wanted, at an additional cost mind you. Features such as a front bench seat, if you wanted to snuggle with you honey while driving, deluxe interior features such as embossed interior seats and a entire slurry of engine sizes and options. There were three body options available in 1965, the hardtop, the 2+2 fastback and the convertible, which is what my Mustang is. While the 2+2 fastback has been a more sought-after body style made famous by Steve McQueen in the 1968 movie Bullitt, there were actually fewer convertible manufactured in 1965. Making our project car the most rare of the three body styles with only 13% being made as convertibles.

We were able to pull off the cap of the brake master cylinder and it was not a surprise that the once full brake fluid reservoir was empty and only some gunky slime-like gel remained. My brother filled the reservoir with new brake fluid and gave the brakes a dozen or so pumps to build up pressure. No luck, pressure didn’t build up and we didn’t have a brakes to use to help slow any movement of the car. Time for plan B, check the hand brake and use this to help slow the car once we get to moving it. A pull on the hand lever yielded good, firm resistance and that will have to do for now. Thankfully the topography of the car’s current and future home is relatively flat and level, but no joy rides for now.

I loaded up the flat snow tires in my truck to have the wheels replaced at a shop close to my home, while my brother cleaned up and loaded his tools into his truck. At this point it was getting close to 8:00pm and with the overcast skies, sunset came early. We said our goodbyes as we go into our cars and headed for home for dinners and time with our families.

On the way home I reflected on the past few hours and what we accomplished. I recall thinking that it went easier that I had expected. We did not uncover any major obstacles that would impede our plan to have the car towed to its new home. I was thankful that it went smoother that I expected. I began to think of holding onto that front fender, at the ready to put all my force into a car that likely didn’t want to roll. And just a soon as any force was applied, she rolled with grace, just like my aunt. I was driving down 75 South towards Kentucky getting emotional about a car moving a foot. I took it as a sign; this car is willing to move as long as it’s shown love. Handle it with the loving care my aunt showed the world.

That made me feel better and even more excited about starting this restoration.