Project Mustang. Larry Lyles
• Dual action (DA) sander: used to sand or remove old paint
• Mini dual action sander: allows access to difficult-to-reach areas as well as allows finite smoothing of paint nibs once the finish has been applied
• Mini grinder: takes the place of a larger, more cumbersome, full-size grinder
• Right angle polisher/grinder: allows access to difficult-to-reach areas requiring grinding or polishing
Body repair tools that operate only under manual labor include an assortment of sanding blocks. Common sizes include:
• 16-inch block: used on huge flat panels to sand plastic body filler
• 8-inch block: used for sanding plastic body filler and to sand smaller flat panels and lightly curved surfaces
• 5-inch block: used for sanding plastic body filler and to sand small areas on flat panels and deeply contoured panels
• 16-inch primer block: used to sand primer and surfacer and to sand large flat surfaces; has a padded sanding surface
• 8-inch primer block: used to sand primer and surfacer on smaller flat panels and to sand lightly curved surfaces; has a padded sanding surface
• Soft foam block: used to sand primer and surfacer; can be used to sand small areas but works best when used on highly curved or contoured surfaces
• Round finish sanding block: the round design allows this soft foam block to accept most 1000-, 1500-, and 2000-grit finish sanding discs when sanding clear coats
Once the right tools are in hand, the next consideration is supplies. Here is a list of body repair supplies taken from the Norton line of sanding and prepping products (part numbers are included):
• Norton 40-grit File Paper #23615 and Norton 80-grit File Paper #23614: the 3½ x 18–inch sandpapers are used for block sanding plastic body filler; start with the 40 grit and finish with the 80 grit
• Norton 180-grit roll #31687 and 320-grit roll #31683: 3½-inch-wide rolls of sandpaper that are used primarily for block sanding. The 180 grit allows you to quickly cut and level large primed panels and prep them for repriming, whereas the 320 grit is used as a finishing sandpaper prior to applying the final seal coat.
• Norton 80-grit DA sandpaper #31480, 80-grit sanding disc #31481, 180-grit DA sandpaper #31477, and 320-grit sandpaper #31473: 6-inch-round discs that can be used for many tasks, including removing old paint (80 grit), feathering back old paint around repair areas (180 grit), and final sanding areas not requiring primer (320 grit)
• Speed-Lok grinding disc #38675 and Speed-Lok disc #9185: grind and clean difficult to reach areas
• Bear-Tex Scuff Pads #58000: use anywhere light sanding is needed
• PSA 1000- and 1500-grit discs #31552, #31550: for final sanding clear coats
• ¾-inch-wide masking tape #2492: masks off panels or areas of the car not being painted
The result of using the above-mentioned supplies is the need for a top-quality line of refinishing products. For those, I’ve turned to PPG Automotive Refinishing. I’ll explain the necessary additives and mixing ratios once I am ready to use the products. Here is a list of the primary products I’ll be using on this project:
PHOTO 6: Norton body repair supplies. Left to right: 40-grit sandpaper; 80-grit sandpaper; 3-inch, 24-grit sanding disk and arbor; 3-inch cutoff wheels (for use with a die grinder); 24-grit, 5-inch grinder disk; ¾-inch-wide masking tape; structural adhesive; assorted DA sandpaper including 80, 180, and 320 grits; assorted rolled sandpaper including 80, 180, and 320 grits; and a box of scuff pads.
PHOTO 7: PPG professional grade refinishing products. Left to right, top to bottom: DCU 2002 clear, D8072 sealer, D8005 primer/surfacer, DP74LF epoxy primer, DBI black, and BC base coat.
• PPG DCU 2002 Concept Polyurethane Clear: a high quality clear coat used for overall spray applications chosen simply on the merit of my experience with the product
• PPG 2K Chromatic Sealer D8085: a dark gray sealer designed for use over D8005 chromatic 2K AChromatic Surfacer, which is also part of the PPG Global refinishing system
• D8005 2K A-Chromatic Surfacer: a light gray primer/surfacer taken from the PPG Global Re-finishing System and used to cover the epoxy coated surfaces as well as all areas of the vehicle that have been filled or repaired
PHOTO 8: DeVilbiss GFG 670 Plus gravity feed spray gun and the DeVilbiss Sri 630 mini-spray gun.
• PPG DP74LF Epoxy Primer: an epoxy primer that is red oxide in color to match the base primer coat color Ford applied to the vehicle during manufacturing
• Base color coats: colors selected for this car are PPG Global BC #43644 Augusta green poly, and PPG Deltron 2000 DBI 9600 black
For applying the above listed paint products, I’ve selected the following spray guns:
• DeVilbiss GFG 670 Plus spray gun: comes with three different spray tips, 1.2, 1.3, and 1.4 mm and requires 9 cfm at 30 psi when spraying clear coats
• DeVilbiss Sri 630 mini–spray gun: ideal gun for getting into all those tight areas
• Binks M1-G HVLP spray gun: primarily used to spray primer coats and base color coats
SOME GROUND RULES
Total restorations begin from the ground up, and normally that means finding a good working height for the car itself. But in this case, the car is air conditioned, and that means before the car can be disabled and placed on jack stands, the system must be checked by a qualified air conditioning service center to determine if it still holds a charge (many old systems are not charged because of their age). If charged, the service center will drain the system using the appropriate capture equipment. This is not a do-it-yourself operation. Air conditioning system repair requires specific equipment used by certified technicians. Most important, these systems must never be drained into the atmosphere. It is illegal and extremely harmful to the planet.
The good news is that this air conditioning system contains R-12 Freon worth between $30.00 and $90.00 per pound once collected and cleaned. I’ll use that as a bartering chip, I hope, to make a trade with the repair station.
With the car back at the shop, my first step will be to disconnect the battery. My next step will be to place this car at a comfortable working height. I stand about six feet tall, so 18 inches off the floor is about right for me. Depending upon your height, you may want the car positioned either higher or lower. To achieve that height, I’ll set the car on jack stands. To ensure a degree of safety, I’ll also add a 12 x 12 x 1–inch thick wooden platform under each jack stand to prevent the steel jack stands from slipping on the hard concrete floor. Normally, jack stands are placed under the suspension components just inboard of each wheel to properly support the vehicle. But since I will be removing the suspension from this car in the near future, that placement won’t work.
A Mustang is a unibody vehicle, meaning this car doesn’t have a bolt-on frame assembly supporting the drivetrain and suspension components, so placing the jack stands under the frame assembly is out. What I can do is place the jack stands under the unibody frame rails to give the car sufficient support without having the jack stands in the way once I’m