Early '65 Mustang Trans Am inspired build

I am a little hesitant to post this as I've not had a strong track record of finishing build threads or the cars featured in them.  I think this one is going to stick around though so sit tight and lets see where it goes shall we.

I have had a love affair with Mustangs since my first one in high school.  It was a 1966 Vintage Burgundy/Black interior & Vinyl top coupe with a 289 4bbl 4spd.  I loved that car, but sold it for something more practical when I got married a couple years later.  Since then Ive owned 12 or so more over the years ranging from a 65 fastback to a 96 conv.  

We had the chance to pick up a '64 1/2 coupe recently from a collector/dealer friend of mine. He had gotten the car in a multi-car deal and priced it based on it's appearance without actually giving it a good once over.

These were the pictures from the ad:

What he saw was a rust bucket that was only good as a VIN donor, and he had priced it that way. As a matter of fact, he was closing a deal with someone who wanted to use it as one when we showed up to take look at it. Luckily for us the buyer wasn't being very responsive, and we had cash in hand.

I'll admit, it has a lot of "character," but what we found when we gave it a good once over was a structurally solid car with very little rust underneath.

It's a Vintage Burgundy/Palomino "D" code Automatic coupe built the 19th of May 1964 and shipped to Los Angeles. My guess is that it probably spent a good portion of its life out there. I'd love to know its story but doubt I'll ever be able to track it down.

Here she is safely tucked away in the garage while I start collecting parts.

All of the sheet metal looks to be original to the car. Most everything still has Vintage Burgundy showing through in spots.

So the plan? Build an SCCA Trans- Am style autocross/streetcar. I want to keep as many of it's 64 1/2 features as possible. I am planning to use a full interior and she will end up Vintage Burgundy and Palomino. Brakes will get updated to disc all around and I will probably mimic the Shelby "R" suspension. That one is still up in the as is the drive line. It's going to be a push rod V8 Manual, I just need to see where the deals are when the time comes.

Looking forward to that!

What are you thinking suspension wise? As much as I love their looks, the handling does need some attention for the intended use.

Very cool.

Trans Am Mustangs are awesome

I owned a "D" code briefly...carry on !

Very cool. Especially if it were to end up with Minilite wheels or similar...

Following with interest. I love this style of stuff!

 My mom bought a '65 Mustang new with a 289, 4 barrel and with a 3-speed manual. That was the car I learned to drive in. I also did  a lot of unnecessary things to it like rebuilding the carb, making it dual points changing the steering wheel, etc. Also did some "bodywork" on it. I should have kept it.

oh and it was also Vintage Burgundy. Will watch your build with great interest (and love the Trans Am idea). 

Keeping a look out for this one, can't wait to see the progress ! I have a '65 coupe, I really don't know what I'm going to do with it, looking for some inspiration for sure . . . 

My car—everything works, everything needs work.

Can't go wrong with a first gen Mustang.  My dad's was a D code auto also.

Cool. 
 

I had an early 65-but not quite 64 1/2- coupe with Palomino interior. It had a few leftove 64 1/2 parts, but not all of them, and it was a C code car. 
 

I have a couple of questions for you.

Does your original carpet come up the sides of the inner rocker panels, or is that part vinyl?

Did this car have a hand pumped windshield washer? My car had an original Ford reservoir bag, but had a little L shaped handle mounted above the kick panel near your left foot. Lifting it up and dropping it back down made the washers spray. I haven't seen another like it, and I've never been sure if it was a 64 1/2 part or if it was aftermarket. 

I saw your post on Vintage Mustang Forums.  I'm on both sites with same screen name with my 1969 Cougar build as is wicked and his early Mustang build.  Lots of great input from both sites.   If vintage Trans Am style is your direction check out Cobra Automotive and Street or Track for inspiration and ways to destroy your savings!

In reply to Woody (Forum Supportum) :

My car still has its original carpet.  It is the early styl that uses the vinyl trim on the rocker.  It also still has one of those pieces in it.  On the windshield washer, I've never seen that arrangement on a mustang and have not read about it in any of the 64 1/2  FAQs so my guess is aftermarket.

Piguin said:

Looking forward to that!

 

What are you thinking suspension wise? As much as I love their looks, the handling does need some attention for the intended use.

Honestly, as of now I'm going to copy the Shelby "R" model suspension.  But that may change if I find budget for some trick suspension stuff

I was involved in a build that used a bunch of the open tracker parts. Amazing car for it all being stock based stuff on standerd street radials. Id seriously look at their stuff. 

In reply to sanyarcosean :

Thanks for the info. 
 

My car was within the 65 window, but it had the low carpet with the vinyl sides (which I believe was a 64 1/2 thing), along with the unpadded sun visors.   

I've never seen another windshield washer like the one I had, but it was similar enough in operation (manual pump) to the foot pump on my BIL's 68 convertible that I thought it might be a Ford accessory part that was added by the dealer. 
 

I sold this car back in 1986, but kept track of it for a while. It just sat under a tarp in the backyard of a "collector" (hoarder), and I don't think he ever did anything with it after the day that he bought it from me. It's no longer on the property, which looks like it may have been abandoned or foreclosed. Sad deal. I don't want the car back, but I'd like to take another good , long look at it. 

Enjoy your Mustang. 

In reply to sanyarcosean :

I copied the Shelby suspension mods of my later 65 fastback, but I was still kind of disappointed with it. If I were doing it again, I'd say screw authenticity, and go with modern stuff. 
 

These were pretty crude cars, and massive progress has been made. 
 

Jam a steel block LS in there with a 4L60 box hooked to a 8.8 three link rear axle. Up front install one of the road course inspired front suspensions. As much 200 tw tire as you can jam in the wells.

Leave the body alone and SendIt.

NOHOME said:

Jam a steel block LS in there with a 4L60 box hooked to a 8.8 three link rear axle. Up front install one of the road course inspired front suspensions. As much 200 tw tire as you can jam in the wells.

Leave the body alone and SendIt.

Its going to stay small block Ford. Im not a purist by any means, but in this case I may be just a little.  :-)

As for the suspension, It will be as trick as I can afford to make it.  

and in other news.....

I picked up a 60's bell housing with a T5 adapter, "Z" bar and linkage, 289/302 flywheel and clutch set tor the car.  I also have a  set of GT40 heads and clutch/flywheel set up from an old 5.0 fox project.  

I also have my build inspiration...

The one that started it all!

Description of the current color- Urban Cammo

Tried identifying the white car in the background- no joy. Any hints?

Edit- White car in question last two photos in the first post

In reply to twentyover :

Looks suspiciously like the Nelsons former Challenge Fiat.

sanyarcosean said:

and in other news.....

I picked up a 60's bell housing with a T5 adapter, "Z" bar and linkage, 289/302 flywheel and clutch set tor the car.  I also have a  set of GT40 heads and clutch/flywheel set up from an old 5.0 fox project.  

I also have my build inspiration...

The one that started it all!

That is absolutely gorgeous! And I too would go with Ford power. It would be weird to do otherwise. 

DeadSkunk (Warren) said:

In reply to twentyover :

Looks suspiciously like the Nelsons former Challenge Fiat.

It is for sure!  We've had it for a while now.  It's looking for a new home.  :-)

Cool project. I like the Trans Am style build idea. I've never been a big fan of maroon on anything, but it looks good on that last one you posted. 

I have been itching to buy an early Mustang coupe to do something similar.  What a neat car!