In the restomod market, it's easy to spend beaucoup bucks on your ride.From time to time, we all throw down the bucks on the things we deemimportant. You know--the stuff that catches your imagination at thatmoment and causes you think, Ooohhh, yeah, that I gotta have; thingslike JME gauge packages, power windows, or 347 strokers. But what ifyour wallet is only good for holding lint and change? What if you have acool Ford but not a lot of cash to pitch in its direction? Believe it ornot, there are things you can do to make your ride a better place to be.
We all want the best-looking ride out there. We also want the cheapestway to get things done. While what we are about to espouse here won'tenable you to build your car completely on the cheap, the ideas willgive you some places to save money. Some of these tricks you may alreadyknow; and others, maybe not. For our young owners, most of this stuffwill be new. In either case, we want to help make your Ford the bestrestomod it can be. So dig in, and if you have some ideas send them in.We just might post them on the YO! Club site or in the magazine.
If you're wondering how to splash some salsa into your Mustang'sdecidedly vanilla interior, begin your savings (and excitement) with theinstrument panel. Think about it--what do you see most when you'redriving? Those occasional glances at the speedometer and instrumentshappen at regular intervals. Freshen up the experience with a BK Customsgauge face kit from M-Detail/The Mustang Market, (909) 686-3929.
Did you know you could install foot-area courtesy lights on your '67-'68Mustang hardtop? And did you know you could install an overhead courtesylight in your '65-'66 hardtop? The real beauty of a classic Mustang is flexibility. Ford produced one basic wiring system for hardtops,fastbacks, and convertibles, which makes it easy to install courtesylights just about anywhere. What's more, it's cheap!
If you own a '65-'66 Mustang hardtop, all you have from the factory are foot-area courtesy lamps. That's nice if you drop a dime from the front seat. But what if you need lighting at the rear seat? You can install an over head courtesy lamp, getting your power from female, pig tail connectors located throughout the vehicle. Ford even made it easy for you because there's already a screw hole in the roof line brace across the middle.
If your '67-'68 Mustang needs foot-area lighting, this is even easier than the overhead lamp for '65-'66 models. Find virtually any '60s Ford,Mercury, or Lincoln with underdash foot-area courtesy lights. Cop those puppies and attach them to the screw holes already punched into your dash board. Find the pigtail connectors on each side and plug them in.It's that easy. And it's cheap.
Find your courtesy lamps and bezels at Mustangs Etc., (818) 787-7634;www.mustangsetc.com.
Ford braking systems prior to 1967 are basically unsafe because theyhave but one hydraulic system. Bust a wheel cylinder and you lose allbraking. Only the parking brake will stop you, which is shaky at best.Beginning in 1967, a dual braking system, with two hydraulic systems,was mandated by the federal government for all U.S. vehicles. The dualbraking system isolates the front and rear brakes so that if one systemfails, the other will get you stopped.
This dual braking system concept can be applied to your '66 and earlierFord. All you need is a dual-reservoir master cylinder, and the correctsteel lines and fittings. If you have front disc brakes, you need anadjustable proportioning valve between the master cylinder and rearbrakes. Contact Master Power Brakes, (888) 251-2353; www.mpbrakes.com.