For a long time, we've heard rumors about a new classic-Mustang body coming from Dynacorn Classic Bodies. Based in Oxnard, California, Dynacorn has over 20 years of manufacturing experience and is already famous for its '67 and '69 replacement Camaro-body offerings. Now Ford has issued its blessing, and the rumors have become fact as Dynacorn introduces its '67 Mustang Replacement Restoration Body Shell, PN MS67FB. This body is a beautiful replication of the original '67 Mustang fastback and a fitting tribute to that Ford-designed masterpiece.
Besides being a faithful copy of the original car, many significant improvements have been incorporated into the new body. Forty years of service has shown where reinforcement might best be applied to the original Mustang body, and Dynacorn has made these changes. Dynacorn engineers also elected to construct the new body with thicker-than-stock steel in many crucial areas, such as the floorpan, firewall, quarter-panels, and roof. Other improvements were based on parts designed by Ford but not employed specifically on the '67 Mustang fastback. For example, the new body has the seat pan of a '67 convertible and the shock towers of a '69 big-block car.
Dynacorn has taken all of the best ideas and incorporated them into one body shell. Combined, these structural improvements bolster the original design, paying off in improved strength and rigidity. For racers or cars with big engines, this structural enhancement is especially desirable. The body retails for $15,500, which includes the trunk lid and door shells, plus a $495 crate fee. The buyer pays shipping.
Autoworks International in El Cajon, California, is an up-and-coming leader in the high-performance classic-Ford world. That's why Dynacorn chose this company to receive one of the first Mustang replacement restoration bodies for this story. The Speed Channel television show Chop Cut Rebuild has also chosen Autoworks for the on-site production of its program, which will detail the buildup of the Autoworks/Dynacorn car.
Follow along as Matt Couper walks us around both the new body and then an original '67 Mustang fastback. We'll find out more about the new improvements and what they look like. In months to come, we'll look in on this interesting project to see how it's coming along. As soon as we know the production schedule for the episodes of Chop Cut Rebuild, we'll post that information on our Web site and in an upcoming issue.
This is what the new Dynacorn...
This is what the new Dynacorn Mustang body looks like when it arrives. The body is bolted down solidly in the center of the steel-frame cage. There are provisions for a forklift on three sides.
Here's a front shot of the...
Here's a front shot of the replacement restoration body shell, free of the cage and up on dollies so that the project can be wheeled around. It's strange to see a '67 Mustang body shell in such a pristine condition.
This tag is displayed prominently...
This tag is displayed prominently on the new delivery to remind the recipient of the product's Blue Oval heritage. We loudly applaud Ford for allowing the Dynacorn project to go forward. Certainly the '67 Mustang fastback is a milepost in Ford history that is worthy of immortality.
Here's a typical example of...
Here's a typical example of what you might find from a classified ad. Any vintage-Mustang fastback in one piece is worth preservation, but this car may need $15,000 of repair and paint work just to catch up to the new body. We'll use this original '67 Mustang for comparison.
The original '67 fastback...
The original '67 fastback floorpan looks like this. Each seat has its own separate pan mounted to the floor. This individual seat-pan arrangement is fine for mounting seats but does little to enhance floorpan rigidity.
On the Dynacorn body, it's...
On the Dynacorn body, it's easy to see the seat pan is different than the stock-bodied car. This part is a single platform spanning the width of the floor, with the heavy ribbing over the driveline hump adding to the strength of the chassis. Ford used this seat pan only in the Mustang convertible and not on the enclosed versions of the car. This robust component contributes greatly to the overall chassis rigidity.
While over at the Dynacorn...
While over at the Dynacorn body, we put the camera underneath the car for a look. Behind the front wheels are these sturdy torque boxes on both sides. Borrowed from the '68 Mustang design, the boxes even have gussets to further reinforce the structure.
Back at the wheelhouse of...
Back at the wheelhouse of the original Mustang, it's easy to see the void left by the absent torque box. The torque boxes were used on convertibles but not on the fastback. While this arrangement is fine for a 289 or 302, the extra reinforcement provided by the boxes would be a welcome addition to a car with a 390 or 428.
Shock towers are another important...
Shock towers are another important structural area that should be closely examined. The towers can bend and, without the help of a Monte Carlo bar, travel inward over the years. After 40 years of service, the shock towers can also develop cracks that are difficult to see. Big-block engines and hard use accelerate the process. The previous owner of this car didn't help matters any by cutting open the shock tower with a blow torch just to lubricate the control-arm cross-shaft.
On the Dynacorn body, the...
On the Dynacorn body, the shock towers are patterned after the '69 big-block version. Notice how another separate layer of steel jackets the base of the tower, resulting in a much more rigid assembly. This reinforcement also found its way onto Shelby Mustangs built during the period.
When we look into the trunk...
When we look into the trunk of the old body shell, we find the standard '67 hinges and a torsion bar to hold open the trunk. The hinges often break, and after time, the bar becomes too weak to support the weight of the trunk lid.
In the back of the Dynacorn...
In the back of the Dynacorn body, the trunk hinges are of much heavier construction and patterned after the '68 hinge. The trunk-lid support mechanism has been changed to a coil spring. The weak and rattle-prone torque arm is gone.
The original 1010 automotive-grade...
The original 1010 automotive-grade steel used by Ford has been supplanted by universal-grade 1006 automotive steel. The new steel is an improved formula with fewer impurities, and it also has better welding characteristics. As we have heard, thicker-than-stock steel was used in the construction of the new Dynacorn body-let's have a look. Here, the core support on our original car shows a thickness of 0.037 inch on the micrometer.
Looking at the core support...
Looking at the core support on the new car, we find a steel thickness of 0.048 inch. The 0.011 increase over stock is certainly a significant amount. A more rigid core support will certainly benefit the front box structure.
We chose the fuel-fill hole...
We chose the fuel-fill hole to take our next thickness measurement. The thickness of the tail-panel stamping on the new car was 0.043 inch.
We did our best to scrape...
We did our best to scrape off old paint and came up with a thickness measurement of 0.034 inch. Once again, the difference of 0.009 inch is a significant amount of improvement.
The car's doorskin thickness...
The car's doorskin thickness was another area of interest to us. The steel thickness on the Dynacorn door was 0.033 inch at the door-handle hole.
The steel in the old door...
The steel in the old door measured 0.035 inch. However, the presence of paint and dirt on the old door may have spoiled the measurement. We suspect the Dynacorn doorskin is at least as thick as the original door. In any case, we can see that the new Dynacorn body is a high-quality offering for the serious Mustang restorer or custom car builder, whether it's used as a replacement for a rusted-out body or as the basis for an entirely new car (which is what we are about to build).