Paint ProcessingI am 17 years old and currently restoring a '69 fastback with a 302 and a four-speed. My questions are about paint. How should I apply it? How many coats? Should I apply a clearcoat finish? What should I do with the wheelwells and the underbody? Do I use rubberized coating in the wheelwells? How glossy should the engine compartment be? I have a motorized antenna on the driver-side rear. Is this correct? Any help would be greatly appreciated.Michael CasaceliFlushing, NY
The type of paint and correct application should be a joint decision between you and the painter. He will have a reference as to brand and type of paint to use for various applications. Several factors, such as durability, cost, and final appearance will factor into the decision.
The engine bay should be painted semigloss black. The 3M-brand spray bomb rubberized undercoat works pretty well in the wheel-opening areas. The rear-mount antenna isn't the recommended location; however, it could be a dealer-installed Mustang Ford antenna. Remember, in 1969 the dealer installed all antennas on the Mustang.
Bumpers And BadgesI'm a huge Mustang fan. In fact, I even own one! I'm 14 years old and I own a '73 hardtop. Its original color is 3K Blue Glow with a white vinyl top and blue standard interior. My father and I have been arguing about whether there were Mustang emblems on both sides of the roof or not. I believe there were, but he doesn't think so. Could you help me out with an answer? Also, where could I find bumper covers for my model-year Mustang?George Presscottvia e-mail
We assume that by bumper covers you mean the rubber bumpers that came with the '73. Your best bet is to restore the bumper covers that are on the car. Be nice to your dad, since he's probably funding the project. Yes, you're right; there are two ponies on the roof line-one per side.
Show Us Your...This month we have a teaser from Bob Perkins. This accessory was seen on the dashes of many Shelby GT350s and quite a few of the more humble brethren of the Mustang fold. These tachs were available under several part numbers but this particular unit was PN C2RZ-17326-B. We'd also like to see the 9,000-rpm Sun tach that was listed as PN C4AZ-17A326-A. We prefer an in-the-box shot. Please send photos and descriptions of your Rotunda, Autolite, and FoMoCo accessories to: Show us Your , c/o Mustang Monthly, 3816 Industry Blvd. Lakeland, Florida 33811.
Send restoration questions to:Resto Roundupc/o Bob PerkinsPerkins RestorationNorth 3123Highway 16 & 26Juneau, WI 53039