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Re: 1986 Mustang GT T-Top - Father Son Project

PostPosted: Thu May 21, 2020 11:43 am
by 1tuff68
'68 Coronet R/T wrote:Since you asked the "pros" for an answer I must add a disclaimer, I am not a professional and didn't stay at a Holiday Express last night either!


I would argue that the quality of your work clearly demonstrates that you are a pro

Re: 1986 Mustang GT T-Top - Father Son Project

PostPosted: Thu May 21, 2020 2:34 pm
by '68 Coronet R/T
1tuff68 wrote:
'68 Coronet R/T wrote:Since you asked the "pros" for an answer I must add a disclaimer, I am not a professional and didn't stay at a Holiday Express last night either!

Lining up panels and doors can be a time consuming process. There are multiple adjustments at the door hinge locations. At the pillar you have complete assembly up and down, top in or out, bottom in or out. Then at the door you have even more up and down, in and out options.

It literally took me about an hour to get this one door aligned on this '55 Chevy truck because they didn't hold very close tolerances back then.

Door Right Front View.JPG

Door Right Rear View.JPG


Personally, I adjust them to perfection without the seals in. Quality door seals will be soft enough to compress allowing the door to return to the properly aligned position. If you do have an issue minor adjustments can be made.


OK that makes sense. What I think I'm missing on this mustang is the ability to adjust in or out at the top and bottom. It seems inserting a shim behind where the hinge mounts to the body is the only way to adjust out.


Are the hinges bolted to the door? That is where you will get some extra movement. For instance if you move the lower front portion of the door inward the rear top portion will move outward.

Re: 1986 Mustang GT T-Top - Father Son Project

PostPosted: Thu May 21, 2020 2:43 pm
by 1tuff68
No the hinge mounts are welded to the door :realmad:

I went ahead and ordered 16 gauge sheet metal to make a shim and see if that helps.

Re: 1986 Mustang GT T-Top - Father Son Project

PostPosted: Fri May 22, 2020 1:04 am
by Doright
Is the Door Striker in good condition? they do wear and are also adjustable.
Also Door Lock latch Mechanisms wear out causing some slop.
The Door hing is welded on to the Door yes BUT the body side is replaceable and it is possible for one or both upper or lower to be Bent or tweaked. (Hint)
The Door itself could also be Twisted as well Fox Body Doors are not the strongest doors in the world pretty light actually and easily twisted. The Doors are Also are known for Cracking. Look for cracks at rear of door at base of window frame and around door latch mechanism.
Actually The Light little Fox Body is known for cracking in Multiple Places!

I am having to Weld up my Sons Fox Body now the Unibody under both seats near the Pinch welds on both sides of the car and one in the Drive shaft Tunnel. each crack is about 3 inches long!
Fairly common in Fox's that have seen some Hard driving and don't Have good Sub frame connectors. You may want to look for these while your doing all this work to yours Not many of the Old Fox body's were pampered treasures.
And if your son plans ANY sort of Hard spirited driving I strongly suggest adding Sub frame connectors!

Look for cracks in A Pillars, Floors under Seats near rocker panels, Floor panel pulling away from rocker boxes inside car and under the car! Floor Tunnel for cracks near seat belt anchors AND for Buckling, whole Fire wall, Clutch mechanism area all braces and attachment places, Upper Rocker panels, Torq boxes, upper 4 link Mounts where they attach to body.

I also suggest Going to a Hydraulic clutch assembly if its a Manual car, the Cable clutch is a Pain and the mounts crack, plastic pieces break.

On My sons Fox After we get the Floors welded up tomorrow we are going to install sub frame connectors, I will be fully welding these in. We will be doing another set inside the car soon with an 8 point cage & Mini tubs as well. Just installed a stroked out hi compression 351w in it with electronic fuel injection with 2 inch headers! Dual disk clutch with his 5 speed But a Jerico 4 speed will be going in once he finds the funds for a decent scatter shield bell housing, we are currently just getting his to all go together and to make it run and drive and then will blow it all apart for Paint later that will be when the cage and mini tubs will go in.

Re: 1986 Mustang GT T-Top - Father Son Project

PostPosted: Fri May 22, 2020 1:51 pm
by 1tuff68
Thanks for the wealth of info! Let me answer one at a time:

Doright wrote:Is the Door Striker in good condition? they do wear and are also adjustable.


They are good and adjusted them with the rest of the door. They are adjusted in/out to split the difference so the top of the door is in 1/16" and the bottom is out 1/16"

Doright wrote:Also Door Lock latch Mechanisms wear out causing some slop.


They seem ok

Doright wrote:The Door hinge is welded on to the Door yes BUT the body side is replaceable and it is possible for one or both upper or lower to be Bent or tweaked. (Hint)


Checked the hinges and they are good and flat and straight

Doright wrote:
The Door itself could also be Twisted as well Fox Body Doors are not the strongest doors in the world pretty light actually and easily twisted. The Doors are Also are known for Cracking. Look for cracks at rear of door at base of window frame and around door latch mechanism.


Now this could be the case - the driver door was sort of pushed in along the bottom about 3" back from the front of the door for a length of about 6-8" right where a jack stand might sit if you pulled it out from under the car. I'll bet the PO lowered the car with the door open and the jack stand caught the bottom of the door and bent the door at the bottom and tweaked it enough to cause the alignment issue I'm seeing. Too far into this project to replace the door now so I'll just try to make the best of it.

Doright wrote:
I am having to Weld up my Sons Fox Body now the Unibody under both seats near the Pinch welds on both sides of the car and one in the Drive shaft Tunnel. each crack is about 3 inches long!


Thanks for this tip, I'll be looking for cracks

Doright wrote:
Fairly common in Fox's that have seen some Hard driving and don't Have good Sub frame connectors. You may want to look for these while your doing all this work to yours Not many of the Old Fox body's were pampered treasures.
And if your son plans ANY sort of Hard spirited driving I strongly suggest adding Sub frame connectors!


The previous owner had installed subframe connectors but I'll double check the welds on them
Doright wrote:
Look for cracks in A Pillars, Floors under Seats near rocker panels, Floor panel pulling away from rocker boxes inside car and under the car! Floor Tunnel for cracks near seat belt anchors AND for Buckling, whole Fire wall, Clutch mechanism area all braces and attachment places, Upper Rocker panels, Torq boxes, upper 4 link Mounts where they attach to body.


Thanks, will definitely be looking for cracks in these areas

Doright wrote:
I also suggest Going to a Hydraulic clutch assembly if its a Manual car, the Cable clutch is a Pain and the mounts crack, plastic pieces break.


We just did this right before we stripped it down for paint. What a difference! We went with the McCleod hydraulic M/C and hydraulic throwout bearing. It's great!

Doright wrote:On My sons Fox After we get the Floors welded up tomorrow we are going to install sub frame connectors, I will be fully welding these in. We will be doing another set inside the car soon with an 8 point cage & Mini tubs as well. Just installed a stroked out hi compression 351w in it with electronic fuel injection with 2 inch headers! Dual disk clutch with his 5 speed But a Jerico 4 speed will be going in once he finds the funds for a decent scatter shield bell housing, we are currently just getting his to all go together and to make it run and drive and then will blow it all apart for Paint later that will be when the cage and mini tubs will go in.


This sounds like an awesome project! Would love to see your progress pics. Are you writing it up on another site?

Thanks for the great advice and info :goodjob:

Re: 1986 Mustang GT T-Top - Father Son Project

PostPosted: Sat May 23, 2020 12:02 pm
by Doright
No its not on another sight, Its on its 5th or 6th engine now. He has finally listened to me and built a Good engine for it. its just in Mock up now like I said once we have it running and driving again We will blow it apart for a Roll cage and paint. We still have to get the Jerico transmission in it and the 5 speed out, We wanted to check the headers fitment so used the 5 speed, The headers had problems on the left Bank around steering shaft hitting and now have problems with the Cross member being in the way of the collector. Gotta love headers! plus the fact that thease are 2 inch tube headers compounds problems! Purchased a New Custom tube cross member hopping it helps. Still looking for a Good Scatter shield bell housing.

Our Door hinges where they bolt to the car are bent out toward the door and are not strait.
If yours car has been lowered down onto something with the door open this would indeed tweak the door possibly even tweak the door hinges.... Not Nice.

make sure to inspect Floor for the cracking as I mentioned Our car moves a Lot from sitting on its wheels to being on Two post lift the cracks open up a Lot as the whole body is sagging under its own weight I have to do a Timing Belt and water pump on a VW today so I wont be getting to the Stang Or my Fire bird today.

Re: 1986 Mustang GT T-Top - Father Son Project

PostPosted: Sun May 24, 2020 9:17 am
by 1tuff68
Doright wrote:No its not on another sight, Its on its 5th or 6th engine now. He has finally listened to me and built a Good engine for it. its just in Mock up now like I said once we have it running and driving again We will blow it apart for a Roll cage and paint. We still have to get the Jerico transmission in it and the 5 speed out, We wanted to check the headers fitment so used the 5 speed, The headers had problems on the left Bank around steering shaft hitting and now have problems with the Cross member being in the way of the collector. Gotta love headers! plus the fact that thease are 2 inch tube headers compounds problems! Purchased a New Custom tube cross member hopping it helps. Still looking for a Good Scatter shield bell housing.


Might be the ideal time to install a tubular k-member

Doright wrote:make sure to inspect Floor for the cracking as I mentioned Our car moves a Lot from sitting on its wheels to being on Two post lift the cracks open up a Lot as the whole body is sagging under its own weight I have to do a Timing Belt and water pump on a VW today so I wont be getting to the Stang Or my Fire bird today.


Well there's my justification to the wife to go get a lift :happy: (in my dreams!)

Re: 1986 Mustang GT T-Top - Father Son Project

PostPosted: Fri May 29, 2020 1:14 pm
by Doright
I need to build a chassis table before any type of Tube chassis is Made.

Lift
I feel its impossible to do this type of work with out a lift.
I would flat out quit doing this stuff without my shop and a Lift plain and simple.
With all of the cheap import lifts on the Market now days its silly not to have one.
I have purchased them new and Used, I picked up my current two post used for $700.
There are deals out there! If your willing to do the work, I had to take it down and put it up myself saved a ton of cash.

Re: 1986 Mustang GT T-Top - Father Son Project

PostPosted: Fri May 29, 2020 3:00 pm
by 1tuff68
Doright wrote:I feel its impossible to do this type of work with out a lift.
I would flat out quit doing this stuff without my shop and a Lift plain and simple.
With all of the cheap import lifts on the Market now days its silly not to have one.
I have purchased them new and Used, I picked up my current two post used for $700.
There are deals out there! If your willing to do the work, I had to take it down and put it up myself saved a ton of cash.


Couldn't agree more...the bigger problem for me is garage space and low ceilings :knockout:

Re: 1986 Mustang GT T-Top - Father Son Project

PostPosted: Sun May 31, 2020 12:08 pm
by Doright
Low ceilings would be a Problem