A car with no name.

I think this section is pretty cool. I have had this car for over 3 years now. There has been some progress made on it but I am gearing up for a final push to complete my car. I take pictures along the way but probably not as often as I should. It seems like I get time to work directly on the car about once a month. Maybe I get a full day in about that often but I do work towards finishing the car more frequently. I have compiled a ton of parts to go on the car, so I guess that is a good thing. This is a restomod project so I have the freedom to do whatever I like. Perhaps that is what is making it take so long. The scope of this project has expanded a bunch. This is what I have done so far:.

This is what it looked like when I got it. Cheap paint job flaking but overall pretty straight and rust free.

I changed out the floor shifter with a dynacorn reproduction so I could fit a console. The power steering was only half there, control valve, ram and PS pump missing, so I swapped in new Manual steering. Thank heaven Borgeson has that conversion kit now.

I pulled the motor, painted and changed the water pump and several of the accessories, air cleaner etc.
I swapped the 20 inch radiator for a 24 inch 3 row, changed the hoses, thermostat, heater core, overflow tank and got the thing running at 180 on the button.

I swapped out the leaky C4 for an AOD. I had a sub frame connector and drive shaft loop installed.
I had new mufflers, new exhaust and new shorty headers installed. Oh yeah, custom exhaust tips nestled into the valance too.

I am in the middle of the mustangsteve GT disc brake swap. The car is up on jack stands. I need to find some time to button up the front and move to the rear brakes.
I did a shelby drop for one inch and installed all new front suspension. New uppers, lowers, shocks, 1 1/8 inch sway bar, 1 inch drop springs, export brace, monte carlo bar, strut rods, locking eccentrics, etc.

My knee kept hitting the parking brake when I would get into the driver’s seat to dream a little, so I pulled it and fitted the car with a kick style from a 72 torino, which matches pedals perfectly. I still have to run the cables to the GT brakes. You have to space it away from the kick panel. That puts it into the fresh air vent. I solved it by capping the vent hole for now but I may try to make a shorter vent tube.

I had the seats recovered in parchment and added headrest by using 69 seats and had them wrapped in 68 vinyl.

I cut out a wood fascia for my standard interior dash. I have a little woodshop. It is color matched to a Momo wood wheel I found. I just need to do some finishing details like put in the turn signal lights and wiper switch holes. Then I will finish it in a high gloss.

I detailed the gauges, and found a NOS speedometer(not pictured). I am still looking for a reasonably priced NOS multi gauge. I got one a used one that looks pretty good though.

I had all of the holes on the car, trunk molding, trunk lock, door handles, antenna, mirrors, emblem holes, shaved.
Installed door poppers, door solenoids (removed after mockup),

I have my wheels and in hand and will be installing them soon. I hope they look as good on the car as they do in a stack. Well that is what I have started (because it seems like nothing is actually DONE).

Here is the rest of the plan.

The car with no name will be completely shaved. No emblems no trim.
4 wheel disc brakes. Low stance slight rake. Wheels fat and tucked.
Power door and trunk poppers.
Power mirrors.
Power windows.
Console
Probe motor conversion with H1/H4 lights from RCCI
Parchment interior
All new wiring to support all of the new electronics.
Stereo/alarm etc

I am sure there are things missing but I will try to keep this post updated.

Dan great update. It sounds like things are going good for your build. Good things take time to finish and I’m sure your Cougar will be a job well done as you have shown in this post. I look forward to future updates.
Steven

Why do I have America - Horse With No Name playing in my head?

Nice work, Dan. I would love to see it in person. Do you ever go to any Mercury Stray Cats events?

I have not been to any yet. It has been down for prolonged periods of time. These harbor freight jack stands are getting a workout. I am in Cordelia.

My Cougar has only seen about 10 miles of road in the last 12 years and I’ve only been to one meeting. Anyway, next event is the Capay Valley Almond Festival March 11th. http://espartoregionalchamber.com/AlmondFestival.aspx

Nice work!

i’ve been wondering about using wood on a dash, and, as i can see, it sure doens’t look that bad at all.

thanks for the pics

Jean

Dan I forgot to ask this in my earlier post. What are your plans for the console and radio pads? Will you be using factory pads or making them out of wood like you are doing on the dash?
Steven

I am still debating. I have been piecing together a really nice A+ console, a 68 xr7 non AC in parchment, found nos parts and did a quartz conversion on a sweet rally clock. However, I need to put in switches for the windows and mirrors and would like to have an armrest and maybe a cup holder or 2 if I was making one from scrap. I am having a hard time laying out the switches on the padded top at all because it gets quite narrow. I want the driver to have all 4 windows controls and not on the doors. Also I am not sure the XR7 clock matches the rest of the gauges too well. The console I have put together is too nice to mess up with a bunch of holes.

Lately I have been leaning towards a custom console that butts up to a chrome radio bezel. I was thinking of putting the wood trim to match running down the console and maybe on the doors. I would use the shift indicator and the rear lamp. Otherwise, maybe a stitched vinyl sides that transition to carpet on the outsides, wood in the center, a billet trim ring around the shifter, an armrest with a box, and 2 cup holders. I think I will build it to see if I like it. It is going to be a lot of trial and error with fitting the frame on the hump.

Dan,
Really nice work! In regards to the E-brake, I have waned to do the same thing. I have a foot brake from my 71 cougar and it looks the same as what you have used, the better thing about yours is the pull handle is attached. The plate that you bolted your brake pedal to, did you weld it in place? I would think you should still be able to have the side vent in place and what about the washer pedal and high-beam light switch? will you be able to still have them in the same place?

I am not sure, I picked the 72 Torino because the parking brake release rod came straight forward instead of jogging over like some of the later mustangs and cougars. Plus it has the stainless trim ring around a rubber pad that matches my 67. I did not weld it in. I used grade 8 bolts and solid 2 inch thick steel spacers to get it away from the kick panel. The nuts are welded to the plate which is mounted on the outside of the kick panel. It is super solid. I wanted the level of the pedal to look right with the other pedals so it is mounted high under the dash. Also, this allows the pedal to travel without scraping the carpet on the floorboard. This is what causes it to encroach on the vent. I am thinking I can take a vent and cut a couple of inches off of the tophat shaped vent tube and pvc glue weld of the fins back into the tube. It needs a bunch of its length to accommodate the metal flapper door pivoting inside. I was also thinking of looking at other models for a shorter vent tube and similar mounting. But for now I just capped it with a plate of steel and a gasket. It does occupy the same space as the high beam switch. I haven’t figured out what to do about that yet. I may change this to a switch on the dash if I cant find a better location. Regarding the washer pump, I plan to do an electric pump conversion with a switch or push button.

Dan that is really cool. What you have done so far and originality of you own ideas. The freedom of doing that I think would be nice. That dash looks awesome too. Will look forward to seeing that finished!

I really cant wait to see that wood dash all installed! I like the kick emergency brake too. gives me ideas for my car.

Neat ideas :thumbup:

I supposed a car with “No Name” is better than one with a chick’s name :poke:

Well I got some garage time. I bought a lot of Cougar grilles off of craigslist. There were about 7 grilles in all. Some were varying degrees of broken. I still have a complete (but completely crooked) grille on the car. I am going to make a really nice grille on the bench. I was fortunate that it looks like at least 3 of these grilles were from 1968 which I hear are stronger. I just threw away everything that was beyond saving, rusted out buckets, broken grilles, etc. Now besides a real mess, I have all the parts I should need to get the grille done right. I think I am going powder coat everything I can for durability. This is what I have to work with…

Now comes the careful selection process. I did learn some of the differences between 67 and 68 grilles though in the process of taking all of these apart. The rust looks worse in these pictures than it really is. Nothing beyond blasting really.

It looks like you have a good bit of parts to make a complete grille out of. If you powder coat the grille how will you keep it from warping? Will you make a gig?
Steven

I think I will try to make a frame to fasten the largest piece to. DrDesoto told me he made a frame and hung it upside down. I will probably look into the lower temp powders too. But most importantly, I will test it on one of the junky pieces. If I can’t find anyone to do it, I will paint the thin pieces and powdercoat the boxes, doors, light cups, center latch etc. I really like how Ahunt191’s grill parts came out.

Dan, Nice work so far. I see that you have one picture of the exhaust cut into the rear valance, Do you have a rear shot of the back of the car? I have wondered what the wider tips would look like.

I will try to get one on the ground today but here is what it looked like on the lift.

Nice, looks good.