Alright, let’s talk about this 1967 Ford Mustang project I got into. The goal was always clear in my head: build something that looked and felt like that Eleanor movie car. It wasn’t easy, took a lot of sweat, but here’s how it went down.
Getting Started – The Hunt and The Mess
First off, finding the right ’67 fastback took ages. Looked at a few rust buckets, some overpriced ones. Finally found one that was rough, but the bones were decent enough. Dragged it back to my garage. Man, it was a sight. Needed everything.
Step one was tearing it down. Pulled the engine, transmission, interior, trim, everything. Just wanted to get down to the bare metal shell to see what horrors lurked underneath. Found the usual suspects: some floor pan rust, a bit in the quarters. Nothing too shocking for a car this old.
Bodywork and That Famous Look
Dealing with the rust came next. Cut out the bad metal, welded in new patches. Lots of grinding, shaping, making sure it was solid. This part always takes longer than you think.
Then, the big part: fitting the Eleanor body kit. This wasn’t just bolt-on stuff. The fender flares, the hood, the front valence, the side scoops, the trunk lid spoiler… it all needed careful alignment, trimming, fiberglass work to make it look right and flow together. Lots of measuring, checking gaps, sanding, filling, sanding again. My arms were dead some days.
- Fitted the front end pieces.
- Attached the side skirts and scoops.
- Worked on the rear spoiler and taillight panel.
- Got that signature hood scoop sitting just right.
Once the body kit was wrestled into place and smoothed out, it was prep time for paint. Hours and hours of block sanding to get the panels perfectly straight. Primer, more sanding, sealer. Finally laid down that iconic Pepper Gray metallic paint. Sprayed the black racing stripes too. Seeing that color go on was a huge milestone.
Mechanicals and Making it Go (and Stop)
While the bodywork was happening, I was also rebuilding the mechanicals. Didn’t stick with the original engine. Put in something with a bit more grunt, you know? Something that sounded mean. Had to upgrade the suspension too, make it handle better than a stock ’67. Put in bigger brakes because, well, you gotta be able to stop!
Got the engine and transmission back in. Hooked everything up – fuel lines, brake lines, wiring. Fired it up for the first time after the rebuild… that sound was music, man. Side exhaust pipes helped with that rumble.
Interior and Finishing Touches
Inside, it was pretty bare. Put in new carpet, reupholstered the seats. Found a steering wheel that looked the part. Tried to keep it classic looking but clean. Didn’t go crazy with modern gadgets, wanted that ’60s vibe.
Final assembly was putting it all back together. Installing the glass, all the chrome trim, the lights. Bolted on those specific wheels everyone recognizes. Polished everything up.
It was a long haul. Lots of late nights, busted knuckles, and moments where I thought “what did I get myself into?”. But seeing it finally roll out of the garage looking like that… yeah, totally worth it. It’s not a trailer queen, I built it to drive. And drive it, I do.
