More Photos from the Austin Round Up

No need to show the entire car

and give it all away -

 

Get up, get out and go to the

next car show that's in your area

and see cars like this for yourself! 

 

2011 Ford Mustang 5.0

Mustang Project

Hertz Mustang

Two Mustang II's

Looking forward to being at the next car show -

hope to see you there!

Austin Round Up 2011

Going to car shows is always fun and exciting,
especially when there are so many Ford Mustangs!

It's a chance to not only view classic cars, project cars and newer models,

but also to meet the people that restore and care for these cars.

So much effort goes into finding the vehicle itself, parts, tools

and then finding the time to put it all together.

There's almost always a back story to how the car or truck came to be...

whether it was passed down thru the generations or

bought from a friend of a friend who knew a guy.

It's great how some folks have restoration photos
going back to how they originally found their car, rusty, dented

and without an engine sometimes, all the way to showroom shine.
It shows the dedication and hard work involved in restoring a classic.

It was a bright, sunny and scorchin' hot day in Austin,
so a big "Thanks" goes out to all those who showed their cars,
and those who were there to appreciate them!

Here are just a few photos from today's

MOCA (Mustang Owners Club of Austin) car show in Austin, TX.

Click to find out more about MOCA



'67 Mustang Fastback



TX DPS '89 Ford Mustang driven in from Houston

Terlingua Racing Team Ford Mustang

Custom '58 Ford Thunderbird

More photos from the car show will be posted soon.

Clean Chrome Rims

Chrome Mustang Rims

Now that the clutch & shifter are complete, it was time

to give some attention to the exterior...mainly the dirty rims.

Over the last few months these rims had

accumulated a layer or two of grime - yuck!

Even after a thorough washing & drying,

there was still a haziness on them.

Looking around, I found the polish

and a microfiber towel.

Applying some elbow-grease 

sure does help, too.  

Make sure to use a cleaner and/or polish that

is safe for your rims...ie, read the label!

There was a major difference-

No haziness... just shine!

Oh, the reflection!

Now...watch it rain.

Just my luck.

Update: It misted a little bit in the morning!

Mustang Clutch

I've had this Mustang for the last 8 years or so and
it had finally lost its "get-up and go", which meant
that the clutch began slipping, so it was high
time for a new clutch to be installed.

If you have a weekend with good weather,
and all the tools and parts needed and a friend or
two willing to help, then this project could probably
be completed within a day or two...

Here's a look at a few photos
from our weekend project-

1987 Ford Mustang 5.0 clutch

After the transmission was removed, 

this was the view from underneath the dirty beast.

The tranny had a coating of grime 

that warranted a trip of its own to the car wash. 



1987 Ford Mustang 5.0

Don't let the beautiful weather fool you...

It was breezy, but HOT with 90º+ temps.

Removing the old clutch

Since the old clutch was toast,

and toasted, it was slightly difficult to remove.

A little elbow grease was applied

and it gave way...



Worn Pressure Plate

These two photos show how bad this clutch was...

with the grooves being worn in

from the heat generated. 

Old clutch

If you're starting off on a project like this,

be sure to have the little things that

matter on hand, like....
- penetrating spray, like PB Blaster

- soap, like Fast Orange (for yourself)

- shop towels

- flashlight

- brake cleaner

- engine degreaser

Keep in mind that even though you bought

all the parts, you still may need to

rent some tools from an auto-parts store.

It's a good idea to call ahead to make sure

they have the tools you'll need and to place it on hold.

Once you return the rented tools,

they'll credit you back -

so keep your receipts!

Having these items on hand will save you
the trouble of going back and forth
to the store when you could be
moving on to the next step of your project.

Let The Light Shine

As a birthday gift, I received new headlights...er,

OK my Mustang 5.0 received a new set of headlights!

I don't mind receiving car parts as gifts...

It's so much better than going to a spa

and/or getting a mani/pedi

wasting a day away.

At least it's something that will be

used and appreciated for much longer

than one day.

Below, you'll see the transformation

from old, faded, yellow headlights to

new, updated and bright one-piece headlights!

Original 6 Piece Headlights

  

Removing One Piece at a Time - Signal Light Gone

 

No Headlamp

No Side-Marker....

Completed - One-Piece Headlights

Mean Lookin' Lights at Night

These have made quite the difference when driving at night!
The old headlights didn't allow the light to travel
very far since it was diffused by the fading, yellowing plastic.
Now, I can see much more, further ahead,
making night driving safer for me.

I must note that the gift was from my husband who

installed them pretty quickly - after cleaning up the wiring
(hey, it's an old car!)
And, he found them right here in Texas at

Late Model Restoration Supply.

**This is my own opinion/experience and was not compensated for this post**

Old Radiator

I'm thinking this was the original radiator

from the 1987 Ford Mustang GT....

you know, the one that was replaced last November,

because it had begun to leak

at one of the seams, causing

the car to overheat.

What to do with an old radiator?

Take photos, ha-

The photo was taken in January,

but much of the corrosion had

already taken place while in the car.

Next up for replacement... the clutch!
The fun never stops, huh?

Wintery Weather

On Feb 4, 2011 we had a snow day!

The first one in...well, too long, LOL

Covered in ice and snow, the

Ford Mustangs stayed put for the day.

No sense in putting them in danger

with all the other non-snow drivers out there.

Of course, once the sun hit the

snow and ice, it was all over.

Cold Temps

This photo was taken 2 days after Christmas.

It's a good reminder to check-out

a few things on your car when

there is a change of temperature.

Check the air pressure in the tires,

antifreeze (if you haven't done so already this winter),

windshield wipers and windshield wiper fluid.

Might as well check the brake fluid and the oil too,

while you're under the hood.