It all began with a phone call from a close friend. He told me he knew someone who was giving his old 65 mustang coupe project away. Like many of you, it had always been a dream of mine to restore an old first generation mustang fastback!
Unfortunately this car was a sad looking coupe with only a newly rebuild transmission to boast about. Still, I could not pass it up. I figured it would be a good learning car that I could make all my mistakes on so when I eventually got my hands on a fastback I would be seasoned and ready.
While looking around in the classifieds for parts I came across an ad on craigslist, it was simply put "fastback roof". So I open the ad, it had a simple picture of the roof and below it said, "Have you ever wanted to convert a coupe to a fastback?" Naturally, I thought yes! But this add was for a roof in Portland, OR some 800 miles away. I decided to sleep on it. I have an old friend that I went to high school with that lives in Portland, maybe I could make the trip by convincing the wife that we could visit them too. It was like icing on the cake, I could visit with some old friends and pick up the fastback roof. So I called the man who was selling the roof, and managed to talk my wife into going on a road trip up to Portland. I bought some 2X4's and a sheet of plywood so I could make a platform that would fit over the rails of my Tacoma. This provided enough room for the roof to be screwed into the back of my truck without the need of any trailer. It was simple, cheap, yet effective.
Now I got a 1965 Mustang coupe and a fastback roof. Believe it or not the hard part is over. I want to take a second and just explain a few things. I am a college student and this is my first project car. I have very little money for supplies tools, etc. however, I am fortunate enough to know someone who has done work like this before who was generous enough to offer his tools and time.
Neither of us had done something like this to the extent of replacing an entire roof of a car. If you are reading this then I assume you have a car or at least want to restore a car because you know you have what it takes. I say this because I think a lot of people might be intimidated by this type of project, when in reality the roof was made for the car so it will fit like it was made with little to no manipulation. So relax, if you can replaced a quarter panel or the thought of replacing a quarter panel does not scare you then you can do this conversion.
It all began with a phone call from a close friend. He told me he knew someone who was giving his old 65 mustang coupe project away. Like many of you, it had always been a dream of mine to restore an old first generation mustang fastback!
Unfortunately this car was a sad looking coupe with only a newly rebuild transmission to boast about. Still, I could not pass it up. I figured it would be a good learning car that I could make all my mistakes on so when I eventually got my hands on a fastback I would be seasoned and ready.
While looking around in the classifieds for parts I came across an ad on craigslist, it was simply put "fastback roof". So I open the ad, it had a simple picture of the roof and below it said, "Have you ever wanted to convert a coupe to a fastback?" Naturally, I thought yes! But this add was for a roof in Portland, OR some 800 miles away. I decided to sleep on it. I have an old friend that I went to high school with that lives in Portland, maybe I could make the trip by convincing the wife that we could visit them too. It was like icing on the cake, I could visit with some old friends and pick up the fastback roof. So I called the man who was selling the roof, and managed to talk my wife into going on a road trip up to Portland. I bought some 2X4's and a sheet of plywood so I could make a platform that would fit over the rails of my Tacoma. This provided enough room for the roof to be screwed into the back of my truck without the need of any trailer. It was simple, cheap, yet effective.
Now I got a 1965 Mustang coupe and a fastback roof. Believe it or not the hard part is over. I want to take a second and just explain a few things. I am a college student and this is my first project car. I have very little money for supplies tools, etc. however, I am fortunate enough to know someone who has done work like this before who was generous enough to offer his tools and time.
Neither of us had done something like this to the extent of replacing an entire roof of a car. If you are reading this then I assume you have a car or at least want to restore a car because you know you have what it takes. I say this because I think a lot of people might be intimidated by this type of project, when in reality the roof was made for the car so it will fit like it was made with little to no manipulation. So relax, if you can replaced a quarter panel or the thought of replacing a quarter panel does not scare you then you can do this conversion.
hey, I live in California. And well I'm in the same boat, too. I bought a 68 Fastaback on ebay and really, NOTHING was good. No floor, quater panels where hit, nothing but a rusty-bucket-shell. I thought i could restore the from top to bottom but hey am not a carGod that can create this miracles. (chip foose would luagh) so i bought a cheap $500 donor car with everything already installed (except engine) i will Do this conversion, just reading up on more information about it...it does look something i can do but id like to have as much information as i can have. Anything is welcome, i bought a angle-grinder to start cutting! (am i even on the right direction?)
ReplyDeleteThanks! nice FB by the way!
-Henry
ps any information is welcome shoot me an email at Profethenrie@hotmail.com
Drakecustoms.com they sell complete fastback clone shells with titles for $9000. completely reconditioned and rust free.
ReplyDeleteI assume you would have finished this by now, and if you see this wouldn't mind getting in touch with me. I plan on doing the same exact thing and could use some pointers/tips on replacing the roof
ReplyDelete