'66 Vert Project

**bittentoo** · August 21st, 2007, 12:57 PM

Very nice Brent!!!

That shop is way to clean.......

**Brent** · August 22nd, 2007, 08:31 AM

Do you think I will look good cruising with my "Don Ho" shirt on ????

The new wheel houses are spaced apart and tacked in. Kept the stock lip and even the notch for the spare tire so everything should look stock when finished out. Everything fit tight with no gaps. The rear valance will be welded in and smoothed to the quarter panels so everything was treated with POR 15 first.

Fuel cell and battery mount next.

**will butterworth** · August 24th, 2007, 07:41 AM

shop might too clean for project like this.I think, among us, this little mustang is being prepped for some serious launches.Will-alabama

**Brent** · September 7th, 2007, 04:50 AM

Will, nah just a cruiser. ;-)

The new quarters are welded on, new trunk floor, the fuel cell and battery mount are finished, the old convertible top was installed to see how much modification was needed for the top to lay down completely with the new wheel tubs. It needed major room. Cut out the top of the tubs and fabricated a new piece that matches the angle of the top in the down position. Everything works great now.

Next is new front floorpans and stiffen the inner rockers with some steel plate.

I am starting to hate old cars.

**pbrown** · September 7th, 2007, 08:48 PM

Brent,

What battery mount is that? I have a different Optima mount that I'd like to replace.

**Brent** · September 8th, 2007, 07:11 AM

Hey Patrick,

The mount is from Detroit Speed.

http://www.detroitspeed.com/productp...up_51_prod.htm

Brent

**clayfoushee** · September 8th, 2007, 06:10 PM

Brent,

Your Mustang project is looking very sweet. Obviously, I'm not one bit surprised at the first-class work.

Cheers, my friend.

**brfutbrian** · September 8th, 2007, 07:01 PM

Originally Posted by Brent

I am starting to hate old cars.

doesnt look like you have much old car remaining. is it going to make it to homecoming in may? its come a long way this year. looks great. later brian

**eliminator** · September 10th, 2007, 06:27 AM

Talking about re-engineering a Mustang!!!!

Looks great, Going to be a really nice car.

**Brent** · September 10th, 2007, 01:56 PM

Clay, Brian, and Rick, thanks a lot.

Clay, cheers sounds good. I hope we meet again someday.

Rick, Re-engineering is about right. No wonder you see very few of these cars in nice shape and even fewer with performance modifications. They were made to leak, rust, and generally fall apart.

Brian, I hope to join the fun next year but I doubt the car will even be painted by then. I will need to see if my date is still interested in me (-:
besides I have the coolest shirt to wear now thanks to Kelly and Jodina!!!!

**pgermond** · September 10th, 2007, 06:26 PM

Brent,

Amazing! It appears it's coming along great. I would love to do a project of that magnitude sometime - I definitely have the time, however, I have neither space nor the skills required. You are quite the craftsman and perfectionist.

**Brent** · October 26th, 2007, 08:39 AM

Been a while for an update due to the front suspension s.n.a.f.u. The Heidt's suspension for a '66 Mustang won't allow for the ride height I wanted nor will it allow for a tire as wide as I wanted so......
The front frame was raised
the cross member halved and narrowed
the rack and pinion was cut and narrowed
the oil pan was shortened and the pan notch made deeper
custom motor mounts and trans mount
new front floor pans
new front torque boxes welded to steel plated inner rockers

Everything is ok now so on to the steering and making some new inner fenders to cover up the suspension. Starting to resemble a car again.

Fun Fun Fun

**ralphscott** · October 26th, 2007, 10:24 AM

Taking shape Brent!! Where did you get those valve covers? Did you fabricate them?

Ralph

**Brent** · January 24th, 2008, 09:42 AM

Been a while since I posted an update. The holidays sure slow things down.

Notched and filled the frame to accommodate the exhaust system. Ground clearence is at a minimum. Also installed tubing into the frame rails to run the fuel, brake, and battery lines through.

The inner fenders needed to be removed to fit the larger motor, however, the larger tires and wheels required the inner fenders to be moved in for turning radius. Mat Wright made some very cool custom inner fenders out of steel that will be completely welded and smoothed to the existing body.

Finished the front torque arm mount and added a little safety bracing just in case. (-: Everyone wanted a picture of teh suspension out of hte car to get an idea of how the torque arm assy works. You can see the anti roll assy on top of the housing to keep body roll to a minimum.

The custom headers are complete so we loaded the car on a trailer and took it to Performance Exhaust to have a custom stainless steel exhaust system made.

The exhaust was made with all mandrel bent stainless steel tubing, 18" stainless Magnaflow mufflers, stainless hangers, and crossover pipe. The exhaust is removed and completely tig welded using stainless rod. The welds are almost flush and the entire system should polish out nice.

Finally home again after 8 months at BRC Racecrafts. Every seam and weld on the car is sealed with POR 15 and will receive 3M seam sealer. Now it is time to build the paint booth.She is scheduled for paint in April. We will see?????

The framing and plastic part of the paint booth is finished. After the body work is finished and everything is clean again the air intake and exhaust systems will be added. I am going to take care of the underside of the car, engine compartment, dog house, etc. Then I will reassemble the car and DA it to bare metal with 180 and take it to the painter for some color. I am going to send it to the painter on a cart so I can have all of the suspension parts at home to paint and coat while the car is gone. We all know how painters are so I should have more than enough time (-:

Have fun!

**ralphscott** · January 24th, 2008, 10:33 AM

Really excellent Brent! Did you ever imagine that this project would ever grow like this?

Love to see it first hand.

Ralph

**Naumoff** · January 24th, 2008, 05:46 PM

Very nice Brent.

I like your traction Bar.

**Master** · January 25th, 2008, 04:38 AM

Guy's I stopped by bent's house this week and checked out his ride. What a transformation! As you can tell by the photo's this is not your average Mustang, it looks the same from the outside with the exception of the BIG wheels. It ends there, everything under the skin has been beefed up, modifyed, rerouted,reworked, if I could think of some more RE words I would list them. It is a piece of art work that is really coming together. There is no doubt that it will be in many magazines.

**Brent** · January 25th, 2008, 08:47 AM

Guys that means a lot coming from people like you with the high level of cars you all have.

Ralph,
No, I never figured it would be the project it has been. Everything I do leads to another thing that needs to be done. Mat at the racecar shop is very picky and extremely talented at what he does. If I make pieces for the car that he does not approve of he will critique them and tell me to make them again. Scott was able to meet him on Tuesday and see a shop full of really nice stuff he was working on. Luck to have a friend like that. Susan is happy I am not at the shop 6 days a week now.

Thanks again

**Jeff 427** · January 25th, 2008, 04:58 PM

Brent,
Man I love to see work like this!!!! Job well Done!

**Brent** · January 26th, 2008, 11:45 AM

Thanks Jeff!

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