FORD MUSTANG GT
I’ve enjoyed having the Mustang GT back and have set to fixing numerous small jobs to tidy up and replace broken or missing fittings.
First was getting the wiper jets to function. All it needed was to prime the washer pump and pipes with water from an old plastic syringe and they squirted straight on to the ’screen. One of the wiper arms had lost its spring and no longer pressed on to the glass so a replacement was ordered from Mustang Maniac. Youtube has proved invaluable and revealed how to remove the arm: an old paintbrush as a pivot to push the arm off the splined spigot.
The glovebox had been painted so many times that the crackle finish was smooth in places, with pinpricks of corrosion bursting through and the badge was tarnished. I removed the paint using Langlow Strip Away Pro, which works like Nitromors used to, scraping off the paint then rubbing down with wetand-dry paper to prepare a smooth finish. With a new badge and a couple of coats of matt-black paint it really looks the part and was a lot cheaper than a £168 replacement.
I’d noticed a sticky residue, like gaffer-tape glue, on the rear seats and searching online was pointed towards Isopropyl alcohol or hand sanitiser that, as it happens, I have plenty of and it worked a treat.
I’ve fitted airline-style lap belts in the front, bought on ebay for £30, using imperial fixings from Wentin Fasteners in Yeovil. I located the holes through the carpet using a bradawl to avoid having to remove it, and discovered the thread size of 7/16 on vintagemustang.com.they were fiddly but look great and function well.
First-series Mustangs trap water in the space below the vent at the base of the windscreen when the drainholes invariably get blocked. This then rusts out the bulkhead area and is costly and difficult to fix. A plastic vent cowl cover stops rain getting in but, as well as being £60, they don’t look great. Another solution is a rubbery magnetic mat that you can buy online in various colours (first4magnets.com) for about £15 and cut to fit. When it’s not required you can just roll it up and stow it. I’ve tested mine up to about 60mph and it doesn’t fly off!