1969 Ford Mustang Hood & Trunk

So finally after a few months I've gotten my garage set up enough to start doing some of the work on my Ford Mustang project. This may end up being the longest restoration project in the history of restoration projects if I can never get a stable work environment! So I have to start getting my various body panels situated so I can get rid of my old parts. First up on the list is my hood situation. I have three 1969 Mustang hoods of which I don't think I will use any of them! They're rusted, one is pretty dinged up with a make shift air induction hole cut in it and with my level of skill in body repair I'm likely to waste alot of time trying to sort one of them out. Solution: put them up for sale and buy a new hood from one of the classic Mustang dealers out there. Its just not worth it to me to repair them when for $600 I can have one I won't have to worry about re-rusting.

So if you're in the Baton Rouge area and want a used 1969 Ford Mustang hood give me an email and we'll see about fixing you up with one of the ones I'm probabaly not going to be able to restore.

The Trunk lid on my Mustang will probably be salvagable. Its not very badly rusted and I can patch it up. If I have to replace it later on no bid deal since its a much smaller part.

I've spent much of my time gathering up the things someone would need to remove paint from a car. Various 3m tools for my drill, some chemical paint stripper that took the paint right off of my outer cowl panel for the car and alot of other shop tools. Its so hot in Louisiana in August that I've been unable to spend much time in the garage working on stuff. Hopefully I'll be able to pick up the pace when the cooler months come around.

It seems like I'll never finish this project sometimes! People say it takes a certain type of person to finish a restoration project and I believe them to be correct. You have to be willing to accept that you can't put an exact time on the project or get it done soon. Things will get in the way such as bills, family, hot weather and work. You'll look around and see other people who are professional or who have the time to finish their project much faster than you and it'll depress you. You'll want to give up and just sell it all off to wash your hands of it! But at the end of the day you have to take a deep breath and remember that it isn't going anywhere and it doesn't have to until you have the time to push it there.

Thats what I'm going to do. I'll do what I can when I can and one day in the next 10 years my car will be done. It might cost me three times what it costs other more experienced restorers but it'll be mine. The memories, the hardships, the eventual finished car and the pride of knowing I accomplished something completely outside my trained skill set. I'll have built a better part of myself to go along with my old Mustang!

Wish Me Luck!

Jerry w odom August 2006