DIY Network

1965 Mustang Restoration: First-Generation vs. Reproduction Parts The purist in you may want "all original" parts, but vintage reproductions may be the best option for performance, longevity and safety. From "Classic Car Restoration" episode DCR-506

Mustang restoration expert Steve Schmidt discusses "NOS" and vintage reproduction parts.

Classic Car Restoration host Steve Magnante and Mustang collector and restorer Rick Schmidt look at some of the parts that are available for a vintage Mustang rehabs.

Steve and Rick discuss "resto-mod" upgrades, sources for restoration parts and the meaning of "NOS" (i.e., "new old stock") versus ordinary used or new reproduction parts.

Some of the terms and tips that Steve and Rick discussed are summarized below.

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Steve's rare and fully restored Mustang Cobra GT500 KR.

A Rare Mustang Classic: Long Live the King

Rick Schmidt, Mustang expert and VP of National Parts Depot, has done more than a few Mustang restorations. He also has a collection of classics including some of the finest mustangs.

Steve's 1968 Shelby GT500 KR, for example, is one of only 933 fastback KR's ever produced, and one of a just a handful that are left in such pristine condition. The "KR" notation in the name, by the way, stands for "King of the Road".

	Steve's Cobra is one of only 933 fastback KR's made — and one of only a handful that survives in this condition.

Resto-Mod Upgrades: Original Look, Enhanced Performance

In essence, the term "resto-mod" refers to modifications that help to improve on the performance, safety, handling and driving experience of a vintage car, but not at the price of significantly altering the vintage original styling and look. This is the favored type of restoration for people who are who are wanting a mostly original looking car rather than a highly modified hot-rod. They might upgrade the wheels and tires, for instance, but for the most part, want the car to look like it did when it was new.

For classic models like the '60s-vintage Mustangs, there are products available that make the cars run better, stop better and generally take advantage of a lot of technological and safety innovation without compromising the classic look of the car. Modern braking and suspension systems are just two examples that can improve the performance of a vintage Mustang without sacrificing the period integrity.

If you're planning on having your restored vehicle be a "driver" rather than strictly a show-car or museum piece, then "resto-modification" may be the best type of restoration for you.

The next question: Where and how do you find parts to fit a 1965 automobile?

Restoration Parts: Vintage or Reproduction?

When it comes to getting parts for a restoration, there's more than one option. As Rick explains, you can seek out good used parts in good, or at least usable, condition. Other options include reproduction parts and new old stock .

New old stock, or NOS, parts are original parts that are still available. They can often be found on internet auctions. In the case of a Mustang restoration new-old stock (NOS) means an original, vintage Ford part are unused and in the box.

Obviously, when you're talking about a 1965 car, these are parts that have been obsolete for years now. Be careful of the term "NOS" since, though they may be unused and still in the box, age may have caused deterioration to the point that the parts are unusable or won't hold up for long under use. NOS parts typically don't come with warranties, and may sometimes be defective. You should also be aware that they may not meet today's safety standards.

Tip: When it comes to insulation, weather stripping or rubber seals, don't use NOS parts as these most likely will have deteriorated just sitting on a shelf for so many years.

Another source for mustang restorations, and one that's been growing since the 1970s, is manufacturers of vintage reproduction parts. These are newly made parts that have been built to match the vintage originals as closely as possible.

One internal part that nearly always needs replacing is the fuel-tank sending unit which relays information to the fuel gauge on the dash. These typically corrode in the gas tank of vintage cars that sit idle for long periods.

One critical safety upgrade on a car of this age is to replace the lap seatbelts with a modern 3-point safety belt system (figures A and B).

Figure A

Figure B

Figure C

Lamp lenses, such as the tail lamp lenses on a car of this age are typically cracked and damaged, or at least faded. And when the lenses are faded, they don't show up as well, so this is a safety issue as well. Reproduction lenses (figure C) are a good remedy for this situation, providing a sharp detail for the look of the car, as well as a safety benefit.

Other parts that are commonly replaced on Mustangs using modern reproductions are gas caps, bumpers, body panels, door handles and mirrors. Aftermarket reproduction-parts companies even offer period-authentic looking components such as radios and air conditioning units. In the project that follows, Steve actually installs one such a/c unit on our project Mustang.

RESOURCES :

Special resources for DIY's Classic Car Restoration 500 series: 1965 Mustang

Mustang Club of America
www.mustang.org

Mustang Central
vintage Mustang parts
www.mustangcentral.com

Motorbooks Publishing
www.motorbooks.com

Class-Tech-Cars
www.class-tech-cars.com

Holley Performance Products
www.holley.com

Flowmaster Exhaust Products
www.flowmastermufflers.com

Genuine Hot Rod Hardware
www.genuinehotrod.com

Revelation Racing Supply
www.rrs-online.com

National Parts Depot
www.npdlink.com

Classic Auto Air
www.classicautoair.com

Pertronix Performance Products
www.pertronix.com

Stainless Steel Brake Corp.
www.ssbrakes.com

Painless Performance Products
www.painlessperformance.com

Loctite Products
www.henkel.com

Paintucation
www.paintucation.com

Dupli-Color Paints
www.duplicolor.com

Norton Abrasives
www.nortonabrasives.com

Dremel Tools
www.dremel.com

Classic High Performance Audio
Product: audio equipment

Direct Source
www.the-direct-source.com
Product: stereo electronic equipment

Dakota Digital Instruments
www.dakotadigital.com
Product: digital dashboard

Mustang Project
www.mustangproject.com
Product: LED sequential taillight system

GUESTS :

Rick Schmidt, National Parts Depot
www.npdlink.com