Harry Straub's 1965 Mustang
Restoration
 

After Chemical Stripping and some dings covered, this was the first of 4 shops for the car.

Roger, the shop owner (can you say 'crook'), using a plasma cutter to cut the roof....OUCH!
Lesson #1:  Note to all others who need to have this done....don't let them use a plasma cutter, a
Reciprocating Saw is the correct tool.  This guy didn't have a clue.

Is it a convertible with no pillars?  I should make it a 2 seat roadster!!!

No rear end is pretty, but this one is a mess!
Lesson #2: Don't let the shop sit on a car in this position.  They went under the next week and I
had the car 'stuck' in this shape.  I had to tow it like this to a new shop, I was damn lucky the car didn't
bend in half without the roof support.  I lost the downpayment I had down on this work.
This is where I almost gave up and scrapped the car.

Now in a new shop with the roof and Vinyl on.  Jerry's Autobody in Stillwater MN,
put the new roof on for me when NO ONE would touch the car without a roof.(A BIG thanks to Jerry)
He didn't want to do the rest of the 'mod' so I found this shop. It was also a 'bad place', another shady
business.  Here is the new fender, and all the sheetmetal done.

Smoothing over some rough spots, and new quarter extension.  Everything is lining up.
This is about a week before this shop threw out the shop manager, and my car.  They
didn't want resto work, just insurance work.  So off to find a new shop for the final prime and
paint shoot.

 

OK, here it is PAINTED! 8 months and 4 body shops later!!! Ted's Autobody in
Lake Elmo did the final paint.  Thanks Gary, great job.  I was thrilled with his
work and FAST turnaround time. (2 weeks) It is now Caspian Blue.
The headlights, chrome, valances, and fenders are ready to go.
2/22/2001

Ok, it is now all back together and looking great!(IMHO)  It was all worth it, and I
learned a ton.  May 2001

Here is the inside, before and after!
Radio hole fixed and original radio back in, new carpet, new seat upholstery, painted dash, new dashpad and
lots of sweat.

Here is the rear, a lot better looking now.  I need to put on the bumper guards once the
new ones arrive.  I also plan on putting original wheel on with old hubcaps with spinners.

Lesson #3, if I can do it, you can too.  This was a ton of work, lots of frustration and more $$ than I care to
remember, but overall it was worth it!  I had a ball and enjoy it all the more because I did it.
Thanks for looking
Questions?  Email me = harry@harrystraub.com