Additional Info:
My goal is to work on the car a little every day and I am planning on a two year window for completion. I am not looking for a show car, but rather a nice looking and functional driver. I was a Ford tech back in the 80's - graduated from their technicians program - and can get around a car fairly well, even though I left the field many years ago. The car was in good shape but was vandalized one night outside the house. Battery acid (I assume) all over the exterior. Shortly thereafter the right engine manifold cracked, and as I was busy in those days, I garaged it and it has sat ever since. It is a 351 C two barrel. Green with the vinyl roof (think of the car in Eastwood's "Gran Torino").. I am starting the disassembly as I write, and will be cataloguing parts and cleaning as I go. I find that info and research on this car is kind of sketchy. Hit or miss. Some good sources, but not much on YouTube on the how to's or particulars of the model. Anyway - that is the general gist of my situation.

Look forward to some conversation on this project.

Thanks...

 

Photograph, tag, zip lock bag as you go along. EVERYTHING assembled and removed. Makes putting it back together so much easier. Do a Marti report, if you haven't already. That and get a good wiring diagram to help out. 72 had some of the good stuff with power disc brakes, probably a 9" non-posi, FMX, and exhaust manifolds if you stay that way are pretty easy to come by. PS was the biggest headache back then.

 

Good to hear!
As a matter of fact, I ordered 400 multiple sized parts bags from Amazon this morning - only about 9 bucks. I have yet to run the vin and such.
What is a Marti report? I have heard that mentioned several times but I've never heard of it...

Also, if I may ask - how can I upload pictures to this forum for reference and sharing? I have seen several options offered, but if there is a preferred method here I'd like to use it...

Appreciate the reply...many thanks.

 

OK - figured out the pic thing...kind of <G>

 

 

This was the old girl in the late 80's....not looking this good now...but soon

 

Sharp !!

 

OK - looked the Marti Report thing. Looks like a good thing to have. If you're going for a restoration, might as well get it. As my Dad was the original owner, I'm curious as to what the Elite report might tell me. I can tell that the bills on this renovation will be coming in often and high <G> Oh well....Seize The Day <G>

 

i love the 72's!! can you please tell me what the elite report is, the same as martini?

 

Much more in depth. This is the standard one compared to the deluxe of my Cougar. Elite just more detail. You should also get a new blue door tag since the old one is probably toast.

 

 

Sadly, one of my lights is damaged...it will have to be replaced eventually. I am bagging parts and labeling everything...pictures too. I am enjoying the process. Doing a lot of research and finding it very enjoyable. If I wasn't enjoying it, why bother!?

When I get to the motor I will have to decide just how much I want to change there. I am thinking of going to a fairly stock configuration with maybe a few upgrades for durability and modernization. But that's a ways off yet.

 

Any tips on removing the rear on bumper on this 1972 ???

 

 

Today's action is removing the passenger side valve cover and spraying some bolts down for future removal. As previously mentioned, this is not the original Cleveland...I dropped a Ford factory rebuilt Cleveland in when I was working for Ford in the 80's. When I parked it the motor was running fine. It was a cracked header that forced me to garage it. Another day on the road to recovery...this project will be a daily journey. Even though I am retired, I have other things to attend to. But, I will pick at this every day...some days more than others.

Well, I got up and just felt like taking the other one as well 🥴 ...Also looked at the bumper...I can see all the bolts. I think I'll drop it tomorrow and finish removing the light fixtures too.

 

Wing, I suggest looking up on eBay, for a seller called Vintage Auto Lit / Literature.
They have factory ford 1972 - 1973 service manuals. They also have body assembly manuals which are well worth the cost.

I'd love to show you my block I had here but it was lost to the sands of time.
If you search my handle on GranTorinoSport. org, you can find my "17 year barn nap" build blog still intact in the GTS org forum sections under project vehicles. I am a main admin for that site and a moderator here. Own a '72 Q code Sportsroof 4 speed CJ car.

Your best advice: take pictures. I used a Sony digital camera and then like the rest of the world went to using my iPhone as a camera.

Stacy David of Gearz makes a GREAT project book for detailing things.

As far as notes, keep a good three ring binder, or note book in the garage divided into a couple sections/subjects to keep notes.

Break big tasks up into smaller tasks.
Don't forget some times to just set the tools down and walk away if she starts irritating ya lol

Go buy some decent ziplock bags or go to Uline or Amazon and get industrial ziplock bags and a Menards/Lowes/Homedepot for a selection of 17-27 gallon storage totes to pull parts to carefully store.

As far as parts go, like the tail light lenses, on Facebook we have a group for GranTorinoSport .org and there is also a classifieds FB page as well. We have a pretty firm lockdown in our groups to keep spammers at bay.

I know a few guys that still have a fair amount of parts cars. Not sure where you are located but I know of a yard here in the midwest (south east Nebraska, near Kansas Border with a few dozen Torinos left.)

 

Wing, I suggest looking up on eBay, for a seller called Vintage Auto Lit / Literature.
They have factory ford 1972 - 1973 service manuals. They also have body assembly manuals which are well worth the cost.

I'd love to show you my block I had here but it was lost to the sands of time.
If you search my handle on GranTorinoSport. org, you can find my "17 year barn nap" build blog still intact in the GTS org forum sections under project vehicles. I am a main admin for that site and a moderator here. Own a '72 Q code Sportsroof 4 speed CJ car.

Your best advice: take pictures. I used a Sony digital camera and then like the rest of the world went to using my iPhone as a camera.

Stacy David of Gearz makes a GREAT project book for detailing things.

As far as notes, keep a good three ring binder, or note book in the garage divided into a couple sections/subjects to keep notes.

Break big tasks up into smaller tasks.
Don't forget some times to just set the tools down and walk away if she starts irritating ya lol

Go buy some decent ziplock bags or go to Uline or Amazon and get industrial ziplock bags and a Menards/Lowes/Homedepot for a selection of 17-27 gallon storage totes to pull parts to carefully store.

As far as parts go, like the tail light lenses, on Facebook we have a group for GranTorinoSport .org and there is also a classifieds FB page as well. We have a pretty firm lockdown in our groups to keep spammers at bay.

I know a few guys that still have a fair amount of parts cars. Not sure where you are located but I know of a yard here in the midwest (south east Nebraska, near Kansas Border with a few dozen Torinos left.)

 

The latest little steps:

Started cleaning the dirt and grime off the Torino...she's been sitting a while. Just doing a little every day ~

 

You might even find the build sheet. Usually in the dash or under the seats or carpet.

 

I am already finding relics from the past <G>

 

Todays task was to remove the right door panel...I managed to do this without damaging any parts...the plastic and arm rest will need slight work...right now, I am cleaning, de-rusting & bag and tag...

 

Ordered quart and gallon size zip bags for larger parts...I find limiting myself to small bites every day keeps me patient and less stressed <G> If I'm in a hurry, I start breaking things.😤

 

Cigar butts and pop cans were commonly found also.

 

Today's foray into the insanity...worked on cleaning, lubricating and bagging the passenger door...

 

Every day I come down and size up another small piece of the puzzle. I do something every day to keep it going, but when I start to feel hurried I let it go for the day. I'm cleaning the grime and dust off the vinyl with Dawn dishwashing soap and warm water. I need to find a good vinyl cleaner and preservative and a good grease for the door joints and window mechanism. I imagine there are several good choices for both. The arm rests will need upholstering, as will parts of the seats. Enough for today...

 

Look for dirt up in the frame rails to.

 

Yes, I see what you mean...I'm not yet underneath the car, but when I get there I will sure look out for anything stuck up in there. It's a tedious process, isn't it? But, that's what we signed up for <G> It's still too cold in the garage to get to work, but I think I am going to continue to work on the right side of the interior...I have some gauges and accessories that need to be removed. I find that no matter what you clean, if you go over it the next day, more comes off. It's in layers, it seems. I'm constantly having to rearrange the garage to make room for things...but, better to stay organized than to start losing things in the mess. Slow and steady wins the race...sometimes <G>

 

Today's project was removing the rt. passenger mirror and clean it up...also got a bin to keep my small parts in. All labeled and bagged. I would like to take the entire mirror off, but I have not been able to get to the bolts that hold the entire assembly on - can't see them, so I took the guts out and dealt with that for now. I tried removing the distributor, but that sucker was not going to budge. I'm soaking it and will ease it out over time. That's enough for today!

 

Ok...not being able to find the bolts for the mirror was not going to let me sleep tonight so I went to E Bay and found some of theses mirrors for sale - looked at the bolt alignment and finally noticed the holes in the door sheet metal for the socket...

 

Sometimes, I make things harder than they are...

 

Tomorrow , I am going to start de-rusting the small screws and parts with my electrolysis set up...

 

Well, today I started de-rusting some small parts. The trunk was the main goal - it was a dump for all kinds of parts and I needed to get in there and clean it out, organize and re-organize and sort through things. I had forgotten that I had a tire in there LOL...it is the only original one I have left. The radiator is good, as are all of the parts stored. Some will have to be upgraded, for sure. Overall, a productive project day... that's it for today. Lunch time

 

Ok...long morning getting not a whole lot done...was trying to get the rear light assemblies out and discovered I will be in a whole lot of pain digging those out. No videos showing anybody doing it, or a procedure or tips for it. From what I have been able to find, it seems you have to drop everything just to get them out...PITA extraordinaire. I do not have any of the manuals for this particular task yet, so, I guess I will have to figure it out. I did get a few bumper bolts out, but the assemblies themselves seem to have one last bolt that cannot be reached without dropping everything underneath. Some days you're the pigeon, other days you're the statue. Today is a statue day.