DIY Network

1965 Mustang: Exterior Emblems, Sport Mirrors and Bullit Gas Cap The exterior dress-up on our '65 Mustang features lots of chrome and horses, a bit of Carroll Shelby and just a touch of Steve McQueen. From "Classic Car Restoration" episode DCR-507

Left and right side-emblems

Steve continues the exterior work by installing several reproduction items, including new reproduction Mustang emblems, Shelby sport mirrors and a retro-style gas cap that'll be familiar to true Mustang fanatics.

Tools and materials:

reproduction gas cap
stock rearview mirror
stock "tear drop" mirrors
rear light bezels
reproduction emblems
barrel clips

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	Reproduction stock gas cap with Mustang logo
	The "Bullit" gas cap

Exterior Restoration: Purist or Revisionist Approach?

When we first began work on our Mustang, it was for the most part complete, but there were some parts that were missing in action, including chrome emblems and other exterior elements. For our restoration, we opted to replace these with modern reproductions rather than attempting to locate and restore old ones that are likely to be rusty or pitted.

When it comes to external chrome trim, the aftermarket has reproduced a lot of the parts for vintage Mustangs. Some are faithful stock recreations while others are "resto-mod" parts that may offer a little something extra in style or function.

Case in point: The "original" gas cap available for our car is an accurate reproduction of the real thing, featuring the Ford Mustang logo prominently in its center. The reproduction is authentic looking and visually striking. For our project, though, we take things one step further.

The classic 1969 film Bullit, shot on location in San Francisco, featured Steve McQueen in some of the most dramatic car chase scenes ever put on film. The "other star" in that movie was the '67 Mustang fastback that McQueen drove. On that Mustang there was a special, stylized aluminum gas cap. For our own resto-modification, we opted to add a dead-on replica of the "Bullit" gas cap for a distinctive look — and in homage to a very special bit of Mustang history.

	Reproduction Shelby Mustang side-mirrors
	Replacement door handles

Likewise the stock rear view mirror on our car is also available in reproduction. It's attractive but a little bit reserved for our purpose — essentially the same part you might have found on Ford's Falcon or Galaxy from the same era.

In 1965, when Carroll Shelby came out with the Shelby Mustang, he designed sporty tear-drop shaped chrome mirrors. In fact, those mirrors were also used on Shelby's legendary AC Cobra. Though the teardrop versions weren't actually original to our model Mustang, for our restoration we decided to upgrade to the Shelby reproductions for a decidedly sporty flair.

On the Shelby GT sport mirrors, there's a driver's side and a passenger side version. The driver's side mirror is flat while the one on the passenger side is slightly curved to provide a wider view.

The basic steps in the installation of the exterior accessories, as seen in this episode of Classic Car Restoration, are summarized below.

	Steve installs an exterior emblem piece.

Steps:

• The emblems are attached to the fender with a barrel clip, which is a little clip that goes right on the cast in studs. Simply insert the emblem into the factory holes until the barrel clips are secure.

• Use even pressure when gently pushing the emblems into the car.
  
  
• The instruction kit for the mirror installation includes a template that you put down on your door and drill two holes. Use a little isolator pad to set it right down in place.

• Position the mirror on the door and start the first screw. Don't tighten all of the screws at once, Snug them down gradually, in increments.

• To install the gas cap, the retainer cable bolt is installed into the original hole and with the nut loaded into a nut driver. The nut is secured to the bolt from inside the trunk and is tightened down with a wrench.
  

Originally, the "Mustang" moniker didn't refer — at least not directly — to the sturdy and fleet-footed breed of wild horses that once roamed the plains of the American West. In fact, the name Mustang was suggested by a Ford executive stylist who was a fan of the P-51 Mustang fighter planes of World War II.

Nevertheless, it was the horse theme that took hold, and the running horse emblem was created for the original Mustang concept car in 1962. The theme evidently rang true with buyers as well, as the car rather quickly became known among auto enthusiasts as the "pony car."

Since it's concept in 1962 to the present day, the same basic galloping horse logo has stuck with the Mustang automobile in all its incarnations. The now iconic emblem has been present on every model of Mustang, steadfastly representing the car's "spirit" with a symbol suggesting freedom, excitement, exhilaration and, yes, horsepower.

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 :

Kevin Tetz
paintucation.com
Paintucation.com specialized in automotive body, paint and restoration services and instructional restoration videos.