69 Mustang project

Ok its been a long while since i have posted anything, but i have been lurking and watching the builds and industry change, options have gotten much better!!... good times..

SO.. after my 96 Cobra project came to an abrupt end a few years back i decided to build my 69 Mustang into a ProTouring style setup with the items that i wanted:

• 69 Shelby rear
• Boss 302 style motor - stroked original 351 to 408 and installed aluminum cleveland heads
• T56 manual trans - Viper T56 with hydraulic clutch
• suspension upgrades
• Boss paint scheme
• Boss 429 hood scoop
• big brakes front and rear - Brembo calipers 14" rotors front - deciding on rear brakes now
• Audio system with tablet base android os and Alpine electronics from Cobra project - going for SQ

Thanks for all the inspiration and amazing builds on this site!!

ok -- so the goal is to use multiple arduino micro-controllers(prototype) with RGB addressable LED pixel strings to control the gauge cluster lighting, interior lighting, turn signals, tail lights etc.. moving to atmega 328P circuit build once design is completed..

first tests are looking good, since the YearOne bezel did not come with turn signal or bright light indicators, i will program the far right and left to blink green when the appropriate turn signal is enabled, and also have the speedo gauge light blue when the bright lights are on.. the Shelby sequential tail lights should be fun with the arduino.. its all in testing at the moment, obviously the brightness will be the biggest challenge, adding enough RGB LED's to arrive at the brightness needed.. fun stuff..

initial testing of arduino and RGB pixel string--
http://youtu.be/nvF44YWayNQ

gauge cluster testing
http://youtu.be/WYsMujisIgs

night test
http://youtu.be/hfMQySYXTB8

we worked on the 69 last night, so while we are trying to do some research on the hydraulic TOB setup with the Viper T56 i took some time to take a few photos of the dash where the nexus and/or RUX controller would install.
Im not sure if a 7" display will work in the long run...
a custom solution at the base of the console mayl be needed due to the angle of the dash and visibility from the driver seat. i have a factory console with the shelby gauge pod and this is a manual trans car...

i will be installing a vintage air AC system with the small AC controller that comes with the kit instead of my factory controls (shown in the pics)
so... any ideas to make a 7" display visible from the driver seat without taking away from the original design.. throw them at me... the recessed slope of the dash is a fun design requirement...

a few photos of the vintage air controller, Shelby gauge pod, and kindle used for example...

NICE build - looking forward to the continued progress and pics! :)

What I'm planning on mine might work well on yours too, similar year model too.

Control the AC (and whatever else you want) with the nexus 7. Set it up with the Arduino using relay switches, or even stepper motors, then program some widgets that'll sit on the tablet, and get them to send the code to the arduino, turning a switch on and off. I'm doing exactly that with mine (work in progress), but I'll also add thermometer, so when it's over a certain amount, the AC will auto turn on, fans will turn on, cheap climate control.

And bonus points if you rig up a GPS shield to your arduino controlling the LEDS, make it change colours depending on the speed your doing.

P.S. If you haven't bought your vintage air kit yet, let me know and I can show you what I did with mine. Can probably get the whole thing working for under $200 easily.

wow... yeah i have not ordered my vintage air kit as of yet... working on a rear brake package and finishing up a few things.... yes.. anything your willing to share send it on ....
thanks!!!
GPS shield and hidden cellular too ... would be nice additions..
i thought about removing the center AC ducts and re-routing them and placing a 7" screen in the location but... have not done any more than think about it...

I'm happy to help.

With my AC kit, I looked at the vintage air, but it was horribly expensive. I bought a car to pull the engine out of for $500, and took the air-con out of that. It was an XF ford falcon, 89 model. But go to your local salvage yard, and find an older model car that's powered electrically, and it'll be simple enough to adapt.

This is when I started:
http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/z...n/ute008-1.jpg

The air-con is a surprisingly simple setup. A fan at the back is controlled by a switch, the AC compressor is controlled by a switch, and heat and cool is controlled by a lever (which I plan on swapping with a stepper motor).

This is the inside:
http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/z...n/ute009-1.jpg

So there are two radiators, and a lever that flows the air either between the heater rad, or air-con rad.
http://s810.photobucket.com/albums/z...n/ute010-1.jpg

The unit itself was way too large, so I had to hack it up a bit, but the other parts just directed air between footwell, drivers, ect. So I cut them out, but I can fab up something easily that's controlled with the stepper motors to direct air between the parts I want, and fits easily enough.

Then it's just a matter of mounting it, hooking up the rad hoses/gas hoses. Mounting the AC radiator, and hooking up the gas hoses between the compressor and radiators.

And here's what I did with my ducts. It never had any at all, so I welded some in.
http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/z...n/ute015-1.jpg
http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/z...n/ute014-1.jpg
http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/z...n/ute013-1.jpg

Have you got any full pictures of the dash? I might be able to make some suggestions about moving or keeping ducts.

ill have to dig some up and post tomorrow... great build ... do you have another blog or site your documenting the restoration side of your build... ?

I've got a few forums I'm on, but I like to branch out to these sorts of forums, because when I start talking about tablets and arduino, I get very blank stares.

Have a look at this one:
http://forums.mightycarmods.com/show...rd-Falcon-Ute-

You don't need to sign up to look on that one, otherwise I'm also on http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11296671 But you'll need to sign up for that one.

It's my first resto project, so it's been a lot of trial and error, teaching myself how to weld, doing things wrong and fixing them.

Post the pictures when you find them, I'm happy to offer suggestions.