Stereo Upgrade - Alpine UTE-172BT

I've been looking at different radios that I could install in the Mustang.  My preferred radio to use is an Alpine from installing them years ago.  I have one in my '67 Mustang and as I looked around, it seemed that was still essentially the model they are actively selling.  I decided to pull the radio from the '67 and use it for a bit in the '93 Mustang.

The radio is a Alpine UTE-172BT which has a front USB provision and Bluetooth capability.  The display looks far better than the JVC KD-SX740.  Additionally, I can adjust the color of the Alpine display infinitely to perfectly match the appearance of the stock green instrument cluster.  Lastly, if I want, I can also activate a high pass filter and use a dedicated pre-out for a subwoofer. 

The JVC was installed using adapter plugs so the stock wiring was not cut.  I ordered a second set of those Ford adapters and a new Alpine plug from Amazon.  I could then wire this up keeping the former JVC wiring complete to reuse if I choose and also so I don't need to disconnect anything from the '67 Mustang.  While I can say I really like the look, I can change this back by simply swapping a few plugs.

While I didn't expect it to make much of a difference in how the speakers sound, they do sound better when powered by the Alpine. It could also be the better quality of music played by USB versus what is available on FM radio.  However, I'd swear even FM radio stations sound much better.  I'm eager to drive it around a bit and see how I like it.

Initial Maintenance - Ignition Timing, TPS, & Ignition Review

I drove the Mustang to work for the first time today.  As of arriving home this afternoon, I've put 110 miles on it since finishing the interior under a week ago.  

I'm learning a fair amount about the car from driving it.  The largest issues that I'm noticing are:

1) Front Wheel Contact - The front wheels make contact with the lower control arms when turning.  The wider wheels have a negative impact to the turning radius.  It sounds horrible when they make contact with the control arms and I'm sure it is damaging the wheels.  I have some steering limiters that I need to install to fix this problem.

2) Plastic Rattles - The plastic panels in the back of the car rattle significantly.  I hear a few small noises from the front but by far the majority of the noise comes from the back.  

3) Stereo Sound & Age - The radio looks rather dated in the car and the sound of the stereo isn't great.  I have a tough time ignoring it as my early days with cars was as a car audio installer, so I have a hard time letting this stay in its current state.  

4) Clunky Driveline / Suspension - When I back up, I can feel the suspension or driveline have slack in it.  There will be a momentary lack of movement, loose feeling, and then motion.  I expect this is likely related to the rear control arm bushings but it could also be u-joints, rear axle, or perhaps the transmission.  At first it seemed to only impact reverse but the more I drive it, I can feel it in all gear changes.  

After arriving home for the day, I decided to check the ignition timing.  I disconnected the SPOUT connector which appears to have never been touched and is still taped to the rest of the harness.  When I then checked the timing, it was at exactly 8 degrees.  I decided to increase it to 11 degrees as that seems safe despite many running 12 to 14.  If I find this has any negative impact, I can easily change it back.

I then checked the TPS and found it had a solid voltage reading of .81 with the throttle closed.  If this reading is between .75 and .98, then you are within acceptable limits.  I didn't expect to find anything off here as the car is running well but it is worth checking while I'm checking a few things.

I then pulled a spark plug and found the previous owner installed Motorcraft AGSF2C plugs.  That one test plug was properly gapped so I don't feel compelled to check the rest of them.  The spark plug wires are quite nice, thick, and securely connect to the spark plugs.  I then checked the cap and rotor and they are new Ford Motorsport parts too.  I didn't expect to find anything wrong here either but it is one of those things you feel better about once you have put your eyes on it.  

Initial Maintenance - What's Next?

 
With the interior condition of the Mustang and the air conditioning addressed, I’m going to begin driving the Mustang regularly.  I’ll learn fairly quickly if there are other items that need to be addressed.  If nothing comes up, my plan is to continue to work on showing it some attention through cleaning up signs of age and use while also performing additional maintenance work. 
 
I expect this car has only been driven around 500 miles in the last 13 or 14 years.  It made the drive home without any trouble so I don’t have immediate concerns.  However, you would normally want to do a fair amount of maintenance to head off trouble.  I’d think that would include all of the following with items I know to be already done in green font. 
 
New Oil & Filter – Done Myself
New PCV Valve, Grommet, & Check Intake Screen
New Spark Plugs, Wires, Cap, & Rotor – Done By Previous Owner
Confirm Initial Timing - Confirmed 4/27/26
Inspect Fuel Lines (Dried & Cracking?)
Clean or Replace Injectors
Replace Fuel Filter & Potentially The Pump
Flush Cooling System – Done By Previous Owner
Inspect Radiator & Water Pump – Replaced by Previous Owner
Replace Upper & Lower Radiator Hoses – Done By Previous Owner
Inspect All Vacuum Lines (Dried & Cracking?)
Clean Throttle Body and IAC
Inspect/Clean MAF Sensor
Replace Air Filter – Done By Previous Owner

Replace Transmission Fluid - Done on 05/18/26

Inspect Transmission Mount & Bushings - Done on 05/18/26
Replace Clutch Cable - Done on 05/2526

Replace Rear Differential Oil

Replace Sway Bar Bushings and End Links - Done on 06/03/26          
Inspect Control Arm Bushings & Ball Joints
Inspect/Replace Shocks – Done By Previous Owner
Replace Wheels & Tires – Done By Previous Owner
Front End Alignment
Flush Brake Fluid
Replace Rubber Brake Lines
Check Pads, and Rotors
Inspect Tie Rods & Steering Bushings - Confirmed on 05/31/26

Replace Battery – Done By Previous Owner

Check Major Ground Points - Confirmed on 05/31/26

My plan is to enjoy driving the car while working through the above.  They will be small weekend projects to get the car back to a solid reliable baseline.  I can then decide what I need to do next based on what I feel the car needs from driving it.  In the time I have driven it so far, I expect to need the following:

Hatchback Struts

Steering Rack Limiters

Driver's Door Weatherstripping

Park Brake Doesn't Hold

AC Rebuild & 134A Conversion - Part 5

This evening, I installed the remaining air conditioning components so I can get the system checked and filled later this week.  This included installing the manifolds on the top of the new compressor, the accumulator and associated line, accumulator bracket, pressure switch, line from the firewall to condenser, and the line from the condenser to the compressor.  

The compressor had a label on the top indicating that it came pre-oiled with 3 ounces of PAG-46.  The label suggested checking target oil quantities for your vehicle which I did to find the entire system needs 7-8 ounces of PAG-46.  From my research, I found the system originally used mineral oil and that since I didn't replace the evaporator, it would still be in the system.  I don't need to remove it but consider it likely has 1.5 ounces of mineral oil which will contribute to the total 7-8 ounces.

Since I have 3 ounces in the compressor and 1.5 ounces in the evaporator so I need to add 3 ounces.  I did that by adding 3/4 ounce in each of the lines when they were put on the car with 3/4 of an ounce in the accumulator.  Unfortunately, I didn't consider adding oil to the condenser before installing it so I'll just need to hope it all disperses fairly well later.  The oil was a pain as it didn't pour well and I was constantly having it drip from lines making a bit of a mess.  However, I got the job done.

I was really particular with the o-rings on all the parts to ensure they were in good shape and coated with the PAG-46 oil.  I went around the connections a few times just to make sure everything was sealed properly.  Once that is done, I put the three clips on the press together connectors for some added insurance.  

As I went over it all one last time, I realized I didn't have a high side quick connect installed for 134A.  The line has a port for R12 but there is no 134A adapter on the line.  I found that an AutoZone just two miles from home has the part I need so I'll pick it up after work tomorrow.  I then just need to put it on and take it somewhere to have the system checked and charged.  

Update 04/23/26 - I had the a/c charged today at a local shop.  They added some dye when filling it just in case I develop a leak but the system is well sealed.  Additionally, they said it cools incredibly well as they had it blowing 32 degrees from the vents during their testing.  That is excellent news and driving it home was quite nice.  

Initial Cleaning and Interior Projects - Part 6

Over the last two days, I finished up the work on the interior of the Mustang.  

I started with the installation of the Second Skin Luxury Liner Pro mat that is used to reduce road noise.  These sheets are a 1/4" thick foam with mass loaded vinyl on top and the total size is 24" x 54".  Since they are mostly foam, I didn't expect they would be overly heavy but they are 12.5 lbs. per sheet.  I used three of them so I've added about 37 lbs. to the car with this change.  I hope is it worth the weight.  I have one sheet left to do over the rear axle hump but that will be for another project later.  

With the Luxury Liner installed, I installed lower quarter plastic pieces, new carpet (ACC), and then the seats.  

I've delayed painting the center console as I was worried about how the console would turn out.  The first batch of Opal Gray paint from LMR really didn't impress me and made the parts look flat without any sheen.  I dove in this time cleaning with some interior cleaner, a Scotchbrite pad and dish soap, Duplicolor paint prep, and then a final wipe down with alcohol.  I then painted all the various parts from the console piece by piece to get perfect coverage and I'm glad to say it turned out much better and there is even a light sheen which is nice.

I then moved forward with installing the A/C controls, center console, new cup holder console (came with the car), radio, lower dash panel under the steering wheel, sill plates, and then the kick panels.  With the interior in, I couldn't wait and took the car out for a drive.  While the A/C isn't done at this point, buying it and then immediately diving into a two weeks project was a bit much.  I'm glad to be driving it and hope to do that for a bit and just fix the little things I find from driving it in the weeks to come.  

AC Rebuild & 134A Conversion - Part 4

After work the last two days, I accomplished a fair amount on the Mustang.  I'm nearing the final point of both the AC and interior projects.  This is the best part of the project where everything is clean and you are bolting up restored or new parts.  

The first item to install was the condenser using the brackets I painted and new hardware from LMR.  Once it was installed, I mounted the radiator back in place using the new hardware the previous owner installed.  The installation of these wasn't a priority with everything else to do but I wanted them out of the way as I don't want any damage to the fins of either of them.

Next was the backets for the air compressor and the air compressor itself.  I did take some time to clean the engine block, power steering pump, and the new water pump but it didn't make much difference.  I did notice the new compressor seemed lighter than the original and found it is 2.8 lbs. lighter (17.3 lbs. for the original and 14.5 lbs. for the new one).

Things then started moving a bit faster as I installed the shroud, water pump pulley, fan clutch, fan, and then the serpentine belt.  I then put back in the radiator overflow tank, battery tray, and then the battery.  I replaced the flex loom on the wires to the compressor and coolant reservoir as they were in bad shape.  

The last part of this job is installing the three hoses and the accumulator.  All the hoses are double sealed in plastic bags to keep humidity out of the lines.  I'm hesitant to install them right this moment unless I can get them all installed quickly and get the system sealed.  

Initial Cleaning and Interior Projects - Part 5

I'm working through the last of the A/C and interior project simultaneously but will keep the posts independent.  Over the last few nights, I've been working through putting things together after work.  I'm getting really close and could have the car entirely back together by the end of this weekend.

In order to move the radiator enough to get the condenser installed, I removed the battery and battery tray.  This was a good time to go ahead and install a new negative battery cable.  The previous owner purchased a set of new cables but only put on the positive cable.  I'm not sure why but he was missing the retaining nut so I had to reuse the old one.  Otherwise, it was far easier to do now as the grown bolt was accessible from the top of the engine since a/c compressor and associated bracket are out of the car.

I then turned my attention back to the seats.  I cleaned the rust from the back feet a week ago.  However, there was some very light spots of rust to address on the front mounting points.  As with the rear mounting points, I coated these with Krylon Rusty Metal Primary and then some Matte Black paint.  Additionally, I soaked all the bolts in Evapo-Rust and coated them with the same paint.

I spent some time working on the passenger rear floorboard as it has some surface rust.  I originally tried to address it by using rags soaked in Evapo-Rust which was of some benefit.  I then coated the area with Eastwood's Rust Converter.  After allowing the Rust Converter to work overnight, I coated it with Eastwood's Rust Encapsulator to finish off the job.  

AC Rebuild & 134A Conversion - Part 3

In the evenings this week after work, I spent a little time daily working on the air conditioning system.

The Evapo-Rust did an excellent job on the upper condenser mounts.  They looked like perfect bare metal without any evidence of rust.  I expect with the light surface rust on the part and the lack of paint that this must have originally been installed as a bare metal part.  I then painted them with VHT engine primer (SP148) and then VHT engine enamel in flat black (SP130).  I'm going to use flat black on pieces which are not visible (like these) or others that I want to fade into the background rather than be prominent in the engine bay.

The next step was to remove the original compressor and associated brackets.  It appears someone wire wheeled the main mounting bracket but did nothing more an put it back on the car.  I soaked the lower bracket, nuts, and bolts in Evapo-Rust to get them all cleaned up.  The large bracket was too large to fully soak so I put in some time with 220 grit sandpaper to clean it up before coating it with VHT engine primer (SP148) and then VHT engine enamel in flat black (SP130).

The compressor in the car had the following Ford label on the back of it so I expect it is original to the car.  I'm not sure if it has any value or is worth keeping.  I don't expect to clean it up any but I'll probably store it in the attic just in case I want it for some reason later. 

I also soaked the accumulator/dryer bracket portion by portion due to its odd size in Evapo-Rust.  I then coat it VHT engine primer (SP148) but since it was originally satin black (along with the accumulator), I painted it in the VHT Satin Black color (SP139).  I also painted the two little nuts that mount it to the firewall with the same paint.  This bracket was the hardest to paint as it wanted to fish eye because of something on the bracket, that I couldn't see, that was seemingly hard to get off but it turned out good in the end.

There are little clips, three in total, that are used on the A/C lines.  They line connections should not come apart but it seems they are there to help avoid that.  Two were painted black and one was natural finish.  I ended up stripping the paint from two of them using some spray on paint stripper.  I then painted them like the rest with the VHT primer and flat black paint.

Lastly, I cleaned the power steering pump slightly and considered cleaning the exposed section of the engine block.  However, I think that would soon get out of hand and spiral into a longer project.  I'll do a quick clean with some Super Clean and a scotchbrite pad and call it good.  I'll then start work on putting everything back together.

Initial Maintenance - Shifter Work

One of the things I immediately noticed when driving the Mustang was the shifter.  It is a replacement LMR short throw shifter which is a fine upgrade but it missed the mark in a few ways.  Most importantly, the shifter was just slightly out of comfortable reach.  Additionally, it was too short of a shift and didn't feel smooth when you shifted.  When the center console was out of the car for the carpet work, I decided to improve these items.

The issue with the shifter itself is that there is almost no angle to the actual shift lever.  Rather than attempt to fabricate something, I decided to look at other shift levers that are available.  I found a Steeda Tri-Ax which I ordered from LMR.  The shifter arrived and was exactly what I needed.  It weighs almost nothing, is slightly taller for less of a short shift, and moves the shifter back 2.5" and about an inch closer to the driver.  The following is a picture of it from the side compared to the standard LMR short shift lever.

I also decided to remove the entire shift mechanism from the transmission to have a look inside.  I found there was no lubrication on the guide plate.  While some transmission fluid will make it into that area, the plate should be lubricated with some white lithium grease.  I went ahead and added quite a bit of lithium grease, cleaned the shifter plate, put it back in with Permatex Black Ultra RTV, and then set the shift stops to ensure they are correct now that it might be mounted ever so slight different than before.  

AC Rebuild & 134A Conversion - Part 2

This evening, I had enough time to loosen the radiator mounts and slide it towards the engine enough to pull out the existing condenser.  I was quite surprised to find out how large is was compared to the one I just purchased.  It seems that is normal with the new approach taken with condenser construction now.  All comparable models I could purchase all look the same.

The upper condenser brackets fit the new piece perfectly.  However, they are lightly coated all over with rust as are the U-nuts and bolts that mount them.  There is a little rust on the accumulator bracket too.  I stopped at AutoZone on the way to dinner and picked up some Evap-O-Rust that I'm going to use to clean them all up.  I'll then put a light coat of paint on them to keep looking nice until I can find some reproductions that look right.

I've researched adding a trinary switch into the system so that I can use it to trigger a fan instead of using the compressor clutch trigger.  This would require having a shop modify the discharge tube that I just purchased.  That is possible and I'm tempted but before when I did this on the '67, the trinary switches were not good quality and kept failing.  After considering it a bit, I'm just going to use the compressor clutch trigger if I add an electric fan later.  It will have the fan on anytime the A/C is running but that is a decent safety measure.

I'm going to let all the hardware soak overnight and paint it tomorrow after work.  

AC Rebuild & 134A Conversion

I've had to pause the effort on the interior as I wait for some Eastwood paint and Second Skin sound deadening to arrive in a few days.  While waiting, I'm going to get started on the air conditioning system.

As I mentioned previously, the former owner stated the A/C has not worked since he purchased the car in November of 2022.  He had not attempted to do any work to it to understand what was wrong.  I tested the system by pressing on one of the Schrader valves a few days ago and there is no refrigerant in the system.  I decided that since I didn't want to go through guessing at what was wrong, I'd take this time to replace critical parts and perform a 134A conversion.

In an effort to get the system working again, I purchased mostly Four Seasons equipment except for the condenser since I couldn't find one anywhere.  The specific items I purchased include a Four Seasons compressor (FSS-58388), Four Seasons accumulator/dryer (FSS-55278), Four Seasons liquid hose line (FSS-55602), Four Seasons high pressure hose (FSS-55703), and Universal Air condenser (UAC-CN3554PFC), a Motorcraft 134A A/C Clutch Cycling Switch (YH-513 / E35Y-19E561-A), and the two manifolds which bolt to the top of the new compressor (LMR-6888748 and-LMR 6888747).  All the Four Seasons items came from Summit, the condenser from AutoZone, and the rest from LMR.

I removed all the hoses from the system this evening.  I sprayed PB Blaster into the AC fittings and after waiting a while pulled them using a Lisle (#39400) disconnect tool.  There is one particular fitting near the firewall and accumulator that everyone complains about taking forever to get loose.  I suppose I was lucky as it came out without any trouble.  I then removed the fan shroud, fan clutch, fan, and serpentine belt.  I stopped for the evening at that point not sure if I would remove the radiator or try to sneak the condenser without damaging the radiator.

Initial Cleaning and Interior Projects - Part 4

I led off the morning with painting the second two A/C vents and the driver side door pull.  I don't have much more planned to paint today which is good as I ran out of paint.  I would have put another light coat or two more on these but I'll use the as it and can repaint later if they don't look good once they dry.  I didn't realize how much of this paint I was going to use or I would have purchased two cans.

When I was finishing up painting, my Amazon order arrived containing the door panel retainers.  I coated the window slider with some WD40 Silcone spray while I waited for the door pull paint to dry.  I then put the driver door back together without the rain shield plastic and threw away the old insulation.  When the time comes to install stereo speakers, I'll just end up doing all of that work then.  I've already spent enough on what was going to be a fairly simple refresh of the interior.

It is suppose to rain this afternoon so the next job on the list was to clean the driver and passenger seat.  They are covered with stains and look horrible.  While the driver side needs to be replaced, I want them to be as nice as possible until that day comes.  Much like the back seat, I ended up cleaning the driver seat about five or six times.  The passenger side wasn't as bad but did have some stains on the lower portion.  

Once they were cleaned, I decided to do ahead and address the mounting points on them.  Where the rear two bolts go on both seats the mounting point is rusted quite a bit.  It had stained the carpet.  I used a wire wheel and a sanding disc to get off all the rust and to as much of bare metal as possible.  I then coated them with Krylon Rusty Metal Primer and then Krylon Matte Black.  They will the some time for both the paint and seats to dry after being cleaned. 

I remoted the passenger side door panel and fixed it up just like the driver side using the new map pocket and WD-40 Silicone on the window slides.  The passenger side was much cleaner so there wasn't as much work to do in getting it ready.  That said, all of the push retainers on the door were so worn they were not doing anything either.  

The final task of the day was to clean the floor of the Mustang.  I vacuumed it all out, used a brush to get more of the stuck on stuff free, and then vacuumed a second time.  I sprayed some cleaner on the floor and wiped it all off.  I cut out the insulation under the back seats and it also smelled like mouse pee.  I'd have liked to have used it and don't see it reproduced but I've rather find something else than use it the way that it was.  

I have a few more parts to clean up like the kick panels and the sill plates.  I need to treat some rust on the passenger rear floorboard and have some Eastwood paint coming in a few days for that job.  Once that is done, I'll put some sound deadener in that is on the way, install the carpet, and reassemble the car.  

Initial Cleaning and Interior Projects - Part 3

I continued on the interior cleaning and mini restoration project while off work today.  I tackled so many small projects it doesn't feel like an incredible amount was accomplished.  That is in part because a fair amount of time was spend cleaning everything that was visible of dirt and dust.  This might be unnecessary but I'd like to take advantage of the opportunity and feel good about the job I've done. 

The instrument cluster was the first item on the list.  I removed the cluster, cleaned it completely, and swapped in a Scott Drake LED set (LRS-7993LED-W).  The nine LED kit covered the turn signals, high beam indicator, low coolant light, the five cluster illumination bulbs, and the two illumination bulbs in the A/C controls.  I used original bulbs in the oil pressure, check engine, brake, belt, amp warning lights and left the air bag light without a bulb.

I polished the clear plastic over the gauges with some Meguiar's PlastX plastic polish.  It worked well but there are a few marks on the clear plastic that will not come out completely.  I did the front side four times and then the back side twice.  I then cleaned both sides twice with good glass cleaner before putting it all together.  I'm trying to ensure there isn't anything stuck inside that would be visible later as this part is rather hard to get out.

With the instrument cluster done, I cleaned the entire dash, installed a new Mustang emblem on the dash (LRS-04460-B), and swapped out the old looking A pillar screws (HDW-6103598).  I removed the stock amplifier before taking out the carpet but removed the wiring today and set it aside.  I then put on my new registration sticker before I forgot or lost it.  I then decided to change pace a little and switch to work on the door panels.

I pulled the door panels so that I could install new map pockets at the bottom of the doors.  When pulling the driver's side off, I found none of the push pin that retained the door panel.  The insulation inside was held to the door panel with some really thin duct tape.  The door also lacked the plastic shield to protect the door panel.  While looking around, I did find a loose ground in the door which I was able to quickly fix.  

I pulled off the black block off panels the former owner installed instead of going back with the factory style map pockets.  It then became incredibly apparent how dirty the door panels were as the gray was not so gray but more brown in areas.  I cleaned it for quite a while and it is probably half way back to normal.  I then installed the new map pocket and it looks good.  I'm going to need to do some paint on the door pull so I set it aside to do with numerous other parts later.

While I had the door panel off, I measured the speaker opening.  It has a 5" opening to hold a 6.5" speaker.  With the window rolled down, there is a bit over 2 1/8" of space for a speaker magnet.  That should give me plenty of options.  The mount pattern uses three screws instead of four that I've seen on most of the 6.5 speakers sold lately.

Next, I removed and took apart the A/C vents as they had a yellow/brown tint to the gray color and looked out of place.  I used Opal Gray paint from LMR and planned to use SEM Sand Free Adhesion Promoter (SEM-38363) but the can they sent gushed fluid from the top rather than spray like it should.  Hopefully, the paint still adheres.  

Initial Cleaning and Interior Projects - Part 2

Each evening after work this week, I spent a little time disassembling the interior of the Mustang.  On Monday, I removed the A/C controls, radio, center console, driver's side lower dash, and instrument cluster bezel.  On Tuesday, I removed the sill plates, kick panels, the seats, and then the original premium stereo amplifier (which I'll set aside and save).  On Wednesday, I returned to work on the seat belt bolts which were stubborn and the middle two at the transmission required heavy heat from under the car to get lose but I was then able to remove the console bracket that is behind the radio and ultimately the carpet.

The carpet doesn't seem to have ever been removed before from the vehicle.  The car has been repainted at some point and they removed some of the interior to do a good job.  They painted the door jams as some paint made it on to the carpet under the sill plate.  There were two things I found removing the carpet which are rather interesting.  They include a Paint/Metal Inspection sheet and gloves left in the car at the factory.

The Paint/Metal Inspection sheet was slightly under the bottom of the firewall insulation in the passenger floorboard.  The gloves were between the gas pedal and transmission tunnel in a bit of a corner pocket down in that area.  Surprising, you could not tell with the carpet in place.  They were slightly inside out as if someone finished for the day, pulled them off by the wrist portion, and threw them in the car before heading home.  Unfortunately, I didn't find a build sheet under the carpet or any of the seats.

This is the state as of now with the interior fully removed.  I'm off work the next two days in order to work on the car.  My goal remains to clean up the interior and do a bit of a restoration.  To control the scope, the plan is to work on everything between the dash and the rear seats.  I'll do everything I can to get it in really good shape with the exception of doing anything with the stereo and speakers, seats (beyond cleaning), and headliner.  

Initial Maintenance - Hatch Bumpers, Hood Prop Retainer, & Brake Reservoir Lid

In my recent LMR order of interior parts, I included a few items to repair broken or deteriorated items that were not associated with the interior.  Over the last couple of days, I installed those parts between working on the interior of the Mustang. 

The rubber insulators that keep the hatch from rattling and making contact with the quarter pane were worn out or missing.  There are some midway up the batch which were there but were crushed about 3/16" in from their original shape so I put in some new ones (#N806487).  The bottom corners of the hatch also have bumpers which were completely missing so I got a set of those too. (#E7ZZ6143634).

My hood prop retainer was broken so I ordered one (#LRS02-14-03B) and installed it. 

The brake reservoir cap was strangely spot along the side as if it were melted somehow.  It melted enough to create a hole through the cap but only facing the threads and not the inside of the reservoir.  I went ahead and purchased a new one (E9SZ-2162-A) and installed it too.

Initial Cleaning and Interior Projects

My son is coming over tonight to see the car so I don't want to tear anything apart substantially.  I also didn't want to do something so small that I could save it for a day after work.  I decided I'd pull the bottom of the rear seat to clean under it and to clean the fabric as it had several significant stains.  

When I pulled up the seat, I was surprised to see clumps of old carpet underlayment.  A moment later, the smell of mouse pee hit me in the face.  I lifted the seat fully out of the way and could see little mouse droppings under the seat.  He is no doubt long gone but that makes me want to immediately replace all the carpet and clean all the seats.

I vacuumed up everything that I could under the seat and then off the bottom of the seat foam.  There wasn't anything special under the back seat except a gum wrapper, folder label, mini Mag light, and a BIC pen.  I'd hoped to leave the underlayment as it is immediately above the mufflers but it will need to go in the trash.  

I cleaned the seat with a Bissel Little Green carpet cleaner we have had for years.  I ran the carpet cleaner over the back seat a total of five complete passes and it finally started to look much better.  It is rather disgusting to do this work and I only did the bottom of the seat.  I could probably do without sharing this picture but this is the water that was being vacuumed out of the fabric on the first pass with the carpet cleaner.  

I'm letting the seat bottom dry out in the sun today.  I coated the bottom of the foam with some Febreze to remove any residual smell.  I still need to clean more under the rear seat area and the back of the rear seat.  However, since it is Easter Sunday and we have guest coming over, I'll call it done a little early today.

Initial Maintenance - Simple Oil Change

This afternoon, I decided I'd replace the oil in the Mustang despite the knowledge it was replaced not that long ago (81,547 miles on 10/23/24).  When it was replaced, they used a MicroGuard filter so I imagine they used inferior oil too.  It will give me some peace of mind to replace it.  I keep a supply of Valvoline VR1 10w30 for my 1967 Mustang along with several Wix 51515 filters so I had everything I needed to do the job properly.  

The new oil pan looks nice under the car and doesn't appear to be leaking anywhere.  It was installed when the oil was last changed so I don't expect anyone has removed either of the drain plugs.  They were rather hard to loosen as I expect it was likely painted with them in place.  However, that was nothing compared to the effort required to remove the oil filter.  

The oil filter would not budge using a standard oil filter wrench.  I tried a Craftsman rubber strap wrench and that would not work either.  After working with it a while, I hammered a screw driver through the side and was able to loosen it some.  Unfortunately, I had to do that three times and then twist it off with a huge vice grip wrench.  It was beyond ridiculous how tight it was installed.  I'm tempted to keep it as some form of trophy due to the effort involved.

I cleaned up the huge mess I made due to the oil filter and put everything back together.  The mileage is presently at 81,733.  I noticed I need some sway bar bushings and end links so I'll add that to the list of future projects.  I looked around a bit under the car and see some light surface rust to deal with but in general it is in good condition.

Update:  The following morning I walked out to the garage and looked under the Mustang.  I found the oil pan leaks from the back drain plug.  It was already rather tight but I tightened it a bit more but within an hour there was another spot from dripping oil.  I was probably only sealed before due to the drain bolts being painted over when it was made.  

The drain bolt has a simple metal washer rather than something plastic or with a seal.  I stopped at O'Reilly and picked up a set of 1/2 drain washers which have an integrated rubber O-ring (Dorman 097-021CD - shown on right in image below).  It is convenient that it is a two pack as I have two drain plugs.

I swapped them into place, captured the oil in a super clean pan, and then put it back into the car.  I drove it around a bit and will see if we have any leaks this time.

Initial Maintenance - Air Bag System Error and Weird Noises

This morning, I decided as an extension of the interior cleaning, I'd remove the radio which led to removing the A/C and ultimately checking the air bag control module.  When I first sat in the vehicle yesterday, the air bag unit started a relatively consistent chime noise and then went away.  I didn't hear it again on the drive home.  However, at home, it just seemed to make rather weird noises instead of a chime sound.  

In my understanding, you should be able to turn on the key, watch the air bag light, and based on the flash sequence know what is wrong.  Unfortunately, the light on mine just stays lit which means the problem is with the control module itself.  I might be able to find someone to repair it but most just try to find another off eBay to swap into their car.  However, in all likelihood, after 33 years, the system isn't going to work properly anyway due to age.

I decided the best option was just to remove the air bag module completely.  I'll save it in case I ever want to put it back into the car.  This will certainly eliminate the noise I was hearing but will cause the air bag light to aways stay on.  I plan to remove the cluster to clean it and swap in LED lights so I'll just remove the air bag light then.  The system would then be fully disconnected.

The blue box has a black connector and a grey connector.  I'm going to end up labelling them somehow and leaving them inside the dash in the event I need to get to them later.  The box bolted from below through a metal brace from the radio area.  The part number of the blue box appears to be 72AF14B056AD (0's could be O's or D's).

Initial Cleaning and Interior Projects

After some time to relax this afternoon, I returned to a '93 to start cleaning the interior.  Cleaning the interior sounds easy but I'm very easily distracted with the various items I'm interested in checking or learning about on the car.  I've numerous random pages out of a pad of paper containing various notes of things that I would like to improve pulling me in multiple different directions.  I'll need to work to keep some level of focus as performing upgrades methodically is better than an ADHD buying list of new parts.

The exterior of the car doesn't require anything immediately to make it presentable.  The interior has not seen as much love so it is looking a little tired.  This is a good starting point for cleaning and making some improvements.  The list that I've compiled to this point includes the following:

Center Arm Rest

    A replacement was included but it requires Opal Gray paint

Center Cupholder Console

    A replacement was included but it requires Opal Gray paint

Paint Glove Box Pull

    This discolored relative to the rest of the ash and could use new paint

Replace A Pillar Screws

    These have slight discoloration and some surface rust.  Replacements are cheap.

Fix Center Air Vent

    There is something on one of the center vents.  I need to fix or replace it.

Replace Shifter Lever

    The shift knob is too far forward but I can get a shift lever with more curve to it.

Air Bag Noise

    I'm not sure if I want to just unplug it but it is making random, weird noises.

Floor Mats

    There are no mats.  It would be good to do the carpet but it might be a bit much.

Dash Pony

    The pony emblem on the dash has the chrome coming off and is distracting.

Cluster & Dome Light

    When I clean the gauge cluster, I'd like to take the time to swap to LED lights.

Kick Panel Fasteners

    The little plastic fasteners which hold the kick panels in place are missing.

I'm going to put together an order for these things and send it in tomorrow morning.  If they are open on Saturday, I hope they put together the order and start sending it over the next few days.  They are only about 1.5 hours from here so hopefully they can get it all to me in the next few days.