My hybrid mustang/tbird door panel build

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My hybrid mustang/tbird door panel build

April 15, 2010, 05:00:29 PM

Hey guys I was gonna wait til I was done to post pics of this but I cant wait lol. What I am doing is taking the whole interior from a 87 sport tbird and putting it in an 86 GT (which I still have to buy lol). I want to do this to make the interior more luxurious and to have people be like WOW! O when I mean everything I mean EVERYTHING the dash, center console, front and rear seats, 1/4 panels will have the rear lights and carpet section etc. So this is just a small part of the project but its also the hardest and i'd like to share it to you guys and make a write in case someone is stupid like me and wants to do this lol.

Ok now to the write up. I started with these door panels and just pulled them apart till I had just the metal frame. Next I made the board section using the old one as a template (some may remember my backing board thread I did). After that I riveted on to the metal frame. I also put a metal plate over where the mustang handle was and riveted it on (I will be utilizing the tbird one for this). Then came the tbird material. I started with the upper vinyl part with putting the lock grommet into the hole on the metal frame and then got the vinyl precisely lined up to the frame and then held it down with some c clamps. Next I traced all the holes for the upper handle part (shown in the next pic) and for the middle carpet section and then drilled them. It took me a while but I finally got the upper handle to fit right. Thats all for tonight tomorrow I should have the vinyl back on (I took it off so I didnt damage it while drilling) and maybe the middle carpet piece back on. Also the bottom carpet fits perfectly so that'll be easy.

Also for anyone wondering "WTH doesnt he just use the tbird frame and board". Well it is very slightly different in 1 the way the upper frame is formed (it doesnt hook on like a mustang one) and 2 some of the board doesnt quite line up with the door panel pin holes.

Also got his done today

Got the holes drilled for the carpet section today. Everything lined up perfect :tu:. I just stapled the lower carpet piece in to get a better pic of it. Now I need to glue the vinyl on, glue the lower carpet on and then measure and cut the holes for the armrest. What do you guys think. O and you wouldnt believe how much heavier these are than stock panels (im gonna weigh em when im done :D).

My hybrid mustang/tbird door panel build

Reply #1 – April 15, 2010, 06:38:56 PM

Awesome idea! ...As Mustangs are inferior creatures...lol

My hybrid mustang/tbird door panel build

Reply #2 – April 15, 2010, 07:15:32 PM

^ lol :D. When I parted the bird had (smashed in the front) noone wanted the whole interior so I said the heck with it i'll keep it and then my dads like hey it looks like the dash will fit. After that the gears started turnin and thats how I ended up with this. The good thing is that for the most part everything bolts right up to a degree. Like the carpet section on the 1/4 panels the mustangs have the same indentation and the dash bolts the same as a 87 stang (I will have to modify the car i put this in as 86 dashes are different.

Also im using an 86 GT because I want fuel injection and dont wanna fool with trying to convert a carbed car. It will have a built AOD with a Mark VII shifter (WAY nicer than a stang or bird one) and an explorer motor with a stock stang cam.

My hybrid mustang/tbird door panel build

Reply #3 – April 15, 2010, 07:22:47 PM

This is funny, because I plan on doing the opposite except I'll use seats from a thunderbird SC.

My hybrid mustang/tbird door panel build

Reply #4 – April 15, 2010, 07:35:36 PM

Haha you doin stang interior. Sweeet. I like the 85-86 GT interiors a lot (I have 3 of them lol) I just want something different in the next one lol. Good luck with the swap and I wanna see some pics when its done

My hybrid mustang/tbird door panel build

Reply #5 – April 15, 2010, 08:21:51 PM

So how is the door going to open on the inside? Transplanting the T-Bird handle mechanism/rod?

My hybrid mustang/tbird door panel build

Reply #6 – April 15, 2010, 09:10:17 PM

i was thinking of doing that on one of my cars but more plane, like a sheet of aluminum with a bead rolled around the perimeter and the mustang door latch made to work... bare bones kinda thing. looks like a cool project tho, keep the pix coming!

My hybrid mustang/tbird door panel build

Reply #7 – April 15, 2010, 09:17:04 PM

I am interested in seeing the result since I have done the complete opposite of what you are doing... that is of course that I put a 95 Mustang dash in my 84 Tbird!

My hybrid mustang/tbird door panel build

Reply #8 – April 16, 2010, 09:54:39 AM

Yes im using the tbird handle and rod as it would look like trying to use the mustang one. I will keep pics comin when I get em. I will do a rough mock up on my 2R 85 when I done with this one to show you guys but I cant drill any holes for the armrest. Basically what im goin for is if you closed your eyes and sat into the car you'd think you were sitting in a tbird minus you'll see the back hatch :D

My hybrid mustang/tbird door panel build

Reply #9 – April 16, 2010, 11:12:15 AM

O heres some pics of the seat in a stang. The first is from my SVO where I had the front in it (also the rears but i dont have any pics of them). The second is of my 2A 85 GT where I put the rear seats in. They actually fit pretty good I just have to put carpet on the back of the top part and find a way to bolt it on. I also have to make a bracket for the bottom part. O and the back seat is SOOOO much more comfortable than a stock stang seat.

My hybrid mustang/tbird door panel build

Reply #10 – April 16, 2010, 11:28:41 AM

Very Nice. I always wondered if they would fit. I thought the rear seats were wider on the cats.

My hybrid mustang/tbird door panel build

Reply #11 – April 16, 2010, 12:34:30 PM

I have the measurements written down somewhere but its only about 2" wider. The bottom part fits snug and the top piece fits perfect but I need to make a bracket to bolt it on.

My hybrid mustang/tbird door panel build

Reply #12 – April 16, 2010, 12:39:54 PM

Those seats are about the only thing that would make the blue interior in mine liveable.

My hybrid mustang/tbird door panel build

Reply #13 – April 16, 2010, 11:17:30 PM

Cool idea using the Tbird seats. I love when people swap and fit various Ford parts to make something more unique.

My hybrid mustang/tbird door panel build

Reply #14 – April 17, 2010, 10:16:24 AM

Well I also have put a maplight from a tempo/topaz in one of my stangs. Its 100% bolt in and way better than them stupid maplights from the factory. Its not much but i like it

O and keep in mind that I was only test fitting it in the tan interior car it went into my LX that has grey interior (I dont have a pic of it in there and my dad has the camera :(