OK, more than a little skill is required, but these are skills you, the guy (or chick) reading this, can pick up if you practice. Working with metal is a skill that is quickly disappearing in our disposable society, yet it is an extremely valuable skill to have. There are still many circumstances in which it is much more cost effective to repair and metal-finish a part than it would be to replace it.
We recently spent a blisteringly hot week in Lake Havasu, Arizona, watching the guys at Recon Classic Car Bodies transform our pretty-cool '67 Mustang coupe into a righteous '67 fastback. Formally known as Drake Customs, Recon's specialty is building Mustang conversion body shells. Translation: The company buys junked coupes and transforms them into reconditioned fastbacks or convertible shells ready for you to outfit with a drivetrain and interior. The guys were gracious enough to work their magic on our forlorn coupe (last seen in the Apr. '08 issue) in less than a week's time. As if that weren't enough of a challenge, they simultaneously worked over a hashed '65 coupe, turning it into a convertible. They did both cars in an amazing six days. We're going to show the job the crew at Recon did in a series of articles starting now. This will be a brief on the basics you'll need to know before tearing into a car on your own. Even if you never plan on doing your own fastback conversion, there is plenty of information here that will apply to any major autobody job you would attempt. So lace up your steel-toed boots-the sparks are about to fly.
Tools Used (Listed According To The Funness Factor)
Other Essential Tools
