What book or online manual etc do you recommend for someone beginning a restoration on a 66 Coupe? As far as part placement, screws, part numbers etc? Ford Service Manual? Looking for exploded parts type drawings etc. I have found a couple, like Haynes etc but wondering what the pro's go-to books are.
Welcome to the forum. A lot depends on what your goal is, a full concourse restoration, a concourse driven restoration or a fun car that looks factory. There are other levels that are listed in the MCA rule book. As to recommendations, get some Mustang Parts catalogs to get a familiarity of what is available for parts and, even more important, what are the costs. I recommend you look at these websites and get their catalogs: National Parts Depot (aka NDP) -
http://www.npdlink.com/ - they post on this forum; Virginia Classic Mustang -
http://www.virginiaclassicmustang.com/ - they (Brant mostly, good guy) post on this forum; Mustangs Unlimited -
http://www.mustangsunlimited.com/ - there are others, these three have a good reputation (at least by my standards). For hardware, AMK Products -
http://www.amkproducts.com/ your hardware source.
As to books, you will find a selection listed by all three of those Mustang parts suppliers in their literature section.
Some specific titles I recommend:
- 1966 Comet, Falcon, Fairlane and Mustang Shop Manual. This is needed for engine, transmission, suspension, etc, rebuild and service.
- 1966 Mustang Assembly Manuals - Body, Interior, Electrical, Engine Accessories. These are drawings of what Ford engineering intended the car be before it actually got built. At assembly, there were many changes that are not documented here, but the paper format give you a place to make notes specific to your plant, month of build and other items that get revealed on this forum. Don't be afraid to mark up the books. Those manuals are 85 to 90 percent accurate (my opinion).
- 1965 Mustang Assembly Manuals - Chassis, Weld and Sealant. These two manuals do not have a 1966 equivalent but can be used to get an idea what goes where. They are 50 to 80 percent accurate (and better than a brown paper bag and Crayola).
- AMK Products Guide to Ford Fasteners - this book shows the hardware parts referenced in the above manuals. It is 95 to 98 percent accurate.
- Magazines - Mustang Monthly, get a subscription.
How to books:
- Mustang How-To, vol 1 and 2. Reprints of Mustang Monthly articles.
- How to Restore Your Mustang, by Larry Dobbs and Donald Farr; the least you're going to get is how to take things apart and put them back together.
There are some reference books that are merely re-printed pages of the Ford Car Parts book which is used for service after the assembly line. They do not cover what the assembly line did.
One more thing, learn the Ford part number system.
Jim