[MikuhlBrian]

Hey MikuhlBrian, great work on the battery tray and connections. I look forward to hearing what parts you are going to choose for your suspension.

I follow you on YouTube, since you shared your Bullitt stumbling video, and I would love to see content of your 01 DHG. Also, the stop motion video you did on the front bumper cover was really cool.

It's funny that you mention the youtube channel. When I was out filming with my go-pro, it is for more content that I will be putting on my youtube channel. While I love posting my progress on IMBOC (and another Mustang forum), the audience is limited. I'm going to put all work going forward onto the youtube channel. So keep watching.

For those who want to subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/user/MichaelBrianStudios

 

[Tony Alonso]

Hey MikuhlBrian, great work on the battery tray and connections. I look forward to hearing what parts you are going to choose for your suspension.

I follow you on YouTube, since you shared your Bullitt stumbling video, and I would love to see content of your 01 DHG. Also, the stop motion video you did on the front bumper cover was really cool.

Thanks for pointing out the channel. I will take a look at that.

MikuhlBrian, good luck with the new part replacements!

 

[English Bob]

Have done just a little bit of work on the Bullitt over the past few weeks. Just some odds and ends to keep me busy until I can spend the $$ on exhaust to get her CA compliant.

Junkyard Odds & Ends

Went to the junkyard hunting for a factory catalytic converter H-pipe, but as I suspected they were cut out before becoming available in the yard. So here was my score. Two factory headlights, trunk weather stripping, a few wheel bolts, and a driver's dash vent.

Here is the weatherstripping in the trunk before...

...and here is the new(ish) weatherstripping in.

Stock Headlights

I wanted to replace the aftermarket halo headlights with some stock units. Before:

The headlights I snagged from the junkyard were well worn, but I've had good luck with a headlight restoration kit on my Magnum SRT8, so I figured I would give it a try. Stock headlights installed, pretty cloudy:

This is a shot during the restoration process. Sanded with 1000 grit, and then 3000 grit. This is before the polishing.

And here they are after they are polished. Loving that she's looking more like a Mustang. The stock headlights are so much better (IMHO).

Nice job polishing the lights but pull the 2 pins and they fall right out, so no masking needed

 

[MikuhlBrian]

Well it has been two years since the Bullitt arrived in San Diego from Louisiana. While things haven't gone as quickly as I wanted to thanks to the pandemic, progress is still being made. Finally was able to get her into the garage, parts ordered, and starting the work. New starter, flywheel, clutch, clutch cable, and shifter. This too has been slow going with travel and just being busy with life these days. Hope to have her back on the road in a couple of weeks.

Current state: Up on jackstands, x-pipe and driveshaft removed.

 

[MikuhlBrian]

When I was younger, reading forums and build threads and sometimes they would go dormant for several months before updates. I now know why that is the case, especially with project cars. Life just gets in the way sometimes, which is did for me. After a long 4+ months, the Bullitt is back on the ground and took her out on the maiden drive Sunday. All the new parts:

• Exedy Mach 400 Stage 1 clutch
• Exedy Lightweight flywheel
• SVE High Torque starter
• Steeda Tri-Ax Shifter
• pilot bearing
• throwout bearing
• rear main seal
• lower shifter boot

After the first drive, everything feels good with a couple of exceptions. The bite on the clutch is still pretty close to the floor. It feels like the clutch cable is pretty stretched. I already have in hand a new adjustable clutch cable, clutch cable firewall adjuster, and an SVE billet aluminum clutch quadrant to install this coming weekend. The shifter is also a little too notchy and difficult to get into first gear. I think I need to do some tiny adjustments on the shifter.

But very happy to have the Bullitt back on the ground and on the road.

The first drive since before Halloween!!!

** and I need to trim the shifter. The Bullitt shifter will not twist fully to the correct orientation of the numbers.

 

[MikuhlBrian]

About to embark on the next big project, and that will be replacing the suspension. Over the last few months I've amassed all the parts that I will need for this project. According to my dad and brother, the only thing that has been replaced on the suspension is the right front shock. Nothing else has ever been replaced. So i've been riding around on a factory suspension with 188K miles on it!!! No wonder she floats and bobs and weaves like a 1972 Grand Marquis.

Parts List:

• Ford Racing "C" springs
  • I went with these because the Bullitt is low enough for me. Even know I have to be careful entering my own driveway to avoid scraping the exhaust as I come in.
• Bilstein B6 shocks front, rear and quad.
• Eibach sway bars, 35mm front and 25mm rear
• Urethane sway bar end links
• Maximum Motorsports HD Adjustable lower rear control arms
• Replacement upper rear control arms
• Moog inner and outer tie rod ends
• Front lower ball joints
• Urethane bushings for front lower control arm, rear lower control arm, front sway bar, steering rack, and spring isolators

Just before pulling into the garage to start the project, had to take the Bullitt to get the bi-annual California Smog Check. She passed! Which also means that she's been CA road legal for two years now.

 

[MikuhlBrian]

Rear Suspension

Over the past couple of weekends I've made some progress on the suspension. The rear is all complete. Ford Racing "C" Springs, Bilstein B6 shocks, Bilstein quad shocks, MM adjustable lower control arms with poly bushings, factory replacement upper control arms with new bushings, and an Eibach rear sway bar.

 

[MikuhlBrian]

Front Suspension

All ready for surgery.

I've also made some good progress on the front suspension. All new inner and outer tie rod ends installed. Steering Rack bushings were replaced with Polyurethane bushings. I've installed the front Bilstein shocks. The front control arms removed, and dropped off to have the new ball joints replaced and new polyurethane bushings installed. Once I get those back, then it will be time to bolt everything back up together.

Check out these ball joints. They could have given way at any moment.

 

[waycad]

Front Suspension

All ready for surgery.

I've also made some good progress on the front suspension. All new inner and outer tie rod ends installed. Steering Rack bushings were replaced with Polyurethane bushings. I've installed the front Bilstein shocks. The front control arms removed, and dropped off to have the new ball joints replaced and new polyurethane bushings installed. Once I get those back, then it will be time to bolt everything back up together.

Check out these ball joints. They could have given way at any moment.

Making great progress!

 

[39Tudor]

Looking good!
Thanks for keeping this thread up to date with your progress.

 

[MikuhlBrian]

Front Suspension - Completed

This weekend I finished up the front suspension and the Bullitt is back on all 4 tires. All new tie rods (inner and outer), polyurethane steering rack bushings, polyurethane control arm bushings, new ball joints, Bilstein shocks, Ford Racing "C" Springs with polyurethane spring isolators, and an Eibach sway bar.

Back on the ground and ready for the first test drive. The battery died so I had to charge it overnight. Will be taking the first drive later today after work. Looks like she is sitting a tad higher than she used to, probably due to the new springs that need to settle and the old springs that had settled way too much.

Here's the pile of old parts that came off the car.

 

[MikuhlBrian]

It's been a while since I've updated. Since the suspension work has been done, I've just been enjoying driving her around without worrying that a ball joint might fail, etc. Now that fall has descended and summer travel is over, I'm starting to get back into a few projects. This weekend I tackled this small project.

Fuel Door Refinishing

The fuel door on my Bullitt has some corrosion bubbling up from underneath the finish on the main door, as well as around the lower left mounting hole. The hardware, as you can see, has a lot of corrosion on it as well.

I could have sprung for a NOS one on eBay, but I wanted to try something a bit different. I snagged some brushed aluminum vinyl for about $5 that I would apply to it after removing the corrosion. Here you can see the difference in color between the door and the vinyl. The vinyl is a bit brighter than the door itself. I didn't mind as right now I'm not going for a concours restoration.

I pulled the door off and disassembled it. If you've never disassembled one, the spring and black cap in the middle of the photo are all that hold the door to the outer frame.

I sanded through the finish and removed all of the corrosion. Then a small coat of filler to smooth things out.

I then used my vinyl cutter to cut out BULLITT # 0265 from some left over vinyl that I had to apply to the door. The font I chose is BROADWAY, which is a very close match to the BULLITT badge font.

I laid over the brushed aluminum vinyl to get this very subtle look to the gas door. I also applied the same vinyl to the outer door ring as well.

And here it is installed with some refreshed hardware. It is hard to see in the direct overhead light. It's subtle and unique.

 

[waycad]

Nice touch! Not unlike the ghost "Bullitt" on the leading edge of the hood of #1625

 

[MikuhlBrian]

Nice touch! Not unlike the ghost "Bullitt" on the leading edge of the hood of #1625
View attachment 90375

oh man... that looks REALLY good!!!! I love how subtle it is.

 

[waycad]

oh man... that looks REALLY good!!!! I love how subtle it is.

What's really cool is that it goes from changing color to becoming virtually invisible in certain light conditions and viewing angles. Interestingly, I never would have done it had I not tried to "fix" a small chip, gradually turning it into a half inch divot down to the primer. It has been said that "necessity is the mother of invention".

 

[BTBullitt]

Very cool. I just picked up a nice bit of suspension pieces for #5253. With any luck, some sales on Black Friday, and I'll be good to start install in December.

 

[MikuhlBrian]

Very cool. I just picked up a nice bit of suspension pieces for #5253. With any luck, some sales on Black Friday, and I'll be good to start install in December.

View attachment 90557 View attachment 90558

oh damn!!! very nice. Color me Dark Highland Green with envy!! Doing the IRS swap is something that i'm contemplating, but that will be further down the road.

I'm gonna be scouring some Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales and hopefully score some deals on the brakes, which is the project for next month.

 

[BTBullitt]

Thanks, yeap, using some black friday sales to get the rest of the bushings and parts to re-furb this one! Hoping to get it in around Christmas.

 

[MikuhlBrian]

The Shaker GT Returns Home

I am going to be starting the bodywork soon, and there are some pieces that I need for the Bullitt. It's missing one of the Bullitt side scoop delete panels, and I want to do a smoothed 03/04 Cobra rear bumper and a 03/04 Cobra front bumper. I knew of a source for a smoothed OEM Cobra rear bumper as well as OEM Bullitt side panels, my former 2001 GT convertible. I called up my friend who still owned it, and she was ready to sell. We went to New Mexico over the Christmas break and towed it back to San Diego. Now both of the 2001 Mustangs that we owned in the mid-2000s are back together, at least for a little while.

When I first bought the Mineral Gray 2001 GT 5-speed, it was bone stock. I loved the look of the Mach 1, but they didn't make a Mach 1 convertible. But that was my visual goal. Mods that I did to the car:

• OEM Mach 1 hood
• OEM Mach 1 Shaker scoop adapted to the SOHC engine
• OEM Mach 1 chin spoiler
• 18" Mach 1 replica wheels
• Mach 1 style side stripes
• smoothed OEM 03/04 Cobra rear bumper
• OEM Bullitt scoop deletes
• OEM Bullitt instrument cluster
• Borla Stinger exhaust
• H&R SS lowering springs

The Bullitt scoop deletes and rear bumper are destined for the Bullitt. I will also be removing the Bullitt instrument cluster, replacing the convertible top (has a gash from when someone broke into the car) and refinishing the wheels. I will probably remove the Shaker hood & scoop and keep those around, not sure if I will sell those separately or add them to the Bullitt as well. Eventually the 'vert will be sold again after returning it mostly to stock.

Here's a picture of them together about 18 years ago, the day I bought the 2001 GT convertible.