1972 cougar restoration

[Guest unmodifiedrustedjunk]

Greetings all. I have followed this forum for many years but only recently embarked on my own project. Bought unmodified 1972 convertible cougar from original owner in 2013. It's a driver and I am doing light body work. Last Summer, I had transmission problem where whole car would shake in gear and settle out in park or neutral. I brought it to local Ford dealer where they said it was torque converter but wouldn't do any work on it because it was" too rusty". Because car was in Maine (and I am in NC) and I couldn't manage things from afar, I had it transported to NC. Magically, transmission problem resolved with transport. I am now resolved to sort out transmission and undercarriage/frame issues.

My questions are:

1. Shaking of car in gear; resolves in park or neutral or at speed greater than 10 mph. If not transmission, would this be carburetor or vacuum lines?

2. Frame; How do you evaluate frame rails; torque box; and undercarriage for safety and integrity? I am planning on sandblasting undercarriage and remediating with angle iron from old bedrails but it really doesn't look that bad.

3. Where is rear torque box on 1972 cougar?

[F&J]

11 hours ago, unmodifiedrustedjunk said:

I am planning on sandblasting undercarriage and remediating with angle iron from old bedrails but it really doesn't look that bad.

 

 

You should never use bedrail angle iron , except on a bed.  They are hardened steel, and will crack at a welded joint.  New steel is quite reasonable and clean. 

 

Torque boxes on similar mustangs are at the rear of the front suspension "frame rail" where it hooks to the body.  The rear boxers are at the fronts of the rear rails for the suspension.

[Guest unmodifiedrustedjunk]

Thank you.