Powerwasher. Rent one. But make sure you cover up EVERYTHING really good. Take some type of waterproof material and cover up all of your loose wires, hoses, lines, etc. Then spray the engine bay and K-member down with Simple Green. Let it soak for a bit and then hose everything down. Do it twice. You should have most of the road grime washed off everything once you do this.

For the wires, anything that has a covering on it strip off and toss it. Go to Summit or a local car show and buy yourself a mile-long roll of plastic tube covering. If you don't know what I'm talking about when I say plastic tube covering, just let me know. The satin black on all the wires versus the old, corroded cracked lines is a difference like night and day. Simply put the easiest change you can, and it's the cheapest one too.

I know your motor isn't in the car, but that's another area of concern. Undo all brackets and powerwash them too. Somehow sand down the brackets to even out all blemishes in their surfaces (Dremel, electric sander, whatever) and hit everything with a coat of sandable primer. Keep working at them until the surfaces are nice and flat. Then paint them whatever color you desire. I like bright gray/metallic myself, but it's your choice. Please don't paint them the color of the car, it makes the baby Jesus cry.

I could go on and on. I know you're probably coming up with a million questions for me, just let me know what you're curious about and I'll be glad to help you.

Here's de old 5.0 for s***s and giggles.

Welding the cheesegrater holes shut is another option. I'm not sure how handy you are with a welder, but maybe someone off your local forum is good with one. That's an idea to consider.

Not sure when you plant on transplanting the motor, but if you'd be interested, I'd love to come down there and help you clean it up. I could come down the week of March 12-18th. Just supply some decent tequila and I'll be there.

Sunday the 19th? What about the 12th, that work out better for me. I could make it the 19th, but I have school in the morning on the 20th and I know I'd probably skip it. I have to have some of that Cabo Wabo you know.

Well hell, since that works, what about Saturday the 11th? I could come down and stay Saturday, work on the car some more Sunday and drive back home at night if my ass isn't too kicked.

Damn right we could. How's about this. I'll come down very early Saturday, I'll leave at like 10 AM, and we can then head to Summit. Is Summit past your house or before yours? If it's before yours, we could just plan to meet there around noon.

Fill the holes
Eliminate wires that you don't need.
Paint.

(as far as cleaning, degreaser and powerwasher.  BE CAREFUL.  IT WILL TAKE OFF PAINT)

Advice:
Degreaser and hose first, then degreaser and elbow grease.

Cara - hint for next time..  use cardboard to help contain spills and leaks...

Good advice, but I'm not sure how I can fill the holes because I don't have a welder.  Maybe bondo?    Then it'd need repainted, and I don't have the budget for that. 

There's nothing wrong with purple, but it's not my color of choice for a Mustang! 

Cara, PM me your address and I'll send you an e-mail from ALMOST STOCK on what do to.  I was interested in knowing what is needed and he explained it in great detail.  If haven't seen his engine bay, here it is.  It's absolutely gorgeous.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/almoststock/IM000286.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/almoststock/2003.jpg

It's seriously the best I've seen.

Cara, another thing I've been thinking about. Is your garage heated? If we're gonna be working with water, it needs to evaporate. If the garage has an air temperature of 30 degrees, it's gonna take forever to dry that engine bay out.

Are you not concerned about priming/painting the engine bay? That's all up to you, but that's a time-consuming effort in itself. And again, with the temperatures, that paint won't cure very well at all.

yeah swing it my way, already started, but could use more info.


thanks d00d

I always went with sandable primer because it dries really fast so you don't have to wait hours between coats. Any brand will work, just don't get a horrible off-brand from K-Mart or what not.

Heat!

Chowder, could you shoot me the PM as well?

I am in the middle of mine and may find a shortcut or better way to complete it.

Thanks for the tips! Simple green + degreaser + pressure washer + primer + paint seems to be the answer. 

Kevin, you get all sorts of bonus points! 

Joe- does por15 do custom colors (i.e. keeping the engine bay the same color as the body?) couldn't find that on their website.