Putting holes in your Ford Mustang Fastback

If you’ve ever put back together a Fastback interior, then probably figured out that the panel ‘s screw holes don’t always line up with the holes in the car. There are a few reasons for this. First off, these old cars were put together by human hands with the help of templetes, and the holes were drilled by an assembler with a hand drill. Also, over the 40 plus years these cars have been in accidents, and their frames have flexed from normal wear and tear. It’s not surprising that the holes do not always line up. I have restored numerous Fastbacks, and noticed that the screw holes are in different spots from one car to the next. You’ll notice in one of the pictures below how close to the edge some of the holes were drilled. Also, Fastbacks have about a dozen special brackets that the panels attach to, and over the years may have become misaligned a little. Sometimes, you can use an awl to line up the panels to the original holes. I’ve discovered by drilling new holes that I can get the panels to align and fit better. I start with the trap door, and work my way out. It’s not uncommon to get to the second or third panel, and have to take them all back out to re-fit them again. It can be like a jigsaw puzzle. With patience, a good drill bit, and an awl, you can get your interior panels to align better too. Remember that these fiberglass panels have become brittle, and will break easily, so use care when handling them. Oh, one last piece of advice. You can make your interior a lot quieter by putting Dyanmat on the back side of panels.