I will put on my cheer leading out fit also ( dont get a mental pic ) . Randy the deck looks great from what you started with . I think a English wheel set loose on the tail panel would roll out most of that , this I would like to try the theory .
You keep plugging away and you will have it in paint sooner then you think .
I picked up the Cougar Sunday played a bit till it started , made a lot of racket like the trans is loose . The owner said the guy had started to pull every thing so it may be . I work with him so his word is good . He said they bought it in 1978 , his wife had a little accident . She started to have it redone by a guy same story it sat and they brought it home . But he also said it's been sitting almost 30 years .
Got it home and put power to the top , It's been down the whole time . It came up Hydraulics still work strong but top shrunk bad had to use a strap to pull it down and lock it . After sitting all night some of the seems are opening up LOL . Glad tops are cheap $250 .
Not to high jack a little pic

I did not know Mike very well, we exchanged some messages from time to time but from what I understand he was a very good man. I was sad to learn about this
We Lost a Good One