my new project: LS into an 81 fairmont wagon
07-28-2013, 12:40 PM
#23
haven't actually started tearing the car apart yet but I have been browsing craigslist/mustang sites like a fiend and found some good deals so a lot of parts I didn't have were getting delivered all week. my buddy had a set of 275/60 MT pro radials that were only about 1/2 worn so I picked them up for $100 and mounted them up and test fit them yesterday. they fit, kinda... will definitely have to roll the fender lips and massage the inner wheel tubs. I plan to run a regular ET street for driving around so ill probably go with a 255/60 for that.
aside from that, my trans is currently being rebuilt, heads are at the machine shop getting milled, and the only *new* parts ive purchased so far are the cam/springs and headgasket kit. so far im on track for my budget but we'll see if it stays that way
aside from that, my trans is currently being rebuilt, heads are at the machine shop getting milled, and the only *new* parts ive purchased so far are the cam/springs and headgasket kit. so far im on track for my budget but we'll see if it stays that way
08-10-2013, 06:49 PM
#24
brought the car to work this morning and yanked the straight 6, trans, and pretty much everything else this morning. i was intending to pull the stock K member and do all the suspension also but my manual rack didn't come with rack bushings(i didn't open the box till this morning) and i need to be able to move it so ill hopefully tackle that this week.
mounted up my ugly and used up draglites with some 255/60 Et streets and VW front runners
best feature about a wagon: so much more room for activities/storing parts
mounted up my ugly and used up draglites with some 255/60 Et streets and VW front runners
best feature about a wagon: so much more room for activities/storing parts
08-16-2013, 09:32 PM
#25
so the car sat all week, had too much other work going on so tonight I pulled the stock K-member, control arms, rack, struts, etc. degreased the firewall a little and noticed it was actually starting to strip the paint right off(I was using some normal degreaser and a rag lol)
went from this:
to this:
then this:
hope to have the front suspension in tomorrow and possibly the rear. since my UPR rear control arms came today along with a few other things this week.
also since its a sleeper im trying to kinda hide things in plain sight, sometimes it works and others... well...
since I didn't want a huge tach on the dash I went with the autometer digital tach/shiftlight again and took it apart and tried to match it to the interior color(worked pretty well on the Malibu so I figured id try it again). well apparently the interior is pretty faded lol
went from this:
to this:
then this:
hope to have the front suspension in tomorrow and possibly the rear. since my UPR rear control arms came today along with a few other things this week.
also since its a sleeper im trying to kinda hide things in plain sight, sometimes it works and others... well...
since I didn't want a huge tach on the dash I went with the autometer digital tach/shiftlight again and took it apart and tried to match it to the interior color(worked pretty well on the Malibu so I figured id try it again). well apparently the interior is pretty faded lol
08-17-2013, 06:42 PM
#28
so today I was quite productive. got the K member bolted in this morning, cut 1 coil off the stock springs for now but I think im gonna end up getting a UPR coil over kit once I get the car together(hoping to find one used). also mounted up the larger 11inch GT front brakes.
I dropped in a junk block/heads to check fitment(ive done fox bodies before but hey you never know what youre gonna run into lol)
also bolted up the trans and ended up having to modify the AJE trans crossmember. anyone who has done an older fox knows that the crossmember mounts on the body are considerably narrower than the later mustangs. the AJE kit came with no directions so I improvised a little.
the bushing/sleeve setup is "adjustable" to fit a th350/glide/4l60 etc. basically the crossmember slides on these steel sleeves that have bushings pressed into them. so I disassembled them, cut the steel sleeve to the correct width and put them back together. Ill note there is no way this will work with a 700/4l60 trans without making your own mounts and welding them to the body.
bushing dismantled and cut, the one on top was already modified to give you an idea how much shorter it needs to be
in the car:
and the stash of parts in back has decreased considerably
sitting a little more level now with some weight up front
I hope to bolt the headers on this week and see what I need to modify on the exhaust I already have(im definitely gonna need to add some length to it after the x-pipe). gonna put the 5.3 back together tomorrow also
I dropped in a junk block/heads to check fitment(ive done fox bodies before but hey you never know what youre gonna run into lol)
also bolted up the trans and ended up having to modify the AJE trans crossmember. anyone who has done an older fox knows that the crossmember mounts on the body are considerably narrower than the later mustangs. the AJE kit came with no directions so I improvised a little.
the bushing/sleeve setup is "adjustable" to fit a th350/glide/4l60 etc. basically the crossmember slides on these steel sleeves that have bushings pressed into them. so I disassembled them, cut the steel sleeve to the correct width and put them back together. Ill note there is no way this will work with a 700/4l60 trans without making your own mounts and welding them to the body.
bushing dismantled and cut, the one on top was already modified to give you an idea how much shorter it needs to be
in the car:
and the stash of parts in back has decreased considerably
sitting a little more level now with some weight up front
I hope to bolt the headers on this week and see what I need to modify on the exhaust I already have(im definitely gonna need to add some length to it after the x-pipe). gonna put the 5.3 back together tomorrow also
08-22-2013, 08:53 AM
#29
buttoned up the 5.3 last night. installed/degreed the cam, had a set of LS7 lifters,double chain and ported LS6 pump from another engine with low miles so tossed those in the mix. bolted the heads on, LS1 intake - should hopefully be enough power for this low budget deal. also test fit the headers(I was sure they would fit since they were on my old mustang but hey you never know lol). car should be getting subframe connectors in the next 2 weeks. basically I just need a converter and it can go together for good.
09-01-2013, 06:23 PM
#33
minor update:
pulled out the mockup block Saturday, dropped the 5.3 in (hopefully for good). slapped a converter in the TH350 my buddy GAVE me(thanks ryan!) and bolted the trans up. hoping to put the rear together tomorrow and put that in. then hopefully start wiring it the end of next week.
pulled out the mockup block Saturday, dropped the 5.3 in (hopefully for good). slapped a converter in the TH350 my buddy GAVE me(thanks ryan!) and bolted the trans up. hoping to put the rear together tomorrow and put that in. then hopefully start wiring it the end of next week.
09-21-2013, 09:19 PM
#36
some more updates:
mounted the shifter today, I originally wanted to use the stock Fairmont column shift but the way it mounts to the K-member and the fact I no longer have a factory k-member makes it basically useless. so I removed the lever and installed the pro-stick I had laying around from my buddies car.
also installed a speedway alternator bracket and F-body water pump.
got my harness from PSI conversions last week, as always jon is great to deal with and makes a quality product that is reasonably priced. started to lay it in tonight - im gonna try to fit the ECM under the seat and mount the fuse block in the glovebox. I originally wanted to take out the HVAC box to save weight, but heat would be nice so im leaving it for now. I removed the blower portion to get the harness in the car - as im doing this I pull the carpet back to find... another carpet! for some reason this thing has 2 carpets in it, why I have no idea. ill just add this to the list wacky **** ive come across during builds lol.
anyway, I hope to get most of the wiring done tomorrow after I swap gears in my buddies car so we can go run the local 8.50 index next weekend. I have a ton of stuff to do but im still hoping to have it running by the end of the month
mounted the shifter today, I originally wanted to use the stock Fairmont column shift but the way it mounts to the K-member and the fact I no longer have a factory k-member makes it basically useless. so I removed the lever and installed the pro-stick I had laying around from my buddies car.
also installed a speedway alternator bracket and F-body water pump.
got my harness from PSI conversions last week, as always jon is great to deal with and makes a quality product that is reasonably priced. started to lay it in tonight - im gonna try to fit the ECM under the seat and mount the fuse block in the glovebox. I originally wanted to take out the HVAC box to save weight, but heat would be nice so im leaving it for now. I removed the blower portion to get the harness in the car - as im doing this I pull the carpet back to find... another carpet! for some reason this thing has 2 carpets in it, why I have no idea. ill just add this to the list wacky **** ive come across during builds lol.
anyway, I hope to get most of the wiring done tomorrow after I swap gears in my buddies car so we can go run the local 8.50 index next weekend. I have a ton of stuff to do but im still hoping to have it running by the end of the month
09-22-2013, 08:58 PM
#39
basically got the harness situated today, plugged everything in and modified what I needed to. ran the ecm connectors/fuse block through the firewall - gotta love fox bodies with all these damn holes! lol
I was intending on putting the ECM under the seat, but extending the harness isn't much fun and takes too damn long, after much thinking I may just remove the duct for the passenger side vent and stick it up in the dash(passengers don't need theyre own dedicated air ducting anyway!) so for right now its laying on the floor
also made some trans cooler lines, ran the braided line for the oil pressure gauge, put the trans dipstick tube in, hooked up a few vacuum lines, and that's about it.
I was intending on putting the ECM under the seat, but extending the harness isn't much fun and takes too damn long, after much thinking I may just remove the duct for the passenger side vent and stick it up in the dash(passengers don't need theyre own dedicated air ducting anyway!) so for right now its laying on the floor
also made some trans cooler lines, ran the braided line for the oil pressure gauge, put the trans dipstick tube in, hooked up a few vacuum lines, and that's about it.
