MustangLS

iTrader: (5)

Been lurking for quite a while, reading, learning (still learning), but thought I'd post up my current project. Although I'm new to this side of the fence I've been building/racing Mustangs for close to 20 years.

I picked up a 1994 Mustang V6 roller for pretty cheap and I'm going to drop an 80k mile 5.3L in it with a TH350 w/transbrake. The car at one point had a turbo set up on a V6 and an 8.8" rear swapped into it. I'll be using a UPR 4.6 K-member with their LS to 4.6 adapter plates, 4.6 urethane motor mounts and Dynatech headers. Other than the headers the only other performance upgrades will be an MS3 cam, 918 springs and underdrive pulley. The intake will kill it for now but I'll pick up an LS6 intake once the car is up and running.

The car will be mostly a track car that is just streetable enough that I can drive to work or to the track. Manual steering/brakes, no AC, basically take all the excess weight out of the car possible. The interior will "look" complete but anything not needed will be removed.

This is the roller I picked up.





Stock 01+ V6 left in the car.



Pulled the engine out and did some degreasing.





Some of the parts starting to arrive.





Picked up a near complete 04 black interior from the junkyard.



How it was when I got it.





New dash in place.



I'm using fox body from a arms up front which are narrow to tuck the skinnies in a bit so I'm using a fox body steering rack. To use that I needed to convert the stock rack to the fox body style splined u joint.





Instead of modifying a stock 4.6 motor mount I'm using this adapter plates from UPR. It just bolts to the block and the 4.6 motor mount bolts to the adapter plate.





I was hoping to drop the engine in this weekend but I'm still waiting on the TCI flexplate. I went with an FTI converter 5000 stall. While looking around for options on header studs I found out the stock 4.6 exhaust studs work on the LS heads. This weekend I'll get the cam swapped out and everything on the engine as ready as I can for it to go in.

I'm still undecided what I'll do the alternator mount but I don't want to use the stock truck mount.

For the computer I'm going with the Holley EFI and LS1 harness. I'll keep the stock wiring mostly in place to run to the basic stuff (lights, windows, door locks) but anything engine related will be removed.

bigchief52780

iTrader: (10)

since you are not using power steering, make a bracket to use the ford alternator that will fit low enough to use your stock hood. thats what i did. that way if you needed to replace it, any local parts store would have it.

MustangLS

iTrader: (5)

That's what I had planned on doing except I already picked up an LS1 alternator for it. I didn't think about using the stock V6 one. The Holley EFI will be using an LS1 harness once it comes in I'll have to see if it has a specific plug for the alternator.

My progress this weekend was slowed as I hurt my lower back Friday night. However I've gotten as far as I can without hardware and other parts.

Stock front suspension/steering rack (aka grease magnet) removed. UPR K-member and caster camber plates installed.



Stock spindles before.



Stock spindles with dust shields removed, cleaned and painted cast iron finish.

bigchief52780

iTrader: (10)

looking good. what are you planning on doing with your rear suspension? i am having traction issues with mine. i was looking at a rear coilover setuo with tubular control arms but haven't decided yet. what gear and tire are you planning on running?

MustangLS

iTrader: (5)

I'll be using UPR adj uppers and lowers, all their race stuff with the solid bushings/heims. I'm not sure about coil overs for the rear yet I had good luck with stock springs cut in the back on my old car so I might go the same route. For tires I'll run a 275/60/15 MT DR, the rear in the car has 3.73's. I'll be building the rear end in a couple months from now and haven't decided on what gears I'll go with.

JAX04

iTrader: (17)

Cool Build man, in for more pics

bigchief52780

iTrader: (10)

how much did you cut off the stock springs? i am running nittos 285/35/20 555's on mine with a 3.27 gear for highway driving until i get the 3.45 gear. haven't decided on what size tire and wheels for racing yet.

MustangLS

iTrader: (5)

I cut about 1/2 a coil. Basically just to lower the car a little but really it depends on the car. I've seen people cut that much and not even drop the car at all.

Running on a 20" nitto you are going to have some traction issues.

Inbred

iTrader: (5)

The 20" tires are definitely a problem. I spin my 28" et streets if they arent warmed up.

MustangLS

iTrader: (5)

The rest of the front suspension is in. I haven't adjusted anything just got it all in there so I can put it back on the ground. I can at least drop in the engine/trans in when the other parts come in.



I also found a kink in one of the brake lines and since I have to redo the ones out of the master cylinder I'm going to run new lines for the front and the rear line up to the junction by the passenger side from wheel.

Tonight I got the cam swapped out, new oil pan/windage tray/oil pick up and new valve springs installed.



I have a couple hours of work to button it back up and get the trans installed then I'll drop it in this weekend.

The engine is finally in place with the help of Rick (ponyman460). I wrapped up most stuff last night, today we torqued the flexplate down, installed the trans, torqued the converter. We put it in without the headers on they just come too close to the K-member. The biggest problem we had is the engine sits pretty close to the firewall and the load leveler couldn't go back far enough so we had to change it over to just a chain to get it the rest of the way in.

The passenger side header dropped right in from the top. I did have studs in place but had to remove them and install the header first then the studs. The driver side wouldn't go in from the top but it went in from the bottom just fine. The steering assembly has plenty of clearance all around. The headers clear the floor and transmission just fine.



The closest this header gets to anything is 1/8" away from the K-member.





Oil pan clearance in my opinion is fine. Sits a little lower than a Mustang, it's about 1/2" lower than the oil pan on the transmission.



I mapped out the brakes as best as I could and ordered everything I needed. The plan is to run all of the front and rear brake cross over line through the cowl area and fender wells. For a drive shaft I'm getting a Crown Vic Police aluminum drive shaft and having it shortened/balanced.

No one makes a billet fuel rail for the truck intakes and I can't use stock with a return style fuel system so I'm working on making a pair of 5.0 fuel rails work. Everything lines up for the most part I just need to pick up some L brackets in order to bolt the rails down. Might seem like a lot of trouble to make a truck intake work but I'm interested in seeing how it works before swapping to an LS6 intake.


New carpet came in yesterday so I can get back to working on the interior. Also my Holley EFI came in today. I ordered it with the LS1 harness so it's pretty much plug and play for the install except for 6 wires and adding a couple of grounds to the chassis. I'll be adding a Holley EFI fuel pump and gauges since they are one wire hook up pretty soon.

msydow

wow. quick progress and nice looking car.

99VetteFRC

I used the truck fuel rails and unbolted the return line and pulled it out. I plugged the port with a 5/16 bolt. No leaks and have the regulator set to 55 psi.

MustangLS

iTrader: (5)

No kidding. Did the bolt thread in to seal it tight or did you use anything to help seal it up?

99VetteFRC

The line slides right in with O-ring seal like a quick disconnect. I cut the head and threads off the bolt so it was just a smooth piece of rod then shortened it the the same lenth as the fuel line where it goes in the rail. I then used the factory retainer to hold the bold in place

ISMELLRICE

iTrader: (22)

this is a sweet build bro glw it been following on n2s

MustangLS

iTrader: (5)

Simple enough. I might have a 5/16 steel dowel at work that I can cut down that should work. Thanks for the info.

99VetteFRC

No problem... always willing to put in my $.02

MustangLS

iTrader: (5)

Today I got the push rods swapped out and everything torqued back down on the top end. Installed the LS1 water pump, heater hose bypass. The back of the firewall was trimmed to clear the truck intake so I could set it in place.



I'm on the fence with the truck intake. I really want to at least try it but as it sits now the hood will not close. It's close so before I decide I need to get the cross member welded and put in so the engine is in the right location. When I jack up the trans into the correct location the high point of the intake drops down 1/2". I can shim the K-member down 3/8" easily enough or buy a cowl hood but for the cost of a cowl hood I can have an LS6 intake.

For the cross member I'm using the stock V6 cross member that came in the car and notched out a section and having some 2x3 tubing welded in. I did the prep work and will have it welded up by Tig Vision.



I started working on a mount for the Holley ECU that has it sitting behind the passenger side airbag opening. I have a delete panel that is removable for easy access.

boostnut

iTrader: (7)

"for the cost of a cowl hood I can have an LS6 intake"

Easy decision, time for an intake. Nice build by the way.

MustangLS

iTrader: (5)

Progress feels like it's slowed but really it's just chipping away at the little things. I got the cross member welded up by Tig Vision, then drilled it out and painted it so finally the drive line is secured.



I made a bolt in panel to cover the shifter opening, another to cover up the hole in the firewall for the AC/heater lines.



For the brakes I'm redoing the lines except for the rear brake line from it's connection point by the passenger side wheel. I'm running them behind the dash inside the car. For easier access I removed both fenders. The line lock is installed and I made my first brake lines and got the passenger side done, driver side is mostly done but I need a fitting to make the rear line. While the fenders were off I wanted to clean up part of the mess from the original owner that hacked the hell out of the inner fender. All along the bottom and side it looks like they used a hammer to open it up.



I cut off all the ragged edges and cleaned it up so I won't cut my arm off. Eventually I'll be getting a plate to cover that all up but not till I'm ready to paint the car later on down the road.



I had to order a couple of fittings to finish brakes so while the fenders are off I relocated the fuse box. I'm using the LS starter and alternator and both have to be wired from scratch anyways. Everything else has enough slack to move.