94 Mustang LQ4 Swap Build Thread
10-08-2009, 11:40 PM
#23
Staging Lane
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Polluter cam from Tick Performance. Stock suspension, yes. Size of the shot....whatever it takes!!! haha
My 331 was built into a stock 5.0L block. I made 344rwhp on motor and was spraying 100shot on that with intentions of spraying more but due to the fact that a 5.0L will split at the thought of anything above 550hp...I thought I'd make out better selling it all off while it was still in perfect working order. 2k for a ford block that can handle 1000plus horsepower vs...an iron 6.0L block that can handle 1000 from the factory practically...well it was a no brainer. Can't argue with a set of 900 dollar LSx heads that will far out flow a set of 1500 dollar ford heads. Throw a cam at a stock LSx motor and make 400rwhp. I sunk WAY too much money into my ford motor and only made 344....so it was, in my eyes a perfect combo.
PLUS, I like to stir the pot so when the diehard bleed ford blue guys come to tell me how good it was to see me bust a chevy's ***....I can pop the hood and disgust all of them!
10-12-2009, 10:36 PM
#25
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HOOOOONk! HOOOOOOOOOONK! ALL ABOARD THE FAIL BOAT!!!!
Well this is definetly two steps forward and three back. I am humble enough to post it online so OTHERS can learn from MY failures.
SO i thought everything was GRAVY with these headers. I was wrong.
Read along....
Here are the 351 Mid-Lengths Chopped off at the flanges and ready to be mated to the LS-1 flanges.
Forward primary didn't wanna cooperate and needed to be lengthened about a 1/2". No biggie.
Passenger Side tacked in
Driver's side done and painted to keep from rusting until I can get them coated...or so I thought.
=
Passenger side. I tacked the tubes into the flanges. Then I used a hammer and 3/8" extension and rounded the tubes out to mate up with the flanges. Seen here.
Passenger side complete.
AND JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE THE MAN....you realize...you completely forgot about....HOW THE **** ARE YOU GOING TO PUT A SPARK PLUG WIRE/BOOT ON THAT SON OF A BITCH.
**** my life....
Well this is definetly two steps forward and three back. I am humble enough to post it online so OTHERS can learn from MY failures.
SO i thought everything was GRAVY with these headers. I was wrong.
Read along....
Here are the 351 Mid-Lengths Chopped off at the flanges and ready to be mated to the LS-1 flanges.
Forward primary didn't wanna cooperate and needed to be lengthened about a 1/2". No biggie.
Passenger Side tacked in
Driver's side done and painted to keep from rusting until I can get them coated...or so I thought.
=Passenger side. I tacked the tubes into the flanges. Then I used a hammer and 3/8" extension and rounded the tubes out to mate up with the flanges. Seen here.
Passenger side complete.
AND JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE THE MAN....you realize...you completely forgot about....HOW THE **** ARE YOU GOING TO PUT A SPARK PLUG WIRE/BOOT ON THAT SON OF A BITCH.
**** my life....
10-12-2009, 10:57 PM
#26
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It's funny how the interference of those headers to the pass side crossmember is the same problem people have encountered with a 351W.
I had planned on using the same headers for my build but decided to custom make in a similar style: mid-length. I didn't see the point of spending $350 for new headers and then cutting them up. Mid-lengths are easy to build.
I had planned on using the same headers for my build but decided to custom make in a similar style: mid-length. I didn't see the point of spending $350 for new headers and then cutting them up. Mid-lengths are easy to build.
10-25-2009, 10:38 AM
#27
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Well I haven't put the headers back in yet b/c I don't feel like tackling that headache. I've been working on getting the chassis and drivetrain squared up. Nothing worth taking pictures of really. I literally was pulling my hair out trying to get the motor centered up in the chassis. I got it within a 1/4" but it was way way to the driver's side. After lots of frustration I jumped on line and did some research. APPARENTLY, ford builds an offset into the k-member putting it and 1" or so to the passenger side. Well that made it all easy. Got the axle squared up as well. With all that finally done, I got to work on the tranny cross member. I ordered a poly mount from speedway for the th350. With the chassis set at level, I set the engine with a 3 degree tilt back. Onto the pics.
With the stock crossmember in and the engine set where it needed to be, the Th350 mount was one inch higher and about 1.5" forward. I have 2x3 box tubing waiting to make my through the floor subframe connectors. The thickness of the stock crossmember is 1" so now I have a plan.
cut here and...
little grinding to fit.
Burn it in
Final resting place.
Like my dad always says, "Cut to size, bang to fit, paint to match." I set it in there about 1/8" lower than what my measurements were so if needed, I could fine tune the engine angle with some shims. I'm going to gusset the sides of it as well and I MIGHT drill all the way through the box tubing and sleeve'em to get more "torsional" strength.
After that had been taken care of, I started to move onto the tq boxes. I got the driver's side pretty much burnt in. I'm going to plate the inside and tie the cage into mounts as well. Here is what I got done before packing up shop. Welds aren't the greatest as I'm not the best in the world and well....laying upside down and ...yeah...it was tricky.
More to come! I'll be welding up the OTHER upper tq box, looking at boxing the lower mounts, and welding the axle tubes. Once I can set the weight back on the chassis, I'm going to cut out the floor sections and start on the subframe connectors.
With the stock crossmember in and the engine set where it needed to be, the Th350 mount was one inch higher and about 1.5" forward. I have 2x3 box tubing waiting to make my through the floor subframe connectors. The thickness of the stock crossmember is 1" so now I have a plan.
cut here and...
little grinding to fit.
Burn it in
Final resting place.
Like my dad always says, "Cut to size, bang to fit, paint to match." I set it in there about 1/8" lower than what my measurements were so if needed, I could fine tune the engine angle with some shims. I'm going to gusset the sides of it as well and I MIGHT drill all the way through the box tubing and sleeve'em to get more "torsional" strength.
After that had been taken care of, I started to move onto the tq boxes. I got the driver's side pretty much burnt in. I'm going to plate the inside and tie the cage into mounts as well. Here is what I got done before packing up shop. Welds aren't the greatest as I'm not the best in the world and well....laying upside down and ...yeah...it was tricky.
More to come! I'll be welding up the OTHER upper tq box, looking at boxing the lower mounts, and welding the axle tubes. Once I can set the weight back on the chassis, I'm going to cut out the floor sections and start on the subframe connectors.
11-02-2009, 02:15 PM
#29
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upper and lower tq boxes are now all welded up and painted and the rear axle is cleaned up, welded tubes, and being put back in now. Here's a lil progress pic of the axle work...nothing to write home about but progress none the less.
For those who don't know, its already got a detroit locker, 31 spline mosers, and 4.30 Motive Gears in it. For now, I'm banking on 1/8th mile assault but if I elect to do the full 1/4 later, I may drop the gears back to a 4.10 or 3.90ish...
Out with the dirty...
On the stands getting ready to burn the tubes in.
Small beads, varying side to side, and all around. Allowing time to cool in between beads to avoid warping. One thing to note, if you don't preheat the area, the welds WILL crack right before your eyes as they cool. I figured that out the first couple of spot welds I laid down. After some heat in there, it wasn't an issue anymore.
all stitched up
Some simple green, a brush, etching primer, flat black, and matte clear. Looks NEW!
Thats about where I'm at now. I'm working on getting it back in and square, getting the weight back on the suspension, leveling the car back out to begin the through-the-floor sub-frame connectors. Work is about to pick back up TEN FOLD so I'm not sure how much time I'm going to have to dedicate to this for the rest of the month....should be a crunch.
For those who don't know, its already got a detroit locker, 31 spline mosers, and 4.30 Motive Gears in it. For now, I'm banking on 1/8th mile assault but if I elect to do the full 1/4 later, I may drop the gears back to a 4.10 or 3.90ish...
Out with the dirty...
On the stands getting ready to burn the tubes in.
Small beads, varying side to side, and all around. Allowing time to cool in between beads to avoid warping. One thing to note, if you don't preheat the area, the welds WILL crack right before your eyes as they cool. I figured that out the first couple of spot welds I laid down. After some heat in there, it wasn't an issue anymore.
all stitched up
Some simple green, a brush, etching primer, flat black, and matte clear. Looks NEW!
Thats about where I'm at now. I'm working on getting it back in and square, getting the weight back on the suspension, leveling the car back out to begin the through-the-floor sub-frame connectors. Work is about to pick back up TEN FOLD so I'm not sure how much time I'm going to have to dedicate to this for the rest of the month....should be a crunch.
12-28-2009, 08:51 PM
#30
Staging Lane
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Ok long time with no update. Work has been tough and the progress has been slow going and rather uninteresting but with the holidays, I got a chance to get hot and heavy on the subframe connectors again.
I cut the floor in the front half of the car....well on the drivers side I went ape ****....and cut ALL the way back. Then after mocking some stuff up, I realized that was totally unneccessary....so then I patched the ******* floor:fail:. Thankfully I only did that on the driver's side, so the passenger side will go much smoother now that I have a game plan.
Onto the pics
1/8" plate welded in the back
Front of the floor cut
Front 1/8th Plate
Mocked in
Burning it in.
Well tommorow I'm going to lay plate where the 2x2 goes through the firewall and start work on the passenger side. Then, spray bomb everything.
I cut the floor in the front half of the car....well on the drivers side I went ape ****....and cut ALL the way back. Then after mocking some stuff up, I realized that was totally unneccessary....so then I patched the ******* floor:fail:. Thankfully I only did that on the driver's side, so the passenger side will go much smoother now that I have a game plan.
Onto the pics
1/8" plate welded in the back
Front of the floor cut
Front 1/8th Plate
Mocked in
Burning it in.
Well tommorow I'm going to lay plate where the 2x2 goes through the firewall and start work on the passenger side. Then, spray bomb everything.
11-06-2010, 07:44 PM
#32
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5 months later, I'm still working on it. A few hiccups along the way. I finished my chopper, money was tight, work is crazy busy being a active duty Marine but I've made some progress. Here are a couple updates.
Progress has slowed to an all but grinding halt. Between work and money, its been super slow. ANYWAYS, I've gotten done with the subframes. I've got to get the material for the cage and anchor my bender and HOPEFULLY, I'll be burning in a cage in about a month.
Here is the finished passenger side all welded up and sealed up and I started to bed line the driver's side.
AND all sprayed over
Sorry for the shitty pics. I was using my iphone as my batteries in the camera died. More to come !
Progress has slowed to an all but grinding halt. Between work and money, its been super slow. ANYWAYS, I've gotten done with the subframes. I've got to get the material for the cage and anchor my bender and HOPEFULLY, I'll be burning in a cage in about a month.
Here is the finished passenger side all welded up and sealed up and I started to bed line the driver's side.
AND all sprayed over
Sorry for the shitty pics. I was using my iphone as my batteries in the camera died. More to come !
11-06-2010, 07:44 PM
#33
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Well after a long list of set backs and other people's projects, I'm back at it! Been working hot and heavy on the cage. I have a huge respect for people that can bust these things out. My eye isn't exactly "calibrated." I've designed the entire thing on Bendtech Pro software and it definetly makes life easy....once its calibrated....see pics below for my **** ups. Notching has been a bit labor intensive due to the fact that I don't have a notcher. Everytime I get the money for one, I decide to spend it on more tubing. 70 bucks for a cheapo notch OR 5 bucks for another grind wheel....grinder is it. The bendtech software is great though. It prints out a piece of paper with the notch pattern on it that you cut out and wrap around the tube, trace the pattern, and cut it out with a grinder.
Everything has been done with a Sawzall, dewalt grinder, and a JD2 Model 32 Bender I converted to hydraulic using a harbor freight air-over-hydraulic ram.
Here is the first main hoop I bent...and fucked up the measurements making it 7" too tall. Oops...$30 worth of tubing turned to scrap. All the OTHER tubing has been various **** ups. The pile that I had to bend up to calibrate the bender to the software is about just as big. I'll find a use for it though....probably a gnarly bumper for my buddies F-250.
A-Pillar Bars
Driver's side view.
Still gotta get some 1 1/4" to do the knee bar, mount the steering colum to that and fit the factory dash back in.
Driver's side door bar. Its 1 1/2" so I'm going to make it an "X" Brace.
\
I'm waiting for the steel yard to get some more 1 1/4" and 1 5/8" to finish the rear bars, seat bar, and knee bar. Another stick of 1 1/2" to finish out the door bars and finally it will gussetted with 1" at instersections.
Everything has been done with a Sawzall, dewalt grinder, and a JD2 Model 32 Bender I converted to hydraulic using a harbor freight air-over-hydraulic ram.
Here is the first main hoop I bent...and fucked up the measurements making it 7" too tall. Oops...$30 worth of tubing turned to scrap. All the OTHER tubing has been various **** ups. The pile that I had to bend up to calibrate the bender to the software is about just as big. I'll find a use for it though....probably a gnarly bumper for my buddies F-250.
A-Pillar Bars
Driver's side view.
Still gotta get some 1 1/4" to do the knee bar, mount the steering colum to that and fit the factory dash back in.
Driver's side door bar. Its 1 1/2" so I'm going to make it an "X" Brace.
\I'm waiting for the steel yard to get some more 1 1/4" and 1 5/8" to finish the rear bars, seat bar, and knee bar. Another stick of 1 1/2" to finish out the door bars and finally it will gussetted with 1" at instersections.
11-06-2010, 07:45 PM
#34
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Well throughout this project and others, I've found myself need tools that I didn't have and needed or that would flat out make my life easier. Here is a couple that I've made along the way.
First thing...I bought my Model 32 Bender with only one die...1 3/4". I figured it will allow me to build legal cages and bars and is also big enough for off-road fab. Well I had a guy who wanted a full 8 pt cage in his open top VW Manx Buggy. He had a pre-existing windsheild bar that was 1 1/2" DOM....what to do?
WELL, in the inner diameter of 1 3/4" .120 wall DOM tubing IS 1 1/2". SO I stuck a scrap piece in the bender and bent it a full 240 degrees...the length of the die and split it with my grinder, cleaned it up, couple more pieces of scrap for the guides and retainer and voila. A free 1 1/2" die vice paying for another 250 dollar die. I've calibrated it to my Bendtech software and its spot on and I'm using it to make my door bars on the mustang.
Set up for 1 3/4"
Fabricated Inserts
Slides into the die
Guides go here....wtf is wrong with my arm?
And thats it.
The buggy cage I did was the first cage I did. I could anchor the bender in my garage due to a lack of room so I built a stand that would slide into my truck's reciever and I would stand in the bed and manually bend it. It was back breaking putting the ****** up there and took forever to make one 90 degree bend. I got online and found a company call Copperhead Fab that makes a bracket set to utilize a harbor freight hyd. ram to convert the bender. The price was WAY better than the 400 plus from the bender maker. So I bit the bullet....$85 for the water jet cut brackets and $70 for the ram....10 minutes of welding, done.
Ignore the jack handle. The ram is made for harbor freight's engine hoist. Now all I gotta do is hook up the air compressor and hit the switch and it will bend a 90 degree bend in about 40 seconds.
\
Finally to help with cleaning up joints and any other cuts I make, I got sick of hearing my compressor run constantly with my air grinder. I had this belt sander laying around from a long time ago that wasn't doing ****...I ran to the steel yard and bought some 2x3 tubing for and a 1/4 think plate that was in the surplus for 50 cents a pound. Used a piece of 1 3/4 DOM that I bent up to calibrate the bender and made a plate to bolt it up out of 1/8th steel. Free vertical belt sander....although its a small one, makes cleaning up rough cuts a breeze. I ziptied the trigger down and bought a foot pedal activation switch that it plugs into.
Is it lame that I almost take as much pride in making tools as I do with building the car?
First thing...I bought my Model 32 Bender with only one die...1 3/4". I figured it will allow me to build legal cages and bars and is also big enough for off-road fab. Well I had a guy who wanted a full 8 pt cage in his open top VW Manx Buggy. He had a pre-existing windsheild bar that was 1 1/2" DOM....what to do?
WELL, in the inner diameter of 1 3/4" .120 wall DOM tubing IS 1 1/2". SO I stuck a scrap piece in the bender and bent it a full 240 degrees...the length of the die and split it with my grinder, cleaned it up, couple more pieces of scrap for the guides and retainer and voila. A free 1 1/2" die vice paying for another 250 dollar die. I've calibrated it to my Bendtech software and its spot on and I'm using it to make my door bars on the mustang.
Set up for 1 3/4"
Fabricated Inserts
Slides into the die
Guides go here....wtf is wrong with my arm?
And thats it.
The buggy cage I did was the first cage I did. I could anchor the bender in my garage due to a lack of room so I built a stand that would slide into my truck's reciever and I would stand in the bed and manually bend it. It was back breaking putting the ****** up there and took forever to make one 90 degree bend. I got online and found a company call Copperhead Fab that makes a bracket set to utilize a harbor freight hyd. ram to convert the bender. The price was WAY better than the 400 plus from the bender maker. So I bit the bullet....$85 for the water jet cut brackets and $70 for the ram....10 minutes of welding, done.
Ignore the jack handle. The ram is made for harbor freight's engine hoist. Now all I gotta do is hook up the air compressor and hit the switch and it will bend a 90 degree bend in about 40 seconds.
\Finally to help with cleaning up joints and any other cuts I make, I got sick of hearing my compressor run constantly with my air grinder. I had this belt sander laying around from a long time ago that wasn't doing ****...I ran to the steel yard and bought some 2x3 tubing for and a 1/4 think plate that was in the surplus for 50 cents a pound. Used a piece of 1 3/4 DOM that I bent up to calibrate the bender and made a plate to bolt it up out of 1/8th steel. Free vertical belt sander....although its a small one, makes cleaning up rough cuts a breeze. I ziptied the trigger down and bought a foot pedal activation switch that it plugs into.
Is it lame that I almost take as much pride in making tools as I do with building the car?
11-07-2010, 10:27 AM
#36
Any chance is get better pics of the hyd. mod tubing bender?
oh yeah.... more of the car too. LOL
oh yeah.... more of the car too. LOL
11-07-2010, 12:19 PM
#37
Staging Lane
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I scrapped those headers. I'm going to tackle that after the cage is done. Motor is still just mocked up in there so....there is STILL a TON of work too do. I want to get the fab stuff done. So, I'm going to hit the headers soon. I'm going to try my hand at making my own full lengths...
Yeah man. I'll snap some today. You can PM me if you want more info on it
This is the manufacturer of the bender website
http://www.jd2.com/shop/custom.aspx?recid=7
and here is the bracket maker for the hyd conversion
http://copperheadfab.com/index.php?a...&productid=164
Yeah man. I'll snap some today. You can PM me if you want more info on it
This is the manufacturer of the bender website
http://www.jd2.com/shop/custom.aspx?recid=7
and here is the bracket maker for the hyd conversion
http://copperheadfab.com/index.php?a...&productid=164
11-07-2010, 05:40 PM
#38
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Nice work buddy ---- Lukeduke on HPJ
Im working out of a one car garage myself trying to finish up my car. I have a 220 air compressor that seems to make life a little easier. Its real tough trying to fabricate in a space that small. Keep up the good work though, your stuff looks alot better than mine!
Im working out of a one car garage myself trying to finish up my car. I have a 220 air compressor that seems to make life a little easier. Its real tough trying to fabricate in a space that small. Keep up the good work though, your stuff looks alot better than mine!
11-07-2010, 11:24 PM
#39
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Nice! I wish I had the stones needed to commit to learning fab skills.... I just can't see the trial and error on my own baby/driver. LOL I can MIG decent and only TIG butted' material with clean/perfect edges lol.
You've gone this far I would get yourself a nice variety of 1 3/4 bends and the GM header flanges... My first LS swapped stang had customer headers done by a good friend of mine. Could always boost it!
You've gone this far I would get yourself a nice variety of 1 3/4 bends and the GM header flanges... My first LS swapped stang had customer headers done by a good friend of mine. Could always boost it!
11-07-2010, 11:59 PM
#40
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I do still have the stock manifolds...and I've thought ALOT about boosting it but...I've already commited to pistons for higher compression...down the road though.
I'll be picking up a header kit and some 2" primary flanges here soon.
I'll be picking up a header kit and some 2" primary flanges here soon.