Dreamr's City Car Registry

Brenda's resurection

Dreamr’s City Car

Her name is Brenda and life is slowly changing dramatically for her! Years of being neglected and living life solely to transport are being erased as she has moved into the home of one who would become her lover. Of course I’ll have to keep the Truck and Her from getting jealous of one another. I would hate to come out one morning and find Brenda under a front tire of Petite Pied



1990 Ford Mustang LX Convertible
25th Anniversary Edition
5.0 HO

Building Power
347 stroker - AD Performance built - Digitally blueprinted and balanced ( sportsman block - fully forged scat rotating assembly - Probe pistons - clevite bearings - etc......)
Trickflow 2.02 twisted wedge heads
Trickflow stage 1 camshaft
Trickflow 1.6 Roller Rockers
Ford Racing Hydraulic Roller LIfters
Trickflow Chromeoly Pushrods
Ford Racing Double roller timing chain
FMS A/C Delete
APS Underdrive Pullies
BBK Cold Air intake
76mm C&L Mass Air Sensor
PP 70 mm Throttle body and EGR spacer
Performance Products Typhoon Intake Manifold (ported/ and "smoothed"
runners upper and lower)
Holley 190 LPH Fuel Pump
Accel 24 lb Fuel Injectors
Holley Fuel pressure regulation
SCT performance chip
MSD Pro-Billet Distributor and TFI
Ford Racing 9mm wires
MSD Blaster II coil
Good Year Hi-Miller radiator/heater hoses (Black is hard to find!)
3-core radiator
Stewart High Flow water pump
Black Magic Extreme 185 Electric Fan
Powermaster 130 Amp Alternator and upgraded wiring
MAC Ceramic coated 1 5/8" shorty headers
BBK catalytic X-pipe 2.5"
Flowmaster Force Cat-Back 2.5"

The untouched part of the drivetrain
AOD Automatic rebuilt just before my purchase
Ford 8.8 , 2.73 trac-loc rebuilt 6-12

Controlling the Pony
225/55/16 front 255/50/16 rear Toyo Proxes4
Flaming River Tie-rods
AGR P/S Pump
FRPP Front Lower Control Arms w/ Moog joints
Energy Suspension Bushings (Throughout unless otherwise noted)
FRPP boxed Upper control arms
Steeda Spherical aluminum control arm bushings in rear
Maximum Motorsports rear lower control arms
KYB GR-2 front Struts
KYB GR-2 rear shocks and quads
Maximum Motorsports full-length subframe connectors
BBK Strut tower brace
Energy Suspension Motor Mounts
Energy Suspension Transmission mount
Upgraded Master Cylinder
Russel Stainless brake lines
FRPP brake proportioning
SSBC Rear disc conversion
Hawk Brake pads throughout

Looking Pretty
20% 3M Window Tint all around
All exterior trim resurfaced or replaced and painted satin black
Re-paint with a lot of clear - Midnight Blue metallic
All new 6-piece headlights
'93 Cobra Grille
New smoth deck lid
Low rise sport wing with internal 3rd brake light
2" Steel cowl induction hood
Polished Aluminum 16"x8" Cobra R replica wheels

Her soft warm insides
All interior panels and such panels were either resurfaced or replaced
color matched to an 89 smoke grey color. or black...
All cloth body panels were recovered in Black microfiber (suede like)
Replaced carpeting with black custom fit - also cleaned up the floor - repainted it - added a touch of sound deadening to rattle areas
Black Husky floor coverings. (gotta love the northwest)
Rear seat recovered in Black micro fiber
Custom Black and smoke Grey micro fiber seat covers
All interior instrumentation converted over to Blue and red lighting.
All Door hinge pins, door latch strikers, and top latches replaced
All weather striping replaced
Relined trunk and reinforced molding with aluminum
Pioneer Multi media friendly head unit
replaced all stock speakers with infinity kappa series
Viper 350HV security system

Woo Hoo!! Last night was the lucky night and I was able to bring my new girl home

In the end I had to put out a bit over 2 grand cash, but walked away with a clear title and a new project. I have driven her all day, and she is in pretty good shape, though there are several maintenance item to deal with as well as some rough paint. My biggest concern at present are the oil leaks.

I have not had an opportunity to start on the detailing, so below are my “In the Beginning Pics”
I did wash the pine sap and dust off, but here’s what I have to work with.

Upcoming repairs are focused in the area of the suspension/steering, then oil leaks and whatever else I find. I hope to have got most of this done in the next few weeks.





The biggest cosmetic blemish to clear up


And what's under that bonnet. My truck was looking over salivating

nice lookin car, change the name from brenda to Earl, maybe than the EX won't have an interest in jumping the stangs bones

That engine would look good in my explorer

spindlecone said:

nice lookin car, change the name from brenda to Earl, maybe than the EX won't have an interest in jumping the stangs bones

Click to expand...

Nah they are both my ladies. Ones just for crawlin around in the hills and outdoor recreation.
The other is for road trips and releasing the "need for speed".
Both will likely take turns driving me to work and such.

jrgaylor said:

That engine would look good in my explorer

Click to expand...

But it would look better in mine
Something keep whispering that the Mustang wants to donate her drive train to the Ex in exchange for a built 5.8 and Tremec T-5

Well now what a busy weekend!!! I am supposed to be camping, but the little one was a bit under the weather, so I did a little hiking and a lot of Mustang repairs.

Friday
Washed and waxed the vehicle. (got the big white blotch off the hood as well)
Detailed all of the trim and interior. (all that grey on the outside turned black again)
Went parts shopping.

Saturday
Replaced AOD kickdown cable and grommet
Removed air silencer and added a K&N drop in
Cleaned Mass Air Sensor
Replaced corroded battery cables with 2 gauge
Changed plugs to Motorcraft Triple Platinum
Changed wires for Accel 300+ 8.8 Race wires
Changed crancase filter and PCV
Replaced thermostat
Replaced fan and fan clutch
Replaced valve cover gaskets
Replaced upper intake gasket
Changed the serpentine belt
And installed a steering wheel cover

Sunday
Adjusted the TPS to .96v
Cleaned the IAC
Flushed the radiator
Flushed the power steering system
Bumped the idle up a bit (was at 500 now at about 800)
Repaired the trunk lining
Put a battery tie down in
And ran some Amsoil Power Foam through the intake

Tomorrow I need to get the title transferred
Change the oil, and change the fuel filter.
If I have any cash left I would like to flush the tranny, replace filter, and gasket. And also flush the dif and reseal........

Gotta love starting a new project It seems that the deeper you dig the more you find in need of your attention.............P.S. Valve cover gaskets are a bi*** on this motor!!!!!

A box of parts and the motor waiting for them

Tell me that's not your parts cleaning machine, that the fan and box are sitting on. That fan may be a little large for the dryer and could damage the fan blades.

Sharp looking car, its nice to read something different for a project instead of people chopping of their tops and and doing axel swaps. Unless you are going to do that also?

rookieshooter said:

Tell me that's not your parts cleaning machine, that the fan and box are sitting on. That fan may be a little large for the dryer and could damage the fan blades.

Click to expand...

Shh don't tell the G/F what I use the washing machine for

rookieshooter said:

Sharp looking car, its nice to read something different for a project instead of people chopping of their tops and and doing axel swaps. Unless you are going to do that also?

Click to expand...

No chopped tops, but I'll get back to the truck axle build up here in a week or two. I need a daily driver that I feel is reliable before I have the front suspension cut out from under my Ex.

I found a '89 Mustang GT sitting on 44's over on the Mustang Forums though, perhaps I should re-focus my attention ehh.........

My favorite body style of the mustang.

FROADER said:

My favorite body style of the mustang.

Click to expand...

Mine too
Well with the exception of the 70's Mach I's.....

Slowly but surely is the name of the game I suppose. Wish I had unlimited funds to speed it up a bit though.

Well what have we done so far this weekend? Not much as I only had Sunday and had a Mercedes tying up my garage for part of the day getting new rear "thrust arms" (they are really control arms ) and a few other minor parts.

Eventually though the Stang got her garage back.
All that got done was......
-A complete degreasing of the undercarriage and lower parts of the engine.
-Brake system got completely flushed and switched over to synthetic fluids.
-Power steering system got a second flushing and switched over to synthetics while I was changing the hoses.
-In addition I changed the tranny cooler hoses.

Unfortunately it got dark so I will have to open the diff and flush it tomorrow. Of course it too is going to synthetics and getting new seals and gasket. Wish I had the cash for a set of 3.73's or 4.10's

nice car, i wish i had money to buy one and start a proyect of my own thats the best looking model of the stangs

FexplorerV8 said:

nice car, i wish i had money to buy one and start a proyect of my own thats the best looking model of the stangs

Click to expand...

Thanks fexplorer...


To update the thread a wee bit...I haven't made a lot of progress, but did finish off a few details.
-I serviced the rear dif and replaced the cover gasket..
-Changed the Transmission filter and pan gasket..
-Painted many of the black pieces due to chipping and scratches, and
-continued detailing the engine compartment and undercarriage.

Not much, but that diff was a pain in the ass thanks to it's location.

Nice purchace
Looks like you have a great start for a project.

www.motion-dynamics.net


Jeff - :navajo:

Thanks for the link SVO.

Man I get so tired of waiting for money to complete projects :fire:

I've been broke, so all of my projects have been on hold for the most part over the last week.....Well Sorta.
-I spent the weekend repairing wiring concerns under the hood and behind the dash.
-Then of course I just had to take that underhood light thing apart and see if I could make it work again....
-and since I was taking things apart I had to pull the 4 window motors, completely dissassemble them and clean them up as well as doing a bit of soldering......
-Then the lock actuator that wasn't working......
-Then roll around on the floor to find out why I still have a damn oil leak after I though I had cured them all. Of course when I first brought her home she was pouring oil from several places, now it is just coming from the front passenger side of the oil pan (gasket is just kind of dangling

Anyway there is the last 3-5 days of The Mustang "restoration"

Hey , nice project Dreamr..she looked pretty clean even though you had to do the nickel and dime thing to her...the 5.0 rumble will spoil you after awhile..may I suggest a small block of would under the gas pedal to keep you out of trouble with [Johnny Law] !!!!

No block of wood needed. I just rotate from explorer to mustang every other day. Going from dragging your but on the ground with a good amount of horsepower, to bouncing around and looking out over the tops of all the other vehicles on the road keeps you off balance. And also too nervous to really get on the skinny pedal in either of them. In the end it also helps stretch my gas a bit further in both of them........

My truck is getting jealous, she ran a bit rough this morning. She'll have to wait her turn though come Friday she'll have me in the seat for three straight days while we explore the mountains. Come Tuesday she moves back into the garage for a brake flush, oil chang, T-case flush, new ball joints and tierods. Likely a good cleaning and polishing as well as whatever other attention she requires.

Then I will switch back to my more spirited lady Gotta have a lady with a spine of steel to support you in life's adventures, but it is also important to have a high spirited lady to keep you happy and satisfied Hmmmm No wonder my girlfriend doesn't understand why we need a 4 car garage when we buy a house

Well now I have not updated this thread in a good couple months. Honestly I have thought about it, but just haven't seen the point as I have done so little to the car. Seems money is tight, so she just sits...............well not quite but it's slow going.

In short not much to say, but she is looking better.

Hmm what have I got done since September.....

- I just had to get a shorter rubber antenna gads I hate tall metal
ones
- As the last pieces of general tuning up seem to have got missed I tossed
on a MSD TFI coil and cap& rotor (still idles .........funny)
- I gutted the entire interior and thoroughly cleaned it while also "fabbing"
lots of ne w bracketry.
- Rebuilt the convertible top motor
- replaced front wheel bearings
- replaced front brake pads & turned the rotors
- rebuilt the drum brakes including brake lines and new shoes / drums
- ran another can of power foam through the intake
- removed all the A/C stuff. Well the compressor stays till I get a new belt
and u/d pulleys it's not connected though.
- while removing all the A/C lines/ condenser/ etc.. I discovered numerous
minor issues that required many a newly made bracket.
- Complete detail of engine compartment and a bit of painting
- Adjusted the AOD TV cable
- Replaced front sway bar bushings and links (energy suspension
polyurethane)
- Replaced steering rack bushings (E.S. poly)
- replaced all them tierods
- And now I sit and wait for money and Santa Clause

Below I have tossed in a before and after shot of my engine bay......so much cleaner




Also I have put an original photo and a photoshop of both the exterior and interior. These represent the general direction I am planning in the way of physical apperance. Feedback and opinions are wanted. I have the drive train pretty much built in my head if you are really interested, but I would rather seek advice when I get there........

I am no master of photoshop so I apologize for the poor quality. But heh I am getting better.

Exterior




Interior



Of course you all realize it may take years to get to this point right. :fire:

Pimp