79 Mustang, new daily driver?

[Lacky01]

tempting... :


Lol, thanks for the heads up! I'll try to cut it off at the firewall instead. may even take the swaybar bracket as well. I haven't seen the car yet, but I'm told it was in great condition before it got stripped. no body damage or anything. hopefully people have taken the fenders and stuff, less work for me.

Projected time to drivability:

this wednesday, pull the replacement frame rail.

Wednesday 10/28, finish stripping the Cobra down and fully assess damage.

Sometime after that, have a friend from Lebanon come down and help me install the new frame rail. He's a body guy.

very soon after that, drive it whilst I tune it up and get it running better thanks to a technical book on the '79 2.3 Turbo motor I will soon receive.

somewhere in the the loose ever-changing timeline goes bleeding the brakes, repairing the interior, installing a Cat and tips, and renewing the registration. If I were to think I was almost done at this point, I may become thoroughly disappointed. It's gonna take a while still, but I'm going to appreciate this car so much more for it. Which reminds me, my Grandpa has finally come to a decision on ownership. Instead of paying him cash, he's gonna have me work it off! this is an excellent thing! I don't have the kind of money that he knows this car is worth, so really he's doing me a favor. He has four or five other cars that need work in order to be clean and operational and my task is to get them running. better yet, its on his dime! Hes got a late 80's T-bird that needs a water pump, a 60's Mustang that may only need fresh fuel and a battery, and a 60's (?) Ford Falcon that needs a LOT of renovation. on top of that I also have to clean out and reorganize his storage warehouse so theres room to properly store the vehicles after they're running. this is going to work out very well for me. I will officially be going to flight school in January, I can finish the Cobra and MAYBE even get 4WD into my exploder. why? because I don't have to pay anything for the Cobra! Before I started this project, my goal was to find a daily beater for $500-1000 just so I could save gas money. Then I was going to throw the necessary money at it to get it running top notch. Spending money, to save money : I'm having a ball and I haven't even finished the car!

 

[Lacky01]

the cancer is out of the car and the new framerail is almost ready to go in. I will finish getting it ready tonight and weld it in tomorrow. my brake pads are in as well, so I might get to drive it tomorrow night.

I've been taking a bunch of pictures, those will be up upon completion of this leg of the race.

 

[Lacky01]

Unbelievable!!!!!

http://vb.foureyedpride.com/showthread.php?t=84824 (I had forgotten to post the link

Jeff you were right about those FEPers, He just got an all original 79 pacer and wants to get rid of the TRXs AND 5 lug?

I totally see what you mean about keeping the rare stuff original. that Pacer is SICK! but a 5-lug conversion, SN-95 suspension, and a rear disc 8.8 and it'll be just like everyone elses fox with a paint job. If you need a "go-fast" car, buy a disposable "go-fast" car. If you buy an all original '79 ANYTHING with 64,000 miles, leave it be! original paint doesn't mean a thing if all the other parts are different.

oh yeah, that's a '79 pace car! 'cept of course it has '03 brakes and a '97 rear-end. not to mention I yanked those nasty recarros and threw in some heated '07 buckets! also an HID conversion. can't drive really fast at night if you can't see!

now I understand my restoration isn't totally legit or true to the original car, but I'm kinda on a budget. I'm using 10 hole wheels cuz that's what I can afford. I pulled a '93 frame piece cuz that's what was available. makes me wish I had extra money to throw at my car.


I am done ranting now. thank you.


I'm gonna go load up the progress I have so far. the cancer situation isn't quite done, but I'd like to show off the progress thus far

 

[Lacky01]

Here is the progress so far:

this is the donor for the frame transfusion

I ended up paying $30 for the piece. that's $20 more than I wanted to spend.


the '88 was hacked up, but the '93 was in great shape. the only hiccup is I need to make a drop bracket for the swaybar.

this is more of my damage

my dad helped me tack it in, and made me do the rest :

I will take more and better pictures when it's done and back together. that was a LOT of work, but it's definitely worth it!

 

[vroomzoomboom]

Lacky01, i don't think jeff would disagree with me when i say, there is a point when original can be overlooked for safety. fixing the frame rail with a newer part and being safe is more important then being original, and dead if you ever got into an accident. as for not having the trx's on there and having telephone dial rims. i don't think that is a biggie either because you can simply swap the rims over in 15 mins, and no one would know the difference. keep it up! i aways look forward to seeing pics of your cobra as it progresses.

 

[Lacky01]

thanks Vroom, thats a good perspective

today is the day to get it driving again! well, assuming all goes well. but it's not raining!

 

[dkchrist]

:notworthy:notworthy very nice metal work!!! I agree with vroomvroom. Keep the pictures rolling!

 

[SVO]

I do have something to say, but dinner is first :










Jeff - :navajo:

 

[Lacky01]

Lol! ^^^

must not be anything urgent....

 

[SVO]

Actually, I guess it's all how you take it, Tim and I were talking on the phone yesterday, and he brought up this thread.

So after arriving home I checked it, and caught up on it.

You right about the FEP guys, one min they will hammer you for doing things one way then they turn around and mod some of the rarest of Fox platforms and think it's the coolest thing since sliced bread.

What you doing is in no way devaluing the Cobra, the Ten Hole wheels look nice and considering the price jump since when I used to run TRX's from $109 a tire to almost $450 a tire is a good reason to warrant the change, no harm no foul.

The frame rail replacement, regardless that it's out of a newer model it first and foremost like Tim said a safety factor, and when it's painted on the inside and under coated on the outside no one will be the wiser, I mean look at some even earlier Rustang's in order for then to be restored they had to have some original sheet metal loss, that in no way means it's runined, it mean you care about the car.

You just keep pressing on the way you are, and if we feel like your molesting the little Cobra, we'll let you know

We're just excited that someone as young as you see's what we're talking about and has taken the approach that there is really more than a hot rod with that car.

Like you said yourself, you get and regular flavor Stang and make a hot rod out of it,

The Pace Car, well, even though ther were about 10,000 built the V-8's were the rarest, if he so chooses to do that, so be it, but if I'm in a position to buy one, don't think I won't notice what he's/or anyone else has done and call them on it, down grading the price substantially, especially since he ditched the Recaros.



Eric the cars looking great, keep up the great work sir!!




Jeff

 

[SVO]

Some examples for bashing purposes:


If they're experts, then why did this long term member (TwisterSpecial) not notice the VIN in the door tag photo in the fist post???


Oh I just love this guy's (69clark) signature, he just made my wallet fatter by making all original cars worth more, LMFAO!!!

69clark's sig:

GO AHEAD, YOU GUYS CAN COLLECT 'EM, I'M GONNA HOT ROD THE HELL OUT OF 'EM!



Then there is the owner of this new-to-him Pace Car, let's quote him shall we??..........

there is a plethera of stock unmodified Pace cars out there, modifying mine to a very reasonable degree, certainly isn't going to have an effect on anything.

I do see both sides of the argument, but for me, I like to make "improvements".


Point is, he knows what he's doing and he doesn't care.


And here we have another WINNER..........


rancheronut's sig:

i like modified stangs lot better than any factory stock one.





So even though this is totally wrong of me to do, except these people are from another board, my point is, we just keep doing what we're doing and they will keep driving the price of our vehicle's up, and driving the resale price of thier's down, making it worth wile some day to go low ball them for they're junk and take it from them, leaving them with a large hole in they're soul reminding them that they screwed up!!!!


If the 60's and 70's Mustang collectors haven't taught you this, then go hang out with some older vehicle clubs, like I do in the Early Ford V-8 club and listen to what those people pay for all original vehicles, and what they say about modded/hot rodded vehicles.





Jeff - :navajo:

 

[1Aauto]

that's a turbo cobra!!!!!! if you don't want it, I'm steeling it!

if you get that car, take VERY good care of it. those are getting VERY rare!

I wish I saw this earlier that's a VERY VERY rare car. Don't take that one apart, it'll be worth big bucks restored to original specs...trust me

man that's a cool one

 

[1Aauto]

I'd also clean up the metric wheels and toss them back on. Alot of guy pulled those 2.3 turbo motors and dumped a 5.0 into these cars,so having one still with the 2.3 turbo'd would be very cool.

If that car was done and I saw it in a show, I'd vote for it hands down just because you don't see them any more. You see pace cars but not these things.

man that's a cool car....lol

 

[Lacky01]

Thanks Tony, I still have the Metric wheels. I'll be getting a set of tires for them eventually, but they are currently out of arms reach.

I am for SURE keeping the 2.3T. right now the motor and turbo have low miles on them as they were rebuilt just before it sat. My Grandpa still has the old turbo that I may have rebuilt so I can have a replacement if this one takes a dump.

at the very moment the cancer is taken care of! I finished grinding down the ugliest welds in the world and hit the area with some etching primer. the front end was put back together minus the fender, and the front brakes were installed. I have yet to bleed them as I haven't had the time, and I've never done it before so I need all the extra time I can get.

the newly updated list of stuff I need to do:

1) Bleed brakes
2) re-hang headliner and repair torn seam on drivers seat.
3) get new carpet
4) new lift struts for the hatch
5) tune-up items! including: Plugs, Cap and Rotor, Wires, Ignition coil, Catalytic converter, and maybe a carb rebuild kit if need be.
6) receive 2.3T tech manual from Neil so I can re-route my vacuum lines per factory spec.
7) figure out why some of my gauges aren't working. Gas gauge most importantly.
8) see if I can't get the factory radio working. (I not, I'll have to find a sneaky way to hide an aftermarket, or go without)
9) insurance and registration!!!!

Please keep in mind that this list may be completed in an order unrelated to the one shown above. this list may be incomplete/incorrect and may not serve as instructions for further work herein. The author of this list is in no way liable if the items do not get crossed off in a timely manner.

OH YEAH! I forgot I have a few more pics. those will be up later.

I'm gonna go practice guitar. laters! :wavey:

 

[dkchrist]

Personally, restorations are awesome. Hot rods are nice, but a restored car like this Cobra is just over the top. I would love to even have the chance a bone stock fox 2.3T let alone the car you have. I have poked in on this thread every once and a while to see what is happening.

Lacky, again, awesome job, and I am so glad that you didn't start tearing this car up and modding it. Keep the pictures and good work rolling! (Sorry for the long post)

 

[Lacky01]

I JUST FREAKIN' DROVE THE MUSTANG!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was SO stoked! It still needs a bunch of work, but it drives now. and I didn't die in the process!

As of right now, it needs a tune-up really bad. there seems to be a "shimmy" in the back end when accelerating from a stop. it could be unbalanced wheels or something. I hope it's not a serious issue with the axle
that would bite.
the clutch seems to be doing it's job, so I don't think that needs work.
I bled the brakes and they're working, but they seem really stiff without much effective stopping power. I'll have my dad drive it and see what he thinks. I'm guessing the master cylinder needs replacing AND the drums may need adjusting. I dunno. BUT, the motor pulls great with some throttle, just can't let it idle. also the wastegate is working cuz the overboost buzzer didn't sound. all of the interior lights work too! I'm slightly overwhelmed with the work that still needs to be done, but I figure if I just pick one thing and get it done, It'll be done before I know it.

I am a happy camper!

 

[Lacky01]

(Sorry for the long post)

HA!! Lol! Have you SEEN Jeffs posts?!?

:

 

[vroomzoomboom]

your a lucky man! i know mine wont be drivable for at least 6 months! your wobble might be a unbalanced tire, or you didn't have all the lungs tight enough. as for it being an axle, once again, the diff is the same up to 93 (i think from there after they are 8.8, yours is a 7.5). i would also check and see if the rear brakes need to be adjusted first (why, cause its free to do). that or you might have a seized caliper.

way to go however! feels good to drive something that has been resurrected with your own two hands!

 

[SVO]

HA!! Lol! Have you SEEN Jeffs posts?!?

:

:wavey:






Jeff - :navajo:

 

[Lacky01]

I'm gonna get everything checked out brakewise in the next few days as I have the free time. doesn't matter how well the engine runs If I cant stop it :

oh yeah, the pictorial update:

It ended up kinda ugly, but it's safe to drive on now

I was pretending to drive it really fast, cuz I had just washed the brake fluid off of the master cylinder and couldn't get the car to start