Progress Thread Project: Nighthawk

torque arm in and bolted to diff, now to weld the xmember in, stopping for dinner tho






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everything is back together and on the ground and drove home!

exhaust had to go, flange was right in the center of the xmember for the torque arm, so out came the sawsall, oh well, ill try to get the exhaust done tomorrow after work





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don't make fun of the welding, other than the other day I havn't welded in like 3 years, brackets for the torque arm xmember




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everything back together, -sigh- need the brakes... they should be in Tuesday or so... it just looks horrid with everything else new and shiny and the ghetto stock brakes





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ffs im never going to have matching brakes...

rear kit was supposed to ship last wend, no parts Monday, ok... they will be here today... nope... nada

call American muscle, they havnt heard back from Wilwood from Monday's email

so I call wilwood... they don't have an order in their system from American muscle, even though American muscle has a PO number from Wilwood's automated system...


worst part: IF they system had recorded an order for the rear brakes when it was supposed to have, I would have my brakes.... however now they are out of rotors until the end of the month so reguardless, im out till next month -.-
 
been kinda slow, figured id post a quick update: just waiting for last of parts to come in for the V8 swap, lots of little misc things to make sure I have before I do this


plus been having issues with the rear brakes, apparently the caliper backing plates are not 90* to the axles, so it's causing some squeaking of the slider bolt against the bolt housing... it's driving me insane
 
ffs im never going to have matching brakes...

rear kit was supposed to ship last wend, no parts Monday, ok... they will be here today... nope... nada

call American muscle, they havnt heard back from Wilwood from Monday's email

so I call wilwood... they don't have an order in their system from American muscle, even though American muscle has a PO number from Wilwood's automated system...


worst part: IF they system had recorded an order for the rear brakes when it was supposed to have, I would have my brakes.... however now they are out of rotors until the end of the month so reguardless, im out till next month -.-


I think I'd be calling them.... Every morning at set time, "Hiya... You dudes moved out of the break-room yet? Just wondering because I still don't have my brakes. I bet you have someone sitting around right now that can box them up and ship them".

Next day: "Hiya... You dudes moved out of the break-room yet? Just wondering because I still don't have my brakes. I bet you have someone sitting around right now that can box them up and ship them".
 
I think I'd be calling them.... Every morning at set time, "Hiya... You dudes moved out of the break-room yet? Just wondering because I still don't have my brakes. I bet you have someone sitting around right now that can box them up and ship them".

Next day: "Hiya... You dudes moved out of the break-room yet? Just wondering because I still don't have my brakes. I bet you have someone sitting around right now that can box them up and ship them".


I got em now finally, took about a month -.-

was funny, today a coworker was behind me and id been riding the brakes to warm em up... I scared the crap outa him when I stomped em xD
 
At T4 will bolt up but I can't think of a reason why I'd do that. It's a 4 speed and will probably not hold up very well. They were made for 4-bangers and inline 6s.

Cradle... Cradle... Do you mean the motor mounts and cross-member?
 
At T4 will bolt up but I can't think of a reason why I'd do that. It's a 4 speed and will probably not hold up very well. They were made for 4-bangers and inline 6s.

Cradle... Cradle... Do you mean the motor mounts and cross-member?
T4 already in the car, 5 speed and it's just as easy to blow a t4 as it is a t5? But yes the cross member
 
T4 already in the car, 5 speed and it's just as easy to blow a t4 as it is a t5? But yes the cross member

Ok, I see where there were 5-speed Borg Warner T4s (not a lot of them it appears). From what I've read (just finished reviewing) the T5 was a replacement for the T4 due to its weak housing.

The T5 was designed to be stronger than the T4 and the T5WC was beefed up even more.

My concern is that the OEM 300ish RW torque that you get from a Ford V8 may spell the demise of the T4 in short order.


On your other matter:
I believe that the cross-members are the same but the mounts have to be changed.

@RacEoHolic330
@TOOLOW91
@mikestang63
@madmike1157

Each of those guys will get an alert to this thread. They should be able to clear up the portions that I cannot.
 
I've never done a 4cyl to v8 swap with a t5 ,but I did do a Aod to t5 in my car . Just needed the t5 mount and it was good to go if I remember correctly .


Sent from my iPhone using my fingers while my auto correct makes me seem illiterate
 
Ok, I see where there were 5-speed Borg Warner T4s (not a lot of them it appears). From what I've read (just finished reviewing) the T5 was a replacement for the T4 due to its weak housing.

The T5 was designed to be stronger than the T4 and the T5WC was beefed up even more.

My concern is that the OEM 300ish RW torque that you get from a Ford V8 may spell the demise of the T4 in short order.


On your other matter:
I believe that the cross-members are the same but the mounts have to be changed.

@RacEoHolic330
@TOOLOW91
@mikestang63
@madmike1157

Each of those guys will get an alert to this thread. They should be able to clear up the portions that I cannot.

really don't even bother with the WC T5, it's not much stronger, deff not enough for 400+ that ppl wana put down

only T5 that I know of that can handle 300+ is one Gforce builds, it looks stock, but the case inside is modified and all upgraded internals
Im putting one in Nighthawk when I do this swap, said it's rated for 600lbs/tq

on that note, im hoping to do the swap very soon now, I just got my Vband exhaust flanges in last night, just waiting on some misc electrical connectors now then I think im ready
 
really don't even bother with the WC T5, it's not much stronger, deff not enough for 400+ that ppl wana put down

only T5 that I know of that can handle 300+ is one Gforce builds, it looks stock, but the case inside is modified and all upgraded internals
Im putting one in Nighthawk when I do this swap, said it's rated for 600lbs/tq

on that note, im hoping to do the swap very soon now, I just got my Vband exhaust flanges in last night, just waiting on some misc electrical connectors now then I think im ready
And those g forces still tend to break 3rd gear FYI . I've put 435 horse through a stock t5 and had it live .
 
And those g forces still tend to break 3rd gear FYI . I've put 435 horse through a stock t5 and had it live .
was that with the gforce maincase upgrade?

what tires, rear ratio were you running?

what exactly broke too, lol sorry, jw since I have this transmission I need to know what to watch for
 
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was that with the gforce maincase upgrade?

what tires, rear ratio were you running?

what exactly broke too, lol sorry, jw since I have this transmission I need to know what to watch for
friend of mine had a g force with a high comp 347 and still broke third gear .

When I had the stock t5 I had nitto drag radials and a Vortech a trim on my car and 3.55s .

I make a wee bit more power now through a Tremec TKO 600.
 
minor update for why I havn't gotten anything done:

short version is my roofing buddy I have known all my life, bff foreveah, fell off a roof onto concrete last Monday and just destroyed the right side of his body, he had just bought a house cheap, to fix up to move into, and now me and a another friend are trying to get the house livable so he can get out of his other house and moved in here to help with the bills

so atm Im a carpenter, electrician, drywall guy and cleaner lol

it's killing me cuz I have all the parts for the swap, and no time now... T.T

I had actually planned this last week and next week to start on the swap, and probably have the motor in over this memorial weekend, and finish it up throughout the week... butttttt.... nope....
 
What a horrible waste of money. Your choice of motor completely kills this build. You should have gone with a mod motor. A cheap scrapyard 4.6/5.4 2V or even a 4V. Build the motor with forged internals, add a blower or turbo and you're going to be a hell of a lot faster than where you're going and for a lot less money.
 
What a horrible waste of money. Your choice of motor completely kills this build. You should have gone with a mod motor. A cheap scrapyard 4.6/5.4 2V or even a 4V. Build the motor with forged internals, add a blower or turbo and you're going to be a hell of a lot faster than where you're going and for a lot less money.


im sorry, i'll make sure I ask for your permission before attempting any other life choices
 
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