Progress Thread Komo's 1990 GT - Parts Gathering Purgatory & Home Remodel

[gkomo]

I may just put the whole xpipe together before but not tighten the clamps down, get it up onto the hangar at least, then adjust and tighten down to fit. I'll have to check the header bolts to see if they are loose or welded on already. My JBA headers are older maybe they changed their design. Yours look new.

 

[gkomo]

Do you have to use the special radio removal tool to remove the radio? It’s the only thing holding me up from taking out my center console.

I tried cutting a wire hangar to mimic the removal tool but the radio ain’t budging.

 

[AeroCoupe]

Have done it with four rivets. Push them in and then on each side of the radio pull the heads of the two rivets outward. You will need to simultaneously need to pull outward. Sometimes the rivets will want to pull out so an extra hand to pull the head unit by the tape opening works.

The keys are the best but this has worked in a jam.

 

[gkomo]

Got the radio and center console out. Jimmy rigged some small screw drivers that ended up working, my clothes hangar wire didn’t work. Was easier to get one side loose then do the other side:



And yes I’m working in the dark with the kiddos nightlights.

Center console was kind of a pain to get out. It was a combo of maneuvering the shifter either forward or backwards with playing with the ebrake handle and twisting it out.



But I was finally able to get those two forward bolts in the boot.

Took all the parts inside and cleaned them up really good top and bottom. Everything is so dusty! Just need to vacuum and ‘Little Green’ the carpet there, then I can put everything back together.

I ordered a new shift boot (mines ripped), new shift bezel ( mine has broken clips), and the armrest attachment plastic piece (mine was like almost all missing due to breakage). So no rush while all that stuff comes.

 

[gkomo]

I think i'm just going to leave the radio out until i figure what replacement i want. I like the look of the stock unit, but something isn't right. The CD player clicks when i turn the car on for a while and and the radio doesn't really work.

I also found a ground wire hanging by the drivers kick panel. I'll take a photo after work and maybe someone can point me to what the wire does, but i'm assuming a ground wire just hanging there isn't good.

 

[gkomo]

Oh, one other thing. So when i had the center console out i tried 'adjusting' the e-brake bracket/assembly more towards the passenger side. I loosened the screws and just tried pulling it where i needed to be. It wouldn't budge. Is it a dumb idea to Dremel out the bracket holes a little bit, making them oblong, so i can manually move it over? I just need the handle to be positioned like a centimeter more towards the passenger side so it aligns straight within the bezel.

 

[AeroCoupe]

Is the e-brake bracket bent? Just asking as I have seen that before although only once.

 

[gkomo]

Is the e-brake bracket bent? Just asking as I have seen that before although only once.

The bracket itself that bolts to the trans tunnel isn't bent, but there is some play in the handle mechanism itself which 'pulls' towards the drivers side of the vehicle. I looked and don't really see anything to tighten it back up. So you can move the handle to where it needs to be (aligned with the bezel slot) but it will just 'pull' back to the drivers side. Not a big deal really, but its going to ruin my new rubber bezel trim since it just rests like against the rubber/plastic and bends/smooshes the rubber too much.

 

[General karthief]

Yeah, you don't want to 'smoosh the rubber'

 

[Noobz347]

Yeah, you don't want to 'smoosh the rubber'

Damn

 

[gkomo]

So i got everything back together yesterday after getting home from work a little early. I was able to do a good deep scrub on the carpet under the center console, then put it back in. Right now i'm missing my center armrest top (waiting on parts), shifter bezel (waiting on parts) and i left the radio out completely until i decide what i want to do there.

I also think i found where that ground wire that was hanging went. When i put the metal shield back on under the dash, the only logical place that ground wire could have gone (since it wasn't hanging before) was through the left most bottom bolt into the lower dash metal piece, so that's where i put it back to. It was a ground wire with a blue jacket right up by the fuse box. Hopefully that was correct.

Tomorrow she goes in for the fuel tank pressure test and fix, hopefully they can fix the 'leak' without much (just hoping a gasket isn't sealing well). Then at some point i'll try to put the xpipe on, and then re-SMOG it.

 

[Noobz347]

I'm going to toss this out there because you're a dude that likes to research:

The best tool I have found so far for us 'mortals' to put together a sound system is crutchfield.com.

Even if you don't buy [anything] from them, it's a resource to help you decide what will fit without breaking out the death wheels and cutting torches.

Put in make, model, year, and start building an audio 'system' from components that [fit]. Pay attention the little detail links. They show you what's necessary for an install without hacking up harnesses. And of course, you always have the option of saying, "Screw that. I'm gonna do that piece my way".

IMO, it works better than the computer configurator on Newegg.

 

[gkomo]

I'm going to toss this out there because you're a dude that likes to research:

The best tool I have found so far for us 'mortals' to put together a sound system is crutchfield.com.

Even if you don't buy [anything] from them, it's a resource to help you decide what will fit without breaking out the death wheels and cutting torches.

Put in make, model, year, and start building an audio 'system' from components that [fit]. Pay attention the little detail links. They show you what's necessary for an install without hacking up harnesses. And of course, you always have the option of saying, "Screw that. I'm gonna do that piece my way".

IMO, it works better than the computer configurator on Newegg.

Oh I love Crutchfield... would definitely use them when it comes time to purchase a Head Unit. My hangup right now is... double din or single din. All i really want is bluetooth capability and room for audio growth down the line. A simple single din would probably suit my needs, just need to find one thats not all flashy looking.

 

[Noobz347]

You might like some of these:

Mustang Radio - Ford Mustang Stereos | Classic Car Stereos

Classic Car Stereos offers classic Ford Mustang Radios with modern technologies and a vintage look. Shop Classic Car Stereos original Mustang radios today.

www.classiccarstereos.com

 

[Noobz347]

I love the look of this thing:

 

[General karthief]

I need a 8 track with blue bal..er...teeth....

 

[Noobz347]

I need a 8 track with blue bal..er...teeth....

Pardon Our Interruption...

https://www.autoweek.com/car-life/diy/a1853781/want-play-digital-music-through-your-cars-8-track-player-sure-you-do/

Next!

 

[gkomo]

Ordered a 99-04 cobra leather shift knob, didn’t realize it’s threaded too deep for the MGW shifter handle. So I scrounged through my random hardware piles and found this ‘spacer’ that fit the handle perfectly and created enough room so the knob could be screwed on tight:





I’m hoping the leather boot I’m waiting on will slip over it and hide it. If not I’ll have to think of something else. The leather knob is way better than the janky stick plastic one.

Also took her for a drive to make sure the short shifter install all worked out. She shifts like a dream now!

I also swapped my cracked fog light for a new one, then realized the new one looks way better than the other fog light so I swapped it out as well. Still need to fine tune the alignment of the fogs but they look good.

I’m still playing with the brake bias adjustments from the proportioning valve. The seller said he didn’t touch it out of the box. Car stops ok, I turned it two turns inward and the brake pedal feels harder to push down… still not 100% satisfied with the braking overall for being 4 wheel disks with cobra calipers. My last Fox had the same setup and I remember it braking much better even with the stock booster.

 

[Noobz347]

I’m hoping the leather boot I’m waiting on will slip over it and hide it.

It will

Just visualize what the boot covers. I think that elbow you have there is an upgrade from what they used to have. It looks like it is designed specifically to fit beneath the boot. The version that I remember... Not so much.

 

[AeroCoupe]

Just get the Cobra booster. It’s night and day difference and it was made to go with the brakes.

The proportioning valve only slightly adjusts pressure on the rear brakes. With it screwed all the way out they still get around 57% of the pressure. All the way in is full pressure. I run mine 2 full turns in from all the way out.

Master cylinder also plays a big roll in the system. I have a 1995 GT MC (1-1/16” piston) on my car a like how the pedal feels.