Build Thread 429MII's Build Thread

429MII · Mar 10, 2019

Hey just joined the site.
Building a 1978 Mustang. Should be fun.
Has a 1970 429 CJ and will have a new 31 spline close ratio top loader once it arrives. Got a 9" built for it 35 spline locker 3.70 gears.Built it for maximum room in factory wheel wells which are actually pretty big. Diff ended up being shortened about 2" Complete cal track set up on rear with Cal trac mono leaf springs.
Not tubbed, trying to leave wheel wells stock. Converted to 5 lug wheels all around. 14X6 in front 15 x 9.5 in rear. BFG 205 front 255/60 rear. Currently Frame connectors on order and will have a roll bar 4 point kinda like a stock 69 shelby style.
Car is rust free, was (is) white with black interior 302 auto with a/c car originally. Thinking either white or maybe gulf stream aqua...not sure yet long way to go before paint.
Engine is set back about a foot in chassis. gaping hole where firewall used to be right now, but still in fab stage.
Using an aluminum engine plate for engine mounting,
Planning on fibreglass mid tuck front and rear bumpers and a fibreglass hood. have to devise some sort of scoop as air filter sits above hood height.

Well just thought I would say hello, Now I'm gonna poke around on the site.
Mark

2Blue2 · Mar 10, 2019

Welcome aboard
Big Block 78 mustang!?! , we are needing some serious pictures of this.

plus

equals

Manoah · Mar 10, 2019

whoa...... def need pics!!

429MII · Mar 11, 2019

thanks. I will try to get some pics up tomorrow.

LILCBRA · Mar 11, 2019

Hello and welcome!!

Did you get your motivation from the Sudden Death Mustang II from way back? Sounds like you've done some of the same work that Jack Roush did on that car, but I think they actually mini-tubbed it. If I remember correctly, they stuffed a 460 based engine in that one.

As I'm sure you've probably run into, there is a thread dedicated to wheels and tires that fit in the stock wells. I run 265/50-15 on 15x8s in mine, but some have gone with wider tires. My car is also a 78 even though I consider it a 77 (just because I like the stripes better than the 78 bill board stripes...). I ended up having to massage a small location in one of the wells to fit the tires, but it wasn't too big a deal. I think it was clearance for the rear seat belt retractor. It'd be interesting to see a car with my car's stance AND big block power backing it up!

429MII · Mar 11, 2019

Sudden death was 100% the inspiration for my car. Back when the article came out I tried to get my dad to buy a cobra. (I was too young to drive).
He didn't buy one.
Later in life I bought a 77 302 4 speed cobra white with red interior and red stripes. Loved that car but stupidly sold it and always wanted another.
10 years ago I bought a 78 black/ gold 302 4 speed billboard cobra off the original owner but it was really rusty, so I sold that one too (should have kept that one in hindsight. It was complete with all options and rear aluminum louvers )
Fast forward a dozen more years of trying to find a rust free example that was cheap enough to allow the major investment in parts required to do the job and here I am now.
Picked up my car less engine and trans for 800 bucks. Bought a 1970 D0VE 429 engine and trans for 500 bucks, sold the D0VE heads off it for 500 bucks, bought some trick flow heads etc etc and started building. It now has aftermarket rods, forged pistons and a mechanical cam.

I have to fire up my old apple phone to get some pics on here because I can't figure out how to put picks off my samsung on to my mac. Once I do that I will get some on here. I love these cars and I love them even more because a majority of owners of Mustangs (even uglier generations in my opinion) don't ..lol..

429MII · Mar 11, 2019

429MII · Mar 11, 2019

first pic is when I bought it, second pic is with 9" installed and 15" slots on rear 14" slots on front.

429MII · Mar 11, 2019

429MII · Mar 11, 2019

429MII · Mar 11, 2019

2Blue2 · Mar 11, 2019

Oh Hail Yeah! Now this is badass!

Super CobraIIJet!
The mockup really excites me! The wheel combo look retro Beefey!

429MII · Mar 11, 2019

Thanks man. It is a lot of assembly then disassembly then assembly again at this point. Then when all the fab work is done, disassemble again lol.
I wanted to make it as sleeper as i could which is why I went with the slots, because it came with 13" slots, and my 77 Cobra had 13" slots as well.
I paid more for these wheels than I want to admit, but I needed particular offsets and the right type of slot.

LILCBRA · Mar 12, 2019

That's awesome!!! Reminds me of my car when I bought it! Mine was originally a black rallye edition that someone did some crappy bondo work and slapped an even crappier white paint job onto. It was already a 302 4 speed car, which is why I bought it. I was intending to build a Boss 302 clone to put into it, but didn't have the money to invest into the exhaust. At the time I had already bought a set of heads and a Boss manifold, turned around and sold that stuff to help fund the Trick Flows I have on it now. Now that I have a lot more skills, I wouldn't mind digging into a car like you're doing! First things first though, gotta get my garage built!

You'll have to keep us updated on your progress! This is just too awesome to not follow!!

429MII · Mar 12, 2019

Thanks, yes I will keep posting progress. It is funny you mention the Boss 302 deal. That reminded me of something I had forgotten. Back when I had my white Cobra I was planning the same thing! I had collected a set of cleveland heads and that was as far as I got, but I remember an article I was using from HotRod magazine on how to build a boss 302 from a regular 302 and cleveland heads. I never came about though as I had a young family and not enough coin.

LILCBRA · Mar 12, 2019

My idea progressed as time passed into building a 351W based 427 stroker with Cleveland style heads. Always thought it'd be bad-ass to have a "427 Cobra" lol
But yeah, takes money which is almost always in short supply!

429MII · Mar 15, 2019

Experimenting with some different ideas for the nose. I have a couple different nose pieces this is the 74 nose I started to modify.

2Blue2 · Mar 15, 2019

429MII said:
Experimenting with some different ideas for the nose.

Sounds cool
I posted this some where else but you should look at it too. Original grill opening still showing as a slot at top.
Maybe give you ideas....

LILCBRA · Mar 15, 2019

Kinda crazy how much the II resembles the original with just a few changes here and there - but it's not a Mustang if you ask some people! Damned maroons!!

429MII · Mar 15, 2019

Yeah, I have some doubles on some parts I can experiment on. I have a partial mockup of a shelby type hood I might do too.very rough cardboard mock up just to see if it looks at all good.

Build Thread 429MII's Build Thread

429MII

2Blue2

will be trying this sex one when I can find it

Manoah

I’m about 95% sure that I’m ready to pull it out

429MII

LILCBRA

I wish I didn't have all of these balls in the air

429MII

429MII

429MII

429MII

429MII

429MII

2Blue2

will be trying this sex one when I can find it

429MII

LILCBRA

I wish I didn't have all of these balls in the air

429MII

LILCBRA

I wish I didn't have all of these balls in the air

429MII

2Blue2

will be trying this sex one when I can find it

LILCBRA

I wish I didn't have all of these balls in the air

429MII

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Build Thread 429MII's Build Thread

will be trying this sex one when I can find it

I’m about 95% sure that I’m ready to pull it out

I wish I didn't have all of these balls in the air

will be trying this sex one when I can find it

I wish I didn't have all of these balls in the air

I wish I didn't have all of these balls in the air

will be trying this sex one when I can find it

I wish I didn't have all of these balls in the air

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