Progress Thread 89 Notchback 4-cyl to V8 swap

89notchDude

Active Member

Apr 11, 2022

84

42

28

central NJ

Jul 4, 2022

#1

• Jul 4, 2022

• #1

Hey everyone. New guy from NJ here. I picked this up 1989 coupe roller in Feb '21. Its a Florida car so almost no rust. The plan is to restore/restomod it with a 302 for a fun sunday cruiser and hopefully get my two young boys into foxes. I picked up the motor thats shown, a t5, A9L, 89 engine harness rather quickly.

 

89notchDude

Active Member

Apr 11, 2022

84

42

28

central NJ

Jul 4, 2022

#2

• Jul 4, 2022

• #2

out with the old....7.5
scored a 8.8 with 3.73s. I cleaned it up a bit, new cover, brakelines from LMR

 

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89notchDude

Active Member

Apr 11, 2022

84

42

28

central NJ

Jul 4, 2022

#3

• Jul 4, 2022

• #3

sanded it, POR-15 and then POR Topcoatthe rear
The rear came with the sway bar and some unknown brand of upper and lower control arms. Installed new SR performance struts and SR performance lowering springs.

 

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89notchDude

Active Member

Apr 11, 2022

84

42

28

central NJ

Jul 5, 2022

#4

• Jul 5, 2022

• #4

I removed the dash in order to dye it black. While it was gutted, I put in a new heater core and AC evap and replaced the blower motor for extra insurance. I never want to have to go in there again.


Used a degreaser, scotch pad and clean it with alcohol



Picked up a replacement dash pad from LMR. The fitment was a little off so I had to elongated 2 of the holes in the rear to get it a best I could.

 

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89notchDude

Active Member

Apr 11, 2022

84

42

28

central NJ

Jul 5, 2022

#5

• Jul 5, 2022

• #5

V8 cluster in. I ran the v8 engine harness and computer while everything was out.
Somebody was a bad boy and smacked a curb. I had to bend back the lower core support.


got the new ball joint pressed in.
I cleaned up the bay a little. Removed the 4cyl steering rack, and am getting ready to drop in the new one. Swapped out the 4-cyl brake booster/master cyl to the regular v8 one (Not Cobra). New clutch and speedo cable.
I threw a quick coat of Rustoleum Turbo black on it just for a little protection. Paint and body is on the back burner until I get this fired up and on the road.

 

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General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

20+ Year Stangneter

Aug 25, 2016

27,926

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polk county florida

Jul 5, 2022

#6

• Jul 5, 2022

• #6

Working hard and getting it done! Good job

 

89notchDude

Active Member

Apr 11, 2022

84

42

28

central NJ

Jul 5, 2022

#7

• Jul 5, 2022

• #7

General karthief said:

Working hard and getting it done! Good job

Click to expand...

Thanks. Hardest part is carving out some time between the kids and wife.

 

limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

5 Year Member

Oct 4, 2020

5,466

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Florida

Jul 5, 2022

#8

• Jul 5, 2022

• #8

Was that a laser frame straightener?

 

89notchDude

Active Member

Apr 11, 2022

84

42

28

central NJ

Jul 5, 2022

#9

• Jul 5, 2022

• #9

limp said:

Was that a laser frame straightener?

Click to expand...

Yes. The "sharks with laser beams 2000" from Harbor Freight. I even got the 20% coupon

 

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90sickfox

Wasn't a pretty sight...and I've got big hands

SN Certified Technician

Mar 2, 2015

6,945

5,816

213

Jul 5, 2022

#10

• Jul 5, 2022

• #10

You're really digging in that car. Looks good so far.

 

Reactions: limp and 89notchDude

M

Monkeybutt2000

Mustang Master

Aug 11, 2019

1,387

849

133

Lafayette,IN

Jul 5, 2022

#11

• Jul 5, 2022

• #11

Sweet,great work so far.

 

Reactions: 89notchDude

89notchDude

Active Member

Apr 11, 2022

84

42

28

central NJ

Sep 17, 2022

#12

• Sep 17, 2022

• #12

So I'm in the process of cleaning up my motor. I'm gonna swap out the stock upper/lower for an explorer. My question is since I have no ACT boss on the lower, what would be a good place to tap under the explorer upper? I highlighted where I'm thinking. What do you guys think?

 

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Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

Mod Dude

Feb 18, 2001

43,258

17,941

224

Massachusetts

Sep 18, 2022

#13

• Sep 18, 2022

• #13

1 is a coolant port. Coolant circulates in and out of the intake through there, so it’s not a vac line.

2 has the potential of oil puddling. 1 pcv connection should go there to prevent that.

Engine - Explorer intake vacuum line diagram

Have seen this question asked a million times. So here's a diagram. This is an EARLY Explorer intake with the EGR port. There were two lower manifolds. The RF-F87E-9K461-BA lower was early and had the bosses present for the ACT. The RF-F87E-9K461-BB lower was later (non-EGR) and lacks the...

www.stangnet.com

For the ACT, best options are to carefully drill/tap the runner, which is difficult due to no boss being present, or just mount the act in the airbox and extend the wires.

 

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89notchDude

Active Member

Apr 11, 2022

84

42

28

central NJ

Sep 18, 2022

#14

• Sep 18, 2022

• #14

Well good thing I asked. Woulda sucked to tap a coolant port.

 

89notchDude

Active Member

Apr 11, 2022

84

42

28

central NJ

Oct 9, 2022

#15

• Oct 9, 2022

• #15

Finished up the front brakes. Went with oem 87-93 v8 setup.

 

89notchDude

Active Member

Apr 11, 2022

84

42

28

central NJ

Oct 9, 2022

#16

• Oct 9, 2022

• #16

I finally had some time off to get the motor freshened up. I installed the explorer upper/lower. Picked up some explorer 19lb injectors from Neomustang. Getting the itch to drop this in the engine bay. Just waiting for the clutch kit, new motor mounts and some minor odds and ends.

 

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