I'll be mostly editing a single post, since I'm about 4 months resumed into what was originally a 2 year project but has stretched into a 20 year odyssey.
A brief background on me and the 'stang:
The 1991 Black Mustang GT was my first "baby", being the very first car I ever purchased in 1993 coming off a 2 year lease. I've owned it ever since. I started modding it in 1996 with the usual free mods like yanking air silencer driveshaft weights, and things got steadily more expensive from there.
In the years between the build start and now, I manged to get married, buy a couple of houses, have 4 kids, switch a couple of jobs, and moved into management a few years back. Well, i have more money than time now, but I still believe in doing all the work myself, having used the hobby as a diversion.
The mustang has seen many a different personas. I did dB drag racing early on (142.6dB was my peak), then decided to gut the whole stereo and switch to drag racing. With only gears and some drivetrain work, I ran a 13.8 on the stock rims in awful weather at Kilkare raceyway. I am not a good driver, and have not been back to the strip in 15 years. I then took up the whole "show car" idea, but continued to strip the car and convert it into an auto-crosser / street car. Turns out I never did take it to an auto-crosser, and barely drive it on the street.
At this point the goal remains a fully streetable show car that I like to drive. So that remains the mantra of choices I've been making going forward, as well as buying higher quality parts when I can. This is not a budget build.
Speaking of budget, I paid $9,600 for the car.. In the intervening years I've dumped about $25,000 into the car, and at this point I consider it inheritance for my kids as I will never sell it or recoupe the costs.
Enough about boring stuff, here's some mod history...
There is very little stock left. This list isn't complete, I'll update as I recall things:
I've done everything I can other than the lower part of the engine. So now it's time for a meat-and potatoes common build (i'm not trying to blaze new ground here) for a simple head and cam swap. $4100 later and I'm knee deep in aluminum dust and loving every second...
I'll organize these pics in a bit, but I've talked too much and you're all here for the pictures anyway:
Testing out the new rollers and experimenting with pushrod length.
I like LMR. UPS doesn't. This is how I got the box.
Flowtech Custom grind:
Gutted and painted with POR-15. Not quite as smooth as I'd hoped.
A brief background on me and the 'stang:
The 1991 Black Mustang GT was my first "baby", being the very first car I ever purchased in 1993 coming off a 2 year lease. I've owned it ever since. I started modding it in 1996 with the usual free mods like yanking air silencer driveshaft weights, and things got steadily more expensive from there.
In the years between the build start and now, I manged to get married, buy a couple of houses, have 4 kids, switch a couple of jobs, and moved into management a few years back. Well, i have more money than time now, but I still believe in doing all the work myself, having used the hobby as a diversion.
The mustang has seen many a different personas. I did dB drag racing early on (142.6dB was my peak), then decided to gut the whole stereo and switch to drag racing. With only gears and some drivetrain work, I ran a 13.8 on the stock rims in awful weather at Kilkare raceyway. I am not a good driver, and have not been back to the strip in 15 years. I then took up the whole "show car" idea, but continued to strip the car and convert it into an auto-crosser / street car. Turns out I never did take it to an auto-crosser, and barely drive it on the street.
At this point the goal remains a fully streetable show car that I like to drive. So that remains the mantra of choices I've been making going forward, as well as buying higher quality parts when I can. This is not a budget build.
Speaking of budget, I paid $9,600 for the car.. In the intervening years I've dumped about $25,000 into the car, and at this point I consider it inheritance for my kids as I will never sell it or recoupe the costs.
Enough about boring stuff, here's some mod history...
There is very little stock left. This list isn't complete, I'll update as I recall things:
- Saleen Valence
- Steeda Badging
- 17" 5 lug Cobra-R Wheels
- 13" Cobra front brakes with SN-95 bearings
- Moroso 31 spline axles
- 3.55 Gears
- Rebuilt T-5 with that steel bearing do-dad.
- Aluminum driveshaft
- Steel driveshaft safety loop
- FRPP Steel flywheel
- King Cobra Clutch
- Baer 12" rear brakes, conversion kit. SS lines, 1993 booster
- 275 Nitto Drag radials out back, 245 up front.
- Steeda lowering springs *(1.25" drop)
- Adjustable shocks / struts (can't recall the brand)
- Adjustable camber/caster plates
- Steeda front / rear anti roll bars. I think adjustable.
- New Tie rods
- of course the steeda clutch adjuster
- Steeda tri-ax shifter, leather knob.
- Steeda floormats (i really like steeda)
- Flowmaster exhaust,
- bassani x-pipe w/ cats,
- FRPP shorty headers
- FRPP Underdrive pullies
- FRPP Silicone Radiator Hoses
- FRPP Ignition Wires
- Edelbrock performer intake
- Accufab 70mm TB
- C&L 76mm MAF kit
- and a bunch of other crap I'll fill in later.
I've done everything I can other than the lower part of the engine. So now it's time for a meat-and potatoes common build (i'm not trying to blaze new ground here) for a simple head and cam swap. $4100 later and I'm knee deep in aluminum dust and loving every second...
I'll organize these pics in a bit, but I've talked too much and you're all here for the pictures anyway:
Testing out the new rollers and experimenting with pushrod length.
I like LMR. UPS doesn't. This is how I got the box.
Flowtech Custom grind:
Gutted and painted with POR-15. Not quite as smooth as I'd hoped.
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