Progress Thread Back in a Fox 89GT

Kabuki_notch

Founding Member
Nov 19, 2001
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Rochester, NY
Hey guys I wanted to share with you my next project. I wasn't actively looking for a car since I sold my vert about 2 years ago as I was planning on moving out of state and really didn't want to bring the car with me. Well long story short I ended up finding a new job and buying another house but the car was gone. So last Saturday my buddy (works in a body shop) was browsing on facebook Marketplace for his next project and he came across a 89GT 5spd 51k Miles hit in the front. the Car was posted for about 6 hours we messaged the guy and said he's had about 200 calls/messages for the car and he was getting frustrated so we told him we would be there Sunday morning at 10am, so we get there to check the car out it's a Bone stock down to the original spark plug wires 89 GT with some front end damage. this car is clean, it's rare to see a foxbody in Rochester NY in this sorta shape rust wise. The damage is not too bad, I've fixed worse in my garage it will need a pass side fender, hood, inner fender, core support and a few odds and ends luckily there is no frame damage, and the interior could also use a good cleaning from sitting for over 2 years.

My plans for the car is to keep it pretty stock except the common mods and just drive it in the spring/summer. it will probably need paint as it's pretty faded and some moldings will have to be replaced So I got my work cut out this winter to get it all squared away before April.
Here are a few pics. (hopefully they come up if not i'll host elsewhere)

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Can you repair that apron? I would try to do that first. If you can, it would save you a lot of time. Post some more pics for sure.
 
i was able to pull off the rest of the damaged panels except the core support I got a friend coming over to assess the damage and see what else I need besides the obvious. the fender apron "may" be repairable here are a few more pics

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It maybe not, what does it look like from the side? I know that rad support wraps around on the top where it welds to the apron. Once the rad support is off it could be repairable. It’s a single sheet of metal. Once it’s pulled you could hammer and dolly it out possibly.
 
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A couple updates on the project, I finished up the interior I had to replace the carpet it was trashed.
Gave the interior console a good washing but I think it may need to be re-sprayed at some point
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while doing that I installed a Pro 5.0 shifter new upper/lower shift boot and knob.
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with the interior done for now I can move forward on the real issues so I started disassembly on the front end yesterday and plan on starting to drill/grinding out the spot welds this week. my goal is to have all the damaged panels removed by this weekend so I can start mocking up the new stuff. I ordered and recieved all the replacement sheet metal inner fenders and a new core support. I'm keeping my eye out for an OEM front bumper and fender, i've worked with the repro stuff before and didnt have much luck.

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Got the damaged panels off, thinking about doing the other inner fender since I’m this far in and they came as a pair, next I’ll clean up the welds then start test fitting some new parts
 

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some updates,

Finally got the core support and inner fender welded up and welds grounded. next i'm going to prep the engine bay and door jambs for paint. I still haven't decided on a color but leaning towards an entirely new color and not the stock one. here are a few pics of my progress,
 

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Very nice man. A bunch of people would've sent that car to the crusher.

I think it's crazy that it's so hard to find the panel for the back of the core support. You can easily find the core support and the inner fender pieces but that one panel is super elusive.
 
Thanks guys,

i'm glad the bottom of the core support was untouched it made our lives easier but just cutting the original. I did the same repair on a 90 GT and it included the bottom piece. Other than the front end damage the car is in great shape a little elbow grease and some patience it's going to be a good driver. Car has 51k miles and I paid $1200 so it was worth fixing imo.