Progress Thread Finally got my first Fox Body - 1988 GT

Steel1 · May 19, 2020

Definitely looks like you have just the stock master cylinder.
You could make-up a short line for the front, you can get different lengths
of brake lines with the ends installed from any auto parts store.

Not sure if the 94-94 m/c is better or worse , I do know that it is suggested to also change the
booster when upgrading for better pedal feel.
Seems to be hit or miss, some people report issues without a
booster change some don't. I took my chances and did not change the booster, so far I'm happy with my set-up.
included a couple of pics for your reference.

DudeStang · May 25, 2020

Steel1 said:
Definitely looks like you have just the stock master cylinder.
You could make-up a short line for the front, you can get different lengths
of brake lines with the ends installed from any auto parts store.

Not sure if the 94-94 m/c is better or worse , I do know that it is suggested to also change the
booster when upgrading for better pedal feel.
Seems to be hit or miss, some people report issues without a
booster change some don't. I took my chances and did not change the booster, so far I'm happy with my set-up.
included a couple of pics for your reference.

Thanks for the pics. I am saving those because I'm sure they will come in handy soon.

DudeStang · May 25, 2020

Happy to report that I finally got the alternator power cable finished. I ended up running the power cable in one loom and the rest of the wires in a separate loom. It took a while but I got it looking how I wanted it, for the most part. I might need to redo the tape around some of the clips but for now, I'm pretty happy. Thanks for all the tips on that part especially. Trying to get both looms to sit well and fit underneath the battery tray took the most time.

Got a new video up documenting this progress and talking about a few other things:

View: https://youtu.be/ftJnHFYsl1g

I went ahead and ordered the 93 Cobra MC and installation kit. I'll try and figure out a solution for the front port line when the time comes.

Steel1 · May 25, 2020

Nice work on the alternator wiring, looks good.

As far as the brake lines go, when I made the m/c and rear 4 lug disc conversion the MM kit has you slightly bend and reuse the stock front
brake line from the block to m/c.
If you're concerned about making up that front line you could buy a front brake line kit and just use that line, bend per the MM instructions
that come with your kit.

Brake Line Set, Front Disc, Carbon Steel, 4 Piece, 3/16 Inch Tube, Repro - #M-2265-8C - National Parts Depot

Buy part #M-2265-8C Brake Line Set, Front Disc, Carbon Steel, 4 Piece, 3/16 Inch Tube, Repro for your classic 1987-1993 Mustang from National Parts Depot. Free shipping on orders over $300, fast delivery & everyday low pricing! Order now!

www.npdlink.com

Will cost you more than buying and bending a front line but would take the guess work out of it for you.

DudeStang · Jun 3, 2020

Steel1 said:
Nice work on the alternator wiring, looks good.

As far as the brake lines go, when I made the m/c and rear 4 lug disc conversion the MM kit has you slightly bend and reuse the stock front
brake line from the block to m/c.
If you're concerned about making up that front line you could buy a front brake line kit and just use that line, bend per the MM instructions
that come with your kit.

Brake Line Set, Front Disc, Carbon Steel, 4 Piece, 3/16 Inch Tube, Repro - #M-2265-8C - National Parts Depot

Buy part #M-2265-8C Brake Line Set, Front Disc, Carbon Steel, 4 Piece, 3/16 Inch Tube, Repro for your classic 1987-1993 Mustang from National Parts Depot. Free shipping on orders over $300, fast delivery & everyday low pricing! Order now!

www.npdlink.com

Will cost you more than buying and bending a front line but would take the guess work out of it for you.

I went ahead and ordered that kit. Supposed to arrive today. Thanks again for recommendation. Also, Cobra MC and installation kit arrived last week. I still need to pick up some flare wrenches and brake fluid. Hoping to start working on this soon.

In the meanwhile, I've made some progress removing the gray residue that was underneath the body molding stripe. Also used some touch up paint on a few spots that weren't looking great.

I found a really good price on Koni shocks and placed an order but found out shortly after that they are now on back order and they are saying it might not be until July before I get them. I've also been looking at springs to pair with the shocks. I have SR Performance springs on the rear of my 2014 and I've been pretty happy with those, especially considering how cheap I got them for. I was thinking of going with that sport spring set and the Koni orange all around, but wondering if I would need to do caster camber plates for a 1.5" drop (possibly lower including the shocks). Any thoughts? I'll do some searching but figured I would ask if anyone has thoughts here.

Olivethefet · Jun 3, 2020

If you are lowering it I would would say the CC plates would help to get the geometry correct. Also, if you lower it you might want to invest in a bump steer kit. This is what I used on my car.

SVE Mustang Bump Steer Kit (79-93) - LMR.com

Eliminate bump steer while correcting suspension geometry with this 1979-1993 Mustang SVE bump steer kit!

lmr.com

DudeStang · Jun 11, 2020

I decided to hold off on getting lowering springs for now but still hoping to get the Koni shocks in the next couple of weeks. If/when I do the lowering, I'll probably try to do the bump steer kit and caster camber plates at the same time.

Foster puppy madness has occupied most of our time at the house the past few weeks. I found some time to make a new video but not a ton of progress on the car. The foster puppy goon squad should be gone this weekend so I'm hoping to start working on the master cylinder/brake line project soon. I believe I have everything I need for that but I do still need to pick up another can of POR-15 to use on the shock tower.

View: https://youtu.be/r8oUu-liPjc

I also ordered the lower door hinge tension spring so I can finally fix the driver side door.

Rdub6 · Jun 11, 2020

Watched that vid..... my firewall/hood seal is brittle as egg shell too! Actually the “seal” part of it iS completely gone! Which one did you get.... looking forward to hear what you think and watching install!

DudeStang · Jun 12, 2020

Rdub6 said:
Watched that vid..... my firewall/hood seal is brittle as egg shell too! Actually the “seal” part of it iS completely gone! Which one did you get.... looking forward to hear what you think and watching install!

Thanks for watching. I got the one from LMR....though I did note that some of the reviews were not great. I will put it on this weekend hopefully and include it in my next video. I should have recorded some of what it looked like before I pulled the remaining pieces off. It was in pretty bad shape, to put it lightly.

So I've been poking around on some threads and other forums about bleeding the brakes, for when I do the master cylinder replacement. I have been reading mixed reviews on using things like the Motive brake bleeder, or speed bleeders, or "the gravity method". Any of the mega fox body brains in StangNet have any thoughts on the best/least likely to be catastrophic approach?

Olivethefet · Jun 12, 2020

The firewall to hood seal on my car was completely shot when I got it. I replaced it with one of these from LMR.

Mustang Firewall To Hood Seal (79-93) D9ZZ-16740 - LMR

Need to keep debris out of your firewall area? Get a new firewall seal for your Stang and reduce wind noise as well. Shop Late Model Restoration today.

lmr.com

It was super easy to get the old one off and the new one on.

Rdub6 · Jun 12, 2020

DudeStang said:
Thanks for watching. I got the one from LMR....though I did note that some of the reviews were not great. I will put it on this weekend hopefully and include it in my next video. I should have recorded some of what it looked like before I pulled the remaining pieces off. It was in pretty bad shape, to put it lightly.

So I've been poking around on some threads and other forums about bleeding the brakes, for when I do the master cylinder replacement. I have been reading mixed reviews on using things like the Motive brake bleeder, or speed bleeders, or "the gravity method". Any of the mega fox body brains in StangNet have any thoughts on the best/least likely to be catastrophic approach?

Ive always used the “wife or daughter pressing on the pedal” method of bleeding brakes.

Rdub6 · Jun 13, 2020

Olivethefet said:
The firewall to hood seal on my car was completely shot when I got it. I replaced it with one of these from LMR.

Mustang Firewall To Hood Seal (79-93) D9ZZ-16740 - LMR

Need to keep debris out of your firewall area? Get a new firewall seal for your Stang and reduce wind noise as well. Shop Late Model Restoration today.

lmr.com

It was super easy to get the old one off and the new one on.

Hey Olive, did the new one come with the metal clips..... I’m pretty sure i damaged a few of the old ones taking it off.

DudeStang · Jun 13, 2020

Rdub6 said:
Hey Olive, did the new one come with the metal clips..... I’m pretty sure i damaged a few of the old ones taking it off.

I ordered the same one. It has these clips:

Rdub6 · Jun 13, 2020

Perfect!! Thanks dude!!

DudeStang · Jun 18, 2020

The firewall to hood seal didn't go on super easily for me...at least not compared to the LMR install video, lol. It seems it needs to be bent around the hood hinges. I was thinking of buying the new hood hinge cups and replacing those, then doing the firewall to hood seal while the hood is off the car. I made a video that partially documents that failure...

View: https://youtu.be/qcMyPEe17FA

I also added new header support brackets. They are zinc, which I thought was better than the shiny chrome options available...I might see about having them painted or powder-coated black eventually to match the radiator support brackets but that's not a big priority at the moment.

So I still haven't made any progress on the brake master cylinder and brake lines but I've been looking at some videos and doing some searching. I came across this brake proportioning valve eliminator kit on LMR: https://lmr.com/item/MM-MMBAK6/87-93-Mustang-Brake-Proportioning-Valve-Eliminator-Kit

My car already has the after market Wilwood proportioning valve but it still has the original proportioning valve still in place. Someone on another forum mentioned that since I have the Willwood proportioning valve, "this also means that the factory proportioning valve the MC goes into is gutted of the springs on the shuttle inside it. These springs help achieve a front to rear ratio and once removed it acts solely as a means of isolating a failure in either the front or rear brakes."

So now what I'm wondering is if I should maybe get that eliminator kit and remove the factory proportioning valve when I do the MC replacement or if it isn't necessary. Any thoughts on addressing this?

Willybill32 · Jun 18, 2020

All you need is a new bolt to replace the stock bolt. Removing the shuttle and spring is easy, and the MM bolt works good to seal the valve body up. https://www.maximummotorsports.com/Brake-Proportioning-Valve-Plug-1979-2004-P1411.aspx

DudeStang · Jun 18, 2020

Willybill32 said:
All you need is a new bolt to replace the stock bolt. Removing the shuttle and spring is easy, and the MM bolt works good to seal the valve body up. https://www.maximummotorsports.com/Brake-Proportioning-Valve-Plug-1979-2004-P1411.aspx

Hey, thanks for chiming in. I hadn't seen that specific piece before. So...here's a pic of my stock proportioning valve as it currently sits.

Is the piece circled in red basically the same thing as the valve plug you suggested?

Willybill32 · Jun 18, 2020

DudeStang said:
Hey, thanks for chiming in. I hadn't seen that specific piece before. So...here's a pic of my stock proportioning valve as it currently sits.

Is the piece circled in red basically the same thing as the valve plug you suggested?

Yes, that’s it. Remove that, pull the shuttle and spring out and install the new plug. If your existing plug is in good shape, you can reuse it instead of buying the MM part.

Steel1 · Jun 18, 2020

When I upgraded to rear disc I borrowed my buddies power bleeder, that is the easiest way to do one person brake bleeding.
You basically fill it part way with fluid, use one of the caps that fits your m/c , then pump it up to pressurize it.
As you open each bleeder it forces fluid through the system thus pushing out the air.

You can always use the tried and true two person method of having someone step on the pedal.

90sickfox · Jun 18, 2020

In order to use the factory plug you'd have to drill and tap the end, where the rubber grommet is, and install a plug. A 3/8 pipe thread tap and 3/8 plug works well for that. It looks ugly though...and as cheap as the aftermarket plug is...its worth it not to have the hassle. I bough mine from LMR. It didn't come with a new o ring so I used my old one. It goes at the end of the threads by the top of the cap.

Progress Thread Finally got my first Fox Body - 1988 GT

Mustang Master

Nuts fell off while driving

Nuts fell off while driving

Mustang Master

Nuts fell off while driving

I will own your nuts! LOL

Nuts fell off while driving

So while I wait to figure out my rear end issues

Nuts fell off while driving

I will own your nuts! LOL

So while I wait to figure out my rear end issues

So while I wait to figure out my rear end issues

Nuts fell off while driving

So while I wait to figure out my rear end issues

Nuts fell off while driving

But at least it's tight!

Nuts fell off while driving

But at least it's tight!

Mustang Master

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

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