Yep, I use one of those to "help" in soldering the dashes. You can get them cheap at Harbor Freight
Helping Hands
Amazing deals on this Helping Hands at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.
That's exactly what it is...except I don't use the magnifier....even though I can't see that good anymore. I put the thing in the vise because it's so light, the wire moves it around. I got mine on Amazon for a couple of bucks.
Since I've decided to play with this:
By putting it on this:
Tonight I sold this to raise funds:
What, my sheet metal brake? Yeah I know...but some dude wanted to use it as a 351W shortblock for the F100 he and his 11 year old are building for the 11 year old's first car. Pretty neat.
Anyway, I went to buy this 2 or 6 years ago and got the old guy down to $300. I sold it tonight for $350. What is this voodoo? We all know you can't get more money for parts than you paid, but it happened. I'm running to by PowerBall tickets!
By putting it on this:
Tonight I sold this to raise funds:
What, my sheet metal brake? Yeah I know...but some dude wanted to use it as a 351W shortblock for the F100 he and his 11 year old are building for the 11 year old's first car. Pretty neat.
Anyway, I went to buy this 2 or 6 years ago and got the old guy down to $300. I sold it tonight for $350. What is this voodoo? We all know you can't get more money for parts than you paid, but it happened. I'm running to by PowerBall tickets!
I know, that sheet metal break worked great! I kinda know how the engine is going to go, but I have no idea the car. I'd like to sell it or trade it for something even lighter. Like a 60-65 Falcon, a Maverick, or even something off the wall, like a Datsun B210. I'd probably have to diet to get my big ass in one of those.
2.3 and 2.5 are basically the same block. In the late 90's last year or 3 of the 2.3 they decreased the size of the main bearings and the 2.5 is that smaller size. Evidently they make bearing spacers to put a 2.5 crank in an early 2.3 block. But you need some $$$ forged 2.5 pistons and rods. Turbo 2.3 shortblocks are SUPPOSEDLY good 450+ hp with the factory crank, rods and forged pistons. There are some HIGH $$$$$$$$ tall deck blocks Esslinger made years ago for midget racing. I think you can get about 3.0 liters with one, but they are rare and expensive. Internet legend has it that Roush got 1200hp out of a 3.0l turbo lima engine. I am pretty sure, NOTHING on that engine came from Ford, all aftermarket.
The plan is to buy or make a twin scroll header and bolt the (rebuilt) HX35 on it and see how much boost it takes to lift the head! If I can't sell the car or trade it off somehow for another car or roller, I will sell the engine and T5Z out of it and stick the 2.3 and a toploader (unless someone gifts me a TKO) in the 85 and go to the track and see what I can get it to do. I guess if I want to actually bracket race, I should think C4 with a brake. I do think there's several contraptions that will catch the clutch when you push it down and work like a trans brake....but I'm not made of money. C4 with a brake will probably be cheaper and easier on parts.
I think you’re going down a path that will end up in the woods.....Where children get eaten by wolves.
The Lima has a specific bellhousing. The t-5 that fits it is an even weaker assed solution to changing gears than the v8 version.
I just came off of the “ what do I do now, now that I need a new engine” search, and for the 4th time in a row, went with an infinitely more complicated, vastly more expensive solution to dropping in a 351w.
we all know why I do sht like I do,...I need to complicate my life , to have something to overcome, so I can say “ I did it”.
But...
You had the solution, and you sold it off. And you’re doing all of this to bracket race.
Nothing screams keep it simple any louder than a car built for bracket racing. It always kills me when you see a fast car that’s bracket raced.....Why? If the object is to do do the same thing over and over, why put a single dime into go fast sht that only adds to the likelihood of a spinning tire, or the need to worry about going too fast?
and now it’s your plan to build a nervous, finicky, narrow power band future time bomb to...Bracket race?
Put the 2.3 in the car,..put a c4 behind it. Stock everything. No need for a trans brake, or drag radials,..put that dog in D and stab the pedal when the light say go...
Then pop in a movie in the DVD player, grab the popcorn, and wait about 18 seconds....and you’ll be at the finish line.
Over, and over, and over...until you beat all of the fast cars that break, break out, or do/ have something change that makes the car run different.
Bracket race glory!!!The king of Yawn!!! Duke of Boredom..
Point me to the exit please.
Attn Spelling Police, you'll notice in my first post on the topic, I spelled it correctly.
After that I was excited by making $50.
First off, I already have the SBF bellhousing adapter and 10.5" flywheel so I already know about that. This probably isn't so much a bracket racing exercise as it is, just see how fast I can get a 2.3T on an extremely limited budget. The only other high dollar expense I forsee right now is the twin scroll header. I'll do a fuel system update and then it's play time. Maybe go ahead and put a locker or a spool and some 4.30 gears in. I'm going the FB Market route and finding gems that other people have to unload for next to nothing. Like an S&W 10 point cage, $200. If I can sell the 302 that's in it now for what I have in mind, I will still have money left over to spend on this project.
The thing about an all out car is it is never fast enough. If you run 10, someone will run 9.90. If you run 8.50, someone will run 8.45. 90% of headsup all out stuff is won by the guy who spent the most money.
And I am not 100% totally convinced on the 2.3 yet. I still may just go get a 4.8 since they are almost free and again see how fast it will go cheaply. As we know the LS is indestructible and pays your light bill for you.
On my phone the exit looks like a little left pointing arrow with an X in it. They call it the “back button.” It allows you to leave an area you no longer wish to be in without pissing in anyone’s Cheerios.
Saw an old local friend today and picked up some Team Z rear drag springs. He upgraded to coilovers because he couldn't get his fox low enough. I have weight jacker lower control arms, so we'll see how the ride height and control arm geometry comes out. I ordered a Strange front coilover kit with 12" 150 springs. I decided to leave the fender off til that comes in and I swap to my Strange struts. I got my wiper tank in I got from Ebay and tested the pump...it works. All the wiring is tied up, wrapped and tested.
Black Friday is killing my PayPal balance. Sell 351w stuff, buy suspension stuff. I waited and missed getting the QA1 k member on LMR for $323 over the weekend. I waited for better deals and couldn't find one and then they were out of stock. So I shopped Jegs and Summit for the kmember and Strange rear adjustable shocks. Jegs was a few dollars cheaper....so they got my money...this time.
I didn't even realize that my coilover kit came yesterday. I got Strange 12" x 150lb springs. It took me a bit to decide if I wanted to try 12" or 14" by 150, but the consensus seems to be 14" rub on the coil adjuster and some people say they can't get the front of the car low enough. Springs are cheap enough anyway and when I get the 2.3 in, I probably need to drop to a 130 or even less. I also got in the clutch tamer. We'll see how that works out.
I started to assemble my used Stange struts and coilovers. I need to get new bumpstops and see if I can get dust covers for the struts from Strange, then put them in.
So this happened. I was sucked in by a Bo-Port Black Friday sale. So the whole low buck part of this is kinda going bye bye.
And then with my procrastination to tear into the 85 any further to make it more of a drag car must have been for a reason. I got it approx 10 years ago from the 3rd owner in Knoxville. He emailed me 2 weeks ago out of the blue and touched base. Then asked if I was interested in selling it. The friend of his that he bought it from, was given it by his dad as his 1st car in high school. His dad passed away from a brain tumor and kind of wants it back.
We talked a bit about the whole deal. So he just wants it as a roller. I was under the impression he wanted to restore it back to stock 85 GT. Until he said, no I just want the roller and stick my 418 stroker in it.
So one of the things we have talked about is before his dad passed, he had bought of all things....a 79 Fairmont Futura. And was planning on turning it into a drag car. So I could keep and use a lot of the parts I have been collecting and the 2.3 will go right back in. So there's a possibility we work a trade roller for roller somehow. That would be ok. We'll see where this goes. Maybe I can get it and paint it orange and name it the Iguana or some kind of reptile or something. I heard someone somewhere did something like that.
Look up curb weights on 1979 Fairmont Futuras...Then do the same for an 85 GT. The wonder how much faster the mustang will go if you can find a way to shed over 500 pounds.
Or just trade for the Fairmont, and it’ll already be there...
Theres a reason every Ford pro stock team in the late 70’s ran them...And not just because they look cool.
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I already googled that the minute he sent me pics! Only issue I have is the big ass bumpers, but there's 'glass ones available, and the fact it's about 16" overall length longer than the Mustang....which will make it tight in front of it. I might have to move my toolboxes and get rid of the elliptical that is a towel rack. And parts are more readily available and the parts I already have will work. So, if the deal is correct, I'll have Iguana of my own. Paint it Grabber ass Green and be done.
I can help with the bumper tuck. It's so easy even you could do it.
oh, and they're made of aluminium, they don't weigh dick.
oh, and they're made of aluminium, they don't weigh dick.