Is It Okay To Change A Car's Name?

91sally

New Member
Jul 30, 2017
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If you make a car yours by rebuilding it, do you get to pick a new name for it?

Got this 91 2.3l NA automatic from a neighbor. Sat there for about six months for $1000 obo and I just about saved up seven when me and my car buddy went to look at it. We saw this jerk in a much nicer foxbody triple park at the liquor store and we made fun of him and I remembered about the car. We went over, looked at it and my pal said "ah hell, she needs work, I got three at home" and the owner said "sure, get it off the lawn". We ran home, grabbed the cash and drove it away. Turns out it was the guys mums old car that she gave to him, then she died last year and well sometimes you just wanna get rid of memory triggers. So I scored this fox for $300. My condolences to the previous owner and a big thanks to the triple parker! If not for him parking his car like a dweeb I'd have gone over there sometime this week and spent an extra four hundred bucks!

Anyways, that's how I got her. This is what is wrong with it. Rough interior, I just want to gut it and start over. Stereo needs hooked back up after buddy took his system out. Minor small dents, 2 on hood and 1 one rear passenger quarter panel, driver side rear panel has a rather large ding but I'm told that's an easy fix. Minor rust spots on inside driverside door, on trunk lid and the spare wheel storage well has a couple holes in it. Undercarriage is remarkably good for a BC car. We love to salt our roads, lol. Two power window motors need replaced and the glass window in the convertible top needs replaced.

The drivetrain is solid, engine purrs like a very small kitten, the tranny shifts smoothly, the brakes are still good and the suspension feels good for a 26 year old car. I'm probably not going to bother with any of this fun stuff for awhile since I need a daily driver and none of it is any immediate concern. I think I might eventually look at some of the cheap mods to get some ponies, but my primary concern is making her turn heads again first.

Besides... The 5.0 swap takes some saving up for! Might as well look good while doin it! But seriously folks, I plan on keeping this car for awhile. I'll be back around to post questions here and ask for advice.

Actually for starters, well, where do you guys and gals think I should start? I'm thinking I should do the windows first.
 

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There is one guy in here that is quite fine with giving his car a nickname, as well as a badge from a completely different make and model. And he will try to tell you to rebuild and turbo the 2.3, but dont let him sway you one way or the other. He is mostly out of his mind. That being said, call it whatever you want.

Next, my first concern with the car would be the usual maintenance. Fluids, brake pads/shoes, serp belt, etc. Then I would get the windows and all other factory options working. After that stuff is done, the #1 mod for me is wheels and tires. That mod can completely change the look and demeanor of a car.
 
Thanks for the replies fellas. Me and my buddy looked at all the fluids, brakes felt solid but we never actually took any wheels off and looked at them. I got her insured today and no surprises at the registry so that is good. I topped up the tires, pretty decent Michelin's too. Took her for a spin out to the mall and she felt good still. Went back home, grabbed my pal and took her out on the highway for her paces. She passed, and for a $300 car, she was golden. A bit of shake at about 140k and some slight whine in the tranny at low rpm thru acceleration into the higher gears. I'm told this is common in older cars and might be an oil pump, or a dirty filter. Transmission fluid looked used, but not awful. Oil too.

So I guess I better do the windows. I live on an island so lots of boaters and boat shops. First order of business will be to take that back window panel out of the clothtop and take it to a boat shop and have some marine windscreen sewn in. Should be about the same price as a replacement but means I don't have to wait for the part to arrive.

A question about that, how do you properly remove that panel? I see the zipper up top in the back but the bottom seems to be under the convertible boot. Do I have to take off the whole top to get at it or just the back?

Thanks and cheers!
 
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PS: I plan to take it easy on her until I can fix that transmission sound and just kind of take it as she comes. Fix her up as she asks for it ya know? Lol. Don't worry fellas, I'll take care of her.
 
Power Window tips & tricks

Motor removal & replacement

Remove the door mounted speaker & the upholstery panel to gain access to the motor. There are 3 screws (5/16" hex head, I think) that secure the motor in place. Remove them and the motor comes out without any problems. Once you remove all the screws from the motor, and it falls away from the gear teeth on the arm for the glass, the glass will move up and down. You may need a helper to hold the glass once the motor screws are out, since the gear on the motor holds the glass from sliding up or down

Motor interchange
The motor is the same for left side or right side, only the gearboxes are different. If you can't find the complete assembly for the side you want, you can get either side and use the old gearbox on the new motor.

The window motor gearbox has 3 plastic rollers that are a safety clutch to prevent possible injury if the window is rolled up while something or someone is hanging out the window. The plastic rollers will often disintegrate into chunks of plastic and the window will no longer roll up or down. The motor runs, but the window does not move or only move a little.

The Help! section of your local auto parts store will have the replacement plastic rollers.
See NAPA Window Regulator Gear Plug

235297.jpg


Napa p/n Balkamp 6651524

Cost is 9.49$

AutoZone and other auto parts stores see Dorman 74410 / Window Lift Motor Gear Kit
Cost is $7.99

Power Window Wiring Diagrams

Diagrams courtesy of Tmoss & Stang&2birds

Fuse panel and circuit breaker layout
MustangFuseBox.gif


87-92 model cars power window wiring:

mustang87-92%20PowerWindowWiring.gif


93 model cars power window wiring:
mustang93PowerWindows.gif


See the following website for some help from Tmoss (diagram designer) & Stang&2Birds (website host) for help on 88-95 wiring Mustang FAQ - Wiring & Engine Info Everyone should bookmark
 
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'If you make a car yours by rebuilding it, do you get to pick a new name for it?"
You pay your hard earned money, you call it what you like, I know when mine is acting up I have a few choice names for her LOL!
 
If you make a car yours by rebuilding it, do you get to pick a new name for it?

Got this 91 2.3l NA automatic from a neighbor. Sat there for about six months for $1000 obo and I just about saved up seven when me and my car buddy went to look at it. We saw this jerk in a much nicer foxbody triple park at the liquor store and we made fun of him and I remembered about the car. We went over, looked at it and my pal said "ah hell, she needs work, I got three at home" and the owner said "sure, get it off the lawn". We ran home, grabbed the cash and drove it away. Turns out it was the guys mums old car that she gave to him, then she died last year and well sometimes you just wanna get rid of memory triggers. So I scored this fox for $300. My condolences to the previous owner and a big thanks to the triple parker! If not for him parking his car like a dweeb I'd have gone over there sometime this week and spent an extra four hundred bucks!

Anyways, that's how I got her. This is what is wrong with it. Rough interior, I just want to gut it and start over. Stereo needs hooked back up after buddy took his system out. Minor small dents, 2 on hood and 1 one rear passenger quarter panel, driver side rear panel has a rather large ding but I'm told that's an easy fix. Minor rust spots on inside driverside door, on trunk lid and the spare wheel storage well has a couple holes in it. Undercarriage is remarkably good for a BC car. We love to salt our roads, lol. Two power window motors need replaced and the glass window in the convertible top needs replaced.

The drivetrain is solid, engine purrs like a very small kitten, the tranny shifts smoothly, the brakes are still good and the suspension feels good for a 26 year old car. I'm probably not going to bother with any of this fun stuff for awhile since I need a daily driver and none of it is any immediate concern. I think I might eventually look at some of the cheap mods to get some ponies, but my primary concern is making her turn heads again first.

Besides... The 5.0 swap takes some saving up for! Might as well look good while doin it! But seriously folks, I plan on keeping this car for awhile. I'll be back around to post questions here and ask for advice.

Actually for starters, well, where do you guys and gals think I should start? I'm thinking I should do the windows first.

It's your car, call it whatever the hell you want. I've named every car I've owned, some went through a couple of "trial" names before one stuck. My F150's first trial name, for instance, was "Wendy", then "The Never Never Truck" and now, the one that's stuck is "The Pig". When it's done something right, I've been known to pat the dash and say "that'll do Pig, that'll do". My Mustang II is "ElSuperPinto" and has been since my mother respectfully requested that I quit referring to it as "The Death Machine". Most of them have had far less whimsical names, had a GMC pickup named "The Duke", another Mustang II named "Goldenrod", and even a big-body Thunderbird named "Bessie".

There is one guy in here that is quite fine with giving his car a nickname, as well as a badge from a completely different make and model. And he will try to tell you to rebuild and turbo the 2.3, but dont let him sway you one way or the other. He is mostly out of his mind.

I am not! Wait... I'm not a regular here, and I don't badge my cars with things that don't belong on them... you mean the other guy... carry on!
 
The most common name for a car is pos. Mainly uddered when alongside the road with the hood up or following it on the tow truck headed to a 'repair facility'.
If I were to name my stang it would be 'the donkey' which is really just an ugly horse. (Remember I was raised a city boy) after all, I do have a cat named dog.