King Cobra Build in Oregon

79PaceKar · Mar 24, 2022

Found out if you use a spring compressor it makes taking all the other parts off much easier... Today is great day regarding my project. I took the last part off I need to. Starting tomorrow I will be putting parts BACK ON. Ordered the lower control arms and hope it arrives Monday. Sand blasting some parts tomorrow along with finishing applying POR and spraying undercoating in the front wheel. Rebuilding the front brake calaphors. They look new along with the pads and rotors, but car sat for over 5 years, so figure while they are out I will replace the seals.

Mustang kept moving up and down so I put a jack stand under the rear and stabilized the body. Hope to start working on the motor and transmission next week. Rebuilt T-5 sitting under my work bench waiting to be installed. Also find out next week if I need back surgery. Losing feeling in the bottom of my feet. That's the parts I use. Well my cat is giving me the evil eye as it's her dinner time....Later

2Blue2 · Mar 26, 2022

79PaceKar said:
I will be putting parts BACK ON

79PaceKar · Mar 29, 2022

First item I tried to install was defective... Began installing the new upper and lower control arms and coil overs. Tried installing the ball joints on the lower control arm. That did not go well. Seems the treads on the ball joints do not match the treads on the control arm. Took it to a machine shop and they confirmed things were not going to work together. Called tech support, followed the instructions before taking to machine shop. Call them again and they are sending replacement ball joints. Switched to installing the brake engine compartment brake lines. I had the proportional valve powder coated black. Just need to find photo showing which brake line goes where.

LILCBRA · Mar 30, 2022

The thread sizes may be different, but this is a generic layout of the distribution block.

79PaceKar · Mar 30, 2022

Thanks muchly.....

79PaceKar · Apr 4, 2022

Got brake prop valve installed. Found the extra one with master cylinder lines installed. Installed upper control arms. The lower control arms are at a machine shop. Having the ball joints installed. company sent new ball joints. They did not fit either, so to same time I took the arms and ball joints to machine shop. Hope to have them back by Friday. Figured this will be faster then sending them back, have replacement ones sent. Also figure if two arm are not excepting four different ball joints, there is more wrong then just this set. I will send information and photos to company and let them know what I had to do and suggest they check out their stock. Detailing engine compartment tomorrow then installing power steering unit. Started to replace seals on brake calipors but found out there was rust inside them. Just decided to buy replacements. That's if for now....

IICrew · Apr 5, 2022

Did you get speedway brand control arms? I initially purchased them but had ball joint fitment issues. The hole was slightly too large and oblong. The ball joint threaded in but would not tighten up.

I wound up returning them and getting the heidts. Speedway worked with me and assured me it was a one off problem but it looks like 2 years later their problems still exists.

I have purchased several parts from them and all were fine except the control arms.

79PaceKar · Apr 5, 2022

Yes,, that is where I purchased then from. Only place I could find OEM fitting lower arm.

79PaceKar · Apr 9, 2022

Finally got the lower control arms installed. Had to take them to a machine shop and have the ball joints installed. Owner is a car guy and did my a good one. $60 to install both. Did spot welds to keep the ball joints solid. Had to machine the threads to allow ball joints IIcrew is correct. The mounting place for the ball joints are oblong. Machinist said the way they welded the frame together caused the oblongish hole.... Just need to remember how to install the brakes......Kept dropping stuff so decided it was time to stop and take wife to a dinner and a movie.

2Blue2 · Apr 10, 2022

Progress!
That was a good price for getting over the hard spot...

79PaceKar · Apr 25, 2022

Had a great birthday Saturday. Got the rack and pinion installed. Finished installing the front brake caliphors. Finishing installing the brake lines today. Also sold my 1979 Pace Car. Found someone who has been looking for a Fox Body for racing. As mine is just a rolling body with parts boxed up, he was happy. Made my wife happier.... Ordering new fuel lines. I though I had them but the box had brake lines for the 79. After bleeding the brakes I will be able to roll the Mustang out into the sun and inspect the paint. Have lots of errors to correct. Also this week I can begin working on the engine.

I sent a letter to Speedway Motors regarding the lower control arms. Mentioned I had to have the ball joints machined and spot welded. Hopefully they will correct the errors. They should install the ball joints before shipping out.

OH. The right (car's) rack and pinion arm is to long. Put the tie rod end on and can not get them short enough to align the wheel. It points outward. Going to cut about an inch off the end of the arm then attach the tie rod again. Should work.............

79PaceKar · Apr 25, 2022

OOPS. Forgot to mention my gas cap. Thinking about installing a different gas cap cover. I never liked the gas cap. Found a gas cap cover that looks like my wife's 2008 Challenger. Any thoughts??? It pops open.

Also found some Goodyear tires I like. Eagle GT II. The raised letters are not white, but I figure I should be able to paint them white. The letters not the tires.... Anyone done this? How did it work out? What type of paint works?

IICrew · Apr 25, 2022

I like the fuel cap idea.

They make a paint for white letter tires. I haven't used nor endorse the following just pointing you in the right direction.

Amazon product ASIN B075FKTQ27View: https://www.amazon.com/ESKONI-Letter-Permanent-Rubber-Acrylic/dp/B075FKTQ27/ref=sr_1_12?keywords=tire+white+letter+paint&qid=1650928352&sr=8-12

79PaceKar · Apr 25, 2022

Thanks for the paint information. going to a local tire shop tomorrow to check prices on Goodyear tires vs the Uniroyal tires. The Uniroyal tires are the OEM tires for the 1978 Mustang, but I really like the look of Goodyears

LILCBRA · Apr 25, 2022

I like the gas cap idea.

The only time I've painted white letters on tires was in the late 80s when I was a broke high schooler. I ended up using Testors model paint in the marker form. It seemed to work fairly well from what I remember, but you'd probably have to go through multiple coats. I'm not a lot of help beyond that.

79PaceKar · May 3, 2022

Found a 1975 GHIA on facebook. It is about 20 miles from me. Has the rims and tires I want. Both look good. It is a V6 coupe. are the door windows the same as on a Fastback? Body not good, but glass is good. figure this is cheap and I could pull some stuff, like the door glass for "just in case". Assume windshield is the same. Seats are purple.........really. At one time it was good looking. Just left out in the weather and may have had a front end damage from accident. Anyone needs stuff???? Figure if the tires and rims are in good condition, cheaper the buying new. May experiment on the rear fender to see how the gas cap looks. Car is trashed..............not cutting up anything good, unless some one needs a coupe rear fender.

IICrew · May 3, 2022

Door glass is different. Coupe glass is flatter and will leave a gap at the top when rolled up.

79PaceKar · May 4, 2022

PITS>> how about the windshield? Anyone need/want them. Just pay shipping. Both are in good condition.

79PaceKar · May 10, 2022

Purchased the 75 Ghia. Brought it home and have been getting parts I need. Car body is in very good shape, except the paint. Seems a young kid bought the car with intentions of restoring the car. It had a nice paint job and ran good, according to the guy who sold it to the kid. Has a rebuilt V6 with AT. As shown i has a very nice pink crushed velvet interior. Lots of parts, like the front bumper and trim laying in the car. HOWEVER, not ding or scratch on the ping crushed velvet interior. Front and back seats in great condition along with the door panels. One arm rest needs a cleaning. Center console in good shape but shows some wear. Needs to be re dyed. I will be putting this on ebay soon. Just go good to get tossed out. Nice Alpine stereo will no be installed in a 65 Mercury or 62 Falcon Station wagon. My buddy can decide yet. Rims and tires are really good. this is why I bought the car. Tires are in really good condition. I found 1 inch spacers under each rim. Front are P235-60R 14, rears are P225-70R 14. Tires are wider then the ones that came with my Mustang. But these were on a running Mustang, so hopefully these will fit properly. They are wider then mine. Put tires on front and checked to see if they clear the new upper/lower arms. Seems good. But I still don't have an engine installed or the front fenders. Working on dash/heater/stereo then putting seats back in and start working on the engine. Any comments regarding the tires ? Put the spacer on the back wheels but the front seemed to fit ..............

LILCBRA · May 11, 2022

I'd say wait til final assembly and make the decision then concerning the front spacers. Otherwise I think they'll look good. About the only concern I'd have - and I'm not sure it's a huge one - is the availability of 14" tires. I mean they've gotta be easier to find than 13s! I do find it a little strange that the front tires are wider than the rears though.... I get that the rears are taller, but it seems to me that you'd want the rears to be at least the same width, if not a little wider, than the fronts. I think, if it were me, I'd see about matching all 4 tire sizes when I got to that point.

King Cobra Build in Oregon

Advanced Member

Attachments

will be trying this sex one when I can find it

Advanced Member

I wish I didn't have all of these balls in the air

Advanced Member

Advanced Member

Attachments

Mustang Master

Advanced Member

Advanced Member

Attachments

will be trying this sex one when I can find it

Advanced Member

Attachments

Advanced Member

Attachments

Mustang Master

Advanced Member

I wish I didn't have all of these balls in the air

Advanced Member

Mustang Master

Advanced Member

Advanced Member

Attachments

I wish I didn't have all of these balls in the air

Similar threads

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency