Progress Thread Komo's 1990 GT - Parts Gathering Purgatory & Home Remodel

[gkomo]

I’ll take a photo looking down the side of the car, I just realized the pictures above do make it look like they stick out, but they are really more in line with the fenders. I think the ‘look’ is perfect, just need a little more clearance. I don’t know the offset on the new edge GT wheels, surprisingly there isn’t much info on them that I can find.

I like them for the looks, but also heard they are one of the lightest OEM mustang wheels, could be myth tho.

 

[Rdub6]

I run 245/45/17 front and 275/40/17 rear with no modifications at all, other than some rack limiter spacers in the front.
I bet it’s the offset of those wheels causing you trouble.

 

[Mac131]

I run 245/40R17’s up front on a 17x8 wheel with a +35 offset. In the rear I run 275/40R17’s on a 17x9 wheels with a +45 offset. Zero rubbing and the car is pretty low and has a SN95 width rear end. This was with the stock front suspension and now with a MM K-member and zero offset control arms.

The picture you show makes the front wheel look like it’s not centered in the wheel well? Then again it could just be that it’s a taller tire.

Do you have some pics? I'm curious about the look. I'm planning on getting 17" ponies...8s in the front and 10s in the rear.

 

[Mac131]

Here's what I currently have. 11s in the rear and 10s in the front. 18" rims. As you can see in the pics, the rears clear but the fronts do not. Not sure why the previous owner tried fitting 10s in the front. It runs the risk of jacking up the fenders right now. New rims and tires are happening this winter.

Rear tire size

Front tire size

 

[nickyb]

I run the same wheels with 245/45 17 on all four corners, but I have 95 spindles in front and custom fox length axles in the rear, no rubbing at all.

 

[AeroCoupe]

Front:

Rear:

 

[Mac131]

Front:

Rear:

What's your rim and tire size? Those fit great.

Disregard...I forgot you posted it above.

 

[AeroCoupe]

Realize I have a full MM suspension car with 96+ spindles.

 

[gkomo]

Started the MGW short shifter install while my kid was napping:

Old one out:



New one in:



That’s as far as I got before she woke up. Just need to put the stop screws in, finalize handle position then put it all back together.

I used the MGW rubber gasket. Tightened the bolts down just enough to where I saw the gasket squeezing out slightly… is that still too tight?

 

[Rdub6]

Started the MGW short shifter install while my kid was napping:

Old one out:



New one in:



That’s as far as I got before she woke up. Just need to put the stop screws in, finalize handle position then put it all back together.

I used the MGW rubber gasket. Tightened the bolts down just enough to where I saw the gasket squeezing out slightly… is that still too tight?

Looking good!

I would think there would be a torque spec for those bolts listed in the instructions.

 

[Mac131]

Started the MGW short shifter install while my kid was napping:

Old one out:



New one in:



That’s as far as I got before she woke up. Just need to put the stop screws in, finalize handle position then put it all back together.

I used the MGW rubber gasket. Tightened the bolts down just enough to where I saw the gasket squeezing out slightly… is that still too tight?

I think most people just throw some RTV on it instead of a gasket.

 

[gkomo]

Looking good!

I would think there would be a torque spec for those bolts listed in the instructions.

No instructions were provided I guess I could look it up lol

 

[gkomo]

Got the set screws done, shifter is back on, car is driveable at least. I was hoping to not have to take the entire center console out but for the life of me I cant get the two back bolts that hold the main cabin to outside boot and metal bracket on. My fingers just won’t fit… which is weird cause I’ve done a MGW short shifter on a fox before without removing it.

Kind of works out I have to remove the cup holder piece to adjust the ebrake assembly, and it could be a good time to clean everything up.

 

[gkomo]

I think on Monday i'm going to do the mid-pipe swap. I've done many in my day (swapping an off road one back to stock for SMOG, and back). I can't remember, is it better to jack the front up higher, or rear, or both? I only have 2 jackstands, and ramps. I was thinking of driving the car onto the ramps (front tires), and then jacking the rear up and supporting from the axle. Good plan?

Only thing that makes me nervous is this Magnaflow piece comes in three pieces. Each forward downpipe (connecting to headers) doesn't have a hangar so i'm envisioning myself having to hold up each downpipe side (separately, one for each side) with one hand while trying to screw the bolt onto the header with the other. I've always done it with the entire midpipe together, brute force it up onto the hangars but not connected to anything at least to give my arms a break while i adjust it to fit.

 

[nickyb]

My BBK mid x pipe with cats is the same (three pieces) and I just started each pipe to header with both nuts on then put the rest into the hanger on trans.
Used the clamps and made all connections loosely till I adjusted to my liking. Then tighten up and recheck clearences. Its not that hard if my fattass can do it.

 

[AeroCoupe]

This is just me but I would back the car onto the ramps. This is because you can leave the trans in gear or park and set the ebrake. If you do the fronts they may want to roll when you jack the rear up.

 

[gkomo]

This is just me but I would back the car onto the ramps. This is because you can leave the trans in gear or park and set the ebrake. If you do the fronts they may want to roll when you jack the rear up.

I hear that. My thought was if i put the rear on the ramps my front may be too low to get a jack in there anywhere. I guess i could jack up each side individually. I don't have subframes (yet) and was hoping not to twist the body too much doing each side individually.

 

[AeroCoupe]

Not sure how you would jack the rear if you pulled the fronts on the ramps. Cannot do that with mine but it’s lower than stock.

If you have some 2x6, 2x8, etc you could slowly work your way up side to side.

If not then safest thing would be to go buy another set of jack stands.

 

[gkomo]

Not sure how you would jack the rear if you pulled the fronts on the ramps. Cannot do that with mine but it’s lower than stock.

If you have some 2x6, 2x8, etc you could slowly work your way up side to side.

If not then safest thing would be to go buy another set of jack stands.

Ya sounds like another set of jackstands will be the ticket.

 

[nicholase]

I see you have JBA headers. If yours are the same as mine they can be a pain because they use a bolt dropped down through the header flange. When you tighten or loosen the nut on the bottom the whole bolt spins. So you have to get a wrench on the top while you turn the bottom.

I welded a tab to the head of the bolt so it catches against the header body and doesn't allow the bolt to spin. Really makes the whole process easier.

If yours are the same you could do that after you get them out. Next time the h-pipe has to come out you'll thank yourself.

.... this Magnaflow piece comes in three pieces. Each forward downpipe (connecting to headers) doesn't have a hangar so i'm envisioning myself having to hold up each downpipe side (separately, one for each side) with one hand while trying to screw the bolt onto the header with the other.....

You can set the downpipe on a jack to hold the weight. Or ratchet strap it in place to something on the chassis.