Mustang5l5's Progress Thread - Archived Progress thread '08-'20.

[Mustang5L5]

how do you not already own one of those?

To be honest i don;t know. I've had it on my bday wishlist or xmas wishlist and always take it off at the end. I've even stared at it in sears and almost pulled the trigger more than several times

We might even have one at work i can just borrow

 

[Shaolin Crane]

To be honest i don;t know. I've had it on my bday wishlist or xmas wishlist and always take it off at the end. I've even stared at it in sears and almost pulled the trigger more than several times

We might even have one at work i can just borrow

thats not good, seems like now you have an excuse not to get one

 

[Mustang5L5]

Well if we have one i dunno where it is cuz i've never seen it

 

[Mustang5L5]

Ah, just browsing photos putting together an album.


BEFORE

AFTER

 

[Mustang5L5]

Okay so I think I solved my brake hard line problem.

I ordered a line from Classic Tube ($25 or so) for a 93 cobra for the left front brakes, but couldn't wait. SO i took a trip to NAPA and came up with some fittings.


I found a Weatherhead 7936 which is a M12 Bubble to 3/8-24 Inverter flare adapter. I simply screw this into the SN95 prop valve plug at the rear, then custom bend up a 20" or 30" lenght of preflared 3/16 tubing and then use a Weatherhead 7818 to connect to the soft line.


So anyway to make a LONG story short, here is my "OEM" 3-2 conversion.

I gutted the stock Fox prop valve like usual. Other than that I didn't touch a thing, i just removed the factory MC and put the SN95 MC in place.

What i did for the 3rd port line is to remove the plug from the REAR of the Fox prop valve and replace it with the unique fitting from a 94+ SN95 WITHOUT ABS, a 93 Cobra or a Pre-87 Fox with a 2-port MC. This fitting allows a M12x1.0 bubble fitting.

then i used the 7936 weatherhead to change to a 3/8-24 inverter flare line which i'll custom bend. At the other end, i use a 7818 fitting to connect to the soft line.

And that's it.

Reason i did this is because classic tube quoted me 3 WEEKS for a custom order! Until then, i want to get the car not necessarily driving on the road, but moveable on it's own power. I want to bleed the brakes, so i can adjust the e-brake, and then finally put the driveshaft on and move the car. I just don't feel like waiting 3 weeks to do so. SO i'm doing this temporarily...but it could very well be permanent as well.

So anyway here's my 3-2 conversion

SN95 non-ABS rear port prop valve fitting
Weatherhead/Eaton 7936
Either 20" or 30" lenght of 3/16 tubing with 3/8-24 nuts
Weatherhead 7818

Total cost $10 (assuming you can find the SN95 fitting in a boneyard)

Yes, i put more work into this than most do...but i wanted something OEM appearing. I haven't installed it yet....so I reserve the right to come back and say "whoops....it didn't work!"


The 7936 fitting with the preflared line installed. This would screw into the SN95 fitting at the rear of the prop valve

 

[Mustang5L5]

Got my seat belt plastics in....the CORRECT ones this time. Now i can install them and put my seats back in and the interior is done.

I know a lot of guys sometimes have gripes about late models repro interior parts, but these buckles are pretty solid.

You can dyd your original belts black before putting them in the sleeve, but i left mine as is. You can't even see the fabric really except in that small square. If you notice, the belt with the wiring harness had a grey fabric belt inside. It's factory original as far as i know. Was interesting


Back to the car in the AM. I hope i can get a lot of stuff done this weekend.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Okay, did some more work today


Interior is back together. All that's left to do is install the old stereo that I had in the car. I'm saving installing the Cobra 5-spd shift knob i have for last.

 

[Mustang5L5]

I tackled the brakes today. All the hard lines were run, i bench bled the MC and bleed the brakes and everything was nice and tight!

So, I went under the car and adjusted the parking brake, and then I installed this bad boy.

 

[Mustang5L5]

So...in terms of undercar, what needs to be done?

Tie rod ends up front.


And this bolt. First off, don't buy the Ford Lower control arm bolt kit from Jegs. It claims it's a complete kit for $25, but all the bolts are the lenght of the upper control arm bolts. The lowers are too short.

So i reused the front one but had to cut the rear one off the axle when i removed it...so I had to order some.

In the meantime...this isn't safe to drive on.

I should have the bolts Monday, gotta pick up some tie rod ends during the week and then the underside of the car is DONE!!


Gonna try to pick up a battery tomorrow and fire the car up, but i have a BBQ to go to so might not get to do it.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Picked up some parking brake cable retainers at the boneyard off a V6. Works nice to hold the cables away from the tire.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Playing with some wheels. Here's an 03-04 Bullitt wheel. I kinda like bullitts on black foxes

 

[Mustang5L5]

FOund a new center console on ebay. Now i can finally get rid of the painted console I had. It was originall tan and dyed black. As you can see, it started to wear and didn't match any of the OEM black stuff.

It has a WORKING ASHTRAY TOO!!

Just gotta pop this in and no more painted crap!

 

[Mustang5L5]

Small teaser shot. I haven't installed the smoked headlights yet. So that's still on the list of stuff to do.

I loved the Cobra rims when i put them on, but I need a new look. I'm currently looking for a set of Bullitt wheels. That's what I want to run on this car.

(btw, the hood is open)

It's forcast to rain for the next week starting tonight. Looks like i'll have to wait until next weekend before I can start it up, and take it for a spin around the block. I kinda want to do it tomorrow, so i know if i need to troubleshoot. I'm just worried i forgot to plug something in on the t-5 swap like a NSS or the clutch pedal safety or it's a bad switch or something.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Changed out the center console today, now it matches. Amazing how the pics show every smuge of dirt in there. In person, it's tough to see it. Guess i'll have to print out the photo and get in there and clean

I changed the shift knob to the one from my 2003GT. If you notice, i need a new shift boot and shifter bezel. My junkyard bezel and boot show their origins.

I dunno if i'll run the SN95 wheel. Feels too bulky. I kinda like the small, original '88 wheel and might put it back. And yes...i still need to clean the smudge marks from the wheel

 

[Mustang5L5]

SHE LIVES!!!!!


Actually she didn't fire right up. I went to turn the key the first time and it wouldn't crank. On a hunch, i disconnected the clutch safey switch and jumped the plug out and it cranked over then. I reconnected it and nothing. Guess the switch is bad. What a PITA that will be to change, but for now i have it jumped out.

I fired it up today. Cranked right over and started idling nicely. I had a HUGE exhaust leak however. Guess I didn't seal the pass side collector well enough. It scared me because it sounded like the motor was knocking.

I fixed it, started it up and it ran nice and smoothly.

Got it on stands and even went up to 3rd gear. Car seems a little hesitant to go into 2nd gear when shifting up on the jackstands. I hope that's because it's fresh and home it breaks in and shifts smoother.


Now time to slap some plates on it and give it it's shakedown!

I have vids..i'll post once they are loaded on youtube

 

[Mustang5L5]

Okay, here are the vids.


Startup right here. You can hear the exhaust leak, but not bad for not having run in 6 years. The puffs of smoke are prob the oil i put inside each cylinder before cranking.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37m4qCKI7mw


In this vid i just do a quick walk-around looking for the source of the ticking...and finding it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-YAK880FWs


Another idle vid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k80Nc2ZNmrM



Final vid. I fixed the exhaust leak. Collector didn't seal all the way. About a 5 min fix once i jacked the car up. It had been idling for about 30 mins here...runs nice and smooth.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYj56GZm0Iw

 

[Mustang5L5]

hey dude i need you to do me a big favor and take as many pics of the underhood wiring as you can

Everything?? I'll see what I can snag tomorrow.





I drove it today. I adjusted the toe pretty good. Tracked straight. I took it up to 3rd gear or 45MPHish. It needs some things "tweaked"

#1.) Sounds like i have an axhaust leak somewhere. Didnt fix it today but at low RPM's it sounds raspy.

#2.) tailpipe was hitting frame, i fixed this.

#3.) the brakes SUCK! They are hard as a rock and barely stop the car. I used a 94-95 GT MC and used the stock booster for now since i read some guys have had good luck with it. Well i guess i don't. I drove about 3 miles on mostly side streets and when i got back, the rotors were still rusty like nothing was even grabbing. It took a lot of effort to stop and i made sure i had tons of room. Obviously I can't drive it like this, so i'll be picking up a '93 Cobra booster this weekend.

#4.) Grinds Reverse every time. I am used to my T-3650 with a synchroed reverse so i'm not used to stopping, going into a forward gear and then trying R.


Other than that, it rode pretty good. Tracked straight, took bumps well, felt solid. I got on it in 2nd gear and the pickup was pretty good. The hesitation from 1st to 2nd was gone. Drops right in nicely.

I just need to fix the brakes ASAP. I don't want to drive it until then because if someone ever pulls out in front of me i am screwed. It's like driving on manual brakes.



Oh the plus side, i drove it 5 miles and got 3 compliments on it

 

[Mustang5L5]

Okay well i got to work installing the booster. Getting the old one out took me maybe 30 mins. Wasn't too bad really.

Getting the new one is IS a PITA. I had to move the MC and prop valve out of the way, disconnect some vacuum lines and i had to take my Cobra upper intake off.

I also want to cut the studs down a bit and had a tough time slotting the lower left hole using a rat tail file. I'll have to get in there with a drill and slot it.

I didn't get it in though. I didn't have a drill or dremel with me so i'm going out to do that now and then maybe 1 night this week i'll go back and try to slip it in again. Seems like it might slip in there after all.

 

[Mustang5L5]

yeah a file isnt gonna work, you need something highspeed, but i dont see why you had to take the intake off, first time i did it i left everything in and it went in with some persuasion

I couldn't even get the SN95 booster in there at all to do a test fit. I was trying but it wouldn't go. Only took me 5 mins to take the upper off anyway. Not a bid deal and now i have plenty of room.

I'll have to get in there with a drill and slot the hole better with a nice sharp bit. I'll also have to dremel the studs down a little shorter as well.

TenorPlayinGuy, with my stock booster I just don't have any brakes. It's scary. They work, but i just need to really force the brake pedal down just for a 30-0MPH stop. I would be afraid to get on the highway with them like this.

It might have something to do with my M/C selection. I am using a 94/95 GT MC with the larger Mach 1 calipers (40mm pistons vs 38mm pistons) so that may play a small role as well.

So we'll do the SN95 booster and see how that is, and if it's still hard, i'll change out the MC for a smaller bore '93 Cobra MC which should make the pedal softer.

It's killing me because the weather this weekend was PERFECT!! And i could't be out driving on the account that I can't stop the car! I thought about taking the risk to drive it home and wash and detail it...but it's not worth it to wait another weekend or two

 

[Mustang5L5]

Well, booster is in. Wasn't as bad as i thought. I just drilled a new hole on the bottom left and slotted the other ones slightly. Then i massaged the strut tower slightly. It's not as much as you would think. I think i moved it in 2-3mm at most. Use of a rubber hammer helped get it in place. Hardest part was the damn nuts!!!!

SO i put 15 miles on the car driving it. Notice front pass caliper was leaking fluid at the banjo bolt. I tightened it up, but tomorrow i might pick up two new copper washer and just replace them and rebleed that brake.

Also, for some reason it's like the rear brakes aren't doing any work. The car stops nicely, and the rear rotors get hot, but they are still a little rusty and not smooth like the fronts yet. Maybe i need to adjust the prop valve slightly

I also have some exhaust leaks. I think the pass side collector leaks under load. Driving me crazy! I also need new FORD exhaust hangers for the cat-back. The aftermarket ones I have are too flexible and allow too much movement in the exhaust so when i slip the clutch and bog, the tailpipes hit the frame. I've adjusted them but it still hits. I need stiffer rubber hangers.


But anyway that's to be expected. Car needs an alignment as well...but I knew that.

Definitely a lot stiffer and more rattles than my '03 GT

Anyway, first pic out in the wild world.


I have the rear adjusted high because I haven't rolled my fenders yet. When i do, i'll drop it down to a nicer ride height in the rear