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

[Mustang5L5]

So I picked up some hardware. Need two more of the long bolts. My particular store doesn't have them so I'll prob have to order online.

Just realized I never did a final interior rinse if the intake to flush any loose particles out. So need to take apart and do that now

Need to pick up some IAC bolts, wash the intake and then grab the long bolts for the upper.

Lower intake won't get installed right now. No point with E7s

 

[Mustang5L5]

Oh, here's the Eastwood paint. When dry, it almost gas a bronze tint to it. It also looks metallic. It basically looks like sandblasted aluminum

 

[Mustang5L5]

I'll probably refinish this too when I take it off

I have a new intake plate for it.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Got the redlinegoods.com armrest cover today. Fits well except i stripped one of the mounting screws. I'll need to repair that. But here are pics. I'll probably work at tightening up the sides a bit when I repair the stripped out screw hole.

I'm thinking of getting the leather dash pad cover next . I' really liking their stuff. I might even door the door armrest tops.

 

[Mustang5L5]

I actually did go back and tighten it up a bit more.

I am keeping an eye out for new seats. I want recaros, but no idea of the covering material yet.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Wrapped up some loose ends today.

Gone is the reproduction door lock actuator, and in its place a new NOS actuator! Now both door locks thump with authority when I lock/unlock the doors

Decided not to install the explorer upper right now. Discovered I'd need to redo my vac lines as I made them a bit short. I thought this would be a 10 min swap but looks like I'll just wait.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Also, holy hell fishing these were tough. Got really lucky feeding these through and finding a clear path. But, mass air conversion wires have been run. That's the hard part

Next chance I get, need to run the two VSS wires and the fuel pump monitor. Then repin the o2 harness and finally do the actual swap at the ECU

 

[Mustang5L5]

Ok, Gentex mirror with Homelink, temp and compass installed.

Got my mirror button off and installed the correct button. Mirror mounted.

Now I need to wire it. I ordered some 22ga wire in various colors so waiting on that

 

[Mustang5L5]

I am keeping my eye on this install... My mirror is de-laminating as well, and are in need of a new one. If I can get rid of the garage door opener on the sunvisor that would a huge benefit.

Mostly why I did it. Delaminating and wanting to ditch the opener. You can see it on the passenger visor in the first pic. If I nail the throttle hard enough it will fly off into the backseat somewhere. Getting annoying.

Wiring should be easy. It's 5 wires.

-Ignition on hot
-Constant power hot
-ground
-temp wire
-temp wire.

I'll ground it on the dome light ground wire, and then run the two power wires down to the fuse box area and find appropriate wires. Really hardest part is running the two wires to the front grill area to mount the temp sensor. As soon as I get my wire in and make a harness i'll get this done

 

[Mustang5L5]

Slow day. Pulled my armrest out to measure for power ports on the rear. Going to get some black plastic and make A custom mount face

Also, tightened up the leather armrest cover. I pulled it tight and used staples to secure it

 

[Mustang5L5]

Got some wire and made a wiring harness. Now to see if I can get it routed today.

 

[Mustang5L5]

I got it to this point and then head out to snowblow. Need to locate an ignition on and constant power wire...then run two wires to the front for the temp sensor

 

[Mustang5L5]

So wrapped this up today and wired it in. Works nicely, and programmed my garage door opener to it.

I didn't run the temp wires to the grill area yet. For now coiled up under the drivers seat. That's a springtime job.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Little trip down memory lane. As some of you know, this car was the car I bought at age 17 and drove in HS. So there's a bit of nostalgia value when I go sit/drive/look/etc at it.

Digging through parents attic...

Holy . The radio I installed in high school in this car. This brings back a lot of memories. I removed it around 2007 or so when I put the 1993 CD player in.

Since it 2018, who still owns cds? I don't moving all my albums to digital and selling off the cds years ago. So I have a pretty lame cd in the 93 CD player just to use it. Maybe this is why I ndber drive with radio on.

Which brings me to my next trip down memory lane. I thought I might have a cd in it, so i powered it up and out came this!

Tools aenima album which came out in 1996. I drove around pretty much all through HS listnihg to it!

It was pretty beat up, but I had to run out to the garage



Even sounds good on the 25 year old stereo. Ah..can't wait for the snow to melt now!

 

[90sickfox]

Black Recaro seats out of 85 mustang 350....

https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/pts/d/1985-mustang-recaro-bucket/6518784456.html

 

[Mustang5L5]

I had remembered you posting this after doing some searching online about covers and the offset of the explorer engine dress vs the fox.. did you come up with a conclusion as to whether this cover will work or not [line up with the tone ring]

So I opened up my model to see if the timing cover with the boss for the vr sensor would work if the tone ring was attached to the backside of the stock balancer, and it does appear that it would line up. The stock timing pointed straddles that boss, so the ring does appear to line up with the center. Of course no idea if this is 100% accurate as I'd need to check a few things first dimensionally.

I think I am going to try to machine that unmachined portion of the balancer and then cut a 36 tooth wheel and press it on here. I'll cut 1 tooth off when I determine where i'll put the sensor.

 

[a91what]

I saw that too. I think LRS sold this for a while as a timing cover for a Mustang as searching through old posts, you'll find reference to the LRS timing cover having the provision for the explorer sensor. However, the new ones don't have this. I saw a pic of one and I'm pretty sure it's the econoline cover that uses a standard pump.

I don't think it matters if your water pump has the circular holes on the rear

Yeah im not going to worry much about that part, i am mostly concerned with ridding myself of the vibration of the sensor. my current setup works but i dont like how far out the sensor and tone ring sit from the engine. The single largest hurdle is the tone ring, why ford didnt add it to the SN balancer is beyond me.. it would have made this whole affair plug-and-play

 

[Mustang5L5]

Decided I needed to spend some money on the paint. Car was repainted in 2000, but I've neglected it.

The paint isn't too damaged, just has swirls and haze from almost 10 years under a car cover. I need to fix that finally.

Got a DA buffer in the mail. Prob pick up a few more different compound cuts and polish to try out.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Decided to upgrade my speakers. My door/rear speakers are from circa 1998 and probably bottom of the barrel. I figure I could splurge a bit on better ones. Not expecting a dramatic difference with the oem radio and amp.

Dash speakers are still oem Ford speakers. Will change those out soon

 

[Mustang5L5]

So here's what I got to work with with paint. It's not terrible, but it lacks the depth of nice shiny black paint, especially in sun.

From 4-5 feet away, plenty of shine under gararge lighting.

But up close, you can see the haze spots and fine scratches from years of being under a cover.

Furthermore, lack of depth in the color. Worse in direct sun.

My paint will be nice again with a little work