my 94 GT restoration thread, I'm bored!

99FiveOh

15 Year Member
May 20, 2006
2,051
20
99
J-Ville, FL
I just bought this car and figured I'd document my progress as it's in pretty rough shape. Most of the panels have some sort of damage on them, so I'll replace what I can and fix what I can't replace. I was going to do a 99 up body swap, but it's funner to spank all these newer cars with a 94, most don't really expect any kind of power potential from these cars! shame...

Anyway, I found it on craigs list and I paid 1600 bucks for it. Drove it home on it's hopeless wheels and tires, which I just replaced today with a set of 99 17" wheels and tires. What a difference! For the record, don't get any aftermarket design wheel unless it fits your hubs!!! The offset was horrid looking on the aftermarket "Eagle" rims and they were just plain ugly.

The car is about 3 different colors, it runs really well and shifts perfectly. But I can't STAND AODE cars so I'm about to convert it to 5 speed. The trans was rebuilt supposedly recently and the previous owner claimed that he had a few mods done. It does feel like it shifts alot more crisp than my previous slush box 'stangs.

Interior will be changed to black over time because I don't like tan, as most don't. I'll be dying pretty much everything and swapping in real black parts as money and availability allows.

For the most part, it seems to be a good investment, no rust or damage underneath at all. Everything is completely stock except for two Flowmasters welded into the stock system. The cats were also gutted out by the previous owner, sounds ok, but an O/R H and headers are in the works.

So, without further adieu, here's some pictures. Please don't laugh too hard, I think it has potential!

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bone stock engine, even has orginal, labeled "1994" plug wires. I did pull the silencer, but I'll be fabbing my own CAI using parts I had left from my 95.
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and with the new wheels:

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That's it for now, I've only had it 2 and a half weeks! I still have some charging bugs to work out, but other than that it's coming along nice.
 
Looks like you are making progress. I don't think a body swap is possible with these cars.

Next step. PAINT!:D

The "body swap" has been done. The only thing you have to do that really requires from from what I read at the time is cut then weld the newer rear quarter panels. I think most everything else takes minor modifications from that point on.

Good luck with the project, looks like a good start!
 
If you have a garage you can paint it yourself decently... :-)

Reminds me of my car when i bought it.. only my car had a $100 maaco job on it when i got it (bondo started cracking 10 months later) and it ran like absolute BUTT... the plugs were gapped to 0.135" (factory plugs)... but hey sounds like a good deal and keep the pics coming...
 
I will pull the engine and paint the engine bay and do the jambs myself, but I'm gonna have the body painted professionally. The guy that painted my last car only charged me 100 bucks, he said 200 this time.. but it's still a good deal. He has the correct facility and equipment.

The interior color change will probably be the next picture upload, but that'll have to wait till next weekend.
 
Still haven't gotten to the interior, but I went and picked this up on Friday:

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It's an early 97 non "P" Exploder motor.

I'm gonna freshen it up some by changing the bearings and gaskets, maybe throwing some new rings in there and some minor port work on the heads. Hopefully I'll have a noticeable improvement in power with this motor. I'm also going to go with a Steeda #19 cam. I wonder if I'll need new springs to use that cam?

Does anyone know if a comp. valve job is really worth it for heads like these?
 
Update:

I've completed a 5 speed conversion. I also added a set of BBK shorties and offroad H pipe to the mix.

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in a couple weeks I'll be taking my Explorer engine and heads in to the machine shop to get them freshened up.