New member with project(pics) *need advice*

[Elib460]

Hello everyone!
I've been watching the forums and stangnet in general for a while now, and have had several mustangs, but no real projects (until recently). I've been waiting and watching for a good deal on a decent CHEAP fox body and finally came across one last week and jumped on the opportunity to buy it! It's a '90 GT hatchback with no motor or tranny. It's all stock with the exception of 4.10 gears. So now I've got a great project car, but I don't really know where to start.

Here's what I plan on doing with it:
**mostly a strip car that will see some street driving**
460 big block swap with a tough tranny (c4, c6, glide, etc) and big stall
I'm leaning towards 5xx stroker bottom end with cobra jet (or any nice aluminum) heads, with victor intake and a dominator carb
tubular k-member, control arms, coil over etc.
5 lug conversion with 4 wheel disc brakes
LX bumpers, cowl hood (obviously) and a slick paint job
big fuel system
and a ton of surely other needed parts

Here's where I need some help! Where should I start? Should I start getting the parts for the motor and get it assembled? Or, start on the chassis and brake stuff first? Or maybe get the body squared away???
Also, does anyone know about what size cowl hood I'd need with the BB/victor intake/dominator setup? more than 3"??
Any advice or help in general on putting together a *streetable* big block fox would be very helpful! ! ! ! !

Thanks alot guys!!!

Here are some pics:

 

[ryan218]

id get a motor and tranny in it first. then do the body work last

 

[Fox_84]

personally if I were doing the same project as yourself, I would start with chassis/suspension work, then go motor and tranny, and lastly paint. I am not positive but I would say you would be safer with 4" hood though. You MUST start with torque box reinforcements, welding all the torque box seams that are factory spot welded, then get some heavy duty control arms/ uppers and lowers, then subframe connectors. Get you a good set of drag springs, possibly Eibach or Moroso Trick Drag Springs. Think of it like building a house, you want to start with a good foundation. These cars are weak in the rear end and desperatly need subframe connectors with the kind of HPs you are talking. Just start by making the car able to hold what you are going to give it, then when you do lay down the horses, the car can handle it. This is just my opinion though.

 

[z2o_what]

1body
2chassis
3motor

if i get the motor in (and running) first, then the rest of the car will never be finished.

 

[dragnazz5.0]

1body
2chassis
3motor

if i get the motor in (and running) first, then the rest of the car will never be finished.

yep...get the car looking like you want than figure out what kind of budget you have left over for the rest of your setup. but if you plan on a 460 check out explodingopher hes got a 460 and he has to run a massive hood...its like a 6 inch cowl. but if youre gonna run a 460 you can throw the glide out the window. those trannys are tough but all it will do is slow your car down. those trannys are for drag cars that weigh less than 1600 pounds and have tons (ie. 1000+ hp)

 

[Roland69]

welcome to stangnet and a nice car to start with for sure....Look up Explodingopher....(or however you spell it) he has a 460 in his. He would be able to help answer some questions you may have

 

[Elib460]

Thanks for all the help guys!!
Like I said--> any input is greatly appreciated!!!

 

[MAC'n89Blckstng]

Paint first! Always do the paint first. Your going to put all these nice new parts on and then cover them all in dust and over spray? Doing the paint first IMO is the best way to do it.

 

[wazazzle]

i'd do it chassis, 460 motor junkyard budget , tranny and then body.

 

[87Mustang351]

My first step would be interior/ engine bay, then suspention etc, and then of course motor and tranny, and lastly a prfessional paint job to go with the bad ass car

 

[89white50]

i would do the body/chassis stiffening/suspension all at once and do it first.

first thing would be to get some nice subrame connectors, a tubular K-member, some axles, upper & lower control arms for the rear and some spring/struts/shocks all around.
Edit* dont forget to get tq. box reinforcements welded in at the same time as the sfc's.

next i would focus on the body and interior, some wheels & tires

THEN finally get the drivetrain squared away.
then

 

[90]

welcome to stangnet! nice project car.. i agree with the better half of the vote... body/paint... motor last, you have a long winter to get all you want done... Where are you from ?
p.s-- keep us all posted on the progress, with pics too please!

 

[RsStanG1987]

id get a motor and tranny in it first. then do the body work last

Thats why you dont have a 5.0. *build a good foundation before you build a house*

 

[90]

Thats why you dont have a 5.0. *build a good foundation before you build a house*

+1

 

[Elib460]

welcome to stangnet! nice project car.. i agree with the better half of the vote... body/paint... motor last, you have a long winter to get all you want done... Where are you from ?
p.s-- keep us all posted on the progress, with pics too please!

Dont worry, I'll be sure to keep everyone up to date with pictures and such.
It appears that the best place(s) to start would be chassis/rear end/brakes, and then go from there.
Thanks again for all the help and advice! And if anyone else wants to chime in with experience or opinioins-- please do!!
almost forgot-> I live in south alabama

 

[Flavadave4]

Sweet, I love a new project especially when it involves a fox and a big block.......kepp the pics coming

 

[88gt]

A bath??


I'm of the opinion that you do the paint/body last. Get it mechanically sound first, if you paint it, then do mechanicals and scratch it....guess what? You get to fix paint.

But that's me...

Jim

 

[Elib460]

A bath??


I'm of the opinion that you do the paint/body last. Get it mechanically sound first, if you paint it, then do mechanicals and scratch it....guess what? You get to fix paint.

But that's me...

Jim

Good point!
-My only concern would be painting the engine bay with the motor in it.

 

[Anthony85stang]

What you should think about doing is building your motor around a good chaissis and drivetrain combo. Id get your chassis and drivetrain all setbefore you think about what your doing with the engine. Your gonna need a rear end and tranny that will hold up against some power. Id probaly paint it before you get the motor in if your gonna be changing the color so you can paint the inside of the engine bay. But if you go this way belive me its hard working on a car with a new paint job. Everyones gonna have a differnent opinion on the way you should go with this but from my personal experinece this is how you wanna go. You also may wanna think you said you have 4:10 gears already but will that 8.8 hold up behind a powerful big block? You may have to go with a 9 inch. Good luck with it.

 

[Elib460]

You also may wanna think you said you have 4:10 gears already but will that 8.8 hold up behind a powerful big block? You may have to go with a 9 inch. Good luck with it.

From my small amount of experience, an 8.8 with c-clip eliminators, quality axles, gears, and a locker or spool type differential, the 8.8 will hold up just as well as the 9". The only real argument i've heard with 9 vs 8.8 would be the ease of gear swapping in the 9", which isn't really important to me.
Like I said: "small amount of experience" so if i'm wrong - please let me know!
Either way, thanks for the tip!!!