Fox New to me 82 GT

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Years ago (here we go again!) I remember JCWhitney catalogue, that was the Sears & Robuck of parts catalogues, had a vintage looking cover for battery tops so you could hide the battery make.
Apparently they are still around :doh:
Or maybe the Honest Charlie catalog…
 
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Had a chance to finally fiddle around with the car for about an hour or so. Managed to replace the ignition cylinder without major issue and it works just fine at least mechanically. Hopefully it'll engage when the time comes.

Aside from a spot of rust under where the battery tray was its pretty solid. I also scoured around the car for more rust on the underside. Pretty decent from what I could see. The dog legs in the fenders are of course less than stellar but salvageable I would guess. Not restoring the thing just getting it to driver status. I might repaint it but it's not a priority for me.
I did have some questions about the carb. Looks like it's a 4160 style holley that the PO swapped on. He claimed it's from an 83 or 84 and it "made a huge difference". I don't think he would have noticed any HP gains from it though with the smog pump still hooked up and if you did swap it from a later car for performance why keep the pump at all?
At any rate are the intake and carb worth keeping on or would I be better suited to swap it with a more performance oriented and easier to rebuild/maintain?
Another question I ran into the front end parts in the rear of the car. I had assumed the bumper had been removed to have the car painted but apparently the front end was removed to fit in his trailer when he brought the car down from Alaska. You do what you have to I guess. Anyway I have no idea how these bumper shocks attach and it appears as some of the hardware is missing from where the fenders attach to the bumper. I looked on the core support but nothing really jumped out at me as for apparent places for them to go. Pics I took are of the mystery parts that I have no clue what their names are.
There are a few dings in the front and rear fenders on the driver's side and one weird crease on roof on the passenger side. But other than that it's pretty straight and I'm looking forward to getting her fired up this spring.
Thought I would post some pictures of the car.
 

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Had a chance to finally fiddle around with the car for about an hour or so. Managed to replace the ignition cylinder without major issue and it works just fine at least mechanically. Hopefully it'll engage when the time comes.

Aside from a spot of rust under where the battery tray was its pretty solid. I also scoured around the car for more rust on the underside. Pretty decent from what I could see. The dog legs in the fenders are of course less than stellar but salvageable I would guess. Not restoring the thing just getting it to driver status. I might repaint it but it's not a priority for me.
I did have some questions about the carb. Looks like it's a 4160 style holley that the PO swapped on. He claimed it's from an 83 or 84 and it "made a huge difference". I don't think he would have noticed any HP gains from it though with the smog pump still hooked up and if you did swap it from a later car for performance why keep the pump at all?
At any rate are the intake and carb worth keeping on or would I be better suited to swap it with a more performance oriented and easier to rebuild/maintain?
Another question I ran into the front end parts in the rear of the car. I had assumed the bumper had been removed to have the car painted but apparently the front end was removed to fit in his trailer when he brought the car down from Alaska. You do what you have to I guess. Anyway I have no idea how these bumper shocks attach and it appears as some of the hardware is missing from where the fenders attach to the bumper. I looked on the core support but nothing really jumped out at me as for apparent places for them to go. Pics I took are of the mystery parts that I have no clue what their names are.
There are a few dings in the front and rear fenders on the driver's side and one weird crease on roof on the passenger side. But other than that it's pretty straight and I'm looking forward to getting her fired up this spring.
Thought I would post some pictures of the car.
Might be a good investment to find copies of the original Ford service manuals. This EVTM is currently lkisted on eBay:


And here's the service manual set:


Bill
 
Might be a good investment to find copies of the original Ford service manuals. This EVTM is currently lkisted on eBay:


And here's the service manual set:


Bill

That's not a bad price for the EVTM, but...

WOW!!! That price for the printed service manual set is ridiculously low. They are usually that for a single volume. And sets often go for $200-$300.

If someone wanted the '82 service manuals, they shouldn't let this bargain pass by.
 
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The Steering Columns are definitely different from 79-83 year to year. Ive got an 83 and only an 83 with fit in order for the trim around it to fit, from the research i did. Ended up putting an 84-86 non tilt in it for now to make it work. The trim pieces don't fit now though due to being a tilt wheel originally There are many differences year to year between 79-83. 84-86 are the same. Unfortunately, 79-83 are the redheaded step childs. Not alot of parts for them. Search the junk yards and ebay. Good luck
 
Thanks for the reply. I was able to get a new ignition cylinder to work in the damaged housing with a little persuasion from some channel locks and gentle taps from a hammer. I had to move the small gear around inside to get it to operate correctly. Key operates just fine but I had forgotten that this era of vehicles had the key lockout function so it took some fiddling to figure out how to get the key out.

In another update I lubed the cylinders with ATF before I tried to turn the engine over and much to my surprise it turned over without much issue. I did turn it over by hand several times before I tried the key. I was surprised to find the fuel pump still works after sitting for 36 years but was disappointed to discover that fuel had been left in the tank for the same amount of time. So I will be dropping the fuel tank next and cleaning out the lines along with an intake swap, smog equipment removal, cross over tube removal, and thermo plug install. It will take a little while for the car to get back on the road enough to move down to my shop. I am currently working in a 10x12 tent with limited tools and now the late snow we are getting here in the PNW.
 
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Typically, the lock cylinder can be replaced if it was drilled. That is the Ford replacement procedure for a failed lock or lost key, drill through the key slot until you drill out the small shaft on the inward end of it that turns the rack to the switch. Service manual calls for a 1/2 in drill. Dont ask why I know this.

For the rust, I would remove the fenders and the cowl vent and check for more rust. My 82 has lived outside since 95 or so and rusted badly. The bottom of the cowl plenum rusted through, and the structural members under the fenders and around the lower windshield rusted badly and leaked. I just finished patching them with four sheets of 2 ft by 4 ft 18 ga metal. Including under the battery tray.

The columns may bolt up, but I would try to stay with a similar year column, because the multifunction switch, connectors, and horn control are probably different.
 
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A little update for you guys.

Probably the cleanest engine I've seen with as long as it has been sitting(1989). Odometer says 57k I am prone to think that is accurate.

Managed to swap on a summit intake and edelbrock carb, carb will need a spacer to clear the valve cover for the throttle linkage to operate correctly.

Discovered the EGR pipe runs down to muffler. Definitely going to end up going dual exhaust sooner than i thought. Probably just cut that tube off at the muffler and let it be loud.

Swapped in a new tensioner since the original one was shot. It's the newer style but it's all that's available new. I assume it goes on the same way the old one did? I don't have a picture of it but will get one tomorrow.

My plan is to bypass the heater hoses for now. Wild to see a steel line in the rubber of the hose on the heater hoses along with a spring.

As for vacuum I assume I just need brakes and the distributor and nothing else operates on vacuum aside from maybe the wiper fluid. I don't think there is cruise control on my car and no AC for sure.
 

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Hello all another update here. Lots of life changes for me and finally getting straightened out enough to get some work on the car done, that is my uncle called who is storing it for me said, when are you gonna get this car going?

So with some messing around I got it going. Everything I have read stated that this car should have the HO firing order, it did not, that a normal thing on these early HO cars? I know that this was the transition year and maybe there was an early run?

Bought a set of turbine wheels for it to replace the 14 inch steelies with studded tires it had to roll around on.

Spent a little time messing with the bumper and trying to piece that back together. How does this piece attach? It almost looks like a license plate holder and bottom brace for the air dam? I am missing all the hardware for the bumper assembly. These rubber pieces important too? How do they attach?

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I attempted to remove these guys from the fender but they were pretty well rusted in there and I was curious where I could find some replacement hardware for them.

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When I did get the car running I had a small fire and burned up some wires down by the trans. I assume these were for reverse lights? I am planning on swapping to a T5 so I am not too worried about them. Also what the heck is the giant square exhaust chamber about? Smog? Either way its gonna go.

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Finally after the fire and the direct sunlight I decided to wash the thing for the first time in nearly 40 years. A little comet and some elbow grease and it came around. Lots of pitch damage and staining that wouldn't come out but I did find all the dents so that is a plus.

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Thanks for tagging along here!
 
Another update with more pictures.

Took the weekend to go to the beach with the fam so progress was a little slow. Managed to get all the turds vacuumed out of the interior along with an eviction of the former residents. The real success story of the day was getting the passenger door opened after 36 years of being shut along with the lock cylinder replaced. Getting the interior out was a chore but the carpet cleaned up well enough. Imagine my surprise finding an Alpine amp to match the alpine stereo! Installers used duct tape for wire connections. I'm shocked it hadn't caught fire. I'm going to pull the stereo out anyway and hope to find a factory ford radio and figure out how to adapt it to bluetooth. I will take the back seat out tomorrow and get the mold off of it and with any luck find the build sheet. Time permitting I will tackle the brake system. Master has fluid but pedal is hard as a rock, I am hoping I can swap out soft lines and bleed with some success. Wish me luck and thanks for tagging along!
 

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A few more progress pictures. Recent progress was getting both lock cylinders replaced and cleaning most of the mold out of the interior. I still have a couple of rounds to go with the seats when I have the time. Carpet came around okay but it'll need to be replaced eventually. The great success was finding what was left of the build sheet under the rear seat! First car I've owned that I was able to find one. Anyway they reproduce these? I have seen listings for reproductions on CJ Ponys website but its just a picture of the blank paper and no real explanation. It's not a must have item of course just neat to have.

Lots more work to do as I have yet to tackle the brakes and I sprang a leak on the thermostat housing so on to fix those.

Thanks for tagging along!
 

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