Start over or work on my fox?

[90mustangGT]

I know I don't post here much anymore but I used to, back when my car ran. Here is what she looked like:

I have the skeleton of my Five-oh sitting in my garage. My dumbass years ago tore it down to the point I really don't know where to start putting it back togeather. All the stupid little screws and stuff I can not find or finding which one's are the right one's is so difficult. It's just so overwhelming but I have learned not to take on too many projects at one time. I want to just buy another fox and put my aftermarket stuff on the new one and scrap the old chassis but I don't know, so much of my soul went into the old one I can't just do that. Plus, no money. Here is what it looks like not basically, this makes it actualy look decent compared to how torn down it is:

For instance, the window regulators were going bad so I tore those out. I tore the dash out and took out the HVAC, put the dash back but wires everywhere, what's nessasary and what's not? Bought a manual brake conversion so I tore out all that along with the brake lines. Of course the engine is gone because it went bad and started burning oil, had ring seal problems. Sold the heads, harmonic balancer and a bunch of other stuff. Rack is gone for a manual..... anyways, you get the picture....

Here is what I do have: Full suspension, UCA, LCA, Springs, Coil over front, strut tower plates, aftermarket K-member with a-arms, TKO trans with spec clutch, rear has 373's, lots of engine mod parts, everythign but heads and headers. Manual steering, manual brakes, with lots of things I have probally forgotten.

There is so much I would have to do just to get it ready for an engine. What I am thinking is now that people are selling cars rather cheap that I might be best off just buying another foxbody and putting my good mods on the new car. The funnest thing about the car hobby is getting a new part and bolting it on and feeling the difference. Starting all over again but with a pile of aftermarket parts like I have would just be the schiznit. However, busting my butt trying to get the old one back togeather would be a major PITA, then who know's how many bugs I would have to work out even after I got it running.

I'm either going to need a doner car, or another one.

Well, writing this I think I know what to do, even if it cost more I think it will be worth it to just start over. I saw a 89 notch for sale for about $3200, not really nice, but if it's a solid car I can bring it up. Now... need to find 3200 bucks.

What do you all think?

What

 

[mob]

I think you should keep your car man. I remember when you were on here. Finding nuts and bolts isnt difficult you will just be making a lot of trips up to home depot, ace hardware, and local parts store, and for engine bolts just order ARP bolts for everything. You are going to lose TONS of money starting over imo, and you have a CLEAN roller right there.

 

[1991notchbackLX]

So... you're going to get rid of your roller that needs to be finished with aftermarket parts in order to buy a roller that needs to be finshed with aftermarket parts? You're starting with a very clean rolling chassis right now, and these cars are extremely easy to work on. You could have that car back in running order in a few weeks if you pick up a drivetrain. Plus, you and that car have HISTORY, which, to me, means a lot when it comes to cars. I get nostalgic for cars I sold off all the time. Do the smart thing and start hunting for parts to finish what you started years ago. Good luck!

 

[pedro]

Dude, just be patient and start working on that Fox little by little. I also tore down my car some time ago, but I recently started getting her back together. I do forget where small things go, but be patient and you'll figure it out. Plus you got the stangnetters to help you out!

 

[90mustangGT]

Thanks everyone. You all are probally right. I am first going to clean out my garage and get everythign organized. I have a lot of screws and stuff, it's just finding them. Nothing like working in a cluttered area and not able to find anything, that will give up anyone's hopes right there. One delima I have is that I tore things apart and now I'm looking at things like "now where did that go". Well, I think I'm just going to start hacking at it a little at a time, and maybe one day I'll rejoin you all.

Believe it or not I get torn up every day about this. I think about it every day. Well, enough chatting, I have a work area to organize.

Oh, but another pic, I like this one....

 

[SMOKEDYA]

all the wireing is simple! the connectors only go in one spot,and they are cut to lenth from the factory,so that will be simple! The screws are about the same way there almost all the same except for diffrent lenths.plus alot of the screws have the clip on nuts so if worst case buy a huge bulk bag of those fasteners and bolts/screws to match then bam solved that problem!Home | Fastenal peace





john

 

[rd]

It is almost always cheaper to keep and upgrade what you have than to start over.

You have the car, you obviously don't need to drive it everyday, so go at one system or part at a time.

If needed, buy some factory shop manuals.

I learned this the hard way, having sold a 64 Mustang once back in the day, and several other cars I wish I had kept. I learned and still have the 79 Capri 5.0 that I bought in 1981.

 

[90mustangGT]

Well, here's another take on it:

I can get a loan (no interest) for another one. There is a guy selling a nice black GT he's had for since it was new in 1988. Bone stock. He wants $3500 for it. Manual windows which is a big bonus! I'll look at it tomorow. The only "down" side is that it's an auto, but one great thing about that is that I have the TKO500 and all the parts from my current 90gt.

Option one: Put engine in current car and put it back togeather.

I know in the pics it looks like a good roller, but it is missing so much and needs so much putting back togeather. Power windows barely worked when I retired it years ago, and every window motor I put in it got burned out pretty quick, needs new tracks and everything. A lot of interior is missing, I have no seats, steering wheel and a bunch of other things. I could go on for quite some time just here alone.
Under the hood I am missing so much. I sold off all the smog stuf, relays and EGR, air pump, all except the factory H-pipe. Steering isn't hooked up, brakes arn't either. I don't even have any decent calibers for it or brake lines. Missing all those brackets.
The outside isn't even painted right. All kinds of colors. LX to GT conversion was more to it than I thought.
Just getting the chassis ready for an engine to run will be a huge project, and a huge headache, lots and lots of work. Then once I do, I will have tons of quirks and bugs to work out. Then I have to get the car re-registered, which means a smog test, this could prove to be a real PITA. This could take easily into next year.

Buying another Fox and starting all over, well sort of. For one thing, being an 88 I would only have 3 more years to have to pass the sniffer. I can drive a Mustang every day from the day I buy it (which could be tomorow) and have a straight solid car that I can add things gradually from the huge list of mods I have on my current car, having that fun of putting on a mod and then going and seeing what it did, but without it killing my bank account. I would have a BLACK GT, which I have always wanted. Once I converted my GT to a LX, I not only kind of missed the way mine looked as a GT but started to like the look of GT's more, especially on a black car hatch. I'd have somethign to live for again, that alone would be a huge plus. All I do now is work and pay bills.

 

[stykthyn]

for 3500 that GT sounds like a steal. if you really wanted that car back together. it would be by now and you wouldnt be thinking about another car. I say get the GT, source all the parts you can from your roller and sell the rest on ebay and craigslist.

 

[Shaolin Crane]

its exaclty what i did, my car was ok could have fixed the front end myself, figured ****it, i'll get a roller, found a clean roller with fresh paint and went at it from their, couldnt be happier