Starting Restoration, Question About Where to Begin (Rear End?)

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tcpvip

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Apr 14, 2003

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Jun 1, 2011

#1

• Jun 1, 2011

• #1

Greetings, I am about to embark on the long journey of restoring my 1987 GT to hopefully near-factory condition plus some racing-type mods.

I'm thinking I should start from the ground and work my way up. I want to begin my reinforcing the unibody. My question is if I spend the time installing the jack rail supports, subframe conenctors, etc. and I later decide on the rear axle I will use (probably just a Ford 9") do I need to further modify the chassis to accomodate the new rear end or will it just bolt-in?

I know this depends on the rear end in question, I'm just talking in general terms for a more common street-class rear end. I just dont know if I should be deciding on the rear axle before anything else and if these chassis' need heavy modification to support them. Thanks for your input, I'll be asking a zillion questions over the next decade I'm sure so please bear with me.

 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

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#2

• Jun 1, 2011

• #2

tcpvip said:

The scope of the project is to essentially take a 1993 4-cylinder LX chassis and do a VIN swap,

Click to expand...

You realize that is illegal right?

 

darthcual

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Jun 1, 2011

#3

• Jun 1, 2011

• #3

What are your exact goals? The generally concensus is to build from the ground up, and from the inside out. So, suspension, sub frame connectors, rear end, brakes, 5 lug conversion, wheels and tires are a good place to start. Then interior, transmission, engine, and finally anything that can be considered exterior such as headlight, taillight, trim, windows, paint.

 

T

tcpvip

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#4

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Mustang5L5 said:

You realize that is illegal right?

Click to expand...

I'm not sure what you are talking about.

I'm thinking supercharged 5.0/8L, 6-speed, through a Ford 9" with the 5-lug. I plan on putting a 6-point cage in it too.

I think my main concern was that I would go through all this trouble to secure the chassis just to find out later that I needed to further mod it to fit the new rear end. If I had the dough I'd just do it all at once (the chassis + rear axle) but I need to do this in stages.

 

wythors

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#5

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• #5

It is a Federal crime to "VIN swap". People actually go to jail for such things. Taking parts off the old car and putting them on another is one thing, but taking the VIN plate and data plates off and putting them on the new car is a whole 'nuther situation.

 

wythors

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#6

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• #6

To go back to your original question, unless you're planning on putting down huge amounts of horsepower, the stock 8.8 rearend in a V8 Fox is more than stout enough for your needs. Doing a quality rebuild on your GT's rearend will probably cost you a third of what a 9-inch would run you.

 

T

tcpvip

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#7

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• #7

Thanks guys. I've decided to scuttle the whole VIN swap thing. Call the dogs off, please.

Anyway, I'm not using the old rear end. Anyone have a certain Ford 9" they would like to recommend? It appears that there are a few different manufacturers. If so, what chassis mods will be required for your specific recommedation? I'm going for 450-500hp.

 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

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#8

• Jun 1, 2011

• #8

Why a 9" with only 500HP?

The 8.8 can easily take that and more. No need for a 9" rear

 

T

tcpvip

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Jun 3, 2011

#9

• Jun 3, 2011

• #9

Becasue my vision for my restored car includes a 9" rear end. I'll ask elsewhere.