My advice to all you guys working on projects...use every minute you can get. I used 15 minutes I had last night to get my quarter trims down off the rack and I set them in the car put two screws in each side. I also set the rear seat brace in the fox from a 2000 GT parts car out there. Went home. I used 45 minutes this morning to cut out a couple small sections of the lower trim panel, got the brace lined up, got the rear seat bottom in and tacked the brace into place. Little bits of time add up to get another part of the project mocked or completed. Another 20-30 minutes of plug welding the brace in and it's done.
Notice in this picture that I cut a section from the quarter trim panel. The brace is not in the 100% exact spot it will be in but it lines up and the panel goes over the brace. Why?....because that's how the 94-04 trim panels are. In Hack Job....I cut the brace short, installed the trim panels behind the brace. That only resulted in the brace scratching the quarter trims I painted. It also made the carpet not fit 100% perfect. The carpet fell into that area and you could see underneath. It didn't look terrible, but it was noticeable. The carpet fits over the hump of the brace and under the quarter trim...just like any 94-04 car.
Notice in this picture that I cut a section from the quarter trim panel. The brace is not in the 100% exact spot it will be in but it lines up and the panel goes over the brace. Why?....because that's how the 94-04 trim panels are. In Hack Job....I cut the brace short, installed the trim panels behind the brace. That only resulted in the brace scratching the quarter trims I painted. It also made the carpet not fit 100% perfect. The carpet fell into that area and you could see underneath. It didn't look terrible, but it was noticeable. The carpet fits over the hump of the brace and under the quarter trim...just like any 94-04 car.
Thanks man!! I started Hack Job a lot earlier than this car. July vs. December, but this one is going much faster and easier so I'm shooting for a 4 month completion vs. an 11 month completion.
I just ordered some new front struts from my local store. I got new Monroe shocks out back so I ordered some Sensitracs for up front. This is just a street car/cruiser. It will be going to the track for fun, but it's not a race car. Every other fox I've built got good used factory struts/shocks, this time I'm going new. Budget friendly at $58 each.
The LCA's up front I'm using already had new bushings in them (luckily saving me about 120-130 bucks) and I got the new MOOG ball joints pressed in. Getting everything picked up today.
This car is close to the twin of Hack Job. But it's a hatchback GT and I'm using a Cobra drivetrain. Wiring, dash, ABS, console, 99-04 GT seats, hydroboost...the whole deal.
Update...found a guy with a West wing Cobra rear wing. Anybody have one? They fit good? Should I go Cobra rear wing and rear bumper with stock GT skirts if I can't find Cobra ones? Hmmmmmmmmm Decisions....
i may have miss this Matt - you running SN95 front spindles? When you ordered your struts did you order them for a 94-95 style car? With my stock fox struts as you know, i had to add spacers since the SN95 spindle was not as thick as the stock 4 banger one. My struts are in good shape but i'd like to replace em anyways.
Thanks for the heads up. I made spacers for my 91 and for Hack Job. The 90/10's that were on the car had spacers because LAkewood must make them for either spindle and the spacers are like another 5.99 each. You need 2 per side. I ordered them for a V8 fox, so they should come in with the right opening. IF not, spacers will be used again.
Thanks. You can handle it. It's only tiiimmmeee.
Update. Picked up a Cobra rear spoiler on Wednesday night from a member on my local board. A friend of mine had a 93 Cobra grill sitting around and we swapped it for some parts he needed. I also bought a black headliner, seat belts and sun visors Saturday.
During the mornings this week I got some things trimmed up, and welded in. After work Saturday I got the radiator and condensor mocked up and welded up the 94-04 style lower radiator brackets. I also drilled a couple holes and made brackets to hold the radiator overflow bottle from the 97. I made some upper radiator brackets that work pretty good as well.
And the biggest thing....I got the engine bay primed. I also filled all the small holes on the top edge of the core support. I left the 4 big ones there. I also filled a couple on the shock towers that were unsightly. Nothing special like some of you guys on here, but better than stock. I painted the entire underside with a single stage black. I also painted the inner fender areas and under the hood.
All the new gaskets, plugs, water pump, and exhaust manifolds are going on the motor this week. I want to get the L/T's off and sold, and pull the transmission off to look at the clutch. Most likely it's getting replaced with a FMS or King Cobra unit unless it looks very close to brand new. Hopefully if all goes as planned the engine and trans and K-frame will be in next Sunday at this time. (I hope)
Anybody ever use a KC clutch? I've used a couple CFDF and FMS. I like both, but after my last CF let me down, I'm done with them.
During the mornings this week I got some things trimmed up, and welded in. After work Saturday I got the radiator and condensor mocked up and welded up the 94-04 style lower radiator brackets. I also drilled a couple holes and made brackets to hold the radiator overflow bottle from the 97. I made some upper radiator brackets that work pretty good as well.
And the biggest thing....I got the engine bay primed. I also filled all the small holes on the top edge of the core support. I left the 4 big ones there. I also filled a couple on the shock towers that were unsightly. Nothing special like some of you guys on here, but better than stock. I painted the entire underside with a single stage black. I also painted the inner fender areas and under the hood.
All the new gaskets, plugs, water pump, and exhaust manifolds are going on the motor this week. I want to get the L/T's off and sold, and pull the transmission off to look at the clutch. Most likely it's getting replaced with a FMS or King Cobra unit unless it looks very close to brand new. Hopefully if all goes as planned the engine and trans and K-frame will be in next Sunday at this time. (I hope)
Anybody ever use a KC clutch? I've used a couple CFDF and FMS. I like both, but after my last CF let me down, I'm done with them.
EDIT: Clutch info...see below...found out it's an 11 not a 10.5".
Update: Got here early this morning and got the engine/trans off the suspension, pulled off the EGR tubes, RH motor mount, the RH L/T header and the starter. After work, I want to get the LH L/T header off and the LH motor mount. Gonna clean up the block and replace the longtubes with my stock manifolds from my old 96 Cobra. Then over the course of this week I'm gonna take off the valve covers oil pan water pump and get all that stuff replaced. Stay tuned for more pics soon.
We are a tad slow, so I had a guy I work with pull the other longtube off and the transmission bolts. Steel bolts into aluminum housing=not good. We had to heat two of them. One broke and it was the same bolt that broke in my 96 Cobra. Hmm...that's a nice section of the block. I'm gonna drill it out and retap it after work.
Anyways, got the clutch and flywheel off and found out I have an 11" clutch in there, not a 10.5 like 96-98 Cobras come with. Good thing I didn't order a clutch yet!!!
Prolly going with either a Spec Stage 1, or a stock 03-04 Cobra clutch. The Spec kit is 234.99. The 03-04 Cobra kit is 249.99 Ram sells an 11" OE replacement clutch kit for 159.99. Car is gonna have a gear, exhaust, CAI and Nitto's. Not really gonna even need a Spec or a 03-04 cobra clutch. Doubt I'll upgrade power in the future, but if I do, it's nice to already have a clutch for it.
Spec/Ram experience anybody?
Anyways, got the clutch and flywheel off and found out I have an 11" clutch in there, not a 10.5 like 96-98 Cobras come with. Good thing I didn't order a clutch yet!!!
Prolly going with either a Spec Stage 1, or a stock 03-04 Cobra clutch. The Spec kit is 234.99. The 03-04 Cobra kit is 249.99 Ram sells an 11" OE replacement clutch kit for 159.99. Car is gonna have a gear, exhaust, CAI and Nitto's. Not really gonna even need a Spec or a 03-04 cobra clutch. Doubt I'll upgrade power in the future, but if I do, it's nice to already have a clutch for it.
Spec/Ram experience anybody?
Ordered the 03-04 clutch and I got en email tetlling me it's out of stock. I called and there is a 1-2 month backorder. CAn't wait that long, so I went with a Spec Stage 1. I really wanted that stock 03-04 clutch since my 04 is making almost 600 to the wheels on that stock clutch. Oh well, Spec should be fine I guess. Flywheel is getting turned this morning.
I hope the bulk of what I have to buy is done and the only next big purchase is the wheels, unless I just use the 04 Cobra chrome replicas I already have.
I hope the bulk of what I have to buy is done and the only next big purchase is the wheels, unless I just use the 04 Cobra chrome replicas I already have.