Progress Thread Therapy Car-- Freshening Up the Lower Intake

[Wayne Waldrep]

I'd start with a small drill bit then move up. The small bit should get the hole started without flexing it.

Have you welded the gussets in the control arms yet? If not, I'd do 11 or 12 gauge steel. No less. Thin steel isn't worth fooling with.

 

[Olivethefet]

I have one of them welded. Not sure the gauge but it is as thick as the material the arm is made out of.

 

[Wayne Waldrep]

11 ga is 1/8" (.125)

 

[Olivethefet]

I'm slowly making progress on the torque box stuff. I finished installing the upper inner plate. I put a couple extra holes in the top of it. It just seems like it should be held down up there better.

The upper control arm is back on.

I'm currently putting a few coats of paint on the lower reinforcement. Then I'll reinstall and put lower control arm and spring in.

 

[Olivethefet]

I've brought this up before in this thread, but I'm going to go over it one more time. The exhaust on the car currently hits the upper control arms in the rear. So much so that the previous owner, or the guy before him, clearanced the control arm to get it off the exhaust. I'm not going to do that. As previously stated I plan to message the exhaust instead if need be. So I got the drivers side back on the car last night and was trying to figure out what is wrong with the setup. It is clearly hitting the upper control arm and I'm sure that it will make a hell of a racket if left alone.

Measuring it, it appears to be 2.5" exhaust, so it should fit just fine. The mufflers are Flowmasters. Is the issue just that whoever installed it did that poor of a job? The entire exhaust looks terrible, and I do plan on replacing it all at some point.

I did get brave last night and fired up the welder. I was able to close up a couple of cracks on the drivers side torque box. I definitely need to practice some more before I tackle the floor pan issues. I ground the welds down after I booger welded them so it looks OK. Besides its on the bottom of the car where it wont be seen. A shield gas bottle is coming in the near future.

 

[Wayne Waldrep]

"Is the issue just that whoever installed it did that poor of a job?"

I'd say that's the culprit. Hard to tell just from pics but there's not much else it could be.

 

[90sickfox]

That tail pipe tube coming out of the muffler should have a straight section a couple inches long. It could be that that exhaust was on another car and they cut it off the old mufflers. The upper control arms angle in towards the rear. That little bit of room might be what you need to get the clearance. Might need to add an adapter or extension added.

 

[Olivethefet]

Given what else has been done to the car and the quality of workmanship I'd say you probably nailed it. I'll have to look into doing that. It's very tempting to just get new exhaust from the midpipe back, but funds are kinda low from the holidays.

 

[Olivethefet]

Given the way they currently look I might just cut them off at the muffler. I am replacing the exhaust the only question is when. If I did do that would I need to get a little piece to kinda angle it down to the ground? Also, are there anything negative aspects I need to keep in mind that I'm not thinking of? I know that it will make the exhaust smell in the car worse when its sitting still. The wife wont ride in the car as it is anyway.

 

[Wayne Waldrep]

I ran turndowns for a while back when I was trying to maximize everything. Sounds good but exhaust fumes in the car were unbearable. Don't just leave them pointing toward the axle.

 

[Olivethefet]

This a pic of the connection from the muffler to the pipe.

 

[90sickfox]

I took a couple screen shots just for reference. Seems a little short to me.

Turn downs will work out but they need to be turned at a 45 to the ground angling to the center. Helps to keep water from in front of the tires and fumes from coming in if the windows are down. Tailpipes are really cheap from the local parts stores. They won't be pretty but they work. Just grind the welds off those and install the parts store ones. El cheapo Walker pipes. You have a gt....no one will see them anyway. The cheap thrush turbo mufflers and cheap walker tail pipes sounded pretty good on my 86. At the time the mufflers were 25 bucks each....and the pipes were 20 bucks a piece. I'm sure they are more than that now. That car had a quite idle but had a nice rumble when full throttle. Nowhere near as loud as flowmasters but a nice muscle car sound.

 

[General karthief]

No tail pipes sound like crap.
Echo under car and stink up the inside when sitting in traffic.
Yeah I'm old.

 

[Olivethefet]

My car is a GT but it has a cobra style rear bumper cover. You can see the exhaust. I'm not a fan of the turn down thing but this is temporary. I went ahead and bit the bullet and cut them off at the muffler. I'm going to get some turn downs or hack up what's left of the exhaust to make some turn downs. They were definitely short.

 

[90sickfox]

You're doing a great job on this car. I don't blame you for not wanting the cheapies. Turn downs are cheaper....and acceptable in the mustang world. I hate trying to choose an exhaust. To non car guys they all look the same....but to me it's got to be just the right one. Nothing like bad fitting tail pipes to throw the whole look of the car off.

 

[Olivethefet]

Before I weld turndowns on it I think I'm going to try something. I think I'll get some 2.5" exhaust straight pipe and see if welding in an inch or two of pipe will fix it for now. Either way the first step was cutting the pipe off the muffler.

 

[Rdub6]

I spent a while trying to get my exhaust look the same on both sides. Even a 1/4 or 1/8” is noticeable to guys like us. Keep at it, and I’m sure you’ll get it right. It’s just one those stupid things that come up on every car. Car is looking great man!!

 

[Olivethefet]

Appreciate the support! It will get there. Its came a long way already. This is just a temp fix for now. I'd like to have time to buy up the exhaust parts that I want and do the whole job at once and this will allow me to do that.

 

[Rdub6]

Appreciate the support! It will get there. Its came a long way already. This is just a temp fix for now. I'd like to have time to buy up the exhaust parts that I want and do the whole job at once and this will allow me to do that.

I hear you. I’ve been collecting 5lug parts for a year and a half. One day we’ll all get where we’re going!

 

[Olivethefet]

I realize this is pretty minor compared to some of the rust issues I'm watching guys deal with but this is my one little rust issue and I'd like some input on how to fix it properly.

Plan is to clean up the rust and either weld up the holes or weld in a patch. That is the reinforcement for where the seat bolts to the floor. It looks like the rust goes under it. Do you guys think I need to use a spot weld cutter and remove that plate in order to fix it properly or can it be treated with something to stop the rust? I have a few more spots like this but this is the only one that might need something removed in order to repair properly.