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Quick little project yesterday. Used a Hawks manual shift **** adapter and installed a Hurst pistol grip. I`ve been wanting to do this for a while lol. Please don't mind my center console. It's coming out soon to get repaired and dyed black as well.
At the same time I'll be installing a new black leather shift boot, ebrake and a nice leather cover for the armrest lid.
Car looks great! Some nice work going in to her also. Gears, shift kit, and TC really woke my L03 up. Put a 14psi spring in my throttle body and it also seemed to help. I think once u swap those heads and add headers your car will be really swift. Awesome car
Been working on my engine. It wound up needing bored out so waiting on new cam bearings and .030 pistons to come in then it's off to machine shop. Hopefully this time next month it will be a running TBI 350 car.
Light update -- Car is now stored for winter. Didnt drive her much since Sept because have a bad exhaust leak from the header (at the head). Very loud and car looks/sounds like a POS going down the street. The Hedman Y pipe is also pretty much on the oil pan sighhh.
We also need to raise the car. At this height im rubbing horribly in the front. Backing out of the driveway and low speed maneuvers makes a lot of noise and makes it 2-3 point turns. The KYB Excel G struts/shocks can't handle this much of a drop either and have blown out. While she looks outstanding can't drive like this anymore. I managed to rip out chunks of paint off the front fender extensions.
For 2021 I'll address these issues but I don't think she's getting much more than that. The exhaust *should* be easy and so should suspension. It's really the paint that pisses me off.
The good news is that when I replaced the drivers side headlight door this spring (had some weird rust) the paint match was literally a 9.5 on 10. I was amazed. I might be repainting the front bumper and fender extensions at the same time. The bumper has a few chips, spiderweb and scratches hurts me to see. Ideally I'd respray the complete car but funds are even tighter these days. ☹
I really neglected my Mustang this year, only bringing her out in September and drove until early Nov. Plan for 2021 is drive/wrench on the Pony more. Up until June 2019 I lived 4 minutes from my parents so I'd just go there and swap cars depending on my mood lol. They don't use the garage so it works out. Now that I live 30 min away a bit of a pain. I REFUSE to leave these cars outside when it rains so my feeling is Bird will sit more in 2021. Will have to figure out a way to expand my garage or build a bigger one behind the house haha!
Haven't updated this in a while. Most pics of the work are in my old phone I'll try and upload some later.
We decided to pretty much scrap the whole suspension and the brakes and start fresh.
UMI tubular front control arms with poly bushings
UMI weight jacks (front)
UMI strut mounts
Koni Yellows
UMI on car adjustable panhard roto/poly
BMR lowering springs (rear)
C5 front brakes - BBU brackets and hubs (A +++)
PBR rear disc swap (emiller brackets -- they suck)Powerstop braided hoses all around
Powerstop Z23 pads all around
Moser axles (26 spline)
Summit diff cover
Borgeson steering shaft
*Also has TDS wonderbar and J&M "street" rear control arms previously installed.
All I can is is wow. I have the Konis set "in the middle" and I cannot believe how nice it rides. To everybody that says poly bushings are rough etc etc I don't know what to say. I love the way it feels. Want something nice and smooth go buy a 6000. I should have gone with Delrin bushings lol.
Drivetrain side got new Hooker 2460 headers and a Doug's Y pipe to replace the old Hedmans. Reason for that because I has chasing a weird noise for 2 years after I installed them. Well, that was a waste of time still makes the noise lol.
Swapped to a Formula/82-84 hood, repainted the bunper covers, fender extensions and driver side fender. Also painted a hatch from a base 91-92 Bird and installed nice duck tail spoiler. Tinted the windows late in the season but I kinda miss the fishbowl look now sighhh. New trunk and hood seals installed along with an aftermarket hood insulation. Had the car detailed and she came out great.
I do plan on eventually repainting the whole car. The best part is I can do it piece by piece and it will always match haha. I tried the flush mount door handles but didn't like how they looked in person. I started with the driver side so repainted the stock handle (still super tight lol) and installed a new lock. (I got a NOS lock set - doors and hatch) Over winter I'll be pulling pass side panel and doing same thing on this side.
For 2023 I really wanted to go LS but it's a little too much $$$ for me right now. A friend is getting out of the scene so I bought a rebuilt Vortec 350 longblock from him. Has a Ramjet cam in it and 1.6 rockers. I will run it carb! I've never owned a carburatetor car before and it's something I'd like to play with/learn.
Last edited by George Klass; 12-18-2022 at 08:25 AM.
Nice work. Looking good. I'm partial to black 3rdgens and power bulge hoods. Are you using the hood's functional vent to unleash the raw power of the L03?
Front wheel fitment looks good too. What size adapter are you using with the C5 brakes?
Disregard last comment about a Vortec 350. Decided to go all in. Lots and lots of $$$$ being spent since January. Here is the setup
2003 LQ4 shortblock
Z06/CTS V camshaft and springs
862 heads
LS6 intake
01-02 Fbody manifolds
Circle D 2800 converter
LS6 valley cover
Stock cable throttle body
Using the Holley set up to install. -- Mount brackets (with oem LS1 fbody mounts) crossmember (oem gm mount) and oil pan.
Holley Terminator Max will be used for engine management. That's the last big purchase left. Also need to figure out something for injectors.
Getting destroyed having to buy every piece of an LS1 fbody to do the swap but I'm almost there. Have all the accesories and brackets (ICT) too. Going to buy a used 4L60E that was rebuilt with ŕ Transfo shift kit, corvette servo, etc etc. Also has a Vigilante 3600-4K stall that I will resell.
Disregard last comment about a Vortec 350. Decided to go all in. Lots and lots of $$$$ being spent since January. Here is the setup
2003 LQ4 shortblock
Z06/CTS V camshaft and springs
862 heads
LS6 intake
01-02 Fbody manifolds
Circle D 2800 converter
LS6 valley cover
Stock cable throttle body
Using the Holley set up to install. -- Mount brackets (with oem LS1 fbody mounts) crossmember (oem gm mount) and oil pan.
Holley Terminator Max will be used for engine management. That's the last big purchase left. Also need to figure out something for injectors.
Getting destroyed having to buy every piece of an LS1 fbody to do the swap but I'm almost there. Have all the accesories and brackets (ICT) too. Going to buy a used 4L60E that was rebuilt with ŕ Transfo shift kit, corvette servo, etc etc. Also has a Vigilante 3600-4K stall that I will resell.
Pics to come soon. Im very excited. 🤓
That will be a really fast car once it’s ready.
Have you thought about keeping that Vig 3600 stall? It seems a lot of the LS guys run stalls in that realm all the time and those motors really like it. I know with my mild TPI build precision industries recommended a 2500 stall and your car will have much more on tap than that. I’m no expert but something to think about as it seems most guys wish they went with more stall, also could save you some money as a good converter is not cheap.
That will be a really fast car once it’s ready. Have you thought about keeping that Vig 3600 stall? It seems a lot of the LS guys run stalls in that realm all the time and those motors really like it. I know with my mild TPI build precision industries recommended a 2500 stall and your car will have much more on tap than that. I’m no expert but something to think about as it seems most guys wish they went with more stall, also could save you some money as a good converter is not cheap.
Ι might keep the Vig converter. The goal for my Bird 100% streetability and good manners. I drive it almost daily (except for rain). It's caught in traffic jams and drive thru lines as much as its beaten hard lol. That's why I think the 2800-3000 circle d converter will do the trick. Car currently has 3.42s. It's also the reason for the LS6 cam and stock manifolds. Car will have converters as well.
Ι might keep the Vig converter. The goal for my Bird 100% streetability and good manners. I drive it almost daily (except for rain). It's caught in traffic jams and drive thru lines as much as its beaten hard lol. That's why I think the 2800-3000 circle d converter will do the trick. Car currently has 3.42s. It's also the reason for the LS6 cam and stock manifolds. Car will have converters as well.
Streetable use is my number one goal too so I hear you there, I will likely wait until my 700r4 needs an overhaul before I add a converter. I would hate to have the trans go out and maybe ruin a quality converter.
305 STAY ALIVE -- Just for a few more months lol. Of course it will. Holley Terminators are on a nice long backorder. Right now it's looking like November
08-10-2020, 06:39 PM
