1994 GT Build thread! (Better love story than Twilight)

[Big_T]

So since i have the keys to my new garage, i have slowly been trying to dig up all my new parts i have for the mustang that i stashed all over my town. Everything still looks in good shape except for my cam. When i pulled the E303 cam out of the box and the plastic bag it was in, the bottom 1/2 of the cam was rusted. Looks just like a little bit of surface rust i could probably just wipe off with an emerald cloth and some wd-40 but instead i saw an ad for a tfs stage one cam for $80 so i bought that instead. i hope it will be just as good. From what i have read the tfs stage one is much better than the E303. Opinions?

 

[ttocs]

click like if your like me and took this long to read this post just because of the "twilight love story". Keep up the good work man.

 

[Big_T]

Thanks man! Hopefully this weekend the motor comes out!

 

[Big_T]

Ok y'all, sorry for the delay! It was my birthday then moving into a new place then my sisters wedding. but Yesterday i started gutting the interior to see the damage on the floor boards and here are some pictures.

 

[Big_T]

The only real rust spot is that hole in the ground near the rear wheel well in the floor under the rear seat. I will have to buy a new patch panel and have my friend weld it in. After that a little sanding to that surface rust on the passenger side and it will be fine. honestly a lot better than i thought it would be under that carpet. I now need to clean up the garage and throw most of the interior out. To do a rear seat delete or not?!?! Once everything is cleaned i will be pulling out the exhaust and transmission and drain the fluids to get ready to pull the motor.

 

[Big_T]

So i had GORGEOUS weather this weekend so i took a couple things out of the car...

First that had to go was fenders and front bumper

Then the radiator

Then the cracked transmission

And is it just me or is the only way to take the top 2 bolts on the transmission out with this crazy contraption i put together. I've taken the transmission out multiple times and this is the only way i can get them.

 

[ElrodKTPQ_89]

Not to be negative but the only thing I don't like about this build so far is the chrome headlights, but to each his own. I'm ready to see some engine work!

 

[Big_T]

SO i was feeling a little "sick" on this wonderful sunny day. so i thought what a perfect time to call my best friend and pull the motor. Was actually a LOT easier than me and my friend were anticipating, had the motor out in about an hour or so with messing around and drinking beer never taking out a 5.0L before. So after taking out the ac lines and smog system we disconnected the motor mount bolts and up it went. Sorry i don't have more pictures but my hands were kinda occupied in the motor and not on the camera. But here it is!

 

[nitroram33]

Yeah, without the trans attached it's really simple to get the engine out and not much harder with it attached other than the stupid angle you have to go at to get it to clear. Congrats on the progress!

 

[Big_T]

Yeah the old trans was cracked at the drain plug and was JB welded shut by the previous owner so i had no way to drain the fluid so i just dropped it out first so i didn't have to worry about trans fluid coming out everywhere with that angle, instead i had power steering fluid and coolant everywhere haha. plus ive taken the trans out so many times it only took me like 30 min to do it so why not! I was just worried about all the dry rotted lines and the OEM rusted to crap engine mounts not coming off. But nothing a breaker bar and a foot cant get off! as as far as the lines go, with all the stuff like radiator and smog out of the car the lines were super easy to get to. Now i just need to go get my engine stand from my Moms house and i will throw the motor on it and start the break down of that! Lets hope for this weekend more to come!

P.S. i might need y'alls help figuring out what some of the things are in the engine bay that i can/ cant get rid of. I'm already taking out the smog and ac system and cruise control so i know most of it can go bye bye! Just need to know what else can go like the weird box on the passengers side on the front of the car under the radiator. looks like fuel lines or brake lines are going to it or something. I'll try to cap a picture of it next time i'm next to the car.

 

[nitroram33]

I know all about rust and dry rot lol, my friend's car sat for 10 years before we bought a parts car and did the manual swap along with tons of other stuff that it wound up needing. Also, if you're getting rid of both the smog pump AND the AC you're going to want an eliminator kit for one or the other to make your life with the accessory belt a hell of a lot easier.

As for weird box next to the radiator, that is the ABS pump.

 

[Big_T]

I know all about rust and dry rot lol, my friend's car sat for 10 years before we bought a parts car and did the manual swap along with tons of other stuff that it wound up needing. Also, if you're getting rid of both the smog pump AND the AC you're going to want an eliminator kit for one or the other to make your life with the accessory belt a hell of a lot easier.

As for weird box next to the radiator, that is the ABS pump.

that makes sense about the ABS. thanks!

And i just read your build thread good stuff! but what do you mean an eliminator kit? i was just gonna plate off the EGR valve holes and cap off all the lines. what does that have to do with the accessory belt? i will just buy a shorter belt and route it to bypass where the smog and ac were.

P.S. the car never had a working a/c. the compressor pulley seized for as long as i could remember. all i did was pull off the compressor and get a bypass pulley because my friend had a short belt on it originally to bypass the smog and a/c since it was broken.

 

[nitroram33]

Take a real close look at it without that bypass pulley on there and you'd see it wasn't going to work with the shorter belt. With the bypass pulley you'll be okay though, you just need one or the other. We went with the smog eliminator pulley because I found a billet UPR one cheap. As far as blocking off the EGR holes in the heads, you can just take the little pieces that bolt onto the end of each piece of tubing, flip them over, and then bolt them to the opposite head and you're good to go.

 

[steveeoaktree]

Wow! Love the Atlantic Blue! (think thats what it is..?) Maybe light Atlantic? Gonna be sweet, especially with the "cobra" style white stripes and all of the good stuff redone. Can't wait to see her, maybe can learn sum'n?..

 

[Big_T]

Take a real close look at it without that bypass pulley on there and you'd see it wasn't going to work with the shorter belt. With the bypass pulley you'll be okay though, you just need one or the other. We went with the smog eliminator pulley because I found a billet UPR one cheap. As far as blocking off the EGR holes in the heads, you can just take the little pieces that bolt onto the end of each piece of tubing, flip them over, and then bolt them to the opposite head and you're good to go.

There is the route you need to take with no bypass pulley, i know because we've done it on the car before. Didnt take anything out just didnt run it to them. And tahnks for the trick on the heads, what about the hole on the upper intake? any tricks for that one?

 

[Big_T]

Wow! Love the Atlantic Blue! (think thats what it is..?) Maybe light Atlantic? Gonna be sweet, especially with the "cobra" style white stripes and all of the good stuff redone. Can't wait to see her, maybe can learn sum'n?..

Yeah should be great when its all done! but the stock color is Atlantic blue, the hood and wing are what im gonna match with the paint so it will be a darker blue than the Atlantic blue. i think its a custom color because the hood is custom if you notices the hood scoops on it are in the front of the hood unlike any other hood ive seen, kinda like the Pontiac hoods. on the 96 cobra the hood scoops were further back. But yes it will be fun! First build thread so i hope you can learn something from me!

 

[nitroram33]

There is the route you need to take with no bypass pulley, i know because we've done it on the car before. Didnt take anything out just didnt run it to them. And tahnks for the trick on the heads, what about the hole on the upper intake? any tricks for that one?

I didn't trust the tensioner to keep things tight with it like that, those things move around quite a bit when the load changes rapidly. I just made a block off plate for it out of a piece of scrap metal and sealed it up with some copper RTV to be 100% sure it was sealed. Dunno if I took a picture of that or not. You'll need to trim more or less smooth with the flange on the upper or it will hit the valve cover.

 

[nitroram33]

Here's the video I was looking for when talking about the tensioner. Pay special attention to the 15 second mark where it enters wheel spin lol:

[video=youtube;5NnMuyifPA4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NnMuyifPA4[/video]

 

[Big_T]

I didn't trust the tensioner to keep things tight with it like that, those things move around quite a bit when the load changes rapidly. I just made a block off plate for it out of a piece of scrap metal and sealed it up with some copper RTV to be 100% sure it was sealed. Dunno if I took a picture of that or not. You'll need to trim more or less smooth with the flange on the upper or it will hit the valve cover.

I even have it bypassing the idler pulley so its less rotational weight, but it works i promise. the tensioner holds if you get the right size belt! like i said that's how i had it running for ever 2 years beating it to hell!
But i will probably take my upper to a shop and have them seal it off so it looks official and not just some ham and cheese job, or i may just have my dad weld it closed when he comes up from Florida to teach me how to use a tig welder on the sub-frame connectors and floor boards. haha we will figure that out when i get to that, feels like its gonna be forever before i have to worry about that!

 

[nitroram33]

Lol, if you make a plate and make it match the flange for the EGR valve and give it a quick coat of paint it'll look just fine and you'll never know it's there. I'll try and remember to take a picture the next time I get a chance.