Phase 1 of the Tweetie build is done!

PinkieT

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I’m not interested in a super fast car, just one that is fun to drive. Bought my 98 GT "Tweetie" almost exactly a year ago. Bought it out of Tennessee, 65k miles, so very clean and not rust anywhere. Prior owner had put a growly but not obnoxious cat back exhaust on it, short throw shifter, butt ugly boy racer double deck wing, satin aluminum 17s and new tires, billet shifter and billet HVAC knobs. He had also given it a fresh coat of paint, new top, new carpet, an Optima battery, and yellow window tint. He painted some of the interior trim body color, just like my wife had already done to her 98.

So far, I'm enjoying the crap out of driving her and working on her!

Phase one of my build is done, so am finally sharing with the forum. My wife’s pink 98 GT already had FR500s, and I like black against yellow better than the polished wheels, so I got a set for my car. Hated the chrome taillights, got black to match my wife’s plus aftermarket headlights to match hers too. Dumped that ridiculous wing and went with a factory unit. Like my wife’s car, we painted the hood and side scoops black along with the spoiler, added the lettering on the back bumper, back valance decal, front spoiler, more billet switches, white face luminescent gauges, and a style bar.
Added some performance with new Ford Racing plug wires (one of the original plug wires was defective causing part throttle roughness under load), Screamin’ Demon coils, BBK CAI, and a used 70MM Accufab plenum and throttle body combo.

Phase 2 is more performance. Sitting in the garage for install over the winter I have a Steeda clutch cable and quadrant set, 3.73 axle and front and rear brakes from a Cobra (I have 3.21s now), Kenny Brown front strut brace and strut plates along with a Kenny Brown rear shock brace, Maximum Motorsports subframe connectors, Ford Racing PI intake, a set of cleaned up PI heads, and a Predator tuner.

Phase 3 might be headers, though finding long tube that won’t hit the ragtop bracing and won’t break the bank may be challenge. Shorties will fit, but I’m told they don’t make much more power for the cost and hassle.

Phase 4 – Power adder. Kenne Bell is my dream, on3 turbo kit my baseline, but I’ll see what comes up on Craigslist. That, or find a nice Cobra motor cheap (like THAT will ever happen!).

Day 1 last October
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Today










 

DKblue98GT

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Good job on the tail light swap. That car is super clean. I am not a fan of all the painted parts but it's not my car...
 

Mustanger

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congrats on a nice clean find! big improvement on your personal mods...especially that big wing! Glad it's gone.
 
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PinkieT

PinkieT

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That wing HAD to go. Guy who bought it bolted it to the fiberglass tonneau cover on his Chevy half ton. Chevy owners...

Yeah, the interior paint is personal preference. My wife had already done her pink ragtop that way and this car came with it already done so I left it alone. Kinda cool pulling into a cruise with two 98s, one pink auto and one yellow stick, but otherwise almost identical. There is a local pull-a-part with cheap prices so I have a stash of stock replacements if I ever want to go back.
 
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PinkieT

PinkieT

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Yeah, thinking lowering springs all the way around. But, if I do the turbo project, I'll need new K-member and coil-over conversion and then the front springs will be a waste. Decisions, decisions...
 
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PinkieT

PinkieT

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I got a birthday coming up... Some spring kits exclude convertibles. Others require camber/caster plates and/or bump steer kits, from what l have read. Any suggestions on a good setup that won't break the bank or my back from a stiff ride?
 

DKblue98GT

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I just put convertible specific H&R Supersports in my car. They are a progressive spring and the ride is much smoother than my old GT with Eibach pro kit springs. I put all of the suspension from the GT in the Cobra so the only difference is the springs.

The Supersports are a 2" drop and I would definitely do CC plates. I used poly upper and lower iso's in the rear and uppers in the front. the amount of drop is perfect to me, much lower than stock but still driveable. I have about 3" of clearance to the X brace and would not be comfortable going any lower.


 
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PinkieT

PinkieT

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OK, fired up the garage heater and got back to work. I had removed the old axle, shocks, brake lines, and control arms a few weeks ago. Started putting it back together today. Changed fuel filter since it was so exposed, got the upper control arms on, new stainless brake lines and bent and installed a new crossover (old one was overtightened and the flared end was so flared wouldn't fit the new lines). I massaged the rear shock towers by trimming the body seam sealer and clearanced the ends of the Kenny Brown three point rear shock brace - tonight I will paint it and later this week bolt it in. Found out the brace and the wiring on the back of the Mach 500 amps wanted to occupy the same place (it's a ragtop) and so had to move them out of the way. Got some caliper paint to freshen up the Cobra calipers. Once I get buttoned up with the new drop springs, Konism and bushings, on to the front.
 
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PinkieT

PinkieT

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Well, been busy doing other things. Roped my brother into spending a day helping me over the hump. Now has Cobra brakes with slotted and drilled rotors, Kenny Brown front strut brace and camber plates, Konis on all four corners, new sway bar link bushings. Just about ready to double check all the bolts, bleed the brakes, and get it off jack stands for the first time in nine months... Scored BBK shorties, midpipe, bigger throttle body with spacer, Hellwig rear sway bar, and larger injectors in the mean time, but I learned my lesson. I lost a summer of driving, so once this thing is buttoned up I'm not touching it until next fall!
 
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PinkieT

PinkieT

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Still have to install rear sway bar, other tidbits.

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evilcw311

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I can’t see the pics on tapatalk........... :-(


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

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