What have you done to your Stang on your own?

the5.ohh

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I'm interested to see what everyone has done on their own to their car. Its okay, there are people who just let the pro's do it, and thats completely fine, but for those of you who wrench on it by yourself.. Lets see what you do.. Oh and estimate how much money you saved.

J&M LCA's- $250
Starter wrap- $150
Plugs/wires- $100
Coil pack/ iac - $50
Headlights/fogs/tails- $150
Removal of front bumper, mirrors and wing for paint (reinstalled myself)- $300
Front/Rear speakers- $250
Front swaybar endlinks & bushings- $125
Chin spoiler, tinted rear sidemarkers, white face gauges, led bulbs, painted the calipers, tank straps.
Alternator
Serpentine belt
Spoiler
Badges
X pipe
I do all my own oil changes. Only time someone else did it, was when I first bought the car in 2012 and was wearing a neck brace so I couldn't crawl under the car hahah.

That's about most of the major stuff I can think of. From this list, I saved around $1,225 based upon local pricing and estimates i got to do the above listed. I try and do what I can for a few reasons. 1- I know what's being done to the car. 2- It won't get scratched, dented, damaged in anyway in my possesion. 3- I trust myself. I've been trying lately to do everything myself, did the front endlinks/bushings, rear lower control arms. I'll be doing the alternator and new O2 sensors this weekend too. I don't know too much motor wise, but as for suspension, I can work on some of it, brakes my dad can help out, minor exhaust work, stereos, speakers, interior removal, lights, body parts.. Just think that owning a car this old has forced me to learn a lot about cars in general, such as working on them. Wouldn't change it for the world. Such a great feeling doing the work yourself, having a good outcome and knowing you saved a few stacks..
 

TanTop94

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Honestly I don't think I can remember. Other than a distributor I've done all the work on my car. There that was easier lol.
 

Above118

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lol yeaa i cant list everything, ive done everything to my car other than mount and balance the tires. i do every thing by myself or with a helping hand.
 

FivepointSlow

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I've done everything on my car myself or with the help of a friend and I paid them in food... So I'd say I've saved a solid $2-3000 in labor or so..


Crapatalkin' on the iPhone 5.0
 

Walking Tall

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Did everything to the yellow car myself or with a friend besides the PDR. Toughest thing I did completely on my own was changing the steering column.
 

Milehigh JDF

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Basically everything. I'll see if I can list it but I don't know prices:

Intake plenum
Injectors
Full exhaust
IRS swap
Cobra brakes
Old spring setup
Front and rear shocks/struts
Clutch and flywheel
Mounted and balanced the FR500s

Overall I know I've saved at least $1,500
 

white95

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Hmm..

tubular k-member swap:

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First motor swap:

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Explorer intake swap:

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Converted interior to [mostly] black:

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Two headlight swaps, center console swap, installed HIDs, radio install, smog pump delete, complete exhaust upgrade, T5 to TR3500 swap, two clutch changes, U/LCA swap, swapped front sway bar/endlinks/sway bar mounts, changed out rear sway bar, installed aluminum driveshaft, installed lowering springs [twice] changed out oem fuel pump for a 190 lph unit, changed brakes a few times, oil changes, changed out a power steering pump, replaced a distributor, set the base timing God only knows how many times, swapped the stock FPR out for an AFPR, the list can go on...


Things I haven't done:

1] I didn't build or install my 410w
2] I didn't rebuild my TR3550
3] I didn't do my 3.27 to 3.55 gear swap
4] I didn't install my subframe connectors
5] I didn't do any of the ECU tuning
 

OnyxCobra

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I've done everything except the rear gears and welding the subframe connectors, and of course stuff like tire mounting/balancing, painting the hood, tuning etc. if that stuff counts. Of all my mechanical stuff ironically the only thing I've paid to have done is the thing that needs to be redone. No way I'm making a list with savings though lol
 

97stanger

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Pretty much everything with my dad...engine build, complete fuel system, cage, etc
 

ElrodKTPQ_89

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I'm with everyone else I've done more myself than I've paid someone to do. In fact all I've paid someone for was the engine rebuild. So, what have I done?

Pulled the motor and disassembled it.
Swapped to 97 Cobra seats and began on a 01 GT interior swap.
Dropped the tank and replaced fuel pump and filter.
Cleaned, retailed and re-loomed about 95% of my engine bay wiring.
Put my motor back in as well as replacing just about everything else under the hood (radiator, starter, sensors the list goes on).
And put the top end of my motor back together after cleaning and repainting everything (U/L intake, all brackets and pulleys, etc.).
And whenever I get it back next on my list is lowering springs, shocks and struts and lower control arms.

My car is the first vehicle that I've gotten to do everything to basically all by myself with help only a handful of times on things that obviously required an extra person. It's been a great learning experience!
 

Ferocious

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I installed 2 car fresheners as well as some stickers on the quarter windows on my own.

However, I actually enjoy dropping my car off to shops so that people can do the labor while I go do more important things. If I had the chance, I would always have someone else do the labor.
 

Sinned83

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I haven't touched the mach yet... Gonna have my buddy do the exhaust Once the mid pipe arrives. The fox and the Atlantic blue car I did most of the bolt ons myself.
 

Suspect

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pretty much everything... and most of it I enjoy doing. I did not paint it, build my motor, or rear end, and did not tune it.
 

whiplash473

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Literally everything except wheel alignment. Paint, engine, suspension, trans, rear end, electronics, etc.

Sent from bored/stroked HTC One
 

RichV

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Everything. Even paint, alignments, suspension, brakes, bushings, glass, tint, lighting, stereo, electrical, rear ends, resto, modding, etc. mostly on Foxes and my 94. Haven't done a whole lot to the 05 yet.

Haven't dove into a manual trans yet. A little intimidated by that.
 

Orange 94

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Everything was done by my father and I over 7 years.
-engine rebuild
-engine swap
-blower
-paint and body work
-interior swap
-...

Basically complete rebuild.


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Money I've saved? I dunno priceless? Was never really about the money.


Work that shop does:
-alighnmnet
-wheel balancing
-tuning

Thats all I've ever let a shop do, not even oil changes.
 

Ferocious

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Thats all I've ever let a shop do, not even oil changes.

I'm proud to say that I have never changed the oil myself on my car in the 3 years I've owned it.
I love taking it to the mexicans and watching them get dirty while I eat my popcorn.
 

1bad9d5

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hmmm ive hand washed my car a lot ? LMAO I don't have anywhere to work on my car and never knew anybody to teach me either... so a radiator hose and HIDs on the cobra and that's all I can think of lol
 

chris91

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Basically every mod on my car I have done. Didnt build the rear end, bought it with the gears already in it. I did install the rear end though. Replaced transmission and will be doing it again soon. I even did the tuning in the beginning. It ran alright but I wanted it to run great so I paid Willie @ Dirty Dirty to throw me a tune.
 

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