Great Pumpkin Mustang build thread

[STINEY]

In other news, might have found a shop that will actually re-skin the roof. Will be checking them out soon.

Wait what?! You mean new vinyl on the 'glass topper? If so, neat stuff!

[Dan Barlow]

No idiot light...has a gauge and it doesn't seem to be bothered with the flickering. It's

In other news, might have found a shop that will actually re-skin the roof. Will be checking them out soon.

NNNNOOOOOO ! No form of posering is right ! Peel the thing off . Alright thats just my opinion. I do realise it's not my car but you guys. If thats what you want I'm ok with it . But if you ask us later how we like it..... I'm not going to lie .

[Deaf Bob]

Careful Dan, his wife can bench press two of you!

[Dan Barlow]

Is this where I'm supposed to day " catch me blue " !

[STINEY]

Nah, its all good. These cars are so light in the tail that topper just adds needed ballast.

[BangShift McT]

NNNNOOOOOO ! No form of posering is right ! Peel the thing off . Alright thats just my opinion. I do realise it's not my car but you guys. If thats what you want I'm ok with it . But if you ask us later how we like it..... I'm not going to lie .

Her car, her call...and she's made it clear she wants the top on it.

[Dan Barlow]

Happy wife , happy life . as I said , you guys' car .

[Russell]

It adds to the slepeer look keep the top ditch the auto, 5.0 needs a 5 speed!

[BangShift McT]

I wish...but again, her car.

Now, good news: the brakes are finally sorted enough for standard use. That means they are as good as a 1980 Fox anything would be...which is far and above better than what they were. Problems out back: driver's side adjuster was wrong and failing, driver's side big shoe had popped out of place and was trying to become one with the wheel cylinder, passenger side emergency brake wasn't routed right. The pedal is still spongy as hell, but at least the car will shed speed in good measure and the e-brake works. And that means that I get to drive the car daily in stock form and start getting MPG numbers for a baseline. First tank gave 16.3 MPG, but there was quite a bit of idle time in that. Second tank hasn't idled, so this should be an improvement.

[BangShift McT]

Today has been a long day of work, mostly putzing around the garage. Cleaned up the contacts to the voltage regulator, fixed the flickering light issue. Tried to fix the key buzzer, had it working...but then I put everything together and it quit. Will need new buzzer. Have no reverse lights. Disassembled the upper part of the shifter, cleaned what I'll assume is old, dried-up spilt soda off of the gear indicator, and have it looking better than ever...but still, no reverse lights. Went to jack up the car to find the electrical connector to see what happened, and found this:

That is the driver's side seat, the forward/outboard mount. There are three total tears in the metal, one underneath the mounting plate. This isn't good. I don't see any on the passenger side, but I have a feeling that it's only a matter of time. I know that the floors were weak in the early cars, but this isn't the right place...usually it is the rear mounts of the front seat that tear. Either way, bracing the car and patching the floor just jumped up in priority.

[Russell]

I had to weld up cracks in the floor of the 79 capri, don't remember if it was front or back bolts. I just used the booger and bomb, seat moved less so I thought it was a win.

[Shelty]

Hey Remy , I don't know if you need or want them, but I have a pair of 79-82 tail lights in my garage. They are in good shape, I think one has two studs that broke off but I think I have them. If you want them, you can have them. Found them in a junk yard years ago think I paid 10 bucks for the set.

[Shelty]

Also subframe connectors. The foxes were super flexible. My 91 you could see the door gap change when you jacked it up

[STINEY]

What the heck is that twisted wire zip-tied to that line?



Yep, cracks seem to be a common theme in Fox bodies. First time I jacked my '86 T-top GT up I nearly fainted at how much chassis droop there was!

Same deal when I saw just how light in the rear they are.

By the way, I believe there is a functional door buzzer in my '86. Being as I have no affinity for door buzzers, if it is correct I can send it to you.

[BangShift McT]

Stiney, I will happily take the door buzzer off of your hands, and Shelty, I'll take those taillights...the housings on hers are busted out and the reverse light sockets have to be taped in. PM me to arrange shipping.

I'll have to hunt down that wire, I noticed that when i was editing the picture. Not sure what it could be, everything else looks virtually untouched or unmodified so far.

I gutted out the interior to gain access to the floor metal. Found most of the build sheet and a spare door/ignition key in aluminum where your foot would normally rest. Will be talking with someone about welding up the floor sometime after Valentine's day. Also have access to the spot behind the dent on the driver's side, planning on putting one of the shop heaters onto the metal, then will work on slowly attempting to push the dent out.

The Explorer has been interesting, but haven't done much other than get it to start. Like I thought, as soon as the fuel inertia cutoff's button was hit, the truck fired right up. The exhaust ends just before the catalytic converter, so it sounds like it has a royal exhaust leak, but it started, idled down and overall ran pretty decent. The transmission went into reverse for all of six seconds, then wouldn't engage. Suspicion is that the 4R70W leaked out all of it's fluid while turned turtle, but at $7/quart for Mercon V, it'll take nearly $100 worth of trans fluid to test out whether or not an automatic that I'm not sure I can use works. The Explorer is AWD (no selector, front shafts) and the 8.8's rear pumpkin is centered, though I need to get the truck jacked up to find out the ratio and the passenger wheel off to see if the axle has taken any damage.

Since the wreck did hit the pocketbook decently enough, most of my work for the rest of the month will consist of minor bits and pieces on the Mustang while I scavenge what I can from the Explorer. There isn't much left...so far, the rear gate glass, the front seats, the gauge cluster and the driver's side front fender are the ONLY salvageable parts I've got on my list...