My 1993 Coupe Project

[slp352]

Well last weekend I started my coupe project. I have a 93 4 cylinder coupe, red with a 5-speed. I plan to remove the drive line out of my 83 GT and install it into the red coupe. Last weekend I removed the 4 banger and I just removed the 351 from the GT yesterday. I have now learned that I really don't like my headers so I think I will be ordering a new set of those. I have included some pics of the coupe

The coupe

The coupe again

The 83

 

[MAC'n89Blckstng]

Why are you gutting a beautiful 83 TTOP car?

 

[1991notchbackLX]

+1

i hope there's some frame damage or serious hidden rust issues to justify gutting out an '83 t-top... it looks pretty clean from the pic i don't think the amount of work would justify the weight savings alone

unless you have another powerplant waiting to go in the '83??

 

[FrankenStang]

This thread added to http://forums.stangnet.com/761371-official-progress-threads-thread.html

 

[QUICK91LX]

I vote against this idea, unless you have plans to make the 83 better.

clean t-top 4-eyed GT > aero nose converted 4cyl carbed notch

 

[Beasty306GT]

why are you doing this??? its not right to hack up that t-top 4 eye

 

[slp352]

Who said I was hacking up the 83? I should have clarified that in my orginal post but I was really tired at the time. I am removing a non orginal drivetrain from the 83 and putting it in the notch. Why am I doing that? Well I wanted a coupe and not a hatchback. Yes the four eye is relatively clean, but the last owner removed most of the interior from the front seats back, all the trim is missing. So as it sits it is missing lots of parts and the stock engine, trans, and rear end are long gone, way before my time with the car. I figure if I am going to dump tons of cash into a car it might as well be what I really want, so I bought the 93. Now with that said I plan to sell the 83 to someone who will want to restore it back to its orginal glory. The 83 does have a clean title and solid floors, which is hard to believe since those T-tops just leak like crazy! Trust me I am not parting it out! It is a good looking car but it needs work just like any other 25 year old car.

 

[Cobra912]

Who said I was hacking up the 83? I should have clarified that in my orginal post but I was really tired at the time. I am removing a non orginal drivetrain from the 83 and putting it in the notch. Why am I doing that? Well I wanted a coupe and not a hatchback. Yes the four eye is relatively clean, but the last owner removed most of the interior from the front seats back, all the trim is missing. So as it sits it is missing lots of parts and the stock engine, trans, and rear end are long gone, way before my time with the car. I figure if I am going to dump tons of cash into a car it might as well be what I really want, so I bought the 93. Now with that said I plan to sell the 83 to someone who will want to restore it back to its orginal glory. The 83 does have a clean title and solid floors, which is hard to believe since those T-tops just leak like crazy! Trust me I am not parting it out! It is a good looking car but it needs work just like any other 25 year old car.

I agree with that 100%! Buy the car you like instead of regretting it later. I have an 86 T-Top and t-tops are just not for me. I've had them off 1 time in 4 years. Now my car has a 331 with a Paxton and I'm deep into it. I wish I had a notch or hatch with a solid roof either in a 4 eyed or aero.

So I say good for you and for saving that 4 eyed for someone else!~

 

[slp352]

I will post some pics of the 83 when I get free tonight, I would do it now but I am locked out of photobucket and that is where I have the pics hosted. I am telling you the previous owners did some bad things to it, poor thing.

 

[QUICK91LX]

OK now I vote for this project...just do an in depth screening process when people come to look at and maybe buy your 83 to ensure that they wont convert it to aero nose!

 

[slp352]

A few pics of the 83 and its missing parts

I was told the trans and rear end are from an 87 GT and the engine decodes as a 89-91 351 Windsor.

 

[Darkwriter77]

Interior parts are piddly issues. I could gut the rear half of the interior out of a four-eyed Fox from a local yard for probably $100, plop it in there, and it'd all be groovy again. Your '83 looks structurally solid - that's the main point. Are you still keeping the '83 to do other things with it, or are you ditching it? If you sell it, you'll sure be making someone's day. I know I, for one, would love to have that thing...

At least you're not converting a four-eye to an Aero or an Aero into a four-eye...

 

[slp352]

Yep, I will be selling it as soon as I pull the rear end. And yes I do hope it makes some ones day, it deserves to have a home with someone who wants to rebuild it back the way it should be. It is a good car, I just always wanted a coupe.
Speaking of the coupe the coupe, I will be ordering new headers this week, as well as springs and shocks from maximum motorsports. Question, are ceramic headers worth the extra coin?

 

[slp352]

Update:

I pulled the 351 out of the 83 and discovered why the exhaust leaked so bad. The headers are slip fit, so the passenger side had three pipes that slipped together and the drivers side had one. Well I ordered up a set of BBK shorty headers for the engine, polished ceramic coat. I love these headers they went on really easy friday night. Plus it helps that the engine is out of the car. Saturday morning I removed some rust in the engine bay and hit it with some paint, I also cleared out the cowl of leaves and dirt and shot that with some paint too. Now I need to switch the rear ends and reinstall the engine. I did buy a speedo gear so this time around I will be able to see how fast I am going.

 

[SteedaGT9150]

how do you like those hunsaker seats?

 

[slp352]

I like the Hunsackers, they are a step up from their lowest priced seat. They are very supportive. And the price was not to bad, I think they ended up being $350 with shipping. I bought them for my old 66, so when I sold that I kept the seats and put them in the 83. I plan to keep them I just don't know how soon they will end up in the notch.

 

[S&B]

dont worry about these guys they all seem to work for some historical mustang society that questions anything that might be killing a 4 eye.

You pretty much need everything from your 83' including the K member and rear end, trans hump. at least you have everything right there for you. You should be able to get 800 bucks for the 83 roller

good luck

 

[slp352]

You know I have heard that both ways, some say I need to swap the K-Member and some don't. So I will compare the two and figure it out I guess. As for a work update, I pulled the valve covers last night and come to find out I have blue anodized roller rockers! So that was a surprise. I went ahead and installed the studs and reinstalled the valve covers, so I hope that stops the leaking. I also installed the plugs, so I am two steps closer to putting the engine back in. I think my next project will be to swap the rear ends. I also picked up a new shifter handle, hurst T-handle, just don't tell anyone it is really a steeda tri-ax beneath.

 

[NstyLx]

Why would you have to change the K Member?? I have never ran into any problems before. The only K member that will not accept a V8 is the on for the old 3.3 inline 6 cyl (79-82)?????

I just purchased a 93 Notch as well for a project. It is a real honey!!! Hopefully I will have time to start on it after boating season!!

 

[slp352]

so someone painted your side moldings black then? I need to fuel inject mine, that is on the list.