Build Thread The Hoopty Build

hoopty5.0

mechanicus terribilis
15 Year Member
Dec 14, 2010
7,480
6,632
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SW Houston
Well, I have spent many months offshore reading and learning on here. This is my second Fox, and I wanted to do it right this time around. So, here is my car and progress so far. I bought a '90 Notch while on a job in California and had it shipped back to Houston. For $2600 plus shipping, I was happy.

Fast forward to February. I've been stacking some cash by working offshore pretty much constantly. I've had some time off and started working on the car. I decided to do suspension first, and build from the rear forward.

First, I reinforced the torque boxes. I used the eBay kit for $40. Had some minor fitment issues, but you get what you pay for.



Sub frame connectors

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Then I put in a 31 spline diff, 31 spline/5 lug axles and 3.73s:

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Used LCAs and boxed the uppers just for grins. Will buy nice ones eventually.

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5 lug rotors from a Lincoln up front:

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Topped off with 18x9 Saleen replicas in black chrome.

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Next, I took apart my 351 block to take to the machine shop. This will be a 408 short block soon.
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By hoopty50 at 2011-03-27

Pulled the stock engine and trans out. Blown head gasket and probably a freeze plug??? dont know yet. But I am going to fix it and put it back in until I can complete the 408 to keep it driving.



Going to clean up the engine bay. I want to weld all the holes, but I understand its a pain. But looks sooo good when done. Will start it tomorrow I guess. Here are the inner fenders, needs a serious clean up first.

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By hoopty50 at 2011-03-27

Also, got this in the mail today. It will go in when the engine bay is done.

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By hoopty50 at 2011-03-27


Stay tuned... Im kinda done spending on car parts for now. Shelled out $3k for the short block but have to buy a house soon (ugh!) Waiting on the short block to be done, but have lots of interior work to do as well as in the engine bay. This car is nasty inside and out.

Now for the Q&A section of the broadcast:

Can I leave those 3 sensors the bolt to the core support off?

When running wires behind the inner fenders, are there any tips or tricks?

Can the voltage regulator and coil be mounted back there?

I guess thats it for now. Leaving the A/C and smog crap off when I put the 302 back in while the 408 is being done. Will I run into any problems with the smog crap off?

Thanks guys. Hope this entertained some of you for a minute or two.
 
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look like your off to a good start and the saleen's look good on the black car. i helped my buddy weld the holes in the engine bay and learned to make shure you have like .23 or .25 mig wire because some holes are small and can melt easy with heavy wire like .30+. best of luck and hope to see some more pics.
 
Rosenburg Texas? My brother in law lives up there in Richmond. Don't remember the name of the subdivision, it's just north of Ricefield road.

Lemme know how that machine work turns out, I may use them. It's getting hard to find a good shop around here...:nice:

Nice car BTW!
 
SSeater - Is it Bonbrook Plantation? Thats the only one that comes to mind. But I live in Richmond, the car is at my buddy's shop in the 'berg.

Tanner: I went to Loew's today and bought some 22 gauge sheet metal. I made some panels and when ground down and painted tomorrow, I think they'll look just as good.

I'll have some pictures up from today's work in a few minutes.
 
more stuff

I got to the shop late today. Allergies are the biggest thorn in my ass. Anyway, I got the car outside and cleaned the engine bay:

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By hoopty50 at 2011-03-27

Then back into the shop to make panels to cover all the ugliness that lives under the hood of foxes:
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By hoopty50 at 2011-03-27

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By hoopty50 at 2011-03-27

Tomorrow, Im going to knock down the welds and get started with the body filler. Going to keep the engine bay black, but will put a layer of clear coat over everything to make it look nice. Luckily, I have the use of a paint booth and all the expensive guns you could ever want. Should come out nice...

Maybe the k member and stuff by Monday. Gonna keep my nose to the grindstone.

Thanks for the comments, btw. Feel free to throw in suggestions or whatever feedback you may have.
 
Ah ok. What part of Tx are you in?


Didn't get much done yesterday. ended up grinding through some welds on accident. Gotta go back and reweld some stuff. Hopfully be in the paint booth this week.

***Has anyone mounted their washer fluid bottles in different places?
 
MOAR WORK!!!

Well, I completely understand what the people who have smoothed the engine bay before are saying when they said "never again". Truly a PITA. Anyway, here are some more of the photos I took as I went.

Welds Ground down:

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After the metal glaze was applied and sanded:

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First coat of Epoxy:

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So that was up to this morning. I am really unhappy with a couple of places on the passenger side fender. Black isnt really a color to hide imperfections as some of you know. So I'll be pulling the glaze back out to clean up a couple more spots and then shooting another coat of epoxy and then going over it in clear.

I also started pulling apart my 302 to replace some gaskets and cleaning it up to put back in. I just bought a house so all of the funds for go-fast parts to finish the 408 have been re-appropriated, hahah. Should have the short block back soon though.

I need to go back offshore and put some more ca$h in the bank. AFR 205s on the way next. What kind of intake should I go with for a street/strip car? Im more interested in taking advantage of the low end torque than the high rpm HP.


-Collin
 
It's not that bad doing the bays,i've done 3!Looks good the pics in your 1st post didnt show,only the pics of the bay in black.If your going fuel injected?I would use a trick flow R but not the box R peace












john:p
 
Damn you, photobucket

Yep, I seem to have met my limit of pictures. Gotta pay the troll toll I guess.

But it looks as if the TFS R is the way to go. We are kinda limited with choices for 9.5 blocks, huh?
 
ok, I am in the process of loading all of my pictures into imageshack to try them out. Photobucket can ph*ck off...

Anyway, I got the engine bay painted and cleared and my tubular front suspension installed. Will get the pics up as soon as they have uploaded.


Collin