94 GT40P re-do/chassis rebuild

[Chern_889]

Hey, thought id put together a diary of my build, its not going to be much in the scheme of things, but its fun for me!

The motor that is in my car is from a 97 exploder that i installed a couple years ago when the stocker blew its brains out on the highway one day. At that time i was on an extreme budget, so all i did was throw an E-303 cam into the motor and dropped it in, stock everything else, save for a performer intake i had on the old motor.

---> found my old build thread on the exploder motor swap
http://www.stangnet.com/mustang-forums/772975-my-budget-gt-40p-build-56k-better-take-nap.html
Fast foreward a couple summers and a few dozen rev limiter bounces later and the stock explorer valve springs are totally sacked, as well as some ticking lifters. Because life gets in the way sometimes, the car has been sitting and not driven much over the last 2 summers. But now that im somewhat settled, and have some spare cash, im gonna finally get the car road worthy again.

The ultimate goal is to turbo the car, but i need to take care of alot of things first before i can even think of boost.

This is going to include:
Rebuild heads/prep for boost
Fix rust holes in trunk/POR-15 trunk and rear sub
rebuild T-5
Alum Drive shaft
31-spline rear with 3.27 gears(car currently has 3.73 that are ready to implode)
Subframe connectors
Moates QH
general clean up of interior so its enjoyable to drive


The first thing im going to tackle is the heads, Im going to get them checked over with a 5angle valve job and a drop-in valve spring from Thumper of Orange park. I bought this spring kit a year or 2 back before alex's parts showed up, but this kit it supposedly good for .600 of lift.

Im going to finish off the top end with ARP head studs, felpro 9333 gaskets, new lifters and a set of crane(cobra) 1.7 rockers.

I know lots of guys say not to bother with iron heads, its not worth the money,ect. But the way i look at is: im going to be boosting it anyways, i will easily be in block splitting territory, so i dont see the purpose in dropping big money on alum heads on a stock block, just to be limited to ~450hp.

Forgot to take pics before i started swingin wrenches, but heres a few oldies

Started pullin the heads

Pulled the A/C for a few reasons- pump was leaking bad(to cheap to shell out for a new one), looks cleaner, easier to turbo without it in the way, i hardly drive the car anymore, so i dont feel the need for it.

Springs look bitched to me

New springs and a few goodies

Car how it sits now

The holes in the trunk that go into the rear frame, should be easy to take care of

its quite the novel i know, but had to start somewhere!

Im dropping the heads off at the machine shop on friday. im not in a big rush, winters are long in Canada haha!

Jay

 

[Chythar]

Ouch, good luck on the rust. Was the car driven in the snow much? I had an old Ford Taurus that was driven all year round in the Chicago area, and the bottom of the car was covered in rust. Basic repairs always cost more since bolts had to be cut out and the holes re-tapped.

Looks like you'll have a fun rebuild. Nothing wrong with what you're doing, just 'cause it's not a huge "Ten Turbo Install" project doesn't make it a bad project or forum thread.

 

[urban96]

inside the trunk, cut out all that rust and you should see the inside of two channels that stiffen up the car. cut out as much rust as you can, clean out and rust proof the inside of those channels as you can then weld some cover plates up over the top of em

 

[Chern_889]

Ouch, good luck on the rust. Was the car driven in the snow much? I had an old Ford Taurus that was driven all year round in the Chicago area, and the bottom of the car was covered in rust. Basic repairs always cost more since bolts had to be cut out and the holes re-tapped.

Looks like you'll have a fun rebuild. Nothing wrong with what you're doing, just 'cause it's not a huge "Ten Turbo Install" project doesn't make it a bad project or forum thread.

It hasnt seen snow since ive owned it, about 5years, but it had a hard life prior to me aquiring it from an auction sale. I have reason to bieleve that a farm kid must have owned it, judging by the amount of gravel chipped paint begind the front tires, and the chrome wheel well strips that where on it when i bought it. Surprisingly though, the trunk rust is the only rust on the entire car, and really only surfaced in the last year or two, probably due to the leaking trunk seal

inside the trunk, cut out all that rust and you should see the inside of two channels that stiffen up the car. cut out as much rust as you can, clean out and rust proof the inside of those channels as you can then weld some cover plates up over the top of em

Thats my game plan, im going to use POR-15 on the inside of the trunk and the trunk side of the wheel wells. Im also going to drop the fuel tank and try to counter act any rust on the bottom side.


So far havnt done much else, i tweaked my back when i was trying to crack the old head bolts loose(really need an impact!) so ive been nursing that. Also decided to paint the grill of my 2011 ram sport black, couldnt stand the chrome!

 

[Chern_889]

Dropped off the heads at the shop today, he is going to tank them and check them out, put his "touch" on the valves and bowl, and install my spring kit. I told him im not in any rush, so i dont know when they are going to be done!

 

[95BlueStallion]

You said you are having Mike do the heads right? He did mine and I thought they turned out great. I never ran my custom cam with them, but even with the stock cam the car pulled much harder up top. Its all sitting in my garage waiting for a new short block before going into the fox.

 

[revhead347]

Never tell a machinest that you aren't in a rush. If you say that you absolutely have to have something back in a week, he might get it done in 2 months.

Kurt

 

[Chern_889]

Not much to report, Ive worked 140hrs in the last 2 weeks with no days off, so when im home in the evening i want to do anything but more work. But gotta pay for the toys somehow! I gotta get in all the overtime i can now before it gets shutdown from the cold.

I borrowed my dads welder, just need to get some gas so i can tackle the trunk rust!