switching noses

[7991LXnSHO]

I want fog lights and I already have the cobra insert on My 5.0 1991LX. What do I need to put a Gt/ cobra front end on besides the facia and a light bar? Is there a support panel that is different? I would need the front fender spats to match the facia. Would I really need the aero kit under the doors and between the wheel wells? I suppose I am asking if I really need the whole cobra or gt kit.

 

[mob]

You dont NEED the whole kit, it just depends if you want it to look complete. The bumper support and everything else is the same. You will need GT fender extensions, make sure you get the ones off the correct year, I believe it was 90-87 were different than 91-93, different sizes depending one what year fenders you have. If you dont complete the whole kit its going to look weird..but you dont NEED it.

 

[7991LXnSHO]

You dont NEED the whole kit, it just depends if you want it to look complete. The bumper support and everything else is the same. You will need GT fender extensions, make sure you get the ones off the correct year, I believe it was 90-87 were different than 91-93, different sizes depending one what year fenders you have. If you dont complete the whole kit its going to look weird..but you dont NEED it.

As I am asking on the talk board, "really need" is also subjective, not just the facts of parts like the tech side of the question. So, there is no way to do just the nose without it looking dumb or incomplete?

 

[mob]

No...thats just based on opinion though. People say you dont really NEED to because you can still put the front end on without putting the rest of it on...no one is gonna come give you a ticket because you have a GT front end and LX sides and rear. It just doesnt look right. Try looking up pictures of a couple with a GT front end, it just doesnt look right..

 

[91TwighlightGT]

I want fog lights and I already have the cobra insert on My 5.0 1991LX. What do I need to put a Gt/ cobra front end on besides the facia and a light bar? Is there a support panel that is different? I would need the front fender spats to match the facia. Would I really need the aero kit under the doors and between the wheel wells? I suppose I am asking if I really need the whole cobra or gt kit.

The car looks unbalanced with the GT air dam and no side skirts. IMO, if you are going for looks then you need the whole kit.

So, to do the GT/Cobra conversion, you need...

The GT front cover
Fog light bar
Front Fender extensions (79-90 Fenders are different from 91-93)
Side skirts
GT/Cobra door moldings (LX Door Moldings have a thinner indention and do not match the GT bumper or GFX)
Rear quarter extensions (GT Bumper only)
Cobra rear bumper (does not require quarter extensions)

If you go with the GT kit, then you need the mounting strips, too. I believe LRS sells them. If you go with aftermarket Cobra (Cervinis is all I would consider) then you don't need the mounting strips.

The headlight panel is re-used. You need to have rivets to install a new bumper cover to the header panel.

 

[91TwighlightGT]

LX with GT nose and extensions only...

Same car with full kit...

 

[mob]

Good pics, it doesnt look BADD, just not right. You could do it and 97% of the people on the road wouldnt be able to tell the difference.

 

[7991LXnSHO]

Those are the pics I needed. Thanks for finding them and thanks for the other info. The other options I see are shaping the fender extensions for a better transition, and the really off the wall of a 4 eyes nose and hood - if any have fog lights. I suppose I might as well make it the Cobra look I wanted or leave it alone.

 

[mob]

You can also do a saleen front air damn, which just attaches to the stock LX bumper, looks real slick. That's what I am putting on mine, but you will still need to get at least GT side skirts for it to not look weird. You can do it in pieces too, start with the front and slowly finish it. I am just doing the front on my car now, but plan on doing the side skirts, rear bumper, and wing later on when I have more cash, but mine's also a GT so it doesnt look naked.

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

Well, I happen to like the look. Ever since seeing guys run GT noses in American Iron on LX cars, I've liked it. Ford did the same thing with the '82 GT. It isn't supposed to look balanced, it's an air dam, it's supposed to be low to the ground. It's also an illusion, they're not really any lower than the rest of the car.

 

[91TwighlightGT]

Same nose but with side skirts and Cobra bumper...

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

Same nose but with side skirts and Cobra bumper...

Not bad but the nose doesn't match the rest, kinda looks out of place IMO.

 

[mob]

It's not that the car looks lower in the front, its that the body and rear bumper of the lx curve inwards toward the center of the car, the GT bumper comes straight down and is sharp. The 4eye GT nose looks better on an LX than the aeros but I wouldn't even compare it to how that pace car looks.... But I doubt you could pull off those side skirts on a coupe.

 

[Five liter]

I forgot what the name is of the company.. However, a company makes a GT style body kit for LX's. It installs over you LX bumpers. Basically, it's installed the same way as Saleen installed their pieces. It's one alternative. It may not look 100% identical.

But the nice part is.. once you sell the car the next guy can simply remove the lower GT valances and it will be an LX again.

I usually don't suggest others changing bumpers. Usually, it's never done right or it's never finished. Craigslist is full of people selling their cars with brilliant ideas that never were finished

 

[91TwighlightGT]

I forgot what the name is of the company.. However, a company makes a GT style body kit for LX's. It installs over you LX bumpers. Basically, it's installed the same way as Saleen installed their pieces. It's one alternative. It may not look 100% identical.

But the nice part is.. once you sell the car the next guy can simply remove the lower GT valances and it will be an LX again.

I usually don't suggest others changing bumpers. Usually, it's never done right or it's never finished. Craigslist is full of people selling their cars with brilliant ideas that never were finished

I think maybe you are talking about this? It is an LX Cobra kit.

http://www.wingswest.com/catalog/Fo...Ford-Mustang-Lx-Cobra-Style-Complete-Kit.html

 

[mob]

That's the stupidest thing I've ever seen. You can get stock body parts on craigslist for dirt cheap. I dont see the big deal in changing bumpers, it's just a few nuts holding it on, easy swap.

 

[91TwighlightGT]

That's the stupidest thing I've ever seen. You can get stock body parts on craigslist for dirt cheap. I dont see the big deal in changing bumpers, it's just a few nuts holding it on, easy swap.

Sort of. I wouldn't go this route myself, but I might do the side skirts this way in certain circumstances (the pace car above is using them I believe) and the other benefit is not having to change the side moldings out, which is a pain. It doesn't bother me too much, just another option for customization. Can't comment on Wings West quality, though, which seems to be the biggest factor in aftermarket body parts anyway.

 

[Five liter]

91Twighlight-
That's the kit. It's certainly an option. I don't remember it being that expensive though. Most people like the way Saleens look and this kit is installed the exact same way. And I agree.. the pace car posted above appears to have this side and rear kit. I don't see how else you could retain the stock moldings.

 

[mob]

Sort of. I wouldn't go this route myself, but I might do the side skirts this way in certain circumstances (the pace car above is using them I believe) and the other benefit is not having to change the side moldings out, which is a pain. It doesn't bother me too much, just another option for customization. Can't comment on Wings West quality, though, which seems to be the biggest factor in aftermarket body parts anyway.

Well I understand the sides and the rear, but the stick on GT front bumper seems stupid to me.

 

[Five liter]

Well I understand the sides and the rear, but the stick on GT front bumper seems stupid to me.

Well if he already has the cobra grille insert installed and his current cover is in nice shape.. what's so stupid about it?