Build Thread Want To Blow 5 Years And $50k On A Foxbody? Step By Step Instructions Inside!

[1991notchbackLX]

Very nice. I'd have gone with larger heads, but I'm in "go big or go home" mode recently. What is your plan for headers/crossover piping? Are you going to intercool it? Meth? What turbo do you plan on running to meet your power goal? You can do what you plan on doing with a MPT70, save money over a Precision or Turbonetics unit. I mean, if money is an issue.

 

[Shaolin Crane]

Ive used hushmat with great results as well.

 

[RacEoHolic330]

I wouldn't have minded larger heads, but I got the engine brand new second hand from a member here and I got a killer deal on it, so I'm fine with the way it is. I just had to replace the blower bumpstick that came in it with a custom turbo one.

I'm set on a Precision PT76GTS turbo with a .96 a/r. It's a nice match for the 331 and people make serious power with them. The B&G headers have been proven to make great power and the fit and finish is great on them, so I will probably take that route. I just do not like how the turbo sits in the engine bay with Brian's headers. I have an issue when things look "crooked". The Pony Down headers make the turbo sit straight in the bay, which looks a lot nicer to me. I know it doesn't matter much, but I like things to look nice . I just have heard some issues about people actually getting their Pony Down headers after paying for them.

I may design my own coldside using prefabbed bends. Not sure yet. It will definitely be intercooled and probably injected as well. I already have a Snow kit, so I will probably put it to use with the turbo.

All I know is that I need to order my headers and k-member soon so I can mock everything up in the engine bay so I know if there are areas that I need to cut or persuade. I'm not going to be happy if there are clearance issues after getting the bay painted. Measure twice, cut once...right?

 

[RacEoHolic330]

So here is what the setup will look like for all the electronics. The large fused terminal block will be where all the sensors for the engine get connected. I'll be welding together a false floor frame that MDF and carpeting will eventually attach to. The frame will hinge after the roll bar mounts and I'll install some small gas struts so I can easily access the all of the components on the rack.

 

[Shaolin Crane]

Not sure im feelin that, but we'll see when its done.

 

[1991notchbackLX]

Maybe instead of plexi on the rack, you could have some black diamond plate made to size and laser cut? Might look cool and not too "pimp my ride." If you're going for the pimp my ride look, I'd add a fish tank to the center console and a headliner of corinthian leather, that's too many awesome homes.

 

[RacEoHolic330]

The rack installation is a product of functionality and not looks. I used plexiglass because it makes it easier to look through down to the amplifier connections if I ever need to adjust or change anything down there. The entire rack assembly will be out of sight and enclosed in what will essentially be a rear seat delete. The top will hinge so I can get inside if need be. If people were acutally going to see all that electronic crap, I'd pretty it up a bit more, but they won't see any of it. Think of it as a car dashboard, take the dash off and it looks funny. Well, I haven't built the dash yet


I love the fish tank idea though, I'm going to look into that. Should I do salt water tropical or just goldfish?

 

[LarsD]

I love the fish tank idea though, I'm going to look into that. Should I do salt water tropical or just goldfish?

Do Koi.

 

[Shaolin Crane]

Lion fish

 

[1991notchbackLX]

 

[RacEoHolic330]

Stripped her naked this weekend.

Found some filler in spots I didn't expect. The car must have been hit in the driver side rear quarter at some point in its life. It's not bad at all, just obvious that repairs were made.

I also cut out the rusted areas of the car. Luckily there aren't many. I knew the framerail was bad when one of the stock k-member bolts looked like it was being chewed on by a rabbit for 2 decades. I'm going to have to weld in some sectons of pipe to replace the original reinforcements.

The footwells were bad enough to make me cut out some of the floorpan.

So, a question for the sheet metal pros. What's the best way to repair these footwell areas? I have some 16ga sheet metal that I can use. Can I just weld in some pieces to close up the areas I cut? Ford had some reinforcement pieces spot welded on. They were too rusted to save. Do I need to reinforce any of this area, or will welding in the sheet metal work fine?

 

[S&B]

wow great work , hopefully it doesn't try to bite you

 

[QUICK91LX]

Scott you are the man. This car was brutally fast with the old combo and 5xx being laid down...I will have to trek out to Allentown one of these days! The way I see it, we need to do some catching up, anyway.

 

[RacEoHolic330]

We definitely need to catch up Bill. It's been a while. Nice to see your still rocking my cobra picture as your avatar!

Bought a boatload of parts this week, including a new Comp billet ball bearing 76mm turbo. I'm also picking up a used HP Performance kit. It was relatively local, and the price wasn't bad. Going to sell off the 60mm holset turbo and get everything re-coated by Jet Hot. My MM k-member came in, and wow, I can't believe how awesome it looks. What a piece of engineering. Pics to come as more parts arrive.

I'm also going to try to get those floor pans welded up this weekend and cut open the passenger side frame rail to check for rusted k-member supports. Hopefully it's not as bad as the driver side was.

 

[RacEoHolic330]

I'm glad I decided to cut open the passenger side framerail. Surprise surprise:

The supports were on their way out. Not as bad as the driver side though.

Cleaned it all up. Just have to order some tubing and metal plate to button it all back together.

I don't know how you guys with rust buckets do it. I don't have much rust at all on this car and I'm already sick of dealing with it!

 

[Noobz347]

So what is that exactly? Are those the screwplates that the k-member bolts fasten to?

 

[RacEoHolic330]

Those are the tubular supports that are inside the framerail so it doesn't collapse when the k-member is bolted on.

 

[Noobz347]

Hmmm... I'm just not seeing how it orients in the pictures...



The bolts are installed vertically through the framerail?

 

[RacEoHolic330]

You got it. The k member bolts go straight through the bottom of the framerail to the nuts mounted in base of the shock tower area.

Here's a picture of from trbofox's thread when he did his car. Shows the supports in the framerail.

Before:

After:

I'll be doing something very similar. Luckily I didn't have to cut out nearly as much as of the framerail as he had to.

 

[Flavadave4]

Wow, you are going through that car with a fine tooth comb! I can't wait to see your finished product!