I hear ya on the 17s. I don't usually like 17s on a stock bodied 1st gen much either, but I have no choice with the brakes I'll be running. Gonna see if I can make them look right.

ninja edit: By the way, STILL fighting with my panhard bar mount. %^&*

 

I looked at your thread yesterday and didn't take the time to subscribe, so here's my subscription! Nice work, and I love what you've done in swapping over to the FC gauge cluster and used the dummy lights where your ashtray was. I'd be interested in any opinions, reflections, pics, or any inspiration for the install of the dummy lights there - I just like the thought of it and yours turned out nicely!I used that pic in my build thread (clickable in my sig) and I'd just like to say good work!

 

I've been following your thread to see what you're up to, some good discussion going on there.

The SA has the ashtray behind the shifter where I put the cruise control switch. The idiot light panel is actually at the front of the old shifter opening as the SA had the shifter further forward than the FB. I used that spot because it matched the curve of the gauge cluster and I didn't want to cut up the main dash. The FC harness was long enough to place it there without any modification to the wiring. I had to extend the cruise switch harness, but pretty much everything else fit. I tried to keep as much of the good stuff from the FC harness as I could and adapted the necessary SA stuff for the things that people say sucked on the FC. (like heater/AC controls and light switches). Tried to transplant as much of the factory's setup as I could so I wouldn't have to re-engineer everything quite so much.

 

Here's the latest little bit. Firstly I finally got the panhard bar axle mount located, modified, and welded in. I had to narrow the G Force mount a little to accomodate my new shock locations and integrate it with my new inside lower control arm mounting tab. Trying to locate (and hold) the mount in the proper plane for 3 different axes was a pain, got it done though.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gysgtfrank/8518929807/http://www.flickr.com/photos/gysgtfrank/8518929807/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/gysgtfrank/, on Flickr

Next came the new lower control arms for the axle. I only have the driver's side done for now, starting on the passenger side in AM. Used the Maximum Motorsports extreme duty arms for the Fox body Mustang. They have a captured Heim style joint and should eliminate the bind from the stock rubber bushed arms without being a noise monster like normal Heim joints.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gysgtfrank/8518928597/http://www.flickr.com/photos/gysgtfrank/8518928597/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/gysgtfrank/, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gysgtfrank/8518931005/http://www.flickr.com/photos/gysgtfrank/8518931005/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/gysgtfrank/, on Flickr

They don't look like much, but they were a pain in the butt to get them in there at the correct angle. Used the stock outside control arm mounting tab on the body and axle so I didn't get them out of alignment. It also makes it easier to get an identical copy on the other side. The arms are quite a bit wider so I had to fabricate the inside mounting tabs on both ends.

Once I get the other side done, it's on to figuring out how to get the Maximum Motorsport swaybar mounted. I love a challenge.

 

Now that is some great work. Almost makes me want to do a panhard bar. Lookin good.

 

Looking good! Got any pics of the body side panhard mount?

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gysgtfrank/8528182671/http://www.flickr.com/photos/gysgtfrank/8528182671/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/gysgtfrank/, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gysgtfrank/8528184367/http://www.flickr.com/photos/gysgtfrank/8528184367/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/gysgtfrank/, on Flickr

It's one of the last of the G-Force Engineering panhard kits that I purchased when he was clearing his stock so he could retire. I installed it when I was doing my engine swap to free up the room for the over the axle dual exhaust. The Mustang bar I have is considerably longer. It could have been made to work, but I already had the G-Force bar. So I modified the G-Force provided axle mount to clear all the craziness at that end and left the body side mount alone. Good thing I picked up a driveline dial protractor, it has come in very handy.

edit: You can see the temporary bar tack welded between the axle and frame in the inside view if you look close. Welded it solid once I had it in the correct stock position. Did this until I get all of my arms and swaybar finalized so that it does not move and mess me up. Then I'll grind out the tack welds, remove the temporary supports, and it should be in the proper position, well cross my fingers and hope anyway.

 

Before I read your post I was thinking to myself that it looked very much like the G-Force panhard mount lol. Looking good.

 

Might as well post this while I'm waiting for the primer to dry.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gysgtfrank/8543481542/http://www.flickr.com/photos/gysgtfrank/8543481542/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/gysgtfrank/, on Flickr

Have to put reinforcement plates above the lower control arm mounts, then I'm done with fabricating inside the car. I think.

 

Is your rear end the same width as the stock rear end. Amazed how much tire you fit under there!

nice work

 

It's a stock GSL-SE rear using the GSL axles to bring the tire inboard a little more (rear ends are actually the same except for axle length). My wheels are +42 offset which was what my figuring showed would work. Could have used a +50 offset instead for a little more outside clearance, but these should work. I have a little more room on the inside yet, so I could have gotten away with it. They're no farther out than what I see a lot of people running though.

 

The rims and tires do look awesome on the car, as well as the G-Force panhard bar - I have to say

 

Thanks for the kind words. Can't wait to get it back on the road to work out all the inevitable bugs. Want to see what it looks like then. Itching to drive it again, I needs my fix.

Did get the passenger side LCA reinforcement plate welded in and the floor completely sealed up on that side. Will get the driver's side done tomorrow, waiting on parts for the sway bar yet. Then it's just clean up the axle, paint, sealant, undercoating, rear brakes (lines and emergency cables), master cylinder, adjustable proportioning valve, driveshaft, and putting the interior and exhaust back together. Modest little list really.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gysgtfrank/8555104809/http://www.flickr.com/photos/gysgtfrank/8555104809/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/gysgtfrank/, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gysgtfrank/8556213846/http://www.flickr.com/photos/gysgtfrank/8556213846/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/gysgtfrank/, on Flickr

Looks really dumb with the stock wheels up front and the 17s in the rear. It's sitting a little high in the rear, but not as much as the difference in tire sizes makes it look. Control arms are all in and the floor pan is sealed back up. Waiting oh so patiently for swaybar parts to get here.

 

The rear axle is complete and ready to drop back in. Brake lines on axle fabricated, sway bar mounted, reinforcements installed, final welding done, primered and painted. The weather finally warmed up enough to get the undercoating on today, so should be able to reinstall tomorrow when it's dry.

axle_complete1 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! axle_complete1 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! by GySgtFrank, on Flickr

axle_complete2 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! axle_complete2 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! by GySgtFrank, on Flickr

 

I'm diggin that Something so wrong, yet so right about seeing tires that huge on the stock axle housing. Looking forward to see how it looks sitting at ride height on those 17's

 

It's on it's own wheels and moving under it's own power again. :hurray: Test drove it for a couple of miles getting it up to 55. Tracks straight, no rubbing, and nothing broke, so far. Must keep the demon Murphy away.

I have to take it down to have new exhaust pipes run over the axle tomorrow. They were a problem when I lowered it enough to compensate for the tire height. I had to remove all the tabs and bracing I was no longer using and reroute my fuel lines to make enough room to tuck the pipes up higher.

The pictures are of the modified interior, I'll take pictures of the completed suspension once they get it up on the lift tomorrow.

modified interior 1 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! modified interior 1 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! by GySgtFrank, on Flickr

modified interior 2 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! modified interior 2 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! by GySgtFrank, on Flickr

modified interior 3 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! modified interior 3 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! by GySgtFrank, on Flickr

Plan on stitching up some black carpeting to go over the wheel wells and trimming up the plastic a little more, eventually.

 

Holy crap, this x100. Good Lord, those things look huge! Put up the stock 13's next to those just for a shot

Woops, you have one already in the album. But maybe one with a 13 on one side of the axle and an opposing rim on the other side

 

Ask and you shall receive.

orig. to new wheel compare 2 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! orig. to new wheel compare 2 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! by GySgtFrank, on Flickr

orig. to new wheel compare | Flickr - Photo Sharing! orig. to new wheel compare | Flickr - Photo Sharing! by GySgtFrank, on Flickr

Rear is already in so can't really get an opposing photo. Finishing up exhaust this weekend and the rear suspension/brakes should be done. FINALLY!

 

Rear suspension .. done, Brakes .. done, Exhaust .. done. Have to get in some road testing and it should be ready to roll. I'll get on the front suspension sometime after DGRR.

completed rear suspension 1 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! completed rear suspension 1 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! by GySgtFrank, on Flickr

completed rear suspension 2 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! completed rear suspension 2 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! by GySgtFrank, on Flickr

completed rear suspension 3 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! completed rear suspension 3 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! by GySgtFrank, on Flickr

completed rear suspension 4 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! completed rear suspension 4 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! by GySgtFrank, on Flickr

completed rear suspension 5 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! completed rear suspension 5 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! by GySgtFrank, on Flickr

 

What a tease. I wanna see those front wheels on and watch it tear down the strip!

 

That will be the next installment on my journey into insanity. Gonna be a while though.

 

Reminds me of one of my favorite house songs which samples Hunter S Thompson:


"Very soon we would both be completely twisted, but there was no going back, we would have to ride it out"

 

Oops! Forgot to post up the photos of the '93 Ford Cobra brake master cylinder install. It's a 1 inch bore (25.4mm) master.

It worked out extremely well. I only needed to elongate the mounting holes (and lose the top and bottom bolts on the SA booster) to make it fit. I had to use the SA booster as both the FC and Ford boosters would have hit on the clutch master cylinder. I got rid of the stock spacer and the center dropped right into the booster. Adjusted the length of the operating rod a little bit and I was in business.

I used the Ford proportioning valve and rear line pressure adjuster that came with the Mustang conversion kit. Replaced all the brake lines with new. The stock SA (drum brakes) emergency brake lines dropped right on the Ford calipers, as if they were made for them. E brake is mucho better than stock.

Cobra brake master cylinder 1 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! Cobra brake master cylinder 1 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! by GySgtFrank, on Flickr

Cobra brake master cylinder 2 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! Cobra brake master cylinder 2 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! by GySgtFrank, on Flickr

Cobra brake master cylinder 3 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! Cobra brake master cylinder 3 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! by GySgtFrank, on Flickr

Even though I only have the large discs out back, with the stock SA discs up front, the braking is a VAST improvement. Can't imagine what it's going to be like when I get the 13 inch discs up front.

 

Excellent work!