Wow...almost feels weird doing another project thread! Anyways, a lot of the fluff of Great Pumpkin, the 1980 Mustang Ghia that belongs to my wife, will be on the front page. Here is where I will be asking questions, venting at the near-R-rated level I'm known for when shit doesn't go my way and celebrating immediately when things somehow, miraculously do go right. I have no excuse for not working on the car...we've got the garage up and running, with heaters, and I've got enough tools that I should be able to handle just about anything short of a subframe drop with ease.
Here's the issues I have right now: There is a 4.2L V8 in the engine bay instead of a useful motor. Nothing I can do for it right now. The car has an electrical drain (I believe it's tied to the swivel map light, but could be wrong), an appetite for coolant that I haven't figured out yet, and the most frightening brakes that I've ever experienced on a car, ever. I have the stuff for the brakes to get the car drivable, but I'm thinking that a different master cylinder (maybe 1993 Cobra) might be a worthwhile upgrade. The blower fan only works as an on-off switch instead of a four-position selection like it should, I just cleaned out four softball-sized wads of chewed up jute padding from each duct, and I'm suspecting that I'll be doing a heater core sooner than later (though, there is no wet floor, no smell of coolant, and a heater that is perfect in the currently 15 degree temperatures. The seats suck (common for 79-82 Foxes without the factory Recaros), the woodgrain dash panels have got to go,, there are no reverse lights and in a cruel twist of fate, the dash lights are barely functional. And let's not discuss the appearance right now.
Right now, the plan is just to get the car up and operable. Mods will come as time progresses, but for now I'm repairing what I can where I can while I plan out what I need to do for the modifications. I've got a 1998 Explorer V8 in the works that has been lightly rolled that looks perfect for a parts donor. I'm hoping that the 5.0/4R70W combination can plug in with minimal fuss. If anybody has any experience there, I'd love to hear it.
Here's the issues I have right now: There is a 4.2L V8 in the engine bay instead of a useful motor. Nothing I can do for it right now. The car has an electrical drain (I believe it's tied to the swivel map light, but could be wrong), an appetite for coolant that I haven't figured out yet, and the most frightening brakes that I've ever experienced on a car, ever. I have the stuff for the brakes to get the car drivable, but I'm thinking that a different master cylinder (maybe 1993 Cobra) might be a worthwhile upgrade. The blower fan only works as an on-off switch instead of a four-position selection like it should, I just cleaned out four softball-sized wads of chewed up jute padding from each duct, and I'm suspecting that I'll be doing a heater core sooner than later (though, there is no wet floor, no smell of coolant, and a heater that is perfect in the currently 15 degree temperatures. The seats suck (common for 79-82 Foxes without the factory Recaros), the woodgrain dash panels have got to go,, there are no reverse lights and in a cruel twist of fate, the dash lights are barely functional. And let's not discuss the appearance right now.
Right now, the plan is just to get the car up and operable. Mods will come as time progresses, but for now I'm repairing what I can where I can while I plan out what I need to do for the modifications. I've got a 1998 Explorer V8 in the works that has been lightly rolled that looks perfect for a parts donor. I'm hoping that the 5.0/4R70W combination can plug in with minimal fuss. If anybody has any experience there, I'd love to hear it.
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