BBR's 83GT - 552 BBF version 3.0 (at least)

[IRONHEAD]

Re: BBR's 83GT

Got the torque boxes welded up tonight, but ran out of wire while doing the SFC's. Figures.

Tomorrow night (if I can score three nights in the shop in a row, ha ha) I will poke the 8.8 under there and finish up the rear suspension.

you doing any extra bracing to make up for those two holes in your roof

[BBR]

Re: BBR's 83GT

Subframe connectors (already in) and a 6 or 8 pt bar should take care of it. I am mimicking my buddy's 9sec '84 t-top GT350.

This old car seems to be pretty solid. When I was putting the front up on the ramps, I jacked the passenger side front wheel way up (driver's rear tire waaay up in the fenderwell) and I could still open and close the doors just fine.

[BBR]

Re: BBR's 83GT

8.8 is in..... Not really easy to do by yourself. lol

UPR lowers, stock uppers, Car Quest shocks, c-clip elims, Motive axles.




Whoo hoo! 5 lug wheels fit now!

[88pony]

Re: BBR's 83GT

Four lugs just look dorky anyways.

[IRONHEAD]

Re: BBR's 83GT

Four lugs just look dorky anyways.

but at what POINT do you readly need that extra stud?

[BBR]

Re: BBR's 83GT

The point where you don't want to be limited in your wheel selection. ;D

My main reason for the switch to 5 was because wheel availability was so limited with the 4 luggers. I have several sets of 5 lug wheels and only 1 set of 4 lugs (the 14"-ers that came on it)

As for a safety reason, I don't know, as I have seen plenty of very quick (9-10 sec) Mustangs still running 4 lugs.

[88pony]

Re: BBR's 83GT

I dont think I'll ever find the breaking point of the four lugs with my a/t, but the wheel selection went up by 200%

[STINEY]

Re: BBR's 83GT

No torque box welding pictures? :'(

[BBR]

Re: BBR's 83GT

Ya know, I took a couple of pics, but it was so smoky on my shop that they didn't turn out worth a flip.

I just welded up the seams wherever I thought it might need additional strength.

I didn't do the lowers since the LCA's are pushing into their mounts when launching. The uppers try to pull their mounts off the floorpan so I felt they were the ones that really needed help.

http://www.modularrevolutiontech.com/Torque_weld.htm

[IRONHEAD]

Re: BBR's 83GT

anyway to gusset the upper mount..maybe from inside of the car..
so the ofrce is spread over a bigger piece of metal

[BBR]

Re: BBR's 83GT

Upper and lower torque box reinforcement kits are available, as well as an upper mount that completely replaces the stock mounts.

The stock upper mounts are actually spot welded to a heavier metal 'crossmember' that reinforces the floor pan and provides a secure rear seatbelt anchor point in this area. This is what you really weld the mounts to, not really the actual floor pan.

This car will be a street/strip car, not a weekly bracket car, so I really don't think I will ever have an issue with them. If I were beating on it week-in and week-out, I would certainly pop for the box reinforcements.

[BBR]

Re: BBR's 83GT

Gas tank is out, cleaned and ready for a sump to be installed. whoo hoo

[BBR]

Re: BBR's 83GT

Assembled the rear brakes last night and they fought me tooth and nail every step of the way. I hate drum brakes.

Today, I went and picked up the other hood and a better looking cowl piece. The hood is just a stock flat hood. I don't know if I will use it or not, but it is nice to have it as a backup.

I also started on the fuel tank sump:

I used the flapper wheel and cleaned off the area where it would sit and marked 4 2.5" holes using Comp Engineering's instruction sheet template.


I flared the edges of the sump so it would be easier for me to weld.


I got started off real good, but ran into issues with my welding wire coming off the spool, and not feeding smoothly.. or at all. Kinda jacked me up and caused me to burn though more than I wanted. After I finished welding, I shot it with some flat black and filled it with water to check for leaks. The black paint made it real obvious where it had pinholes and also made it real easy to mark where they were. I will touch up the leaks and it should be ready to bolt in very soon.

[milner351]

Re: BBR's 83GT

Well done....

What precautions did you take while welding on this thing as to not go BOOM!

[BBR]

Re: BBR's 83GT

Not really any, other than washing the tank out good with a pressure washer and dish washing detergent.