86 Mustang challenger build

New score, set of Steeda camber/caster plates for $83, installed on a car but never driven. Sweet.

I'll make this Rustang go round corners yet

Nice score. Those will help a lot. Camber gain is sonething Fox Mustangs sadly lack so they need a lot of static camber.

In reply to aussiesmg:

Do you have a copy of the Mustang Performance Handbook 2?

No I don't, I am looking for one though

I've got one.... I didn't realize they were rare, lol.

Out of curiosity I checked amazon, they had a few new copies and 15 used ones. $175 new and $58 used!!!

I think I paid $20 for mine back in 2001.

I have now sold 3 cars that have had pieces of them go to the challenge. (I've never been)

You need to join Team Razorback Brad.

Got the rear end tore down, found it is a 28 spline aftermarket LSD in there but it is toast, completely worn out.

Found an axle and bearing trashed also, glad I have the Maroon92 vert for spares now. So more Maroon92 sourced parts are going into this Rustang.

Disc rear end will be on after this also.

With a little help, I got the LSD sorted last weekend, we found the unit installed to be a cone style LSD that had zero grip left in it, it is 28 spline and a 3.73 ratio.

I am very happy with the 3.73, the cone is gone and the Ford Motorsports Trak Lock installed, used an axle from the vert parts car as the driver's side unit had serious wear to the bearing face.

Bad news is the disc brake rear kit didn't fit, the rotors fouled against the mounts, I will have to do more research.

Much nicer to drive now, have to get more parts into the front end soon.

I can't explain why I think this is the greatest build up. Keep the updates coming!

It's an easy build, first one I ever did where everything is available with a little research.

I will continue to update the build for those who are interested.

I know this thread has renewed my lust for a fox . . .

Cheap but straight looking Fox body in SC. Not mine, no affiliation, YMMV, don't take with alcohol, may have some side effects: http://columbia.craigslist.org/cto/2678575963.html

Awww hell . . . I wonder if Mrs. Zero will kill me for dragging this home . . .

I have a line on an abandoned project car, it might have some good parts on it, I get to see it this week. It is an 85 hatch.

Was supposedly being prepped for racing, but the guy doesn't know much about it, hoping for a parts goldmine.

Stolen and linked

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44DamderVmU&feature=share

So what's the word, Steve? Any hidden goodies?

Last night I installed the 2 electric fans in place of the fixed unit and added the underdrive pulleys.

All these parts were included in the original purchase.

Damn you...

My H.D.S. has been bad enough lately without seeing things like this.

We replaced the leaking water pump during the week with another new one out of the stockpile of parts, damned if the thing is a standard rotation pump rather than the "stock" reverse rotation on a Fox. Beware of those things, the gasket is different, although the rear of the pump is not. We got the Camber/caster plates installed as well.

This morning at 2am we got done installing the 87+ lower control arms, poly bushings, Steeda ball joints and a non PS rack and pinon and steering linkage to replace the completely ruined rag joint.

Removal of the PS saves weight, complexity and cleans up access to the engine. Steering effort at low speed is increased but not horrible considering the 11" tires.

UPR bumpsteer adjusters

I drove it home and with a tape measured toe alignment and the difference is night and day.

I can actually stay in my lane when the front tires hit a cigarette butt.

All I can think about is how cool those yellow wheels on the vert would look on the z, painted black of course. lol

More pics

Crusty old PS rack

Ooooooo Shiney

Most important pic, showing the new alignment of the steering arms when the car is on the ground, less about 15% of upward angle.

What's the rear suspension look like at this point? Still stock?

If it is, getting some better lateral location on that axle will help a TON. On a challenge budget I'd be looking at DIYing myself some better UCAs using heim joints. I'd recommend looking at TeamZ's UCAs for ideas. on how to get things spaced out properly.

Another thing that will help if you don't have it are subframe connectors. They also shouldn't be too bad to DIY, you basically want to have a piece of box/tubular metal that's welded to the patch in front of the LCAs that extends and is welded to the flat patch at the slope break where the front subframe starts to rise up to the point where it meets the k-member. If you google-image search, you should see lots of ideas. If you have the time/motivation, I'd recommend an over/under SFC. That will require gutting the car and cutting some of the floorpan to install, but you can make the chassis VERY stiff that way (and stiff foxbodies are about as expected as the spanish inquisition)

In reply to ReverendDexter:

A lot of people are going to poo-poo the idea of stiffer UCA's since it's the floppy UCA's and their huge soft bushing that allow this axle to move while in bind. Which it is if it moves at all. Heim jointed UCA's sound like a great way to crack the floor pan.

In reply to pres589:

The problem is that the UCAs have to twist as the axle articulates; that's why poly bushings are a huge no-no back there. Heim joints, on the other hand, do allow that twist, but they get rid of the effective change in control arm length that kills the triangulation and allows axle-wrap.

Now scrapping the UCAs in favor of a torque arm and either a panhard bar or watt's link is certainly more ideal, but it's more work/expense.