Plan B, the red headed stepchild Mustang GT

Figured I'd start a "build" thread on the other modifiable vehicle in the driveway, a 21 Mustang GT.

I bought it brand new in December of 21 from Karl Flammer Ford in Tarpon Springs, Florida with a whole 26 miles on it. It was also simple optioned vehicle, as it really only had the performance pack, active exhaust, and summer only tires. V8, 6spd, 3.73 Torsen, 19's, cloth interior. Black and black.

So, not modifying it lasted about 3 months...I called in a favor and went with an assortment of UPR Products pieces for the weakass IRS suspension. I installed these in my hotel parking lot a few days prior to  attending the Spring Break Shootout in Bradenton. I still haven't put on all of what I purchased, but it's good for now.

Mmmmm billet...

Fast forward to last week and now sitting at 16k miles. I drive a lot for my profession. 

I needed tires. The crappy OE Pirellis had been throughly abused with about 20 drag passes plus crappy roads. I purchased some Nitto NT555rII drag radials in the stock 275/40r19 size. Even got an online code via email for 20% off with free shipping from tirebuyer! I brought them to a local tire place to have put on after speaking to them at the local cruise event. They did me a huge solid for $20 on the install and balance.

Once installed back on the car, plenty of burnouts commenced. Lol.

Now, it's just a few precious days before leaving on Hot Rod Drag Week... Sure, let's rip out part of the exhaust!!! And I want to thank Ford for the fully welded, awkward, and heavyass exhaust. Oh well, it'll be another chance to upgrade later.

It sounds better now too...

Just an oil change now and I'm ready to hopefully get into the 12's, largely still stock.

Until next time: always have a Plan B.

Just a little bit of prep, washed, destickered mostly, before a marathon of driving next week (hopefully)....

Before:

After:

Nothing but simple things to get it ready(?) for the abuse upcoming... 1320 Street Shine bug remover, glass cleaner, and wheel/tire cleaner with some maguires car wash soap and an OCD ex wife washing while I stood around drinking beer. 

Until next time: always have a Plan B.

PS- I'm going to try to update this thread throughout next week adventures good, bad, or ugly.. 

Cool, will definitely be following along.  Drag Week is on my to do list.

following

Much more later but Tom Bailey ran a 6.04@249 in SickSeconds...

Well I guess I should update this thread....

Attended Hot Rod Drag Week in 23. Was lots of fun again, but roasted the clutch at Bristol on day 3. Finished the week thankfully. Exhaust literally fell off after some tire shake on the first pass of the last day. Fixed it and on the next pass, the other pipe fell off. Fixed it and turned in a slip for a final average of 13.05 over 5 days. Solidly in the bottom third of street eliminator. I will say it was fun traveling down on I75 at Corbin KY in the rain on bald Nitto DR's half asleep in the dark.

Fast forward to current day. I really don't drive it much because of the previous maladies. But. Now, I have the ex's explorer st to rules prep for the same class this year. So, I dug the Weld wheels out of storage to wrap on some freshly bought used Nittos, 305/45/17's, I purchased from a guy at the nmca/nmra combo race at US131 Motorsports Park. I did this because the PP1 wheels from mine will get some new rubber in the same size to match the bald dr's, 275/40/19, even if I am picking the fronts a bit because the wheel is 1/2" narrower, to put on the explorer.

So that leaves me ummm wheel less up front. Enter flexing some cash for 18x5 matching skinnies, because stupid Brembos, and some Mickey Thompson 28x6 tires, this should be fixed later this week. Still need a clutch, but that $1200 piece of bs should be in my hands the following week.

Currently, 

Slowly but surely...

Got some replacement tires. 275/40/19 to replace the current Mustang fronts to put on the Explorer to make it a square setup even through I'm pinching the fronts on a 1/2" narrower wheel. New front skinny tires for the Mustang on new 18x5's.

Now if it would quit raining and having to work, I could get some things done...

Finally had time...

Now to find a way to afford the $1400 clutch and redo the exhaust in 3 weeks time....

In reply to Ranger50 :

It looks hostile.

Update: cleaned out two other cars in the way to access the lift in the pole building. What a nightmare.

Up on the lift.

I can't imagine why the clutch slips...

Oh and the dual mass flywheel is toast too. lol 

It was fun getting to this point..

What is going back in....

Got a discount on a $1500 clutch. Still $1300...

Now I'm forced to wait because of stupid one use fastener bullE36 M3. Maybe I'll get it finished tomorrow so I can start with the 1200 shifts needed...

Until next time: Always have a plan B.

Almost done.... just had to take the clutch apart twice because well I pulled a dummy move and didn't clean everything before assembly.

And almost done...

Even fixed the dodgy exhaust...

Now to put the interior together, bleed the clutch, and do a crank relearn via HPTuners and this thing should be done. If it sucks it's turbo400 time because this is 10# of crap in a 5# bag. I have about 10 hours wrapped into this venture.

Did have one mishap when the upgraded stainless braided clutch hydraulic line fell and of course got pinched between the block and bellhousing. 😞

Until next time: Always have a Plan B.

Last update for now: clutch is done!

What a pain in my azz. Literal 10# of crap in a 5# sack like I said before.

Pros- It's done. Self bleeding clutch system. It's a mustang=simple(ish). I used the lift I had instead of jackstands and outside in the driveway.

Cons- stupid one time use fasteners that unless you have SI, you don't know about. Sizes of everything from components to fasteners. Stupid crank signal setup.

Anyways, some pictures and commentary.

This is the stupid one time fastener I referenced earlier. It's for the flywheel to bolt to the crank. Of course it's a Mustang only part. One dealer had at least 8 of them, a 2 hr round trip drive. Gladly was able to get them at list price vs matrix. Of course it's torque to yield too. Eventually 28 or 30 ftlbs initially then about 60^ yielded a 75ftlb torque wrench click. That's plenty on a m10x1 thread imo.

I had to get creative on torquing down those bolts.... I used the clutch studs, some Scott towels and my Matco 36" prybar.

And together!

Some in progress shots.

Now since I had more stuff laying around, I put it all in for now. First up was the Energy Suspension trans mount insert. This fills the voids in the stock rubber mount.

Second project was to install the IRS diff lockout kit I had from UPR Products. Had this stuff when I installed the other stuff 2 yrs ago in the hotel parking lot. I'm glad I held off.... The drivers side OE bolt was a smidge too long and requires some help to be removed. Then the "5#" NVH damper hanging off the passenger rear bolt got E36 M3canned. For all this I'm glad I had this on the lift because you have to drop the IRS cradle to have some kind of access to everything.

Done! Of course only mechanically.... But now it's at least closer to the ground.

Now on to the electronics. Of course when you take the flywheel or flexplate off a Coyote, you disturb the crank trigger wheel. This means you have to do a crank relearn. Enter HPTuners yet again with their VCM scanner special functions allows this without having to resort to yet another scan tool.

Much more responsive with the aluminum flywheel and the clutch is stupid light to press the pedal down.

Done! Now to align the ducks and squirrels to make this years HRDW happen.

Until next time: always have a Plan B.

Drove it to work last night to chip away at the needed 1200 shifts and now have, what I believe, is a ring and pinion whine. The plethora of rubber bushings hid it. Now that I got rid of the most of the rubber compliance.... Come Monday or Tuesday I'll do a drain and fill with some fresh 75/90. If it doesn't fix it I don't care. I'm planning on a 4.88 gear for next year anyways instead of the abysmal 3.73's paired with that pofs mt82. Calculated out it will still be under 3k cruising at 70 or 75.

Edit: forgot to say that the 2qts of synchromesh and .7 qts worth of 75/90 made shifting 10000 times better than that unicorn diarrhea poo that ford initially puts in the trans. That is all.