Making progress

[predator]

There is something to be said for planning. Have you ever done mods to your car.... just to have to undo them to do something else? That seems to be my way of doing things on this car.

Friday evening I started to pull the stock motor. I realized that I needed to unbolt the driver's side LTs since the steering shaft had the tubes built around it in the initial install. Back then I had stripped the front end and was installing the MM K-member.....so nothing was in the way. After getting that done I started to hoist on the motor and found out that there was no way the tubes were going to clear the K-member on the passenger side either! :cuss: I left the motor hanging like that through Saturday while giving Jason a hand with his IRS. Sunday afternoon I got back to it and had to unbolt the LTs on the passenger side. Once that was completed it was a matter of insuring all the wire connections undone and the motor came out clean.

What a maze of wiring! Whatever happened to a starter wire and ground?

Now to put the factory motor to bed.

LOL!! Sure hope I can remember where everything goes!

:beer:

 

[FISHTAIL]

LOL, that's what my 5.0 looks like (although my suspension is still on the car). I keep telling myself I'm gonna take a day and re-route all of the wiring to inside the fenders/firewall so that the motor install looks clean.

I haven't gotten around to doing it yet though. And I know how you feel with the "I hope I remeber where everything goes" comment. I've had mine apart for well over a year now and well, I hope I remeber where everything goes....lol!

 

[JebTonkin]

Nice progress, wanna get rid of that stock motor lol.

 

[predator]

LOL! The big wood box you see in the pic is full of parts too. Its all the factory stuff and won't be going back on. About 85% of the other parts on top of the box will be bolted on the new motor. The IRS(s) are spare. Still, its the nuts and bolts that will make you scratch your head. I will get it all figured out though. It just amazes me how much more there is than what I remember with my first Mustang. I can't afford to wait too long to get the new motor together and in the car. I am just waiting on some more hardware from my local dealer.

I will probably be keeping the factory motor. I have the complete trans and IRS too.......just in case I get the itch to build something else. Then again.....for the right price....... :thumbsup:

 

[FISHTAIL]

LOL! The big wood box you see in the pic is full of parts too. Its all the factory stuff and won't be going back on. About 85% of the other parts on top of the box will be bolted on the new motor. The IRS(s) are spare. Still, its the nuts and bolts that will make you scratch your head. I will get it all figured out though. It just amazes me how much more there is than what I remember with my first Mustang. I can't afford to wait too long to get the new motor together and in the car. I am just waiting on some more hardware from my local dealer.

I will probably be keeping the factory motor. I have the complete trans and IRS too.......just in case I get the itch to build something else. Then again.....for the right price....... :thumbsup:

how about a straight trade for a custom built 331 w/ a cobra 5spd trans attached? :banana:

It'd be fun to have a stock 03 cobra motor in a fox........

 

[predator]

Thanks...but I'm not really interested in any trades. Cash rules! :rockon:

 

[Hissssnsvt]

I've heard of removing parts to save weight but I think you've gone alittle too far Dave, lol....Good luck with the rebuild, hope you took some notes during the tear down.

 

[predator]

LOL! I don't have any notes, Ken, but I figured I would need one of you guys to show up with your car in case I get stuck trying to figure anything out. :-D Its all part of the fun!

 

[I-CAN-STANG]

Nice Dave!

 

[mystic04]

What A Mess!!!!!but A Good Mess!!!!

 

[predator]

It sure looks that way! LOL!! Just wait until I try to get the new motor in. I have already figured that I will need to drop the K-member.....again.....just to install the motor with the LTs, steering shaft, and get all the wiring in place. Part of the problem with running 1 3/4" tubed LTs. The motor will be lowered......the K-member raised.....and hopefully both will meet where they are suppose to line up. Its the only way I see that it will work right now.

Thanks Marlon! :thumbsup:

 

[G03SVT]

Good luck... I loose bolts just taking my backseat out, I couldn't imagine having the motor and irs out, haha.

 

[Mrcobraguy]

Now thats a man's garage right there! Good luck with the new motor. :beer:

 

[JRS BLOWN SNAKE]

Looking good Dave. It'll come together for sure. Your shop with all those parts laying around, is still cleaner than my shop....go figure...

 

[booricua]

Just out of curiosity why did you take the factory engine out? is there something wrong with it??

 

[predator]

No.....nothing wrong with the factory motor at all. It only has 5.5k miles on it. Thats why its so clean! :-D I decided to build something that would withstand the punishment of RR/OT use and more than 8psi boost. The majority of stock motors have been proven to have a short life span in either case.

I didn't build this motor because it was cheaper to let Al start with a used Windsor Mach I block and Cobra crank he already had in his shop. Shipping round trip could have been more than $1k! Besides, Now I have a spare!

 

[5.0snake]

how about a straight trade for a custom built 331 w/ a cobra 5spd trans attached? :banana:

It'd be fun to have a stock 03 cobra motor in a fox........

Hmmmm....and if your gonna get rid of a 331..... :idea:

 

[booricua]

I see a lot of power plants swaps if the price is right oke: :thumbsup: