Maybe a year or two ago, Gumby and I were discussing builds and swaps that would be cool. I have access to a Mark VIII, so my "what if" build was to swap a DOHC 4.6L with a manual, and do the MM TA/PHB setup, 3 piece wheels and so on.
Pretty sure that conversation was considerably longer than a couple years ago. I recall telling you to go for it, as I wanted nothing to do with a modular swap at that point, and I was still enamored with the IRS. Definitely already had these wheels at least....Funny how things change.
I am calling this mock-up complete. There was some clearancing necessary to the seat bracing under the floor pan, and a bit of tender massaging to the tunnel/floorpan area. Looking pretty good from my vantage. Next up, I need to grab a couple feet of 2x2x0.125" angle to construct brackets for the T/A crossmember, and then paint all this bare steel under the car.
Finished up the panhard bar mount and then the tires touched pavement today. First time since January. It appears to have gained about ½" of ride height in the rear with the new LCAs. I will make final adjustments there after I correct some geometry.
Moved the car to the lift so I can start on the T/A, and then exhaust. I don't think the standard location tailpipe is gonna work on the passenger side, but we'll see.
I installed the Mustang lower control arms which are ⅜" shorter than the Tbird version, and needed to remind myself that it is ok not to nit-pick this detail. The effort it would take to extend these is not in proportion with the result. I ran an uncorrected Cobra IRS subframe under my old TurboCoupe and not a single person ever noticed or mentioned the change in wheel location.
I also got a good start on the Panhard Bar installation. Axle bracket is fitted, and the frame bracket too. I am about halfway thru drilling the mount holes for the frame bracket. I only needed to massage one location on the left side tank strap mount to relieve a minor interference with the frame bracket. So far, so good.
I have a handful of things started and have been dragging my feet wrapping them up. New parts have an amazing way of clearing the mental block.
Put the sheet metal back on the car, then sit back and stare for while
Then I climbed inside and completed the stereo shuffle that began with ripping out the red display Sony that didn't match anything, and putting in a RAD Pioneer I bought in high school.
I cut a window in the hood liner for intake clearance. Just need to find 15 new push pins since every one of the originals broke when I pulled the liner down.
6wks. I am ashamed that this car is so close to being back on the road and I have barely touched it in 6wks....
Front suspension is in. Brakes hooked up and initial bleed complete. Power steering filled and cycled thru the cooler and hydroboost. Engine starts and runs for 3sec before PATS shuts off the fun. Still in a holding pattern on getting that defeated in the PCM.
I sold my SHO last night and currently have no play vehicle for the street. That is not how this is supposed to work. On the upside however, part of the deal struck on the SHO included another mess of Mustang donor parts I didn't know I wanted.
THE BEAST STIRS IN ITS SLUMBER and grumbles, "just 5 more minutes...."
I hit the shop this morning excited, but also with some trepidation. I am oh so close to calling this wiring mess done! That also means trouble shooting any things that don't work properly on the first go, and there is always something.....
Finish the last few connections of the interior jumper harness - √
Tidy the routing and loom the aforementioned harness - √√
Reinstall the steering column so I can power everything up - √
Getting anxious now, test battery voltage before connecting cables - a touch low, but √
CONNECT THE CABLES WITHOUT RELEASING THE SMOKE FROM THE HARNESS!!! - √√√√
Short break to congratulate myself and ponder what exactly I may have forgotten, notice that my boss has posted on FB about the pic of my car in GRM, waste time on the internet chasing squirrels.....
Deep breath, turn the key! Still no smoke, some clicks but no whirring. There should be whirring, and an illuminated MIL; there is neither.
Sad Panda. Time to fire up the diagnostic brain, hit the obvious things first. No MIL means no PCM, no PCM means no fuel pump(no whirring). A quick flip thru the EVTM reveals that part of the sn95 relay module(CCRM) is powered up by a feed from the interior fuse panel which is hanging on the wall. Why? i dunno why, all the rest of the power comes from the under hood power distribution box which I have wired into the car, but whatever. I need to power up this red/green wire. Red wires and yellow wires are very important for Ford wiring harnesses. Typically 12v supply wires, in this case hot in run and start. Figure out where it is disconnected, and tie it back in, ok! Put everything back together.
Another deep breath and turn the key again. More clicks, still no smoke, but also still no whirring and no MIL. berkeley. PCM relay and fuel pump relay are both in the CCRM, so pull out the DVOM and start double checking my work. Three yellow wires(12v hot at all times) in, but only one is hot, WTF? Follow the harness to the next connector, one that I have had my hands on countless numbers of times, and one of the yellows is deadheaded....BY MY DOING! Remember the whole yellows are important bit? Yup, must been on the good drugs whatever night I pulled that off.
[Intermission to pick up my BiL from the airport, and eat some supper]
Reach into the pile of cast-off wires and find the scoundrel, plug it back into the connector, chase it into the loom back to the power distribution box, push a fuse into that location, and put everything back together that got in my way along the route. Turn the key again. MORE clicks, and whirring!!! No smoke, and the MIL is on! Do a dance, drink a beer, commence system checks.
MIL is on
Fuel pump primes(2sec) at key on
Fuel pressure present at the rail
Code reader is able to scan the PCM
Fog light relay clicks when commanded
Starter relay clicks when commanded
Fan relay clicks when commanded
I noticed the battery voltage was falling hard and hooked up the charger, but I cannot yet attempt to fire the engine. I need to have the PATS junk turned off in the PCM before it will start. I wanted to have this handled before I took everything apart to eliminate variables, but my SCT guy and I couldn't get our schedules aligned. He has been notified that I am ready, so hopefully it happens soon.
I did get froggy and run a temporary wire from the relay to the starter. The engine cranks on the key, w00t! Still much to do before entertaining thoughts of a test drive, but I am beyond ready for loud noises.
After hours of deliberation, and even some enabling by SWMBO, I decided that if I want this car to run anytime soon and if I ever want to get to the rest of my projects, I had better curb the scope creep.
Worked on more wiring last night. Have a nibble on the SHO, so it might leave soon. Un-named and unrelated project being delivered tomorrow.
Adding details so that after this is done I can read back thru and adjust my selective memories. I spent an hour last night moving the washer tank forward 3/4" to clear the sn95 underhood power distribution box, and forgot to take a pic cause it looks stock...
