decided on a new car

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decided on a new car

January 17, 2016, 11:44:03 PM

I've decided it's time to start saving up for a new car. The plan is basically to build the car I want while milking my 86 along until the time comes. I will be sticking with a 83-86 body either bird or cat and saving up for all the parts I want. Gonna be manual everything, including steering and brakes with a t-5 and a h.o. maybe with gt-40 heads and intake. With no emissions it makes starting from scratch way easier, so starting out with a 3.8 car wouldn't be a big deal.

Early manual fox mustang brakes and pedal will be the hardest part to find. Then I'll gut a 20:1 power rack and weld the input shaft. This saves me from different style ragjoints or special and expensive adapters for the power shaft. I have the manual doors and seats. I'd prefer the 85-86 dash with a digi layout, even though everyone dogs on the star wars clusterz, I really liked mine.

Right now I have the 302 and t-5 in storage as well as everything for a basic h.o. upgrade, just gotta decide on gt-40 heads and intake. I'll probably do sn-95 springs, I don't want the car really low out back and I want to keep it 4-lug, so I will be using basic gt brakes and calipers. I already have the spindles. I'll be going with a locking rear end. Haven't decided which ratio. I've been researching different 5th gear ratios that could possibly swap with the t-5.

Once I have the other car ready to go, I will gut my 86 and decide if it will be repaired or junked. As much as I like the car, I have never done body work. If it wasn't for the rust I'd keep it no matter what.

That's all I got so far. I want a rust free, or easily fixed car. Don't car about minor body work as long as its not too hammered. I have no problems replacing fenders and doors ect. I'll also be building my own tail lights. It's something I've thought about quite a bit over the years. I'll make a metal cover with round trailer style led's and paint the metal either black or body color and make it so it is still easily replaceable if needed to go back to stock.

decided on a new car

Reply #1 – January 18, 2016, 07:57:05 AM

I used the Maximum Motorsports steering shaft on my 85 Mustang project. It's pricey, but with the slip joint, it works great and is really made well also.

decided on a new car

Reply #2 – January 18, 2016, 02:38:27 PM

Yeah, I'd rather spend the money on their piece than have a welded concoction to trust my life to. Besides, the rag joints are there to help keep vibration out of your hands....I have carpal tunnel to some degree...even a few minutes of mild vibrations from a steering wheel can turn a 5 mile drive into pain for the rest of the day.

decided on a new car

Reply #3 – January 18, 2016, 04:15:52 PM

The input shaft has the valving built in to allow the hydraulic fluid to turn the wheels. The only reason to weld the shaft is to remove the play in the shaft without pressurized fluid. It only allows less then 1/8" to move to begin with, and if the weld did fail, it would be just like turning a regular power steering rack with no pump/fluid.

Essentially, there are a ton of little orings all over the rack assembly to try to hold back hundreds of psi or pressure. Once these are removed, it is identicle to a manual rack except for holes for hoses. Simply cutting the metal hose and crimping it or plugging it gives you the exact same result as a manual rack, but with a larger and beefier splined input shaft then the manual rack has. With a big of axle grease and no seals, all he drag except for the rack and pinion hardware is removed allowing much easier turning then a dead or bypassed pump. This also allows you to keep stock style tie rod ends and proper steering geometry with larger and stronger tie rod parts and shafts. Plus it actually costs nothing but time and really cuts down on lines and accessories. I'll also be deleting the air conditioning.

In my opinion it's a win win. I want to cut down the weight of the car wherever possible without gutting stuff like bumpers and crash bars in the doors.

decided on a new car

Reply #4 – January 18, 2016, 09:04:46 PM

What's your beef with a power rack??? Power racks and pumps are readily avail, and by the ole ass-O-meter you'll never feel any performance gain(my T-Bird would gain less than a tenth in the quarter with P/S bypassed)...

Believe me a 20:1 manual ratio sucks, and effort wise 15:1 manual sucks even more... Had a odd ball '80 Stang with the 200 I6 and four speed O/D trans as it's only options, lousey around town...

decided on a new car

Reply #5 – January 18, 2016, 10:47:10 PM

Saw a meme a coupla years ago...basically deriding the Mustangers who thought that ditching p/s would net them over a tenth and 20 HP....for a street driven car...it ain't worth it.

If you've a hard-on to do it...by all means. I rather like being able to turn a wheel with ease while backing in or out of a parking spot, garage, etc. Hell, I could clean out the mouse turds that are probably in the floor of my car and get more gain than the deletion of power steering LOL

decided on a new car

Reply #6 – January 19, 2016, 01:40:06 AM

I am a firm believer in the kiss prinl. If it isn't there, its not going to break.

I drove my second 86 for two years without power steering and it really wasn't that bad. A drive thru took a firm grip, but I could do all but parellel park with one hand, and any speed above 10mph you can barely tell any difference unless you are pushing it really hard. With the rack gutted, it should be just as easy as any stock mustang without PS was and without costing $400+.

We had an old Mazda truck (82 maybe?) With manual steering. I hated driving it. It was actually my grandma's truck and we had borrowed it for a few years. I used to avoid drive thru windows cause I hated driving it. When we gave it back to her, I rode home with her and she stopped at McDonalds. She had no problem maneuvering it at all and was about 75 at the time.

I like fuel injection, but most things just remove you from actually driving. I owned my cougar for two years before I realized the cruise control didn't work. I want a basic car that is fun to drive and I can beat on. I also want to eventually pipe in my own remote supercharger. The m-112's and even bigger chargers are starting to get cheap.

decided on a new car

Reply #7 – January 19, 2016, 10:00:07 AM

I also like a simple car, BUT, for my wife and kids, I want a good, solid, safe, and extremely dependable vehicle, so, all of hers come with a warranty. Sure, things can go wrong, BUT, the odds of stuff breaking on a 28 year old Thunderbird are greater than a new vehicle having multiple issues. I like to feel secure that my wife is safe, has heat and air, and plenty of safety options.

I have been lucky that my car hasn't ever stranded me away from home, BUT, I have had plenty to fix on it. Issue after issue. With hers, IF something breaks, we take it to the dealer, get a loaner car, off we go. Plus, she deserves to be driving a car that isn't embarrassing to be seen in. I enjoy my old Thunderbird, and wouldn't want to drive anything else, but not for as a daily driver.

I built my car to be a great all around car, power everything, comfortable, quick, can take it down the track or to the grocery store. No need to sweat all summer and freeze for the sake of simplicity. By the time a person generally removes everything, the car is hacked together. I agree with Tom about power steering. It's not complicated. A good reman rack and pump can last for years easily. Mine makes no noise, and I don't want driving to be a c. or say it's all good except when I do this or that. I want it good all the time. A/C and all is well worth having if you have any kind of heat to deal with. Down here, we get wicked heat. I don't like to suffer while driving.

In the end, it's gotta be the way you want it, but don't take chances on critical areas like steering , brakes, etc. Safety is a good thing.

decided on a new car

Reply #8 – January 19, 2016, 12:37:36 PM

I've driven a lot of ratty assed cars, some ford, some dodge, a couple of Jeeps, GM stuff, etc.

Umm...steering pump/rack failures? Zilch. Other than a leaky hose on a Mustang and on one of the dodges (Aries wagon, was a huge bitch to replace said line), the steering systems were all fine. None were new, and some are now 25-30 years old.

decided on a new car

Reply #9 – January 19, 2016, 02:41:30 PM

Quote from: vinnietbird;453416

I also like a simple car, BUT, for my wife and kids, I want a good, solid, safe, and extremely dependable vehicle, so, all of hers come with a warranty. Sure, things can go wrong, BUT, the odds of stuff breaking on a 28 year old Thunderbird are greater than a new vehicle having multiple issues. I like to feel secure that my wife is safe, has heat and air, and plenty of safety options.

I have been lucky that my car hasn't ever stranded me away from home, BUT, I have had plenty to fix on it. Issue after issue. With hers, IF something breaks, we take it to the dealer, get a loaner car, off we go. Plus, she deserves to be driving a car that isn't embarrassing to be seen in. I enjoy my old Thunderbird, and wouldn't want to drive anything else, but not for as a daily driver.

I built my car to be a great all around car, power everything, comfortable, quick, can take it down the track or to the grocery store. No need to sweat all summer and freeze for the sake of simplicity. By the time a person generally removes everything, the car is hacked together. I agree with Tom about power steering. It's not complicated. A good reman rack and pump can last for years easily. Mine makes no noise, and I don't want driving to be a c. or say it's all good except when I do this or that. I want it good all the time. A/C and all is well worth having if you have any kind of heat to deal with. Down here, we get wicked heat. I don't like to suffer while driving.

In the end, it's gotta be the way you want it, but don't take chances on critical areas like steering , brakes, etc. Safety is a good thing.