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Started working on getting the SVE short throw shifter installed. Naturally I found a way to make the process for removing the center console as time-consuming as possible. Just waiting for the lower shift boot to arrive so I can get this finished up and test out the different shifter handles.
I documented this in the latest video, which I'm currently finishing uploading but I did a little comparison with each of my three available shifter handles.
After owning 3 Fox bodies Mustangs, 1980-1981-1986 bought new, I would invest is every type of frame stiffing after market product sold. This would be a good start, they (Steeda) sell other frame stiffening products also
Hi David, thanks for chiming in. The Fox had Kenny Brown subframe connectors already installed when I bought it but I think that's it as far as frame stiffening. I'll have to look into other things I can add that are doable in the garage.
I'd love to try a bunch of different shifters out on the Fox one day when I have a bunch of money I don't know what to do with. For now, I have to say I'm pretty happy with the SVE, especially for the price.
Newest video is up, with more details on finishing up the install and comparing the shifter handles:
I’ve made zero progress recently...I blame the weather mostly. Snow the last three weekends and freezing temperatures over a couple of weeks before that. I really need to get some type of insulation for my garage.
My other excuse is that we spent a couple of weeks test driving multiple vehicles before finally buying one early last week. I made a video about it, naturally.
I didn’t put all the details in the video or it would be like three hours long but if anyone here is on the tall side (I'm 6'5") and in the market for a crossover, I can offer lots of insight. We tested 11 vehicles initially, narrowed it down to 3-4, then bought one.
I also realized recently that it had been about a year since I bought the Fox Mustang and since it’s still too cold out to do any work, I made a video talking about most of the things accomplished on the car over the past year.
It snowed again this week. I did get time to make a trip to an auto body shop in Fredericksburg to get a quote on replacing and painting the rear bumper cover on the Fox. It's the thing I hate the most on the car visually...so I think I might just do it if we can find the right bumper cover.
I also have some scratches on the 2014 GT's trunk lid that I have been wanting to get fixed for a long time....but I'm also floating the idea of getting into a newer Mustang or something different like a WRX STI or Civic Type R. The amenities of the Forester have me day dreaming of something newer/fancier but still fun and fast. I figure the Fox could still serve its function and fit my RWD V8 needs but I don't know if I'll do it or not. I've had a lot of automotive ADD lately. We'll see.
Thank you! I didn't even realize there was a naval base that close but I guess it makes sense. Haven't spent much time exploring the Potomac or Chesapeake. Need to go check that area out sometime.
Nerd alert.....got a new phone case. Not an exact match clearly but I dig it.
So I got a few parts in the mail a week or so ago. I wanted to try and start working on getting the door aligned (I think I mentioned this in my latest video) so I went ahead and ordered the inner door renewal kit. After watching some videos, it seems this won’t be particularly easy but that’s fine.
So naturally I started with what I thought would be the easiest part - the door latch strikers. I had noticed recently the bushings were missing on mine anyways. So I got the new striker installed on the driver side with the spacer and it took a lot of fenagling and adjusting to get it to open and close the way it seems it should (still not completely certain to be honest but it seems to be working).
After closer examination of the center caps that came with my super cheap pony wheels, I decided to just go ahead and order new ones. Now I just need to figure out how soon I'm going to brave the rear main seal/clutch replacements and then have a better idea of what time I'll order some new tires. The center caps arrived over the weekend and seem like a pretty good match, though the wheels need to be cleaned.
I started another separate playlist for when I'm not actually doing work on either of the cars and just rambling. My plan is to try and keep this mostly Mustang related but we'll see how that goes...
I did a little bit of work on straightening out the pinch welds on the Fox on Saturday. I'll have a video up on that soon. Little thing that I had been meaning to do and also procrastinating on doing the cooling system stuff.
Got a new video up a week or so ago, a review of the SVE jack pads and the pinch weld flange straightening tool. There’s more detail in the video but I’m pretty happy with these SVE jack pads. It would be awesome if they made them in a few different sizes (like maybe slightly bigger to better fit the jack cup like the rubber one pictured below) but these seem like they will work pretty well for the Fox. I haven’t tried them on the 2014 yet but I do have the Steeda low profile jacking rails on that car so it's less of an issue.
I took advantage of the warm weather to finally get started on the cooling system stuff, which I’ve been procrastinating on. I drained the coolant, removed the hoses, and sprayed some PB blaster on the water pump bolts. Had to do some work on the back deck over the weekend as well so I didn’t get a ton of time on the Fox but I’m glad I finally started that process.
Also found a large drip pan at Auto Zone today. It was $10 so I grabbed it. Figure it’s better than constantly throwing cardboard boxes underneath to catch leaks.
Made a little bit more progress on Sunday - got all the hoses removed, got 4 of the water pump bolts out, and took the coolant overflow tank out. Taking the tank out made me glad I decided to order a new one.
I made a new video, which I uploaded last night. The earlier bits are me failing at something unrelated to the cooling system, rambling, taking a trip to Auto Zone, and then eventually getting around to working on the cooling system bits.
I've been crazy busy with work lately and my wife and I took a couple of weeks to get out of town so I haven't updated my threads much lately. The cooling system stuff (hoses, thermostat housing, & thermostat) took way longer than I expected. Sharing part 2 of that experience here:
Also, in case anyone's card nerdness extends beyond Mustangs, while we were on our road trip, we visited a friend in Louisiana who recently bought a 1996 Mitsubishi Lancer EVO rally car, which I got to drive multiple times in three days. It was pretty awesome, to put it mildly.
Passenger side rear ground effect replacement and MM steering shaft. Can't upload pictures for some reason at the moment.
I’m looking forward to having more precise steering on the Fox but I’m a little worried about the installation on this, lol. I’ve got a few things I want to do on the Dudestang before I get to the steering shaft.
Dropped off my new rear bumper cover and passenger side ground effect piece for paint a few weeks ago and then took a road trip. Called the shop this week and the guy said the paint was done on the bumper cover but the ground effect piece was taking longer (I guess it wouldn’t take the paint on the first attempt).
In the meanwhile, I went ahead and picked this up since the original part is pretty rusted.
Hoping I can pick the bumper cover up soon and get it back on the car.
I still haven’t made time to put the new steering shaft in yet but am hoping to do that soon, along with an oil change and a few other things.
It's always fun getting stuff for your car it's like Christmas whenever you want it to be. Good news is always best please keep us posted on the progress and thanks for sharing pics.
I went to a car audio shop last weekend with the intent of getting a quote on a new stereo setup for the Fox. As much as I tried to convince myself I was OK with the soulless gap in the center console and no music, I needed something. The shop wasn't super busy and the guy ended up installing a new double din receiver in a little over an hour. I now have Apple Car Play in my Fox:
The passenger door speaker is missing but the rest of the speakers work OK. Next I just need to get a replacement door speaker, an amp, and a subwoofer or two.
The passenger door speaker is missing but the rest of the speakers work OK. Next I just need to get a replacement door speaker, an amp, and a subwoofer or two.
Couldn’t the shop have installed a suitable replacement?
And the rabbit hole deepens!!!
Back in '89 I spent over 5k on my stereo system in my '89 GT and that was a lot of money considering the car brand new was $12,500.
1/7/21, 10:36 PM
