1989 Mustang LX CMC Mustang Chronological Build
CMC #17
BNS-Racing sponsored Camaro-Mustang Challenge 89LX
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6
Week 4 (May 31-June 7)
31 May 2003
With CMC#17 off the trailer and in the garage, it was time to replace the rear bumper cover with one that didn't have any rips or tears in it. Installation went really smooth.
I would like to report that I was able to do much more on
CMC#17, but this isn't the case. My "honey-do" list is at an alarming level. So,
I decided to try and keep the list from spilling over until next year.
"I'll be back".......
1 June 2003
While stuck inside for a while in front of the computer, I had time to "play"
around.
Ok, back to work...
2 June 2003
Time to kick this thing into high gear. The Autopower bolt-in roll cage arrived today! This along with the #17 decal numbers, window net, name decal and some roll-bar padding. Time to get busy.
Started with assembling the Autopower roll cage outside the car to make sure I knew how it was going to go together. Went together without a hitch. It was time to go ahead and install it in the car for a trial fit.
It took some time to wiggle the main part in the car without taking out knuckles or banging it against the body. Once the main part was inside, the other pieces fit right in with no issues. It was time to finalized placement and then drill the holes, add the backing plate and then secure it with the nuts and bolts. After all six mounting plates were securely bolted, it was time to do a little research to make sure that the next step in the installation process is correct. The installation instructions were very vague and only showed a picture of the roll bar with three lines on the sheet of paper. The next part is to drill a hole on each side of the coupling tube and secure it with the longer bolts and nuts. This has yet to be done and is on the agenda for tomorrow.
I also took some time to go ahead and start painting some of the trim on CMC#17. This was decided after looking at the photoshop picture above and how it really improves the overall look.
Time to move on to the driver side and get the trim done tomorrow along with the painting the lower trim pieces. Then it will be time to apply the decals!!
3 June 2003
Drilling 16 holes through four layers of metal each does not rank in my top 10 things I would prefer to do. After verifying on corner-carvers.com that I had to either drill the holes for the bolts or weld the slip tubes in-place to be complete, I decided to go ahead and drill the holes. It was mentioned in the forums that this will be a time consuming process and one person went through 9ea. 3/8" drill bits. Yikes! Luckily, I was patient enough and used WD-40 in massive quantity to only use one drill bit for the 16 holes. Ok, so it took me four hours to complete the roll cage installation as I vacuumed after every hole was drilled. This also let my poor drill cool down and the bit.
It's done. All that I have left it to procure more padding for the upper driver side bar. It looks great and is very, very solid!
Time to move on and finish painting the trim along with applying the decals!
4 June 2003
Ok, a paint and body man I'm not. Nothing is more frustrating than masking an area off and then painting it. Seems like the prep work takes 10 times longer than the actual spraying.
I've been working on the passenger side for right now. The mistakes I learn on this side should not be reflected on the driver side (hopefully). The trim is all painted (most of it) and looks a lot better! The difference between the two sides is dramatic!
Ok, decal time. Friggin' decals! Wasn't as bad as I had anticipated, but it was still trying on the nerves. After Mike (Admiral) told me about his ordeal with the decals (side numbers) I was skeered. Making a mistake with the size of these side numbers would be most uninviting. Take a look and see what you think.
I did manage to go ahead and paint the passenger side floorpan. This was to give it a cleaner look. Next will be tackling the driver side trim, decals and floorpan. One step closer.....
5 June 2003
The driver side trim paint and decals went a lot smoother than the passenger side. Learned from my mistakes I did. =) However, I will pass along that patience is paramount when dealing with any decals. Taking your time and checking it many times before peeling and sticking it will reduce a lot of aggravation in the end. I measure the distance in three different places 20 times before peeling the backing off the decals.
6 and 7 June 2003
The only thing on today's agenda is to get the rest of the trim painted on CMC#17. So, I got busy taping off the areas to be painted. I was interrupted by Mrs. Honey-do and was pulled off the project for a while. What did I have to do? Well, I had to spend some time in the backyard pool for a few hours. After that? I had to make sure the BBQ grill was working fine and that it was still functional to cook some hamburgers. Dang! This "honey-do" stuff is tough stuff!
Next on the list is to do the front trim. Ok, front and rear trim painted and finished. Time to move on to the brake and suspension upgrade.