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 7
Week 6 (June 15 - June 21)
16 June 2003
Yes, it's crunch time! The 5-lug brake upgrade parts kit made it today. Time to get busy tearing apart the rear and swapping in the other rear-end from my 88GT (better gears from 3.08 to 3.55, Moser axles w/3" studs and Hotchkis LCA's). CMC rules state that the stock upper control arms must remain. So, with that being said, I will probably upgrade the the HD uppers at some point before August.
Pulling the entire rear assembly out as one unit went fairly well. There were a few tough bolts that didn't want to let go at first, but a big breaker bar with an pipe extension dashed the bolt's hope of staying tight. Air tools definitely help speed a job like this up.
Time to get things cleaned up before installing the other rear-end. Oh, the Koni shocks in the above picture are totally shot. Push the upper part down and they stay down...even after an hour. Might be a good time to go ahead and replace the stock fuel pump and fuel filter. Should be a piece of cake without the rear in the way and this way I can get a 5 gallon container all the way underneath to drain the gas from the tank.
I didn't get as much done as I would like to have done, but with the rain outside the garage and having to the tools to the other garage, I decided to call it a night.
17 June 2003
Ok, got a late start tonight working on CMC#17 (7:45pm). Ughhh!! Lots of work ahead of me and the pace of time seems to quicken as Saturday approaches. Got down to the dirty to remove the rear-end from my 88GT. Once I got all my tools, compressor and added additional lighting to the smaller garage, I was ready to tackle the removal.
This went a lot quicker than on CMC17. I had all the tools ready and knew the exact sequence that needed to happen. Out came the rear, hauled it across the driveway, took a deep breath and then plunged head first in getting it mounted up to CMC17. I know my neighbors must love the sound of an air impact wrench at 10pm. D'oh! I was trying to be quiet, but there isn't a quiet quick way to install the nuts and bolts.
Ok, finally at 11pm it's in!!!! All mounting nuts and bolts are securely fastened.
Time to move on to the front suspension components. I hope to have them completed tomorrow night. Another fun filled evening with the trusty air impact tools. I wonder why my neighbors don't wave at me...hmmm..just don't know.
Check list:
18 June 2003
The Bilstein shocks and struts came in today along with the panhard bar. Woohoo!! I got a good jump on changing out the front A-arm assemblies with the 88GT. I did one side at a time to make sure if I forgot how it went back together, I would have a reference. Changing out the A-arms is not a hard job, but it does take a lot of time and patience.
I also installed the rear from CMC17 to the 88GT. With the help of my better half, we had it bolted up in less than an hour. Then it was time to put the tires on and let it down in order to be able to jack up the front to get at the suspension components.
CMC17 is getting much closer to being ready for this Saturday's event at Stangbang '03. I feel confident that I will be able to get it going and have something to run during the event. On Monday, I wasn't that positive. With the major part done or at least 95% complete, I can finish the rest and move on to the other items on the check list.
Forgot to mention that I also installed the Maximum Motorsports Caster/Camber plates (from the 88GT) during the front suspension installation. I still have to install the strut tower brace to complete the setup for this weekends event. Oh, one more thing I have to do is purge the brake lines and add DOT 4 spec brake fluid.
18 June 2003
Arrggghhhhh!!! A day from HELL! I will try to get some pictures up ASAP!
First, I'm under the car installing the Bassani X-pipe from the 88GT and a piece of metal (rust) flies directly in my right eye. #@$#@ Ok, I should have been wearing eye protection, but too late for that now. After wasting an hour chasing the elusive particle through my eye, I finally got it out. Back to work! The exhaust system is bolted up and I also used the 3 chamber FlowMasters from the 88GT (sounds good). Next on the list is the MM Panhard bar. Ok, not many pieces to this puzzle, but I can't believe that it took almost two hours to install!! Here's the real kicker during the two hours. I have an air wrench (saves time) and it was perched on a bolt (above me) ready for me to put a wrench on the other side and then tighten down. Nope, didn't quite work out that way. As soon as I reached for the wrench, the air wrench did a 1/2 gainer on my right cheek. Yes, it looks like Mike Tyson threw a roundhouse that connected on my face. #@$@#
Ok, MM Panhard bar installed. Time to bleed the brakes. But, before then I have to install the prop-valve and remove the one in the brake block. No problems with the removal and installation. Time to bleed the brakes. Notice a sucking sound when the brakes are pressed. I took a look at the brake-block and it has fluid dripping off one of the bottom lines. Oh great!!! After an hour, I got the leaked stopped. Brakes are bled, but I'm not really sure why the back brakes are nearly as efficient at the fronts. I get fluid out the rear, but it seems they are grabbing as hard as I would think.
I also aligned the front-end as best that I could by eye. Time to get it down to an alignment place to put the finishing touches on it.
Ok, next is to change the transmission fluid. Guess what? It only took 10 minutes. A look at the clock and it is close to 12:30am. Time to wrap it up.
Pictures to follow.......
Here are some pictures after the fact. CMC17 is on the way to the alignment shop to get the front suspension in spec.
And the before pictures!
