budget build kick-off/photographer needed

[Str33tr]

Saturday nite I put the stang up on stands, pulled the rear wheels off and dug in.
I've now got the exhaust (cat back) unbolted, the (rear) swaybar taken off, the front of the left LCA (lower control arm) undone, and the rear of the right LCA undone (this is where I quit last night -didn't have the energy to do the front of this LCA!).
The rear bolt of the left LCA is rusted to the bushing, haven't quite figured out how to get that undone. Hopefully the front bolt on the right LCA won't give me any trouble...

BUT the biggest thing was that I've pulled off one of my sideskirts! I've "thrown my hat over the fence" now, and there's no going back. I ruined several of the plugs and damaged a couple of the mounting holes on the skirts, so there's no putting it back on. I'm committed to it now! I (obviously) won't leave the other sideskirt on, and when both are gone the spoiler will be removed, too. I've got half the money already set aside for the wheels/tires.
I'm on the road to really having a custom Mustang!

This all began when I got new LCAs for Xmas. Then, on New Year's Eve (on the way home from work) I hit a giant pothole (more like a crater), blowing a tire and destroying 2 rims. I never liked those tri-bar wheels anyway, so the car's been sitting while I've been trying to figure out what I want to do.
Unfortunately -right now- I can't afford to get the wheels (15"x6" & 15"x8" Cragars) that I really want. I'm going to get some Steelies (think black Nascar wheels) for an interim wheel (they're less that $50 a corner!), we'll see how those look -I'm thinking they'll be sweet!

[Str33tr]

Anyone in the Sherwood/gravel ridge/LRAFB area wanna come take pix so this can be an actual build thread? I'm not bad at taking pix, but I'm TERRIBLE at posting them!
I've got beer to offer as a bribe?

[ArkansasMystic]

Sorry to hear about the bad luck, but sounds like you'll end up with a very nice setup! I've seen a couple skirtless SN95's, and I actually like the look. I'm not sold on removing the spoiler, but I have saw a couple it looked good on. Overall setup sounds excellent, I think it'll really set it apart and look good. If I was anywhere close I'd take some pics for you, but I've got no plans to be down there anytime soon. If you've got a way to take pics, I can PM you my e-mail. If you'd send them to me, I can edit your post to include the pics.

[Str33tr]

I've seen a couple skirtless SN95's, and I actually like the look. I'm not sold on removing the spoiler, but I have saw a couple it looked good on.
I can't wait to get it all done. the skirtless/wingless look is boss, with the right wheels/tires/stance. And that's the hat-trick I'm working on!
If I was anywhere close I'd take some pics for you. If you've got a way to take pics, I can PM you my e-mail. If you'd send them to me, I can edit your post to include the pics.
HA! you remember the pic I had you take of my burn-out from the SMN show last summer? Still on the memory card... If I can't get any takers on my post I may have to shoot my own pix and use that burn out pic as my b4 shot (think it's the only pic I have of the car...).

[ArkansasMystic]

Haha! You're right, the look takes the right stance and wheels, but looks like you may have it all figured out. I'm trying to think, I may have a pic or two of your car. I'll look and see, if so it'd be a good before shot.

Edit: found one pic, here it is:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c387/beatty_preston/The%20Stang%20Gang%20Pics/Street%20Machine%20Nationals/IMG_0528.jpg

[Str33tr]

Haha! You're right, the look takes the right stance and wheels, but looks like you may have it all figured out.
Guess the after pix will show if I have it figured out or not...

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c387/beatty_preston/The%20Stang%20Gang%20Pics/Street%20Machine%20Nationals/IMG_0528.jpg
You're the man Preston! Guess I should've had you take the pic of the burn-out w/ YOUR camera instead of mine!!

[08MustangGT/CS]

That is an awesome color!

[Str33tr]

That is an awesome color!

I'm kind of a Mustang color nerd and this one is my favorite. There were just over 1500 made in this color and they were all GTs, 1yr only. Nothing against Preston's photography skills, but the pic doesn't do the color justice. For the most part it looks like a bluish purple, but when you look straight at it the electric blue comes out.

[ArkansasMystic]

Yep, I've seen it and it's truly unique! Kinda like the Mystic, hard to capture the true effect in a photo.

[Sketch]

I live around that area could probably drop by sometime and take a few pics for you. Just send me a PM and can work something out

[Str33tr]

Thanks buddy, pm sent. Of course I hate to take you away from your build!

[Str33tr]

was cold last nite and I was lazy, so no progress made. Supposed to have a friend come help/take pix 2nite so I hope to have something done and pix to show 2morrow!

[1low03gt]

Sorry to here what happen,but in the end it'll work out.
Nice stang.Never seen that color,definitely a nice color!
Good luck.

[Str33tr]

well, I finally got the rear bolt out of the left LCA -it took my cutting wheel to get it done, but it's out! The passenger side one came out w/ little drama and both quad shox and their mounts are in the discard pile!

I actually took some pix! I put the camera in the wife's car, and came in early this a.m. so that I'd be able to get 'em posted for you guys... but I left the camera in the car!! If she and I have lunch 2gether (which we usually do) I'll get it then...

1low03: thanks for the complement! It is a unique color and like has been said b4, it is hard to appreciate the full depth of the color in pix.

[Str33tr]

MAN! I'm having a hard time sticking to my plan! someone replied by PM to my WTB thread, offering to sell me black 17x9/10.5 terminators w/ tires (mmm...315s...) AND help tint my tails!!! The price is good and if I did this I could use the tires from my factory wheels, which still have good tread left...
Downsides:
wouldn't be "outside the box"
would lose ground clearance
would lose some comfort

upsides:
get to not throw away $400 worth of tires that I've already pd for!
small gain in performance
will DEFINITELY fit (whereas my idea has never been tested)
tinted tails, which I wanted to do anyway!
maybe make friends w/ someone that has access to a lift :)

HELP ME DECIDE!!!

[Str33tr]

Indecision is killing me... I feel like a girl!

[Str33tr]

MAN! I'm having a hard time sticking to my plan! someone replied by PM to my WTB thread, offering to sell me black 17x9/10.5 terminators w/ tires (mmm...315s...) AND help tint my tails!!! The price is good and if I did this I could use the tires from my factory wheels, which still have good tread left...
This deal is too sweet to pass up. After I've used up the tires I've got in the garage I may revisit the 15" idea...

[ArkansasMystic]

Gonna look great either way! Tinting tails I hear isn't hard, just take your time. Personally, I couldn't see just giving tires away and buying new. As you probably guessed, I kinda like the 03/04 Cobra wheels on the older SN95 Stangs!

[Str33tr]

As you probably guessed, I kinda like the 03/04 Cobra wheels on the older SN95 Stangs! Yeah, I figured I'd see you weigh in on the side of the Terminators. I'm kinda surprised at: "Gonna look great either way!" but thanx for the vote of confidence!

[Str33tr]

Progress: Got both skirts and the spoiler removed. Even though I KNOW that this is the look I want I still felt really nervous pulling it all off... wierd...
Haven't cut the springs yet, b/c I'm a bit nervous a/b doing that, too! Until I get my replacement bolts for the LCAs I'm at a standstill. Anybody got any good ideas a/b where to get these bolts -other than Ford Parts Counter? Like: "don't waste your money @ the dealership, buy them @ _______ for half the price!"

p.s.
I've asked for these projectors for Valentine's day (see attachment) and i'll buy these corners (2nd attachment) to put with 'em.

[oxman]

yeah man, I think the termi wheels is a good idea! Like you said, at least then you will not have to spend immediate money on tires and when that time comes you can then sell the wheels and get your 15's. That's what I would do. That will look good, especially once you cut those springs. Keep us updated, and look forward to some pics! :)

[Str33tr]

yeah man, I think the termi wheels is a good idea! Like you said, at least then you will not have to spend immediate money on tires and when that time comes you can then sell the wheels and get your 15's. That's what I would do. That will look good, especially once you cut those springs. Keep us updated, and look forward to some pics! :) re: Pix: I brought the camera to work today to post pix, but we've apparently lost the cable to upload the pix!!!

AAAAaargh!!!!

So, we'll have to go to my mother-in-laws to use her laptop (it has a place to read a SD card) to get the pix off. That OR I'll have to go to have the pix developed/put on a disc.

<=====disgruntled

[ArkansasMystic]

Lol, just can't win, can you? We'll get pics soon enough, as long as you're making progress that's all that matters. I don't know how they'll compare to online stores, but I've always bought my OEM parts from Tousley Ford Parts. They sponsor SVTPerformance and offer forum discounts. I've gotten some great deals from them on parts. You'll need to mention SVTP, but it'll be good for 10% above cost. Call 1-800-328-9552 ask for Steve or Kevin (I always deal with Steve).

[Str33tr]

Should look like this:
http://www.thestanggangar.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=699&d=1264712691
but black wheels instead of chrome, and -eventually- w/ black housing headlights... mmm sessy...

[oxman]

ahhhhhhh yes,,very nice!

[horspwr]

You need to put a 3" cowl hood on that bad boy! Screams muscle car....

[Str33tr]

You need to put a 3" cowl hood on that bad boy! Screams muscle car....

That would rule! First I need the muscle, though. Gonna feel enough like a poser running 315s w/ wimpy stock motor.

[1low03gt]

You need to put a 3" cowl hood on that bad boy! Screams muscle car....

Yes,a cowl hood will definetly give it a whole new attitude!!

[Str33tr]

my dream hood:
http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/39/l_582cd02ac8bb41e283efceaf383afee3.jpg
I hate the stepped cobraR hoods -1995 and 2000 styles. no offense to those who have these hoods -just not my cup of tea!

[ArkansasMystic]

Wow, that car looks great!!! It'd really set yours apart from the crowd as well.

[Str33tr]

Wow, that car looks great!!!
Pic lifted from SN95forums.

[Str33tr]

Made a bit of progress Tuesday, forgot to post it yesterday.
Went and bought the black Terminator wheels from Abdullah, and dropped off my tails (got a msg from him yesterday that they're done and ready to be picked up!). The 275s were mounted on the front tires, but the 315 DRs he had for the back were not mounted on the 17x10.5s.
Since I had to cut one of the LCA bolts out of the rear end and the other was rusted to hell, I went to NP Ford parts counter to get new ones -they wanted $20 A BOLT!!! THANK GOD they didn't have any in stock or I might've pd that $40! I told him to order 'em and they should be in today. On my way home I stopped @ the O'rielly's near my house (Gravel Ridge location) and asked if they carried bolts like this -PJ was helpful and said if I brought her the bolt she could chk to see if they could replace it. I went home and did a test fit of the 315s to see where I'd need to do some "clearancing". I grabbed the bolt and went back to O'Rielly's. When I gave PJ the bolt, she was able to tell me the pitch of the threading, but she said she didn't have anything that size. She said to go down to Hum's (hardware store up the street, still in Gravel Ridge). He had the same hardness, similar size (a bit longer, but it's no big deal) in an SAE size (instead of Metric) for $1.77/bolt!!! I can't wait to get the call from the Ford Parts desk that their $20/pc bolts are in -I'll tell him right where he can stick those bolts...
So, then I went to get the tires mounted -long story short my 1st quote at Sherwood tires (JFK/Lee) was $40 for 2tires on 2wheels. No thanx.
Found someone that mounted 'em for $8.
For the record not every tire place can mount 315s.

[ArkansasMystic]

Haha, so now where are those pics???

[Str33tr]

Next, I took the newly mounted wheels/tires and tried mounting them on the car, just to get an idea of the final look (AWESOME). My LCAs are/were still not mounted (I just got the new hardware!), and my rearend is on jackstands. I put 2lugnuts in to hold these giant rollers on the car, and then I put my jack under the tire and jacked it up to my desired ride height (LOW). MAN, DOES IT LOOK GOOD!!! Then I get on the creeper and start rolling around looking at clearances again. Everything was good, except that my brakelines were right on the tire! There wasn't any slack at all!
So now I'm freaking out.
I look in the Summit catalog and braided lines for my car are $65, and after the wheel purchase I don't have that this p'chk. Now I'm all bummed b/c I'd hoped to have this thing on the ground this wk!
Well, I'm already dirty and have all my tools out, so I figured I'd go ahead and mount up my LCAs. I bolt up the driver's side LCA to the rear end and then I push it up toward the car -it's like 2-2.5" from meeting the mounting point.
Now I'm confused -wtf?
The snout of the axle is rolled a/b 15-20 degrees toward the ground! I was so happy, b/c I was worried that something had happened and I had rcvd the wrong arms or that my car was major league out of whack or... a million other terrible/expensive things.
I move the jack under the snout, and rotate it forward and -what do you know!- now my brake lines are long enough! Hallelujah!
I've still got to cut my springs, but everything is now in place for me to be able to get this thing on the ground -VERY SOON!!

[Str33tr]

Haha, so now where are those pics??? ummm... not loaded, yet. Ox said that if I take some phone pix, I can txt 'em to him and he'll post 'em up. At this point I'd almost rather wait 'till i've got it all together and on the ground!

[stumbaugh]

sounds like it will end up looking pretty good. I definitly think it will look awsome lowered on some black termy wheels with that color. I think that hood you picked out will look sick on there, it's just big enough to give it a good look but not so big that it sticks out, everything just blends together very well. Good Job!

[Sketch]

Sounds like a race to get our cars back on the ground LOL! Looking forward to seeing how it looks.

[Davis]

I little hint if you want to grind down a bolt. Grab a nut the same size, run it on till you have how much you want off sticking out, and grind down till you are even with the bolt.

Get those pictures up.

[Str33tr]

Sounds like a race to get our cars back on the ground... think I'm gonna win! I was up til 1:30 this a.m. and got the rear all put together! I took it for a spin around the block (neighbors pro'lly didn't appreciate it, since I had my exhaust taken off so I could get to the bolts for the LCAs!) and when I heard the sound of tires meeting body it reminded me that I only "clearanced" the driver's side wheel well!
So, taking the BFH to the passenger side is next. Then: put the exhaust back together + cut the front springs =done with stage one! Stage two is build ramps so that I can get a jack under the car...

[Str33tr]

hmmm... come to think of it, I might need ramps to get the car off the jack...


uhhh...











anyone got some ramps I can borrow 2morrow?

[ArkansasMystic]

Nice progress (and STILL waiting on those pics)! I've got a set of ramps, but not exactly local for you.

[Str33tr]

Nice progress (and STILL waiting on those pics)! I've got a set of ramps, but not exactly local for you.
PIX OR BAN!!!

yeah, quite a drive for some ramps. By the time I get the front springs cut I'll need ramps to get on ramps! I think I'll have to do the custom ones like these:
http://mustangworld.com/ourpics/News/mwramps/mwramps18.JPG
The pic is pretty self explanatory, but anyone that needs instructions, here's the link:
http://mustangworld.com/ourpics/News/mwramps/index.htm

[Str33tr]

Drove it to work 2day! May go see Abdulla on the way home from work, maybe he'll have his camera...

[ArkansasMystic]

So, how about those pics?

[Str33tr]

So, how about those pics?

HA! Guess Ima hafta shoot it dirty... everytime I'm gonna wash it it rains!

[Str33tr]

Here's the wheels that I decided I wanted.
http://picture.vzw.com/mi/533973977_1887238452_0.jpeg?limitsize=580,480&outquality=56&ext=.jpg&border=1,0,0,0
Notice the dish in the back wheel? This was my big idea: to run a staggered size in wheels usually reserved for trucks (definitely not put on mustangs). These wheels are inexpensive and I thought they'd be cool.
http://picture.vzw.com/mi/533973775_1887237669_0.jpeg?limitsize=580,480&outquality=56&ext=.jpg&border=1,0,0,0
The front tire is a 215/70-15. I wanted a narrow tire that would still look "chunky" on a 15x7. Think that I'm gonna try to see if Tires4Less will swap me a 65series (they sold/mounted/balanced these 70s and I haven't driven on them). These are really tall. I'm back to 4x4 mode!
Additionally, I didn't pay attention to the fact that the front brake caliper was 1/2" taller than the wheel mounting surface until the day b4 I ordered my wheels. They were only 7" wide and had positive offset, so I didn't do the math of adding the 7/16" spacers. they're hellaflush!
http://picture.vzw.com/mi/533973314_1887235912_0.jpeg?limitsize=580,480&outquality=56&ext=.jpg&border=1,0,0,0
Hopefully the swap to 65 series tires and a little more cutting on the springs will make these fit better.
Here's the other problem. B/c the tires I'm running in the rear (295/50-15) are 12" wide (10.5 tread width) and I'm trying to maximize the dish difference b/t front and rear, the tread on the back tires will stick out 1" past the fender! Oh Noes!!!
http://picture.vzw.com/mi/533973624_1887237092_0.jpeg?limitsize=580,480&outquality=56&ext=.jpg&border=1,0,0,0
How did this happen? Well your illustrious author was too lazy to take the wheel off of the car and get down on the ground to do my measuring and I measured from the back of the wheelwell to the outside of the lip AND THEN FORGOT TO SUBTRACT THE WIDTH OF THE FENDER LIP!
DOH!
http://picture.vzw.com/mi/533973461_1887236470_0.jpeg?limitsize=580,480&outquality=56&ext=.jpg&border=1,0,0,0
The parts that I got right (size difference b/t the 215s and 295s, and the lip difference b/t the 15x7 fronts and 15x8 rears) do look really good.
How am I going to fix the fact that my rear tires hang outside the fenders?
I won an e-bay auction for these "export flares" (for those that don't know: SN95s sold in Japan and Europe had these flares, fold-away mirrors and different tail lights. These flares are also on Boss Shinoda editions).
http://www.bonesenterprises.com/pics/icn1266.jpg
Ford parts are usually $200+ and the Shinoda parts are the same price PLUS Shinoda is notoriously difficult to deal with.
I scored these for $80 to my door. The seller swears they fit better than Ford parts... TBD.

I'm gonna run the rear flares, but not the fronts... it'll be reminiscint of early Skylines that had black flares on the back wheels, but no flares on the front. See also: Agent47 AIX racing SN95.

Oh yeah, and sorry a/b the crappy cell phone pix.

[Blackout_03]

wow...ummm...err

[Str33tr]

wow...ummm...err

Yeah. That's pretty much how I'm feeling right now. "what the heck have I done."
Got my fingers crossed that the changes I listed above (shorter front tires, additional cut on front springs and the flares for rear) will magically pull this mess out of the toilet.

[ArkansasMystic]

It'll be interesting to say the least, look forward to seeing it complete, I'm sure it will turn out well.

[Str33tr]

It'll be interesting to say the least, look forward to seeing it complete, I'm sure it will turn out well.

Thanx for the vote of confidence. I need it right now.
I'd created an "Inspiration" thread a while back, and one of the first ones I put in there was this:
http://ll.speedhunters.com/u/f/eagames/NFS/speedhunters.com/Images/Mike%20Garrett/1%20Feb/reader3/kuda1.jpg
http://ll.speedhunters.com/u/f/eagames/NFS/speedhunters.com/Images/Mike%20Garrett/1%
This Cuda was my inspiration to get these wheels and go nuts w/ offsets and tire sizing. Now I just gotta iron out the wrinkles!