[Jetsetter]

Blog, for faster updates: http://driftmustang.blogspot.com/

Since I can't change the title or arrangement of my other thread, please allow me to formally introduce you to my new project car.



This is my new car. She, and she is most definately going to be a girl, is a 1997 Ford Mustang GT with a whopping 209,000 miles. This is my second car, and is everything my 2003 Mustang is not.

The generic specs, considering I know nothing about the current state of the mechanical affairs.

4.6L SOHC 16V Modular V8 producing 215HP and 290 ft/lb of torque
Borg-Warner T-45 5-speed manual transmission
8.8 in. rear end with Posi-Trac on a solid rear axle
2.73 rear end gearing
MacPhearson struts
Dual 2.25 in. exhausts
Keyless entry, Mach 460 audio system, power windows, power drivers seat, electric mirrors

I bought the car from Denver, Colorado as I had been looking for several months for one that I could afford in Albuquerque with no success. I found this one on Craigslist, put in an offer the next day, and had my offer accepted later that week.

I figure I might as well show what a money pit this car is, so here is a listing of all the initial issues it came with. Remember this car has 209,000 miles, which I'm certain is more than God, and is still fairly clean.

1. Broken emergency brake
2. Cracked and broken windshield
3. Peeling paint on the trunk and front bumper
4. Broken drivers window
5. Weak drivers electrical seat controls
6. Worn drivers seat
7. Broken shift-knob
8. Rusted exhaust, especially the catalytic converters
9. Finicky hood latch
10. Partially cracked hood

But who cares, like Zebrahead said, "I'm money". What's more important is what it's going to be turned into.

I chose drifting because I'm Asian. Maybe not through the color of my skin, or my ethnicity, or my family background, or my grades, or my driving abilities, or my cooking abilities, or my slanty eyes, or my love of JDM, or my adoption of a Chinese baby, or my love of Hello Kitty. Maybe I'm not Asian. But I still like the idea of the sport, and watching it in practice. It's showy, the cars are familiar, the danger palpable. But the part I like most about drifting is the fact it relies on driver skill. Drag racing is for old men in a perpetual pissing contest of who can pay for the better car. NASCAR is essentially a 300 mile long drag race. Track sports rely on a varied course that is necessary for the driver to adapt. Even the road racing circuit however is very dependant on money. The part of drifting that captured me the most is seeing the 200HP car go up against the 800HP car and win. That's not replicable in any other motorsport.

Am I the first to drift a Mustang? No. But there is a denoted lack of information on it. Car preparation is significant. I can't give a full list of what I want to do, but I can give a direction. This includes stages of car build-up. I may never get to the end of this and I have no doubt curveballs will be thrown my way, but here is what I want to do.

Stage 1: Fix the damn thing.
1. Repair the emergency brake
2. Repair the drivers window
3. Insure the car
4. Register the car
5. Learn to drive a manual "real good like"
6. Weld rear differential (?)

Stage 2: Don't Die
1. Purchase and install racing seats
2. Purchase racing harnesses
3. Remove rear seat
4. a. Fabricate roll cage
b. Subframe connectors (?)
c. Install aforementioned harnesses to aforementioned roll cage
6. Take a piss break
7. Install fire extinguisher
8. Buy a friggin helmet

Stage 3: Prettified
1. Paint the car

Stage 4: Suspension
1. Weld rear differential
2. Coilover suspension or hard springs
3. Subframe connectors
4. Control Arms
5. Pan hardbar

Circumventing all of this is getting a built rear-end. Who knows.

Stage 5: Hell, it'll be a long time before I even get here.

So, this is what I'm going for. Any input, in mechanical alterations, brands, recommendations, knowledge, drifting details, Mustang details, "cools", "ur gays", reorders, free stuff, or comments are greatly appreciated.

And these are my dreams.

This post has been edited by Jetsetter: 14 September 2008 - 08:41 PM

[Silvey]

I read the first sentence of your "I'm Asian" monologue and it left the most befuddled look on my face. Thank god I read on or else I would still be confused as fuck.

Good luck with the car...and is this really your first manual? Have fun!

[eyehate]

wow.... good write up, inspirational to say the least Im excited for you!! It's gonna be rough and you are gonna hate it until its done, but it should be fun as hell once you are.


couple things i can offer for your attempts.

weight and welded diff are key. Mustangs are pretty heavy cars, so gut it, and get allllll the sound deadening out.
stiff rear sway, no front sway.
skinnier tires out back fat meats in front.

track time track time track time. of the car drives and an event is being held, hit it up.

[Jetsetter]

I'll gut the car when I'm ready to track it. As for now I'm going to drive it around to get comfortable with it so I'll leave the comforts in until then. I am pretty well going to be indebted to this car for a long time.

So my first update.





I have to wait a week to get it registered and insured, but I'm not complaining because I get the house to myself when my parents are in Mexico.

Last night I bought a set of 17x8 Bullitts as I figure I'm going to need to start stockpiling rims. I've now got the Bullitts, the Cobra's on my V6, the stock for the V6, and the stock for the GT. I'm out 100$ and a V6 Mustang hood.

I got the car on a hoist and the e-brake problem was pretty obvious. The cable was snapped from the handle to the left and right bracket. One of our mechanics was kind enough to rip out the center console and reattach a new cable that I ordered from Rich Ford. I'm out 30$.

Thanks to a subscription to Alldata, the aforementioned mechanic pried off the door panel to get to the electric window rails.



The problem was pretty obvious.



The rails had been bent and the riders had been broken, and a few pieces of metal were completely snapped off. I went to U-Pull, but the SN-95 door I found was different from mine. I ended up buying a new one from Rich Ford. I'm out 127$.

So I've had the car a total of 5 days and I've already spent 257$ dollars on repairs. At least I can actually use the car and park it outside without it getting stolen now.

[AlxRSPTT]

Doors are only $127? Damn that's dirt cheap! Hope all goes well.

Alex

[teknoracer4fun]

Doors are only $127? Damn that's dirt cheap! Hope all goes well.

Alex

I think he meant the internal piece he needed was $127,lol. That would be sweet if the whole door was $127,lol. Sweet looking project, GL with the build. What plans do you have for power adders?

[Grey90GT]

Officially watching this to the bitter end. You sir, are an inspiration.

[sleeper108]

cant wait to see this thing up and running like you plan. lemme know if/when you need help.

[Cronus]

I've just been dabbling in drifting lately. I have to say a good set of tires for the front makes all the difference in the world. Good luck with the project man! Looks like it'll be fun!

[Porch]

Weld the differential?
LOL, it's a Ford, not a nissan!

http://cgi.ebay.com/...p3756.m20.l1116

[eyehate]

haha good call. lol silly spooooooooooooooooool

[BenR]

Am I the first to drift a Mustang? No. But there is a denoted lack of information on it. Car preparation is significant. I can't give a full list of what I want to do, but I can give a direction.

http://www.drift50.com/

[Jetsetter]

Weld the differential?
LOL, it's a Ford, not a nissan!

http://cgi.ebay.com/...p3756.m20.l1116

Weld the posi?

Am I the first to drift a Mustang? No. But there is a denoted lack of information on it. Car preparation is significant. I can't give a full list of what I want to do, but I can give a direction.

http://www.drift50.com/

Drift 5.0 certainly has a great deal of Fox information, and their forums have a bit of SN-95 knowledge too. But there are significant enough differences between the SN-95 and the Fox, specifically the engine and the rear end, that it would help to have someone to walk through. Someone was drifting a blue 94 at one of the track days last year, but I don't know who that was.

[BenR]

Weld the differential?
LOL, it's a Ford, not a nissan!

http://cgi.ebay.com/...p3756.m20.l1116

Weld the posi?

Am I the first to drift a Mustang? No. But there is a denoted lack of information on it. Car preparation is significant. I can't give a full list of what I want to do, but I can give a direction.

http://www.drift50.com/

Drift 5.0 certainly has a great deal of Fox information, and their forums have a bit of SN-95 knowledge too. But there are significant enough differences between the SN-95 and the Fox, specifically the engine and the rear end, that it would help to have someone to walk through. Someone was drifting a blue 94 at one of the track days last year, but I don't know who that was.

Those two aspects are not really drift specific and are probably the easiest to figure out, it's not rocket surgery.

The 4.6 is one of the most well supported motors in the aftermarket, with huge amounts of information.

For a diff I'd throw a spool or minispool on and call it a day.

[Jetsetter]

Thank's for fucking with my window, Ford.


_{Door access cut-out and some new railage.}

The motor goes in nice and simple through the door slot and is as simple as securing 8 bolts, and the new assembly comes with most of the new rails. However, the new assembly also comes with the rail that bolts to the window.


_{Top down view of the window rail.}

And Ford decided to rivet the window to the rail quite securely.





This is going to be fun to take off. Once the rivets are out the new rail is getting bolted on for simplicity sake.