What did you do to your car today?

[mach71351c]

Put the console, gauges, tach/speedo, radio, heater/AC control, steering wheel, and dash pad back in after finding and repairing a broken wire in the main harness. Would have never guessed the radio and back up lights share a splice at the radio power connection. I would rather have taken a mild flogging than do this. The dash of these cars is a serious PITA. Chuck

Have you ever replaced the heater core in a Fox Body Mustang. Talk about a PITA. Mike

 

[luxstang]

For months I have delayed working on the Mustang but today I thought it was time to get busy.

So I removed the heater plenum because the core is leaking. Took me 3 hours and a lot of cursing to get it out.

Had to remove the center console and the passenger seat and had to loosen the two screws that hold the dash in place on the bottom right so that I could wiggle it a little.

I did get it out, but I know that I will never ever get it back in there on my own.

It got so stuck that I could not even push it back and forth, so there is no way I'll be able to get it back where it belongs.

I read somewhere here that with a non A/C car it was easy..... Well, if that was easy, I don't wanna know what is difficult!

Well, let's take one step at a time. I'll have the core repaired and then I'll wait for my buddy to get back from Florida next month. He'll know what to do.

 

[c9zx]

Yes it is! I drove a 1990 LX 5.0 for 16 years, a fun but unforgiving car. Chuck

 

[downwardspiral]

Went to harbor frieght for "1 thing".. did the traditional "what else do I need while I'm here" and only ended up spending $70.. Bought a DA, die grinder, work gloves, safety goggles and a bunch of sanding disks for the DA. Got some body work done.. and I am falling in love with the flat OD green self etching primer. I think I'm going to keep the car this color (picture was taken yesterday, ran out of paint). The previous owner bondo'd over a bunch of rust on the roof, so this should be fun.

 

[whitesoc]

Put the console, gauges, tach/speedo, radio, heater/AC control, steering wheel, and dash pad back in after finding and repairing a broken wire in the main harness. Would have never guessed the radio and back up lights share a splice at the radio power connection. I would rather have taken a mild flogging than do this. The dash of these cars is a serious PITA. Chuck

Have you ever replaced the heater core in a Fox Body Mustang. Talk about a PITA. Mike

I replaced the core in my 83 GT was a 15 minute job .....at the time I also had a 67 Cougar that I did the core on about 3 months earlier.....you want to talk PITA

 

[OLE PONY]

The green does look good, especially on the newspaper!

 

[Mister 4x4]

Today, I cut out the old, bashed up shock mount 'pockets,' in preparation to graft-in the 'pockets' from a '69-'70 cross-member (thanks Scott, for the advice on that one as well). They are a lot different in structure, and the repop part is twice as thick as what's on the car. I split the new 'member into thirds with the newly-repaired plasma cutter, then took the plasma to the Rustang's cross member (saved a TON of time, noise, and cut-off wheels). After lots of test fitting, I think it's almost time to get it all back together - just a few more tweaks for a better fit.

Here's the holes I made to get the new pieces in:

Just gotta treat the inside of the cross-member to some SEM Rust Mort, then Rust Bullet, and weld the new pieces in tomorrow. Then, it's all about rear quarters and trunk rehab.

 

[Flatback72]

For months I have delayed working on the Mustang but today I thought it was time to get busy.

So I removed the heater plenum because the core is leaking. Took me 3 hours and a lot of cursing to get it out.

Had to remove the center console and the passenger seat and had to loosen the two screws that hold the dash in place on the bottom right so that I could wiggle it a little.

I did get it out, but I know that I will never ever get it back in there on my own.

It got so stuck that I could not even push it back and forth, so there is no way I'll be able to get it back where it belongs.

I read somewhere here that with a non A/C car it was easy..... Well, if that was easy, I don't wanna know what is difficult!

Well, let's take one step at a time. I'll have the core repaired and then I'll wait for my buddy to get back from Florida next month. He'll know what to do.

Fixing the heater core was one of the first things I fixed on my car when I got it, and yeah 3 hours to get the heater box out sounds about right..... :s

Knowing two things in advance would have saved me an hour:

- taking the passenger seat out right from the start would have allowed room to lie down on the floor to maneuver the box out from under the dash, and also when the seat is left in the box doesn't have enough room to be completely extracted without hitting the seat.

- removing the plastic floor vent that's attached to the bottom of heater box. I struggled and struggled to get that box out and it was the plastic floor vent that stymied me every time - so I disconnected the vent from the box (4 plastic clips I think) and once it was removed the heater box slid out from under the dash super easy. And without the vent on putting the box back in was also pretty easy.

 

[luxstang]

- removing the plastic floor vent that's attached to the bottom of heater box. I struggled and struggled to get that box out and it was the plastic floor vent that stymied me every time - so I disconnected the vent from the box (4 plastic clips I think) and once it was removed the heater box slid out from under the dash super easy. And without the vent on putting the box back in was also pretty easy.

Yup, I figured that out too, but I could not get it off. Now that the whole thing is outside the car, I´ll try and remove as much as I can and put it back on after the plenum is back in the car. (Or should I say "IF I get the plenum back into the car"?)

 

[Flatback72]

Yup, I figured that out too, but I could not get it off. Now that the whole thing is outside the car, I´ll try and remove as much as I can and put it back on after the plenum is back in the car. (Or should I say "IF I get the plenum back into the car"?)

Whatever form the clips were (plastic push-ins I think), I remember breaking at least one of them getting the vent off and having to use a screw in place of the clip when I assembled the vent after the heater plenum was back in place.

I guarantee that without that vent on there 95% of your re-installation problems will be solved!

 

[luxstang]

I guarantee that without that vent on there 95% of your re-installation problems will be solved!

If not, I´ll send you a mail and you can come over and help me with it.

 

[Flatback72]

If not, I´ll send you a mail and you can come over and help me with it.

I forgot to add the disclaimer:

"I guarantee that without that vent on there 95% of your re-installation problems will be solved!" **Disclaimer: may not be true**

There - fixed :dodgy:

 

[73vertproject]

If not, I´ll send you a mail and you can come over and help me with it.

I forgot to add the disclaimer:

"I guarantee that without that vent on there 95% of your re-installation problems will be solved!" **Disclaimer: may not be true**

There - fixed :dodgy:

Mike and Brett - you guys kill me!

Eric - nice progress... I keep worrying about the Hobby Shop (that's what they called in when I lived on base) closing before you get the major fixes for the rear end done. Are they still thinking to close it this winter/spring?

Doc

 

[Mister 4x4]

Eric - nice progress... I keep worrying about the Hobby Shop (that's what they called in when I lived on base) closing before you get the major fixes for the rear end done. Are they still thinking to close it this winter/spring?

Doc

No word yet on any 'permanent' decisions - plenty of rumors to go around though. The bimbo that took over the Arts & Crafts Center (in the same building with the Hobby Shop and Wood Shop), is pretty much a selfish b!tch and only looking out for her own personal interests - she's been telling anybody who asks that everything will be fine, meanwhile the plans are coming into place to make the shop fail so they can close it for 'legitimate' reasons (bleeding too much money, lack of customers, etc.). The problem is, the leadership has caught wind of these issues and supposedly is telling the Force Support Squadron that the shop will not be closing, and to make it work in whatever way possible (another one of those rumors, I mentioned).

Of course, I'm going to take advantage of it as long as it's open... and hope that it stays open as long as I 'need' it to be - which right now is pretty much just long enough to finish my welding and drop in the engine and tranny. The way I see it, everything after that is a 'Bonus.'

Speaking of - off to the shop. Gotta get those shock mounts in there today.

 

[73vertproject]

Good luck, Eric! I remember those days well. The Hobby Shop is where I installed the Blackjack headers on my '74 Nova (I know... it was a chebby) about a thousand years ago. Drove her back to the base and they weren't even cinched up to the heads.... everyone turned and looked as I drove in.... Sounded like a banshee from hell.....

Doc

 

[OLE PONY]

Way back in the 80's I was a civilian employee on an Army station and they let the civilians use the hobby shop to work on their cars with the proviso that Military had priority. That was a nice benefit while it lasted, but the hobby shop was one of the first things to close when the BRAC targeted the station.

 

[Tnfastbk]

The hobby shop really save my $$s several times when I was stationed in Germany. Once back stateside it was mostly used for oil changes and it seemed like working on somebody elses car who had no clue and less money. Good ole days

 

[Mister 4x4]

Yeah, I figured since 1991 (when I first got here), the Auto Hobby Shop has saved me more than $35,000 on repairs, customization, and whatever else I've done to my vehicles. I've done everything from simple maintenance (oil changes, brakes, fuel filters, various seals & gaskets and car washes) to window tint, major stereo installations, alarm systems, transmission rebuilds, engine rebuilds, custom bed cover, suspension and body lift installations, installed nerf bars (4 sets on 3 different vehicles), tires, axle rebuilds and gear swaps, custom paint, and even hand fabricated some custom computer chassis. Love that place... well - used to, anyway. Or at least, when the management stays the f00k out of there.

Speaking of: Today, I got the new shock mount 'pockets' tacked up in there. Still gotta tweak the original bracket a little for better final welds (there are some gaps between the original cross member and the new pieces on either side of the center brace that I need to address with a BFH and a drift through the access holes up top).

Otherwise, not going badly at all I think. Still glad I took Scott's advice - this is going to be much better than the Redneck Engineered idea I came up with.

 

[71_badmach]

Excellent progress! Inspirational...

 

[mikleins29]

Installed rear main seal put clutch and flywheel and scatter shield on. I will never use the four peice oilpan gasket ever again what a pain next time I will take engine out before deciding to replace seal.