Project "Save-A-Fox". Long post, pic heavy.

[Snakesvt04]

Great job Mike!

 

[FISHTAIL]

Nice job. Interesting to see the whole project here, you only get pieces on FB.
What's next (after the shed)?

Shed, then either finishing an area in the basement or the first stage of the deck. I'm not sure yet.

Looks good Mike. Glad to see you got rid of that stupid luggage rack. Now take out the fake roll bar and install a real one and bring it to the track.

Actually, the light bar is there because I ditched the luggage rack. I needed a high mount brake light to avoid a fix it ticket, and the bar seemed like the best bet. This thing won't see a track though, just gonna use it for cruising. It's a HUGE hit with the kid, so he'll get to ride in it to the local ice cream shop if he has a good week at school.

I am starting to believe that Mike is really a car show kind of guy.

LOL, nah, but I'll probably stick with auto-x for a while. The focus isn't a good drag car, and the green machine will destroy the trans on a good drag pass, so I'll stick to racing at the local parking lot. lol. That said, i doubt I'll even make that this year, or at least not for a while..baby's due in a little over a week.

Wow Mike, really great job! Know you enjoyed resurrecting this one. Good feeling....

Have any pictures of the final engine bay?

Thanks! Yeah, it was some work, and it's not quite finished yet, but it's far enough along that I can drive it/enjoy it. No engine bay pics on this one..it's not pretty under there. The engine I took out, aside from being sludged, looks like it also blew a radiator hose when it was full of rust..and made a massive mess. The "new" engine was a craigslist barn find, so it wasn't much cleaner. The CAI is pitted with rust, but other than that the rest of the bay IS cleanable, I just haven't bothered yet.

Great job Mike!

Thanks Carlos!

 

[SVTORANGE]

Wow you can have the dash out in an hour?

Hmm whats your secret? Or techniques to tackle such a job if you don't mind me asking?

 

[FISHTAIL]

Wow you can have the dash out in an hour?

Hmm whats your secret? Or techniques to tackle such a job if you don't mind me asking?

Yeah, right around there. I've done it many, many times. It's really not to hard, There are 4 8mm bolts holding on the armrest, then 4 screws for the center peice (two under the shifter trim, two under the rear armrest). Now your center console is almost ready to remove.

Drop the glovebox, take off the two screws on the hinges, and the two screws on the right side of the console stack. Take off the two 8mm bolts below the knee panel on the drivers side, then remove the other two screws for the center stack. Take ou tthe 4 radio screws, unhook the radio, and pull the center stack out. If you disconnected the battery when you started this, it should now be safe to remove the airbag (4 10mm bolts on the back of the wheel) and then the steering wheel. Take off the collar (two screws), pop off the light switches, take the torx out of the top of the gauge bazel, and remove it. Remove the 4 bolts for the cluster, unhook that, then unhook the HVAC controls from the dash. Now all you have left is the dimmer switch (2 more screws) and probably 10 other screws along the bottom of the dashboard and 6 or so under the defrost vents.

Lift and remove the dash, and your done.

If the dash has never been out, it can take longer because screws get stuck, but otherwise it's not a big deal to take it out. The biggest pita of the whole thing is getting the air ducts on the ends to clear the frame..there is a small "opening" near the top corner of the dash frame that you have to manuever those ducts through because of the staple edge that holds them together.

The first time I removed a dash I bet it took me 3-4 hours. But after having done more than a few, and taken my own out several times for various reasons, I can usually do it in about an hour, hour and a half or so.

 

[SVTORANGE]

Yeah, right around there. I've done it many, many times. It's really not to hard, There are 4 8mm bolts holding on the armrest, then 4 screws for the center peice (two under the shifter trim, two under the rear armrest). Now your center console is almost ready to remove.

Drop the glovebox, take off the two screws on the hinges, and the two screws on the right side of the console stack. Take off the two 8mm bolts below the knee panel on the drivers side, then remove the other two screws for the center stack. Take ou tthe 4 radio screws, unhook the radio, and pull the center stack out. If you disconnected the battery when you started this, it should now be safe to remove the airbag (4 10mm bolts on the back of the wheel) and then the steering wheel. Take off the collar (two screws), pop off the light switches, take the torx out of the top of the gauge bazel, and remove it. Remove the 4 bolts for the cluster, unhook that, then unhook the HVAC controls from the dash. Now all you have left is the dimmer switch (2 more screws) and probably 10 other screws along the bottom of the dashboard and 6 or so under the defrost vents.

Lift and remove the dash, and your done.

If the dash has never been out, it can take longer because screws get stuck, but otherwise it's not a big deal to take it out. The biggest pita of the whole thing is getting the air ducts on the ends to clear the frame..there is a small "opening" near the top corner of the dash frame that you have to manuever those ducts through because of the staple edge that holds them together.

The first time I removed a dash I bet it took me 3-4 hours. But after having done more than a few, and taken my own out several times for various reasons, I can usually do it in about an hour, hour and a half or so.

This is GREAT thanks very much for the instructions.

 

[FISHTAIL]

This is GREAT thanks very much for the instructions.

No problem. I glossed over a few details, like unplugging the harness for the power window controls, cig lighter, and glove box light, but those will be pretty obvious when you get to them. I think you can optionally use a 6mm socket to remove the torx screws too if you like. That's what I usually do, it's faster. There are two above the gauge bezel, 4 around the cluster (though, these are smaller I believe), 4 around the HVAC controls, and I believe most of the screws along the bottom of the dash are of that type as well.

There are a couple of screws that hold the dash in from below that are only accessible once you remove the center console, so heads up on those guys. If you ever start this job and need help, let me know.

 

[SVTORANGE]

No problem. I glossed over a few details, like unplugging the harness for the power window controls, cig lighter, and glove box light, but those will be pretty obvious when you get to them. I think you can optionally use a 6mm socket to remove the torx screws too if you like. That's what I usually do, it's faster. There are two above the gauge bezel, 4 around the cluster (though, these are smaller I believe), 4 around the HVAC controls, and I believe most of the screws along the bottom of the dash are of that type as well.

There are a couple of screws that hold the dash in from below that are only accessible once you remove the center console, so heads up on those guys. If you ever start this job and need help, let me know.

Will do thanks

 

[giz93cobra]

Wow what an upgrade! Looks great Mike. A Diamond in the really really Rough :rolling:

 

[FISHTAIL]

Wow what an upgrade! Looks great Mike. A Diamond in the really really Rough :rolling:

LOL, thanks. Yeah this poor car was a real mess. I kind of wish I'd taken some more pictures of it before I started. My Mom spent two weekends trying to convince me to take it to the junkyard. lol.