The Shady Pony

[4GTNSVT]

So bare with me on this as I am 7 years into the build of this car and have lots of pictures and info on the build. It will take some time to get everything uploaded here. Its not done yet but I am finally seeing light at the end of the tunnel. The car started life as a 91 Mustang GT 5 speed that is now a 93 Cobra cloan. I bought the car in November of 17 with 92000 miles on it. My goal with the car from day one was to be a true street car that I can do drag and drives with and run 8.50s. It will have all orignal features such as power windows and door locks. Full interior with a nice stereo, power steering and power brakes. Engine is a built 5.2L(Coyote Based) with a 3.6L Kenne Bell supercharger backed by a Mantic triple disc clutch, T-56 Magnum, and a custom Merillat Racing 8.8. I will get into the details of all the individual components as I post the pictures.

Some pics of when I first picked it up and the one summer I drove the car before tearing it apart.

 

[4GTNSVT]

Next set of pictures will be of the teardown and some of the original mock up of the engine and suspension. The front suspension set up is straight from Team Z. Im local to them so its awesome being able to call them and go pick the parts up same day usually. Team Z K member with Strange Coil Overs, double adjustable lower contorl arms and heim joints. The spindles are 99-04 mustang and I am using Aerospace brakes. Rack and Pinion is a Flaming River Power Rack. Pictures spread out thru a couple posts.

 

[4GTNSVT]

Also pictured in this post is the Stainless works headers. They are the 2 inch primary to 3.5 inch collecter versions. Also in the pictures is the Canton Racing Oil pan. When I get into the engine build I will explain why I went away from it and went to the GT500 oil pan setup. As I mentioned before I have been building and collecting parts for this since 2017 so I have found better options and updates for things and have since changed certain setups a few times over the years.

 

[Roots-type]

Should be awesome. Look forward to seeing it happen!

 

[4GTNSVT]

Few more pictures of the headers and mocking them up with the original Canton Racing Oil Pan. These headers fit really well in the K member. There were a few spots that needed to be clearenced but overall I was very impressed with the fitment and the quality. One thing that kinda concerned me was fitment for AC lines but as you can see they leave plenty of room.

 

[4GTNSVT]

Should be awesome. Look forward to seeing it happen!

Thanks. I am really hoping it turns out as good as I hope. Been alot of planning and reserch and well trial and error.

 

[4GTNSVT]

One thing that will be a theme thurout this build is I want everything to fuction like the factory and I want to use as much off the shelf type parts as I can. Early on I learned most coyote swap foxes that have power brakes use the later hydroboost setup. Maximum motorsports makes an adapter kit that allows it to be a bolt in setup. What I was most concerned about was the factory master cylinder and resivour not clearning the massive blower inlet as noone has used a Kenne Bell and kept the power brakes. So after lots of reserch and emails with Wilwood I found they make a remote resivour setup that has the same master cylinder bore size as factory. I then found an adapter to correct the bolt pattern and mate the two units together. I may redesign the adapter or have it machined down some but this setup does the trick and clears the blower.

 

[4GTNSVT]

So when I finially did get into stripping the engine bay and cleaning up it became apperent quick this car had been hit in the driver side front at somepoint it its life and they did a piss poor job fixing it. The decision to cut the front off the car and redo all the sheet metal was not one I wanted to make but I knew that was the right thing to do. Everyone asked why at that point I didnt just buy a tube style front for the car and my response was its a street car and will be driven. I dont want all the rocks and road debri coming up into the engine bay if I can help it. And honestly I like the stock engine bay look. So after I cut everything off a couple buddies came over and we got the new sheetmetal mocked up and then sport welded back in. I was very happy overall with how well things fit and very little tweaking needed.

 

[CobraBob]

When I at your initial comments and look at the photos of the beginnings of your awesome build process, my instant thought was, "now that's amore"!

I'll be following your build posts.

 

[bird_dog0347]

Damn man, I love your build, can't wait to see more pics and details.

 

[4GTNSVT]

When I at your initial comments and look at the photos of the beginnings of your awesome build process, my instant thought was, "now that's amore"!

I'll be following your build posts.

Thanks Bob that means alot. Really trying to do this thing to the best of my abilities

Sent from my SM-S908U using the svtperformance.com mobile app

 

[4GTNSVT]

Damn man, I love your build, can't wait to see more pics and details.

Thanks I appreciate it. I will try and get more of the build up tomorrow. Between my phone and laptop trying to get all the progress pics up is tough lol

Sent from my SM-S908U using the svtperformance.com mobile app

 

[bird_dog0347]

Thanks I appreciate it. I will try and get more of the build up tomorrow. Between my phone and laptop trying to get all the progress pics up is tough lol

Sent from my SM-S908U using the svtperformance.com mobile app

I'm in a similar boat, I've got a 92 notch with a stupid build that is years in progress but I'm waiting until it is out of paint jail before I start posting the build pics here. There's a ton, and I'll share it here, but not just yet.

 

[1 Alibi 2]

Great project.
Putting in the work will = an excellent result..
.

 

[4GTNSVT]

So now that the new sheet metal was on the front end I set out to clean up the rest of the engine bay. Knowing I was going to run coilovers in the front and this was more of a drag race inspired build I deleted the sway bar mounts. This also allows more room for the engine and and frees up space for intercooler pump and the remote mount oil filter setup. And as most foxbodies do my car also had the dreded strut tower rot at the frame rail. I ordered the Scott Rod Fabrication repair kit and got to work. I was very intimidated by this one but a buddy came over and helped me get it all squared away. Honestly it was not bad at all to do. I also decided to cut the lower radiator support out in fave of a tubular style one. This would make mounting the raditor and everthing else easier.

 

[4GTNSVT]

Now that the bay was almost cleaned up I had one last thing I wanted to do. I am going to be running a lift off hood and I wont need the hood hinges. I wanted to do something different to make that are look clean. So I set to work making delete panels that I then weled in and smoothed out. I was extremly happy with how his came out. This will also allow me a place to mount the remote resivours for the master cylinder. To me this is just a subtle change that most people will probably not even notice but I feel it makes the engine bay that much cleaner.

 

[4GTNSVT]

At this point I was happy with the engine bay and it was time to paint it. Now I am not a paint and body guy at all. I have a paint gun but I have never used it and well I figured I have used enough spray paint in my life just do it that way. So I started with a sandable primer. I did three coats on the car from the firewall forward both inside the bay and outside. I then lightly sanded the inside of the engine bay. Once that was done I did 3 more coats of regualar primer. Now when it came to color I knew it was going to be a version of black. I had a buddy who years ago did mirrors on his truck in what was called Hot Rod Black. I found I could buy a case of it on Amazon. (Go Figure) So I laid down another 3 coats of that making a toatl of 9 coats. Overkill? Yes but I had time to kill waiting on other things to show up. Overall I am very happy with how well it turned out. It looks good in person. I also have to keep telling myseld this car will be driven and raced so its gonna get chips and wont be perfect.

 

[4GTNSVT]

Since I was on a paint and body kick I decided to tackle the rear bumper area. I will be running an intagrated bumper support that has a parachute mount but also doubles as a trailer hitch. Being a drag and drive car im gonna need it. Once I got the bumper off it was apparent that the car was hit in the rear and Im guessing thats when the front was hit as well. I also assume that when they fixed it is when they did the 93 Cobra body kit on the car. So I used the same method on the rear as I did the front. Only difference is I used a cheaper black paint as this entire area will be hidden by the bumper anyway.

 

[4GTNSVT]

Sorry for lack of updates. Was gone on powertour and then work got slammed. So back to updating where I was. After I got the rear all cleaned up and painted my custom rear end I had built for the car was finished. I am lucky enough to live within a few hours of a lot of badass custom race shops including Merillat Racing. They build some of the baddest rear ends in the country. I had Marty build me one of his 8.8s that is a true stock style suspension set up. I needed this for the class I am building the car for for drag week. Its a Moser HD 8.8 center section with 3 inch chromoly tubes and is shortened 1.5 inches per side. 9 inch out bearings and custom 35 spline strange axles that go with the strange 35 spline locker. I didnt want to run a spool on the street and this was the perfect answer for that.

 

[4GTNSVT]

Since I am on the rear end work I will go out of order of how things happened. I got ahold of Blain Brothers Racing to have them install a set of upper and lower torque boxes also built by Merrillat Racing. These things are truly a work of art. I also included some of pictures with the rear end hung under the car as I was test fitting all the rear suspension pieces.