Jeff's 3.8 and 4.2 Projects.


....I need a garage.


This is even worse that it looks.


Cheapy 4.2 V6 shorty header for a F-150 from Amazon that I have for the 4.2 Turbo project with the intent to modify. Could I make them work with the SC 3.8 with modifications to them? Probably yes, it is easy...no.




Laying out 2.5" Tru-Bendz exhaust with FlowFX mufflers.


 


I picked up a QuarterHorse and pulled the computer to install it. Going to replace any old electrolytic capacitors while I am in there.




Lower parts of the fenders were rusted out. Needed to make new pieces.


Various photos of floor repair.
 



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Made a driveshaft loop last weekend.

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The inner rockers were beyond rotted and I needed something in there so I went the overkill route. I had been thinking about it for a while and then seen someone over at TCCoA do something similar so I went for it. A poor fitting scrap of rocker panel skin shows the plan. The new inner braces will be welded in and the rocker skins over it along with some other metal. This will all eventually be tied in together front and rear.
 
Some updates. Parts and metal are finally starting to go back on.

The heavily rusted fuel door area has been replaced with a replacement panel from a fellow online T-Bird fan. Looking forward to getting the fuel tank back in and firing it up for the first time in almost 2 years.


Finished up the driveshaft loop and installed it last week.


Also been repairing the interior floor reinforcements/seat mounts. All 4 of them were completely wasted. In progress pic of 1/4.
 
By the by...you wouldn't happen to have a leftover UHMW coupler for the supercharger, do ya? :)
Maybe, I would have to check, not all of them turned out when I made them.

For those that might want to make their own or modify it, the CAD file I made for mine is attached in .step format.

 

Attachments

  • Coupler v2.zip
    15.8 KB · Views: 5
Some updates of recent work.

Made a rear differential cover brace for it. With the other mount I made for it I was worried that it might end up cracking the cover at some point.


I just didn't have time to proceed with the UHMW bushings for the inner rear lower control arms at this point so I bought the poly ones for the Mustang Cobra and much to my surprise, the unused bushings seem to be able to fit the front lower control arm strut mount with some trimming. Still working on this one, just needed the sleeves from the bushings the control arms came with so the bushings were disassembled in the usual way.

 
The lower section of the front A-pillar was fairly rotted and bent so I made replacement stronger pieces and added channels for any fuel lines.



The fuel tank shield was quite a project and learning experience. These are some of the in progress pictures, it was finished last weekend. New tank straps were used as well.



As I had originally planned on making UHMW bushings for the rear inner lower control arms, I had destroyed the old sleeves removing the old bushings. I needed sleeves again after going with the poly Cobra bushings so new bushings were sacrificed for the outer sleeves.

 
Still working on the fit for the inner rocker replacements, outer rockers and the inner to floor cover/pinch weld area.



The rear subframe braces were as rusted as the rest of the car. One had been replaced with a chunk of steel plate at some point in time. In progress photos of me starting to make new ones. Still in progress.



The transmission mount bushings needed to be replaced while I was changing the transmission mount. I couldn't find any to buy so I made some with some adhesive and a combination of various materials such as urethane to make slightly firmer mounts than the stock ones. I also changed the crossmember slots to bolt holes.



Various pictures of patches, repaired floor seat mount crossmembers (all 4 had to be done) and in progress pics of the rear subframe bracket mount replacement/reinforcements, they were also too rusted to keep on the car.

 
Short update. Not may pics but will get more later.
Seat mount cross-members are now fully welded back in as well as the rear subframe mounts. The fuel tank is finally back in after a couple of years and the new 2.5" exhaust install is in progress. Looking forward to having it running after so long. Started making some minor edits via TunerPro/Quarterhorse in preparation for later. Wideband O2 sensor is now installed as well. Build a smoke tester for the engine to find any vacuum/boost leak locations, still need to check the engine for it. It is the best kind of janky diy tool setup. It is made out of the cheapest bicycle pump and soldering iron from amazon.ca that I could find along with an empty bottle of pasta sauce, a rag and a bottle of baby oil. Looking forward to testing in on the engine instead of the bench.

After looking for months and months for a good set of 18" wheels to replace the 16" ones I found a set of lightly used 2011 Shelby Mustang 18" x 9.5" locally for $500 CAD. Wanted to go with 18" for better tire selection and brake upgrade options. Picked up a new pair of the Mustang dual piston PBR's and will get some Cobra rotors to go with them. Going to do the hub swap over the winter and figure out what it will need to make them fit. Not too worried about the rears but the front could be interesting but whatever, I'll find a way or build something for it to make it work. Crappy photoshop with the new wheels below. Rolling the fender lips is a given a the very minimum.

 
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