PAGE 1: Intro
PAGE 2: Photoshoots
PAGE 3: '06 Projects
PAGE 4: '07 Projects
PAGE 5: '08 Projects
PAGE 6: YOU ARE HERE

2009 Projects sum up:

- T-56 6-speed install w/ aluminum flywheel, '03 Cobra clutch, aluminum driveshaft with Steeda spacer, MGW shifter, UPR shift knob, and Prothane urethane trans mount
- Brake ducting
- Polish headlights
- Lots of Racing
- Kenny Brown full-length subframes
- '03 Cobra A-arms
- Mini projects: Stop steering squeak, relocate rear sway bar, paint bumper, etc.
- B-head build

Finally started swapping in the T-56 in late January. Spent upwards of 3 hours trying to get ONE bolt off the h-pipe. Took a week of PB Blaster sprayed daily, torched it, broke 3 wobble extensions and a ratchet. Completely rounded it off while using a breaker bar with a 3' pole on the end of it. Tried to cut it off with an air saw and cut-off wheel, but couldn't get through the stud. Then got some of those lug-out sockets with teeth, smashed it on there, and used the 3' pole and breaker bar again and broke it loose . . . Worst nut placement ever Ford, major fail. Here's the nut, and the starter and h-pipe:

Out with the old....

My solution to the reverse lockout solenoid problem:

Painted and installed, along with the flywheel. Ended up neglecting to put on the flywheel "washer" or spacer or whatever you want to call it. Didn't find out what it was until after everything was back together...I guess we will have to see if anything bad comes of it:

Removed, drilled new mount holes, and re-mounted the cross member mounting brackets, and the new shift knob:

Trans is installed, along with FRPP aluminum flywheel and driveshaft (had to swap on the old companion flange from my FRPP driveshaft for the T-45 to bolt onto the pinion flange correctly), new '03 Cobra clutch, MGW short throw shifter, and Prothane polyurethane trans mount:

Clutch made a horrible sound when I started it up for the first time, I was ready to be very angry, but luckily between the double-hook quadrant, adjustable cable, and firewall adjuster, I fixed the problem. 

After several phone calls to Dallas Mustang regarding my Speedo Calibrator I find out I need the "Extended Range" version...I thought I got that one when I picked one up for my 4.30s, but I didn't, oh well. Wired it up and got it calibrated (after fussing with the connector for days, as the red wire-lock wasn't doing it's job and the pins in the VSS were pushing the wires out of the connector when I tried to plug it on. Ended up just breaking the inside of the connector, yanking the wires through and putting each one on their pin, then pushing the connector shell over them...works fine now)

Put several hundred miles on the trans, clutch is fully broken in, haven't done any hard launches yet though. Unfortunately, swapping the companion flange on from the old driveshaft threw the new driveshaft's balance out of whack, and it now vibrates the whole car pretty good at about 45 mph. I'll have it balanced though (I think for roughly $50) and it should be fine. Shifting quickly at high RPM is so much better now, I love this thing. I am a little disappointed, as I was expecting it to shift as smooth as butter compared to the T-45, but it's equally as notchy, but I guess most performance transmissions are. It makes up for it with it's strength. I might switch to a different fluid too and see if that helps, filled it with Mobil 1 full synth ATF, but never drained the trans completely beforehand, so there was still about 1.3 qts. of old fluid in there with about 25,000 miles on it. I'll update this when I get around to changing it. (Update - 5/13/09: Fluid completely drained and replaced with new, still notchy but it doesn't bother me much, it seems to enjoy higher revs and faster shifts more than around-town shifting)

Also changed a bunch of the nuts and bolts to stainless pieces, broke a connector on the starter then wired on a new one, and wired on a new backup-light connector.

Also Finally finished up the brake ducting while it was up in the air:

Thought I'd toss up a shot of the new shift knob installed because I'm a ricer like that:

Got bored one afternoon and decided to try my hand at polishing headlights. Used my orbital polisher I got for Christmas and Mother's Aluminum Polish, turned out damn good! Here's the before and afters:

Before                                                          After

After swapping the companion flange from the '97 driveshaft onto the '03 one, it threw the thing out of balance, and would vibrate pretty bad at around 45 mph. Took it off, brought it to Jeff at Riverside Gear out of Eaton Rapids, $55 later it's fixed. I figured as long as I had it off I would put my mind at ease and pick up a driveshaft spacer from Steeda to put some more of the slip yoke onto the output shaft for the trans:

Before                                                           After

I'm beginning to think that if I had just used the damn '97 shaft the whole time, I wouldn't have need to swap u-joints, balance it, or get a spacer. But everyone on the forums said 'noooo the '97 shaft is too long'...If I hadn't already sold it, I would be test fitting right now.

Finally got around to taking her through some twisties this Summer. As of June 19, 2009 I've done 3 autocrosses, and will be doing roughly 5 more before the end of the season. Apparently I'm relatively good, because my basically stock suspension Mustang was the second fastest car at the first one I did, behind an SRT-4 with coilovers and other goodies. Then by the third one, I was beating a buddy of mine in an STi swapped Saab 9-2x with coilovers, 160 treadwear RE050 PPs, and other mods, making around 300awhp, 200 lbs. lighter than mine, and he has years of auto-x experience - nice ego boost for me! But there was also a bone stock rented Suzuki SX4 ahead of me...That made me sad again. Anyways, here's the pics and some in car video:

Ended up doing 2 solo schools, 6 autocrosses, and 1 track day this year, and it was a blast! Here's some video from the track day (just a test and tune at Gingerman Raceway)

A few new parts...

Kenny Brown Doublecross full length sub frame connectors, '03 Cobra A-arms, and Eibach Sportline springs. Still debating whether or not I want the springs, still researching if they're good for auto-x and road racing or if they're more just for slamming the thing. Also just deleted the antenna and replaced it with a SS cap screw...

Painted the SFCs

I found out the Eibachs have been cut one coil, and the guys at Maximum Motorsports called them "...some of the worst springs available." So those are up for sale. 

Just got the Subframes welded on at Bannasch Welding in Lansing, great guys over there!

Finally fixed my swaybar that was sitting WAY too low. Drilled a new forward hole a little lower so I could pivot the bar upwards and back where it should be. Worked great!

At the same time as the sway bar fix, I also shot a bunch of grease into the bellows on the steering rack and sealed them with silicone. Who knows how long it will last, but the squeaking was driving me nuts, and had to stop. And I aslo took some time to throw some touch-up paint on the massive scrap on my front bumper. It looks worlds better now.

Bought some heads. Plan is to get them ported and get some bigger SS valves, and the rest OEM or close to it. Once the heads are done the plan is to get some new rods and pistons, pull the motor and slap all the stuff together. Once that's finished, time for boost! (e.t.a. 2014)

PAGE 1: Intro
PAGE 2: Photoshoots
PAGE 3: '06 Projects
PAGE 4: '07 Projects
PAGE 5: '08 Projects
PAGE 6: YOU ARE HERE