1983 GL, project: Cheap Thrills

Well, it's back underneath the car:
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That's the yukon 31 spline axles, maximum motorsports spacers, MM adjustable control arms, Bilsteins and Mach 1 rear springs. The spacers are only .25", but I went with the slightly longer explorer wheel studs, just in case.

I still have one upper control arm installed to keep the axle from rotating, but it's not even bolted down. It just in loose for now.

Tomorrow I'm going to work on the subframe connectors, torque arm and panhard bar.

This axle and suspension is going to just laugh at anything I'm going to be throwing at it.

I'm hoping to get the rear suspension completed by the end of Easter weekend.
 
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Today is pretty much gone and not a thing done to the car.

but wasn't a wasted day.

the garage was such a mess I couldn't hardly move anymore, so the day was spent getting my "sanity space" back!

Sometimes, you have to stop to move forward.

:)
 
Ok, well maybe i might get a little something done today:

7A18EEF6-20B6-4F38-96AF-FE15D3481490_zpsymwrzbbi.jpg


;)
 
Oh yeah baby!
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Just hung in place for now.

Tomorrow will be welding in subframe connectors, setting the pinion angle and welding in the front Torque arm mounting tabs.

Hopefully I'll get to the panhard bar too, but that's a lot ot hope for in one long weekend.

But, nothing is as fun as bolting up new parts!

Except maybe flogging them once you're done!

:)
 
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Its a no brainer that my fat old bod is not getting under a stock fox to weld in subframe connectors and the car has to sit on its own suspension when doing it so it doesn't end up "cocked" out of square.

easy solution:

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EBC90E6B-0B90-400B-AE5C-EE99FC93F52B_zpsfumokiax.jpg


18" to the rocker pinch weld. Plenty of room to work.

:)
 
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Added the seat brace and a shot of paint to protect the top since I can't get to it after it's installed:

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Now for a break while it dries.

I might not get them both in today.

If I'm lucky, I may get to start the panhard bar late tomorrow.

Oh well, no rush. It's just a play car anyways....:)
 
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Side #1 done:

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7CA4E32C-B7CA-48F6-8C1A-8A5170A098DA_zpsnyutthhe.jpg


Side #2 underway.

:)
 
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92LX302;n14667 said:
How was the install of the torque arm? I've been kinda scared to invest in one.
Click to expand...

Still working on it.

You need the full length subframe connectors to install the torque arm. You might get away with the short subframe connectors, but I wouldn't I want to as now all the rotational torque from your rear axle is shoving up into the subframe connectors.

Instead of the rear axle trying to rip out the upper trailing arm torque boxes, the torque arm tries to lift the car in the middle. That's​ I why I made my subframe connectors out of 1.5 x 2" tube instead of the more commonly used 1 x 2". I was going to use 2x2, bit didn't I want quite that much hanging down under the car. You also loose about 2" of ground clearance right under the rear differential housing.

Othering the crossbar tabs to the subframe connectors for the forward mount, it's bolt in.

You also need the panhard bar to install the torque arm as once you remove the upper trailing arms there's nothing locating the axle laterally. This the need for the panhard bar.

The stock lower arms are also a little flimsy for a torque arm suspension, but I suppose you could get by with them.

The one thing I didn't put on was the adjustable rear sway bar. I wish I had, but I ran out of money....Lol!
 
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Done:
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Bolted and welded.

Pinion angle is set. 1° at the crank face, 1° at the pinion flange.

The torque arm front mount is supposed to be located in the center of the car -/+ 1/2", I've got about an 1/8" off center. 1/2" is the ford spec for axle center. I can probably drop that 1/8" to zero as the mounts I welded to the subframe connectors are slotted.

It's a good thing I built my subframe connectors instead of buying them. The passenger side connector looks exactly like the one you would buy aftermarket.

The drivers side is a little different story. When I replaced the floor, the drivers side front subframe got a little "cocked" at the rear. Nothing serious, just the rear where it joins to the floor is a little higher than it should be. I dropped all the suspension and alignment points to the floor and measured, every thing is still within spec. But what it means is the angles on the subframe connectors are a little different than what an exact "OEM" car would be. Since mine were made to the car, they still fit perfectly.

All I have left is to install the panhard bar and the rear end is (for all intents) done.

The only issue I've run into so far is the BBK H-Pipe crossover ends up right under the front TA mount. As in: it won't fit. No big though. I'll just cut the crossover pipe out and move it a couple inches forward. Not ideal, but you do what ya gotta do to make things fit.

Phew. I'll be glad when I don't have to roll around on the concrete floor all day anymore.......;)
 
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After an evenings​ hard thrash, the Panhard bar is in: [IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/i1174.photobucket.com\/albums\/r618\/justonepict\/BB54EA0C-1ACB-43A5-9400-F1C636CBC294_zpspqlwtbtf.jpg"}[/IMG2]

I basically just said "damn the topedos!" and worked like a mad man until done. Garage is a mess, tools are everywhere, I've got a few more battle scars and pretty sure I invented a couple new curse words, but it's done.

:)

Still needs adjustments and lots of bolts need torquing down, but it's in.

It's sold as a "bolt in" and there truly is no welding, but bolt in might be a bit of a stretch. It's far from and easy installation.

But the hard work is done.

Once everything is snugged down and adjusted, the rear axle and rear suspension is finished!

Even now, the rear end location is rock solid. I can throw my weight again the side of the car and it doesn't even wiggle. The stock 4 link would let the car rock and shake under the same hit. It's not even finished and it's already in better shape than the oem 4 link garbage.

:)

I think I'll get the rear brakes done next.....
 
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Started installing the ebrake and rear brakes.

Ebrake is pretty easy. It's the 83 handle and cable to the splitter bar, then 94 sn95 cables back to the sn95 calipers. I still have to install the transmission tunnel bracket for the cables, but that will wait until I get the rear calipers mounted so I can get a more exact location for the bracket.

I started tearing down my junkyard rear calipers. After popping out the pistons and having a good overall look at the condition, I'm just going to use them as core returns instead of rebuilding them. I could make them work, but it's honestly just not worth the effort.

Buying a decent set of remans will save me a lot of hassle and leap me forward a bit. Hopefully I get away with somewhere around 75 bucks for two after the core return....
 
Hardly worth resealing a set these days and when you start buying piece parts who know what fits anymore. Keep up the updates, keeps us motivated as well!
 
Alrighty! We have brakes: [IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/i1174.photobucket.com\/albums\/r618\/justonepict\/A909E388-FD0A-412F-8E1B-FD218D68B501_zps8veg7x5f.jpg"}[/IMG2]



Well, at least a hand brake. I still have to plumb the entire brake system from the master cylinder out to all 4 wheels. But thats easy work on a laid back weekend afternoon.

While i was waiting for the paint to dry, i drilled and tapped my hurst shift ball:

488B6285-DAC3-4322-A193-F8D90574E2CA_zpsqwa93ac6.jpg


I like the old hurst shift ball look, but not the price. I found this one on ebay for 10 bucks, but it was the wrong thread size. Since its just a brass insert set into the ball, i simply drilled it larger and rethreaded it. Not bad for 10 bucks!

Next up is to tidy up a few things that need some welding weld touch up underneath and then the car can go back down to just the car dollies.

Then I'm going to see about getting that ol' v8 to bark for me!

:)
 
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Laid up today with bad foot.

Been playing with photochop trying to come up with something to do with the rear bumper cover. Stole a pic off the net and came up with this:

mustang%20rear%20bumper%20gt40%20copy_zpsrudoj2rr.jpg


I dunno. Kinda hot and cold on it.

I know I don't want to use the stock Mustang GT big and low rear facia and I can't use the higher LX bumper (won't match side moldings).

I thought about the cobra rear bumper, but they are prohibitively expensive, assuming you can find someone who actually ships something that large from the US to Canada.

Hmmm.....maybe more photochoping will produce something for me......;)
 
More messing around:

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Opinions anyone?
 
I kinda like the first posted pic . Quad tips are better that duals.. Lol. More the better..and your pretty good at this photo shop stuff
 
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