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  1. #51

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    Well, my ONE shock showed up today. Now we'll see if I get the other 3.

    Got some other stuff from MM too though, so I'm looking forward to getting started this weekend!
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  2. #52

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    After I cleared up the socket stuck in the SVO wheel problem, I finished up the front suspension tear-down. I pulled the ball joints from the previous suspension revamp and discovered something awesome. The store sold me 2 different ones, presumably, one for an SN95 application (right), and one for a Fox application (WRONG!). With my '94-95 front spindles, I'm sure this did not contribute positively to the ride/handling characteristics of my car. And this was the same store trip where they sold me struts that were apparently for '79-04. But as we know, the lower strut mount was changed for '87. So, obviously their application data was wrong. And these were for the wider lower strut mount for '79-86 cars. Don't trust that the store sold you the right thing! Always check it!

    Anyway, I shot my control arms with a nice coat of paint, and tomorrow, i'll be ready to start the re-assembly! Here's my pile-o-parts going in.

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    H&R Sport springs, Lemfoerder low-friction ball joints, proper Dorman SVO lug nuts, a MM K-member brace, a 1 1/8" front sway bar, new rear upper control arms & axle-side bushings, LRS camber adjustment lower strut mount bolts and... one Tokico shock. Obviously i'll wait until all 4 shocks/struts arrive before I install those. I also got some new stock style rack bushings too. It should be great! I can't wait!
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  3. #53
    FEP Supporter svt1996cobra's Avatar
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    998

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    Very nice looking car! I always liked the ES 1/4 window treatment!! Keep up the good work.

    David

  4. #54

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    Quote Originally Posted by svt1996cobra View Post
    Very nice looking car! I always liked the ES 1/4 window treatment!! Keep up the good work.

    David
    Thanks! Yeah, that was one of the things that sold me on the car!
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  5. #55
    FEP Power Member Ray Dog's Avatar
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    Nice sleeper. You must be playing with peoples heads when they look for the 5.0 GT next to you when you pull up along side.
    Ever think of fabing a steel guide to weld in the hole through the sfc with radius to protect the cable?
    Ray
    86 Mustang LX 3.8 Convertible (bought new}
    65 Galaxie 500 XL 390 auto
    2A

  6. #56

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ray Dog View Post
    Nice sleeper. You must be playing with peoples heads when they look for the 5.0 GT next to you when you pull up along side.
    Ever think of fabing a steel guide to weld in the hole through the sfc with radius to protect the cable?
    Thanks! My plan actually is to enlarge the hole in the frame rail and take a sleeve from an old parking brake cable and slip it in there. I've heard you can cut the end off the cable and crimp a new one on, but I've yet to find someone that sells crimp-on cable ends. I've found plenty you can weld on, but I don't have a welder.
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  7. #57

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    Did my upper control arms yesterday. I discovered something else that is significant. Poly bushings on the axle side. I bought my 8.8 from a guy who had had it in a Mustang. Anyway, replaced with stock rubber! That should help my rough ride significantly!
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  8. #58

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    How rough is the ride? The car looks fantastic and not too drastically lowered. Have you driven another 5.0 fox body for comparison?

  9. #59

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    Well in any of the pics I've posted it's not lowered at all. In fact, I think it sat higher than stock. The ride was wholly unacceptable. it felt like the springs were rock solid. I've owned other Fox bodies and I don't recall any of them shaking me around the way this thing did. It looked good in pictures sitting like it did and had a great stance with the Bullitts, but it wasn't comfortable to drive. This is a car I want to be able to drive a lot.
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  10. #60
    FEP Super Member mustangxtreme's Avatar
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    You may need to play with the shocks and struts to smooth out your ride. I'd wait until you can install your Tokico shocks and struts and see if your ride improves.
    Dave

    If common sense was common wouldn't it just be sense?

    1983 Capri L T top 5.0 efi aod
    1983 Capri RS Turbo
    1981 Black Magic 400 c6
    93 F-250 351 5sp 4x4

  11. #61

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    Well, I certainly won't expect it to be "fixed" until the struts/shocks go in. The springs are all in now though. Gotta do it while I have the time! Don't quite have things all buttoned up so I can drive it yet though.
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  12. #62

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    Alright, here it is, the official Before and After.

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    I don't know what I think yet. I measured the ride height front and rear, and the rear sits 1/2" lower than the front. I'll let everything settle, but I'm thinking I might need a spacer for the rear. I still have to button a few more thing up before I drive it, so no ride review yet, haha. For one thing, one of the tailpipes is now very close to the axle, so I'll need to do something about that.
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  13. #63

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    Wow, those springs really dropped the car. Overall, how much lower is it?
    Cheers!

    Mike (TopGear85)



    Have:
    85 Saleen #73-GT,2R,TuTone,Cruise,Pos,5spd,Charcoal
    ***August 2015 ROTM Winner!***

    Had:
    79PC-San Jose #2890
    86GT-9L,TuTone,5spd,T-Tops,Sand Beige
    86GT-9L,TuTone,5spd,T-Tops,Charcoal
    90LX-Oxford Wht,5spd,Sunroof,5.0 Hatchback
    90GT-Oxford Wht,5spd

  14. #64

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    I like the lowered stance! Hopefully the ride got smoother for you. I have the same issue with front to back ride height. The way the wheel wells are cut differently front and back will make a level stance look higher in the front also. But yeah in the picture you can see the front is a little higher when looking at the garage floor.

  15. #65
    FEP Super Member Travis T's Avatar
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    Did you put the spring isolators in? I had left them out of the back of my 84 and new ones really put the back end up more than I thought they would.
    1984 Mustang GT owned since 1991 (first car). Mercury Mountaineer GT-40P engine, some suspension mods, currently undergoing a five lug SN95 brake upgrade and more suspension mods. Some minor body and interior mods have been done as well.

    2004 GT convertible, 2001 Taurus LX, 1994 F150, 1950 F-1 Ford Pickup

  16. #66

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    I wouldn't be surprised if it was a good 4 inches lower, especially in the rear. But remember, it was hilariously high before. 1-2 inches higher than stock, I'll bet. Looking at Ukravit's latest pic of his boxtop for comparison, mine really isn't too much lower, if at all. Compared to what I'm used to though, it seems REALLY low, haha. I know the rear will always look lower because of the fender arches, but I would be happier if it wasn't actually lower in reality, haha. The isolators are all in place. And it looks like I should have plenty of room for wheel movement, so no rubbing. I haven't turned the front lock to lock yet though.
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  17. #67
    FEP Super Member mustangxtreme's Avatar
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    I like the lowered look but agree raising the back up to give you a slight rake would make it awesome.
    Dave

    If common sense was common wouldn't it just be sense?

    1983 Capri L T top 5.0 efi aod
    1983 Capri RS Turbo
    1981 Black Magic 400 c6
    93 F-250 351 5sp 4x4

  18. #68

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    Well, after my little episode solving the ball-joints-slipping-out-of-the-control-arms problem and distorted-bushing-ears-pressing-bushings-in problem with new control arms... I finally took 'er for a short ride. I'm STILL waiting on the struts, so I didn't take it too far sans a proper alignment, but it really seems to drive nice! Bumps are actually absorbed, rather than transmitted throughout the chassis! Mustangs Unlimited said on Wednesday if they arrive Friday, they would ship this coming week. I'm going to keep bugging them, haha.

    I think the rear end settled even more. I had the front up in the air for a good week or two, so it looks really uneven now, at least to me. I could be crazy though.
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  19. #69

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    Hell has frozen over! My struts just shipped!

    Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  20. #70
    FEP Super Member mustangxtreme's Avatar
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    Woo Hoo
    Dave

    If common sense was common wouldn't it just be sense?

    1983 Capri L T top 5.0 efi aod
    1983 Capri RS Turbo
    1981 Black Magic 400 c6
    93 F-250 351 5sp 4x4

  21. #71

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    Struts are in! Turned out I had a bad inner tie rod end I needed to replace too, so I did that. So now the only thing not new on the whole front suspension is the driver's side inner tie rod end.

    Yesterday, I spent some time installing the Global West spring spacers to raise up my drooping rear end. I ordered the 3/4" ones, but they sent me the 7/8" ones. Just as well, the rear was sitting about an inch low. I guess my springs were designed for a Mustang, and my car has more weight on the rear. Here're what the spacers look like.

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    Nice, high quality product! Solid aluminum. I'll have a good before and after for the ride height later. My after pic from yesterday is blurry.
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  22. #72
    FEP Super Member mustangxtreme's Avatar
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    Cool, I can't wait to see the final ride height.
    Dave

    If common sense was common wouldn't it just be sense?

    1983 Capri L T top 5.0 efi aod
    1983 Capri RS Turbo
    1981 Black Magic 400 c6
    93 F-250 351 5sp 4x4

  23. #73

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    Alright, here's the Before and After

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    I'm pretty happy with it!
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  24. #74
    FEP Senior Member TeeJayTee's Avatar
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    Minnesota
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    Looks great!

  25. #75

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    It's amazing what a small amount of lift can do for the overall look of your ride. Your car's stance looks perfect now, congrats! Btw, I do think you should buy the other tie rod end so everything is new and will wear evenly. If the one was bad chances are the other isn't too far off.

    Just food for thought.
    Cheers!

    Mike (TopGear85)



    Have:
    85 Saleen #73-GT,2R,TuTone,Cruise,Pos,5spd,Charcoal
    ***August 2015 ROTM Winner!***

    Had:
    79PC-San Jose #2890
    86GT-9L,TuTone,5spd,T-Tops,Sand Beige
    86GT-9L,TuTone,5spd,T-Tops,Charcoal
    90LX-Oxford Wht,5spd,Sunroof,5.0 Hatchback
    90GT-Oxford Wht,5spd

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