My '83 GLX T-Top Coupe Junk Yard Find

[wraithracing]

Congrats on the new job! Hope everything works out for you!

[Davedacarpainter]

Thanks Trey.

Getting the new job has been a little bit of a pain the past few days fellas. I mean to say, I got the job, but.....

Leaving the old place has been the pita. My boss is fine with it and understands, it's just the younger fellas in my current paint shop. One new guy in particular that has been a painter for all of two years and believes he has the Paint Gun of God. He must go into a dream world when he's done shooting, at least concerning the quality of his work. He's been an SOB to me. I've got ways to grant someone like him a reality break though. A person shouldn't mess with a guy who's been doing his job for over fourty years. I'll grant him wisdom before I go, and a little after I go as well.

So, that's tied up my time.

I have been trying to get the steel tubing together for my sfc's, ladder bracing and jacking rails. The 1x1" stuff was easy to find for nothing. The 2x1.5" stuff for the sfc's has been more challenging. I thought I'd just buy a couple six foot sections from one of the local steel dealers. They want $85 for those two pieces!

I may just, in the end, buy a set of Maximum Motorsports full length connectors. They're already made to the right shape and have all the ancillaries to complete their installation. If I do this, it'll have to wait a couple weeks before I have the money.

In the mean time I'll go back to the engine bay and finish smoothing it.

I did get Sherwin Williams to pony up for my seam sealer for the floorpan. I'm going to use 3M's Heavy Body Seam Sealer, 8308, since they're still paying for stuff. It's pricey, but it's really good stuff. Pricey if I had to pay for it, that is.

[droopie85gt]

Good deal on the new job. Sometimes you have to teach the youngins who the alpha is!!

And good deal on still getting freebies for your Booger!

[droopie85gt]

Good deal on the new job. Sometimes you have to teach the youngins who the alpha is!!

And good deal on still getting freebies for your Booger!

[erratic50]

Congrats on the job!

the thing the young bucks have to understand is that we didn’t grow older by being completely stupid about everything unless we are on one of few that is just that damn lucky!

They can bet there is a midwestern farmer somewhere that works on their own stuff and knows more about doing a good job than their stupid ass does usually.

[Davedacarpainter]

Boy there's a couple of post I would have liked to attach a thumbs up to!

I haven't done much work as of late, the new job has my mind preoccupied.

I did a little today, i wasn't as focused as I should have been though.

I smoothed the top edge of the right side, the radiator support mount, and the front edge of the new panel.

I started on the left side strut tower as well. I need to make the line along the frame rail prettier obviously. I will, just not today.

Once I'm in my new job and making money again, I promise to go nuts on Booger. The transition has me almost lethargic. Kind of weird.

I'm trying to decide if I want to do the wrong thing financially and go ahead and buy the MM sfc's. I may be impulsive soon.

[flyin5-o]

Lookin' good Dave! I hear you on the steel prices. I just spent over $800 on the steel to modify my cage, build a fuel cell cage and a panhard bar.
Congrats on the new job!

[Davedacarpainter]

Winding down at the old job, I had some free time.

I disassembled the new to me manual pedal assembly, sanded the rust off of it and painted it the same color black as the interior pieces.

So work has been one of my storage facilities for mustang parts. I had the Cobra IRS down here. It’s in the back of my truck now. I think I’m going to take it home and I will temporarily mount it on Booger. It’s so dang heavy I don’t want to keep moving it by itself. My luck dictates that it will accidentally get dropped if I have to keep shuffling it around.

[Davedacarpainter]

I'm in the process of taking my extra mustang parts home from the old job (Only one more day!).

So nothing really done. Booger just gets to be close to his new rear end for the first time

BTW, that freaking IRS is really stînking heavy!

[ashley roachclip]

It is heavy , but it gives you a better weight bias .

[Davedacarpainter]

It is heavy , but it gives you a better weight bias .

Oh yeah, definitely.

I just have a feeling that I'll have swollen jewels by the time it's on the car.

[ashley roachclip]

The IRS is quite easy to install.
Lower car on stands enough to insert the front of the cradle into the subframe of the car .
Raise the irs up with a floor jack to where the rear mounts will reside .
It is all about leverage and making the best use of the tools you have on hand .

I I stalled an IRS into my notch , by myself , found where I needed to modify , lowered it , made the modifications , raised it back up and finalized the install .
I welded the rear mounts to the car , rather than mess with the bolts thru the frame down Into the mount .
I can still remove it if need be , and I feel it is stronger .

[Davedacarpainter]

The IRS is quite easy to install.
Lower car on stands enough to insert the front of the cradle into the subframe of the car .
Raise the irs up with a floor jack to where the rear mounts will reside .
It is all about leverage and making the best use of the tools you have on hand .

I I stalled an IRS into my notch , by myself , found where I needed to modify , lowered it , made the modifications , raised it back up and finalized the install .
I welded the rear mounts to the car , rather than mess with the bolts thru the frame down Into the mount .
I can still remove it if need be , and I feel it is stronger .

In the end I’ll do a hardtail mount for the rear. I want that little bit extra wheel clearance.

For now, a couple bolts through the frame will do.

[wraithracing]

In the end I’ll do a hardtail mount for the rear. I want that little bit extra wheel clearance.

For now, a couple bolts through the frame will do.

Just be ready for some high offset wheels to fit with that IRS, especially if you want anything wider than an 8"

[Davedacarpainter]

Just be ready for some high offset wheels to fit with that IRS, especially if you want anything wider than an 8"

Yes sir, got an idea on that one already.

Today is the last day at the old job. So to report on any silly little thing I’ve done on the car, there’s this

Thats the dash center brace. I stripped the rust off and painted it the interior black

So now I’ll be ready if anybody takes a borescope and pushes it up underneath my dash......they’ll say, “that sure is a pretty brace”......

[BMW Rider]

Geez, what kind of anally retentive twit would paint stuff that no one ever sees. Oh wait, I did too. Never mind, move along, nothing to see here.

[Davedacarpainter]

I got all of my tools moved over to the new job today.

I have to go through the HR stuff tomorrow morning and hopefully I'll be working on a bunch of toyotas by the afternoon.

I almost left my rear bumper at the old job. I brought it home and decided to stick it on Booger real fast to see how it'll look. I really like the color.

[JTurbo]

Congrats and the bumper looks killer on there.

JT

[ashley roachclip]

Dave , the clearance issues with an IRS are not on the frame side , but are at the quarter lip .
My opinion in, and I know it means nothing , I would not mess with this hard tail mod you mentioned .
Just my opinion from experience sir .

[Davedacarpainter]

Dave , the clearance issues with an IRS are not on the frame side , but are at the quarter lip .
My opinion in, and I know it means nothing , I would not mess with this hard tail mod you mentioned .
Just my opinion from experience sir .

I'm going to be widening the quarters by 1.5" (eventually).

I appreciate you helping me though.

when that far away day comes, Booger will be getting some custom shoes.

[Davedacarpainter]

Congrats and the bumper looks killer on there.

JT

Thanks Joe. I hate changing jobs, but I do love all the work the new shop has waiting for me already.

[droopie85gt]

Geez, what kind of anally retentive twit would paint stuff that no one ever sees. Oh wait, I did too. Never mind, move along, nothing to see here.

OEM's to stop your stuff from rusting.

Oh wait.....

[erratic50]

IRS is a bit of a mixed bag. There are reported to improve handling by leaps and bounds yet the few guys I know who swapped one in constantly get their butts handed to them on lap times on the road course. I’ve watched a few runs and I think a lot of it is the wrong gears and a lackluster driver but I’ve seen some cars with just a strut tower brace, subframe connectors, and caster/camber plates do better.

The car ive watched most has a GT40 intake and exhaust and throttle body parts and a letter cam even.

My buddy’s has a completely untouched 86 HO motor. Timing is still at 10 and the silencer is still in place for pity’s sake. He does have 3.27 rear gears, but that’s about it on the go department. He has MM upper control arms and their panhard and SN95 cobra brakes and is lowered a bit of course. Nothing fancy, not even coilovers or SN95 balljoints— but his lap times stomp the IRS car big time.

I think with the right driver and the right gears and all the necessary bushings replaced in the IRS the conversation would change, but what I’m saying is do all your homework before you put it in or it will be a disappointment.

Yes handling is more predictable with an IRS than it is with a stock rear setup, but it also is with MM’s sway bar and panhard and SN95 shocks and softer rear springs.

The straightline guys mostly ditch the IRS day one but there are parts that solve for that too but they are hard on the wallet.

I like seeing that there’s progress on your car Dave — I hope things go very well for you and it all comes together nicely and is exactly what you are hoping for!

[ashley roachclip]

Erratic, you have his on valid points for both an irs and live axle .
One thing you forgot , is all manufacturers today , Dodge , Chevrolet , and Ford , have incorporated an IRS into all of the performance models .
Camaro , Challenger , Mustang , all have them .
The reason is because they are more predictable with today's tech.
I have 2 foxes. 1 is an 84 , while far from stock , it still I corporates that platforms designed parts , still has a live axle .
The second is a 91 , it has a full 01 cobra drive train and electronics.
Yes it has launch , and traction controls , abs brakes , and working airbag system .
I drive both Mustangs in Cam class .
This class allows me to make those modifications to my 91 , without spending a ton of money , and no points for those modifications .
I ran the IRS equipped 91 , while still a pushrod 302 .
My times were greatly improved over the 84 , with a live axle .
Keep in mind , I run the 91 with traction control off , as I want to improve my skills , without the nannies .
I do have 3:73 gears and the exact same tire on both cars .
In a road course , slalom course , and road racing course , the less time you have to spend resettling your car due to off camber corners , etc....
The more time you can spend on going faster .
Just my experience .
I found wheels that fit the wheel wells for the width difference of the IRS , that allows me to run a square set up , with lots of meet .
In all fairness , I used the 01 K member , which widens the track , so I can run 275 /40/17 on all corners .

I will be doing the same , when the 84 becomes a coyote fox .

[ashley roachclip]

Erratic, you have his on valid points for both an irs and live axle .
One thing you forgot , is all manufacturers today , Dodge , Chevrolet , and Ford , have incorporated an IRS into all of the performance models .
Camaro , Challenger , Mustang , all have them .
The reason is because they are more predictable with today's tech.
I have 2 foxes. 1 is an 84 , while far from stock , it still I corporates that platforms designed parts , still has a live axle .
The second is a 91 , it has a full 01 cobra drive train and electronics.
Yes it has launch , and traction controls , abs brakes , and working airbag system .
I drive both Mustangs in Cam class .
This class allows me to make those modifications to my 91 , without spending a ton of money , and no points for those modifications .
I ran the IRS equipped 91 , while still a pushrod 302 .
My times were greatly improved over the 84 , with a live axle .
Keep in mind , I run the 91 with traction control off , as I want to improve my skills , without the nannies .
I do have 3:73 gears and the exact same tire on both cars .
In a road course , slalom course , and road racing course , the less time you have to spend resettling your car due to off camber corners , etc....
The more time you can spend on going faster .
Just my experience .
I found wheels that fit the wheel wells for the width difference of the IRS , that allows me to run a square set up , with lots of meet .
In all fairness , I used the 01 K member , which widens the track , so I can run 275 /40/17 on all corners .

I will be doing the same , when the 84 becomes a coyote fox .