Build thread - 1985 Mustang Saleen (clone?)

[erratic50]

Great info Mike! Thank you!

Are you interested in helping make this 1407 work right? I know I can do a basic rebuild on carbs but beyond that it’s been over 25 years since I’ve really messed with a carb.... may be wise to hire the best guy I know of for the job instead of messing around on this one myself.

My dad is a wiz with carbs but he’s not went to the depths with them that you have.

Dad used to do stuff polishing metering rods and bending or adjusting linkages or float levels to get what he wanted from a carb. He could cure that stupid back barrel being dropped open hesitation out of the old Rochester spread bores.... wooobida — what an aggravating noise those old GMs with that carb made. So many cars got swapped to another carb just to fix that. A problem that is Infuriating though for sure.

Ive kept the car a carb equipped setup only because 85’s are the last of the carb motors and I like the idea of running it with a carb since it is supposed to have one. Relive some childhood memories of hearing a V8 that sounds like the hood could get sucked in any second

[Walking-Tall]

I could get into it... PM if you'd like to talk about remedy, re-calibration, and freshening up... but I'm sure it's something you could do yourself. A fix for the too-short boosters is some measuring, and then some careful tube cutting short lengths of brass tubing from a hobby store or other that's got an I.D. slightly less (or the same as) than the O.D. of the booster bottoms, then pressed (or epoxied) up onto their bottoms, so that they are then getting properly signaled down at the smallest venturi diameter where they are supposed to be. The other, maybe easier fix, is measuring and investigating other Edelbrock/Carter booster clusters if you have some or can find some kicking around, and substituting in proper length ones if there is such a thing... then of course, making sure the primary lower and upper idle feed restrictions are the right size, 1st and 2nd primary idle air bleed sizes match (making the 2nd adjustable from up top for super-tuning wicked throttle response and maximum fuel effiency), and making sure other main air bleeds are correct on replacement clusters.

I'm the last guy that you've got to convince about the sentiment of keeping a carbureted car, carbureted, lol, and you might find a new fondness for carburetors after driving with one that works real good.

[erratic50]

Yea, I had a fondness in high school for a good carb. Mostly the sound

I went away from them after I couldn’t get my Galaxie to behave and I know full well that was because I thought I needed to run a tunnel ram on a daily driver with a nice cam and shaved down fuelie heads. The combo ran like a raped ape when it was warmed up but damn it was cold blooded

[erratic50]

Got stranded in Austin Sunday night / Monday with my dad due to a flight being diverted away from DFW because of weather.

Background is we had went out to the LA area for the weekend. Hoped to take in some car shows, etc, but due to travel delays a lot of what we planned didn’t work out.

we did manage to find some beers and a hot tub though so life is good. Quality time is not spending time doing what you planned, it’s spending time just taking in what life throws your way

While in Austin it was more of the same. Everything you can think of other than Trey’s schedule lined up. His dad had some medical things that had to be handled so we were not able to connect while randomly dropped in town with my dad.

[wraithracing]

Finally got the color matched interior paint for the Saleen Clone. Apparently at least here in the Austin area, mixing interior paint has become VOODOO Science and you have to round of a Shaman to perform the ritual before the color can be mixed and then it must be blessed before departing the paint store.

Anyway, there interior parts and pieces are in very good shape overall, but between sun fade, previous paint job overspray, and just normal wear and tear they needed to be refinished.





Everything in color and drying.

[wraithracing]

Started assembling the dash and fitting the stereo system.



I need to bend/fabricate a rear bracket to support the stereo correctly so it will sit correctly and not try to tilt towards the back.

I also wired up and installed the new Kicker 3.5" dash speakers. I need to pick up some additional wire connectors and then install the OEM wiring harness and start wiring the stereo into the harness.

[erratic50]

Looking great Trey

Reminds me - never got a chance to check if this navigation stereo’s face will need to be shimmed out away from the dash a little bit so the screen clears when it’s open.

Glad I ordered this head unit when I did because they aren’t made anymore.

[NAVYCAT]

I was just looking at the radio, what kind is it?

[wraithracing]

Looking great Trey

Reminds me - never got a chance to check if this navigation stereo’s face will need to be shimmed out away from the dash a little bit so the screen clears when it’s open.

Glad I ordered this head unit when I did because they aren’t made anymore.

I will power the unit up in the next day or so to verify if it clears the dash. I think it will clear or at least I hope so. The stereo really sticks out from the dash. The current setup is the trim ring, the metal mounting bracket and the stereo, so if needed it can be shimmed out more. I will post up once I know for sure. Was hoping to get to it yesterday, but it didn't happen.

I was just looking at the radio, what kind is it?

Clarion, but I will have to double check on the actual model #

[wraithracing]

I was just looking at the radio, what kind is it?

[wraithracing]

Had some time this morning before I had to take my Dad to an appointment, so I decided to test fit the stereo. The initial install with the stereo set in place as normal. The dash is sitting on a stand, so the view is from the side to show how much the stereo protrudes at this point.





As you can see the screen can not extend out completely due to hitting the dash. So now to determine how much the mounting bracket and stereo will have to be spaced out from the dash in order to clear everything properly.

It appears that 1/2" or so will work just fine to gain the necessary clearance for the screen to full extend and not hit anything.





I am looking at using this extension to gain the needed space for the screen to clear the dash.

[erratic50]

I had the crazy idea of taking the radio section off the bottom of a trashed our dash hull and using it as an overlay to change the radio opening depth while keeping the overall shape.

no idea where to find such pieces or how it would even work. Probably just a nutty idea.

[wraithracing]

Today was a day of frustrations on several fronts, but at least I was able to get a few things accomplished.



The rear quarters are installed, the rear seats, speaker wiring is run, the hatch carpet, and the new TMI headliner.

[erratic50]

Looking good

[wraithracing]

Finally received the kit I posted above. I forgot to take pictures of the parts and pieces as they came out of the bag.

Anyway, had to sand down the added lip around the 1/2" spacer to make it fit the stereo opening. Overall it fits pretty well. Texting with James today, I think I am going to bond the spacer to the dash, blend it in and paint it to match the grey, so it looks as much like OEM as possible. Here are a couple of pictures of the whole setup.

[NAVYCAT]

that spacer kit look great, im liking the look

[erratic50]

Great work Trey. I'm excited to see this mod in person once its all sorted. Its turning out to be harder than I had anticipated but it fits a current HD radio with sat and navigation into a 1985 car.

[erratic50]

I am nearing the point where I am about pissed off enough to go for a drive and darken someone door not nice James style here pretty soon.

In March of 2018 I bought some new SFC and a guage pod for my 1986GT along with some HPM Megabite caster/camber plates from http://www.wpsracing.com/

Well fast forward to now and every single time I've called them across a period of endless months they keep telling me that I just missed the guy that can help me with my order and that I need to call back. I've called 17 times and now I need to call back? Again? For what!?

Well -- clearly their own site shows my order has not shipped. So where the hell is my parts. Really simple -- parts or my money back -- NOW. And I do mean NOW. https://order.store.yahoo.net/OS/sta...5b404338b98a28

Gang - there are dishonest people in this world and the rotten son of a bitches need to go out of business and rot in hell. I'm so far past fed up with this crap I can't even put it into words. I work hard for my money and I expect value when I spend it. Also time is money. In both areas I've spent hours.

even if I do get the parts I will have paid at least double by the time I get my stuff just in lost time along.

Here's their contact us page -- just about time to start pinging the living crap out of these A-holes until they get these parts to Trey so he can put the frontend together gang. http://www.wpsracing.com/info.html

I guess I am just GRUMPY enough today. *sigh*

[cougman67]

Unfortunately I’ve had my share of frustration with some of my local suppliers as well. I hope you get this rectified because I want to see this car done too.

[wraithracing]

Well . . . Since my wife and kids are in CO and I am in TX, I didn't have big plans for Easter SO . . . .

I prepped the dash for bonding the DIN spacer into place. The holes are for screws that attach from the back side and will mechanically bond the spacer.



Then I mixed up some Lord Fusor EZ 100 and bonded the spacer in place.



I thought I took mid process pictures, but apparently I forgot. I used long stand "Kitty Hair" filler to build up and out the area around the spacer once it was bonded. Then I used some regular filler smooth out most of the imperfections. Finally I sprayed some filler primer to help and give me a better idea of how things looked. Still need some work with imperfections and additional sanding, but at least know I have a better visual of where I am at.

[erratic50]

That is amazing work there Trey!

The aero guys have it SO easy with being able to drop the heat/AC controls and mounting a double DIN up high.

[Walking-Tall]

Oh my, there's some cool stuff going on in here!

[ZephyrEFI]

Wow, that's awesome!

[wraithracing]

Still sanding on the dash to wrap up the stereo install, so not much picture worthy there. The rain is back today and tomorrow so that is slowing down drying times.

Wrapped up the rear speaker install with new speaker covers and a new hatch striker that solved the not latching properly without slamming it issue.







I need to make a run by JoAnn Fabrics or some other upholstery store to find a piece of leather grained vinyl to help recreate the texture on the dash before I can spray the final color and wrap it up too.

[Tigger]

Man you seem to have just as much rain down there in Texas as we have in the pacific NW

Nice work by the way