Build thread - 1985 Mustang Saleen (clone?)

[Redlordamazon]

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Here is a picture of wheels I finished with the centers to match the body molding and trim.

[wraithracing]

Congrats on the wheels!

They will look great on the car! If you choose to redo the wheels yourself, I would recommend polishing the hoops first. Then mask them off well and then most likely media blast the centers to clean and prep for their new color. That will help to remove any polishing compound, etc. left from the hoops. Then re-mask, prime, and paint.

I would most likely go with the charcoal grey color to match the trim. That would look pretty good IMHO.

Redlord was posting while I was typing, but I rest my case with his picture above!

Might need to PM you about one of your spare center caps since my Enkei wheels are missing one.

[erratic50]

Yea- those caps are insanely overpriced pieces of plastic! So far my Saleen caps have cost nearly much as the wheels by the time you put silver stickers on them instead of gold. I will likely only have real Saleen caps on the car when I'm showing it or will have to work out a nearly fool proof cap retainer system.

Brock also pinged me about some caps for his 92's.

Thinking about at getting out the micrometer and CADD. If we can make an STL we can 3D print more flat on top without logos. Measure the flange depth on the wheels and make sure they fit properly. Then you can get the stickers of your choice to put on. Even if you make them so they won't release without breaking it seems like a decent answer consideribg it would only take about $3 worth of ABS...... probably less ..... and most of the stickers guys will want are CHEAP!

my other idea is a similar appearing drop in from the back design. Something that simply won't come off without taking the wheel off the car first.

caps on a mesh wheel? What a concept. The grand national guys would cheer too, that's for sure!

[erratic50]

Redlordamazon -- My sons 86GT ragtop looked nearly identical when we bought it except it had the welds on it that are now on my Saleen. We replaced those with stock 10 hole then got a new trunk lid minus luggage rack and added a 93 Cobra wing.

I REALLY love black center mesh wheel on black GT's. 16x8's were my dream back when my 86GT was near perfect as far as body and paint goes but I could never come up with the cash to do it.


Trey - Forgot to say - thanks for the great advice on reconditioning the wheels!

Im half tempted to track down some more narrow mesh also. Then I could do two sets of staggered wheels. Narrow front wide rear. keep one set for the Saleen. one set as "just in case" backups.

[Redlordamazon]

I use aircraft stripper on the centers. Usually have to do twice. I use a brass brush to work the stripper off inbetween the spokes. The stripper works well. I use 120 grit sandpaper to remove and curb rash if there is any then I wet sand the aluminum working my way up to 2000 grit wet. Once they are sanded I polish by hand with Mothers. Then I give the wheel a real good cleaning with fantastic a couple of times. Then I bring them to my friends body shop. He custom mixes the color we choose and primes and paints the centers after I tape them off. Once the paint is dry I polish the bare aluminum with Brooklyn ball buster which is a liquid aluminum polish. As far as the center caps go after the tires are mounted and balance, I put the center cap on and run a bead of black silicone around the back side of the cap and work it in.

[Redlordamazon]

Here is a set I did and we painted 03-03 mustang bullit wheel gray. Picture was taken by Ed Prete.

[erratic50]

Very nice! Those rims look right at home. exactly what I want to do to mine

[erratic50]

I bought a gauge cluster that has a 4/6/8 capable tach in it that is calibratd to 8000. I might put the tach in my Saleen, might save it for my 86GT. [edit - 8K tach was a bust. it didn't have a 4/6/8 switch like the owner thought initially]

Still ZERO leads on a 170MPH and new gauge faces for the tach and speedometer. I plan to take 85-0006 about as close to perfect as possible [edit - bought a BBK 170 speedometer. Its on its way. Thanks Dacolino. Also received leads on a real cluster - committed to buying it but haven't gotten the tracking number for the shipment yet]

[Redlordamazon]

Thanks, If have any questions feel free to ask. As far as lug nuts go I found its works out great with the Ford Racing lug nut kit. It comes with chrome valve stems four wheel locks and twenty lugs. It runs around forty dollars, and if you don't want to use the locks you can usually sell them off. That's what I do. The lug nuts are the right depth.

[dagenham]

I bought a gauge cluster that has a 4/6/8 capable tach in it that is calibratd to 8000. I might put the tach in my Saleen, might save it for my 86GT.

Still ZERO leads on a 170MPH and new gauge faces for the tach and speedometer. I plan to take 85-0006 about as close to perfect as possible

I could be wrong but I thought 8000 rpm tachs were usually for 4 cyl cars

[erratic50]

Technically yes but if they have the cyl count switch they work on any

[erratic50]

Thanks for info on the lugs!

[Davedacarpainter]

I wish I could offer some help for you on your build, but it's beyond me. I really am enjoying your work and purchases though! Good luck with it though brother!

[erratic50]

Yea - it's been nearly breaking the bank at times, that's for sure. Especially with the typical life happens stuff with broken appliances and kids off to college, etc

Just about done buying Saleen stuff. Just a little more to go and it's on to making it a Mustang again.

I forgot to mention the new carbon fiber brake pads I picked up for it. I plan to install them on the stock brakes in front and see how they do. Will repack the bearings and install new hoses, etc. for back I will likely gut the stock proportioning valve and add an adjustable then put tbird rear disc brakes on when I build the 8.8 with 3.55's for it. About time to go get greasy and get stuff done.

[erratic50]

Progress on the Saleen was not to be today, heater core on Glidethunder's daily blew. Blessed factory AC cars *suck* when it comes to heater cores.

BTW - I identified the source of the dash cracks on so many of these cars. If you drop the glovebox and remove the dash pad then pry up on the dash hull with the passenger screws out you can replace the heater core without removing the dash entirely...... but frequently it either breaks the dash or causes it to break later. removing all the screws but leaving the wires gang and go out through the glovebox opening is my approach.

[erratic50]

One step closer to being a "high plains drifter"... "Got the radar detector to tell me where the cops is....." (beastie boys)

[erratic50]

Davedacarpainter - you have one heck of a project yourself. I've enjoyed every minute of reading your progress as well.

Im starting to get a little miffed at people on craigslist who are unresponsive. They advertise exactly what I want and don't respond to me! How hard can it really be to do a T5 transaction - like really...... about ready to just buy a new T5Z and everything else new too and be done with it! I really want my motor and trans in my car before the snow flies this fall!

[Davedacarpainter]

Craigslist can be irritating, no doubt. Though those little jewels pop up periodically to make it feel good for a while.....

Radar detector, lol

[erratic50]

Those old Escorts are a blast from the past for sure. I also have my now deceased cousin's Cobra from the same time period that still "works". I may rig them both up. I always ran my detector off of my map light also back in the day. Mine always squeezed in between my mirror and the top of my windshield perfectly.

I don't know how many times I got stopped over the years with a detector stashed up there but lots of warning tickets tell me the officer had NO idea it was there. My favorite warning is my 110 in a 55 warning ticket. (bear in the air got me on that one)

Gotta love 3rd gear when passing with these old fox bodies! Pull out at 50 and it's like hills and wind resistance do not exist.

[xctasy]

Radar detectors were so much fun.

"There is something extremely satisfying about topping the 'ton' in third"

Steve Cropley, 1978 Falcon Cobra 5.8 drive test.

99 mph at 4800 rpm in third, 2.75 axle, 4 speed, 216 hp. 16.4 second 1/4 mile, 128 mph in top at 4800.

I think that was the old 1965-1970 Shelby Performance rule that sadly skipped the difficult 3.91 geared 302 and 351 and Dash 9 Bosses and the emasculated 1974 to 1978 Mustangs.

By 1979, every 4 speed 5.0 Capri ans Stang could top 100 mph in third again. 1980-1981, it missed the 5.0, but every year from 1982 to date, same deal.

[BaconB8]

Does your car still have the body buck tag screwed to the radiator support? It's usually located on the drivers side of the radiator support, between the high beam light and the "L" bracket that holds the bumper cover on. If your car came with a dead pedal, it will be present on one of the two tags held in by a Phillips screw. If it's not on the buck tag, it probably was added.

IMO, the hardest thing to get for an accurate 85 clone will be the speedo. I've only seen one outside of an actual saleen mustang. If your car came with the speedo, it would be more plausible that the car was somehow a legit Saleen. The info from the company is really all that's needed tho.

[erratic50]

duplicate post deleted

[erratic50]

The buck tag is there, yes. Haven't put in the effort to get a shot of it yet.

Agreed, the speedometer will be difficult. There are BBK speedometers that go to 170 and there are overlay decals that say Saleen out there if you can find them.

[erratic50]

I've started doing some research on methods to improve front steering geometry on the four eyed cars without moving away from 4 lug.

SN95 spindles are great except nobody makes a 4 lug hub assembly and rotor for them so they are out.

I discovered earlier tonight that the SVO used spindles from the Continental. The balljoint requirements are a problem but can be overcome with a shim sold widely. Just what the dr ordered.

Not sure if a longer balljoint (to drop the roll center) is available but it's stuff I will gradually look into.

Correcting steering geometry while staying with mostly stock suspension is always a great thing. I couldn't be happier with the SN95 swap with X2's in my 86 Mustang. I had plenty of trouble getting it all sorted but it really came out great. If I ever do another 5 lug conversion I will do it exactly the way I did my 86.

Going to start a discussion thread on this.

[GliDeThuNDeR]

More good pictures of the 85, and my car (while far from freshly washed) happened to sneak into the shot.

Excited to see how low the Saleen will be in front given its at approximately stock Ford ride height with no motor.