Building a 79 notch with a 93 parts car

[svtrichie]

I have a 79 notch roller and a complete 93 5.0 parts car that runs and drives. My intention is to strip the complete 93 and use it all in the 79. Any fitment issues? With the 93 fuel tank fit, I now the trans cross member will need added. Just any tips to make life easier will help!

[wraithracing]

Fitment issues . . . Describe what you call a bolt in.

Many of the parts will swap over with minimal fitment issues or problems. Others will fit, but will require massaging, clearancing, tweaking, etc. to work.

The fuel tank is not a bolt in, the trunk floor is different so you will either have to use the 79 tank or modify the floor to work. Look at both of them closely and you will see what needs to be done to make the swap. The fuel level sending unit will not work with your stock fuel gauge either. So you will either need one from the later 84-86 EFI cars or just stick with the stock 79 tank and sending unit.

The transmission crossmember will work in the 79 chassis, you will have to cut the cuts down to the correct size to fit in the mounts on the body. Easy to do and should work just fine. No need to drill out the body mounts and swap over unless you just prefer that option.

I could probably go thru a full list of what is a direct bolt in and what will fit with modifications, but that would take forever. I did the same basic thing to my 1979 PC using a 5.0/5 speed and then 03/04 Cobra suspension and brakes. Good Luck!

[Basin Motorsports]

I have 100+ videos of my swap / build on YouTube. 1980 coupe with 1992 fuel system, drivetrain, etc. I've done it all in detail; what to massage, what to cut, what to extend, etc. It will all work and fit with patience and determination. As Trey said, the fuel gauge using the later model sender will read backwards. A full fuel tank reads empty and a nearly empty tank reads about half full on the gauge. It takes a little bit to get used to, but can keep you from running out of gas none the less.

[Skinney302]

I'm also building a '79 coupe and decided to stay carb for ease of the build, and mostly because of the fuel tank. I'm lazy I guess...lol My question is did you guys reuse the factory gas tank straps? I took the tank out to clean up and paint but the straps were a little rusty. LMR tells me the straps they sell fit 79-93 but I know for a fact the '79 straps on my car are different than the newer ones. Any experience with this? BTW, watch all Basin's videos, very informative and has helped me a lot with my '79

[svtrichie]

So if I use the 93 tank and get a 86 Gt sender the stock gauge will work? Would rather keep the original dash instead of swap the aero dash

Also on the trans member, will be running a stifflers one that comes with brackets to mount to frame rails. No messing with original ones

[erratic50]

86 sending unit, yes. LMR carries them.

[gr79]

-reuse the factory gas tank straps?

NPD sells the 79 style straps. Straps have the T on one end for the frame notch.
Replaced tank, filler pipe grommet, and straps last summer. Very nice quality, price.
The replacement tank, filler grommet, and straps fit like factory. Sender/pickup, vent, reinstalled fine.
Everything has been working like always. Gauge, low fuel LED, etc.
https://www.npdlink.com/product/stra.../207756/150055

[82GTforME]

-reuse the factory gas tank straps?

NPD sells the 79 style straps. Straps have the T on one end for the frame notch.
Replaced tank, filler pipe grommet, and straps last summer. Very nice quality, price.
The replacement tank, filler grommet, and straps fit like factory. Sender/pickup, vent, reinstalled fine.
Everything has been working like always. Gauge, low fuel LED, etc.
https://www.npdlink.com/product/stra.../207756/150055

gr79 can you post the 79 tank you used? This was the small tank correct?

If you use a later tank on a 79 you need to "massage" the trunk sheet to make it fit. I have not undertaken that. If you have a gas guzzler 93 V8, well you may really want more tank than the 79 has

There was a little discussion on volumes in the link below. Not sure on the actual modification needed for the upgrade and I haven't seen Basin's videos on this specifically but they usually right on point!

http://vb.foureyedpride.com/showthre...=1#post1671061

[wraithracing]

The 79-81 fuel tank is @ 12 gallons of fuel. The 82-93 fuel tank is @ 15 gallons of fuel.

If you drive for long distances or just don't want to have to fill up quite as often the swap is well worth it. Otherwise probably easier to stick with the original fuel tank.

As noted above the fuel tank straps are different and not a direct swap. You could make the later model straps work with modifications if so inclined, and may be needed if swapping tanks, but not 100% on that since I have not tried the swap yet myself.

[wraithracing]

86 sending unit, yes. LMR carries them.

If going fuel injection and using the later model EFI style tank this is the sending unit you will need.

If staying with a carburetor then the non EFI sending unit will be what you need to make it work, if using the later model tank.

The other point to keep in mind is on the 79-81 fuel tank the sending unit and fuel supply are on the bottom leading edge of the tank on the passenger side. The 82-86 NON EFI tanks have the single hole on top that houses the sending unit and the fuel supply lines. The 84-93 EFI tanks have the two holes on top, the hole in the center of the tank is the fuel level sending unit and the top hole on the passenger side of the tank is for the high pressure pump and supply lines.

I don't show any listings for a 79 fuel level sending unit, but they do show 80/81 models. Not 100% what the differences may be, but again keep that in mind. Good Luck!

[STL79Coupe]

The 79-81 fuel tank is @ 12 gallons of fuel. The 82-93 fuel tank is @ 15 gallons of fuel.

If you drive for long distances or just don't want to have to fill up quite as often the swap is well worth it. Otherwise probably easier to stick with the original fuel tank.

As noted above the fuel tank straps are different and not a direct swap. You could make the later model straps work with modifications if so inclined, and may be needed if swapping tanks, but not 100% on that since I have not tried the swap yet myself.

The thing I don't like about my 79 tank is the sending unit being on the front vertical part of the tank instaed of on top of the tank.

[Basin Motorsports]

As noted above the fuel tank straps are different and not a direct swap. You could make the later model straps work with modifications if so inclined, and may be needed if swapping tanks, but not 100% on that since I have not tried the swap yet myself.

The straps on my old were the older style (probably carryover '79 parts) with the notched end instead of the pin and loop the newer style has. Rather than cut the car to accept the newer style straps with '92 tank, I just reused the older straps. They will be about 2" short of touching the crossmember. I used a larger washer in the channel and a longer bolt and fine-tuned the length with spacers I had in the garage. It's not pretty, but 100% functional. There are ways to make it all work together with patience and ingenuity.

[4eyedblind]

I just did this...with an 86 and an 88 donor. Everything went in fine, had to reuse the OE 86 rear brake chassis line and rear hard lines, as they are right side rear as opposed to centre on the 88. I kept the 86 2 port MC because it makes future upgrades easier. Exhaust still clears it, though. Gauges, headlights etc are all 86 wiring and work. . I made the oe 88 EFI work but I had a couple advantages. The 86 was a v6 car so, thus, already EFI so, I used the existing 86 efi pump, relay, inertia switch and tank to fuel the v8. Works fine.

I pulled the 88 donor car out of a junkyard and found several good things: a rebuilt engine, new clutch, full spring adn shock kit, new oe 88 brakes, ele fan, UD pullies, energy mounts, a hurst comp shifter and a mini starter.

[gr79]

https://www.npdlink.com/product/tank.../178633/150055.
https://www.npdlink.com/product/seal.../169292/150055

Went with stock 12.5 tank. Decided too much extra work for another 75 miles of range.
Am used to the stock range, fuel gauge 'checkpoints', and cost to fill it.

Was a great opportunity to see where the fuel gauge is after pouring 2 gal of gas into new dry 12.5 tank.
Tick under 1/4, low fuel light LED on. 1 gal more, fuel LED off. 5 gal says 1/2 tank.
Ave 50 miles/quarter tank.

[erratic50]

Food for thought — given foxbody values vs SN95 you might want to use an SN95 94-95 parts car instead.

[v8only]

most of the interior won't swap correctly. Front seats will but they don't recline all the way, door panels are different, rear seat is different, all of the seatbelts are different too.

[svtrichie]

I steady have a few nice fox cars