69clark PACE CAR build thread

[69clark]

Well there have been a few people requesting that I start a build thread on the build up of my pace car and to tell you the truth I have been too lazy to do it and a little reluctant to let the cat out of the bag, but I guess now is the time. Especially since I think it may be a good way to record the build up.

The formula for my build for this car is very simple, I want to build a pace car that mixes the new with the old, yet still retain the look and feel of what makes a 79 pace car a 79 pace car. I want to mix all the latest technology and performance trends with a little flavor of old school. The build will be a Pro-Touring style build like the new trend of many muscle cars being built today by some of the best shops in the nation. (I will go in more detail about the build below).

Because of the cost of the overall build and my relatively small budget, this thread will start slow with my plans, planned purchase and then finally the slow build. For example, for the last year I have been purchasing the parts and peices as I find them and can get good deals on them. The build is also done in stages because first, I like to enjoy the car as I go if I can and again becasue the budget doesn't allow me to purchase everything at one.


So here is the car as it sits now.





This is the rendering I did of what I am looking to do. As you can see body wise there is much more going on as the way it is is for the most part how it will look. However, the stance, drivetrain, and interior is where the high tech/pro-touring technology will come in.



In the next posts I will break down each area of the build of what I have, what I plan to do, and purchase.

[1982 niGhTmare]

Tom, anything you do to that thing is nothing short of ecstasy.

I WILL be following very closely.

[69clark]

SUSPENSION AND CHASSIS

The stance of the car is what I feel is going to make this car stand out as it is the popular pro-touring look, and hasn't been done very ofter if ever (at least succesfully to a fox).

So here is the run down. The car will be mini tubbed in the rear and I will be using the team Z mini tub kit. I currently have an 8.8 to go in the car that will be narrowed. Currently I am looking at about 3" inches narrow on each side. Possibly more, but probably not, I will have to do mock up and measure for the wheels I will be running.

Instead of running a coil over setup I will be running an Air Ride Technologies custom setup with air struts in the front and custom mounted shockwaves in the rear. These I have already.





I still have to get the air management system and will probably be running the RidePro e3 setup they offer.
http://www.ridetech.com/shop/index.p...tegory_id=1870

In the front I will be running a tubular k member (not sure what brand yet) with custom arms to get the suspension where I need it and of course the air struts. I also have already purchased RaceCraft 2" drop spindles (sn95 - 94-95 style so I can run modern brakes) and new hubs and hardware. Here are the spindles (very nice peices).


These are the basics of the suspension build.

[69clark]

BRAKES

Brakes are not complete unless the are way more than I need for the street, lol. So here is what I will be running.

First the front. I have purchase the Roush Alcon front calipers (I have my hand in the pic to show the size, lol). These have brackets to be setup with 14" rotors, but I am working on custom brakets to bolt to a 13" baer eradispeed rotor which have but no pics yet so a pic from their site will have to do. All this bolted to those nice RaceCraft drop spindles will be a peice of art.







For the rear I will be running a wilwood setup. 4 piston calipers and 12.2" rotors. They sell a kit that I will be purchasing but I will be upgrading the calipers in the kit with the caliper pic below. The setup for the rear will only be about $650.







The last piece of the puzzle for the calipers will be that I am milling the faces down so there is now Roush or Wilwood logos and instead will be putting my SINIS logo on them.

[69clark]

WHEELS

The wheels will be Budnik GTX's. No chrome or polished here. The centers will be matte black and the lips will be brushed finish. I will be running a 20x12 in the rear with a huge lip, probably 5" or so and probably and 18x8 or 18x7 in the front (althought final measurement will decide for sure).

I don't have great pics of the wheels in the finish I want as most people prefer the polished, but below are the wheels that I am getting with the same finish, the only difference being I won't have the exposed bolts around the outside.





The rendering also shows the wheels I will be using except they are shown in four lug there.

[69clark]

DRIVETRAIN

This is where it gets interesting and where I am also planning to mix old school looks with new age performance. I am planning to do a 32v 4.6 but with a fuel injected stack intake setup. I will also be going with the Sullivan valve covers and a blacked out look. What was funny is I had a mental image of how I was going to make the motor look and I was browsing a rodding magazine and found an engine built nearly identical to what I had in mind, right down to the injected stack intake and valve covers. If anyone is familiar with those valve covers, they make the 4.6 look more like an old hemi motor. So here is what the engine will look like and it will be in a fully smoothed engine bay.




Now for the tranny I am still undecided, but I will go one of two options. I will either go with a t56 tranny or my other idea is to go with a built automatic and set the car up to run Twist Machine's paddle shifter setup. Its a hot unit, but I need to do some more research to see if the performance feel of the paddle shifters are up to my standards. But here is a pic of their setup the will go behind the steering wheel of course.

[escogt]

Really cool stuff Tom!! I'm digging this thread BIG-TIME!!!!

[69clark]

INTERIOR

The interior will be complete custom as well. Some of this has been started but basically ALL the plastic panels including dash hull will be covered in a leather feel vinyl to get rid of the cheap plastic feel of the interior (this should be done by MU). Full dash of Autometer gauges (done), Isotta wheel (done), and carbon fiber gauge plate, lower door panel fills, passenger side dash insert and top of console. a custom console will be built to house switches and the Air Ride control. Other things already done are the Sparco seats (which I plan to have new centers sewn in of the pace car recaro fabric), rear seat delete and suede accenting including dash pad, headliner, arm rest and door panel inserts (some of this suede is already complete). And then as the previous post states possibley a paddle shifter setup. The entire interior has already been dynomatted.

As you can see, i am trying to make the interior much higher class, and not look so cheap and full of plastic. At the same time keeping the overall factory shape and look other than the custom built console.

here is the pics of the interior now, I am hoping to have the interior fully completed by MU except the recaro material in thes seats, but keep your fingers crossed.









Here are the seats I have. I don't have great pics so these are from their site.

[69clark]

Really cool stuff Tom!! I'm digging this thread BIG-TIME!!!!

Thanks, means alot. I have been keeping this under wraps for a while as I have been buy up parts as I can afford it over the last year.

I think the car will go under the knife late this year. Hopefully having everything done by next spring except the drivetrain. Then I will start working on that next year.

Somewhere after that I will have the car repainted. Its good now as a survivor, lol, but not up to par for the quality of the build I have planned.

The last issue that could arise is I would like to buy a house this year, and if I do hopefully that won't put too much of a time delay into the project.

[1982 niGhTmare]

That engine is going to be sick and just perfect for your Pace Car.

Not a fan of paddle shifters.

But seriously man, this build is going to be siiiiiiiiiiiick. This is like my top most supreme car of inspiration to me dude.

[69clark]

That engine is going to be sick and just perfect for your Pace Car.

Not a fan of paddle shifters.

But seriously man, this build is going to be siiiiiiiiiiiick. This is like my top most supreme car of inspiration to me dude.

Thanks man! Well I spilled the beans to everyone, so I hope everyone enjoys the transformation. I hope a build like this will help the 4I's get some recognition. Plus it will be so badass! (at least in my opinion)

I won't get to deep to early in this build (because of budget), but for the time being I will update small project and progress I make as well as purchases.

BTW, this weekend I will be finishing up a small custom mod that I have been working on and should be posting pics of it, so stay tuned.

[Motorcity]

Absolutely SICK man!! I really like your plans! Thanks for the official reveal and build thread. I'd bet that this is the making of a multiple magazine feature car. I had a feeling there were plans just by the looks of your avatar...

[86 50CPRI]

very nice! Nice already is an understatement,but what you want to still do is definitely another level!!

[eeprete]

I thought your car was sick before, this is going to take it to a new level. Awesome Tom. Keep it coming.

[varn82]

Wow Tom, Your attention to detail is amazing. And what you have planned is just incredible. I thought the car was fantastic as it sits, but these upgrades are going to make this a truely one-of-a-kind vehicle. Wow.

[twistedstang]

Wow.... I cant believe that your gonna cut into that beautiful car.........You have some massive balls doing that....... I cant wait! Good for you man, This thing is gonna set a new standard (just like it did last time around). I will be watching this thread closer than my own.

[Capriman86]

subscribing
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[twistedstang]

The sparcos with the recaro material in the center- Best idea ever

[nvr2low]

thought your PC was about perfect when i saw it last year in Carlisle, cant wait to see it finished with everything installed!

[69clark]

The sparcos with the recaro material in the center- Best idea ever

Yeah, I thought that would be a nice touch. I want to wait towards the end of the build to do it, because that seat material wears so easily and fast.

[69clark]

thought your PC was about perfect when i saw it last year in Carlisle, cant wait to see it finished with everything installed!

Well all the work that I have put into the car so far has been building up to the complete builld. That is why you'll notice that there is no money in the drivetrain of this car so far. Basically that is all stock. Been working in on appearance and just getting the car respectable at this point.

I also do the build in phases so that I can enjoy the car a little when the weather is nice.

[nvr2low]

Well all the work that I have put into the car so far has been building up to the complete builld. That is why you'll notice that there is no money in the drivetrain of this car so far. Basically that is all stock. Been working in on appearance and just getting the car respectable at this point.

I also do the build in phases so that I can enjoy the car a little when the weather is nice.

well after seeing your 95 a couple times I'm sure this car is going to be quite impressive when finished!

I like the idea of the air ride, i had my ranger on air and i'm considering it for the coupe. not sure if i want to go down that route again or not.

[1982 niGhTmare]

Yeah, I thought that would be a nice touch. I want to wait towards the end of the build to do it, because that seat material wears so easily and fast.

Why not see if new upholstery can be made up copying the design and using better materials so your super nice seats don't turn ugly after wearing out so fast? Worth a shot right?

And if it can be done then that would mean a lot for people restoring Recaros!

[eeprete]

Why not see if new upholstery can be made up copying the design and using better materials so your super nice seats don't turn ugly after wearing out so fast? Worth a shot right?

And if it can be done then that would mean a lot for people restoring Recaros!

Fabric designs also fall under the protection of copyright law that includes pattern, designs etc, so to attempting to reproduce it could be risky.

[1982 niGhTmare]

Fabric designs also fall under the protection of copyright law that includes pattern, designs etc, so to attempting to reproduce it could be risky.

That, I did not know, good point.

Is there anything that could be done to "strengthen" the Recaro material a bit so it doesn't wear out so fast?