1979 Coupe-The Tangerine Machine

[82GTforME]

Having never gone this far into an engine before, I was meticulous at taking my time to capture mentally (and with pictures: thank you digital age!) so I have a good chance at putting things back together properly

I had a small problem getting the lifters to pull out. I had to get a stronger magnet to do it before I got the camshaft out. Everything looks really good. Bearing races were all in good shape. The rotating assembly will not require much work at all. All of the pistons came out with relative ease also. Piston walls are in fantastic shape as they should be with only 50000km. As you can see a few of the cylinders had been seeing oil burning in them for a while.



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No scoring, ridges or anything of note!



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I'm pretty confident there will be no issues with it but I will be taking the block for tanking and possibly have them do the honing.



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Wow, there is a lot of stuff to get back in order! I currently don't have a valve spring compressor or I would have taken the heads apart too.



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I did get that PIA dipstick tube out though!

[mustang4life1985]

Nice work on your project notch and keeping detailed pictures of everything. It sure was a good find.

[82GTforME]

My son Jackson is a regular on the Facebook page and recently joined here but has yet to post anything (79TangerineMachine). Of course adding the front scoop was an easy decision. The back is another story.

I couldn't find the exact pictures he showed me, but there are a few trunk lid spoilers out there that look like the original three piece ones.

Sort of like this. To find one would be next to impossible or to customize the fibreglass would be expensive too:


http://s1337.photobucket.com/user/82...e65e2.jpg.html

I found this at the junkyard yesterday. It was on a '93 coupe and it is aftermarket with a third brake light (Made in Korea).



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Thoughts?? We are not convinced it looks right for the '79. The car is pretty boxy and the lines just don't quite look right for the car. BTW I would find another trunk lid rather than drill holes through the original.



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[86asccoupe20]

Personally I like the clean lines on the rear of fox body coupes. Spoilers just don't look right to me. Just my 2 cents

[mustang4life1985]

The spoiler on the Pace Car pictured above looks pretty cool and similar to the 3 piece hatch spoiler I have on my 82GT. I must say that I have never wanted a spoiler on my notch, but if I did have to put on one, it would be the one pictured above. I like the clean sleeper look of the notch without the spoiler, but just my opinion. The car is coming along great and I am sure it will look good regardless. Nice idea to keep original deck lid if you decide to run a spoiler.

[onetrackrider]

If I remember 79 coupe deck lid is a 1 year only item..

[Travis T]

79s don't have the crown on the lid looking from behind, they're just flat.

Sent from my RM-845_nam_vzw_100 using Tapatalk

[82GTforME]

I borrowed a spring compressor from a co-worker to get the valves out. Nice tool!


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Cylinder five had two broken valve seals. Most of the rest were quite hardened.


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Not to get the heads and block to the machine shop for hot tanking.

[82GTforME]

I had complained that I didn't like the three spoke sport wheel (we got it off a '79 Ghia at the JY last spring) I put on my '82 before we bought this coupe. It moves it closer to the driver.

After we got this car, Jackson was like "that would look better in my car". I kind of laughed it off but he kept bugging me. We were bored, went and grabbed it where the GT is stored for winter. I put the cruise wheel back on it.

The stock wheel is in very nice shape. The center is mint and has bright colors.


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The sport wheel does look like it belongs. I told Jack he owes me $15 for it. That's what the JY charged!


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[82GTforME]

Pulled the harness off the passenger side and started on the drivers side. I want to clean and repaint it before the engine goes back in. Might as well right? Would you remove the onion heads for painting or just mask it off?



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[82GTforME]

Put the car up on stands and pulled the wheels off. I was planning on doing the wheel bearings and checking the brakes. I will change and bleed the fluid as well seeing as I am going to pull the MC and booster for painting. The calipers, shocks, springs and FCA's are actually quite rusty. If everything is working, that detailing will be for another time.


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Did I mention it was -20*C outside today? I'm glad I borrowed that heater from my dad!


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[86 50CPRI]

coming along nicely!

[Travis T]

Still one of my favorite cars here. Do you still have the stock front brakes from the 82? Even those would be an improvement, 10" versus 9"!!!

[82GTforME]

Do you still have the stock front brakes from the 82? Even those would be an improvement, 10" versus 9"!!!

Wow, good call. I actually thought they would be the same diameter. They are less rusty and still sitting in the corner because nobody on Kijiji wanted them. Maybe I can clean them up and throw them on. Thanks Travis!

[Travis T]

Should be a direct bolt on from what I remember.

[82GTforME]

Well, I guess I'm at the point of no turning back. Kidding of course. I didn't think I would really go this far, but I want this engine bay to look like new once I'm done.

I got the cowl and driver's side all out today. The booster, MC and then the brake lines. Just a lot of little things besides that. I've decided I am going to take out the steering rack and sway bar and get them cleaned up and out of the way for prepping. Bushings will get done at the same time. Almost ready to do some cleaning and sanding.


http://s1337.photobucket.com/user/82...f6e82.jpg.html

[82GTforME]

Was looking a little closer while opening the bleeders to drain the brake fluid. It looks to me like the suspension is all original except for the driver's rear shock which is newer. Even though they were all rusty, they still had the original part stickers on them.

Front. I knew it was special. It says VIP




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The back only had one on one side. Nothing else was legible.


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[82GTforME]

By the look of most of the suspension, this car saw some regular commuting on salty roads. It appears to have been under coated as well judging by the spray patterns. It doesnt quite look like the the factory "Road Abrasion" but I could be wrong. Too bad. There is quite a bit of rust on all of the suspension parts regardless. Good thing is most of them are changeable.



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Here is the rear axle. The pumpkin and axle tubes are quite rusty as are the control arms, brake cable sheaths, drums etc. Oh and it looks like there is a leak there on the passenger side axle seal. Good thing I kept my old axle from my '82. I think that may be a good project for the near future too.


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It looks like all of the bushings will need to be swapped in the future too.

Back:



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And Front


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Front brake flex lines even:


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And I don't think the brake fluid was ever changed with so few miles on it:


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[Travis T]

How messed up was that 82's rear axle? It would have the traction lock that this car wouldn't, so long as the carrier isn't junk.

[82GTforME]

How messed up was that 82's rear axle? It would have the traction lock that this car wouldn't, so long as the carrier isn't junk.

I think the carrier may need to be replaced. When the spider gears went the shop I had look at it welded something together to move it around. I know the ring and pinion were good along with the axles. This may be a longer range plan than I think.

[danco86]

Wow, Darren.
You have just gone fox body crazy in the last year.
Hats off to you, sir. Most impressive progression on all 3

[82GTforME]

Wow, Darren.
You have just gone fox body crazy in the last year.
Hats off to you, sir. Most impressive progression on all 3

Thanks Dan. Maybe we are (I am) having a mid-life crisis! I'm sure my wife agrees with thinking I am crazy.

The good thing is the SVO didn't need much work, just TLC and beautification. The GT is on the road and drivable so that is good (other than some carb tweaking). We will see if my T5 swap will happen this summer. The rad and fan maybe. The SVO heater core will take priority over the tranny.

This coupe for my son has grown into more of a project than I had expected with the engine compartment detailing I am going to do. I am realistically hoping to have it on the road by the time the school year ends around the end of June. I am going to encourage him to think about buying a winter beater and keep this one as it is to not risk deteriorating it. I am hoping he will be wanting to come to a show or two with me in it. Seeing as I redid the undercarriage and suspension on the '82 last year I will under take something similar with the coupe (just no 5-lug).

What can I say? 11 years with priorities changing away from cars so I have a lot of catching up to do!

[Mustang Marty]

My son Jackson is a regular on the Facebook page and recently joined here but has yet to post anything (79TangerineMachine). Of course adding the front scoop was an easy decision. The back is another story.

I couldn't find the exact pictures he showed me, but there are a few trunk lid spoilers out there that look like the original three piece ones.

Sort of like this. To find one would be next to impossible or to customize the fibreglass would be expensive too:



I found this at the junkyard yesterday. It was on a '93 coupe and it is aftermarket with a third brake light (Made in Korea).




Thoughts?? We are not convinced it looks right for the '79. The car is pretty boxy and the lines just don't quite look right for the car. BTW I would find another trunk lid rather than drill holes through the original.

I am on the pro spoiler side. I have a knock off of the 92-93 special edition convertible spoilers on my notch.

http://vb.foureyedpride.com/attachme...2&d=1392188071
http://vb.foureyedpride.com/attachme...3&d=1392188072



If you want something a more low profile another option is the McLaren spoiler

[danco86]

Mid life crisis for sure! I am there too, Haha!
I'm turned 39 today, and nobody around here can understand why I've put so much time and $ into an old Fox..

[82GTforME]

If I remember 79 coupe deck lid is a 1 year only item..

That's cool to know. I would LOVE to get my hands on one of those. I wonder if I could figure out how to do fibreglass and modify a hatch one?

I am on the pro spoiler side. I have a knock off of the 92-93 special edition convertible spoilers on my notch.

http://vb.foureyedpride.com/attachme...2&d=1392188071
http://vb.foureyedpride.com/attachme...3&d=1392188072

If you want something a more low profile another option is the McLaren spoiler

I like how the one on your green 79 curves with the rear window. Looks good! The McLaren one would be cool without the third brake light too!

Mid life crisis for sure! I am there too, Haha!
I'm turned 39 today, and nobody around here can understand why I've put so much time and $ into an old Fox..

Happy Birthday Dan!! Big 40 next!