Opinions on a prospective new member's car

This is my '93, really fun little car. I did all the work so it from porting the intake to tig welding the stainless pipes. It put down 390rwhp and 400ftlbs of torque at 5200rpm. I built the engine for torque, blower only adds 5psi on warm days, @6-7 in the colder denser air of winter.

The pics are from a couple years ago, video from last summer when my buddy came up.

My YouTube is http://www.youtube.com/user/ranchero50?feature=mhee

Check out some of the other projects, especially the SEADOO hybrid :cool:

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Paxton'd '93 Mustang Lx Ep.1 - YouTube

Paxton'd '93 Mustang Lx Ep.2 - YouTube

The bank just called and said they have my paperwork in order (now that their server is working again) so I'm off to get the 'lil blue LS. I'm not sure about the plans yet but I do have a GM spec'd EATON from a Pontiac that needs a home sitting on my CNC mill.
 
I managed about 50 miles of seat time in it yesterday, car is very nice and comfortable (but you guys already know that). I noticed that other drivers like to be more aggressive to me in the LS vs. the stang or my '68 Ranchero though... The select shift is great, just drop a gear and mash the throttle.

Got the car inspected, absolutely no leaks or signs of rust on the bottom. It has brand new Uniroyal Tiger Paws and almost new brakes.

The exhaust looks pretty easy to redo, either in stainless of painted. I'm also torn between 2.25 or 2.5" tubing and a chambered muffler vs. a straight through style. Been looking at sound clips on YouTube for ideas.

I'm trying to figure out a source for a posi unit for it. The tag said it was an 8.0" rear with 3.58's.
 
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Spent the day running around, washing and waxing the car and finally ordering the exhaust bits. The goal is replacing everything after the cats in stainless for around $450. Going to run 2.25" from the cats to keep the velocity (torque) up straight into an X where the pipes cross. Discharge side of the 'X' goes to 2.5" should help with the scavenging and also lower the back pressure through out the rest of the system. I have a pair of Pypes race-pro mufflers coming.

It's a perf tube core muffler that sounds pretty mellow until you hammer it. I did a system on my dad's '90 Mustang coupe that sounds just how I want the LS to sound.

Cleaned up:

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Jamie
 
Give me a yell if you ever find yourself toward Charleston or Huntington. I visit Martinsburg quite a bit so I will send a message to see if u are free when I go through.
 
Damn Ranchero50, you don't wast much time do you.

Kudo's for sure.

hope it's all you thought it would be and more.

best of luck.

nice color !
 
Thanks for the comments guys, I needed exhaust because for some odd reason this car gets bullied more than any other I have ever owned. I do have a pair of the Explorer old school V8 emblems in the box with the exhaust.

The car threw me a curve ball this morning, pass window went down to clean the dew off and then wouldn't raise again. Spent most of the day with a trash bag over it to keep the rain out. Note: you get very little water in the car when running 75mph...

At any rate once it quits dripping I'll pull the door apart to figure it out.
 
Ranchero50 said:
Thanks for the comments guys, I needed exhaust because for some odd reason this car gets bullied more than any other I have ever owned. I do have a pair of the Explorer old school V8 emblems in the box with the exhaust.

The car threw me a curve ball this morning, pass window went down to clean the dew off and then wouldn't raise again. Spent most of the day with a trash bag over it to keep the rain out. Note: you get very little water in the car when running 75mph...

At any rate once it quits dripping I'll pull the door apart to figure it out.
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window regulator more than likely. Should be able to find parts on ebay ford dealer tasca etc. lots of write ups on the forums.
 
Yepper, what a crappy way of doing business. The rear glass clamp slipped allowing plastic slide thingy to come unhooked from the cable ferrule. I put it back on but it's still moving around at the end of the window's travel. Why Ford / Lincoln couldn't use a longer clamp setup so it would hold better is beyond me.

A quick pics of the door panel removal since I couldn't find one quickly and the diagram that is referenced just wasn't too hot. The round white things are the snap clips. I used a long #2 phillips screw driver to get them to pop loose and I expected the door panel to break right before they popped loose... My door panel tool was way too short.

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Finally I need one of the dash trim pieces (as mine looks to have taken a knee to the face) and am wondering how hard it is to remove them if anyone has done that yet?
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Salvage yard or someone on here might be parting out.

odd on how on day two, you are wrenching on your new purchase already,
wait ... no actually, this is normal for an LS.

welcome to LS repair ownership.

still a great car though. well worth it.
 
Ranchero50 said:
Finally I need one of the dash trim pieces (as mine looks to have taken a knee to the face) and am wondering how hard it is to remove them if anyone has done that yet?
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they just snap off, pull straight back with your panel tool. be more careful not to leave marks on the dash rather than the piece itself.
 
Big Rig, I do love this car. For some odd reason it's the first car that I've ever really wanted to go somewhere in. Maybe it's a honeymoon thing but I didn't feel the same about any of the Mustangs or Fairlane / Ranchero's I've played with. Even the wife's Explorer isn't as enjoyable to drive and my head rubs the ceiling on that due to the moonroof. As far as working on it goes, I always play with them since I'll be spending an hour a day in it.

Loud, thanks for the tip. i'm going shopping Monday or Tuesday. I managed to snap off on of the tabs on the power window switch as well.

Waiting on the Summit order to show up...
Jamie
 
Ranchero50 said:
For some odd reason it's the first car that I've ever really wanted to go somewhere in. Maybe it's a honeymoon thing ...........
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I've felt that way since I brought my 1st LS home 12 years ago!!! I still enjoy driving it and, when I can, take the long way home!
 
That literally gave me the chills when he was driving on the bridge and the water was parting...
 
you were just short of busting a nut or rubbing one out huh ?

LOL

best LS video ever !!!
 
I love the video, remember seeing it back in the day (I think it was during the Deadliest Catch) and thinking I'd love to have one some day. :cool:

Just spent some time trying to figure out the homelink garage door opener thingy, finally opened the manual, realized I needed my remote to program it, not the door opener itself. :confused: Of course the door opener is in the ranchero that's broken down at my folks place.

At any rate, walked up to the house and saw three big boxes of Summit goodies. The $28 stainless J bends will get sectioned on the band saw, ends belt sanded flat for a flush fit and welded together. I'm getting the 2 ten feet 2.5" straights for $50 each.
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Straight through perfed core, $64 each. Look like they will fit pretty well. Depending on the sound I'll either weld some 3" dairy pipe on the end up use my lathe to open up the stock tips muffler end to fit over the larger pipe...
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I'm still not real sure about the resonators, if I'll use them as is or resize the guts or just do away with them. I do need to make a couple flanges to weld to the cats so I can unbolt the whole mess if something bad happens down the road.

FRPP M-7843-V8 will end up on the fenders once they dry...
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More to come.
Jamie
 
Holy crap man, you just ordered those exhaust parts a couple of days ago,
takes me close to 14-20 days to see exhaust or any parts ordered from the US to Canada.

must be nice !

good luck man, looks great.

I'm off to the shop tomorrow morning first thing with my Bassani's
 
......puffs on a cigar. Looks through them shades.....Need an LSE grill, set of TSWs and you good money.
Rozayyyy
 
BigRigLS said:
TSWs wheels ?

~ on my list, actually cancelled my order after hearing they were back order
and will get back to this when the time is right.

http://www.tsw.com/alloy_wheels_valencia_5.php
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I had hard time getting mine for the LS. Seems like every wheel they have is on backordered.
Those are dope.

BlackLS06 said:
Have you heard tats on my arm?

Hot track!
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Of course - very good song. Rozay is the sh#t. I worship the guy.
Check out 911 that he just put out. Hot track.....UGH

;)
 
Did you hear about Snoop Dogg ?
no more Gangsta music for the D_ O_ double G.
 
So tonight's update / noob question... This evening after work I installed the V8 emblems and really like the understated bit of 'bling' on the side of the car.

The question is what can I do to try and get the radio antenna working better? It's barely picking up stations, they fade when I pass power poles and the radio buzzes very loudly when the rear defrost is on. I suspect I have some corrosion on the connections or need a better antenna setup.

Jamie
 
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