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8 months ago, my 82GT Mustang was tired and showing its age. My husband promised me a toy for my 40th birthday since I helped him build his (Sunbeam Tiger). We debated on just buying an 05GT but in the end, I just couldn't part with my car that I've owned since 1989.

We stripped the car completely of its interior, drivetrain and took the body down to bare metal ourselves. My husband has invested 100's of hours in the bodywork and sanding alone and I think all his hard work shows. Pretty much every moving part on the car has been upgraded - Eibach Sportline suspension kit; Currie 9" rearend with 31 spline axles and TruTrac diff.; Baer Brakes; T5Z tranny; and a moderately tuned 351W. Even the interior is completely new including a custom aluminum dash with AutoMeter gauges built by my husband, Corbeau seats, new dash pad and carpet.

Essentially, it is a brand new car only better because we did it ourselves and the bonus is I get my birthday present 2 months ahead of schedule!

   

Nice..Very Nice...

   

Thank you very much. I can't help but be proud of the job we (80% Jim, 20% me ) did on it. Now if it would only quit snowing, I could actually take it out of the garage again!

   

Any interior pictures...the new dash and guages??

   

Here's one of the new dash and another of the seats.

   

Very nice car, i'm a little jealous

   

from "0" to Uber Momma in under 10 seconds...

   

Very nice, RMG. Bold yet tasteful - the dashboard treatment is especially good.

   

mmmm carburated goodness. very nice stang indeed

   

Another 'stang banger joins the ranks!
Excellent work. We need the obligatory burn out pic now, please!


Gratuitous cheap shot:

Yep, real nice...for a Furd

   

So, how about that burnout?

   

Very nice work. Hubby's a good hubby.

   

Thanks!



Soon enough.... It's been our experience that when you rebuild a car, there's always bugs that have to be worked out and this one's been no exception. This time though the teething problems are mostly to do with quality control (or lack thereof) on some very expensive parts.

First thing was the brand new Holley 750 double pumper was defective right out of the box. Luckily the problem was discovered before firing the engine for the first time.

We've driven the car maybe 1/2 a dozen times, breaking in the engine, and during this time the brand new T5Z tranny stops shifing into 5th smoothly. We got 4 smooth shifts into 5th and then the syncro gear failed. We find out that this tranny is just one of a "bad batch" that were shipped here and they all grind into 5th! I could have it fixed under warranty but that would require shipping the tranny down east and there's no set time on when it would be shipped back OR we just double clutch into 5th for the time being and take it out this winter and replace the 5th gear syncro ourselves.

You know how everything happens in three's? Well the third thing to happen was the rearend started howling like a mad dog all of a sudden. One trip it's quiet the next it's not. WTF??? Off come the wheels, brakes; out come the axles and pumpkin. Seems that the company that pressed on the wheel bearings and assembled the rearend didn't set it to the correct specs. The excess lash has damaged the gear set and one of the wheel bearings needs to be replaced.

It's just a very lucky thing for us that we hadn't done any burnouts in the car yet because the way the rearend is now, it would have come apart for sure. At least this way we can show them exactly what the problem is (their poor workmanship) that caused this failure. Had the rearend grenaded during a burnout, that would have been $1600 down the toilet.



That would be cool. I'm anticipating having my car up and running before too long and Three Hills is coming up on June 3rd. If the weather is good, I might see you on the way!

   

Ahhh, the curse of the three's! But I'll be patient...

Is it done yet?...


How about now?...


Is it done yet?...

Time's a wastin!

Get it fixed.

Get it broke in.

Then Burn them Balonies!

Take a pic!



Could we get a pic of the look on the guys face when you jump him about the rear-end? T'had be cool too yuh know.

   

i really do not know too much about cars but as i read your car desciption out loud to a a friend who i knew would appreciate it... all i got was ooohhhh and wow and a few mmmmm and nice very very nice. i am used to those reactons from him but not in reference to cars. i must surmise that your car is very sexy.

   

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