'86 T-top Mustang 500 swap

[~JM~]

Nice Oil Pan!!! That's a real ' One Off '.

Looks like you have a very enthusiastic helper. That's very cool.

Thanks for the updates. I look forward to seeing many more, with the last several surrounded by a thick haze from tire smoke. 

[mt83]

Yeah being a t-top car they will flex due to lack of structure.  The subframe connectors is a good idea and the cage will be a must.  I will also say good luck with the 8.8.  You probably have to much torque for it.  I'm going to guess you push the mains out of it before to long.

[jerrtinn]

HELLO does the stock manifold clear the steering shaft?

[Stiney]

Yep, plenty of room for steering shaft with stock manifold.  Even with the stock K-member.

Things do get a little close around the factory rag joint.  It clears, but if you want more room, just stick an aftermarket u-joint in place of the factory rag.

[caddyman]

All i can say is very nice!

[Stiney]

Cleaned out the shop and got back at it.  (as I get older, less like the colder!)







Switched to an AJE k-member, more header clearance.  Interested in the Grantelli?
















Working on a trans mount now.  Should be done in a week or two.

[Stiney]

Stock mustang driveshaft actually fits with a yoke swap.   Conversion joint from NAPA, $30 and an hour to put the new u-joint in.  Stock mustang input yoke below for comparison.




Beginnings of the "new" crossmember.  Cut the welds holding the bushing mount-tubes and slid them back as far as them can go.  By positioning the crossmember on the rear of the stock body mounting tabs, adding a new rear tab to the car body, and moving the tubes in the crossmember itself, one of the TH400 trans mounts holes actually lines up.  The other hole will need drilled in the mustang crossmember and that's it.  Will look almost stock under there, and will retain the stock double hump GT crossmember for easy clearance of most mustang exhaust kits.





More to follow, work was interupted for the beginning of lawn-mowing season.  Can't wait for my six-year-old to be able to reach the mower pedals....  :devil:

[mt83]

Hey buddy,
   Long time no new words.  How's the project coming?  I was really interested in what you was going to do with the tran's cross member.  I hope this is still an on going project.

[Stiney]

Still on the job.....  have been hitting the list of major house projects, made some serious progress there.

Been installing a lift in the shop too.  That required putting new electrical service in the house, and running 100amp to the shop.  220 volts was just out of the question with the old system, at least in the shop. 

Will add pictures of progress soon. 

[mt83]

cool.

[mechanicsville89]

where did you get the bar to mount the motor mounts

[Stiney]

A friend made it.  
I took a pair of junk stock mounts, threw them in the furnace for a bit to burn the rubber out, disassembled them, then they were welded to the other piece.   Its nothing special really, just a piece of bent tubing with 2 pieces of angle iron welded to the ends where the sway bar mounts are, and the motor mounts welded to a couple extra pieces of tubing as standoffs.

[caddydaddy74]

That should be really sweet when done..On another topic VW's are my other passion and I noticed you had some laying around

[Stiney]

Yeah, VWs are what really does it for me.    This whole cadillac thing is just a side trip......

My rail.





My wife's tub.




New dune ride for the family.

[caddydaddy74]

Thats cool! I own a 73 Camper, a 78 camper,a 67 squareback,and a 71 vert right now,but like most vw guys I have owned a hundred more. There is a guy that has a 500ci caddy motor in the back of a 68 bug! he had to widen the whole car a foot just to make it fit. Now if he could figure out how to keep axles from exploding it would be a wicked machine!