Jump to content
RedTwilight

Shadow's Build 1993 Notch

Recommended Posts

Here's the build thread of Shadow.  My 1993 5.0 Notch.

I purchased it used in 2001 to help offset the daily driver duties of ZERO my '96 Cobra.

The only mods done to it by previous owners were Flowmaster's welded into the factory cat back, an AC delete due to a locked up AC compressor, a K&N conical filter, and a Tremec 3550 with Hurst shift handle and knob.

 

A Little Paint

35170166664_2ee9bb4cf2_o.jpg

 

I wasn't long before the itch to modify it more kicked in and I purchased a set of BBK full length headers,  BBK off road H-pipe and MAC  dumped cat back system.

 

BBK Headers, Off Road H-pipe & MAC Dumped Cat Back

35170166844_66cfce5431_m.jpg

35170166694_f87f1ee7e6_o.jpg

36009841055_8c8f79116d_o.jpg

 

Shadow Cleaned Up

35170167314_d88165e022_o.jpg

 

 

I drove it for a little while until the bug struck again.

This time it was an electric fan when the old fan clutch went out.  Also a set of aluminum undrive pulleys, Professional Products polished 70mm throttle body and EGR plate and smog pump delete.  Also at this time I further stripped the rest of the remaining AC system.

And it stayed in this state for several years until one day on my way to work I crossed oven an ice slicked bridge and sent it into a ditch.  It rolled over onto the drivers side.  After rolling it back level to my surprise only the driver side view mirror was broken.  The driver's side was scratch free.  But the passenger side had snapped the rear axle and bent in the lower rear portion of the rear quarter panel.

 

After that incident I took it off the road for a while until things were fixed and my paycheck could with stand the insurance of another vehicle again.

While it was taken off the road my dad decided to get back into drag racing.  He bought a roller and started building it up.  After a couple of races the crank in his car broke.  So he had the idea to put some slicks on Shadow and run it to stay in the points until he could rebuild.

 

After this I put it back on the road.  But the bug to race had bit me as well.

So this spurred the next round of mods. 

This time a fiberglass 4" cowl hood, light weight Weld Rod Lite wheels, 275/60-15 Mickey Thompson drag radials, and 4.10:1 Ford Racing ring and pinion gears were added to get it ready for the drag strip.

 

New Cowl Hood and Front Bumper

35170169204_eafbd736f3_o.jpg

 

New Wheels Weld Rod Lites

35170170094_3826caa97a_o.jpg

 

Some More Paint

35876607801_a300a4170f_o.jpg 

35618738460_1a41bda838_o.jpg

 

 

I ran it like this all last season.  For this year I only added a 70mm mass air meter from a '94 Gt.  But I had other problems.

The very first run of the year during test and tune I snapped the left rear axle on the launch.

 

Broken Axle

35618666770_1023b32a64_o.jpg

 

 

So in went new Motive Gear 28 spline axles as replacements and new seals before the first points race of the year.

 

Broken Motive Gear 28 Spline Axle

35618671520_29587c97db_o.jpg

 

This wasn't so good either as a bad lower control arm bushing had caused severe wheel hop.  The seal was leaking on the right side axle tube.  Upon further inspection the right rear lower control was also bent.  It was bent approximately 5/8" up higher at the spring perch. 

 

Bent Factory Lower Rear Control Arm

35618666590_eb57aec184_o.jpg

 

So on order went a pair of Team Z double adjustable rear lower control arms and 1/2" grade 8 bolts.  At the same time I installed a 3 row aluminum radiator and new 180* thermostat.

 

Team Z Double Adjustable Lower Rear Control Arms

35966226576_77d315285f_o.jpg

 

 

Things went well for one race.  Then at the Horsepower Junkies Draggin Rights I broke another axle.  Got that repaired and went to the track for the next points race. 

Well,  you guessed it!  Broke a third axle.

 

Broken Motive Gear 28 Spline Axle

35874589971_fb39c04817_o.jpg

 

 

And that brings me to my current round of upgrades!

 

Thinking the housing could be bent and causing the breakage, a new housing was located.

Also on order went a set of housing braces from Wild Rides Race Cars, a pair of Strange 31 spline race axles with C-clip eliminators and 1/2-20 x 3" wheel studs, and a FRPP 31 spline Cobra differential.

 

New Housing

35637011630_60d6550a77_o.jpg

Strange 31 Spline Race Axles

35618600700_ac317b7052_o.jpg

Axle out yet again.

35167789954_d3bd8b485c_o.jpg

 

Bracing, Diff Girdle and 4.30:1 Gears going in.

35618603120_4626b8a3b6_o.jpg

 

 

 

 

As Shadow sits now.

35876606681_a4cabb96d6_o.jpg

35170167994_c482936123_o.jpg

35170168574_10fcd987fb_o.jpg

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

things' an axle eater!

 

Yeah!  Thought about changing it's name to Axle Punisher!  LOL

The last time it broke I was wearing my Punisher skull t-shirt.  I also have the Punisher skull overlays that go on the Ford ovals.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ummm... too much of a cheap ass.  Already cost me $225 to get it welded and coated.

 

Damn... I kinda wish I had done some bracing before I got mine powder coated.  That looks fantastic!

I decided to go ahead and brace it while it was out and being welded so I don't have to worry about it in the future.  I've already broken 3 axles this year.  I'm trying to eliminate that now!

 

I'm just broke as hell!  So I had my dad weld it up.  He's a welding instructor at the local Comm. College.  So that was free.  Also I just cleaned it real well and sprayed it with paint instead of going with powder coat. 

I wish I could have afforded powdercoating though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

THIS JUST IN!!  No literally just got the rear end in today.  LOL  Thought I'd never get to it.

 

35167795474_7339ddc01a_o.jpg

 

New 8.8 rear that has been welded and braced with Wild Rides Racecars axle braces.  New 31 spline with carbon clutches Ford Racing posi unit and 4.30:1 gears,  Strange 31 spline race axles and -clip eliminators.  And topped it all off with an aluminum diff. girdle.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Got fluids in it yesterday, everything tightened and torqued down, and the brakes bled.  Took it down the road to make sure everything was good to go. 

Next up will be sub-frame connectors and put the exhaust back on before I take it to get inspected.  Then the first race to begin the season.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i wanna drive something with 4.30's lol. seems like it would be pretty nuts idk. rear end looks sweet tho man! 

you chirp the tires everywhere you go with 4.10's, i bet you would be doing full on burnouts every stoplight if you were driving with 4.30's ;) lol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

you chirp the tires everywhere you go with 4.10's, i bet you would be doing full on burnouts every stoplight if you were driving with 4.30's ;) lol

lmao roasting the shit every stop :P

 

i only have 3.73's btw lol. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not much but the full length sub frame connectors are finished up and on the car.  Everything is back on the car and all buttoned up.

Our first race of the season will be this weekend so we will see how everything goes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

BYE  BYE 4.30's!!!! :cryingani:  :angry:

 

Yes you read that right!  The demise of the 4.30 gears happened this yesterday thanks to a 4500 rpm clutch drop and a track that was working great!  

So now I guess I get to tear apart my old rear to yank the 4.10's out and get them ready to go in the other.  On the bright side...  at least the axles held up!  LOL  I also recorded my best 60 ft time of 1.705 earlier in the day!  That's a full 10th faster than my previous best.  I have a feeling that if the gears would've held that I would have beat that 60ft time as well.

 

Of course I'm still trying to figure out this drag radials with a manual transmission deal.  :banging:  :abnormal:

I've done everything from 18psi in the tires and 2300 launch rpm to 14 psi and 4500 rpm.  The better performing (and breaking) came at 15 psi and 4300 rpm that resulted in a slight bit of wheel hop.  

Previous runs @ 19 & 17 psi and 3000 rpm resulted in spinning.  As well as 14 & 14.5 psi and 4000 rpm resulted in spinning.  But I may have gotten the tires a little bit too hot on the burnout for those two.  18psi and 2300 - 2500 rpm resulted in mid 1.80 60ft. 

If anything it was an interesting bit of data collection at least.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah It wasn't much difference than the 4.10's, but I will miss them.  So I guess I'll have to yank the old rear apart and go ahead and pull the 4.10's out of that.  Sad part is I had only had the car back on the road for just 2 weeks. 

 

 

P.S. = WOOHOO!!!  I now have a multi-page build thread! :bathbaby::abnormal::baller::2thumb::drink_to_that:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Time for a little update to this thread.

 

Ordered a Baseline "Outlaw" upper control arm kit.

outlawlarge.jpg

Didn't have the time to put install it this past weekend due to work.  It wouldn't take too long to do.  I'd probably spend more time to jack up the car, remove parts that are in the way, and drill the original bushings out than installing the actual piece.

I'm also waiting on my dad to get his car off the lift so I can do the install there and take the time to do all the measurements and instant center calculations needed.

 

But there was some progress!

Got the Mickey Thompson 26x10.5 ET Street R tires mounted and changed out the spark plugs.

 

35834879042_474551fa9b_o.jpg

35963985086_e244b24546_o.jpg

36005482355_51b6291ee8_o.jpg

 

Not going to get the time to put the uppers on before our first race on Easter.  So I'll see how well the new tires do first.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


SN95 Source ©

The premier SN95 Community

×
×
  • Create New...