Black Pearl Evolution Redux

[Prokiller]

The new forum upgrade ate my old build thread, here's what was over on the forums before i stopped posting over there.  definitely some missed stuff but at least it's something i can post to again.

 

 

bought it back in 2003 with a stock bottom end with edelbrock performer heads, F303, performer RPM intake, the vortech, mac shorties, o/r H-pipe, mac catback, 3.73s, and tremec T3550. 24# injectors with a C&L maf and vortech FMU. Some gauges and billet stuff in the interior and that’s about it. It had issues with loading up on fuel and it would run on the hot side.

Found the loading up problem was a bad fuel pressure regulator was dumping fuel in through the vacuum line into the upper. So basically un-metered fuel was going through the upper intake. Replaced that. Got a fluidyne radiator and that solved the heat issues. Also put in a manual fan switch.

Drove it like that for a while just enjoying the car. I started to get blowby issues from the tired bottom end. I had a breather on the valve cover that was just constantly spewing oil out. So I ordered the following:
DSS 331 super pro bullet level 20 short block
Forged D.S.S. Pro-Lite Pistons
forged D.S.S. H-beam rods
cast stroker crank
Cometic .050 head gaskets
D.S.S. windage tray
D.S.S. Main support girdle
D.S.S. 7qt. oil pan with FMS High Volume Oil Pump
Anderson B21 cam installed
42# injectors
80mm mass air
fidanza flywheel
Promotion built mcleod clutch
26-spline upgrade for the tranny
All kinds of ARP hardware

Part accumulation:








Tearing the motor out:

 

The buildup begins:





the pile of parts that was cleaned up and painted. in retrospect, i wish i would have had them powder coated, but after spending all that money on the upgrades, i was thoroughly tapped out.


Of course with every build you run into an unexpected issue. I had taken the new input shaft and trans to Hanlon Motorsports to have it put it. He found that the synchros were going out and the tailshaft was bent. apparenlty that is a common thing for the T3550s. He hooked me up with a larger diameter tailshaft and new yoke as well as putting new synchros and fork in it.

hoisting it back into the car:


the finished product:


After it was all installed, i needed a new way to tune the car as the chip that car originally had would no longer work. So i used what little remaining money i had left and went with a PMS. I got a pretty spot on tune from Rick at AFM when i got it too.

I drove the piss out of it at that point. went from 390rwhp and 360rwtq:


to a stout 450rwhp and 450rwtq:


nothing really changed much with the car for a while becuase i just blew all my money on the last round of upgrades. i moved into the interior and painted some things silver to add a little more color to the all black interior. i also bought a daily driver at that point so i didn't have to worry about getting around in this car.

 

The next big thing was the paint job. The car was showing signs of it's age. I wanted to keep the black but didn't just want black. I talked it over with my painter and for starters we chose not to put the factory black on the car since ford's black has brown in it making it look almost a little faded. We went with a true black and i had him add blue pearl. I also wanted to do some kind of stripe. I was debating going with silver stripes but that had already been over done and tends to be very bright. I suggested since we were putting the pearl in the car to lay down some ghost stripes with the blue pearl.

I also had him shave the antenna and the ford emblem in the trunk. Fixing some of the little dents and imperfections:








The final job:







I scored a set of export tails off ebay and put those things on there:

Let me tell you how much of a pain in arse it was to wire those things in. Or rather the wiring wasn't the issue as was the rapid flash. I tried numerous resistors in the harness to slow it down with no real success. It worked, don't get me wrong, but they would get extremely hot. I found a post in a f150 forum about a different flasher. I ended up going over to autozone and picking up a stock replacement flasher with a trailor feature and BOOM it worked. Just wish i would have tried that first.

[Prokiller]

the paint now looked great and i again drove it for a while since i blew all my money on the paint job. the 03 cobra wheels just didn't do it justice anymore and i really wanted to change them out but didn't know for what. I ended up getting hired over at American Muscle part time so that gave me some extra cash. Then came the FR500s. I upgraded from stock 03 cobra 17x9s to 18x9/18x10 hypercoated FR500s. I put 265/35/18s up front with 305/35/18 mickey thompson ET street raidal IIs in the back.



the size difference was quite impressive


On the car:



It was then that i wanted to redo the exhuast. I kept having issues with the MAC headers leaking becuase they didn't have a solid flange. I wanted to switch over to long tubes. I put in some BBK ceramic coated long tubes and a dr. gas o/r x-pipe. The long tubes were fox ones as i no longer had an EGR anyway and the bellhousing was a fox. that was quite the chore. driver's side went in without problem. The passenger side however took forever. finally got them in though. I found a set of roush side skirts on the craigslist for cheap and so the search started for how i wanted to do the side exhaust setup.

I decided on dual slant cut intercooled borla tips that i would have cut and turned 90degrees. The mufflers had to be small and quiet as possible because i didn't want to be obnoxiously loud but yet still being a straight through style. i didn't want to run the borla side exhuast where the muffler is still in the stock location with same side in/out and then another 90* turn. just isn't very efficient if the air has to turn around twice. I took a chance on dynomax race bullet mufflers. I dropped the car off at the chassis/exhaust shop right next to my painter. There were able to fab up the necessary pieces to have the exhuast flow like i wanted and to adjust the pipes. then it was off to have the skirts painted to match.












Finished product:

 

quick drive-by vid i did after getting it put on:


The skirts were so much lower than the front and rear bumpers it really threw off the lines. I knew i was going to do something different and was set on the saleen kit for the longest time but after purchasing a fiberglass kit with the intentions of manipulating the rear bumper to smooth over the exhaust humps i realized it wasn't going to be low enough. I put the front on the car and it didn't look right at all. So then search began for a different bumper setup to match with the roush skirts. i don't really like the roush kit for these years other than the side skirts obviously. the rear is okay but the front just looks funny and unfinished. I made a deal with Venomous96cobra for the T1 wing he had and it sat in the closet for a time while i decided what bumpers i wanted to go with.

flash forward to the super stallions of the net race in cecil county fall of 2011. I hadn't been to the track with this car since i got it so i was excited to finally get back at it. The week before i took the car out for a spirited drive and popped a head gasket. the rush was on to replace it so i could it to the race. Ended up having only evidence of the drivers side being popped so i only replaced that side and left the pass side alone knowing full well that the header would give me a hell of time. Got it all back together in time to arrive late to the race and only get a couple passes in. First run was a 12.12 @ 121. Second pass.....watch the video at 43 seconds:

I couldn't get it into 2nd gear and thank god that i did or i would have been a lot closer to him when he crossed over. 3rd pass was a decent launch but on the top end i felt the belt slipping and look back to see some white smoke. I kept in because i figured if it was the damn head gasket again then screw it i'm going to at least make it count. ended up with a 12.11 @ 112. Would have been a probably been a mid 11 second pass but my top end got killed. Low and behold, the only evidence of the coolant was the rad cap popped on me and spewing coolant all over the place. in our rush to get the car back together we didn't fully burp the system. Or at least that's what we attributed it to... It was winter time so the car was put away.

So over the winter, I agonized over getting the GTR bumper for a long time because i couldn't find any pictures of it nor ever see it in person. I knew that i wanted to do something unique but not ricey and this had that but was on the edge of being too much. I still don't know what i want to do with the rear yet. Or at least admit it to the world what i have in mind yet. I ordered the bumper and didn't like it when it arrived. it was very square and huge. I didn't think it would work but i figured that i might as well put it on the car to be sure. It lined up perfectly with the side skirts just not the rounded edge at the wheel well. So I figured why the heck not. Dropped the car off for paint of the bumper and spoiler. Of course the paint scheme would be followed with the stripes through the spoiler. I also had him smooth out the sides of the lip to be more rounded to mimic the side skirts. I didn't think i would like it as much as i do. Came out better than expected. Over the winter i also put new moroso fabbed aluminum valve covers on. I used AN fittings to a moroso catch can w/ breather that i mounted in the driver's side fender.





Of course as always, it was coming down to the wire to get the car ready for Ford Carlisle. I needed to get the car inspected before taking it and i got a call from the guy saying it's pissing coolant on the pass side. so i babied it home tuesday night(leave for carlisle friday morning) since it was a very small leak at that point. head gasket issue again, i should have just skipped that damn SSOTN race and pulled both sides off but live and learn i guess. Started tearing it down and there was just no way to get that pass side header out of the way and the only way the car was going to be ready was if we worked all night and dropped the heads off on wednesday and hope i could get all the stuff i need overnighted for thursday. basically i would have to put it all back together thursday night and hope i didn't have any issues. Couldn't get the pass head off so i said screw it and just didn't bring the car to carlisle.

A buddy of mine had a set of AFR comp 185s that he was going to put on his fox. Been sitting brand new in the box for almost 2 years. He got married and talked him into selling the heads to me instead of just letting them go to waste. So off came the small edelbrock performers and on went the AFRs. The goal was to have the car ready for the American Muscle show in august. problem 1: they were stud mount rockers not pedestals like the eddys. order was placed for comp 1.7s. Problem 2: Summit was drop shipping them from comp who screwed up and shipped them to virgina beach. They made good on it at least and overnighted me some trickflow 1.72s. Wasn't sure what size pushrods i'd need so i got a checker as well. Finally got the pass side head off to find the head gasket was cracked at the number 3 cylinder. Put the new heads on and began the install of the valvetrain. The pushrods i was using before ended up working for me with the new heads/rockers. adjusted the valves to 1/2 turn and installed the rest.

Started it up and the rockers were tapping like crazy. I was out of time at this point and was just too pissed to not chance the drive to the AM show. So i brought it to the show to then discover that the back of the lower intake was puking out oil. Either i didn't put enough RTV on there or there was something wrong. Either way i had to take it back off and fix it. Did a small photo shoot since it was the first time the car was out in the day light since the new bumper/spoiler:

 

limped the car back home after the show to tear it back down. started the tear down and this happened:

Discovered that i had some bad lifters too. Had the intake welded back together. i got a set of FRPP lifters. The old ones came right out with the heads on still. The new ones wouldn't go in though. they had square heads where as the others had rounded heads. Had to grind down all of them to get them to slip in. That was nerve racking.

side by side comparison. new on the left, old on the right:

after some grinding:


Got them installed in and adjusted the valves to a 3/4 turn. Started it up and the valves were still a little noisy but figured it just might take some time to quiet down. I did all the tear down and reinstall on a saturday morning and didn't leave a whole heck of a lot of time to let the RTV seal up. I didn't even get 5 miles down the road before i smell oil burning and see smoke. take it back home and the lower rear intake gasket blew out again. parked it to tear it back down AGAIN. So now the thought was this happened twice in a row so perhaps its because of excessive crankcase pressure not just bad seals. The only thing i've changed is the catch can setup and the heads. Can't be the heads so we're thinking the lines i used aren't big enough to the can. since i had to take the intake off again, i readjusted the valves to a full turn this time and they are quiet now.

This brings us up to date now. I haven't taken it out since this most recent install as it was raining out when i last put it together. i'm hoping to take it out this weekend to prove that it isn't the catch can setup and just two bad seals. If it does blow again, then i have to rethink the catch can setup.

 

 

My little claim to fame is the car has been in two American Muscle calendars:




Also can be found here:
http://www.americanmuscle.com/ryand-...ustang-gt.html

The full running tally of mods is as follows:
Engine:
-D.S.S. Super Pro Bullet 331 Stroker block with Series 20 upgrade
-Forged D.S.S. Pro-Lite Pistons
-Forged D.S.S. H-beam rods
-Cast Stroker Crank
-Felpro MLS head gaskets
-D.S.S. Windage Tray
-D.S.S. Main Support Girdle
-D.S.S. 7qt. Oil pan with FMS High Volume Oil Pump
-Vortech S-trim SQ-V2 (2.95" pulley)
-AFM Power Pipe
-AFR Competition 185 58cc heads
-Trick Flow Stud Mount 1.72 Roller Rockers
-Moroso fabricated aluminum valve covers w/ JIC fittings for breather
-Moroso breather tank w/ JIC fittings/lines
-AFM B-21 Cam (218/226 .542/.542 w/1.7 rocker 272/280 112 108)
-FRPP lifters
-Edelbrock Performer RPM intake
-1" phenolic intake spacer
-Stack Racing Polished 70mm Throttle Body
-Pro-M 80MM mass air w/ attached filter
-42lb FRPP Injectors
-Aeromotive Fuel Pressure Regulator
-PA Performance 130-amp Alternator
-BBK 1 5/8" ceramic coated long tube headers w/ Stage 8 locking header bolts
-Dr. Gas 2 1/2" x-pipe
-DynoMax race bullet mufflers
-Borla duul slant cut round intercooled exhaust tips for side exhaust
-255lph intank fuel pump
-T-Rex inline fuel pump
-MSD Pro-Billet Distributor
-MSD coil w/ Ford Motorsports 8mm wires
-MSD 6A Ignition system mounted in glove box
-Fluidyne Aluminum Radiator
-Manual Fan switch
-AFM PMS w/ boost controller
-Billet Smog Pump Delete (99.5" belt)
-Most wires hidden
-EGR Deleted -A/C Deleted
-Snow Methonal Injection Stage 2 kit (waiting for install)

Drivetrain:
-Tremec 3550 upgraded with 26-spline input shaft and larger output shaft
-Mcleod clutch
-Fidanza steel flywheel
-Maximum Motorsports Clutch Cable
-Steeda Double Clutch Quadrant
-AM Firewall Adjuster
-Pro 5.0 shifter
-Ford Motorsports Aluminum Driveshaft
-FRPP Driveshaft Safety Loop
-Hurst Line-Loc (Waiting for install)

Rear End:
-Ford Motorsports 3.73 gears
-Moser 28-spline axles
-Trick Flow Rear Stud Girdle

Suspension:
-Ford Racing Lowering Springs (I think C's)
-KYB Rear Shocks
-Cross Drilled and Slotted Rotors
-Steeda Aluminum Lower Control Arms
-Steeda Adjustable Upper Control Arms
-Maximum Motorsports 4-bolt Caster/Camber Plates
-BBK Strut Tower Brace-Kenny Brown full length welded in subframe connectors
-2003 Cobra Rack (SPR-ZM)
Exterior:
-Fresh paint job :: Black with blue pearl, ghost blue pearl dual stripes
-Cobra R Hood w/ Hood Pins
-ABC Exclusives GTR front bumper smoothed on the sides
-Roush Side exhaust side skirts
-Saleen T1 race spoiler
-Export horizontal tail lights w/ amber turn signals
-Black Bullit fuel door
-Ultra Clear Headlights
-Ultra Clear Side Markers
-Clear Rear Reflectors
-18 x 9 FR500 Hypercoated front wheels
-265/35-18 Nitto NT555 Extreme front tires
-18 x 10 FR500 Hypercoated rear wheels
-305/35-18 Nitto NT555R drag radials
-Window Tint
-Painted Red Calipers w/ Pony Stickers
-Silver Bumper Inserts
-Painted Mirrors

Interior:
-Painted Interior pieces
-White Face Gauges w/ LED light mod and red needles
-Sinus Industries Gauge Ring Bezel
-White HVAC panel w/ LED light mod
-LED Reverse lights
-LED dome lights
-LED license plate lights
-Autometer 2 gauge pillar pod
-Autometer 2 gauge cluster pod
-Autometer 2 gauge clock pod converted for wideband
-Autometer C2 Boost, Water Temperature, Oil Pressure, Fuel Pressure gauges
-Autometer C2 Tachometer w/ UPR Tach Bracket
-AFM Uego 2000 wideband sensor (partially installed. Still have to hook up to Tach/PMS)
-Bullet Shifter Knob
-Billet Headlight Knob
-Billet Window Switches
-Billet Clothes Hangers
-Billet HVAC Contols
-Billet Cigeratte Lighter
-Billet E-Brake Handle
-Billet Door Lock Pins
-Billet Cruise Control Buttons
-AFM Billet Ash Tray Switch
-Neon Blue Lights under the dash
Stereo:
-JVC headunit
-Pioneer Tweeters
-Viper Alarm

[Prokiller]

got this from amustangrocksleather.com. black leather w/ blue stitching. install was easy just had to work the leather a bit to get it to smooth out. i'll be getting a shift boot to match. probably some other interior stuff to match as well.








also ordered some brakes for the front for this winter's project.

got my newest project in the mail yesterday. this is for the winter build. this pic will be all you get for now though until its done.

 

uess i can update this somewhat. the front and overall goal is still a secret for now but the rears can at least be shared.

got FRPP rear cobra kit. have to remove the axles to get the brackets on. while i was at it, i had the axles cleaned up and put new lugs in. Diff cover is on but want to torque it down before filling it up.



started to clean up the calipers for a fresh coat of paint. they are going to be painted black to match the new fronts. the rotors that come with the kit are for sale as i want them to match the fronts which are brembo slotted.

 

got some more accomplished yesterday. Got the rear dif cover torqued down and filled up. i took the rear calipers off to finish cleaning them up as it was proving to be too much hassle leaving them on the car to clean. besides, i'll have to bleed them anyway since i changed out the fronts.


I went to autozone for some caliper paint but they didn't have any black. what they did have was VHT caliper paint in blue which is a lot darker than the duplicolor blue. I originally wanted to do blue to tie in the stripes and add a little color but the duplicolor was waaayyyy too bright. i picked it up to see if i would like it or not. i sprayed the one side and put the wheel on and i think it will look good so the other got sprayed too. The slides on the brackets have a little bit more play in them than i would like so i'm going to get a rebuild kit for it before putting them back in. also waiting on the slotted rotors to come in. of course i forgot to take a picture of it all assembled so this will have to do.


not sure if i'll be working on it next weekend or not as there isn't much more to do until i get the parts i'm waiting on other than cleaning/painting the front calipers.

new slotted rotors for the rear, hawk hps pads, new slides, new boots, and new SS lines.


went to put it all back together in the rear this weekend and that didn't happen. had to take the shock off to get to the bolt for the brake line bracket. then couldn't get the driver's side off because it's torx bit and you can't get a good bite on it. so i let it soak in PB blaster and tried the other side. Got it off after a decent amount of cursing and bleeding. go to put the new J&M line on and it doesn't match.


got to call J&M today and see whats up. otherwise what i'll have to do is grind off the tab holding the line to the bracket on the stock one and use it on the new line.

also got the front calipers painted up to match.

 

J&M suggested that i just bend the hardlines and delete the anti-moan brackets. I thought that was a pretty crappy way of doing it. So I ground off the old lines from the factory bracket and mounted the new lines to it. Cleaned it up obviously and painted it. had to file the line mount just a tad for them to work but otherwise it worked out perfectly. In the end, i got the rear on both sides completely buttoned up.



threw a wheel on there to see what the final project would look like



next step if focusing on the fronts. don't expect too much of an update just yet. keeping it hush until it's done.

 

got work done on it the past couple weekends. Sold off the FR500s and put the tires on these new wheels for now. i thought they would fit a bit better but no such luck. these are iphone pics so nothing special.

 

 

So now that the GT500 brakes and vintage venom kit are done. The problem that i now have that has been eluded to already is the wheel fitment. The wheels AM sells are +30mm which works with both SN-95s and S197s. they have to produce one less wheel then. Makes sense from a financial standpoint, but doesn't help me any. I got a new front wheel to test out and it will be close enough for now. don't really have the cash to go all out on custom wheels.



I also had an oil leak that is now discovered to be the rear main seal. I think my breather system isn't allowing enough pressure through and causing it to blow out seals. Its the only thing that makes sense. Yesterday i tore down the trans to get at it. Placed an order for a new rear main seal (Mr. Gasket 1-piece) and a new friction surface for the fidanza flywheel. Also bought a new lower shift boot since mine is all kinds of beat up. Will be replacing the pilot and throwout bearings while i have it all apart. Putting Royal Purple synchromesh back in the trans.

 

 

[Prokiller]

painted exhaust with high-temp black

 

moroso valve covers with breathers

 

new wheel photoshoot:

 

tires too big and rubbing and slashing:

there was a bunch of drama with this because i had given the car to a buddy's father in-law to weld up the leaking oil pan.

 

rolling the fenders:

 

driver's side discovery:

 

stifflers trans cross brace and new trans mount:

stifflers ended up making me a custom one to mount this up and worked great since.  @Tom@Stifflers before your time.

 

broken rocker stud:

back together:

 

last time it was in my father in laws garage when i brought it home to the new house

 

 

 

 

[Prokiller]

AM show at the TSW booth:

 

small color coordinated changes in engine bay:

 

new seats from @Yeahloh95

 

new sway bars and koni shocks/struts:

 

custom cluster project.  

FYI to all, don't forget to put the little tiny resistor in line for the charging circuit to work @Det_Riot

 

got a bunch of presents from MM:

and new tires because i couldn't pass inspection with the slashed ones:

 

didn't take any pics but this is after installing rear coil overs w/ 350lb springs, new HD lcas, new koni shocks, and the panhard bar.  still have to put on the HD torque arm.

rides sooo much better now and doesn't rub.  also took a BFH to the inner fender area just because i was in there.

 

some little things also got done.  switched out for a FR500 steering wheels with shifty and put on some billet door handles finally

 

 

now this brings me up to date.  there was a lot more detail for pretty much all this work in the last thread but at least this is the stuff that is recorded in pictures.  

 

[95riosnake]

I can't express how sorry I am that your old thread is gone, but very glad you started a new one!

 

It's amazing how much of a visual improvement a lower sidewall is on the rear, looks perfect.

[Spockbacca]

Stinks about your old thread. Glad you started a new one! got any future plans for "Midnight Thunder"? Any why not just mount the tweeter in the stock Mach location? It would kill me to drill into my door panel. The cover where the mach system goes is cheaper to replace/fix if you go a different route later on. Looks good though man. I'd like to do the billet door handles but it gets really hot in my car where I am and I'm thinking me no likey to open the door with the top down and the sun beating on those puppies. Metal part of the seat belt KILLS when it touches my skin when I get in. Top up OR down!

Edited June 23, 2016 by Spockbacca

[Yeahloh95]

looking great I hope you can make it TO  the am show this year

[Prokiller]

8 hours ago, Spockbacca said:

Stinks about your old thread. Glad you started a new one! got any future plans for "Midnight Thunder"? Any why not just mount the tweeter in the stock Mach location? It would kill me to drill into my door panel. The cover where the mach system goes is cheaper to replace/fix if you go a different route later on. Looks good though man. I'd like to do the billet door handles but it gets really hot in my car where I am and I'm thinking me no likey to open the door with the top down and the sun beating on those puppies. Metal part of the seat belt KILLS when it touches my skin when I get in. Top up OR down!

i still have that old plate actually.  old girlfriend got that for me because the bumper had god awful holes in it.  

 

the tweeters were installed by the previous owner who like an idiot drilled through the door panel instead of using the mach location.  i've been on the look out for replacement door panels for years now but never pulled the trigger on them because there was always other things to spend money on.  i think i'm finally to the point that i want to swap them out.

 

all black car in the summer with no a/c...yes i do know what you mean

[Tony]

Love the new tires in the rear! I can't help but really like the way your car looked back in your fr500 days lol. 

[Prokiller]

2 hours ago, tony said:

Love the new tires in the rear! I can't help but really like the way your car looked back in your fr500 days lol. 

you and me both.  the new tires go better to make the wheels look more at home but i definitely prefer the fr500s to these wheels.  just wanted to go bigger and different.  one of these days i'll switch them out for something forged.  just hard to justify the cost because there is other things i want to do first.  like front suspension being the big one and some custom interior stuff

[Lanter]

Car looks so good and that pearl just pops!  How do you like the new tires?  I have heard good things about them but always from a some guy that knows a guy that has them, never first hand.

[Prokiller]

15 minutes ago, Lanter said:

Car looks so good and that pearl just pops!  How do you like the new tires?  I have heard good things about them but always from a some guy that knows a guy that has them, never first hand.

i haven't really gotten into it with them yet from a stop.  i was incredibly careful on the drive to carlisle because i was gunshy since its been years since i was able to take it there and just wanted to make it.  of the driving i've done around town and such the past couple weeks its been really good.  i did take it around this one on-ramp that i usually could only do about 40mph around, and it was sticking real nice doing over 50mph.  however don't know how much that is just the tires, because i also did the rear coils, lcas, and panhard. definitely look mean as hell though

[Spockbacca]

6 hours ago, Prokiller said:

i still have that old plate actually.  old girlfriend got that for me because the bumper had god awful holes in it.  

 

the tweeters were installed by the previous owner who like an idiot drilled through the door panel instead of using the mach location.  i've been on the look out for replacement door panels for years now but never pulled the trigger on them because there was always other things to spend money on.  i think i'm finally to the point that i want to swap them out.

 

all black car in the summer with no a/c...yes i do know what you mean

Sucks about the PO, some people just don't have any common sense. Might be able to fill the holes and match it well enough not to notice.

[Tony]

16 hours ago, Prokiller said:

you and me both.  the new tires go better to make the wheels look more at home but i definitely prefer the fr500s to these wheels.  just wanted to go bigger and different.  one of these days i'll switch them out for something forged.  just hard to justify the cost because there is other things i want to do first.  like front suspension being the big one and some custom interior stuff

Hard to make 20's work. Not that i'm a wheel expert in any way but i always sacrifice tire sidewall and suspension travel when i run a bigger wheel lol. Not idea for performance but it looks hot 

[Prokiller]

really i just went with the larger tires because i got discount on that size through AM.  i paid more for these NT05s than i did for the NT555Rs i had before.

[Spockbacca]

8 hours ago, tony said:

Hard to make 20's work. Not that i'm a wheel expert in any way but i always sacrifice tire sidewall and suspension travel when i run a bigger wheel lol. Not idea for performance but it looks hot 

I know what you mean, I had 20's on my 96 with no suspension mods and they rubbed like a mother. Turning and anytime the suspension flexed. Not really my style but I did like the deep dish in the back. This was back in college when I had no money for mods...oh wait I still don't.....

 

[Tony]

On 6/24/2016 at 2:23 PM, Spockbacca said:

I know what you mean, I had 20's on my 96 with no suspension mods and they rubbed like a mother. Turning and anytime the suspension flexed. Not really my style but I did like the deep dish in the back. This was back in college when I had no money for mods...oh wait I still don't.....

 

 

hahaa, those aren't too bad imo. billet specialties? seems like a lot of older minitruckers used to have those wheels. 

[Spockbacca]

I honestly don't know. My dad picked this up at an auction and he knew I liked these cars so I got a steal for it. Shined up nice but just not my style.

[Blackmage]

still love your car Ryan!

[Josh@RideTech]

Looks good!

 

[Prokiller]

i had ordered some stuff from CJ's a while back.  got some new trunk struts (HUGE difference those made), a new trunk weatherstrip and a fuel filler tube grommet.  weatherstrip and grommet were on backorder but got them last week.  replaced the weatherstrip last night and cleaned up some wiring that i put in when i did the export tails.  basically i screwed up and wired two wires with a connector in line like i wanted but on the wrong side...so when i disconnected the trunk harness and that connector, it was still tied to the car.  my own dumbass mistake.  but it's all good now after i rewired it correctly.  

meeting up with a guy tonight to get some door panels to replace the ones i have.  hopefully they are in as good condition as the guys says they are.  couldn't tell anything wrong from the pictures he posted.  plan is to get them replaced and the filler grommet on saturday.

[Kyle5.0]

Such an awesome build. Also I want that T1!

[Prokiller]

door panels were a bust.  not in what i would call "good" condition.  i still bought them and my plan is to now mess with them as a test bed for recovering mine.  upholstery was always something that seemed like black magic to me so who knows if i'll figure it out enough to make it worth it but its worth the try.

 

didn't get to the filler grommet on saturday.  hopefully some night this week.

[Yeahloh95]

what about that guy that is just down the street see what he can do with them ? like black velvet or something ?

[Prokiller]

2 hours ago, Yeahloh95 said:

what about that guy that is just down the street see what he can do with them ? like black velvet or something ?

yeah that was my thought originally but he's swamped with work and he does pretty much all custom work from scratch.  i do want to pick his brain more about it though

[Spockbacca]

Why not just cover the current panels with some leather vinyl? Get rid of the plastic look in the car. That's my plan. My old E38 had leather everything and I loved it! And dude, I love the exports!!!! I wish I had these on either of my 94s! Hopefully I can find a set one day for my 96!

Edited July 15, 2016 by Spockbacca

[Prokiller]

i thought about that too but i feel at this point that i if do something on this car i have to do top notch.  not saying the leather vinyl is junk or anything but i feel like if i'm going to do it, i want actual leather/swede.  

 

or maybe i'll rock some alligator or snake skin!

[Spockbacca]

4 hours ago, Prokiller said:

i thought about that too but i feel at this point that i if do something on this car i have to do top notch.  not saying the leather vinyl is junk or anything but i feel like if i'm going to do it, i want actual leather/swede.  

 

or maybe i'll rock some alligator or snake skin!

 

^LMFAO

 

 

No doubt I understand that. Just throwing it in there. Most people cringe at the thought of the cost of all that. So I start with that lol

[Prokiller]

went out to Eastwood's summer classic show saturday.  pretty decent turn out with a good amount of really sweet cars.  my favorite pic of the car.  that's my dad's 57

[GTTRacing91PGT]

Wish I could have went! Any other pics?

[Prokiller]

18 hours ago, GTTRacing91PGT said:

Wish I could have went! Any other pics?

not really of the actual show.  just wasn't in the mood for taking a bunch of pics.  it's been forever since i just went to a show to enjoy looking at cars so that's what i did.  

[busta]

Man your car is titties @Prokiller

[Spockbacca]

Looking Good Ryan!

[Tony]

On 8/2/2016 at 8:50 AM, Prokiller said:

not really of the actual show.  just wasn't in the mood for taking a bunch of pics.  it's been forever since i just went to a show to enjoy looking at cars so that's what i did.  

I've actually left my camera at home before and went to a show and realized i had more fun lol. 

[Yeahloh95]

i take pictures for tony and ryan its one of the many things I know how to do

[Tony]

On 8/16/2016 at 0:59 PM, Yeahloh95 said:

i take pictures for tony and ryan its one of the many things I know how to do

 

[Prokiller]

couple weeks back i switched out my ignition control module because i was having this weird intermittent problem.  Basically the car would be driving fine down the road and it would just hiccup for a moment.  just not spark for a split second.  wideband would show it drop down to like 10 and then come back to stoich.  couldn't figure it out for the longest time.  thought it was a grounding problem.  ended up switching out the control module and drove much better.  also moved it into the fenderwell rather than the engine bay.  

 

drove it today to work and got into a decent bit on the one road.  from me messing with the tune with a defective TFI, i now definitely need to retweak it.  was breaking up pretty bad on WOT.  

[busta]

5 hours ago, Prokiller said:

couple weeks back i switched out my ignition control module because i was having this weird intermittent problem.  Basically the car would be driving fine down the road and it would just hiccup for a moment.  just not spark for a split second.  wideband would show it drop down to like 10 and then come back to stoich.  couldn't figure it out for the longest time.  thought it was a grounding problem.  ended up switching out the control module and drove much better.  also moved it into the fenderwell rather than the engine bay.  

 

drove it today to work and got into a decent bit on the one road.  from me messing with the tune with a defective TFI, i now definitely need to retweak it.  was breaking up pretty bad on WOT.  

 

Which ignition control module did you end up running?

[Prokiller]

still rocking an off the shelf parts store brand, but i think i'm going to get a performance distributor like Dan had mentioned.