Fox Body Mustang Restoration

When A Mustang Terrorized Germany | Forgotten Legends Ep.7

2025-11-03T21:58:00.005-06:00

When A Mustang Terrorized Germany | Forgotten Legends Ep.7

New Vintage USA Instrument Panel Kit Black With M-102 Series Gauges Black Mustang 1979-1986

2024-08-18T16:28:00.001-05:00

New Vintage USA Instrument Panel Kit Black With M-102 Series Gauges Black Mustang 1979-1986

New Vintage USA:

79378-78

If parts cant be found another option for guage cluster offered

Found at CJ pony with what appears to be the best price currently.

NVU Instrument Panels w/M-102 Gauges Black Mustang 79-86 (cjponyparts.com)

New Vintage USA Black Instrument Panel Kit with Black M-102 Series Gauges for 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, and 1986 Mustangs.

New Vintage USA’s Black Instrument Panel Kit features classic aesthetics and includes Black M-102 Series Gauges to completely revive your 1979-1986 Mustang’s interior. The included gauges feature modern OLED screens and are designed to be installed directly onto your Mustang. What sets this kit apart from other options is the ability to move gauges around on your dashboard. This enables you to pick and choose what you need to see the most for any driving scenario. That combined with NVU’s Phoenix Technology makes installing the gauges and programming them to your Mustang a breeze. NVU makes this Instrument Panel Kit right here in the USA.

Features and Benefits:
- Direct-Fit Upgrade to your 1979-1986 Foxbody Mustang
- Vintage Aesthetics but with Modern Performance
- Modular Design Enables you to Move the Gauges
- Tailor your Dash to your Specific Needs
- OLED Screens with NVU’s Phoenix Technology
- Easy to Wire Installation Process
- Made in the USA

Kit Includes:
- 79-86 Mustang mounting panel with indicators.
- Mounting hardware
- Speedometer 4-3/8"
- Tachometer 4-3/8"
- Fuel gauge 2-1/16" (73-10 Ω)
- Water Temperature gauge 2-1/16"
- Oil pressure gauge 2-1/16"
- Voltmeter 2-1/16"
- Direct drive extension harnesses
- Oil pressure sender
- Temperature sender
- Bushing kit
- Programming buttons
- AMP harnesses
- Back clamps
- Gauge mounting hardware

** Speed sender may be required--not included please check your application

I know companies like to lump up 1979 through 1986 but I would want to see the wiring instructions and be sure things are where they should be for a 1979 Mustang as it is a one off year for some things.

Simder SD 4050 Pro 2024 Model Cutting 12mm Stainless steel

2024-07-15T19:49:00.008-05:00

Simder SD 4050 Pro 2024 Model Cutting 12mm Stainless steel

This is our new Welder in the Garage

Having a plasma arc cutter is like wielding a lightsaber :-)

Simder SD4050 Pro 10 in 1 Welder & Cutter

2024-07-10T17:59:00.007-05:00

Simder SD4050 Pro 10 in 1 Welder & Cutter

This is the welder I chose to replace my old Hobart in the garage with. Has a ton of features one major helpful one is the Plasma Arc Cutter feature which I have decided to share here.

This is our new Welder in the Garage

Having a plasma arc cutter is like wielding a lightsaber :-)

Creating a new piston stop from scratch with a lathe, Tap and Die set.

2024-07-09T11:30:00.011-05:00

Creating a new piston stop from scratch with a lathe, Tap, Die, and Welder.

Material required: Bar Stock; Nuts; 3/8ths threaded rod.

Some Degree sets come with piston stops for when your heads are on and most I find to be cheap and inadequate for Degreeing of the camshaft. Well, at least the one I had.

For one mine kept moving which led me to question accuracy. two the adjustable stopper bent very easily when piston made contact.

So, I made my own using an antique Logan Lathe

9/16ths x 20 threads per inch. die required

Drilling out the center with the lathe for future 3/8 - 16 tap.

Narrowing shaft to match outside Diameter of a 9/16 spark plug.

ordered 6 inch tap and I was hoping to be able to tap deeper than 1.5 inches. Ridiculous. This was hardened steel so I ended up using the lathe to spin the tap and I took a grinder with a flap disk 40 grit to the shaft to narrow it down to a usable dimension.

Center piston stop piece is 3/8 - 16

After grinding away material to make usable for tapping my fitting for Piston stop.

I Welded a large Nut to the back for hand screwing the stop into head

New piston stop rod was made from 3/8ths threaded rod and end was lathed to replicate what original was.

what you normally get in a Cam Degree kit and I think they kind of suck.

Superior design. Very crude looking I know but more solid built.

After cleaning up the welds a bit and playing with the new TIG Welder function.

Jeremy's Mustang Theme Song Generated by Artificial Intelligence

2024-07-07T16:08:00.000-05:00

Our new welder in the Garage

2024-05-25T21:41:00.007-05:00

This is our new Welder in the Garage

Haiku Poem to my Mustang Generated by Ai

2024-05-25T21:40:00.008-05:00

Haiku Poem to my Mustang Generated by Ai

Oh, my dear 79 Mustang,

Sitting in the garage for so long 🚗

Hoping you'll roar to life soon,

With a purr that's strong 💪

Lots of labor and love,

Will bring you back to life 🛠

Revving up your engine,

Ending all this strife 😊

I'll polish your chrome,

And shine up your paint 🌟

Together we'll hit the road,

No need to feel faint 🛣

So hang in there, my friend,

We'll be cruising in no time 🌞

My 79 Mustang, you'll be,

A true classic, so sublime 🏎😄

Making a Piston Fly Cut tool for the 5.0 Mustang

2023-11-26T13:00:00.003-06:00

So my factory bottom end doesn't have the clearance needed for the AFR Heads I have. What does a person do? Well, I'll tell you. I'm making my own Piston fly-cut tool from some old Junk heads I had lying around.

on the intake side, I only had .019 clearance and I need a minimum of .080.

Enlargening the exhaust port to accommodate the ShopVac

The next stage taking an oversized valve and making it into my Cutting/sanding tool.

Epoxying velcro to the face of the valve for reattaching and changing out sandpaper.

After allowing time for the full cure of epoxy you can trim down to size. I applied extra epoxy to make up for the curvature of the intake valve.

To the right is the original intake valve to the left is the oversized one for comparison.

The shank below will be our depth stopper.

Now making sandpaper disks.

At this point, I'm done with the tool and ready to do a test and work with it.

Now this is just an idea to save costs if you have a spare set of worthless E7 Heads laying around.

Installing AFR heads and Studs

2023-06-21T07:40:00.005-05:00

Installing AFR heads and Studs.

When get your parts from AFR first thing you'll notice is the excellent packaging.

Excellent job on packaging and the valves and ports on these bad boys are huge.

Machining is excellent

without guide plates and roller rocker studs installed your looking at 26.8 lbs per head

2.020 Intake Valves

Piston to valve clearance must be checked.

The roller rocker looks offset because of the angles that AFR has taken and this is discussed in documentation.

When installing and removing heads to the block you'll want to pull the back two upper studs to provide clearnce needed when engine is in car.

More to come on this to come

Changing heads or cam? Want to check piston to valve clearance?

2023-06-04T13:37:00.000-05:00

Changing heads or cam? Want to check piston to valve clearance?

I think this is one of the best videos I have found yet on the topic.

Ford Flashback Monday! 1982-1986 Ford Mustang GT TV Commercials

2023-05-22T08:37:00.002-05:00

Ford Flashback Monday!

1982-1986 Ford Mustang GT TV Commercials.

Ford 302 Small Block Becomes A 400+ HP Street Fighter - Horsepower S14, E1

2023-03-07T19:51:00.001-06:00

Ford 302 Small Block Becomes A 400+ HP Street Fighter - Horsepower S14, E1

HOW TO BUILD CHEAP 5.0L FORD POWER! WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO ADD POWER TO YOUR DAILY DRIVEN SB FORD?

2023-03-07T19:47:00.001-06:00

HOW TO BUILD CHEAP 5.0L FORD POWER! WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO ADD POWER TO YOUR DAILY DRIVEN SB FORD?

Evaluating 5.0 Mustang heads

2023-03-07T19:41:00.002-06:00

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

The LOUDEST coyote swap fox body yet! RIP EARDRUMS!

2023-01-23T17:44:00.004-06:00

The LOUDEST coyote swap fox body yet! RIP EARDRUMS!

Interesting Swap Coverage from Foxcast Media.

If you're into Foxbody Mustangs you should definitely follow these guys on Youtube

Tired 93 fox body GT is back from the dead!

2023-01-23T17:41:00.004-06:00

Tired 93 fox body GT is back from the dead!

Interesting Swap Coverage from Foxcast Media.

If you're into Foxbody Mustangs you should definitely follow these guys on Youtube

Ecoboost Foxbody Swap

2023-01-23T17:33:00.002-06:00

The first ever ECOBOOST swapped foxbody mustang! *WITH TURBO UPGRADES

Interesting Swap Coverage from Foxcast Media.

If you're into Foxbody Mustangs you should definitely follow these guys on Youtube

1979 Ford Mustang Ignition Coil Test

2022-09-09T19:32:00.007-05:00

1979 Ford Mustang Ignition Coil Test. Failed to get a spark.

First I tested power to the coil and it was confirmed there, next I Unhooked and ohm tested the ignition coil for testing.

Meter set to 20K Ohms Secondary test

1 side I got resistance reading

2nd side, I had no reading. The coil should have had the same resistance on each side.

Next test set to 200 Ohms

Should have seen some resistance readings and got for changes.

New coil Testing: Same test here 200 Ohms selected got 1.6 Ohms

Secondary test Pass on new coil on both sides meter set back to 20K Ohms

Jay Leno's Garage Legendary Fox Body Mustang Patrol Car

2022-01-20T09:42:00.004-06:00

Troubleshooting Electrical system

2021-07-11T01:20:00.005-05:00

Recently I had some issues with the 1979 Ford Mustang. Engine would warm up and then it would misfire.

After contacting Holley I was able to get ohm specs on the MSD coil I had installed. I did end up replacing the coil as it failed secondary test, but after I replaced the coil with a new one I noticed the issue come back. Engine would idle fine then it would misfire after warmed up. Timing was right on, so I decided I was going to pull off the high performance ignition system and put the car back to a factory Duraspark II system and test things out.

In the last post you saw me make a coil relocation bracket which worked out great.

After installing the original harness back on and disconnecting the MSD components I installed a brand new Duraspark II Ignition Control Module and new Super Stock 12v Ignition Coil.

On first attempt to start the engine it failed. Instantly, I could tell there was no fire. First step was to check voltage at the coil. To my surprise I only had about 6 volts where I should have 12.

Ah hah, I found another problem in this old car. At this point I decided I am going to disconnect the harness for the Ignition Control Module, Distributor, and Ignition Coil.

Next test I wanted to perform was testing the male side of the connector that is connected to the harness going into the car.

I made a diagram of the plug on my old trusty Army notepad and traced back the ignition power wire to find the correct pin to test. I turned the ignition key to the run position and verified that I had just over 12 volts, which I did. This was a relief because it meant the harness leading into the car was completely fine and the source of the problem was in the engine harness. I sourced myself some terminals. That took a bit to figure out what exactly they were. Dorman makes an assortment pack, but for this plug they are called Ford Wedge Lock terminals. I found out that Summit Racing also has these terminals. No one Sells a pigtail version of the this plug, so if issues are bad you need to rebuild it.

This is a handy Lisle terminal tool makes life easy safely taking apart this plug. Take care when doing this because these are very hard to come by nowadays. I've tried finding in salvage yards no many of the early foxbody mustang exist anymore.

https://www.pepboys.com/lisle-terminal-tool/product/669946

Pop the red block in the center before attempting to release any wire terminals.

The red block is a lock. REMEMBER TO TAKE CARE WHEN RELEASING TERMINALS!!!

Next step I tried was to clean corrosion off of the terminal and try another power test.

Even with it polished up the test still failed. I was still getting just a little over 6 volts, so I made the decision to replace the hole Ignition Coil hot wire giving us issues.

This crimper replicates the factory crimp perfectly.

Crimped new terminal to new wire. I would like not I decided to step it a bit on quality of wire. I sourced some marine grade tin coated copper wire which holds up better to the elements and harsh conditions.

With the new wire connected to the correct pin. I decided to replicate test performed earlier.

We have a winner. Over 12 volts coming down the new ignition coil hot wire (Positive Wire).

Mustang Coil Relocation

2021-07-11T00:14:00.003-05:00

Fabricating and making your own ignition coil mount.

Pending on your year and the modification you have done to it you may need to relocate things. Here was my solution. I've been having some issues with ignitions system, so as a troubleshooting step i figured I would rollback to the duraspark II system which was original equipment. I didn't want to remove everything for now, so I created a new mounting point for the classic style coil. Also needed to be closer to the distributor because no one had in stock the performance wires that would stretch the distance to the left hand side of he engine compartment. My solution was to create the new mounting point that allowed the coil to be closer to the distributor while still reducing heat. I made this nice aluminum bracket from spare scrap aluminum laying around in the garage.

First creating a template.

Tracing out on the aluminum piece

Using the vice as a metal break for bending to desired dimensions.

Trial and error test fitting and drilling mount point holes.

I decided to use a carriage bold to mount the coil mount to the aluminum bracket.

First, I drilled the whole to get close to dimensions required then I used an air file to square up the hole for carriage bolt to fit precisely.

Perfect square for carriage bolt. With this design you wont need two wrenches for removal.

Since this is aluminum I decided to polish it out to match the rest of the aluminum under the hood.

Here I needed to indent the aluminum for the hole location under the coil. This will prevent the coil mount from spinning or pivoting when mount is tightened down to the bracket.

I tried a couple ways unsuccessfully.

I under estimated the strength of this aluminum piece lol.

Ultimately, I ended up using the shop press.

Mount came out looking really good.

NEW ONLINE MERCHANDISE STORE FOR T-SHIRTS SUPPORTING THE BLOG

2021-06-10T10:06:00.005-05:00

Iowa Mustangs Unstabled Club Car Rally

2021-06-05T21:42:00.003-05:00

Iowa Mustangs Unstabled Car Show

Started the Morning loading the car

Group of us meet up in Muscatine IA before the trip to meet the bigger group in Oskaloosa Iowa.

Crazy how low this care

This Cobra is a rare site with this color scheme.

Can you see the ghost colors red white and blue?

Our Ride for the day. 2007 GT500

Enjoy the pics. There were so many Turbo and Supercharged cars that I was concerned with the city having an adequate Premium fuel supply.

Thanks for visiting and checking out the blog

Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act (RPM Act)

2021-03-25T21:15:00.004-05:00

PROTECT YOUR RIGHT TO RACE! THE EPA IS BANNING RACECARS. TELL CONGRESS TO PASS THE RPM ACT NOW AND STOP THE EPA FROM DESTROYING MOTORSPORTS. YOUR MEMBER OF CONGRESS NEEDS TO HEAR FROM YOU NOW!

Street vehicles—cars, trucks, and motorcycles—can't be converted into racecars according to the EPA.
The EPA has announced that enforcement against high performance parts—including superchargers, tuners, and exhaust systems—is a top priority.
Even if you are one of the hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts who contacted Congress in the past, we need your support again!
Tell the bureaucrats in Washington that racecars are off limits!

CLICK HERE TO TELL YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO SUPPORT THE RPM ACT

The RPM Act is common-sense, bi-partisan legislation to protect Americans' right to convert street vehicles (cars, trucks and motorcycles) into dedicated racecars and the motorsports-parts industry's ability to sell products that enable racers to compete. The bill clarifies that it is legal to make emissions-related changes to a street vehicle for the purpose of converting it into a racecar used exclusively in competition. It also confirms that it is legal to produce, market and install racing equipment.

The RPM Act reverses the EPA's interpretation that the Clean Air Act does not allow a motor vehicle designed for street use—including a car, truck, or motorcycle—to be converted into a dedicated racecar. This American tradition was unquestioned for nearly 50 years until 2015 when the EPA took the position that converted vehicles must remain emissions-compliant, even though they are no longer driven on public streets or highways. Although the EPA did not finalize the proposed rule, the agency still maintains the practice of modifying the emission system of a motor vehicle for the purpose of converting it for racing is illegal. Manufacturing, selling and installing race parts for the converted vehicle would also be a violation. The EPA has also announced that enforcement against high performance parts—including superchargers, tuners, and exhaust systems—is a top priority.

Converting street vehicles into dedicated race vehicles is an American tradition dating back decades and has negligible environmental impact. While California is known for having the strictest emissions laws, the state exempts racing vehicles from regulation.

Motorsports competition involves tens of thousands of participants and vehicle owners each year, both amateur and professional. Retail sales of racing products make up a nearly $2 billion market annually. Most of the vehicles raced on the estimated 1,300 racetracks operating across the U.S. are converted vehicles that the EPA considers to be illegal.

The RPM Act does not interfere with the EPA's authority to enforce against individuals who illegally install race parts on vehicles driven on public roads and highways and the companies that market such products. Tampering with the emissions system of a motor vehicle used on public roads is a clear violation of the Clean Air Act.

The RPM Act will provide the racing community with certainty and confidence in the face of an EPA interpretation of the Clean Air Act that threatens to devastate an American pastime and eliminate jobs in our communities.

Tell Your Elected Officials to Protect Motorsports and Pass the RPM Act

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

Republican and Democrat members of Congress have expressed a desire to provide certainty to racers and the motorsports parts industry. However, there is much more to be done before the RPM Act becomes law.

Use our Action Center to send a message to your Senators and Representative to ask them to support the RPM Act.

SEMA members can help spread the word by including links on their websites, social media platforms, storefronts and garages. Members can also rally their customers, employees, followers and friends to act. Use the assets found in SEMA's digital toolkit: www.sema.org/rpmtools. And don't forget to join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #SaveOurRacecars.