Same old, same old...

I agree Serge. My mustang was a little different but it was built with all common parts(331, TFS everything, etc. blah blah blah, you know, same old stuff). I got tired of everyone having the same stuff too and thats probably the reason I got rid of mine(even though it was faster than most around here.) I needed a change so I went with something different, a lightning. Now even though it is really similar to a mustang in a bunch of ways, its totally different and you just don't see them around. Just about every one has different mods too, which is neat because you can see the different paths you can take to get performance out of them, while with the mustangs, usually everyone bolts on a s/c and calls it quits. I will eventually own another mustang, and when I do I will do something completely different than anything that has been done yet. I have plans for stroking a 351W(9.5" deck) to 480 cubes keeping low compression and all forged/billet internals(yeah i know, lots of $$$) with some yates or blue thunder heads. I also want to build a turbo setup for it and try to keep it semi streetable. This is all in the distant future, but I am determined to do it when I have the money. Like you said, i am tired of seeing the same stuff so that is my plan for doing something different. BTW, I have noticed that there are a few "different" things out there, but they usually stay in peoples garages and they usually stay away from the meets. Erik D. '94 white lightning

I live in GM country (Dayton, OH), so seeing even Cookie Cutter Stangs is still an event! :>(

Although, I saw a Gen II Stang yesterday with a HUGE Top Fuel style wing on it and an ugly assed hood! It was HIDEOUS!!

I don't understand why kids are Rice out Stangs.....

ERIC

Check out the Ford Engine Heaven!

interresting

do you mean that guys with blowers should be faster than 14??

Dont forget that modding a car takes mondo cash and time. what else can someone do besides buy whats (mods) available? ive got a 351 with edelbrock performer cam, heads, manifold, 600cfm carb, electonic ignition, aluminum pulleys and a fluidampr balancer. i learned everything i know putting that stuff on and am content to enjoy my car for awhile before i spend a year changing it again.

turbos are cool but if you dont know anything about em why bother. people who are adventurous enough to do any mod to a car (besides a body kit) are rare enough. not everyone gets to work on fast cars everyday (though ill bet a lot of us in this group would like to) and engineer new technology.

in this respect its better to live in a smaller town where classic musclecars are rare and modded ones like mine are even rarer. though it would be nice to have some friends in my town that actually have a musclecar, maybe i should start a club.

someday id like to have an EFI or blower project. but want to tackle my body work first which will probly take about 10 years. dont have access to a big garage, body shops only do insurance work, and body guys fu@k you side ways for doing the kind of work that they love. at least around here. dont expect em to work for free but still.

We don't see too many exotics at the track around here. I remember the days where we used to have those Mustang against Camaro or GN days. Gee those were fun...Not to many GM cars anymore. Not enough to make those special events profitable, you'd end up with 100 stangs and 2 Grand National.

Mind you the kids with their rice burners seem to enjoy themselves...Maybe I am getting to old for this. Maybe I should take up darts or other sports mor suitable for someone my age....

interresting

Yes Lightnings are fun! I almost got tempted last year but opted for a 4x4 workhorse instead. There is one in my future, I can see it in the cristal ball...

That project for the mustang is not for the faint at heart (or wallet!)... My 351 LX is costing me a pretty penny and it's not half as exiting...I am starting to lean towards cobras (of the AC type). Bill S. posted some pictures of his and that had to be quite a ride...Building it would keep me busy for a while...A GT-40 kit would be nice also...

So many projects, so little money...I guess its time to buy another lottery ticket...

Serge

Yes, those cobras are looking better and better every day. I am curious about GT-40 kits too...

That harley has got to be quite a conversation piece...I can't imagine the thomp of the exhaust mixed with the whistle of the turbo...

I agree, money is often a problem but being inventive is not always expensive...

I am quite adventurous and turbos are the only thing I have'nt touched yet...so guess what. Especially when I am bored like I am now...I guess I'll be practicing making headers soon...

Not all body guys are bad...most of them actually enjoy working on nice cars and many will give you a price break for the opportunity. Doing insurance jobs is soo boring...you just have'nt found the right body shop I guess.

The crowds I used to see a couple of years ago just seem to dissipate after a while...now, when I cruise Fri/Sat nights, I see absolutely nothing but kids in their compacts and crotch rockets. I just don't see the souped up fox bodies 'nor sn95's that are worth looking at anymore. I do see a lot of the clear tail lights on a lot of stangs these days along with massive spoilers. There are no real hangouts anymore.

Also, you've got a lot of people in my situation. I am 23 working full time and paying off bills that are up my teeth and never have anything left over from that check to even fill up the tank. My insurance just keeps skyrocketing no matter what I do, I've done lots of quotes from other ins co's just to find out they ALL want at least 1,000 more every 6 months than what I currently pay. I am w orking on going to school fulltime as well, so that will keep my even farther away from working on my car. Now, even after I get a better job and get a business bachelor degree, I will be working on getting a house & paying off outstanding (and I mean outstanding) bills. Could it just be harder for this era of young people to hook up their cars than those of the muscle day era?

Yeah, it's a little different in looks, sound, and performance. I like it.

I had this conversation one morning:

"Boy, that engine really whines. Probably a bad alternater or valve train." "No, that's the turbine spinning down" "You're running a turbo? What's it like?"

Well if you're talking racecars, I like to build a 85-93 coupe for some high winding "Gear Jammer" action. I'd destroke a 351w to a 302 with billet everything,some monster heads,cam & intake and blowproof this and that and with a clutchless jerico 4 speed or maybe a pro stock lenco. Bouncing the tach needle off the 10,000 rpm mark and pulling the front wheels in 3 gears should keep boredom to a minimum.

I went thru the lean years myself with 4 kids, house payments and such. Once the last kid left home I retired from what I was doing (48 yrs old at the time) and became a golf bum for 5 years. My wife and I are now in the Storage Management business and as such with get an apartment and utilities paid, but not much in the way of an hourly wage.

With that said I just started on the car last November (had it 4 years prior) being forced to do a major paint and body job on my car, due to hitting a deer. I cut a deal with the paint and body guy to rent him a 10x20 storage space with me paying his monthly rent. I will pay him off in 3 more months. Meanwhile I got the bug to build another car for myself, namely the mustang. I started putting away the car payments that I would pay if I purchased a new car and in February 2003 started buying the parts necessary for my design.

So far I've spent $4,712 in parts and labor (I did most of the work myself) with planned spending up till November. Starting next year I will spend a little more than this year on just a new engine. So far this is what I've done:

Shifter - Steeda Tri-Ax UPR Cold Air Kit with K&N filter Black Finished Finned Valve Covers w/ Billet Oil Cap Kenny Brown Strut Tower Brace Kenny Brown Double Cross Sub Frame Connectors Kenny Brown K-Member Brace (removed due to headers) Ford Racing 3.73:1 Ring and Pinion Set MAC rear girdle MAC Long tube headers MAC Pro chamber MAC Cat back system Ford Racing Blue Silicone Hose Kit MSD distributor cap & rotor Ford Racing 9mm plug wires (red) Kenny Brown Adj (Street) Upper Control Arms Kenny Brown Adj (Street) Lower Control Arms Steeda Idle Bypass Valve Steeda Magnetic Drain Plugs Ford Motorsport Aluminum Drive Shaft Lakewood Drive Shaft Safety Loop MSD 6AL Ignition MSD Blaster TFI Coil MSD to Ford TFI Harness, late model UPR Triple Pickup Quad, Cable & Adapter w/ Premium Cable Kenny Brown Trackit Plus Flaming River Shaft Kit

Energy Suspension motor and trans mount with spring isolators and rear sway bar bushings. Tokico Illuminia 5 way alumina Shocks and Struts

Tremec 3550 trans (used) will pay the 20th of next month for from my mechanic.

November I will purchase a UPR front K Member kit with coil over and complete all work till Feb of 2004.

February of 2004 will finish the suspension and brake with the 4 to 5 lug conversion with Cobra brakes and black centered bullet wheels. After that it will be all engine until I'm done with it. I might add this will include a new short block from D.S.S. or built locally here.

I figured I've saved about $2000 so far by simple buying mail order and shopping around. A good example is the Flaming River steering shaft which at most places is 189.95 with shipping. I found one on eBay new for $75 including shipping. Another example is the exhaust, I paid a total of $481 and about $70.

Yeh! 351 powered golf cart! That's an idea...

Not arguing or placing a judgemnet value on another man's priorities..

Just wondering though, if you had bought the big tv, leather living room set, went out more and took vacations if you might not have the wife still! :)

Matt

1 mouth..2 ears..use in correct proportion

LOL...

Yup, would'nt make me any more attractive that's true...

Serge

When I got my first student loan check way back when(16 years ago), I went out and bought a then premium sound system for $1,150 and put it in my beat up rusty a$$ 1980 Ford LTD! So every time I make a payment on my still outstanding student loan balance, i think..boy..it was a nice stereo!