1994 Mustang GT money pit I mean project

joe_momma

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Seats look awesome!

Thanks bro! Yeah I was pretty pleased with them in all honesty, especially at less than half the price (delivered) of Corbeau or similar. I'm going to stop at China Freight on the way home tonight and get a welder. I've got a guy in maintenance getting me some flat bar stock for my brackets.

EDIT: I'll be using 1" flat steel for the brackets, 3/16th thickness. Basically, I just need a way to tie the factory mounting bracket to the new seat bracket. This should do the trick.
 

tjm73

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Got the seats in, they're actually pretty decent. I noticed a few places that would look "better" on a nicer seat, but for what I paid, these will be dandy. By that, I mean the staples in the underside of the seat back didn't look very professional, but it won't be seen.

Install:

Tackled the passenger seat first, as I figured it would be easiest (and I was right). Essentially, removed the included tracks and just transferred over the factory track from the original seat. I had to drill a new hole in each side of the track to mount to the new seat, but that was pretty straight-forward. The only issue was that in one of the new seat holes, the threads got fouled up somehow. Maybe shavings from drilling or something, I don't know. So, I ended up having to chase the threads with my tap. Finally got that sorted out, and the new seat is in. Looks really good. Their gray is a bit lighter than the factory opal, but it is certainly close enough. The material feels pretty good for "pleather". The seats definitely hold better than the factory. If you're a bigger guy, they will be snug. They're pretty tight across my back. For reference, I have a decent athletic build, 5'11" 230#, 36" waist.

KTskGgh.jpg

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Seat height is good, based on my limited seat time.

Then, the real struggle began. Started taking out the driver seat, undid the rear bolts and went to the move the seat back so I could get to the front nuts. Well, the seat decided it was done moving. It would not go back (and was all the way forward at this time). Everything else worked - up, down, lumbar, etc....but it wouldn't go back. I even wedged myself in and tried to assist, but the motor just wasn't doing anything in reverse. So, I had to take the front nuts off with an open-end wrench, 1/4 turn at a time. I couldn't get a socket on it or my ratcheting wrench on it because the seat track was in the way. That was fun. Finally got it out.

Of course, the factory power seat track wasn't going to work on the new seat. So, I'm going to have to fab up some way to attach the factory mounting bracket to the new tracks. I think I can take some flat stock and weld the factory brackets to that, then bolt that assembly to the new seat tracks. At least that is the plan. Here's what I'm working with:

New seat tracks:
NWIffac.jpg


Factory bracket:
Nd5lFb4.jpg


The factory mounting bracket is actually two pieces riveted together for each side. One piece is part of the track, the other is the actual mounting bracket portion. I should be able to cut/drill the rivets out and weld that up with the bar stock to make a new seat mounting bracket/frame.

Those aren't "staples" per say. At least not in the way most people imagine staples. There actual name is a hog ring and they are a standard upholstery fastener.

That seat looks pretty good in the car. Judging from the seat slider brackets they (the bracekts) look an awful lot like the Corbeau seat brackets I put in my '93 GT.

Doing what you plan might make the seats sit too high. I had that problem with my car. I ended up buying different seat mounts from Corbeau. 3/16" higher might not sound like a lot, but in my case it put my head almost against the roof of my car. My brackets fixed that. May not be a problem for you, but something to consider and think about.

Did you get the intake installed yet?
 

joe_momma

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Those aren't "staples" per say. At least not in the way most people imagine staples. There actual name is a hog ring and they are a standard upholstery fastener.

That seat looks pretty good in the car. Judging from the seat slider brackets they (the bracekts) look an awful lot like the Corbeau seat brackets I put in my '93 GT.

Doing what you plan might make the seats sit too high. I had that problem with my car. I ended up buying different seat mounts from Corbeau. 3/16" higher might not sound like a lot, but in my case it put my head almost against the roof of my car. My brackets fixed that. May not be a problem for you, but something to consider and think about.

Did you get the intake installed yet?

China's finest copy of them, I imagine. The passenger seat was good, hopefully the fabricated brackets don't impact overall height for the driver side. The design in my head (lol) shouldn't affect height.

Intake is still sitting on the shelf - waiting on the rest of my goodies to do one big install.
 

joe_momma

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Well, long story short - seat bracket fab was a fail. Mainly because I can't weld aluminum to steel. And, there's no way to get a nut/bolt through the factory rail for it to hold anywhere near strong enough. Sending my dad to the junkyard today to see about getting another manual seat bracket - which is what I should have done in the first place.
 

joe_momma

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Got the portable carpet shampooer out this weekend and shampooed the carpets while the seats were out. I also continued to try and fab up a bracket for the driver seat. I got closer hacking up the factory power seat bracket, but no cigar yet. The junkyards local to me didn't have any (or didn't want to mess with it more likely) seats, so I found one on eBay. It is shipping today, hopefully I have it by the weekend. Anxious to get the car back on the road.
 

joe_momma

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I figured out a way to get the tracks to "stop" - I basically ran a nut/bolt at each end to hold the factory track in place, only allowing movement from the new seat bracket. It works, for the most part. There's still a tiny bit of slop in the factory track, but that is from where I pulled the hard plastic guides off the tracks (didn't know I'd end up needing it). It allows for a little play in the track, but not much. The nut/bolt on each end keeps it pretty secure. I managed to finally get the seat in last night, and drove the car today (after I jumped it off, mind you). Something is loose in my fab work, the front of the seat wants to tilt backwards several degrees, like the front nuts holding the bracket aren't tight. This is just a temporary setup anyway, once the eBay factory manual bracket comes in I'll install it.
 

joe_momma

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After making an entirely-too-detailed spreadsheet and reading entirely-too-many forum posts and articles, I have decided on the path for the engine upgrade. It kind of puts holes in the "budget" aspect, but I don't want to shoot myself in the foot now for what is to come later. Plus, this will get me in HP range I'm looking for without going full crate motor, and having to wait for an extended period of time.

I'm leaning towards the following:
stock bottom end
TF 11R 190s
Custom cam from Ed Curtis
1.6 RR
Ted Jenkins tune
Supporting fuel mods (injectors, TB, fuel pump)

The 190s will be plenty of head for the eventual stroker build, but shouldn't kill TQ down low from everything I've read, especially with the gears and tune. This should come in around $2500 (before the tune and fuel mods). The Exploder intake will obviously hold me back some, but it is on the shelf already. I can always look to getting the lower ported. I'm thinking this should get me in the 350whp range, give or take.
 

tjm73

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That's a solid plan. Keep your eye's peeled for a Holley SysteMAX II intake. A guy over at Corral has a true 302 with those heads, an Ed Cutris cam, the SMII intake and supporting mods and he puts around 370 to the wheels in a foxbody. T he exploder intake will choke out around 5200ish. You can gain a bit if you have it fully ported by TMOSS.
 

golkhl

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After making an entirely-too-detailed spreadsheet and reading entirely-too-many forum posts and articles, I have decided on the path for the engine upgrade. It kind of puts holes in the "budget" aspect, but I don't want to shoot myself in the foot now for what is to come later. Plus, this will get me in HP range I'm looking for without going full crate motor, and having to wait for an extended period of time.

I'm leaning towards the following:
stock bottom end
TF 11R 190s
Custom cam from Ed Curtis
1.6 RR
Ted Jenkins tune
Supporting fuel mods (injectors, TB, fuel pump)

The 190s will be plenty of head for the eventual stroker build, but shouldn't kill TQ down low from everything I've read, especially with the gears and tune. This should come in around $2500 (before the tune and fuel mods). The Exploder intake will obviously hold me back some, but it is on the shelf already. I can always look to getting the lower ported. I'm thinking this should get me in the 350whp range, give or take.

Would you consider the option of adding a single turbo to your stock engine? It would be much easier, and less expensive, to reach your power goals.
 

joe_momma

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TJ I was reading that thread this morning - which is what helped steer me in this direction.

Not opposed to a turbo setup at all - I just don't know anything about them (not that I know anything about pushrod engines either). You thinking like an ON3 kit?

EDIT: checked out their kits again, and it comes in at $3500 give or take with their "recommended" options (fuel pump, injectors, MAF, etc). Plus, they're pre-order only, and you only get a spot in line when you pay. Not sure I'm comfortable with that.
 
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07gts197

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Or you can do what roadkill did and throw in a junkyard turbo from a powerstroke!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Juice

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After making an entirely-too-detailed spreadsheet and reading entirely-too-many forum posts and articles, I have decided on the path for the engine upgrade. It kind of puts holes in the "budget" aspect, but I don't want to shoot myself in the foot now for what is to come later. Plus, this will get me in HP range I'm looking for without going full crate motor, and having to wait for an extended period of time.

I'm leaning towards the following:
stock bottom end
TF 11R 190s
Custom cam from Ed Curtis
1.6 RR
Ted Jenkins tune
Supporting fuel mods (injectors, TB, fuel pump)

The 190s will be plenty of head for the eventual stroker build, but shouldn't kill TQ down low from everything I've read, especially with the gears and tune. This should come in around $2500 (before the tune and fuel mods). The Exploder intake will obviously hold me back some, but it is on the shelf already. I can always look to getting the lower ported. I'm thinking this should get me in the 350whp range, give or take.
Solid plan, you will have a sweet running engine.
350 crank HP. It will be more like 290 rwhp, with a better intake.
24lb or 36lb injectors are enough for that power level. And a fuel pump upgrade is all that's needed on the fuel side.
Buddy ran a combo very similiar on 24's.
I'm running a 190 intank pump and it supports 420 whp with 42s on my 91 with boost. You do not need a 255 pump.
 

joe_momma

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Solid plan, you will have a sweet running engine.
350 crank HP. It will be more like 290 rwhp, with a better intake.
24lb or 36lb injectors are enough for that power level. And a fuel pump upgrade is all that's needed on the fuel side.
Buddy ran a combo very similiar on 24's.
I'm running a 190 intank pump and it supports 420 whp with 42s on my 91 with boost. You do not need a 255 pump.

Thanks Juice. You think it would be worth it going with a larger TB? Would I need a bigger MAF? I'll definitely be getting a tune, so I shouldn't need a calibrated MAF, correct?

Anyone have experience with used injectors from eBay? I see a lot of Chinese knockoffs offered up there as well.

Got the new (used) seat bracket mounted up and installed. So much easier than dicking with trying to get something cobbled together. It literally took me less than an hour to have the seat out, old bracket removed, new bracket installed and seat installed. Anyway, live and learn. The adjustment is all the way back, and it could stand to go back just another notch, but I'm not worried about it enough to try and adjust the mounting. I'm a little closer than I'd like, but that will just take some getting used to.


I shampooed the headliner over the weekend after talking about it with my son, who works for a detail shop here in town. He said the headliner will hold a lot of odor (especially if it was a smoker car). The car doesn't smell like a smoke, but it does have a "stale" smell. I guess that's part of it when it's 27 years old. Anyway, the water it pulled out was black as tar. It smelled much better this morning.


I also ordered a set of the LMR floor mats in Opal Gray. Just the plain ones, no logos or anything. They should ship today and be here this week.
 

Juice

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Absolutely yes on the maf. The stock one is a 55mm unit.
A 70 or 75 mm throtle body and Maf is what I would look for.
If you go with a maf calibrated for 24lb injectors, and install 24s, it will run without tuning, and will be easier to tune to boot.
 

joe_momma

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Thanks Juice. I'll keep my eyes peeled. I was planning on 30s just to give me some headroom for future growth.
 

joe_momma

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Got some updated pics after her bath but before I waxed:
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If you look close on the bumper you can see where I backed into it a while back.

Here you can see the new floor mats and seats. Compare that to the dirty-looking factory carpet (that I just shampooed).
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