Well, I HAD a ride but it's broken now.

[meanroy]

Hi, I'm a new member.
My inspiration for joining was the destruction of my Mustang.
I looking at repair options and I ran across some great info in one of the tech threads. Here are a few Before and after shots of the car.
To make a long story short, it was stolen and destroyed in a high-speed police chase. ( you can see the full details Here (http://www.protoworks.com/guest/guestbook.html) )

I Have some better pics on a disk, *somewhere*, I can't find right now. I'll try and maybe post them later
~Roy.

[Nigel]

Hi, I'm a new member.
My inspiration for joining was the destruction of my Mustang.
I looking at repair options and I ran across some great info in one of the tech threads. Here are a few Before and after shots of the car.
To make a long story short, it was stolen and destroyed in a high-speed police chase. ( you can see the full details Here (http://www.protoworks.com/guest/guestbook.html) )

I Have some better pics on a disk, *somewhere*, I can't find right now. I'll try and maybe post them later
~Roy.

I would call this a hijack! Use a new thread... *moderators...?*

[meanroy]

I would call this a hijack! Use a new thread... *moderators...?*

Sorry you think so, The thread says users rides, where should I have posted?

[Matra et Alpine]

Sorry you think so, The thread says users rides, where should I have posted?
It's OK meanroy it was that you posted it as a reply in another thread.
I've moved it here where it is a thread all of its own.

[meanroy]

It's OK meanroy it was that you posted it as a reply in another thread.
I've moved it here where it is a thread all of its own.

Oh, Thanks, I looked when I saw the message but you had already moved it. Sure confused ME!
BTW, I tried to find a Mod to PM with a message when I saw the message but had some trouble. I know I could click alert, but is there another way?
~roy

[Matra et Alpine]

Oh, Thanks, I looked when I saw the message but you had already moved it. Sure confused ME!
just occasionaly we are hyper-efficient :)

BTW, I tried to find a Mod to PM with a message when I saw the message but had some trouble. I know I could click alert, but is there another way?
~roy
hmm, it does seem to be hard to just find a mod to PM.
The alert is kinda there for serious stuff but when new to UCP you'll be cut a lot of slack anyway, so it wouldnt' ahve been a problem.
The others - less obvious - way is to go to the main forums page and look at the bottom. The list of users on-line. The mods are in bold. You can then clikc on one and PM them.

[meanroy]

The Car had no theft ins at the time it was stolen ("you didn't send us the new pics yet so we didn't add comp"- ins co.) so it's all 'out-of-pocket.

I'm not sure exactly what I'm going to do with the remains.
I don't really want to tack a front clip on and restore it to how it was.
I'll have to tear down the engine and check everything anyway. The tranny tail shaft is broken. (A new M-7003-Z Super duty T5) I don't know the condition of the differential yet, probably have to open it up too. (a Currie housing with a Randies Ring and Pinion Tru-Trak center)

So I was reading about the mid engine in this thread.

In reviewing the options for a mid-engined mod. I find there are actually a *lot* of possible transaxles that might be adapted.

The cheapest appears to be a Corvair, the differential is only ~$60 for a good used one and you can tack on a variety of trannys, most commonly a Saginaw. Though the kind folks at Clarks Corvair Parts (http://www.corvair.com/user-cgi/pages.cgi) talked with me at length and we figured out I might be able to use the T5 by removing the tailshaft and re-splining it for the Corvair diffy. They have a kit (http://www.corvair.com/user-cgi/catalog.cgi?function=goto&page=otto-35&catalog=Specialty&section=Otto)for the Saginaw which they helped me figure out I could do without, which I thought was nice of them.
Other options include mounting the engine transverse - using a Fierro or? transaxle.
I'm afraid they all may be a little light weight for the heavily modded 351 Windsor, but maybe not.

Since the front is a total loss, I'm looking at a bunch of options in front.
1. Front clip from a donor coupe. ~$500
2. Slice off the firewall and weld in a new one. *LOTS* of work (though repro sheetmetal is available), and difficult to align.
3. Gut everything, fab a tube front-end, put in late model Mustang II coil-over susp. or some such.

In the rear I have some options too assuming
1. Cut out the sheetmetal in the rear and install an in-line mid-engine
4. Ditto, but go transverse.

All *BIGTIME* work and not insignificant money.
I guess what I'll be able to do I won't know until I've done more research.

[Egg Nog]

I just read over the page you linked to. A tragedy, seriously. To me, it seems like so much more of a shame because you put so much personal time and effort into the project. If it was only a car bought by a collector, it would seem to be more of a monetary value than anything else. It is really too bad that this isn't the case. Good luck towards your choice in the future.

By the way, any word on the bastard who stole it?

[meanroy]

By the way, any word on the bastard who stole it?

Thanks for the kind thoughts Egg Nog.
The kids (there were two in the car) survived.
The driver lost an eye. Faces serious jail time. The thieves were never caught due to peculiarities in the law enforcement arena. (the SJPD does no further investigation after the car is recovered.) So basically, I'll never know who stole it.

Do you have any thoughts on the best low cost transaxle if I decide to go 'radical' and put the engine in back?

[meanroy]

I found a front clip from a coupe for 175 for the front third, 250 for half the car!
NO rust, even the battery tray isn't too bad, never been hit, looks good!
I should be able to get it sometime next week.

It's a HUGH job to put it on. I've never done a clip but I'm a better than average welder and have a few buddies who are pro body guys.

I may (probably) take a 'pass' on going rear engine. I looked into it pretty seriously and there are a *lot* of problems. Not least being access to the engine after it's installed.

I had figured I might go with a tube frame front but now I've found the clip I think I'll just go that way.

Still need lots of other stuff though my buddy Jose has offered me his spare drivers side door.

Going to buy a Porta-Power this week I think. (can't even get the engine out without it)
Jose needs one to get his Monte Carlo bar in to so that will help pay him back.

[meanroy]

I *am* making some progress toward getting the Mustang back on the road. I know some of you have noticed the Carbon Fiber thread in Technical, where I'm building a new instrument cluster bezel, and as I noted here I picked up a front clip.

I've got the engine out and on a stand ready to dissassemble.

But even better, some folks over at StangNet (http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=477691) have chipped in and donated some front suspension parts including Granada spindles and Disks! With perhaps more to come.

My friend Jose chipped in a drivers side door and an oil pan.

I may be getting over confident but I'm starting to think about using Jose's car as a mold for a tilt front end instead of trying to find all the separate parts!

I *might* even be tearing up the roads this year. (well, maybe, it's a HUGH job!)

[taz_rocks_miami]

Meanroy, I'm sorry to hear about the theft and destuction of your ride. I know how you feel, I few years ago the same happened to me. Good luck bro.

Taz.