$5000 budget Mustang

[RS_Customs]

Scored an engine for my car last night.Got an ls7 shortblock with 2,700 miles off LS1 Tech for $3200,drove all the way Pittsburg last night in the driving rain, only to find the rest of the engine also for sale. Ended up getting the whole engine minus throttle body, oil pan ,and pump for just over 5k,I did sell my old wheels for to offset the cost a little bit,so my new title needs to be $19000 Budget Mustang. Ron

Awesome!! Glad you stuck with the ls, much less going for the big boy ls7 . Can't wait to see it running again! Hope you don't consider me bad luck and will let me ride shot gun again some time, lol.

Robert

[PARKERRS]

Good deal Ron! Get her back going soon!

[Ron S]

Robert:I do hold you personally responsible,and was hoping for some kick in on the new engine. LOL

Tommy:When is that Camaro going to be done, at least grace us with some current pics.

[Jim Nilsen]

I am glad you found an engine for a good deal, I am almost ready to go LS if it kills my bank since trying to get the POS Accel crap running is costing me just as much if not more.

[67SSDan]

That is awesome man! Congrats on the engine score; can't wait to see that beast on the road again.

[srh3trinity]

Awesome find on the engine and I think the LS7 is a great fit for the car. Everything about the car is so extreme (except for the budget), so it stands to reason that the engine should be equally as impressive. I am sure that this has really stoked the fire for the Mustang again. You will probably have project ADHD and won't be able to focus on the Camaro.

[John Wright]

Sweet! Glad that you now have the replacement motor to get that baby rollin' again.

[LSXZ28]

Ron,
Found this one after we talked...

http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/pts/1499218215.html

[Ron S]

Wow Brett, you are on the ball. I'm getting the rest of my parts together, emailed Brian Finch who is using that same set up. He said it worked without a hitch, so that is the direction I will go. Need to scrounge up a 90mm throttle body,and I should be ready to go. Thanks, Ron

[Alan66ss]

Ron,

I saw that short block and thought about it. I was telling David about it he told me he thought you had bought it. So congrats on getting it. I still am totally up in the air for my motor - it is not an easy process.

Alan

[Ron S]

Picked up the engine about a month ago, and haven't even looked at it. I picked up a Jeep for my kid,and have been burning the midnight oil trying to get it done before Christmas. Injected Chevy engine, turbo 400,dana 300, and 2 dana 44's.Should be pretty nice, I really need a new hobby. Ron

[Cano]

Hello, this is my first post here. I actually registered to say something about this car, it's so inspiring. You see, over where I live, in Mexico, this is about as impossible to see as a Bugatti Royale driving up the street. Proyects like these are nonexistant, because hot rods and car culture and cars that go fast and all that are almost newborns in here. Five years ago I didn't even knew of a single supercharged late model Mustang in my entire area. It's that bad.

The last five years, tough, the scene has grown rapidly due to several clubs organizing track days, and suddenly you have cars reaching 600 hp and 1g of lateral load almost from one day to the other. Even so, all those cars are late models, and I have yet to see a vintage car come together with the level of performance that you all US citicenz are accustomed to now.

There are some coming together, but you could count them with one hand. I have been reading US magazines since 15 years ago, precisely when the whole pro-touring bug started to catch on, and have longed to see that kind of cars sprout in Mexico. 15 years later, thay are starting to hatch, and I think this very car can be an immensely big inspiration for many people in here, and the reason is the budget.

Mexico has one freaking bad economy. An study said that Mexico's City prices are the same as in Las Vegas, but the income of people is ten times less. It's that bad. That is why I find this proyect utterly interesting. There is no way in hell you are going to pick up a fastback body in here for $400, or an LS engine for $300, but the fabrication part of the car could be readily made if anyone was willing enough.

A friend just swapped a modular engine into his Fox -first swap of its kind in the entire country, which goes to show how behind we are- and fabricated the entire front subframe. People thought he was nuts but the results speak for themselves, and everyone was somewhat enlightened.

I will post this car in every mexican forum that I know can apreciate it, and will hope that your car serves as inspiration for the very few mexicans willing to cut up an old car in order to make it go like hell. Most people here won't mess with old cars like over there in the US, but I know a couple of guys who might even register here. Heck, there is a certain 65 fastback Mustang recently found (fastbacks were never sold here, so they are RARE and highly sought after), whose owners have talked about a cobra engine swap. I'll show this to them and hopefully I'll report later on a sick ride. The Chevy engine will make them puke, but I'll make sure to focus them on the fabrication side.

Meanwhile, I was utterly impressed with this car, its looks (I love bulging fenders), its performance, all the stuff you made yourself, and the tight budget it was built with. I cant imagine a car like yours going for any less than 70k usd in here... and probably much more. that you had it running -and running good- for less than 10K was awesome to see. I'll follow what lurks in the future of this thing with the LS7. In the meanwhile, cheers, you've made my two days of reading this thread very enjoyable.

Edmundo Cano, from Mexico City.

[Ron S]

Wow, welcome to the sight,and thanks for the interest in my junk. What did we do before the internet?

I figured there would be alot of vintage rust free junk down there, and I'am really suprized to here there is not alot of restomods being done.

Necessity is the mother of invention, and as long as life keeps us from spending boat loads of cash on our toys, we will continue to figure ways to modify and fabricate our way into cool, fun projects that don't break the bank.

Good Luck, and thanks again, Ron

[Cano]

Wow, welcome to the sight,and thanks for the interest in my junk. What did we do before the internet?

I figured there would be alot of vintage rust free junk down there, and I'am really suprized to here there is not alot of restomods being done.

Necessity is the mother of invention, and as long life keeps us from spending boat loads of cash on our toys, we will continue to figure ways to modify and fabricate our way into cool, fun projects that don't break the bank.

Good Luck, and thanks again, Ron

well, that is precisely the problem here, people with old cars think that shows and not tracks, is where the fun is. There are restomods, but most of them are show cars that perform even worse with the bling-blong 22 inch chrome wheels and chromaflooper paintjob on cut springs than they did when they were stock wheezers.

I have yet to see anything older than 1999 fitted with adjustable coilovers and taking a turn at high speeds. There are a couple of Mustang clubs around that are pushing performance restomods, but it's still a loooooooooooong way to go. vintage Chevrolets and above all Mopars with high performance stuff are absolutely nonexistant to this point, tought I hope a couple of Camaros get completed in the next few years. Let alone, for exaple, GM stuff and other oddball things.

There are some vintage race cars that run well, but they are prepared for certain categories and with restrictions (the La Carrera Panamericana cars come to mind), but they are in no way modernized rides, they are made like an old style trans am racer, only slower, and are eaten alive at tracks by the likes of a slightly modified Golf GTI.

Indeed, we have a long way to go, and very few people can (or if they can, will) put down the money and time and skills to build a big-dog Pro Touring ride, that is why your car caught my attention so much. It is the living proof of what can be done with some ingenuity, not necesarily on a fat bank.

I for one have just bought an appartment and any project will have to wait some time, but I'm eyeing a 1970 Javelin near work that is really complete. I'd like something along the lines of your car -specially the wide fenders!!! man those look sick-, but I'd want it with a new-gen HEMI. We'll see...

[Norm Peterson]

The Chevy engine will make them puke, but I'll make sure to focus them on the fabrication side.

The old-time hot-rodders just bolted in something that made the car quicker/faster without worrying about what name or emblem was cast into the block. The iron (or aluminum!) doesn't know and certainly doesn't care what it's sitting in. SBC's started turning up in 1930's Fords by the time those cars were 25 or so years old. The typical Classic Mustang is already at least 40 . . .

The hardcore side of the PT movement simply adds a couple "new" dimensions to the traditional hot-rod performance.

If you're diplomatic enough about it, even the die-hard, bleeds-Ford-Blue fanatics won't say much.


Norm

[brian65fb]

Wow i was searching on the internet and found this build and you Sir are my new hero. That is the best build i have ever seen period. after looking at every page i joined this site as g machines or should i say roadrace style cars are what i have allways loved. I have a question what was used for the rear windshield and front windshield gaskets. Are they the stock ones with out the chrome trim please any help would be apreciated

[Runningriot]

Any updates on this car with the power plant? This is a beautiful car and an awesome inspiration!

[Ron S]

Wow i was searching on the internet and found this build and you Sir are my new hero. That is the best build i have ever seen period. after looking at every page i joined this site as g machines or should i say roadrace style cars are what i have allways loved. I have a question what was used for the rear windshield and front windshield gaskets. Are they the stock ones with out the chrome trim please any help would be apreciated

Yeah the front and rear gaskets are stock,just not running the chrome to keep the cost down.

All of the rest of the engine parts are on order and should be here this week (weather permitting)First storm produced about 30" and the snow thats flying right now is supposed to yield another 24",where is Al Gore when you need him.

Chomping at the bit to get stated on this car again, but I'm still finishing up the Jeep I'm building for my kid. Ron

[John Wright]

Can't wait to see that baby motivating again with "mo powah"...woot!

[Jim Nilsen]

Are you going to make it to the Motorstate Challenge ?

Of all the Mustangs out there yours is on the top of my list for the coolest fab work by a guy who calls it junk.