[Crave]

Um, I guess what I mean is, which should I get first? Pick up a donor and strip it, get the junkyard to pickup the shell, then get the kit?

I'm just worried that I might forget to take something off of it.

I could have both at the same time, but that'll take up a lot of room.

 

[2savage]

I bought the kit immediately after finding a suitable donor, then gave FFR a delivery date 8 weeks in the future. This gave me a deadline to work to and kept my nose to the grindstone. I am overlapping having both for a short while (yes, the garage is a bit crowded!) but should be dumping the donor within about three weeks. Theres nothing yet that I missed from the donor. The manual is quite good on this.

 

[Rocketir]

If your going all donor, get the donor first. Order the build manual beforehand and check out what you need to keep and don't need. Order the kit and by the time it gets here have your donor stripped. Sell the extra donor parts off on EBAY or something to help recoupe the cost of the donor. Or if you really have some time, drive the donor around for a bit before the teardown to get all the bugs out of it, and upgrade stuff (engine, shifter, etc.) if you want.
MHO
Jes

 

[davem]

Buy the donor first. I registered mine and drove it for a year-found out everything wrong with it before the build. Also in some states (MA for instance) having owned and titled the donor significantly eases the new VIN process-you can prove nothing was stolen! Good Luck-since good donors are getting more difficult to find I would sincerely suggest registering and driving yours for a while to avoid any surprises after the build.

Dave

 

[howiez69]

as for donors 'davem' mentions re-titleing. I live in wisconsin, and i've tried to find out the feasability of building one here. Can i assign the donor VIN to my FFR? this would simplify things, i think? I had gotten one lead from a guy in Eau Claire from FFR, but he never responded with what he did. My spouse is worried about insurance and registration/inspection.

 

[wsg_iii]

Get the donor first. You can have it disassembled by the time you get the kit.

 

[Jim Smith]

Ah...just like the chicken(farmer)and the egg.Get the donor first,strip it,order kit,clean the parts,paint the parts,recieve kit,do an inventory ,start assembling the car your mother never wanted you to have

[ October 17, 2002, 03:21 PM: Message edited by: Smitty ]

 

[Crave]

Thanks for the info guys.

Is there anything inparticular I should keep my eye out for on the donor? I know nothing about Mustangs, I'm a Honda guy.

Any particular year I should try to get or try to avoid?

 

[2savage]

The manual has good tips on what to look for. You should really get tha manual if you don't have it already. Things not mentioned there are that Mass Air systems were preceded by something called speed density. I understand that mass air flow is better, but others will have to tell you why, and what the cutoff year is.
Even though you don't need the interior or body, it's worth money to sell the parts so try to get a nice car all round, not just the bits you need.

 

[Horizon200]

Well, first and foremost, the engine goes North South not East West!

The 89 and later are Mass air instead of Speed Density. I think that would be one of the biggest factors to look for depending on what you want to do with the engine later. (Speed Density= Little to no upgrades). Remember that an Automatic will require different computer to switch to a manual. Other than that, mileage etc. Also, if you can find one with a gray/black interior instead of the red, you will have much better luck selling off parts. It's amazing how many calls I've recd for interior parts and they get turned off as soon as I say it's red!

Oh Yeah and the later models have an Airbag so be careful when you disassemble the steering.

[ October 17, 2002, 03:32 PM: Message edited by: Horizon200 ]

 

[Crave]

Ok, just checked the local Autotrader website for 1989-1993 Mustangs for less then $3000 CDN. Tons of 4 Cyl, tons of automatic 5.0's.

If I get an automatic, I assume I can just pick up a 5spd tranny and computer from the junkyard? Is there anything else needed? Like mounting brackets, wire harness?

 

[PepeBorja]

Originally posted by howiez:
as for donors 'davem' mentions re-titleing. I live in wisconsin, and i've tried to find out the feasability of building one here. Can i assign the donor VIN to my FFR? this would simplify things, i think? I had gotten one lead from a guy in Eau Claire from FFR, but he never responded with what he did. My spouse is worried about insurance and registration/inspection.

That would be me and I apologize if I did not get back to you. My AOL email account gets inundated with Junk mail and yours may have been a victim of my delete finger.

Registration in Wisconsin was very easy for me.

3 forms were needed. Two I got from the Internet and 1 from the Madison office.

1 form was the Title application MV5. The other form was the Hobby application for registration of a Hobby vehicle MV2388. And the third one was sent to me by the DMV and had a couple of fields that needed to be filled with my signature. Print out the two from the NET and call the DMV in Madison for the third one.

I had two $ receipts:
1 provided by FFR showing price of Kit
1 provided by donor seller

The two added together was the declared value for sale taxes. I also sent in the Certificate of Origin provided by FFR to show proof of origin and ownership.

Registration in Wisconsin is a piece of cake provided one does not live in one of the counties that require emission testing. Insurance? that one you are on your own. I used K&K and have the 2500 mile limit which is plenty good for me.

Questions? Send me an email and I'll be Happy to answer them. You are also free to drop by anytime or call me @ 874-6429.

I would not let reg/ins stop me from building this car.

 

[CNIDog]

Hi Crave, I'm up in Collingwood and picked my donor through Auto-trader. Use the email reply for the year and price limit you're willing to go with. Got a hit within a couple days that met my criteria.

A running 5.0 is easier to deal with than a wreck, which is what I got. Ended up spending some on a rad and replacing some bent wheels, pulleys and belt. It runs really solid but I had no way of knowing before i bought it. It's an 87 Cobra with Speed Density but I can upgrade to Mass Air easily LATER.

TED

 

[stang8s]

87 cobra? never heard of such a thing

 

[Nestromo]

Originally posted by CNIDog:
It's an 87 Cobra with Speed Density but I can upgrade to Mass Air easily LATER.

Huh? Perhaps a GT or LX with snakes on the sides?

 

[shawnd359]

If you are going to run a 5sp try to find a 5sp donor, if you get a automatic you'll have to get a 5sp pedal box $$,5sp $500. & up,and some other parts $$. the auto wiring harness will work. And I got my kit then got the donor. if you still need help finding a donor you can try calling Richard at North Racecars,Inc. K.C MO. 816/436/1610 or NorthCobras.com

 

[grok]

Donor first then you can order up the parts that are broken, you want to upgrade or you just don't feel like cleaning. This also gives you a chance to get the harness lightened if you choose.

If you want to end up with a 5 spd start with a 5 spd. From what I have seen, a basic, non-tricked out GT can be bought for under $2000 easily. My 1990 was $1400.

 

[Jim Smith]

BTW a computer out of an automatic car will work with a standard tranny.Look for an 89 to 93 5.0 with a stick.You would probably be better off with a side hit than front or rear.88's from California and 89's from everywhere are Mass air flow.The difference between Mass air flow (MAF for short)and speed density is MAF actually senses the amount of air that is entering the engine where as speed density can only calculate the amount of air entering the engine through look-up tables in the computer .Meaning fuel delievery is based solely on how much air the computer thinks is being used instead of how much air is actually being used.This really isnt a factor with speed density until you start to make engine modifications,and your computer is still using the tables for a stock 5.0.If you were using MAF the air flow is actually measured and the computer knows exactly how much fuel is needed for a proper air/ fuel mixture .This is over simplified but basically accurate.

[ October 17, 2002, 11:35 PM: Message edited by: Smitty ]

 

[Larry N. Johnson]

An option to a pure donor car is to find a very good Ford Used Parts (wrecking yard) and buy a "donor kit" that has everything listed in the manual. If you find one close to home and make the deal "everything needed" then you can go back for several trips for exchanges, extras, forgots, etc. The benefit is that they do the pull and you save time. Be sure to get a non-tilt column; we only use the inside shaft so the air-bag, etc is left behind. After you read the manual you'll decide on things like IRS etc. I had good luck (so far) with this approach as good complete donors are getting harder to find compared to 5 years ago. Budget $1700 - $2000 including T-Bird SC IRS. You also save towing costs for the return skeleton. Can move the project along sooner. More than one way to skin the cat. The place I went is here: Ford Used Parts Web Site

Regards, LNJ