Change it or leave it be? Midlife crises time I think

my89notchback

my89notchback

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So I’m 45, just had a second back surgery probably related to bodybuilding (in the past. Round seems to be my new shape) and garage activities. I’m home recovering and looking out into the garage.(which is a bad thing to do with pain killers in ya) and I’m thinking “ should I take the next step and mini-tub my car? Maybe some coil overs, nice extended cowl hood that the color will never match the rest of the car? Or should I get away from the car and leave it alone? I’ve watched a lot of my friends start with nice cars and end up with cars that are nowhere as nice as when they were street cars. I hate to find myself in that same place.

My 13yr old is just an out of control gearhead. Some of you met him at the Woodward cruise this year talking cars. He is alway watching drag racing on the iPod or TV, coming up with new stuff for me to build and asking how cool would that be? He is obsessed with the Mustang right now, picking races behind my back at school with his friends dad’s cars. I run into them at school events and they ask me about running, and I have to ask what they are talking about? Goofy kids! I’m in trouble when he turns 16.

So truth be told about the car, it has been a pain in the ass since I built it. Fuel system issues, starter issues, ignition box, on and on. When it does work, it’s stupid fast and we love it, but it’s not reliable to take anywhere. So do I take some timing out and buckle down and chase the gremlins out and enjoy it as it is, or go in a new direction with it? Turbo, EFI, go back to a TKO 600 manual trans?

I always find myself looking for something bigger or better, maybe a full on race car like a 25.5 car (Joe P. style) or maybe something stupid for the streets like a t-bucket or Shelby Cobra for my sons and I to build and mess with. Keep in mind we have a 2016 HellCat Challenger hidden too. I need nothing else!!

So what to do?
 
I have always liked your Mustang. But it sounds like you also get
tired of your cars at some point. I got tired of my yellow Mustang
GT and sold it......and almost immediately regretted it.

Time for a new car / project? Or perhaps simply freshen up your Mustang?

The more I write this the more I see I'm absolutely no help!
 
4Gas$ said:
I have always liked your Mustang. But it sounds like you also get
tired of your cars at some point. I got tired of my yellow Mustang
GT and sold it......and almost immediately regretted it.

Time for a new car / project? Or perhaps simply freshen up your Mustang?

The more I write this the more I see I'm absolutely no help!
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Lol!!! Maybe I should buy a decent roller to build with my sons. I kind of like the build more than the drive. Actually, I really don’t like being at the track all day either.
 
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IMO a 400hp street car that is reliable and able to be daily driven is more fun than a 600hp+ that is broke more than running.
 
Great opportunity to spend time with your kid. Let HIM pick the build, then you can make him do all the work!

-Geoff
 
Working on cars is fun when you do one modification at a time and the car is down for a short period only.

Working on cars is not fun when you do all out builds and the last time you drove the car you were sporting corduroy pants.
 
Is it reliable enough to run True Street at NMRA/NMCA? Get it ready for that and also run the hellcat when the kid is old enough too? That doesn't require a full weekend at the track unless you want it to be...or if it's a track a few states away. I wouldn't tub it.
 
7-10lbs/hp and something that is enjoyable to drive/starts every time. This will make it so on every nice day you'll want to take it out. A long time ago I got tired of noise. So everything I have is quiet. It makes it a lot more enjoyable. I even put 140lbs of Dynamat in my jet boat so you could talk over it at cruise. Instead of being deaf and fatigued ready to go home after an hour puttering around the lake you actually burn up all 40 gallons in an hour and want to keep going.

Years ago I had a S10 that was a handful. You never knew if it was going to shit a 7.625" differential out the back, it was such a problem I was considering putting wing nuts on the U-bolts to make axle swaps faster. It was loud. You could feel the convulsion of the 18436-5-72. It was pretty much impossible to drive in the rain because of the shift into second with the reverse manual valvebody in the TH400. No power steering. It was a blast when it was a blast, but going to Meijer to buy groceries was awful. I suspect this is your problem.
 
If anything I would make it f.i and and more enjoyable. You have a really nice car and believe it or not fox body’s are getting hard to come by in good condition ( not cut up and beat to death). If the kid really wants to build a drag car it would make more sense to buy a roller come winter and it will save you a ton of cash, they pop up left and right come December lol.
 
I definitely need it to run for more than one week a summer. I sold all my enclosed trailer after the last un-streetable car left thinking this was the ticket. As of now, I’m looking at open trailers again. Full circle.

The bottom of the car is just as nice as the top, so I really don’t want to go cutting into it. What about the hood? Keep it as is, or make a change to a carbon fiber cowl hood?(paint can not be matched)
 
LS Swap.....

Or a FiTech efi...

Or an Ecoboost swap...

I personally would do a turbo inline 6 Barra from down under but I'm a wierdo.

I like your hood but you are thinking of a pin-on race piece?
 
AutoRoc said:
LS Swap.....

Or a FiTech efi...

Or an Ecoboost swap...

I personally would do a turbo inline 6 Barra from down under but I'm a wierdo.

I like your hood but you are thinking of a pin-on race piece?
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Yea I was kinda thinking of a pin on hood. I think what I’m going to do is change gears and focus on making the car a reliable car cruise/show car. Make it Woodward worthy for 2019 and try to enjoy it more. Someone else mentioned how hard it’s gett to find a Foxbody in great shape and this one is as nice underneath as it is on top. Never had any rust anywhere. Maybe after My son and I have this one sorted out, we can build him something different.
 
slow96hater said:
Id vote for chase the gremlins, sort it out and enjoy it. Nothing like having a fast reliable street car.
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I agree. Fix the stuff that bugs you, and get your cowl hood.. either way your car is bad-ass. Keep it somewhat tame, I got a little carried away with my 68, and rarely drive it as much as i should.

Just my 2cents..
 
my89notchback said:
I definitely need it to run for more than one week a summer. I sold all my enclosed trailer after the last un-streetable car left thinking this was the ticket. As of now, I’m looking at open trailers again. Full circle.

The bottom of the car is just as nice as the top, so I really don’t want to go cutting into it. What about the hood? Keep it as is, or make a change to a carbon fiber cowl hood?(paint can not be matched)
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Why cant the paint be matched?
 
I think you're car is pretty nice just the way it is Chris! I could see a few updates such as a small cowl (big cowls suck on the street for visability) and maybe a mini tub. Work out the little bugs and enjoy driving it! I often wish that I hadn't gone "Joe P. style" lol... I have WAY more fun with my old 13 second AMX than looking at the race car sitting in the garage these days.
 
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