Birddog0347 rescues a Fox

[Broncojohnny]

I have that same rack that I am putting in my Cobra right now. I won't have it back together for a few weeks though. I drove a 2003 GT today and even the rack in it felt much better than any of the older junk.

http://forums.corral.net/forums/member-build-up-projects/2234098-1994-cobra-vs-mm-catalog.html

[bird_dog0347]

If the steering still feels "floaty" or too light, pop the valve spring out and cut a coil (or is it half or 1.5). I did that to mine and made a huge difference. Search the corral for the topic.

Yes, use ATF.

Yeah, I know about the coil cutting... we will see after the rack swap as it's supposed to be the 03/04 cobra rack. I replaced the throttle body today with an Accufab 75mm and have not yet driven it but the throttle response is already better just at idle!

[KBScobravert]

If the steering still feels "floaty" or too light, pop the valve spring out and cut a coil (or is it half or 1.5). I did that to mine and made a huge difference. Search the corral for the topic.

Yes, use ATF.

[bird_dog0347]

ford ps pumps were designed for atf, if you put something else in they get noisy and burn up.

Good to know, and likely explains why mine is LOUD...

[Baron Von Crowder]

ford ps pumps were designed for atf, if you put something else in they get noisy and burn up.

[bird_dog0347]

make sure not to use power steering fluid, put regular ATF in.

Never heard of that, is that to keep it quieter? Is that what you run in the race car and will I be able to get by without a PS Cooler?

[Baron Von Crowder]

make sure not to use power steering fluid, put regular ATF in.

[bird_dog0347]

So I've been working on the tune the last couple of days and it's getting better for sure. The most glaring issue now is the steering components and the LOUD ass PS pump. I've just dealt with it for the last few years and figured as long as it was working I'd fix it later. Last night I drove to the Sonic meet in Carrollton and back and it was really loud and annoying, but when I got home and parked it I noticed some leaking from the rack. Well, this morning I ordered a new Cardone 22-2000 Rack which is supposed to be a replacement for the 03/04 cobra rack with the same valving. Along with that a new power steering pump and some 93 Taurus tie rod ends as they are supposed to be metric to fit the rack but short enough to use on a Fox according to Corral.net guys. Then I placed an order to MM for a hybrid steering shaft... I'll replace the lines while I'm at it and flush it all out but it should be much better after that.

Arriving today is an Accufab 75mm throttle body with EGR blank and a new IAC to replace the stock units. Hopefully it's a noticeable increase in performance and throttle response, but if nothing else it should help with the sticking throttle from the crappy stock unit.

[AnthonyS]

Congrats and good job! Now go wear out some rear tires to celebrate.

[bird_dog0347]

Inspection and registration done today, car's legal and back on the road.

[bird_dog0347]

And here we are today, all put back together, in need of a bath something fierce, and ready for inspection and registration then I can start working on the tune again.

[bird_dog0347]

I then did the rest of the floor with POR15 and started laying down sound deadener.





Next up were the SFC's to install. Not a lot of fun to do without a full lift... it's hard to get the car up high enough to have room to work underneath it, but it's done now.

[bird_dog0347]

While welding in the new panel I took that opportunity to start a fire under the car. The red paint cup under the hole in the floor had Acetone in it... I meant to move it, but forgot and couldn't see it once I put the new panel in place. Turns out a welding spark will cause that to catch fire. I managed to pull it out from underneath the car and get my fire extinguisher from inside, but it was VERY scary and got my attention for sure.







I drilled 1/8th holes all around the piece as it was cut larger than the hole to overlap and I spot welded all those holes first before going around the rest of the seam.




Once done, I covered it with POR15 and seam sealer.

[bird_dog0347]

From 8/15/2017:

So some stupid mother fucker took a piece of sheet metal and epoxy'd it in place under the carpet to "patch" it I guess (the black square), then they used spray adhesive under all the carpet to hold it down. So I got to work pulling it all out and cutting out the rot then welding in the new pan section, and MM Full Length SFC's after that.

[bird_dog0347]

From 8/14/2017:

Bringing this back from the dead... I got burned out on the car for a while and I'm just getting around to working on it again. So I got my cooling system fixed up I think, SVE radiator, Mk VIII fan and DCC controller along with removing the UD Pullies. I have all the stuff to relocate the battery to the trunk but decided I'd tackle that last. Well... then I crawled underneath to see about running the cables and I noticed that a spot on the rear drivers floorboard that had looked like some rust had set in before was now really bad... like grand canyon bad and this car is a garage/jackstand queen in Texas. Well in preparation a couple years ago I had bought the floorboard panel from LMR knowing I'd have to do it one day and I think that day is today.

I'm gonna strip the interior out and I'll report back.