New To Mustang

[first mustang]

Hello out there.
As a car guy of 58 years of age owning half a dozen AMC's in my 40's, then selling out cause they aren't worth anything value wise, and since owning 6 Oldsmobile Cutlasses from
1978 to 1988, selling all but have kept an 80,000 original mile 88 Cutlass Supreme Classic T-Top Car loaded to the gills. With that said I wasn't really car shopping.
Despite really liking G-body cars as I grew up in the 80's, I've always had other cars that were bucket list vehicles. So 8 miles away sat a 1979 Mustang Pace Car which was on that
list as I remember they are cool looking. This had not been on the road for around 25 years. It's whole, complete but ROUGH. So for the dirt cheap price I paid, I took a chance. The problem is I don't know much about a Ford nor a Mustang. Wasn't a ton of rust, some on the floor boards easy to fix, a few small holes in the roof, roof as thin as a tin can, interior shot but all there and zero wiring in the engine bay and to the dash was a bad issue. I didn't even know if the engine or tranny was any good but luckily it was as my mechanic got it running perfect after a carb rebuild, new gas tank, sending unit, gas lines, fuel pump etc. etc. etc. From what I researched its the rarest of the bunch as it's a 302 automatic car.
Well just wanted to say, I guess any car is sitting out there somewhere of any model and for sure when I fully restore it the paint and stripping scheme is WILD for sure. Thanks for anyone's reading.

 

[2.3svx]

My uncle had a mustang pace car with my birthday on it from the Indianapolis 500... It's probraby rusted away now but I loved the paint color like a copper sparkle black and orange striping and I thing it was a t-top V8 auto

 

[first mustang]

Thanks for replying. Yeah it'll be wild looking when finished. Typical late 70's all show and no go, slapping decals all over them. AMC did that with a Concord AMX and a Spirit AMX which we've owned both.

 

[broncojunkie]

Welcome! Glad to finally see another pace car guy on here! I just started working on my second one. If you need any help, I may be of some assistance. The early foxes are a little different than what most of the internet info tells us about these. Just because a part is list "for a fox body mustang", don't presume it'll fit a 79!

I have a few build threads going... including one for my first pace car. Did I start a thread for my latest one? I can't remember lol! Anyway, they might be some help.

 

[first mustang]

Broncojunkie,
Interesting tag name and you have 2 pace cars. Thanks for your reply. Yeah I don't know much about Fords or Mustangs really. Oh I've got a pile of questions for you or anybody that has a 79. Engine and trans were good thank god cause wiring was NA as my mechanic had to run all of it.
Needs a rear end. A junk yard 25 miles from here has never crushed a car and so they have 8 -9 Foxbody's over there. From what I've researched a 7.5 rear end, is that correct??? Other than that, I can't figure out how to reattached the front air dam. It's come unhooked from top of the bumper core as it looks like large round headed plastic push clips held it on. I can't get my fingers in there to reattach, so I'll have to take the whole front clip off?
Anyway thanks for your replay to thread

 

[broncojunkie]

Your car has a 7.5 rear end. If you can find a good 8.8 tracloc (posi) fox rear, go ahead and upgrade it. It's a direct bolt-up swap. Same control arms, coil springs, and drum brakes. The rear brake hard line is different, but easily addressed. You'll need a 20" piece of brake line with fittings (3/16th I believe), part # LRS-2073BRKT ffrom Late Model Restoration, ACDelco part# 18J2488 (or similar....find one that includes the banjo bolt) and that's it. You'll need to form your new line from the passenger side hard line more toward the center-drivers side area to connect to the LMR bracket I listed above. You can also get that part off of a later 86+ donor car, I believe. You can make the factory rear shocks work with the 8.8 but if you're buying new ones, get some for a later model...probably v8 (not sure how the later 4cyl shocks mounted).

For the front air dam, I've dealt with that too. I did mine on the car. Do yourself favor and pull the front clip. It's pretty easy to remove. Pull the plastic inner wheel liners, remove some bolts at the fender front lip...maybe some across the lower radiator support and a few along the top? Do a search on that one because I can't remember exactly, but the info is easy to find online. The lower dam typically cones loose because there are some steel mounting tabs that rust. Once you get a good look at them, you can fab up some new ones. I was able to reuse mine by drilling them out and adding some bolts, washers, and nuts if I remember correctly. You may find something that works better. It is possible to do it on the car, but in retrospect, I wish I had yanked the front clip lol!

Hope this helps. As with most things, it'll make more sense once you start tearing into it. Good luck!

 

[broncojunkie]

Forgot to add... You'll need a union for that piece of brake line. You're basically just extending it a couple feet to the left! That's where your rear rubber line/bracket comes off of the 8.8 housing...which connects to another bracket/fitting you'll bolt to the chassis right above it. This is the kinda stuff you can't find online very easily, but it's very easy to piece together. I can get you some pics if needed. I'm in the middle of doing this 8.8/brake line swap now.