The Project Pad

I took 2 front A-arms, reversed sides, and the sway bar bolted right up




Parents made me build a cabinet right in the middle of my fab work




Mounting up the FWD sway bar to the front sub-frame




Think I'm going to fab the center mounts up behind the tierods

just FYI, if you put the sway bar there in the rear, with those endlinks, the top portion of the endlink where it attaches to the swaybar will rub the axle. It's location relevant to the front is different due to different ball joint locations. You need the other more S shaped bracket (can't remember which ones have it), or, weld a solid chunk(say 1.5x1.5x1.5") of Angle iron on the back of the control arm to move it rearward. BTDT.

Gotcha! The s brackets are on my FWD sway bar. Ill switch em and see how it mounts up

So I threw those S brackets on the rear bar but now it seems the clearance is a little off. It might just be me but it seems the bar is awfully close now to where the sub frame bolts go.

I guess, worse case you could weld on some brackets like I did with mine. Either way, good progress man.

Scored a set of Fuchs! Should have the set sometime after next week! Gonna clean them up and powdercoat them white!

Did the spring perches today. Cut the 5000 perches off and fabbed up the 4000 stuff. Just got to weld it up on Monday

I welded up the shock perch on one of the struts today. I'm going to wait on the other one as the local JY just got in a 5000. If I can get a complete strut with hub, I'm going to use that one so I don't have to buy a hub and wheel bearing. Should save me money in the long run as a hub is about $30-40 and the bearing is about $80. Only $17 for a complete strut where I go






Also began pulling 5th gear apart. WHAT A PITA TO GET THE BOLT UNDONE THAT SCREWS INTO THE MAIN SHAFT!!!!!!


Didnt realize I wasn't supposed to pull off the synchro hub....oooops now I gotta put the hollow keys and spring wire back in place :frustrated:

Had to use a 5ft exhaust pipe to break loose the main shaft bolt holding the locker cover onto the main shaft

MY FRONT STRUTS ARE DONE!!!! YAY!!!!!! Welded up the final shock tower perch today!




This came off the brake rotor of the strut I had to grab in the JY. It used to belong to a brake rotor.......

Home made wheel spacers :grin:

Thats exactly what I was thinking lol

5th gear has been removed

Fuchs arrived today! Probably gonna get them powdercoated white within a month or so. Local shop said they'd do the set with sandblasting for $150.

Currently deciding between tire sizes. It's a toss-up between 205/60s or 215/60s. If someone can confirm that 215s will fit without rubbing, then I'm getting those.

Trimmed out the 5000 harness last night. Would someone be kind enough to identify the components in the pictures and tell me what I need and don't need? I will be running my digital trip odometer cluster as well so I will want to wire that up as well









Also, do I need to keep this in 1 piece?

Good progress, I will be curious to see how much of the harness you have to cut out...

New Starter Cable



Red Harness is in :-)

Fusebox before splicing into it


Used a pin out of an old connector


Pin is being inserted into the upper right pin port


Ta-Da!




Boom....clean factory look

Idle Stabilizer Controller fits in nicely with the other relays

Time for new Transmission mounts!!





No more stock head!



Headstuds and MLS headgasket!

Get it done man!

lookign great!!!!

wow i am impressed this is looking terrific. great progress that car is going to scream. great color too.

so by changing your spring perches you can fit t44 5ktq springs>?

my2000apb wrote:so by changing your spring perches you can fit t44 5ktq springs>?

He did just the opposite. Fitted 4kq spring perches to the 5ktq strut housing so the 4kq springs will fit them for a nice clean 5 lug swap. Same thing that derracuda has done a couple times and the same as extreme90path.

evilandonehalf13 wrote:wow i am impressed this is looking terrific. great progress that car is going to scream. great color too.

Thanks man! The end is in sight! I can't wait to see how this thing runs and handles!