Prior to selling the car, Xenos started to hide the major wiring harnesses inside the fenders, and we had planned to finish that task. Several trips to the parts store later for wiring, connectors, and a plastic loom, and we finished everything but the O2 sensor harness. That didn't stop us from firing this bad boy up, however, and we were extremely pleased with the engine's response and sound. We did hear some valvetrain noise from the passenger-side valve cover and had to grind down the baffle bosses for rocker-arm clearance, but other than that, everything looked and sounded perfect. We've even put up a short video of Stolen Goods on our Web site, www.musclemustangfastfords.com, for you to enjoy.
The one thing we haven't done yet is fill the brake fluid and bleed the brakes, as we discovered we have the wrong fittings for the rear brake lines. Obviously, we haven't track-tested the car yet or even put it on the dyno, but we promise to have all that and more for you next month as we take to the road in Stolen Goods.
To remove the pump from the...
To remove the pump from the tall side of the tank, tap the ring that holds it in counter-clockwise until the lugs line up and the ring pops off. Slowly pull out the pump while turning it and working it out. In order to swap the new pump for the old one, remove the fuel line and wiring; then loosen the cage and pull out the pump.
The BBK pump comes with everything...
The BBK pump comes with everything you need for the installation. Some factory pumps, including ours, require you to cut the terminal ends off the wires and use the supplied connectors to reattach them. Install the pump back in the tank, being careful not to cut the new fuel sock on the edge of the tank.
Last month, we told you about...
Last month, we told you about our throttle cable bracket interference with the valve cover. We called up Accufab and ordered this thin throttle-body spacer, which allowed the bracket to clear the valve cover, but it now interfered with the intake heater tube on the lower manifold. If you're not using the heater tube or the EGR, this is the bracket for you.
Our only solution was to modify...
Our only solution was to modify the existing throttle cable bracket. We cut about 5/16-inch off the bottom of the bracket, which gave us enough room to still mount the cable in the factory slot. We then welded on a new bottom support plate and drilled a new hole for the throttle cable support screw. After applying semigloss black paint, the bracket looks like it came that way. We have about an 1/8-inch clearance between the valve cover and the bracket.
For those wanting to use an...
For those wanting to use an external oiling system, the hole for the oil-sending unit is 1/2-inch national pipe thread. For Stolen Goods, we needed only to modify the stock setup with this brass fitting from our local home center (parts run number two).
We were a bit concerned with...
We were a bit concerned with our pulley alignment, given that the smog pump delete pulley, water pump idler, crank pulley, and power steering pulley were all aftermarket pieces. After running the car for about 30 minutes, everything seemed to be lined up correctly.
Last month, we installed a...
Last month, we installed a standard 5.0L serpentine belt, but it was a tad too long. The factory Cobra belt (pictured) fit well enough to charge the electrical system and not suffer belt slip, but we had to stretch it on, so we'll head to the parts store and bring back a couple of belts that are a bit shorter so that the tensioner is in its sweet spot.
We chose to use DynoMax/Cyclone...
We chose to use DynoMax/Cyclone products for the exhaust. While the 1-5/8-inch, ceramic-coated Cyclone long-tube headers came with gaskets, the Fel-Pro gaskets (in blue) that we received in our kit seemed to better fit the large ports of the Twisted Wedge heads.
The long-tube headers are...
The long-tube headers are only available with an H-pipe (we may fabricate an x-style setup purely for the sound), and it uses a traditional three-bolt flange to secure it to the collectors.
While the headers in general...
While the headers in general fit great with the aftermarket oil pan, the O2 sensor location would not work, so we moved them back into the beginning of the H-pipe using some O2 fittings that DynoMax sent us. Mark Johnson, who handled the welding on the subframe connectors, was brought in to melt the fittings into place with this handy Lincoln Electric MIG welder that we brought home from our tech center.
From the H-pipe rearward,...
From the H-pipe rearward, the 2-1/2-inch exhaust consists of DynoMax's Ultra Flo welded mufflers and brushed stainless steel tips. The tailpipes kept wanting to press up against the rear bumper cover, and we thought we might have to modify the existing hangers. We realized, however, that the mufflers needed to be pushed up into the chassis as far as they would go while leaving at least 1/2 inch of space. This angled the tailpipes to where they needed to be. Note that the Ford Racing Performance Parts aluminum driveshaft from Texas Mustang Parts has been installed as well.
We'd like to tell you that...
We'd like to tell you that none of the 1,331-mile Cobra sheetmetal was harmed in this production, but we'd be lying. We did procure some proper tools to get the job done nicely, though. Johnson provided us with the air-powered nibbler (top) and die grinder (bottom). The nibbler makes a clean cut, but the inner fender apron that we needed to open up for the Anderson Ford Motorsport Power Pipe was a confined area, and the nibbler needs enough room to swing the back or bottom of the tool around. To get the areas that we couldn't reach and for a general touch-up, we used the die grinder.