67 Cougar restification

[67ChevyRedneck]

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[screamin_c10]

Originally Posted by 67ChevyRedneck

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Had to do some welding on the panhard cradle, paint and undercoating, route the battery cables through the trunk, install the braided fuel lines, parking brake cables, finish up the exhaust, hang the Koni shocks, and install new studs and parking brake hardware in the 8.8. It was simply easier to pull the axle so it was out of the way.

Its all back together now and looking sweet!

Now back to the wiring... body work... interior... glass... trim... etc

[screamin_c10]

It's been a little while since I updated this thread. Finished up the traction bars, installed the sumped tank, wired in the sequential tail lights and electric headlight doors, Combo gauges are in and everything seems to be working, the brakes are completely plumbed, but still need to be bled. The chassis wiring harness is all but done. Still have some wiring to do on the engine before I can fire her up. Installed a rear seat firewall to stiffen up the body and add some protection from fuel spray/fire in a rear end impact. Started on the seat sub-frames and seat belt mounts. Tons of little crap to either start, finish, re-do, or deal with still....

Did bite the bullet and get a wideband O2 sensor and Moates QH tuner so I can modify the computers parameters as I modify the motor... I guess I'm an aspiring "tooner". Just need the giant fart can and gawdy ground effects.

A couple vids and pics...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaZf...ature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APHN...ature=youtu.be

[Zoomin]

Looks great, coming right along!

[screamin_c10]

Bit the bullet and swapped out the ram assist spear-o-matic steering for a more modern integral box and collapsible column. I went with a Borgeson box and fabbed up the remainder of the components. I'm using the stock 5.0 pump and some custom made PTFE braided hoses to transfer the fluids. We also shortened a 68 Mustang column and slid it further into the dash to allow more gut room in the driver seat...Installed an Opentracker roller idler arm as well. That makes everything in the suspension/ steering brand new or completely overhauled.

And yes, I know the center-link is upside down in the pic LOL...

[screamin_c10]

Got to looking at the "Mustangy" front signals and decided to french in some driving lights instead... still needs some filler but I like the look.

[Zoomin]

Great idea on the collapsible column. I have a friend that mentions the lack of one all the time. I ever think about it, but I should, it makes a lot of sense.

Love what you're up to!

[screamin_c10]

The first two pics are of the 68 column bolted in. The first is of it slid all the way in, the second is it slid out. The last is the original 67 (right) and the shortened 68. I highly suggest this swap or a similiar mod to anybody that owns an older vehicle without a collapsible column.

[68shortwide]

Hey, what diameter are the headlights? I'm buildin a 68 xr7 in spring and think 4 halos with hidden headlights would cool as hell. Thanks in advance.

[nlped]

Just read the whole thread...I love the XR7's. This one is fantastic!!!


Sub'd

[screamin_c10]

68 shortwide - they are factory replacement Halogens, nothing special other than being run through relays.

NLPED - Thanks buddy!

[68Timber]

Just read through, awesome that you get to do that with your sons. Sub'd.

[screamin_c10]

We finished up the under hood wiring and installed the turn signal / driving light delay over the weekend. If the weather man is correct the rains will be here very soon and the Panther will spend a couple months hibernating under her new car cover....

Quick Driving light video --> http://youtu.be/9Mep-pfY4Gg

[screamin_c10]

Damn, its been a while since I updated this thread... weather has been nasty enough that I dont spend as much time on the Panther as I want. We had an oak tree come down on the house last month during a wind storm so I've been dealing with the clean up and repair from that B.S. sandwich.

Now that the drive train is pretty much installed and ready to go, I decided to turn my attention towards the inside. Cougars do not have an aftermarket following and some pieces, mainly body panels and interior parts just are not available or at least attainable on my budget. I tried restoring the Full size Cougar door panels by installing the original vinyl over new backer boards and then dying them black to match the rest of the interior. They looked... well... like crap. I decided I really liked the deluxe panels from the 67 Mustang, but the Mustang interior door panels are mainly steel with an insert.

Decided to section the Mustang doors I had laying in the bone pile and graft the inner steel to the Cougar doors. Then I installed Electric Life power regulators and topped it all off with 63 T-bird switches that neatly filled the window crank hole. I will be installing console mounted switches as well so I can control the passengers window as well. Their will be a brushed aluminum insert riveted to the new TMI door panels as well as the finned Shelby kick panel.

The 67-68 Mustangs and Cougars had the slide style wiper switch mounted above the speedo. Probably the worst design decision ever, hard to reach and impossible to work into a shaved dash. I deleted that switch and will be installing a delay rotary switch in the ignition switch recess. The ignition and security is being handled by a bluetooth setup and push button start. Yup, there is now an app for that.

[screamin_c10]

Some pics of the door mods... Third pic is the old Cougar full panel next to the new steel skinned door. Once I get them painted and the last of the widow wiring installed I'll pop the Modified Mustang inserts in and post up some more pics. Last 2 pics is what I had to start with.

[68shortwide]

like it

[screamin_c10]

Pulled the trigger on a single 92MM turbo to give the old Panther a little bit more grunt. As I'm sure you know this modification will require the exhaust and intake systems to be modified as well as the engine management hardware, wiring and software. It will also require some additional upgrades to the engine itself... so hold on, phase 3 is about to begin.

I'll be running flipped Hedman shorties into a dual 2.5 to single 3" merge pipe, through the turbo and out a 3" down pipe to a 3" to dual 2.5 y pie hooking into the existing Magnaflow dual exhaust.

The cold side will consist of my existing cold air box, through the turbo, into 3" Pipe to the intercooler, then stepping up to 3.5 to the throttle body. The MAF will be deleted as I'm going speed density. A 50MM BOV will be controlled by a boost controller built into my MS2 engine management system.

Fuel, spark, boost, and cooling fans will all be controlled by the previously mentioned Megasquirt 2 V3 engine controller. Spark will be provided by an EDIS distributorless ignition system I am currently designing. Coils will be mounted to the rear of the engine to keep the plug wires out of the turbo tubing and nice and cool.

The engine will be getting head studs and upgraded gaskets as well as a set of GT40P heads I forgot I had. The Hedman 88400 headers need some tube re-routing due to the plug location on the heads but that's a minor mod in the grand scheme of things.

As I am a bit of a minimalist I will try and "hide" the turbo and associated tubing to retain an OEM feel and un-cluttered engine bay. If any of you have seen a turbo'd EFI V8 that is going to be a chore.

[screamin_c10]

Building the Megasquirt...

[Desperado454]

This is a cool build man! Been reading this one for awhile and looking forward to see how you package that turbo in. Keep it up!

[Low Elco]

This is really cool.

[screamin_c10]

So most of the cold side is done, turbo is mounted to the frame and happy. Obviously we need to do some sheet metal work to rebuild the apron and create a heat shield between the down pipe and the cold air pipe.

Still waiting on my intercooler (back order) and the 3" pipes for it. We have it all mocked up in cardboard and exhaust tubing so no real surprises there, just some trimming on the bumper brackets.

Haven't started on the hot side yet as I really don't want to wrestle the long tubes out, concrete is still cold on the old back.

[screamin_c10]

Originally Posted by Desperado454

looking forward to see how you package that turbo in. Keep it up!

Trying to keep all this large diameter tubing up tight against the engine and still flow can be pretty challenging LOL. The Hedman 88400 shorty headers are modified and flipped forward, V-clamps replace the ball collector and 2 tubes re-routed for the GT40P heads. The 2.5 stainless crossover between passenger and driver's side header is done and routed between the pan and swaybar. Merges into a 2.5 to 3" merge pipe into the turbine. The passenger side was pretty tricky, but it should flow well and does not protrude past the alternator so it is pretty well packaged so far I think. There is a mega clamp in the center so the pipe can come apart for servicing.

[67ChevyRedneck]

Ummm.... holy crap!

Stop modding the car so you can finish!

I think I've redone a couple areas in my car a few times now...

[screamin_c10]

Cold side of the turbo install is about 80% finished. Routing 3" aluminum tube without it being seen and still able to flow was a task I don't want to do again...

Inter-cooler is mounted and happy, all that's left is the return line back to the throttle body and the blow off valve.

Still have to install the waste-gate in the merge pipe and get the 3" down pipe sorted on the hot side.

Had to notch a couple things that I wish I could have worked around, but all in all its coming along.

Need some clear weather to happen soon.

[screamin_c10]

Hunter and I got a little bit further on the turbo install.

https://youtu.be/p8AOyWN2QRE