84 XR-7 Project Reply #75 – March 17, 2017, 02:00:40 AM So here are a few pictures showing the issue with the seat bolting to the track.The top is bolted flush, the bottom is a good inch, inch and a half off.I could take that space up with washer or a custom made spacer, but anyone who has done this swap will tell you that the seat mounts high after swapping tracks. The passenger side feels high, but I honestly don't have anything in the car to compare it to. I may try to put a power passenger track in down the road. I think going from manual SN95 seat to power Fox track might be an easier conversion. For now, my wife can feel like a big person. I'm 6' tall, not the tallest person by any means, but the way I sit, I'd have the wheel in my crotch and my head brushing the headliner if the seat sat any higher than factory. I want to retain the power so I can adjust the height.The other issue is the slide handle interferes with the power panel on the seat. More of a none issue as, if I decided to use my manual track, the new seat covers would allow me to delete the panel.I think that'll be the goal for this weekend. Try to get the engine together and mated to the TR3650, test fit the K-member/steering rack+shaft, and get the column mocked up so I can center the seat and get the new mounts in place. Quote Selected
84 XR-7 Project Reply #76 – March 17, 2017, 01:27:56 PM Interesting. I did not experience that at all...the passenger seat in the convertible has a manual seat track. I did remove the joystick control from the front of the seat when the seats got recovered. But I had no problem bolting the seat to the manual track. IIRC the seats in mine are from a '95 Mustang GT. Are you using newer seat than that? It could explain things... Quote Selected
84 XR-7 Project Reply #77 – March 17, 2017, 03:53:26 PM Everything, except the engine and transmission, is from my 99 GT donor. Everywhere I've read says unbolt the Fox tracks and bolt the SN95/New Edge seat to the Fox tracks. I haven't come across a single account of the seats needing spacers. Quote Selected
84 XR-7 Project Reply #78 – March 18, 2017, 01:08:06 AM Took the day off of work. I had enough of their BS for the week so I decided to get some work done instead. Started out doing some powder coating. I did the first layer of my timing cover.Came out pretty good. It's too bad the clear top coat will cut the shine down considerably. If I had prepped the cover better, it probably would have better clarity on the flats. The upper intake will have better prep. This part will be covered with a belt and pulleys so it won't be so clearly seen. It's a chrome powder from www.powderbuythepound.com. I bought the Ford Blue Wrinkle there as well. I knew the chrome wouldn't be anywhere near the mirror shine of real chrome, so I'm not disappointed with this. It's going to give the timing cover and upper intake just a little more pop.Then I decided to tackle the driver seat. I can say this wasn't near as bad as I thought it was going to be. I hope my plan for the steering column goes as smoothly. Once this and the steering column are finished, the interior will be done minus the wiring. I'll dive into that once the car is on the rotisserie. I just have to finish all the welding inside and under the car before I begin the process of losing my mind dealing with wiring spaghetti, and so my dad can paint the underside.It hurt just a bit cutting into the brace that I had just finished welding back into place(and together, thanks to my dad for cutting it out in two pieces).Original mounting hole on the left. I ended up tpuppies a bit more out just to make sure there is enough clearance. The hole didn't make it through and was cut in half then welded shut. Hopefully the carpet won't give me any fits.This is where I left off tonight. My back and knees started killing me. I just have a few more pieces of sheet metal to fab up and it'll be ready to be coated internally. I put the seat in and sat in it for a bit. It feels solid and the height feels good. Sitting in it for the first time in almost a year brought back memories and hopefully will help give me motivation to push on. Some days it feels like it'll get done and others feel like it's just too much. Quote Selected
84 XR-7 Project Reply #79 – March 20, 2017, 04:21:18 PM Just watch the back of the seat frame and make sure it does not contact the subframe. I have this problem with my seats which is keeping me from lowering them but I think my Griggs upper sub frames sit higher than yours by about 1/2" to 3/4" judging by how far they come up into the front seat mount cross member that you cut. Its on my list of things to do this summer as my buddy that welds has a normal job now so I can talk him into welding stuff for me on the weekends. Quote Selected
84 XR-7 Project Reply #80 – March 21, 2017, 02:08:50 PM Finished the welding on the front seat cross member. The front pads sit night and level.The rear is up next. I have the floor marked where the holes will need to be drilled. I drilled out the rear pad reinforcement plate from the donor. I just have to drill the holes, cut out the section of the reinforcement plate that the frame runs through, and plug weld the plate onto my floor. This section of the floor is surprisingly similar between the two cars.Aerocoupe, thanks for the heads up with the rear of the seat. Judging by this pic, I think it'll have enough room for no interference.Also reamed out the holes for the hydro-booster and got that fit up.And a pic of the '99 pedal assembly bolted into my car and to the hydro-booster.Then, to finish off the day, I put the driver seat and center console in to do a quick mock up for the steering column.The angle is wrong, but with the dash shell set in place, it looks like there will be plenty of room to bring the column to a better angle. This is my goal for the end of the week. Once the column is mounted and fit with the dash frame, all of the interior metal fab will be done, and we can focus on getting the car inverted to finish the subframe connectors and get the underside prepped and painted.I had to strip the timing cover yesterday. The chrome powder cured fine. Something funny happened with the clear coat. The finish came out with a wrinkle texture to it. The cover looked like it was cheaply spray canned. I have to try again as soon as my dad gets it re-glassbeaded. Hopefully it comes out better or else it will be going together ugly. Next weekend I want to fire the engine up, probably on my garage floor. Should be good times. Quote Selected
84 XR-7 Project Reply #81 – March 22, 2017, 09:01:24 AM You're lucky to have your dad to help you out. Nice progress. Quote Selected
84 XR-7 Project Reply #82 – March 26, 2017, 09:43:40 PM Got the column mounted. I still have some bracing to do. While I was working on that, my dad got the upper half of the firewall painted.Also got the driveshaft length figured out. For those interested, a mod motor installed with a 94-04 style k-member, attached to a Tremec 3650, requires a driveshaft 3/4" shorter than the one I pulled out, or 48 1/2". The rear will come out in the coming days.With the driveshaft figured out and the steering column fab work mostly done, it's time to get the car on its side. While that's going on, the engine needs to be fully assembled and moved to the lower garage to get attached to the transmission. The last parts to be removed from the donor are the steering shaft firewall pass-through bearing and the starter with associated wiring. Hopefully by next Sunday night, I can turn the key and breathe life into this beast.After it fires up, for just a minute, I can get the wiring sorted out and start laying it in the car. Once the underside and engine bay are painted, it'll be a matter of getting everything into the car. Engine and trans first, then wiring, suspension, interior, so on...it'll be tight. Quote Selected
84 XR-7 Project Reply #83 – March 26, 2017, 09:50:29 PM Man that's a tight schedule. No envy here LOL. Thanks for the updates, I hope we can keep encouraging you. Quote Selected
84 XR-7 Project Reply #86 – April 03, 2017, 11:42:09 AM Not quite.[video=youtube_share;k5U9wwwIf0E]https://youtu.be/k5U9wwwIf0E[/video]Fired it up on the "Cobra Cart." Now onto finishing the underside we can drop the body onto the cart. Then it's a good month of wiring, tpuppies the harness down and merging it with my 84 harnesses. Quote Selected
84 XR-7 Project Reply #89 – April 05, 2017, 04:17:17 PM Had some time today. Got the rear section of the rotisserie hooked up. Tomorrow the rear comes out. While I was at it, I did a little test fit to show my dad that, indeed, this engine will fit. Just have to contend with the sway bar mounts. This gets me excited. Quote Selected
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