Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Branches Southwest Most recent secret mod

With how close I am to completion, I guess I can let everyone else know what I have done.

The parts car was a Zetec/MTX car, but I know a few of you have already guessed that. It gave up its trans, subframe, ECU, wiring harness, shifter, pedals, heat shielding and a few other various small parts to let my car finally begin to live up to its looks.

I still need to bleed the clutch system, fill the engine/trans, install the exhaust (thanks Matt) and a few other steps that my sleepy mind cant think about right now. The car will live for the first time in weeks tomorrow morning. Granted it will have a roughly aligned subframe and a unaligned drivetrain, but Im crossing my fingers that those will not be a major issue. I didnt mess with the suspension alignment settings so I am figuring I can make the trip to the alignment shop. My steering wheel will probably be misaligned and caster/camber will be off. I am hoping that the shop can nudge the subframe to is required spot for an alignment. If they cant, I am going to be hitting Daymon up for some tools.

Oh, hiding inside the trans is a little suprise. The Spec stage III should make for an intresting ride for someone who hasnt driven a manual in years.

The project went without too many issues and very, very few suprises. I need to find a new hole for my amp wiring to pass through, I sheared off the bolt that holds my right front ABS sensor to the spindle. I need to pick up a new shifter knob unless I can get really creative and make the one I had on the ATX work (which I doubt). I still need to find a gray airbag to match the gray leather steering wheel. It will probably leave the garage without any of its AutoMeters working, but I can live with that for now. I miss driving my baby and will be more then happy to pull it back in later in the week to tie up the loose ends.

I honestly didnt think I would be seeing my sig say that until maybe this time next year. Its a good feeling.

Daamn...that's some hard work bundled into a short amount of time. Awesome work, Jon!

Very cool.

So did you take it to the alignment shop? How does it run?

Air bag, who needs that? Get a momo or something cool to smash against if ever in a wreck (knocks on wood)

Good work, I think you have beat Russel3L in being the first to convert from a slush box

Unless he finishes it today, I will beat him. Im bolting the exhaust system up right now. I have a couple little nuts and bolts to connect then I fill the trans and set it down. I still need to put the center console back in before I drive too much, you can see all my amp wiring.

Abviously it hasnt made it to the alignment shop yet. Ill probably stop in a Big O on my way home from work in the morning.

It lives! Still looks like it was stolen and stripped. The interior is still disassembled and the bumper cover and the skidplate arent on it (so they can get it on the alignment rack).

The clutch needs adjustment. Right now if I am at a dead stop I have to turn it off to put it in gear and I have to RPM match my shifts, which I am sure the MTX doesnt like. Vibrations arent as bad as I was thinking they would be, but I have only had about a minute of time behind the wheel. My brakes are rock hard since I have yet to get a vacuum source for them.

Im getting ready for work, so its first voyage, besides around the block, will be my 10 mile round trip commute to work. I guess I should get cleaned up since I do have to be there in 15 minutes!

Adjust the shifter cables - that should help w/ the problems getting into gear from a stop.

All pre-98 cars are rod shifted. The problem is the clutch not disengaging enough to let the car go into gear. When its shifted, everything feels firm and engages like it should. I rebled the clutch line with no progress.