Foxbody Stocker/Bracket Racer

[west coast]

Only in a stick car you need a 9in. Stick will brake axle housing and other parts, Autos are alot kinder on rear ends they dont smack the tires as hard.

[BLIND MULE]

I was just curious because we have been 4.70s in the eigth with high 1 teen 60fts. Was just curious.

[Rory McNeil]

Originally Posted by BLIND MULE

I was just curious because we have been 4.70s in the eigth with high 1 teen 60fts. Was just curious.

Not a Stock or S/S car with a stick, is it? Yeah, I`ve seen several 9 to high 8 second "power adder" type Mustangs work with a 8.8, BUT those cars normally launch fairly lightly, with low boost, retarded timing, etc, and then once its rolling get to full power. Hardly the same thing as dropping the clutch at 6000+ RPM. Plus with the high speeds those boosted cars run, they normally run much less rear gear ratio than a Stocker. With no Pro gears available for a 8.8, I`ve broke 2 sets of 5.13 "street gears" in my 85 Mustang stickshift Stocker, running mid-low 12s. Don`t forget the low ratio gears a Stocker typically runs have much fewer teeth on the pinion, and shorter teeth on the ring gear, than say a 3.7-4.10 ratio, and are obviously more prone to impact breakage. Then factor in the weak axle tubes, and poorer ratio selection, compared to a 9", and I certainly would prefer a 9" over the 8.8, at least with the stick.

[Jeff Swanson]

Scott, I've been out of the Stocker game for awhile but I'd take the HO @ 215hp over the '93 Cobra @ 252. Take a look at the '88 Saleen: HO combo, it can make I/SA @ 2750#, and you can run an auto. Some added expense for the body kit. I haven't surfed every year of the 87-93 LX Hatch cars, but I think the Saleen is the only one that will make I/SA right now. Double check me, if you find one (12.99 factor or lower) there would be no reason to do the Saleen other than to be different. If you don't care about running the faster class then stick with what you've got.

I never broke an 8.8 in my '93 Cobra Stocker. If you were buying everything from scratch I'd go the 9" route. You've already got an 8.8, beef it up as your budget allows. It'll last forever.

[SwillRacer]

Originally Posted by Jeff Swanson

Take a look at the '88 Saleen: HO combo, it can make I/SA @ 2750#, and you can run an auto. Some added expense for the body kit. I haven't surfed every year of the 87-93 LX Hatch cars, but I think the Saleen is the only one that will make I/SA right now. Double check me, if you find one (12.99 factor or lower) there would be no reason to do the Saleen other than to be different. If you don't care about running the faster class then stick with what you've got.

Jeff/Anyone,

I've spent the last 45 minutes on nhraracer.com trying to hunt down the specs for Saleen mustangs and have found absolutely nothing. Where are you guys getting your info on the Saleen and its I/SA potential? Obviously, I am missing something somewhere....

[BLIND MULE]

Originally Posted by Rory McNeil

Not a Stock or S/S car with a stick, is it? Yeah, I`ve seen several 9 to high 8 second "power adder" type Mustangs work with a 8.8, BUT those cars normally launch fairly lightly, with low boost, retarded timing, etc, and then once its rolling get to full power. Hardly the same thing as dropping the clutch at 6000+ RPM. Plus with the high speeds those boosted cars run, they normally run much less rear gear ratio than a Stocker. With no Pro gears available for a 8.8, I`ve broke 2 sets of 5.13 "street gears" in my 85 Mustang stickshift Stocker, running mid-low 12s. Don`t forget the low ratio gears a Stocker typically runs have much fewer teeth on the pinion, and shorter teeth on the ring gear, than say a 3.7-4.10 ratio, and are obviously more prone to impact breakage. Then factor in the weak axle tubes, and poorer ratio selection, compared to a 9", and I certainly would prefer a 9" over the 8.8, at least with the stick.

This car would probably run 7.20s but I get what you are saying, basically it shocks everything more.. The way we build the braces for the housing, i'm not saying you couldn't break a tube but I'd have to see you break or bend one. Thanks for the info

[Kent]

Good luck on this project I remember when you built that nitrous renegade car back in the day that looked like a lot of fun.

[SwillRacer]

Originally Posted by Kent

Good luck on this project I remember when you built that nitrous renegade car back in the day that looked like a lot of fun.

Yeah, that thing was fun for awhile until we got tired of melting pistons. The switch to a Vortech cured that problem! LOL! I can't take credit for building that one though. That was mainly Dale, the crew chief and brain behind the operation. Pat and I learned most everything we know about cars from him.

This build, however, will be all me. Well, as much as I can do by myself. That's not to say I won't be reaching out for some help from friends or guys on here once in awhile. I don't own a machine shop and I'm a novice welder so machine work and the cage will be farmed out - well, I'm undecided on the cage....I might attempt that one with some supervision and more welding practice.

[SwillRacer]

So I went out to the garage tonight with the intention of completely pulling apart the short block.

I took off the oil pan and oil pump and turned the motor over on the stand (right side up). I heard something fall in to the drip pan on the floor and found three items. Can you guess what they are/where they came from? Keep in mind, short of swapping intakes a few times over the years, this long block has NEVER been apart!



Next I took off the crank pulley and water pump. Then I tried to find the puller for the balancer. I searched allover the place before I realized that I do not own a puller!! Doh!! At that point, I lost my motivation and decided to call it a night. Better make another trip to the store to get one of those.

So here's where I left it:



I've got a parts washer ordered and on the way so once I get that balancer off I can take off the timing cover, yank the timing gear/chain and cam, and then pull apart the rotating assembly and clean it up. Typing that reminds me that I still also need to remove the spider and lifters. I will be very interested to see how much wear and tear I find in this 120k mile engine.

Assuming the crank, rods, and pistons are reusable and the block looks OK I'll hone the block (ball hone - no machine shop for me unless absolutely necessary!) and clean/paint the block. Then I'll order up some ARP bolts, new bearings, new rings, new oil pan/pan gasket, rear main seal, and a new high volume oil pump. I've already got all the gaskets, new balancer, and a meziere water pump "in stock" and we'll start putting her back together. Oh yeah, the radiator has seen better days so I'll need to replace that too - which reminds me I'll need to go in the basement and dig out that electric fan.

All that sure was easy to type, we'll see if it actually goes that easy. In my experience, it usually never does.....

[Harry 6674]

If you are going to replace the rod bolts you should have the rods resized. I have done it without this step but it is not the right way to go.