89 Coupe/96 Cobra Swap

[89DirtCoupe]

So, I picked up my donor car last week and am excited to get started. It is a 96 Cobra with 52k miles on it. The car came with an addtional motor as the motor in the car is seized. Sadly, it is Mystic in color, which I have a soft spot for but, oh well, lets get started! Currently, my coupe is stripped down to the wires, inside and out. So I'm going to start cleaning the engine bay up and get it ready for the swap. I'll post pictures as progress is made and money is spent!

 

[ModFoxMustangs]

make sure to post lots of pics...

 

[89DirtCoupe]

When I first got the car home

As of today

Old Motor

 

[89DirtCoupe]

Sorry for crappy phone pics, The garage has since been cleaned and will soon contain both cars.

 

[Bill]

looks good to me

 

[Y2K GT]

I was sooooo happy once I took the 5.0L outta my fox!!! First big sense of accomplishment was putting in the modular k member and front wheels back on the ground! NO TURNING BACK! Good luck with your swap!

 

[89DirtCoupe]

So I have wiring question. I know some of you have made a Jumper harness, some of you have farmed out the wiring to some one professional and a few of you have used the entire donor car harness. I'm leaning towards using the enitre donor harness (Engine and Lighting) but can not find out what cons come with this route. I'm guessing all of the lighting ends on the fox would need to be transfered over to the Cobra harness but, is there anything else that would make this more difficult than meshing part of the Fox harness with part of the Mod harness?

 

[89DirtCoupe]

No one?

 

[Bill]

I recommend the donor harness. There are a few here that have the talent to do there own harness, but for me, the donor harness is the only way to go. My father-in-law did the four eyed lighting conversion on the last harness we did, so I don't know exactly what was involved, but at least in the donor harness, everything is there.

 

[89DirtCoupe]

Thanks for the reply, Bill. I'm going to give this a try and see what happens.

I made some progress this week. Removed the dash, heater box, brake booster, and most of the wiring from the engine bay. Then took it down and washed it off. It was a dirt road car and was extremely dirty inside and out. I also finally got the donor car to my house along with the motor I will be using.

 

[Bill]

You have a coupe and a Cobra. Virtually every piece you need is on that Cobra. Use the entire wiring harness almost from bumper to bumper. That is a perfect combination of project car and donor car. All of the little pieces form the Cobra will go on the coupe. That is an awesome start to a really cool project.

 

[ponyboy89lx]

Sell the body parts from the cobra, those Mystic cobra parts are high dollar parts. All the wiring in my car came from a 96 mystic cobra. I agree with bill use as much of the donor as possible. Get Haynes or Chilton manuals and trace wiring, that's what I done it wasn't as bad as everyone lets on, besides if it was easy it wouldn't be fun, right!!!!!!!!

 

[89DirtCoupe]

Sell the body parts from the cobra, those Mystic cobra parts are high dollar parts. All the wiring in my car came from a 96 mystic cobra. I agree with bill use as much of the donor as possible. Get Haynes or Chilton manuals and trace wiring, that's what I done it wasn't as bad as everyone lets on, besides if it was easy it wouldn't be fun, right!!!!!!!!

Yeah that is the plan right now. I'll be using a lot of the parts from the cobra. Entire wiring harness, dash, console, seats, motor, tranny, driveshaft, rear end, and brakes. My brother has a 97 GT, so he is taking the front bumper and hood. But, I'll still have the deck lid, the driver door and few other parts to sell off of it.

 

[89DirtCoupe]

You have a coupe and a Cobra. Virtually every piece you need is on that Cobra. Use the entire wiring harness almost from bumper to bumper. That is a perfect combination of project car and donor car. All of the little pieces form the Cobra will go on the coupe. That is an awesome start to a really cool project.

Yeah I'm hoping I can use it all. This is the coolest project I've taken on yet. I'm really excited to get it put together and drive it.

 

[ModFoxMustangs]

So I have wiring question. I know some of you have made a Jumper harness, some of you have farmed out the wiring to some one professional and a few of you have used the entire donor car harness. I'm leaning towards using the enitre donor harness (Engine and Lighting) but can not find out what cons come with this route. I'm guessing all of the lighting ends on the fox would need to be transfered over to the Cobra harness but, is there anything else that would make this more difficult than meshing part of the Fox harness with part of the Mod harness?

Try here on vacation now http://www.modularfoxmustangs.com/community/threads/wiring.1508/#post-7692

 

[89DirtCoupe]

Try here on vacation now http://www.modularfoxmustangs.com/community/threads/wiring.1508/#post-7692

Thanks for the link. I wish there was some info about using the whole harness. Oh well, guess I'll figure it out in a few weeks. I'll try and post some info up on what all comes with using the whole Mod harness.

 

[Bill]

There are a number of builds on there that used the complete harness. You'll find that the new harness will lay in almost exactly where the Fox harness came out.

 

[myers407]

Everyone is correct. Perfect cars for the conversion. Are you using the Fox or the Cobra interior? But at any rate use the Cobra harness. It's not a bad cross over.

 

[89DirtCoupe]

I'll be using the Dash, Steering Column, Seats, and the Center Console. I want to use the door panels at some point but that will be later down the road.

 

[Bill]

Take lots of pictures. Not for us, but for yourself. It will help you remember where everything was on the Cobra and where it goes on the Fox. If you have an excuse to take the front window out of the Fox, the dash is a bit easier to fit with it out. It isn't necessary, just easier. The column bearing isn't terribly difficult. I made a cardboard template the last time I did one. The template helped me line the bearing up relative to the brake booster, as most of the break booster holes are in the same place and the bearing is a relative distance away. I wish I had kept the template, as I will have to make another one on my current project.