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1984-1993 Saleen Mustang For the Fox platform Saleen Mustang. Be sure to specify year, model and equipment if asking for help.

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  #1  
Old 03-27-2011
Saleen 218 Saleen 218 is offline
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Default A story of 89-0218 - Reincarnated to race...

I Got the need for speed bug in 2009 when I took my 06 GT Mustang in March to Portland International Raceway for a High Performance Driving School. What a blast that was and for $200 I thought it was a pretty good deal. Problem was now I liked racing so much how can I do this affordably. Thats where I found Auto Cross Racing. While it doesn't compare to taking your car on track and going all out it was in itself a very competitive type of racing and met my first goal of affordable. After a few events with the 06 Mustang, learning its capabilities and taking a few hits literally on the chin with some cones I decided I wanted to buy a car specifically for Auto Crossing. Due to the screws coming from the back side forward on the Rousch front chin spoiler I ended up with a few star cracks in the paint () so the decision was made. I found my Saleen on Craiglist in Bend OR. I contacted the seller and discussed the photos as the car had some damage on it. I decided to make the purchase and two hours later we picked up the car. Not to bore you with all the details but once I started looking a little closer I could see I had a little more work cut out for me then originally intended before I could race it so I'll just start posting a few pictures of my journey and thanks for all the people that helped me along the way with questions and saleen parts I needed. I have never done anything like this before so everything I did I learned from watching shows on how to's and asking questions. The first set are when I brought it home.
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  #2  
Old 03-27-2011
Saleen 218 Saleen 218 is offline
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This set of pic's are tear down. I'm glad I went through this processes as some mice were using the car as there home. I found what looked like cat food in many places that they stored up (air box was full and even found some above the headliner) for there new family which unforunately parished when the car moved to Springfield. Where the H*** is that smell coming from...Found it in the cowl area....
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  #3  
Old 03-27-2011
Saleen 218 Saleen 218 is offline
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As you could see from some of the previous pictures, past owners didn't do the car any good. It had taken some blows to the front of the car, to the passenger side rear of the car twice, to the passenger side door/rocker area and the battery area was just about rusted through . What did I get myself into?? Maybe it will look better after a wash?? Well at least I got rid of the 21 years of sludge and grime. Looks better but hum, I'm going to have to replace the bad metal so I need to find some replacement parts. With the help of a great friend I met the year before, Jimmy Schaberg who owns The Fox Shoppe (which now moved to Portland) I was on my way to getting replacement parts. He had an unmolested donor car for my needed parts. If anyone has any questions on Foxbody Mustang this is the guy to go to.
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  #4  
Old 03-27-2011
Saleen 218 Saleen 218 is offline
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I was blessed to work for a company that manufactured horse trailers so I had all the tools necessary to cut apart and weld back together. I don't know how to weld that good so I recruited some help from fellow employees. So away with the bad and in with the good.
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  #5  
Old 03-27-2011
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Looks like a great project! Before you purchased 218, do I remember this vehicle sitting with mold/moss growing on/in it? Or am I thinking of a different white Saleen hatchback?

Keep the Damerow plate frame on there.

Will 218 be remaining white... or is there a race paint livery on the way?
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  #6  
Old 03-27-2011
Saleen 218 Saleen 218 is offline
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Ok so now for the bad news. The before mentioned company I worked for was struggling for the last year plus due to the economy and now the inevitable is going to happen. They are going to have to close there doors and liquidate the business and for the first time in my life I'm going to be without a job. Not to mention what am I going to do with my car totally dismantled. As I was cleaning up around the car the owner of the buildings son that we leased from came up to me and said how sorry he was to hear about the company I worked for and offered me an olive branch. He said that when this was all gone, go ahead and keep a key to the building so that I could finish my car. OMG (I guess I can use that now as I hear it is going into the dictionary ) I was given the opportunity to continue on. So forward I went..now on to the body work and paint. I have never done this before but I wanted to learn and do it all so I dove in head first. I painted the engine bay and k-member first and reinstalled the k-member. Then did all the body work (Pounding, Pulling, Filling and Sanding) I was so tired of this processes because it was taking me so long to get happy with the results. It's not perfect by any means but I finally got it to where I was happy with it (probably more just exhausted with the processes ). Then paint in a wide open building no paint booth.. Oh and I also wanted the car totally clean so I laid on my back and cleaned the underbelly to.
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  #7  
Old 03-27-2011
Saleen 218 Saleen 218 is offline
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A few more pic's of the paint then into reassembly and the finished product as I believe I'm running out of space with all my attachments. It was a fun venture and the car is race ready and already been to the Ice Breaker event and I was pleasantly surprised at its capabilites as I learn how to drive this car to its limits..
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  #8  
Old 03-27-2011
Saleen 218 Saleen 218 is offline
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More assembly pictures. I took some liberties from original I don't think Steve would mind . I added full length sub frame connectors, went with 2 1/2" exhaust with Off Road X-Pipe, Borla Racing mufflers, relocated the battery to the passenger rear and added a panhard bar. Until we can find or have reproduced the original seat fabric I have stored all the seats, added a rear seat delete kit and replaced the fronts with Corbeau racing seats and added a harness bar. I also liked the Chevron Stripes that the 89 SSC came with so I updated that also.
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Last edited by Saleen 218; 03-27-2011 at 03:45 PM.
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  #9  
Old 03-27-2011
SALEEN MAN SALEEN MAN is offline
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All I can say is WOW!!!! It looks like you are doing a great job and saving another fine car. I just did this to 89-336, but not as extensive as you, and I am glad that someone painted mine for me. I cannot imagine doing all of that myself, I need to clean the underside of mine like that. Keep up the great work, that car looks awesome.
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  #10  
Old 03-27-2011
Saleen 218 Saleen 218 is offline
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I took another personal liberty and added smoked out headlights. I will take some pictures in a better setting then in the shop so I'll add those later. Thanks again to all those that helped with advice or parts. I truly appreciated it!!
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  #11  
Old 03-27-2011
Saleen 218 Saleen 218 is offline
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Thanks Dave and Saleen Man, Dave it very well could have been the car with green growing on it but it wasn't like that when I brought it home.
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  #12  
Old 03-27-2011
fast Ed fast Ed is offline
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Wow, that's a pretty big project that you undertook, nice results!!


cheers
Ed N.
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  #13  
Old 03-27-2011
Bill89-304 Bill89-304 is offline
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Cool

Wow!!

Looks great! You did a nice job!

Jimmy from the FoxShoppe is a friend of mine also, and is a great guy!
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  #14  
Old 03-28-2011
Saleen 218 Saleen 218 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fast Ed View Post
Wow, that's a pretty big project that you undertook, nice results!!


cheers
Ed N.
Thanks Ed, I'm very pleased with the outcome.
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  #15  
Old 03-28-2011
Saleen 218 Saleen 218 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill89-304 View Post
Wow!!

Looks great! You did a nice job!

Jimmy from the FoxShoppe is a friend of mine also, and is a great guy!
Thanks for your comments, Jimmy is a wealth of knowledge and I have never met a nicer guy!!
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  #16  
Old 03-28-2011
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OMG! What an awesome job!
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  #17  
Old 03-28-2011
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86-138 86-138 is offline
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Looks Great!!!
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  #18  
Old 06-20-2011
tomswheels tomswheels is offline
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Very nice job, it's great that you stayed with it after the job loss, many would have given up. What subframe connectors did you use, and would you recommend them?
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  #19  
Old 06-20-2011
Saleen 218 Saleen 218 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tomswheels View Post
Very nice job, it's great that you stayed with it after the job loss, many would have given up. What subframe connectors did you use, and would you recommend them?
Thanks, it was quite the learning experience. I bought the ones from Maximum Motor Sports. Yes I would recommend them. Since we are putting this car to the test racing I worked with them on buying what I needed to improve the stiffness and handling of the chassis. With four first place finishes on the first four events I guess you can say I'm pretty happy with my choices
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  #20  
Old 09-04-2011
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wow, that is quite a story/ great photo documentation!
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  #21  
Old 09-05-2011
Saleen 218 Saleen 218 is offline
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Thanks, I took a ton of pictures so I could reference back too when I was reassembling.
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  #22  
Old 09-09-2011
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Wow, nice job. Are you sure you want to race that car?
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  #23  
Old 09-11-2011
Saleen 218 Saleen 218 is offline
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I can't think of a better way to have fun with the car. I purchased it so that I could include the wife as a dual driver in the racing events. She'd be to scared to race the 06 Mustang. She's learning how to be a competitive driver and has done a pretty good job with four first place finishes and two second place finishes in her division. The car is performing great and we have one more weekend of racing coming up to finish out the year. The only thing I would like to change is the springs. I kept the original ones on the car but the rears have sagged a bit over the years so I know the fronts may not be quite as effective as they once were when they were new also. I'll probably go back to Maximum Motor Sports to get there recommendations but would be interested in hearing feedback from all of you who have updated your springs and your recommendations.
Thanks!!
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  #24  
Old 11-11-2011
Treyjack Treyjack is offline
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Very nice!
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  #25  
Old 11-12-2011
calbear calbear is offline
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I believe that the original Saleen OEM Racecraft units were Eibach's.
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  #26  
Old 06-14-2013
89_#173 89_#173 is offline
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Default wow

wow that came out great ! glad to see u saved it and really brought it back to life !
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  #27  
Old 07-04-2013
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What an inspiration !!!! Very Nice Job !
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  #28  
Old 07-05-2013
Donniebaseball Donniebaseball is offline
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Fantastic job. I know what you went through and kudos to you for doing so much yourself. It really looks great. Some days I really love white cars.
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  #29  
Old 07-09-2013
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Wow what a great job. You have really put an outstanding effort in. I love to see great work.
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  #30  
Old 11-14-2016
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One of my favorite restorations documented on any forum.
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  #31  
Old 12-17-2016
Metalcop Metalcop is offline
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Who is the manufacturer of that harness bar? The design is different than the others that I have seen, and honestly yours looks superior to them! Thanks.
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