94 Vert Top Replacement

[VaporDude]

It has taken a while to replace the top on my wifes 94 Mustang GT convertible. It took about 3 weeks. One weekend to get the old top off and clean up everything. Another week to get some needed parts. The last week to install the new top. All together, I bet I have a good 40 hours into this project. This is the first time I have done this so I took my time getting it done since we don't use the car much. If you ever decide to replace the top in your vert, do yourself a favor and hire someone. Now I know why installers get paid the big bucks. Here are a few pictures of the finished product from my crappy cell phone.

[HSURB]

Hey - is that Boston Mike's hood in the background?

HSURB®

[Shlbylvr]

Wow, great job, VD.


Hey - is that Boston Mike's hood in the background?

HSURB®
:rofl:

[VaporDude]

Hey - is that Boston Mike's hood in the background?

HSURB®

Yep........it is still taking up room in my man-shed.

[Tommy Gun]

So this is why you disappeared for 4 weeks? :popcorn:

.

[VaporDude]

So this is why you disappeared for 4 weeks? :popcorn:

.

It was longer than that dufus. :doh2:

Next up is installed a new speed sensor gear. The current one is about 10 MPH off. I think it has a 17 tooth gear and I am installing a 21 tooth gear. The previous installed put 3.73:1 gears and never changed out the speedo sensor. Plus the power steering fluid is black so I need to drain it and add new fluid. I should have the car done by the end of the week.

[Joe G]

Cool. We could use more tech threads for this section. Make sure you take more pics during the work. Looking forward to the write up. :wtg:

[VaporDude]

It's all done dufus......those are the only pictures I have from it. I hate to document my work but I do have some instructions that I recieved from a guy that I bought the top from. They are pretty good instruction.

[Boston Mike]

Yep........it is still taking up room in my man-shed.

Hey, maybe if I get my Raptor up there at SF, I can take it with me this year. Think you can get them to provide the VaporDude family pricing to me??? :grin:

[Boston Mike]

It was longer than that dufus. :doh2:

Next up is installed a new speed sensor gear. The current one is about 10 MPH off. I think it has a 17 tooth gear and I am installing a 21 tooth gear. The previous installed put 3.73:1 gears and never changed out the speedo sensor. Plus the power steering fluid is black so I need to drain it and add new fluid. I should have the car done by the end of the week.

Beth's FX35 just got a recall for a programming error that had the speedometer/odometer over by 3.8%. Time to roll it back. Good timing since we just passed 40k on it. Beth may just have to not drive for the next few months so we can trade it in with under 40k for the Raptor.

[VaporDude]

Hey, maybe if I get my Raptor up there at SF, I can take it with me this year. Think you can get them to provide the VaporDude family pricing to me??? :grin:

Done tried dude.......$800 over invoice. I can check on the Raptor forum for a dealer near Dallas that are dealing on good prices. Let me know.....

[VaporDude]

Another update on the 94......

I changed out the speedo gear with the 21 tooth sonsor. It only made a 2MPH difference. It did shift a little better at a higher MPH more like it should. Now my speedo is off about 8MPH. I checked it with the radar speed limit sign going into Hermann. Speedo said 38 and the sign said 30. I don't know what else to do to get this corrected more.

I also changed the power steering fluid. The old fluid was like used black motor oil.

After I got all this done, I went to town to get gas in the car. I shut it off but it wouldn't start. I had to jump it to get it to start. All the time before this, I was starting and shutting off the car with no problem and it is about 7 miles to the gas station. I got the car jumped, drove it home and after I shut it off, I tried to start it again and there was no problem. I did that several times with no problem. What is up with that?

I noticed one other thing, the throttle cable is too long by about 1.5 inches. How can it be shortened to the right length? Both ends look like they are pressed into a fitting that really can not be changed out because they fit the holders on both ends like they were designed.

[Joe G]

Another update on the 94......

I changed out the speedo gear with the 21 tooth sonsor.

I also changed the power steering fluid. The old fluid was like used black motor oil.

.

:needpics:

[VaporDude]

:needpics:

Look at post 1 dufus. :doh2:

[CH53Driver]

:needpics:


Look at post 1 dufus. :doh2:

:reading:

[Joe G]

Look at post 1 dufus. :doh2:

They're not of the speedo gear change or the ps fluid change.


:waiting:

[VaporDude]

They're not of the speedo gear change or the ps fluid change.


:waiting:

The speedo gear change was easier than I thought. Put the front of the car on jack stands. Crawl under the driver side, locate tail shaft and wire going to it. Pull off the wire, remove one retaining bolt, pull out the sensor. Pull off the little retainer, pull off the gear. Reverse directions for install. I thought the tranny fluid would come out when I pulled the sensor out of the tranny but not a drop spilled.

As for the power steering fluid, do you really need a picture of some black fluid coming out of a hose? :doh2:

[Joe G]

As for the power steering fluid, do you really need a picture of some black fluid coming out of a hose? :doh2:

:yes:



:pics:

[VaporDude]

:yes:



:pics:

Picture this......

Go to the bathroom and take a leak. Now imagine what is coming out of you is black. :rofl3:

[Joe G]

:yuk:


:tmi:

[VaporDude]

:yuk:


:tmi:

You wanted to know and I gave you the visual. :doh2:

[Shelbyfestguy]

Greg,

Call Allen Beckett if you hit a bump in the road, you know he'll help.

Also ladies and gentlemen, this is the car Greg and I drove down to Tennessee to pick up. Made for one very interesting drive home for me....wasn't quite ready for a long road trip (the car that is)..lol

Greg has been busting his hump on it I know.

[VaporDude]

Greg,

Call Allen Beckett if you hit a bump in the road, you know he'll help.

Also ladies and gentlemen, this is the car Greg and I drove down to Tennessee to pick up. Made for one very interesting drive home for me....wasn't quite ready for a long road trip (the car that is)..lol

Greg has been busting his hump on it I know.

Yeah but it looks and runs a lot better than it did. The previous owner should have fired his mechanic and demanded his money back when he had it rebuilt. The only other thing to do for the speedo is to put in the original 3.27 gears which is too much work right now. Maybe a SpeedCal would work on it also.

[Cobra Drifter]

Instead of changing speed sensor gears why not reprogram the gear ratios so it is corrected in the software instead? I used my SCT programmer when I had my gears changed to 3.73's to match and it became corrected