Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Topic: Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS (Read 120547 times) previous topic - next topic

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #510 – May 05, 2014, 03:08:41 PM

So..... I've been absent a while!

Still around, still have the car. Just haven't had regular access to the forums. Progress is slowly moving forward on the Cougar. Taking one step forward, and one step to the left... or something like that, you know how it is.

Anyway, managed to get ahold of a TC hood thanks to fellow member Keith, and got the turbine style wheels on also. Hood still needs a lot of body work but it's on and looks cool lol. I'll get some pics up at some point :)

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #511 – May 05, 2014, 03:26:23 PM

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #512 – May 05, 2014, 03:30:09 PM

so here are the only decent pics I currently have, one from the Silver Springs annual Ford show, before the TC hood, and then another right after I got it on....

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #513 – May 05, 2014, 07:46:44 PM

Nice man! I think a few of us took a bit of a break from the forums, so no big deal. Glad to see you are still around.

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #514 – May 05, 2014, 07:50:57 PM

Yep, ditched internet service at home, so we've been managing through 4G service lol. Kinda hard to navigate forums regularly with a smartphone lol. But, now I got myself a new job and I spend a fair portion of the day doing nothing and have complete internet access so, hello again guys!

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #515 – May 05, 2014, 08:35:42 PM

I only use a smart phone. the stupid updates to photobucket have made pictures almost impossible though.

glad to see ya around still man.

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #516 – May 05, 2014, 08:52:15 PM

Welcome Back !!! I was just wondering about you the other day. Hope all is well. I've been putting the Sport through many changes too. Good to hear you're back.

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #517 – May 06, 2014, 12:27:03 AM

Hey Steve! Cars looking good!

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #518 – May 06, 2014, 10:12:47 AM

Hey thanks guys, it's nice to see all of you are still around as well :)

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #519 – May 06, 2014, 05:21:50 PM

uh oh, I'm getting pic happy again

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #520 – May 06, 2014, 07:45:14 PM

Glad to see the cat again

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #521 – January 25, 2016, 11:01:53 PM

I'm back again! So I've been procrastinating a lot over the last year and a half or so. Spent about a year working 70+ hours/week; Just didn't leave me much want for fixing the poor ol' cat up. Plus everytime I get ready to start on it something else comes up...blah blah blah you guys know how it goes... Anyway, I just had to spend a bunch of money to get the poor thing towed out of my driveway and thankfully I towed it to my parent's house for storage instead of the junkyard so I'm getting ready and geared up to get back in action.

I just ordered a new ECU since mine decided to fry out and I've got a nice new (actually very old but you know what I mean) clutch pedal setup sitting by my front door. Yep that's right, I'm doing the 3.8 T5 conversion for realsies this time. Spent too much time driving 5/6 speed trucks that now that I'm back in an auto I miss it big time so yeah the coug's gonna get it. Plus it will open me up for all the engine work I want to do that will be hampered by trying to make it all work with an old school AOD.

Got my eyes on a mustang trans I need to pick up soon and a couple other things so hopefully this beast will be back on the road by summer time if all goes according to plan (we all know it won't but a man can dream;)) and I'll have some more updates coming soon. Wooooo!

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #522 – January 25, 2016, 11:51:40 PM

Let me know if ya need any help with the t-5 stuff.

I loved my sn-95 t-5 and it practically bolted into place. I will be replacing the tail shaft and 5th gear with a 85-98 tail housing and get rid of the oss and get a vss in there for a functional speedo, eventually.

Welcome back. I haven't forgotten about those 87-88 manual doors either... I'd still trade ya straight up for power junk anyday.

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #523 – January 25, 2016, 11:56:47 PM

I may need some help once I get there. I've done a good bit of research on it and I think I'm ready for it but we'll see. At least the car isn't my daily anymore so I have some time to get everything I need and time to do it right. I'm really excited to start slamming some gears.

As for the doors, yeah I'm still down. On a related note, my new truck is manual everything and it's much worse because even with my height, (I'm 6'3" not too far from yourself iirc) I still have to literally get out of my seat to roll down the pass window or mash the door lock lol.

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #524 – January 26, 2016, 12:48:29 AM

Yup, I am about 6'5. My current 86 has manual everything, deleted all the power stuff myself.

The 3.8 trans swap should be really easy. Stang flywheel clutch pressure plate ($175 for the clutch and pressure plate, ouch!) Fox pedals and clutch cable and a mini starter, or grinding down your old starter so it fits and you are pretty much there.

Worst part was the pedals. The bolt that held me up forever was the one above the steering column you have to get to when you do a heater core. Bet I could do the swap in 4-5 hours and have it driving now.