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Topic: Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS (Read 123813 times) previous topic - next topic

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #75 –
Wow man! Looks like you've been doing stuff! I've just been sitting around whining abut how my car is a finicky bitch... That and getting it through DEQ/Smog, which took 4 tries.

Definitely want EFI now though. I think within the next two years I will man up and get the Megasquirt setup and run most of the stock fuel injection stuff that I have for my motor. We'll see though.

Anyways, glad to see you're getting stuff done. Is that a 2 1/16" tach? Whereabouts did you find it?
1983 Tbird with '03 Split Port V6 motor swap done! Headers, dual exhaust, 500CFM Edelbrock, 3G upgrade, Electric fan. 3.73 Gears and an FRPP Limited Slip. Five lug complete! 5-Speed conversion complete! Standalone Fuel Injection in progress...

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #76 –
Actually its a 2 5/8" tach. Got it at Autozone. Its one of their generic sunpro guages they sell on the shelf. Picked it up for about 30 bucks, it works great. Has a switch for 4,6,8, was easy to hook up and came with instructions. Also has a settable redline/shift time marker.

Isn't your car old enough to be exempt from inspections by now? Or do they not do that in your state? FL has no inspections so IDK anything about that...
--SteveN 👍
[thread=28690]1988 Cougar V6[/thread]
2012 F-150 3.7L

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #77 –
Washington still has a sliding year, anything older than 25, but Oregon capped it at '74 and older only. (For those areas that require emissions testing.)
1983 Tbird with '03 Split Port V6 motor swap done! Headers, dual exhaust, 500CFM Edelbrock, 3G upgrade, Electric fan. 3.73 Gears and an FRPP Limited Slip. Five lug complete! 5-Speed conversion complete! Standalone Fuel Injection in progress...

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #78 –
Is that also how old it has to be to get an antique plate? Here it used to be +20 years old but a couple years back they changed it to +30 yrs. Which sucks cause mine would have been there by now. Now I got 8 more years to go...

They said they had to do it on account of the fact that antique plates cost less to register, and the fact that 20 year old cars are all out of the 80's, and a lot more are still on the road than ever before, well they weren't making enough money....:rolleyes:
--SteveN 👍
[thread=28690]1988 Cougar V6[/thread]
2012 F-150 3.7L

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #79 –
How come all Cats are smashed in the same exact spot?  I had the same damage on mine when I got it.  I have seen a bunch with huge dents in the same spot.    Blind spot?
My car is a gravity hybrid.  The gasoline engine gets me up the hills, and gravity gets me down.

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #80 –
Blind spot for the jackwagon that hit me! :beatyoass:

Explanation: [post=326083]here[/post]

I swear he must have just slammed the gas in reverse cause thats a hell of a big dent. And, trust me, its nasty.
--SteveN 👍
[thread=28690]1988 Cougar V6[/thread]
2012 F-150 3.7L

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #81 –
Idk if you've got a definite idea for the location of your tach, but 50tbrd88 has a pretty sweet location for his tach, right where the digital clock is supposed to be. Of course, his tach is bigger...

Btw, the fall semester for me ends the week of Dec 5th. I'll be in Citrus for 5 days following that week, so I'll give you a call one day to see if we can get together.

car looks great man! When I saw it in person, it was all tore apart...I can't wait to see it next time!
-'88 Tbird 3.8
-2012 Altima 2.5 BASE. 
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

Future: Budget 5.0 300 HP.

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #82 –
no, its staying right there for now. Its only gonna be there until I get the rest of my gauges. I've got a template for a 3 3/8" tach and speedo, and 2 1/16" OP, WT, VM, and FL to go in the stock location. Its going to look very similar to the stock buttstuffog cluster. I'm also going to be sticking AFR and VAC gauges down below the heater panel. I've changed my mind about 3 times on what set I'm going to use, but I think I'm pretty set on AutoMeter's Street Rod Designer Black I series.

Yes, you should definitely see it again. There's been a lot of stuff going on since then. Maybe you can grab those mirrors and I'll let you get that gauge cluster from me too.
--SteveN 👍
[thread=28690]1988 Cougar V6[/thread]
2012 F-150 3.7L

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #83 –
Quote from: sarjxxx;340407

Yes, you should definitely see it again. There's been a lot of stuff going on since then. Maybe you can grab those mirrors and I'll let you get that gauge cluster from me too.


Those mirrors are yours. To be honest, I don't think I'm actually gonna use that gauge cluster, because at some point, I'd like all aftermarket gauges as well.

And possibly a boost gauge....but that's waaaaay off.
-'88 Tbird 3.8
-2012 Altima 2.5 BASE. 
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

Future: Budget 5.0 300 HP.

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #84 –
Quote from: RunninWild;340408
but that's waaaaay off.


I hear you man. my whole set's gonna run me just over $500, +$100 for the vac/boost and AFR.

And the gauges aren't until after the ~$300-700 worth of transmission work I'm about to do, which is only after the ~$200 worth of interior parts I have yet to pay for. All of this is on ~$20/wk budget. :bricks1:
--SteveN 👍
[thread=28690]1988 Cougar V6[/thread]
2012 F-150 3.7L

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #85 –
Grab parts for people and make some cash.That's how I built the Sport....and trading.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #86 –
Great idea, but....

Takes money to make money......;)
--SteveN 👍
[thread=28690]1988 Cougar V6[/thread]
2012 F-150 3.7L

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #87 –
Right. You have to make the investment. Sometimes it's a risk,but you have to take it to make it. Every dollar made is a dollar closer to the goal. Believe me,I built the Sport from a salvage yard car doing the same thing.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #88 –
Most of my funds come from parts sales too:D
Fox-less at the moment

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #89 –
Quote
Most of my funds go to parts sales:D

I know right :toilet:
--SteveN 👍
[thread=28690]1988 Cougar V6[/thread]
2012 F-150 3.7L