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Ford Mustang 68 Fastback:Plenty of risk!

Hi guys,
Located in Belgium and a muscle car/hot rod fan from the beginning. Probably born on the wrong side of the world but happy to do the things I'm doing right now...
My story with this car started in 2009 when I bought a 68 Ford Mustang Eleanor recreation. It was just restored by Stangaholics and the guys did an average good job.
So the car had HEIDTS II suspension kit, Wilwood dynalite brakes, Boyd coddington wheels, 460 big block with FMX automatic tranmission, etc...

This was the car when I bought it:
http://www.stang-aholics.com/image.aspx?id=66

In 2011 I decided to chance the powertrain to a faster one. So I bought a ROUSH 427R, hydraulic double plated clutch and tremec T56 transmission. Also new wheels, some interior changes and custom exhaust and tips we changed..

https://scontent-b-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/...49801795_n.jpg

https://scontent-b-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/...91781616_n.jpg

I sold my Roush 427R engine a few weeks ago and my idea was to rebuild this classic with a modern attitude. So I screwed up all the Ford/Chevy rules and I ordered an LS7 474 engine. Ok, not the way to go for every hardcore Chevy or Ford fan. For me it's more to build a crazy fast, reliable and good street/track car and just my idea counts for this built!

I ordered my engine by Nelson Racing Engines. I heard good things and bad things about the guy, so hopefully I only see the good things! I hope this risk was worth the effort but as I hear Tom, he's very excited about the engine so fingers crossed.
This is it:

https://scontent-b-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/...91168080_n.jpg

*It's not my actual engine but it will be the same one.

I called my project 'Plenty of Risk' because it was never a 'walk in the park' with this car.
Some reasons:
-In 2009 I bought the car on ebay without seeing it, I transfered a lot of money without knowing what to expect
-When the car arrived there were some issues with the homologation of the car. I couldn't drive the car for several months for that reason
-I always wanted to build something 'one of a kind'. Where nobody could help us out in Belgium.
-Ordering an engine by Nelson, hoping he's doing a good job and the engine will be on time to participate in Cannonball Run Europe.
-Ordering an LS engine for a ford with all things we know we need to modifie, without people knowing that ever did this. Without knowing what we need to modifie...

Looking forward to update you!

Regards

Awesome Mustang! Love the engine swap choice.

Very cool project! Do what you want with it and don't listen to the haters, because I'm sure there will be a few. Great car choice and engine choice.

Great looking car!

Im curious...what brand of hood hinges do you have? I have tried two sets of billet hinges now on 3 different cars and they all hit the cowl when collapsed. The first set were Eddie motorsports and the second Ring Brothers.

Nothing wrong with an LS in a Ford!! HAHAHAHAHAHA

Wait til the purists see my '33 with the LS in it.

Sweet project.

The hood hinges are Ringbrothers. They fit but it was not plug and play..

Is someone (or company) is interested to help us out with some things? I think about which belhousing we need to order, which clutch is best for this power? What engine mounts do we use? Which headers are best? If someone could help us (or a company which can deliver all the parts too) I would be thankful!

:headscratch: :headscratch:

LOL Rob....

Mathi, if Nelson's is building the engine i'd see what he recommends.

For the bellhouising i'd go Quicktime. Nelson's can set that up for you too cause it should be checked for center.

I hear good things about the Spec clutches. Again, see if Nelson has an preferences. All that can be bolted to the engine to be shipped to you.

Please keep us updated.

welcome, willkommen, accueil

This will be interesting...i do like the concept, One of my all time favorite Ford bodies.

Joe

i recently applied for a job @ SHAPE maybe I will get to see the car in person.

That intake is Sick!!!!!!!!!Cool.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wanman (Post 520971)

sounds great! Hope you get the job and we meet one time...

Engine is on Dyno by Tom Nelson...

Almost ready!!

https://www.facebook.com/nelsonracingengines?fref=ts

Beautiful Mathi! FB vid sounds healthy :cheers:

Will the low mount alternator fit in the car? I realize that may be an unknown, but interested in your comments.

Hi,
Thanks for your interest! We will know this when the engine is here in Belgium.
Updates will follow

Regards

I rode some topics about Tom Nelson a half year ago when I was thinking about ordering an engine.
I saw all the commercial movies on youtube, website and his facebook and I thought his engines were the best. After reading all the disappointments a bunch of guys wrote here and on other websites, I was sure not to deal with him.
A few months later I saw his project (that 69 Charger) on pictures of sema together with some engines of him. I didn't understand how a guy with so much negative feedback could make it on Sema. I didn't understand he could stay in the business all those years and still invent new engine setups... So I thought, the guy must do also good things instead of all bad things so I tried to contact him in October 2013 via email. After 2 weeks I had an email back from Larry (a co worker) with some strange explenation about different engines. After some emails we lost contact because that guy was not able to help me further. You will not order something if the guy on the other side don't know anything about his product.
So a few weeks later I'm still looking for a good, strong and stand a part engine. I found some good builders but a Tom Nelson engine stays in my head.
So I tried to contact him again via facebook. It's now end of November 2013. After a few days I got a message back that I could email him what I want and we would talk later.
Ok, that evening a lot of emails were sent and he always respond all my questions.
I needed in meanwhile an engine pretty fast because I want to participate in 2014 in a rally like cannonbal with the car so I asked him he could built me an LS engine with approx 700 hp. Something stand a part, strong and reliable.
He told me he had a prototype of a new LS engine with a NRE X ram intake he would like to manufacture to sell.
I told him my story and he told me his story and after some conversations I was ready to order.
Offcourse after the bad communication and the extremely long waiting times I was sceptic about this. I want garanties that the engine was ready on time.
So I sent Tom an email with my terms. He accepted them by putting his information and signature on it.
And I rode Tom his order form and terms and accepted them too.
I was still scared because I live in Europe and I could be an easy victim.
After the first (biggest part of the money) deposit the communication become bad so I start to panic. Sometimes he sent me back, other times not. I didn't know what to think... Is he building my engine or not... I didn't know...
He always tried to convince me about the fact he's working on it and the engine would be ready on time.
So no problem to me, I will wait till that date and we will see.
I tried to call him a week before the date of completion and he answered me that it sure be ready...
I was still scared because I never saw pictures and getting information was sometimes difficult and sometimes not.
It was a week before completion and all the money was tranfered to him. I was so nervous what would happen...
And I must say that I'm so suprised of what happened next....

The engine was ready on the date we both accepted. So I must say that I'm pretty happy that Tom Nelson changed some things in his business. I'm sure he can handles more engines and his communication is much better than peope describe here. I understand that he made mistakes in the past but I guess I'm the best example that you can trust on Tom.
I didn't know him, I knew his reputation, I live on the other side of the globe but it was worth the challenge to work with him.

I'm sure the Tom people were unhappy off is changed to a Tom that can handle his business and customers.
Don't always believe a person is not fair untill you see it by your own. Internet is not always a good and reliable source of information.

I'm happy that I can defend Tom and his business. I'm happy it's not the same Tom as a few years ago.
I'm sure if there are still problems he will deal with it. Just give him a chance as I did, you won't regret.

http://www.pro-touring.com/attachmen...6&d=1392197624

I'm glad to hear that everything worked out for you and your engine is done. You know the engine will be an awesome one. He builds some powerful engines. Keep us in the loop with lots of pictures.

Fantastic! Congrats Mathi!!

Congratulations, Awesome motor! When will you have it in Belgium?

Quote:

Originally Posted by waynieZ (Post 536966)

Congratulations, Awesome motor! When will you have it in Belgium?

Thanks! Well, I'm still buying stuff for my car, when all the orders are complete we will ship the container to Belgium
Hope to get it here end of March...

Regards

Fantastic project!
I think you are on right side of bond, close enough for unlimeted autobahn and curvy mountain roads.

Cant wait to see more.

We are one little step closer... We took the whole Eleanor apart to start with a clean and good base...

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.n...33557018_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.n...93722163_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.n...67939824_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.n...12187632_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.n...63094575_n.jpg

To do next:
- Mold the cnc side scoops
- Clean the engine room
- Replace exhaust tips
- Paint the engine bay
- Rollcage
- Stiffen up engine bay
- ...

Good deal on the motor Mathi. I know exactly how the "nervous" thing goes when you've given a guy money. I be nervous at times and I'm in the US, so I can only imaging how you'd feel half way across the world. Glad it worked out for you. You know we can't wait to see pics of it. :popcorn2: :headspin:

Really like how that bumper blended in!

Those are all nice. Done in Belgium?

nice work, it looks great.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuperB70 (Post 573371)

Those are all nice. Done in Belgium?

I'm from Belgium but it's a company in The Netherlands