1989 GT to LX
04-08-2006, 01:17 PM
#21
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location:
Posts: 277
RE: 1989 GT to LX
Really I have a 92 GT that I might convert to an LX ( might put 93 cobra effects on it also) but mine looks like the bolts are under the car not on the rocker panel. I was also wondering where do you get side molding from and is it expensive?
04-08-2006, 01:36 PM
#22
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 335
RE: 1989 GT to LX
Well, there are definitely a few pointers....
First of all, the only parts you actually have to swap out are the front/rear bumpers and the black side molding pieces... On the side molding pieces, they looks slightly different as you go through the fox body years, so for instance an 85 lx and a 91 lx will look a bit different... not much, but a little... (as long as they all match, it really is not a big deal). Another thing is getting the new fenders and front bumper lined up correctly.... basically on the top side of the car where the enders meet the front bumper... if you don't hang it all right, you may end up with the fender being slightly raised over the actual bumper cover...
On the side trim pieces.... when you pull off the old ones, use a blowdryer on them for a minute, then using a medium sized putty knife, they should come right off without much stress... The ground effects are pretty much all held in with just a few screws in the wheel wells, and a few more along the bottom frame of the car... pretty straight forward there
oh yeah... yours is a gt now... that means you've got a pair of foglights still right??? If so, there is a big metal bracket that goes all the way from the driver side of the car to the pass side of the car, and mounts the fog lamps on both sides.... take this out before you take out the bumper... (and be happy that you just lost 35 lbs off the front of your car, woot!!!!) This will leave a wire on each side hanging down... you'll probably just want to disconnect the clips for these instead of just cutting the wire.... that way you don't risk a short anywhere... Later down the road, you could do a trick install on something with a swith, because you can use that foglight switch on your dash to activate anything... I recently did a tach install, and hooked up the power wire for the backlight to fuse #15 under the dash.... that hooks up directly to your switch that you have for the fog lights, so in my case, I can flip the switch on at night, and boom... backlit... then flip it off during the day, and make the backlight go away, thus making the bulb last longer over time...just a suggestion for down the road
AOn the rear.... you'll need to remove your taillights via the 6 nuts on each side. To access these, you will need to first remove the trim pieces in your hatch area... Just the two right along the back of the interior, not that actual big quarter panel pieces... Although, on the quarter panel pieces, it will be highly beneificial to take out a few of the most rearward screws holding it in... that will make it a bit easy to reach the last two nuts on each side holding on your taillights, and again there are some nuts you have to remove back there to pull the bumper itself out...
and last but not least... If you are sure you will never go back to a GT, sell the entire body kit front to back and make your sefl some cash that you could use for a couple quick bolt ons... between 200-300 worth of go fast bolt ons, and the weight reduction of the kit, you should pick up a solid 3-4 tenths on your quarter mile... good luck. let us know how it all goes for you.
First of all, the only parts you actually have to swap out are the front/rear bumpers and the black side molding pieces... On the side molding pieces, they looks slightly different as you go through the fox body years, so for instance an 85 lx and a 91 lx will look a bit different... not much, but a little... (as long as they all match, it really is not a big deal). Another thing is getting the new fenders and front bumper lined up correctly.... basically on the top side of the car where the enders meet the front bumper... if you don't hang it all right, you may end up with the fender being slightly raised over the actual bumper cover...
On the side trim pieces.... when you pull off the old ones, use a blowdryer on them for a minute, then using a medium sized putty knife, they should come right off without much stress... The ground effects are pretty much all held in with just a few screws in the wheel wells, and a few more along the bottom frame of the car... pretty straight forward there
oh yeah... yours is a gt now... that means you've got a pair of foglights still right??? If so, there is a big metal bracket that goes all the way from the driver side of the car to the pass side of the car, and mounts the fog lamps on both sides.... take this out before you take out the bumper... (and be happy that you just lost 35 lbs off the front of your car, woot!!!!) This will leave a wire on each side hanging down... you'll probably just want to disconnect the clips for these instead of just cutting the wire.... that way you don't risk a short anywhere... Later down the road, you could do a trick install on something with a swith, because you can use that foglight switch on your dash to activate anything... I recently did a tach install, and hooked up the power wire for the backlight to fuse #15 under the dash.... that hooks up directly to your switch that you have for the fog lights, so in my case, I can flip the switch on at night, and boom... backlit... then flip it off during the day, and make the backlight go away, thus making the bulb last longer over time...just a suggestion for down the road
AOn the rear.... you'll need to remove your taillights via the 6 nuts on each side. To access these, you will need to first remove the trim pieces in your hatch area... Just the two right along the back of the interior, not that actual big quarter panel pieces... Although, on the quarter panel pieces, it will be highly beneificial to take out a few of the most rearward screws holding it in... that will make it a bit easy to reach the last two nuts on each side holding on your taillights, and again there are some nuts you have to remove back there to pull the bumper itself out...
and last but not least... If you are sure you will never go back to a GT, sell the entire body kit front to back and make your sefl some cash that you could use for a couple quick bolt ons... between 200-300 worth of go fast bolt ons, and the weight reduction of the kit, you should pick up a solid 3-4 tenths on your quarter mile... good luck. let us know how it all goes for you.
04-08-2006, 01:50 PM
#23
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location:
Posts: 32
RE: 1989 GT to LX
89gtsleeper You are the best person even. I removes the front Bumper cover this morning, This was very easy 2 nuts and about 12 rivits i just drilled them out. The bumper came off with no problem. I also removed the breacket for the fog lights and tucked away the fog light wire for later on. And the tip for the moulding with the hair dryer it worked great.
I bought new fenders still hope don't need anything to connect it to the new lx bumper cover.
Thank you so so much.
When I replace the rear bumper with a LX bumper will it line up with the read fenders?
It cost me 460 canadian for new front bumper cover LX, 2 fenders and rear Bumper LX this is great the reason i removed the fenders was rust just to let you know now everthing is great.
Once again thank youu
I bought new fenders still hope don't need anything to connect it to the new lx bumper cover.
Thank you so so much.
When I replace the rear bumper with a LX bumper will it line up with the read fenders?
It cost me 460 canadian for new front bumper cover LX, 2 fenders and rear Bumper LX this is great the reason i removed the fenders was rust just to let you know now everthing is great.
Once again thank youu
04-08-2006, 02:17 PM
#24
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 335
RE: 1989 GT to LX
yeah, the rear bumper doesn't really give you much trouble with lining it up, and the tail lights just kind of sit on top of the bumper so that covers up alot of the imperfections there... on the sides, they always match up easily, becasue with the way the bolts are secured, there really isn't much play in where the bumper is placed... If you look closely to any lx, from the side, it almost looks like none of them line up quite right... the bottom of the bumper will slope slightly downward as you move toward the front f the car, then when you hit the body line, it seems to have a slightly more downward angle to it than the bumper itself, and looks like it doesn't line up perfect. When you do this part, don't worry too much, because they all look like that!!!
04-08-2006, 02:27 PM
#25
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location:
Posts: 277
RE: 1989 GT to LX
MAN u help out alot man..... I have a qucik question... which in ur opion would be better... get the bumpers from a donor LX, buying new OEM ones or trying to get repos. I see repos cheap but i dont want something im going to have a hard time getting to fit.
04-08-2006, 02:54 PM
#28
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 335
RE: 1989 GT to LX
one more thing I just though of... on the fenders... what year mustang did the new ones come off of??? and what year was your car originally... I say this becasue after I believe 1990 or 1991, the wheel opening was slightly larger, and allows for a bigger front tire. Also, if you got the lh fender off one year mustang, and the rh fender off a different year... you could have two slightly mismathed fenders... now this is not going to cause any kind of alignment issues as far as the front bumper is concerned, but definitely would look kinda funny to you (nobody else would likely notice)... just another thing to let you know about.
04-08-2006, 02:59 PM
#29
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 335
RE: 1989 GT to LX
on this one, it's really up to you.... one way to look at it is a fender is a fender.... just get whatever's cheaper... other than the year difference I just mentioned they're all about the same as long as they are straight...
there is one exception to this rule though... There are companies that make fiberglass fenders that are mumch lighter, and you would be surprised to find out how cheap they are... A set of these may run you an extra hundred or 150 total, but that and the foglights, and you just cut down about 55 lbs from the front of your car, thus giving you more front end rise on hard acceleration, and shifting more weight to the rear of your car to plant those small street tires stoplight to stoplight...
there is one exception to this rule though... There are companies that make fiberglass fenders that are mumch lighter, and you would be surprised to find out how cheap they are... A set of these may run you an extra hundred or 150 total, but that and the foglights, and you just cut down about 55 lbs from the front of your car, thus giving you more front end rise on hard acceleration, and shifting more weight to the rear of your car to plant those small street tires stoplight to stoplight...
ORIGINAL: 5.0carlo
MAN u help out alot man..... I have a qucik question... which in ur opion would be better... get the bumpers from a donor LX, buying new OEM ones or trying to get repos. I see repos cheap but i dont want something im going to have a hard time getting to fit.
MAN u help out alot man..... I have a qucik question... which in ur opion would be better... get the bumpers from a donor LX, buying new OEM ones or trying to get repos. I see repos cheap but i dont want something im going to have a hard time getting to fit.
04-09-2006, 12:39 PM
#30
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location:
Posts: 32
RE: 1989 GT to LX
Yes thanks for the help again, the aftermarket fenders i ordered are 1989 same year and the lx bumper and rear bumper is same year. I even ordered now real lights and front lights so i think i am on the ball thanks to your help
Thank you
Thank you