My 85 SVO

[03 R Code]

I finally decided to start some work on the daily... First I got bored one day and bought a new CD player and some cheapo speakers. While installing those I pulled out the back seats and front seats and ripped out the carpet, insulation and all other unnecessary shit! Put the two front seats back in and let it like that for a week or two... until I got bored again.




It was fakkin filthy in there!

Apparently the heater core had busted at one point and flooded the passenger side floor boards... there was mildew and funk all up in that insulation!

[03 R Code]

Then the I had the idea to turn the interior from gray to black. So I started pulling out all the plastics. And I mean ALL! There is tiny pieces that I never would have known were there had I not decided to do this!

Went to vatozone and got a few rattle cans of rustoleum black plastic paint... works fair so far...



Here's a pretty good comparison of before and after...

and close ups of each...


I even got Terrah to help out some!

(no the Mach wasn't in the garage while we were painting... this was just her posing)

[03 R Code]

Here's some of the interior with all the parts missing...








I'm still on the fence on what I am going to do about carpet... I don't want to have to put in insulation and carpet and add all that weight back. I was thinking about using a rhinoliner roll on paint for the floors... What do you guys think about that? The outside, door jams under hood will all eventually be painted flat/satin black so the rhinoliner should match pretty well, and hold up to heavy foot traffic, and be easy to clean! But black carpet would probably look great too...

as of today, I have to take out the bottom part of the dash and the center console to paint and that's it. Then I'll be putting all the parts back in, and having a black healiner installed and later on the seats recovered in black stitching, or maybe just some black seats out of another type of car. I'm gonna keep my eyes open for some 03/04 cobra seats. I like those a lot... maybe Mach seats if I can find a set from a junk yard or something.

[03 R Code]

and here's one more showing the hack job that the previous owner did on the speakers and door covers... what an ass jack.


Hopefully I'll be able to cut a little bit larger holes out on the dash where the origional speakers were and put these new ones in there. The doors from factory were never designed to have speakers mounted on them, bacause the window bars catch the magnets when they are up... and that shorts out the system... asshat ideas, gotta love them!

[BigJnSA]

damn, man. youre putting alot of work into it. i think since youve painted the interior black, and getting a black headliner, id get new black carpet as well. carpet and the jute isnt that much weight. id keep the interior in tact if i was you.

[03 R Code]

yeah, it is a lot of work... but fun... and I was thinking that about the carpet... it's only about $120 for carpet, and $170 for carpet and a thick rubber backing from LMR. Besides, the car already is pretty light from factory, and has a tubular k member and a arms... so that takes some weight off the front end...

any ideas on the threads for the seats? I like plain black, but it may be kinda boring. A friend of mine in AR suggested I use lime green thread for the stitching... I almost slapped him through the phone...

[stangerbanger!]

There is a guy selling some 92 black gt seats down here in corpus for $75 bucs!

[stangerbanger!]

looks good by the way! Is it still turboed? Got engine pics?

[03 R Code]

No thanks on the 92 GT seats... I'm pretty sure they're just about the same as whats in there now...

The engine is factory. Except that the boost creaps up because the controller doesn't work right.

[DSGFTW]

i was just about to ask wtf the mach was doing in the garage while you were painting!

and i like the idea of the rhino lining.

[03 R Code]

Another nice thing I found was a professionally built motor w/ 30over diamond pistons, h beam rods never been fired short block only for 1k or best offer.... I don't know if that includes shipping, but for a near unbreakable motor it's not too bad... esp since I can probably get it for $750!

Then a head from BoPort (complete head/cam/valve train "bolton" package) is less than 2k! These head/cam deals are the best flowing available for the 2.3 motors... then all that's left would be a stand alone engine management system, larger injectors and fuel system, bigger turbo and 3" piping and an FMIC. parts are seemingly pretty cheap for it so far!

[raymond8698]

man I miss my friends 86 SVO,that car was sweet,until a drunk driver from Mexico totaled it,his dad has an 85 SVO,great handling cars

[Sonic Blue 85]

So is your car an early '85 or an late '85. I had an early '85 years ago, we replaced the turbo, ported the head, intake, changed the cam, rockers and cam sprocket and a Center Force clutch. That car was a lot faster than I ever thought a turbo 4 cylinder could be. Those car have the best ride of any fox body and the best handling of any of the foxes. They are a lot of fun, to bad they did not make more of them.
I had forgotten about the old hand pump side bolsters in the seats. My car had perfect interior until I took my brother for a ride in it once I got the car running right. It scared the crap out of him, he grabbed the dash and left deep finger marks in the dash pad, he shut up about that car being slow. Other than that the interior was perfect, even still had the fuzzy crap on the driver's and passenger's dash trim panels, I don't know what Ford was thinking when they did that.
So does your car have a sun roof, T tops or did you get lucky and find one with a solid roof? I see the orginal tail lights are missing. Let's see some pics of the whole car, I can see stripes on the hood, just curious what someone did on the outside.

[03 R Code]

It's a solid roof. I would probably have passed on a 25 year old t top or sun roof car. Rust and water leaks are not something I want to deal with!

It's an early 85, not the 85.5 model. I'm not sure what you mean about the fuzzy crap on the dash trim panels though. I don't have any of that in my car...

[KCOBRA00]

The fuzzy crap is on the passenger dash panel and the bezel around the gauges.. I have it on my '85 svo and hate that stuff..

[03 R Code]

meh, mine must have worn out before I bought it. There is not fuzzyness to speak of on the dash trim parts...

[BigJnSA]

jon, before spending a dime on performance parts, id ask chris (racer99) what the best bang for the buck mods are what what parts to go with. he seems like the turbo 4 guru around here.

[Blown01snake]

i give you 5 dolla for it joto!

[03 R Code]

bahahahaha bish!

I'll trade it straight up for that magically invisible Cobra in El Paso, cabron!

[Sonic Blue 85]

Like the other guy said, the instrument trim panel, and the flat trim panel on the passenger's side between the two A/C vents, for some stupid reason Ford put a fuzzy layer of something on those two panels. They only did it on the SVOs. I noticed other SVOs years ago had the fuzzy crap coming off, under the fuzzy crap was some black gunk, probably adhesive.

[03 R Code]

coolio. Well all my fuzzy ish and the adhesive are gone, probably removed by the previous owner.

Here's a question I need help with.

I'm taking out all electonics, including the gauge cluster from the dash so tomorrow morning it's just all the screws and then it's out. I can't get the solid wire out that feeds into the back of the cluster directly behind the tachometer... I removed two teeny tiny bolts and it still won't budge... any help out there??? Please????!!!!

[2k4mk1]

Next time ypur spray painting in the garage be sure the MACH is a little closer that way the overspray will adhere better....lol


Looks like you are a busy guy.


Bread sales must be slow

[Sonic Blue 85]

Have you removed the speedometer cable? If not the cluster will not come out. You asked about a solid wire going into the back of the cluster, that wire thingy is probably the speedo cable, because I can't think of anything else that would possilby look like a solid wire going into the back of the cluster. It has a white plastic, piece made onto the end, that piece, holds the cable to the speedometer. You will have to reach behind the cluster, push on one side of the plastic retainer, while pulling on the cluster lightly. The retainer has a hook on one side, once you push on the correct side of the retainer, it will release. Most likely you will not be able to see what you are doing, you will just have to go by feel. You can also disconnect the cable down at the transmission end, then pull some slack up toward the fire wall, then you will be able to pull the cluster out farther so you can see the retainer while pushing on it. Also the speedo cable will come out of the speed sensor in the transmission by just pulling it out of the speed sensor, it is just held in by a wire clip.
Before you try disconnecting anything else in the car hook up a DVOM or a test light to the solid wire you are taking about and see if there is battery voltage, make sure someone takes pictures of you doing this. If there is no voltage refer to the above info, then I want to see the pics.

[90gt]

You WILL probably cut yourself removing this wire as it is a pain in the ass to remove. BTW...That's the networking cable between your tranny & your instrutment cluster.

PS...+ 2 on the pictures always up for the "Do it your selvers" pics & "how to" articles.

[JCP281]

LOL all to familiar! I remember doing all that to my old hatch. Those rear panels were a bitch to sand and paint nice. If you need a dash pad LMR has em for like 50 bucks and you can NOT tell that they are just pad covers and not the real thing. I bought some black carpet from LMR also for like 100 and it looked decent. Had to cut the sifter/ebrake hole yourself tho.

[03 R Code]

Have you removed the speedometer cable? If not the cluster will not come out. You asked about a solid wire going into the back of the cluster, that wire thingy is probably the speedo cable, because I can't think of anything else that would possilby look like a solid wire going into the back of the cluster. It has a white plastic, piece made onto the end, that piece, holds the cable to the speedometer. You will have to reach behind the cluster, push on one side of the plastic retainer, while pulling on the cluster lightly. The retainer has a hook on one side, once you push on the correct side of the retainer, it will release. Most likely you will not be able to see what you are doing, you will just have to go by feel. You can also disconnect the cable down at the transmission end, then pull some slack up toward the fire wall, then you will be able to pull the cluster out farther so you can see the retainer while pushing on it. Also the speedo cable will come out of the speed sensor in the transmission by just pulling it out of the speed sensor, it is just held in by a wire clip.
Before you try disconnecting anything else in the car hook up a DVOM or a test light to the solid wire you are taking about and see if there is battery voltage, make sure someone takes pictures of you doing this. If there is no voltage refer to the above info, then I want to see the pics.

Yeah, everything except that solid black cable with the white plastic piece is disconnected. I'll have to try what you said tomorrow morning... Thanks!

You WILL probably cut yourself removing this wire as it is a pain in the ass to remove. BTW...That's the networking cable between your tranny & your instrutment cluster.

PS...+ 2 on the pictures always up for the "Do it your selvers" pics & "how to" articles.

I'll have plenty of pics up probably sunday afternoon when I (hopefully) start to reinstall all these parts... and of any cuts I get along the way too!

LOL all to familiar! I remember doing all that to my old hatch. Those rear panels were a bitch to sand and paint nice. If you need a dash pad LMR has em for like 50 bucks and you can NOT tell that they are just pad covers and not the real thing. I bought some black carpet from LMR also for like 100 and it looked decent. Had to cut the sifter/ebrake hole yourself tho.

When you put down the new carpet from LMR did you also put down new insulation? I am thinking about either putting the carpet in or rhinolining the floors... I don't want the extra weight of the insulation and rubber under the carpet and behind the plastics... and I want to know if the plastics and carpet will sit right and stay in place without insulation and rubber backing...

[Sonic Blue 85]

I have removed the insulation from multiple, with old carpet and new carpet, it usualy does not make much difference. As for the Rhino lining, if you are going to do that, make sure you actualy use the Rhino lining, the rubber stuff, not the stuff you get from the auto parts stores in a aerosal can or the gallon can. That stuff is more of a plastic, it will do a good job of holding water under it, causing rust. I did that to my car, actualy my painter did that to my car told me it would be a great way of sealing the floors. I wound up with a good bit of rust that was not in the car before that was done.

[03 R Code]

coolio. If I remove the insulation and the parts fit back in and stay in place I'll probably go ahead and get new carpet... if the parts won't stay the same I guess I'll put the insulation back in and rhino liner the floors. There's a few holes in the floor that I need to seal up first, then I'll hit it all with a coat of that Rust Bullet stuff and then the rhinoliner. Hopefully it's o.k. to put down the rust bullet under the rhinoliner... I'll find out tomorrow!

[JCP281]

I got the carpet with Jute backing. Rhino lining is fuggin expensive. 100 bucks is better than 300+ lol..for a DD anyways.

[03 R Code]

O.K. here's something else. The "circuit board" lookin thing at the top center of the dash. What is that and what does it control? I unhooked both of the plastic clips for the electrical wires, and there was a black ground wire that wasn't hooked to anything... I've seen the wire before hanging down near the CD player wires and it hasn't been hooked up since I bought the car... so it seems like this circuit board is not being used...

also, for those that have done it before... what's the trick to taking out the dash? Is it the 1/4" bolts along the back or do all of the damn screws and bolts have to come out? This thing is being a pain in the ass!

[Sonic Blue 85]

O.K. here's something else. The "circuit board" lookin thing at the top center of the dash. What is that and what does it control? I unhooked both of the plastic clips for the electrical wires, and there was a black ground wire that wasn't hooked to anything... I've seen the wire before hanging down near the CD player wires and it hasn't been hooked up since I bought the car... so it seems like this circuit board is not being used...

also, for those that have done it before... what's the trick to taking out the dash? Is it the 1/4" bolts along the back or do all of the damn screws and bolts have to come out? This thing is being a pain in the ass!

Both of these questions are hard to answer without showing you. As for the circuit board, take pictures and post them, then I or someone else can answer that question. As for how to get the dash out, you will need to remove the pedal assembly, there is a bolt at each end of the dash down low, attaching it to the hinge pillar. There should be some brackets coming down from the center of the dash connecting to the transmission tunnel, then there are the screws at the top front of the dash below the winshield. You will need to remove the A/C controls. Once you learn how to get the dashes out of fox bodies it does not take long to get them out. I used to pull dashes and the heater evaporator case in about 20 minutes, when I was working for dealers years ago. I am not that fast any more. If you think the car you are working on is hard to pull the dash try a Lincoln Mark VIII, those are fun, what you are working on is very easy. Becarefuly, those old plastic dashes get brittle and will crack easily if you are not careful, you should get someone to help you remove it or you will most likely break it. The '87 to '93 dashes are stronger and less likely to crack or break.

[03 R Code]

I found the bolts on the sides by the hinge pilars, and the metal bracket from the back of the glove box... but not the ones needed for the gas pedal assy... I was tryin to remove a bold that is above the steering shaft. It's a 9mm bolt and holds a stud to a piece of metal that is attached to the dash plastic right behind/below the gauge cluster, above the steering column... Every thing else is unhooked and ready to come out though. The wife is helping me holding up one side.... Should be only a few more minutes before we get it all the way out. I'm gonna go check out this pedal assy. and see if that does the trick for me! Thanks!!!

[03 R Code]

Done!

Once I realized which bolts and nuts actually helt this dash in place it took only about 45 minutes to get it all out. The longest part was removing all the wires that I thought I had already unhooked from the back of the dash... there was a bunch of hidden shit back there as you can see in these pics!

Here's what it looks like inside the car right now. I took out the drivers seat for more ease of movement...

These next 4 photos are all of the large metal brackets where the dash mounted. There is also 5 small 1/4" bolts that hold it in place on top right next to the front glass. All 4 of these bolts were 1/2", except for the one above the steering column.

This one is the part that was holding me up. There was a 10mm bolt on a stud there that was sandwiching a metal plate attached to the back of the dash... I had to lower to steering column a good bit to get to it cause it required a deep socket, and I didn't have the right sized wrench...

This is where a bolt held it in on the drivers side near the door hinges.

This bracket hung down to the back of the glove box.

and here's the last one, that was on the passenger side near the door hinges.

[03 R Code]

Here's the circuit board I was talking about. It mounts at the very top of the dash frame work, and the ground wire has been un attached since I bought the car...

This is a top view of it, or what you would see if you were to remove the dash pad...


Here's a view of it's bottom and the 2 wire connections I was talking about earlier...

[03 R Code]

And this is what I'm left with. I'm kinda feeling like I may have bit off more than I can chew at this point! It's going to be a challenge remembering where all this shit goes when it's time to put it back in! Luckily it seems like all of these connectors are different size or shapes, so they will only fit in the right spot.

[Sonic Blue 85]

That circuit board is the factory sterio amp. It would have been easier had you removed the steering column and left the wiring on the back of the dash.

[03 R Code]

I was kinda thinking that may have been a factory amp... but I wasn't sure if they had one like that or not. Good to know, cause now it won't be going back in!

I didn't see how I could leave the wiring on the back of the dash. I never saw a disconnect spot for the entire harness, but I never really looked very hard either! Well, it's out now and none of the local parts stores have any of the damn paint I've been using, so I probably won't finish this weekend like I wanted to... I need probably 3 more cans to finish it all...

But I did trial fit a few pieces from the hatch this afternoon and it looked damn good!

[03 R Code]

Got everything put back in this afternoon. well, almost everything. The cover over the gauge cluster still has to be painted but I got to get some tape to cover the colored plastics before I do that. Then there's this one last metal trim piece that mounts on the front of the roof line. The metal tabe that held it in were messed up then I tried to remove that and I had to leave them in until I get some more time to rip 'em out! Here's a few pics of what it all looks like...

The back panels


The nightmare of a dash board going back in!


a view from the back...

[03 R Code]

Here's a section I thought was kinda neat... don't know why though...

There's an "85" stamped into this part of the dash, it's normally covered with a trim piece...

CD player and everything hooked back in, no fires on startup! That's a plus! (I was kinda afraid something would short and melt everything!!)

all gauges still working properly

and a better view of the back

[03 R Code]

So the wife won't let me spend the $500 + it costs to get new black carpet from Late Model Restoration... does any one have any suggestions on where to get the carpet and door panels for cheaper than that? I looked at Jeggs, Summit, and did a google search. The google search yielded results that were... questionable... never heard of the places!