1987 Shelby Dodge CSX Build Thread

Stop it, you're making me want to go scour the country for another turbo P-body.

Quick question: Anyone know if the flywheel from a 1985 T1 GLH 2.2L is interchangeable with my 1987 T2 motor? My friend has a GLH parts car that he's dismantling, and he pulled the clutch to find a brand new clutch and flywheel. Mine is surely smoked, and I will need one.

I've been told that I have the 8-bolt flywheel, but I thought only the Common Block cars had that.

Bump for an answer to my above question... I still don't know.

Also, I picked up a factory service manual (well, for a 1987 Shadow/Sundance) for only $10 on eBay. I figured I'm going to need it for all the engine specs, test procedures for computer stuff, etc.

I'm pretty sure 87-up was 8 bolt on the flywheel. Earlier was 6. What is he doing with the GLH parts?

In reply to moparman76_69:

He's known as PunKid on Turbo Mopar. He sold most of the parts off the car already, but he was dismantling the transmission that he pulled from it when he noticed that the clutch and flywheel were nearly new.

I worked on the CSX a bit this weekend:

-I ground down all the welds on the driver's side floor pan. It is looking pretty good.

-I trimmed a small hole behind the driver's seat into a shape that is easy to patch. I also cleaned up the area surrounding it down to bare metal.

-I drilled out all the spot welds on the driver's side door frame for rocker replacement.

Side note: the Harbor Freight spot weld cutter I bought lasted all of 3 minutes before it sheared apart and broke. FAIL.

-I started to clean out the driver's side rocker area of loose rust to see what I need to replace. While down there, I noticed something that's not cool. There is a piece of bracing under there that is rotted through and not looking so great. The one on the other side is solid, but this one has some holes. I'll have to get a picture maybe tonight so you guys can see. I think it will be fine, and I plan on just POR-15'ing it. You don't see it anyway because it is under the rocker panel. I don't think that it's structural.

-I got the back of the car up in the air and on jack stands to make working on the rust back there a bit easier. The front of the car has been on ramps for over a year, and I have been too lazy to make my way to the back to jack it up, so this is nice.

-I inspected the rear of the car for rust. There is plenty. The spare tire well has 3 good sized holes. I could fix it, or I could find a rust-free car and chop the whole deal out. If I can figure out how to do that at a junkyard, that is the preferred route. I have enough scrap sheet metal to do it the other way if need be.

-The rear suspension is a beam axle-type (as many of you know), and there is a large brace that triangulates it in the back (Panhard bar?) and it is pretty rusty but solid. I would like to remove it and clean it or replace it. Also, it's pretty flimsy. I think that boxing it might be a good idea. It might help the rear of the car rotate more. I probably won't mess with that until I drive it first and see how it handles.

Also, I'm aiming to bring this car to the $2013 Challenge with the Team External Combustion guys. We have a few possible vehicles to choose from, but I think this one would be very cool to bring. After all, it is a numbered Shelby car! That has to count for something.

SilverFleet wrote: After all, it is a numbered Shelby car! That has to count for something.

yes, it does...A lot of us have a soft spot for shelby dodges, and I think this one is pretty damn cool.

moar pics! keep up the good work.

In reply to 4cylndrfury:

Thanks! I will try to snap some more pics of the progress soon. There's not a whole lot to look at right now other than the stripped shell and some rust.

I've got a big weekend planned for the CSX. The wife is going out of town Sunday, and I will be spending all day in the garage. Here's what's on the list:

-Cut out driver's side outer rocker for replacement

-Fabricate patch panel for small hole behind driver's seat (and possibly weld in patch)

-Inspect fuel lines and fuel tank for rust (and to see if they are hooked up to anything)

-Clean rust scale off the underside of the rear of the car and inspect

-Attempt to remove rear bumper to address rust

-Take measurements and make a cardboard mock-up of the front mount intercooler setup that I don't have yet

-Start piecing together engine components and check fluids to attempt to start the car

-Take some pictures for this thread!!!

SilverFleet wrote: Take some pictures for this thread!!!

BEST IDEA YOUVE HAD SO FAR!!!

Looking forward to the update!

Awesome.. A recent post about another CSX. I have #255 that my dad bought new in1987 . Sat in his driveway/garage for 10 years because the speedometer didn't work. Signature paint fade and torn seats.

I FAIL...

I spent all day yesterday doing yard work, and I just didn't have it in me to do much of anything today. I'll try to at least get some more pics up after work tomorrow.

And timmsjc, that's pretty cool. A lot of these have speedo issues, and the interiors just don't hold up that well.

On Saturday, Pseudosport showed up to my place and we finished up the driver's floor. It went from looking like this:

To this:

I still need to grind down the welds, but I think it came out great. It doesn't have the "tin can" effect and it feels really solid.

The passenger side is almost done, but we ran out of welding wire so we had to stop, so we decided to turn our attention to getting it running. The plan right now is to get the car running so I can hear if the motor is ok, and pull it to clean the motor and engine bay and change the clutch.

We tossed in a battery and to our surprise things lit up and it made some sounds. Most lights worked, but the only gauge that lit up was the boost gauge, but I guess that's all I need anyway. On key on/engine off, all the relays under the hood started clattering away. Who knows what's grounded, so that's probably why that happened. It does crank over freely though, so that is a plus.

Here's some more pics of stuff in the engine bay:

Not sure if this is a stock throttle body, but someone tried to clean it up inside:

Inside of the 2-piece manifold. Looks like someone also played around in here.

I have today off, so I may tackle rebuilding the driver's seat hinge and test fitting one of the Shelby seats I got from my buddy out of his GLH (no, they aren't stock, they are from a Shelby Charger). The hinge is wonky, but he gave me another spare Charger seat to cannibalize. I have to swap over my sliders and bolt one in to see if I like them.

About those seats: they are berkeleyed.

That driver's hinge is a mess. I can't get it to work right. Aside from that, the seat tracks won't unbolt from the seat because the threads are stripped out. Looks like I'm going to have to find something else. I threw away the stock seats because they looked like a chest burster was birthed through the cushions.

I poked around a local junkyard today and found some possible candidates. I liked the seats in a late 80's Prelude that I saw, as well as the ones in a mid-90's Celica. There was also a 1987 Dodge Lancer ES there that had cool seats, but they were ripped. For $50/pair, I'd rather bolt in a set of something I really like rather than make do with the Charger seats.

What color is the interior? I have a set of 2nd gen RX-7 seats in maroon that you could have.

what about second gen noen seats?wear like concrete, co0mfy, and black. should be pretty close to the floorpan in yours....

In reply to Mazdax605: The interior is gray, so the maroon seats might look strange, but they might look good in my Trans Am! I'll let you know.

I've looked at lots of Neon seats, but all the ones I've seen have crazy 1990's econobox seat upholstery. They would look very out of place.

look at the 2000 up neons. much more pleasant upholstery patterns, and much better seats. thats why i put 01 seats in my 97/

Dusterbd13 wrote: look at the 2000 up neons. much more pleasant upholstery patterns, and much better seats. thats why i put 01 seats in my 97/

I'll keep an eye out for those. I do want something that has decent bolsters though. I remember my friend's 2000 Neon having squishy but kinda flat seats. I'll have to sit in another set next time I go to the junkyard.

Tony, you need a set of Recaro Fishenet seats.

Nice work, the work on the floor pan looks great. And Im glad to hear that adding electricity didnt displace any of the magic smoke contained in the harness. Keep it up!

SilverFleet wrote:

Dusterbd13 wrote: look at the 2000 up neons. much more pleasant upholstery patterns, and much better seats. thats why i put 01 seats in my 97/

I'll keep an eye out for those. I do want something that has decent bolsters though. I remember my friend's 2000 Neon having squishy but kinda flat seats. I'll have to sit in another set next time I go to the junkyard.

SRT4 viper-inspired seats are pretty well bolstered.

SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote: Tony, you need a set of Recaro Fishenet seats.

I need those in EVERYTHING. I want them in the Trans Am AND the CSX. Love those seats. FYI... You could get them from the factory in the 1981 Trans Am.

SRT4 seats are nice, but they are usually not Challenge budget friendly and I have a hard time squeezing my fat rump in them. If I found a set cheap enough, I'd lose some weight.

I'm definitely enjoying seeing this come back to life. Holy rust repair!

Harvey wrote: I'm definitely enjoying seeing this come back to life. Holy rust repair!

Thanks!

And yeah, I still can't believe how rusty this car is. I still have a lot of work to do in that department. It's a piece of history, and I'm glad to save it.