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Reaper's Makeover


Stang_Girl

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This was written by SVOC on another forum, but thought I'd copy it over here so ya'll can see what's going on with my car. :D

 

Well I should probably let Lori write this but I'll just go head and get this started.

 

A couple of years ago I got her 04 GT a Cobra R bumper cover since she fell in love with my buddy's real Cobra R, well after having it on the car for several months, she was on her way to work one day when an 80lbs dog ran out in front of her while she was going 60mph.

 

Unable to stop, let alone hit the brake before terminally impacting the critter, it completely vaporized the whole front of the car, bumper cover, header panel, head lights, and driver's side inner splash shield.

 

Devastated, she drove right back home from up the street where she had hit the dog, tears streaming from her eyes, to show me the damage and to make sure it was still ok to drive the car to work.

 

So I looked it over, and gave her the ok to drive her car to work, I promptly called Latemodel Restoration supply and drove up there to pick up a stock GT front bumper cover, head lamps, and header panel.

 

Of course this isn't really what she wanted, but it would make it legal to drive on the street again.

 

Well Lori was very diligent, and saved her pennies, and after saving for almost two years was able to afford the better quality Cervini's Cobra R bumper cover from your friend Karson @ Latemodel Restoration Supply, rather than the cheaper one like what was on there, this also matched her Cervini's Stalker hood she had installed on her GT.

 

So with the parts gathered up we set out to take her car to the paint guy we have used for years, to make this short, after having the car there for almost two months, and it taken apart he got himself in a bind with bill collectors and called everyone with vehicles at his shop to come pick them up :mad:

 

Well she called in tears to tell me this, and luckily I just happen to have the Diesel and trailer already hooked up to bring Patches the Turbo Coupe home, so I went there and picked up the car, and most of the parts I could find, and drug it back home and proceeded to take it to another person to have it done, already being out of the monies I had paid to have this done, I had to pay out again for the materials, and labor to have this thing painted.

 

Just because this story is still not finished, and still goes on forever it seems, I'm just going to throw up the pictures, and we'll carry on from there, needless to say, still months away from when all this started it now resided here at my shop waiting to be finished, there is still more painting that needs to be done, color sanding, and buffing, and then accent painting.

 

Plus I have an SSBC Big Bite brake kit to put on, and Cobra IRS to install and as it stands it's a wing delete, but very well can see either an 03'-04' Cobra "duck tail" spoiler or an actual 00' R model spoiler, probably the latter of the two, plus 9" and 10.5" black FR500 wheels.

 

You all have no idea how much stress getting this done has put on us. I would have done this myself except I haven't laid paint since Emeron was the best stuff on the planet, and even then I prefer laying lacquer paint anyways.

 

The first two pictures are the transformation she's done since she has owned this car since new.

 

I do want to thank friends and clients that have loaned Lori vehicles since all this has been going on ( Greg and his 04' Red Fire Mustang GT, and Rick's red GT500 convertible ), but Lori still just wants her baby back!!!

 

And here is my input....For those who don't know my car's history, here is the lowdown.

 

I bought Reaper, brand new, from the local Ford Dealer, in November of 2003. He was the first 2004 40th anniversary car they had on the lot. My only requirements were standard, V-8, and black. I say that he was meant to be mine because there he sat just waiting for me to take him home. He had 7 miles on the odometer.

 

First mods that I did to the car was Eibach Pro-kit lowering springs. Second mod, shortly after, was SLP Loudmouth II catback exhaust.

 

After being hit with siding, from a mobile home getting transported, I worked out a deal with the body shop for the repairs and the Stalker hood that they had, already painted. Shortly after this was the Mach I grille delete and Mach I chin spoiler. The car sat like this (as in the first picture in this thread) for about 3 years. I was happy until the mod bug hit again.

 

As Jeff said, we found the Cobra R bumper, here in Bastrop, for sale for $40 and already painted black!!! Deal we couldn't refuse. I ordered my fog lights and was getting ready to start working on the car again....until the dog. Yes, I feel bad about the dog, but then again, I have been out a lot of money and heartache. There were no tags on the dog or I would've been after the owner for all of this. Anyhoo, what Jeff did forgot is that I actually went to driving his Mark VIII for awhile until we got the stock GT bumper on it. It was primer black and I didn't paint it because it was temporary.

 

It was 2 years, in October of 2009, since the dog hit me. I have saved diligently and bided my time until this moment. Other performance parts that I have picked up the last two years are ACCELL coil packs, brake cooling ducts, upgraded Cobra clutch, and my fog lights are still sitting waiting to go in. Jeff has picked me up an IRS and new SLP Loudmouth II to go with the IRS along with the wheels and tires will be the next big purchases for the car.

 

Also, so you know the plan, the hood scoops, side scoops, rocker panels, area around the license plate, bottom of the back bumper, and the splitter will all be painted satin black.

 

I also got news that Reaper will be getting the Griggs Super Street Racing suspension thanks to Ryckman Motorsports. Reaper is going to be the new demo car! :D

 

And just to let you know, this is no weekend driver or trailer queen. This car is my daily driver and I love to drive him. He now has over 175k miles on him and he is my pride and joy! I can't wait to get him back....

 

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Well, 12/18 was my birthday. Jeff and I usually don't get each other presents but a friend let it slip that Jeff had gotten me a present this year. So, as soon as he came home, I started bugging him about my present. He had the internet up on his work laptop in the living room and showed something to my best friend, Laura (Slick). She got this look on her face but Jeff wouldn't show me. So we had to play "Rock, Paper, Scissors" and if I won 2 out of 3, then I got to see. Well, I won and Jeff showed me the picture. Took me a second but Jeff laughs that if I hadn't been wearing my glasses, my eyeballs would've landed on the floor. :lol:

 

Jeff got me new FR-500 black wheels with 275-40-17's on 9" rims on the front and 315-40-17's on 10.5" rims on the back. So, what do you think?

 

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Well, today I got my new 40th anniversary badges and tomorrow, Karson at LRS will be getting a call to order my hood shocks so I don't have to use the ugly prop bar anymore.

 

Here are some more updated pics....

 

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Took a hit and run trip to Houston yesterday, Lori's Mach 460 head unit (audio), has been having issue's like when you try to lower the volume or even look at the volume knob, it will go to full volume causing your ears to bleed.

 

And it will randomly read or not read the CD's in the changer.

 

So a guy in Houston had a brand new pull out from his Mach1 and wanted Lori's old rear deck lid wing, so we struck a deal to trade one for the other which worked out great.

 

AND, while we were down there I also worked it to where we went and a friend and I tuned and flashed the PCM, while looking at the files it's obvious why this thing can run on any fuel under the sun including dog pee if so desired.

 

After making some value file changes several times and running it, this car is now a completely different beast, with still that same driveability as before, but with a huge gain in the grunt department, enough so that it will still turn the 315's going into third gear :shift: with 3.27 rear gears.

 

 

And there are still a few goodies that have yet to come about, Lori has been stock piling parts in a box to install along with some aluminum bits to free up some of the rev's, like a Cobra R flywheel and drive shaft, with 3.73 gears to be installed, along with some more motor mods too.

 

And still waiting for some stuff to show up UPS that haven't arrived.

 

 

 

Jeff

 

 

 

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3 hours later, and someone is still in the garage, I even made a sandwich for her:

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SVOC went to Latemodel Restoration yesterday and picked up my Cobra R wing and a new diff cover! :happy feet: Still need to get the wing painted and the pics aren't that hot but you get the idea....and yes, the wing is functional and since Reaper will be seeing open road racing, I'll need it.

 

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More goodies are coming but Jeff won't tell me what they are. :drool:

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SVOC went to Latemodel Restoration yesterday and picked up my Cobra R wing and a new diff cover! :happy feet: Still need to get the wing painted and the pics aren't that hot but you get the idea....and yes, the wing is functional and since Reaper will be seeing open road racing, I'll need it.

 

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More goodies are coming but Jeff won't tell me what they are. :drool:

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  • 4 weeks later...

Well unfortunately the bumper cover was improperly prepped so just after a few weeks of driving, even the lightest thing that touches it chips the paint, and a few areas are lifting, so when the wing gets painted the bumper cover goes back for a repaint too :(

 

And I still need to sit down and paint the scoop inserts also, along with doing some more swirl remover, Grrrr black is a PITA!

 

However, after 3.5 hours of cleaning yesterday, Jeff took him out to get some new pics made. He's dirty again but that is normal for having a black car.

 

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:idea: Ummm... I think I know someone who really like their car.

 

Looks great Lori!

 

 

 

Now that's an understatement of the year right there :rolleyes:

 

And she even has more doodads to put on also, complete SSBC Big Bite Brake Kit, rotors and pads:

 

 

Izod brakes

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