New acquisition.

[blueboss]

I'm picking up a graduation present for my eldest son today. Found an 88 LX 5.0 5spd hatch missing a trans for a good price. 150k miles and surprisingly original. To the point that it still has the original rubber moisture boot over the distributor and that iron monstrosity hanging off the rear diff. It's not pretty, but it'll work. He's always wanted a 5.0 over the SVO anyway so I figured why fight it. I'll post up picks later this afternoon.

[etc1006]

Great project. Who stole the trans?

[blueboss]

Apparently, +/- 5 years ago, the son removed the trans to have it worked on. Shortly after, the business, the business owner and the trans disappeared rather suddenly. The missing trans is the least of my issues. I get to replace front frame rails and rebuild shock towers! The joys of living in Ohio.

This is the drivers side looking in from the wheel.
http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/7899/dscf0429v.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/535/dscf0429v.jpg/)

This is the passenger side looking in from the engine compartment.
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/9601/dscf0428h.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/402/dscf0428h.jpg/)

The last two are the passenger side looking in from the outside. I'm all for lightening up the car to improve weight distribution but I think this is the wrong way to go about it.
http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/823/dscf0430f.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/855/dscf0430f.jpg/)

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/5191/dscf0431kd.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/19/dscf0431kd.jpg/)

On a positive note, new frame rails will soon (within a couple of weeks) be available as a complete kit (both sides) from LRS. NPD has several NOS drivers side complete frame/tower/apron sections but not the passenger side. I found a recycler on ebay that sells complete frame/tower/apron assemblies but shipping is pricey. Project sounds daunting but it's really not that bad. Looks like I've got my work "cut out" for me. See what I did there?

[MikeFleming]

You get to brush up on welding sheet metal!

[etc1006]

Wow, talk about Swiss cheese. I know about the Ohio cars too. Had a Probe GT from Ohio when I lived in WV that the floor/frame rail started to push up under the drivers side foot well when I jacked it up to replace the slave cylinder....