Project Commuter

The original Project Commuter car was also the original 1987 Project LX Sedan. My goal for it was to make it the “ultimate” commuter car. After installing a 347 in it, that goal was pushed aside for a new one: creating a performance car I could drive on the street and race at the track. At that point, Project Commuter became Project LX.

I revisited the Project Commuter concept in September of 2006 when I purchased another ’87 Sedan, this time a Light Grey version with 14,608 original miles, a bone-stock 5.0 HO motor, five-speed manual transmission and a 3.08:1 Traction-Lok rear end. It’s only problem was a major one, severe rust that damaged quite a few components beyond repair and left the body in bad enough condition that it needed immediate attention before it deteriorated any further and became un-savable without major surgery.

After a two-hiatus from the ’87 Sedan that I spent trying to get the Project LX ’93 Mustang on the road in its place – because I thought it would be an easier, cheaper Project Commuter daily driver (see Chapters 5-10) – the Light Grey Sedan is back.

My goals for Project Commuter are to have a reliable daily driver that has the ability to hit the track on occasion and take me on road trips whenever I have the urge. It will start stock, but I’d like to make some performance upgrades in the future as long as they don’t impact mileage, drivability and reliability. I might even consider restoring it when the powertrain and chassis give up the ghost.

I’ve included the four original chapters to catch you up to speed on where this car has been. Read up and I’ll start fresh in Chapter 11!

To see the plan for each stage of the project, click the Stage link below. To get the details of each step in the project, click on the Chapter links. Check back here for updates to Project Commuter!

Stage 1

Chapter 1

Going the Distance

A journey of 3,287 miles begins with a $1,170 payment to the auto shipper.

Chapter 2

Preparing for Surgery

In my dreams, the doctor says to me, “Mr. King, we have some bad news.”

Chapter 3

False Start

Over the course of my life, research has gone from something I despise to something I prefer not to do without.

Chapter 4

Interior Removal

Projects of this size add extra dimensions to every part of the process...like removing the interior.

Chapter 5

Rebooting

Project Commuter got the blue screen of death.

Chapter 6

Tearing into the Interior

I’d like to point out that when I used the phrase “easy fixin’” in Chapter 5, I was using it in relation to the ’87 Sedan.

Chapter 7

Dances with Powertrains

There is one aspect I really like about pulling the powertrain in ’79-’93 Mustangs, you don’t have to remove the hood.

Chapter 8

Down the Rabbit Hole

It’s amazing how quickly one thing can lead to another in a car project…kinda like collecting injuries as you fall down stairs until you are at the bottom, in a broken, agonized mess – and it seems it can happen just about as fast.

Chapter 9

Beating a Dead Horse

Philosophically speaking, in a project as long and drawn out as building a car, the process can seem like beating a dead horse.