Well just an update because I owe everyone that...
I dropped the fuel tank and anyone who knows the Mustang fuel tank, you'll remember the fuel pump is clicked/locked into a plastic housing.
Well the fuel pump housing was cracked apart, half of it was floating in the tank, the fuel pump was literally floating, rather bobbing up & down as the fuel sender arm was jammed so it wasn't able to move.
So the impact cracked the plastic housing and the fuel pump was just bobbing around. Pretty neat!
So I had to order a new gas tank from Dorman, $165 free shipping!
and of course, the tank is specific for the 1998 model, and of course, there's a california version. Well all in all, all the questions have been answered!
Thank you everyone for the input!