The new Thunderbird.

[torquelover]

The whole long bed thing is a little goofy to me; I don't know how good that would look. Also, I'm not a fan of the extra cab, but I can see the value in your circumstance.

If I ever buy another truck, it's going to be a long-bed 4X4 unless it's a Lightning. I even built my garage longer in anticipation of this. There is no reason for me to buy a 2WD short bed. It's 100% wrong for my needs.

[Archangel]

If I ever buy another truck, it's going to be a long-bed 4X4 unless it's a Lightning. I even built my garage longer in anticipation of this. There is no reason for me to buy a 2WD short bed. It's 100% wrong for my needs.

Oh yeah, long is good, but did you make it also taller? I barely fit my old 4x4 under the carport and it only had 4" lift, not jack yours up good and throw some overcab lights on it, and you may just have to invest in a York compressor kit for inflating your tires after you roll the beast out that garage :p

[P72Ford]

If I ever buy another truck, it's going to be a long-bed 4X4 unless it's a Lightning. I even built my garage longer in anticipation of this. There is no reason for me to buy a 2WD short bed. It's 100% wrong for my needs.

I understand that. But, for me, I'd rather have a hot rod pick-up truck (reg. cab short bed). Besides, my family doesn't use pick-up trucks; we use REAL trucks...

[packman]

Here's a link to the January 2002 Hot Rod Magazine issue that featured some nice Thunderbird projects. Though they are all 4.6L 4V engines. I don't know how to get the articles in detail, however, I do have the physical articles. If there were a way to scan them and post them I'd do it, if you're interested.

http://www.hotrod.com/thehistoryof/j...nts/index.html


Packman

[torquelover]

Oh yeah, long is good, but did you make it also taller? I barely fit my old 4x4 under the carport and it only had 4" lift, not jack yours up good and throw some overcab lights on it, and you may just have to invest in a York compressor kit for inflating your tires after you roll the beast out that garage :p

Yes, I did anticipate this. I learned the hard way. After coming home with my Suburban from the tire shop, I proceeded to tear off my roof rack, rip off the garage door, and crack my windshield after coming home and forgetting the new tires were almost 4" taller. I came in a little too hot, as any high schooler would. My Mom evened the score several years later after totaling my Mustang after I was almost done restoring it

So, among other things, I have a 10' ceiling in my garage, with a 7' high door. The rough opening is actually set up to accept an 8' door later on if needed. The concrete is also 6" thick as opposed to the 3" to 4" thickness on the standard garages here. Too bad the toys I am looking at require almost a 12' high opening

[1987cp]

Too bad the toys I am looking at require almost a 12' high opening

A fifth wheel?

[Archangel]

So, among other things, I have a 10' ceiling in my garage, with a 7' high door. The rough opening is actually set up to accept an 8' door later on if needed. The concrete is also 6" thick as opposed to the 3" to 4" thickness on the standard garages here. Too bad the toys I am looking at require almost a 12' high opening

7ft door ain't gonna cut it - my old 4x4 cleared the carport top beam by just a few inches, and that thing is 7.5ft off the ground, so anything like mine won't clear your door. I had 35" tires and 4" lift, but keep in mind my cab was a bit lower than most newer trucks...

[torquelover]

A fifth wheel?

Who?

7ft door ain't gonna cut it - my old 4x4 cleared the carport top beam by just a few inches, and that thing is 7.5ft off the ground, so anything like mine won't clear your door. I had 35" tires and 4" lift, but keep in mind my cab was a bit lower than most newer trucks...

If needed, out goes the 7' door, some OSB, and a glue-lam. Then in goes an 8' door. The garage was set up this way to avoid having to do major work to move a structural header.Problem is, 8' is kinda short, so the extra effort may not be beneficial.

[Pirate]

Update: My son turned 17 today. As a gift to him, I offered up the keys to both the T-bird, and the 1989 Astro Van RS that I got from my uncle, to let him choose.

He picked the van, as he will be able to haul his Tri-Z 250 three-wheeler around in the back of it, without needing a trailer, and it gets pretty good gas mileage in the process....not to mention, it looks pretty cool, also.

As a result, the T-bird is mine to do with, whatever I want to do with it. I also have a revised mods list, but first I have a list of things that need to be addressed:

1. rolling stock: The tires are in horrible shape, and I don't want to buy new tires for the 16" wheels that are on it. I might consider a set of 94-95 SC wheels, or the 16" 96-97 T-bird sport wheels (same wheels), but that would be all.

My thoughts for options:

2003-2004 chrome-plated Cobra wheels with T-bird bolt pattern, 17x9 with 255/45 17 BFG's

The Saleen Speedline copies, silver, 18x9 with 255/45 18 BFG's

Ebay set , there are three choices:
A. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...222935151&rd=1
B. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/18-In...6137QQtcZphoto
C. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/18-In...7275QQtcZphoto

I am going to run a poll in OTB on which choice....



2. Exhaust: I am convinced that the front two cats are plugged....any hard acceleration rewards the driver with a load of convertor stink into the car, and it's cutting out just a wee bit. Since I am moving to an area that doesn't require smog testing...the stock exhaust may 'fall off' of the car, and be replaced with something that works a lot better. To be in place for future mods, I am contemplating running dual 2 1/2" exhaust on the car, with a Magnaflow 2-into-2 resonator and mufflers, as I kind of want the car to sound like an actual 5-liter car, not the Camaro-style single-pipe drone it has right now. The 2 1/2" pipe is obviously overkill for the car right now, but it won't be later on, especially with either of the two engines I am wanting to build for the car.


3. Seats: I am going to be ditching the front seats for a Flo-fit set, or something similar. Not s super-pressing issue, but one I want to address.


4. Here's a stickler: I have located a 70K 1995 SC 5-speed transmission for the car. The 1994-1995 5-speeds are superior to the 1989-1993 5-speeds, as the first two gears with the earlier trannies are too widely-spaced, ratio-wise, for the 5.0 motor. In addition, I don't want a drastic rpm-drop between gears, the old Mustang SROD-4-speed is still fresh on my mind, and that transmission is an acceleration disaster (there is almost a 2000-rpm drop between 2nd and 3rd gear). I haven't bought it yet, but it is seriously on my mind. I would have to buy the clutch pedal quadrant and related hardware, but I would at least have the flywheel and tranny, the two hard parts to find, and I would have the tranny rebuilt and updated by a friend of mine before I install it.
Row, row, row your boat....

With the original mods...those are still there. Either a 5.8 long-rod engine, or a stroker 5.0, so the accessories would bolt right on.

More later.

[1987cp]

Eh, in a nutsheel the eBay wheels all suck. Though if you must go that route, please-please-please get the silver ones instead of jumping on the ghey-wagen with those hideous and homosexual black centers.


Example: Note quite Ghey.

[Mr. Land Yacht]

pretty shocking choice really..if I was 17 and was offered those 2 cars...T-bird for sure.

[Pirate]

Well, after the Boyd's Wheel disaster...I found a set of 95 SC wheels today, and put them on the car. The Boyd's junkers are going right back on craigslist, and some other idiot will be cursed with them.

The rolling stock now? I am buying a set of 235/60HR 16 tires for it, to get a 27" tall tire on there to slow the speedo down a bit, as with the original tires and 3.73 gears, it was running a little too fast. Next on the mod sheet is Eibach springs and KYB shocks, along with MK8 front disc brakes, coupled with some new lower strut rod bushings up front.....there is also some exhaust work that might be done before I leave Portland. After the springs and new tires are installed, I will snap some pics.

[torquelover]

I have always been fond of these Cobra wheels:

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b6...bird/Bird2.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b6...d/DSCF0056.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b6.../Frontpage.jpg

They look good on a Thunderchicken, and would look great on the POS, too. Are you going with regular strut-rod bushings or poly-graphite/urethane bushings?

[Pirate]

I
They look good on a Thunderchicken, and would look great on the POS,
too.

Are you going with regular strut-rod bushings or poly-graphite/urethane bushings?

The Cobra wheels require Mustang hubs up front, and redrilling the hubs and rotors on the rear to make them fit. I have access to a set with new tires on them for $300...however, they are too short for these wheel wells, with the existing 245/45 ZR 17 Yoko tires that are on those wheels now.

At this point? I am incredibly happy with the SC wheels I bought for it. I didn't think that they would make that big of a difference...but they are perfect. They were in excellent shape, easy to clean...and they install perfectly. I have a new set of centercaps coming, and will be ordering new 235/60HR 16 tires for it, to get the tire height to 27", hopefully slowing down the speedo, as it's about 5-8 mph fast at 65 mph right now...later on, I may get the rear's widened to 8" or 9", but for now...I'm really happy with the way it turned out.

Strut rod bushings? Hell, I don't know which ones work best for the car. I know that the harder ones for the Exploders don't work that great...and have heard similar things about the harder T-bird units..

[Lincolnmania]

dont need the mk8brakes mang.......get a pr of loaded calipers with brackets for a 99-04 mustang