The new Thunderbird.

[1987cp]

Well, the blower idea is kaput, after preliminary measurements are showing that it will stick out at least 9-11 inches above the surface of a cowl hood, probably closer to 12-15 inches after I put an air filter on it....back to the long rod motor.

You are now being returned to your regularly scheduled Panther Programming...

Nah, you're just not getting creative enough .... make yourself a custom intake that sits the blower down lower, and put the carb off to one side!

[Pirate]

Nah, you're just not getting creative enough .... make yourself a custom intake that sits the blower down lower, and put the carb off to one side!

No need.....I just found a built 393 stroker short block locally...and that will do nicely, methinks.

[Pirate]

CRAP.

The '393' deal was only for a block and pistons...and nobody has gotten long-tube headers to work with a 351W, without going custom-made...I'm going to can the 351W swap idea for a while, and am going to modify the existing motor a bit, while I gather parts for a better engine. In addition, I also want to put a 5-speed in this car eventually, as I want a fun driver, something I could drive cross-country in if I wanted to. To that end, since the 393 is a bit of a nightmare to install, I am going to revise the original plan to building a long-rod 302 in place of the 351W. Everything is available off of the shelf, and the 302 version uses a 5.565" Chevy 400 rod in place of the Ford 5.09" connecting rod. The only drawback is pistons, as the existing KB piston is only a 9.5:1 piston with 58 CC heads, and I want 11:1 (using aluminum heads, still allows for 91-octane with the long-rod setup), so custom pistons will have to be used. Wiseco makes a forged flat-top already for this combo, and when I last contacted them about this piston, they stated it could be done for $100 extra over their regular long-rod offering. Going forged also allows for nitrous....

Yes, I have changed the combo 1000 times...but the changes were pursued due to screaming deals that popped up....or supposedly were 'screaming' deals, and then turned out to be turds.

For now, while I put the package together, I am putting a slightly modified and freshened 1992 T-Bird AOD into the car, with a TransGo AOD SK shift kit, along with a 4R70W intermediate pressure plate and 4 friction discs, new seals throughout, and new direct-clutch clutches and steels (Red Eagle frictions and Kolene steels). I would work on the existing AOD in the car, but it's a turd, and the SC tranny has better internals than the stock 5.0 AOD.

In addition, I am putting MAC long-tube 5.0 headers on the car, ditching the stock shorty turds, putting in the freshened Exploder injectors I got from Scott (cleaned and flow-tested now), and possibly tossing an Explorer intake on it along with a 94-95 intake elbow, and new TB....and drive it this way for a while, until I get the new engine built, and 5-speed parts procured. I'm also redoing the front end as we speak, along with adding the Mk8 spindles. Hell, if I like the way the car drives after the work is done, I may leave it with the AOD in it, and just build a motor for it later.

I have a shopping trip to Portland planned, that will net new super coupe rocker panels, and a Xenon front air dam extension, along with some other goodies...so I am definitely sticking with the '92 front clip. I still haven't decided on what wheels to use, but if I am adding SC body parts to the car, it will change what I put on it, as something stock-themed won't work with the body mods.

More later.

[Pirate]

Suspension upgrades: I now have every piece to update the front suspension. It's an odd mix, but at least it's all new....
1. Ford strut rod bushings, front and rear
2. Moog lower control arms
3. Moog upper control arms
4. rack and pinion still works great, so I am leaving it alone
5. KYB struts (thanks, Scott)
6. Eibach 1.5" drop springs (front and rear)
7. Lincoln Mk 8 spindles, with 11.5" brakes
8. polyurethane sway bar bushings


As soon as I get a spot in the garage cleared out, work begins. I'm still scouring Ebay for a possible 94-95 cobra intake manifold and TB, and long-tube headers to install while I am working on the front of the car. The car went to a local body shop for the final paintjob quote (I was finalizing the body setup, I'm going with all 96'-97' front clip parts), which will also repair the mirror hit and flaking paint on the rear bumper cover. However, the car won't go into the body shop until all of my mechanical stuff is fixed.

[1987cp]

!!!!

[Pirate]

!!!!

I'll take some tomorrow, geeze.

There is honestly not too much to take pictures of, other than parts and the car itself.

[87gtVIC]

I'll take some tomorrow, geeze.

There is honestly not too much to take pictures of, other than parts and the car itself.

well what else does one take pictures of.:p

[Pirate]

For those of you who might have been interested....I've done absolutely nothing to the car, as I have been gone to Portland for the entire week. I did finally pick up the cleaned Exploder injectors I got from Scott, after plunking down $188 to get the cleaned up, flow-tested, along with new pintle caps, screens, and o-rings. I have to get the damn injectors into the car immediately, as the lubricating oil he ran through after the clean-up will gum up the injectors unless I get them installed and ran within the next week. I also picked up replacement disk-brake brackets wednesday, as I accidentally broke both of them when I attempted to install the crap Boyd's wheels....

I still can't decide whether or not to go with a newer front clip on the car, as I am running out of reasons to update it. I do have to get new front fenders on the car, as there are two coats of paint on them now, and it will be cheaper for new fenders than to have someone sand all of the paint off, and repair the small dent on the driver's side fender. I'm going back to Portland tomorrow morning, where there's a 30%-off sale at a local chain of wrecking yards, I may just pull a bumper cover and support off of a '95 T-bird SC I spotted at one yard, and pull the hood and header panel off of the 1997 sitting next to it. Otherwise, I will just re-use the existing 1992 bumper cover, and add the Xenon air dam, along with a cowl hood. I will have the nose issue decided tomorrow, when I finally get to look at the Xenon air dam for the 1992 nose.

[Pirate]

Xenon air dam purchased, and I will have mock-up pics tomorrow or Wednesday.

[Pirate]

Yay, pics!



This is with the Xenon air dam loosely in place....these were taken Tuesday.









...and that's all for now. I currently have the driver's door mirror off of the car, awaiting a replacement...but I'm not sure I will be driving it until I get it painted, so I may leave the mirror off for now, as I have two new outside mirrors coming from Ebay.

I just snagged a set of 1991 T-bird SC black leather seats for an upgrade, as they came out of a low-mile car, and the new rear seat back is a 60/40 split only available in the SC's...

The gold van is my wife's Honda, and that 4-wheeler back there is my toy...the 2002 Honda 400EX.

[packman]

That T-Bird looks great Pirate. What color are ya gonna paint it? I thought you were getting '95 Cobra R wheels for that car? Perhaps I missed sumtin.



Packman

[Pirate]

That T-Bird looks great Pirate. What color are ya gonna paint it? I thought you were getting '95 Cobra R wheels for that car? Perhaps I missed sumtin.



Packman

It's going to be exactly the same color....and so far as wheels are concerned, I'm snagging a set of 18" Saleen Speedline replica wheels for it as soon as I find a decently-priced set.

[packman]

Oh.............!!!!!! Probably end up being the first non-Panther of the Month when it is all said and done.



Packman

[thunderbirdlver]

awesome bird man!

[P72Ford]

The wheels are an improvement, Larry. The front lip thing there is ok; you aren't going to put a complete ground effects kit on this, are you? Take those vent shade things off too (convenient, but hideous). Still planning a hood?