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Topics - blain_gatterdam

2
Body/Appearance/Interior / Tail light restoration
once upon a time... I saw a thread on here for breaking down the rear tail lights without killing them. Outside of heating them up in the oven, I would like any tips on being successful with the project.

I am polishing the lens on both sides, and filling/smoothing/painting the plastic housing gloss black. I would like to repaint behind the plastic where black once was before if flaked out/ washed out.

So... the search bar did not work... tbird gods, givith a link!

haha thanks guys
3
Lounge / 88 tbird mirrors on 91 mustang
They look similar, and the mustang ones are entirely too small. I have a spare set in the attic I was think of bolting on (no electrical, just manual adjust)

So I ask the tbird gods, will this work?

:P
4
User Rides / 88 Tbird LX Restoration
I've noticed I have started a ton of threads relating to restoring my car. I figure it would be easier to just keep it all in one place.

Anywho, my 5.0 has  near 300k miles on it, still runs, and until I started doing the 5 lug swap it could have drove daily. We put a monster motorsports 550hp AOD in it back in 2007 in prep for the motor I wanted to have. Also in 2008 my father and I put BBK 1 5/8th shorties with a catless H pipe and a catback kit for a mustang. Recently I put in my 8.8 Disc rear from a 98 GT, so I pretty much have my bases covered in the durability sector for my sunday hot rod.

After I put my new spindles on and get my brakes sealed up (or mostly there) I would like to pull the motor to be worked on this winter. I'm not sure exactly what I want in it, or how to do it. I have a ton of mechanic friends (one is my roomate) So other than machining we can do most of it at my house.

I am ROUGHLY... very roughly going to draw a list of what I think I would need, and would like to get your inputs and opinions.

Money is obviously a factor, however... this car will not leave the family so I want it to be durable and last.

Engine block, bored and cleaned, 306ci? Black gloss paint and polished aluminum is all you will see in my engine bay.

Forged internals (will be kenne bell supercharged down the road) Goal is 450-500 at the wheels, or whatever I can get without going past my 550hp limit on the transmission. Streetable.

Heads- is E7 still the way to go? I know new heads arent cheap, but I want something super peppy off the line if it requires getting new ones.

-Exhaust is covered, 2.5 in out the back should hopefully be enough for 400+hp.

-intake- For now I will find an explorer or a cobra intake as a placeholder for the supercharger.

-obviously a new computer

Like I said, I'm not an engine guy, but I know the 5.0's potential. If I can get a general list made here by you guys, then it will hopefully aid me in building what I want.

Until next time
5
Events & Shows / Swap meets in columbus oh
Is anyone going to check out the swap at ross county fairgrounds this weekend?

How about the all ford swap the weekend after thanksgiving?

Hopefully I can locate my spindles :)
6
Lounge / I drove a 4 banger mustang
It was a freshly rebuilt 2.3 by my girlfriends grandpa. He was unsure about letting her use a turbo so he left it n/a until she gets used to it.

I have to ask though, does the turbo REAAALLY wake these motors up that much? I was very surprised by the lack of "giddy up and go" it had compared to say, a stock turbocoupe.

Its been bugging me, I think my 4.0 explorer would eat it alive from a stop lol. I think it would be a fair race between it and my 33 foot winnebago, lets put it that way.
7
Lounge / shopping blues in an attempt to find another bird
I love driving my tbird, but with the sentimental value and the work going into it, I find it hard to justify driving it more than on nice days.

I have been searching for months for basically a clone 88 merc or bird with the five-slow that peaked me 26mpg once on a 400 mile trip. Seems like either they are built up, and the owner wants too much, or they are too far gone, and would need more to maintain than it would take to restore mine.

Seems my next best bet would be a 97-98 mark. I have a reliable explorer that has never failed me, but I would much prefer an auto over my manual with as much traffic as I sit in during my commute to work. If you guys were in the market for a luxury coupe, what would you be test driving?
9
Suspension/Steering / Ordering My brake stuff
Ok, here goes my list for the parts store, late model resto, and jegs.

-----Advance auto-------
2004 Mustang Cobra
-Front Discs (vented, not drilled slotted)
-Pads
-Calipers (painting gunmetal to match the rear)

1998 Mustang GT
-Rear calipers
-Pads
-Brake booster

-----Late Model Resto-----
1993 Cobra
-Master Cylinder ($89 bucks with resivour.... wow!)

-----Ebay-----
-1995 Mustang Spindles

-----Jegs-----

-20' stainless tubing (maybe X2 to repair my fuel lines also.


Let me know if any of this isnt going to work. I read to get a 95 booster but all years pull up the same part number. Trying to keep the years together so I can remember easily most of it is '98
10
Drivetrain Tech / I am just confused on the front brakes
Due to an overwhelming amount of info on this site, I am confused about the front brakes. I am set on the 94-95 spindles to keep the width where it is at. I would like to use large 99-up brakes however. I thought about cobra brakes, but thats too much moolah for a casual sunday driver. Even for show, my cobras wont really reveal enough to justify the cost. I understand there is a way to adapt 99-up to the 95 spindles by grinding something? I'd like to have set in my head what I want so I can just buy with confidence.
11
Drivetrain Tech / sn-95 1998 GT 8.8 axle
Is on craigslist close to where I live, guy wants $150 firm but I dont know if it will be the same width as the new front end when I'm done?

I used to know all of this by heart but after neglecting the bird and working on my van, camaro, explorer, rv, etc... I've gotten jumbled with my compatible axles.

There used to be a great list floating around here on the various alxe sizes, but the only one I can find is incomplete. So sorry for asking what I even feel is a dumb question but I just want to figure out/ set sights on what axle I need to jump on.

-Blain

p.s I posted in the wanted section for 1/4 panel metal!
12
T-Bird/Cougar Parts & Cars WANTED / Wheel well sheet metal
I need the arch for the driver side rear tire, maybe 8 inches up to repair rust. Shipping to 43223. I am going to hit up more junkyards but I never seem to find one that wasnt hit/ forklifted in the yard.

1987-88 tbird
13
Suspension/Steering / I finally found my cobra wheels!
In the depths of hocking ohio, I ventured hours into nothing-ness in pursuit of a craigslist ad containing 1994 cobra wheels. The gentleman has them listed for $300 obo, they were in great shape, had the center caps, and decent tires on them. I loaded them up for $250 and now it looks like my 5 lug swap is starting!

I'm stoked. Pix following...
15
Lounge / finally learning/painting my first car!
My workplace has a wheelchair van that was in dire need of rust repair and paint. Bodyshops around town wanted $4-7k to cut, weld, replace, and renew anything on it. I made a deal with my boss, I traded the labor for the tools to do it. Turns out it really isnt as hard as I thought.

Granted, we arent talking car-show finishes. It was a hammered white enamel I laid down over hot rod black primer. I am very pleased so far with the results. I will finish it up this weekend and post some final and progress pix. Its not a fox so most probably wouldnt care, but I'm pretty proud of myself from basically learning by watching youtube videos. (and creeping on Jerry's welding pix of his cougar on facebook!)