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Topic: Chuck's '83 TBird (Read 70665 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #450
Yeah. Just one of those odd 80's redundancies. Just install the amp and such and there's no need for an ON/OFF switch. It's not like we're talking about 500W of extra power or anything...  :giggle:
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #451
Personally, I think it'd make a great idea for a kill switch for the ignition. Nobody would ever suspect it.
'84 Mustang
'98 Explorer 5.0
'03 Focus, dropped a valve seat. yay. freakin' split port engines...
'06 Explorer EB 4.6

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #452
Well, the paint is on the car.



I'm going to wet sand it here in the next day or so to get rid of the over-spray and a couple runs. Then I'll give it a quick polish pass.

The color is off, but the spot is covered and will be covered by vinyl, so I'm not stressing it. I want the car available to drive.

The 1K stuff I bought for the cage bits matched better than this 2K product did. This car doesn't sit out in the sun/weather at all, so it's not faded paint contrast, just a bad mix. It seems like good solid stuff, if I was repainting a whole panel, fender, etc though.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #453
That is very off, you wouldve been better off painting the whole roof if you werent going to cover it.
I heard silver paint is hard to get right regardless.
"Beating the hell out of other peoples cars since 1999"
1983 Ford Thunderbird Heritage
1984 Ford Mustang GT Turbo Convertible

 

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #454
That is very off, you wouldve been better off painting the whole roof if you werent going to cover it.

That may be the plan in the future when the wrap wears out.

It could've been more due to the 2K configuration vs the 1K I used on the cage bits.

The wife's Bug is on the ground and running now, so I can at least get it out of the garage for the sanding I need to do.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #455
Well, I should've just done the 1K paint on top as well.


I spent a couple hours wet sanding and polishing the roof out, and if it weren't for the poor paint match (and the evidently too heavy application by me, resulting in runs that wound up darker after I sanded) it wouldn't look too bad. There is an ever-so-slight ripple in area of the patch, but you really need to be looking hard for it. The wrap will hide the color issues and you won't be able to see the ripple.
I spent a couple hours wet sanding down to about 3000 grit and then hit it with the polisher. Got rid of all of the over-spray, and I polished the whole roof for uniformity's sake.
It is what it is for now.

I was thinking about driving it to work on Monday, so I took it for a little drive today on a couple errands. Good thing too, as the fans aren't kicking on. The wiring looks to be fine, but the relay isn't triggering.
The relay I'm using has a flyback diode in it, so I removed the original one I had in there.
I ran out of time to connect the laptop to it and make sure it's sending the trigger (It was before I did all of this work) and I probably should open up the MS unit and make sure the fan control circuitry didn't get damaged somehow.

The clutch feels fine but it is now evident that the 1st gear syncros are bad. Not a huge deal, but still annoying.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #456
The fans are fixed. The transistor in my MS fan circuit had died. Swapped that out and we're good to go.

I have the fans running on LO speed, as the 2.3 doesn't need both at full speed AND it totally pulls down the 130A alternator and bogs the engine when both run on HI.

Planning on driving it a bit tomorrow to meet up with some buddies. It will also be the first time the kiddos get to ride in it.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #457
Drive went well. Fans worked as they should and the clutch felt fine. Still have to be mindful of the 2-1 shift, but that's no biggie. I can rebuild the trans later.

As long as it dries up, I'm probably going to drive it to work tomorrow. I'll be able to test the clutch for slippage in 5th on the way there.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #458
Glad you have it back together man. I’ve been battling my Mustang for the last six months just reworking all kinds of  that have over time been neglected. Hope to get it squared up here in the next couple of weeks and then drive the brakes off it this summer as it’s getting a MSPNP over the winter.  Once I get that installed and dialed in I’m getting back on the Bird. It runs and drives but there is a list of  I want to rework as I have the time and money now.

I want at least one of them running and driving so I don’t get withdrawals.

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #459
So, I forgot to post this up when I found it a couple weeks ago, but this is the slug that put the hole in the top of the car.
NOT a handgun round...


Evidently it didn't enter the cabin, but just ricocheted out after it hit the car. I found it while I was cleaning up the spot while putting a new carport up.

I'm hoping to get with my buddy on the roof wrap before things get wintery around here. If not it'll have to wait until spring and the roads are clear of the inevitable salt coating they're sure to get.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo