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General => User Rides => Topic started by: Kristwitch on January 24, 2019, 11:17:38 PM

Title: 1985 Turbo Coupe. Bird is the word.
Post by: Kristwitch on January 24, 2019, 11:17:38 PM
Long story short I've always wanted a turbo coupe, was more partial to the 87-88 but I couldn't pass this one up. The car came with a butt load of records from 1986. Essentially the 2nd owner bought the car sometime in late 85 from the original owner who put like 20k+ miles on the car in a year. (My car is 11/84) anyways the 2nd owner owned the car from 85-2018.  Decided to sell car in March of '18. Some guy buys it and hauls it to Tucson, from what I heard he was going to part the car out and use the engine for something else.

He decided the car was too clean to do that, put the car back up for sale...my buddy that lives in Tucson happened to see it and purchase it.

Sends me a picture of it and I get all happy and ask if he wanted to sell it...he told me a price and he drove up to PHX that weekend. 

So on paper I'm TECHNICALLY the 3rd owner.
The car is extremely stock and at one point was going through a restoration, I guess life got in the way and the car was put on the back burner for a while.

Currently I'm getting little things fixed on the car and I'll start doing more mods to it. 

There were some odd gremlins with the car.....I noticed I didn't have a working E-brake that was fixed by installing the missing brake bars in the drums.
My horn didn't work, that was fixed by adding missing wiring under the horn button...wtf :hick:
The next things I want to tackle is getting the foglights working... Light on the dash switch turns on, get under the car and GUESS WHAT the lights aren't even connected, infact the harness was cut out. SOOO I guess ill be making my own harness for them soon.


Looking through my paperwork apparently the fuel pump, sending unit and filter were all replaced in march of '18, my gauge happens to work half assed and leans more to the not working side. Ill be dropping the tank soon to see what kind of dumb stuff I find, while im at it ill replace with a whinebro 255.


Oh and I did manage to pull the turbo and replace the oil feed and oil return which was purchased from stinger. While the turbo was off I added an E6 manifold and had the manifold and the exhaust housing of the turbo ceramic coated.

Here is a link to some photos
https://photos.app.goo.gl/SkBRSmQvnzpmF7Rb7
Title: 1985 Turbo Coupe. Bird is the word.
Post by: bodyman on January 25, 2019, 12:32:04 AM
Nice looking bird, 4 eyes are where it’s at. The bird is the word.
https://youtu.be/9Gc4QTqslN4
Title: 1985 Turbo Coupe. Bird is the word.
Post by: Chuck W on January 25, 2019, 07:47:07 AM
Nice-looking car. Welcome to the group.
Title: 1985 Turbo Coupe. Bird is the word.
Post by: BCA on January 25, 2019, 02:56:20 PM
Agreed, looks pretty nice.
Congrats and welcome!
Title: 1985 Turbo Coupe. Bird is the word.
Post by: Kristwitch on January 25, 2019, 04:33:29 PM
I did this a few weeks ago...either way, after I got the car running I could smell something electrical burning....turns out the stock fan controller pooped out. Took out the old fan and threw it in the trash and I wired up the spare volvo fan I had sitting around.  Perhaps my scatter brain wire schematic will make some sense too.  When I get the A/C going ill add another relay to power on the High speed side of the fan.

(https://imgur.com/R2rE62n)
(https://imgur.com/BKo13Sq)
Title: 1985 Turbo Coupe. Bird is the word.
Post by: Kristwitch on January 25, 2019, 04:35:22 PM
Quote from: Chuck W;468598
Nice-looking car. Welcome to the group.
Thanks, Also thank you for allowing your shock adapters to be free and open for others to use! I have a set coming now.

Quote from: BCA;468600
Agreed, looks pretty nice.
Congrats and welcome!

Quote from: bodyman;468597
Nice looking bird, 4 eyes are where it’s at. The bird is the word.
https://youtu.be/9Gc4QTqslN4

Thanks guys!!
Title: 1985 Turbo Coupe. Bird is the word.
Post by: softtouch on January 26, 2019, 12:10:05 AM
From the 85 EVTM:
The stock fan control module is required for the A/C compressor clutch circuit. The WOT A/C cut-out is in the module.
Also the A/C being on won't turn on the fan.
Title: 1985 Turbo Coupe. Bird is the word.
Post by: mcb82gt on January 28, 2019, 01:40:31 PM
great looking car!  I like that color combo.
Title: 1985 Turbo Coupe. Bird is the word.
Post by: Kristwitch on January 30, 2019, 01:53:22 PM
What's to come next :burnout:

(https://imgur.com/ucruXgI)



Also I have acquired the accessory brackets so I can serpentine belt swap the car and run the later compressor from a 91-93 mustang 2.3 and while I am in there ill throw a 3g alt in the car as well.
Title: 1985 Turbo Coupe. Bird is the word.
Post by: Kristwitch on February 18, 2019, 11:41:11 PM
Managed to score suspension off an sn95 Bilsteins and h&r race springs.
Gonna have to "clearance" the spindles to fit the new struts.

I'm going to at least mount the Chuck w adapters and I'll need to order the adjustable LCA so I can run the Stang rear springs.

http://imgur.com/a/EGOsYbd
Title: 1985 Turbo Coupe. Bird is the word.
Post by: Chuck W on February 19, 2019, 12:37:31 AM
Good score.

At this point, it may be worth hunting down some 11" front brakes/spindles from an 87-93 Mustang or 87-88 TC.

Less hassle than machining down the spindles, and you get some larger brakes.
Title: 1985 Turbo Coupe. Bird is the word.
Post by: Kristwitch on February 19, 2019, 04:52:07 PM
Quote from: Chuck W;468869
Good score.

At this point, it may be worth hunting down some 11" front brakes/spindles from an 87-93 Mustang or 87-88 TC.

Less hassle than machining down the spindles, and you get some larger brakes.

I believe what I am going to do...rather what I am going to do is get sn95 spindles as ill be swapping to 5 lug on this car soon. Currently on the lookout for an sn95 axle too
Title: 1985 Turbo Coupe. Bird is the word.
Post by: Chuck W on February 19, 2019, 09:45:05 PM
Quote from: Kristwitch;468884
I believe what I am going to do...rather what I am going to do is get sn95 spindles as ill be swapping to 5 lug on this car soon. Currently on the lookout for an sn95 axle too

Much better option, really. Even if you just do the dual-piston 11" stuff from the 99+ GT's.

A 94-98 rear end will have the same overall width as the one in your car. (Axle  to axle ).

Your car is probably early enough, that it should have the "narrow" 7.5 housing in it. If that's the case, and you're not chasing down an 8.8, you can swap 94-98 Mustang axles/brakes onto your housing. (Even the V6 stuff works).
Title: Re: 1985 Turbo Coupe. Bird is the word.
Post by: Kristwitch on April 16, 2019, 11:45:22 PM
Quick update.... I FINALLY received my tubular control arms from BMR...been out of stock forever. Now I can continue on with the front end rebuild.

I've been thinking how low the car is going to sit on those H&R springs. Guess ill put them on all 4 corners and if I need adjustable RLCA Ill go ahead and get some. I miss driving this car!
Title: Re: 1985 Turbo Coupe. Bird is the word.
Post by: Outsidedog on April 17, 2019, 03:15:43 PM
Very nice car, what part of Arizona are you in?
Title: Re: 1985 Turbo Coupe. Bird is the word.
Post by: Kristwitch on April 17, 2019, 08:51:00 PM
Very nice car, what part of Arizona are you in?
Thanks! Im in Mesa. Are you in AZ?
Title: Re: 1985 Turbo Coupe. Bird is the word.
Post by: Outsidedog on April 18, 2019, 09:05:56 AM
 Yes I am! I'm out in the west valley near surprise about a half hour away, I drive out your way often to go to wildhorse to race I'll actually be there this weekend.
Title: Re: 1985 Turbo Coupe. Bird is the word.
Post by: Kristwitch on July 06, 2019, 12:06:05 AM
The car is back on the ground! And of course the battery is completely flat  :giggle:

So new steering rack, tierods, bmr suspension control arms with bushings and ball joints, h&r lowering springs not running them on the rear because I've heard the birds like to sag in the rear... however I should put them on to see how bad it really is and if needed I'll get the adjustable rlca.

Gonna drive it around and hopefully get to serpentine belt swapping it so I can have AC.




Title: Re: 1985 Turbo Coupe. Bird is the word.
Post by: Tbird232ci on July 06, 2019, 04:54:07 AM
I have an 88, so my results will be a bit different, but I'm using Maximum Motorsports control arms in the rear. Even with height adjusters all the way down, they will raise the car an inch or so. When I first put the BMR rear springs on, I had the adjusters all the way down and the rear was slammed. Tires tucking. It took a good bit of adjusting to get the height where I wanted it.

How do you like the BMR control arms so far? I already have Granatelli garbage on mine, but when it's time to go with a tall ball joint, I was looking to go with BMR's adjustables with the tall ball joint. I have some BMR products on my Trans Am, but I get paranoid about the control arms.
Title: Re: 1985 Turbo Coupe. Bird is the word.
Post by: Kristwitch on July 11, 2019, 04:08:46 PM
I have an 88, so my results will be a bit different, but I'm using Maximum Motorsports control arms in the rear. Even with height adjusters all the way down, they will raise the car an inch or so. When I first put the BMR rear springs on, I had the adjusters all the way down and the rear was slammed. Tires tucking. It took a good bit of adjusting to get the height where I wanted it.

How do you like the BMR control arms so far? I already have Granatelli garbage on mine, but when it's time to go with a tall ball joint, I was looking to go with BMR's adjustables with the tall ball joint. I have some BMR products on my Trans Am, but I get paranoid about the control arms.
I don't have a complete opinion on the arms yet, I am going to get the car aligned and put some miles on it and go from there!
I did end up putting the rear springs on the car and it doesn't sit too low in the rear, Looks decent!

(https://imgur.com/weJWJAz)
Title: Re: 1985 Turbo Coupe. Bird is the word.
Post by: Tbird232ci on July 13, 2019, 05:31:46 AM
I did run into my springs settling. I set my car up to be 26" all the way around when I pulled it off of jack stands. I drove it around my neighborhood, which was maybe the distance of a city block, and the rear was down to about 25.5" and the front was down to about 25". The shop that aligned it raised the front up to 25.5" and it's been holding pretty steady.

I do like how it looks so far.
Title: Re: 1985 Turbo Coupe. Bird is the word.
Post by: Kristwitch on October 21, 2019, 08:48:09 PM
Maybe it's because the front end is fresh on the car...but god  is the steering light now...plus the lightened front end probably helps a bit.


I FINALLY replaced the wastegate actuator on my car so NOW I have boost control again!  OF course I take the mofookie to breakfast this morning and the starter quit working. I just popped the clutch and off I went! Going to upgrade to a gear reduction now.


I managed to get my hands on an 8.8 TC rear end so that will be going into the car once I swap gears and 5 lug it.   During the time I 5 lug it, ill be swapping to cobra brakes I believe. If money looks good im hoping to finish that up before the summer comes back.
Title: Re: 1985 Turbo Coupe. Bird is the word.
Post by: mcb82gt on October 22, 2019, 10:14:02 AM
What gears are you switching it to?   TC have 3.55 or 3.73 already.....
Title: Re: 1985 Turbo Coupe. Bird is the word.
Post by: Kristwitch on October 25, 2019, 06:41:52 AM
What gears are you switching it to?   TC have 3.55 or 3.73 already.....
So currently this has the 3.73s in it as it was pulled from an auto. I might want to go taller to like a 3.27 and let the turbo do the work.
Title: Re: 1985 Turbo Coupe. Bird is the word.
Post by: mcb82gt on October 25, 2019, 10:39:54 AM
What gears are you switching it to?   TC have 3.55 or 3.73 already.....
So currently this has the 3.73s in it as it was pulled from an auto. I might want to go taller to like a 3.27 and let the turbo do the work.
I have 3.73 in mine also.  I have a set of 3.27 I want to swap to also.  But mines a 5.0, just a cruiser and want a lil mpg back