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Topic: Work In Progress. '88 TC (Read 10644 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Work In Progress.

Reply #15
How's the chrome in the lenses? Good chrome makes a big difference on brightness and light pattern.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Re: Work In Progress.

Reply #16
How's the chrome in the lenses? Good chrome makes a big difference on brightness and light pattern.
I don't know.  The lens is so foggy I can't see from the outside so I would need to remove the assembly to look in from  the back.  I am guessing it is going to be in not perfect shape.
I have to admit I am dreading to open the lens up in fear of breaking something.  I am sure the inside of the lens needs to be polished.  What have you guys been doing to refurb the mirror portion?
1988 Thunderbird TC, 5spd
Stinger 3" single exhaust, Cone Filter, Adjustable Cam Pulley, Schneider roller cam, Walbro 255 lph, AEM Wideband O2
'93 Mustang Cobra replica wheels on 235/50R17

'21 F150 Powerboost
'17 Husqvarna TX300

Re: Work In Progress.

Reply #17
I drove the car last night with the LED bulbs I linked above.  A big improvement over the regular 9004's on low beam.  High beam was scattered different and really didn't seem to be much use.  Also, the headlight out indicator came on even though they were not.  It is odd cause it was not on this morning until later although I had turned on my fog lights by that point.  I will see if I can trace down if it is a combination of things on that is triggering the headlight out warning light.

Nobody flashed me that my headlights were too bright.
1988 Thunderbird TC, 5spd
Stinger 3" single exhaust, Cone Filter, Adjustable Cam Pulley, Schneider roller cam, Walbro 255 lph, AEM Wideband O2
'93 Mustang Cobra replica wheels on 235/50R17

'21 F150 Powerboost
'17 Husqvarna TX300

Re: Work In Progress.

Reply #18
I brought my car in to my mechanic to have the clutch changed and I had him put a new exhaust on too.

I bought a 3" full Stinger exhaust a month or so ago.  My mechanic had trouble putting the exhaust on so I emailed Shannon @ Stinger and within a short period of time he called my mechanic to give some advice.  Big kudos to Shannon for giving him a call.  I took the car to a ler shop this morning to have it tweaked and new hangers put on.    Sounds pretty good for a 4 cylinder.

I used to do everything on my cars myself.  I could've spent a weekend on a creeper trying to put the clutch in myself, but in this case I'd rather spend the time with my children.  It was the right choice for me especially once I saw that some of the bolts broke and stripped in the bell housing.  It would've been the scene out of Christmas Story when the father goes to work on the furnace.

1988 Thunderbird TC, 5spd
Stinger 3" single exhaust, Cone Filter, Adjustable Cam Pulley, Schneider roller cam, Walbro 255 lph, AEM Wideband O2
'93 Mustang Cobra replica wheels on 235/50R17

'21 F150 Powerboost
'17 Husqvarna TX300

Re: Work In Progress.

Reply #19



So far the Dakota OBNA-5 car bomb seems to have eliminated the smell.  We'll see if I need to do it again in the spring after being closed up.



Throw one of these in the car over the storage time.  Ive had good luck with them.
https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/bad-air-sponge-reg/1016266302?keyword=odor-absorber


Mike

Re: Work In Progress.

Reply #20
So far the Dakota OBNA-5 car bomb seems to have eliminated the smell.  We'll see if I need to do it again in the spring after being closed up.
Throw one of these in the car over the storage time.  Ive had good luck with them.
https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/bad-air-sponge-reg/1016266302?keyword=odor-absorber
Thanks Mike!  I will try that this winter.  Since I have been driving it a bit these past two weeks that cigar smell has seemed to dwindle down in strength.  I will try that sponge next winter. 
1988 Thunderbird TC, 5spd
Stinger 3" single exhaust, Cone Filter, Adjustable Cam Pulley, Schneider roller cam, Walbro 255 lph, AEM Wideband O2
'93 Mustang Cobra replica wheels on 235/50R17

'21 F150 Powerboost
'17 Husqvarna TX300

Re: Work In Progress.

Reply #21
She got new sneakers today!  Now to find a good Thunderbird symbol to make the vinyl stickers for the center caps.
1988 Thunderbird TC, 5spd
Stinger 3" single exhaust, Cone Filter, Adjustable Cam Pulley, Schneider roller cam, Walbro 255 lph, AEM Wideband O2
'93 Mustang Cobra replica wheels on 235/50R17

'21 F150 Powerboost
'17 Husqvarna TX300

Re: Work In Progress.

Reply #22
Car looks great. Try Danco Lettering for the vinyl Tbird wheel emblems. I used them in the past and were great to deal with.
Ray
87 Tbird LX w/Factory floor shifter:D   3G upgrade. Tinted Windows...85 Mustang GT steering wheel(non-cruise) 17'' Saleen SC style wheels,Front/Rear TC sway bars/poly bushings & Mustang GT steering rack...'05 Mustang V6 springs...93 Cobra MC & booster, MM adjustable C/C plates,  Work  In  Progress.......  ( On The Shelf---HO computer, 19lb injectors, HO cam, BBK headers, Explorer Intake, Cold Air Intake ,Phantom Gauges, Stinger stainless exhaust pipes )
 S O L D

Re: Work In Progress.

Reply #23
She got new sneakers today!  Now to find a good Thunderbird symbol to make the vinyl stickers for the center caps.


Looks great! The 93 Cobra wheels just look natural on our cars, probably because the MN-12s had similar wheels from the factory.

Are those the wheels that Late Model Restoration sells? How's the fitment in the front? Do they stick out past the fender lip at all? I'm considering picking up a set to replace the Snowflakes on my car in a couple of years. 
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

 

Re: Work In Progress.

Reply #24
Looks great! The 93 Cobra wheels just look natural on our cars, probably because the MN-12s had similar wheels from the factory.

Are those the wheels that Late Model Restoration sells? How's the fitment in the front? Do they stick out past the fender lip at all? I'm considering picking up a set to replace the Snowflakes on my car in a couple of years. 
Thank you!

I did get those from LMR.  First time ordering from those folks and was a pretty easy transaction.  I had ordered wheels originally from Mustangs Unlimited, but had to cancel the order after waiting 6 weeks to find out they wouldn't have the rims until December.  Only complaint about that was I had to pester them for an answer when the wheels would be in otherwise they were helpful and local for me.

I did notice the front wheels appear to stick out a little more than the stock snowflakes.  I will take a picture and post it up over the weekend.  The local tire shop suggested that I do something with the ABS wire to tuck in more.

The car had 265/50R16 on the rear and although I liked the look it did not drive very well in my opinion.  It was so much better driving home last night on the back roads and highway.   The old tires had too much sidewall that made the car "wiggle" so I was always correcting and now it just goes straight and turns in nice.  Planning to do the rear control arms in August/September.

Next up is eliminating all the squeaks and rattles.  Then onto optimizing the stock brakes. 
The brakes feel vague to me at this point.  Is that the Teves setup causing that sensation?
1988 Thunderbird TC, 5spd
Stinger 3" single exhaust, Cone Filter, Adjustable Cam Pulley, Schneider roller cam, Walbro 255 lph, AEM Wideband O2
'93 Mustang Cobra replica wheels on 235/50R17

'21 F150 Powerboost
'17 Husqvarna TX300

Re: Work In Progress.

Reply #25
Car looks great. Try Danco Lettering for the vinyl Tbird wheel emblems. I used them in the past and were great to deal with.
Ray
Thank you!

My coworker has a vinyl cutting/making setup he uses for his RC planes and offered to help me.  good to know if I fall on my face there's a backup.  At work we have a laser marker, but I am too chicken to permanently mark it yet.  If I get a good image file from my coworker from the vinyl I may be tempted later down the road.
1988 Thunderbird TC, 5spd
Stinger 3" single exhaust, Cone Filter, Adjustable Cam Pulley, Schneider roller cam, Walbro 255 lph, AEM Wideband O2
'93 Mustang Cobra replica wheels on 235/50R17

'21 F150 Powerboost
'17 Husqvarna TX300

Re: Work In Progress.

Reply #26
Wheel stickers are on!


I pretty much spent my budget for the year on the car.  I am going to paint the b-pillars over soon.
1988 Thunderbird TC, 5spd
Stinger 3" single exhaust, Cone Filter, Adjustable Cam Pulley, Schneider roller cam, Walbro 255 lph, AEM Wideband O2
'93 Mustang Cobra replica wheels on 235/50R17

'21 F150 Powerboost
'17 Husqvarna TX300

Re: Work In Progress.

Reply #27
IIRC 89-92 Thunderbird SC wheel center caps might fit those wheels as well.

Those stickers look great BTW.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Re: Work In Progress.

Reply #28
The B-pillars were driving me nuts with the paint flaking off.  I didn't do the best job but rattle canned some paint on them for the time being so I don't twitch anymore.

I've put about 3000 miles on it this summer and just did another oil change.  I need to get it in for an alignment since the front tires are showing some outside wear.  Slowly collecting parts to update the brakes and rear suspension.  there's a new noise in the front so might be working on the front too.

I went to a car show in Prospect, CT Sunday.  Over 500 cars there.  I was the only Fox body Thunderbird there.
1988 Thunderbird TC, 5spd
Stinger 3" single exhaust, Cone Filter, Adjustable Cam Pulley, Schneider roller cam, Walbro 255 lph, AEM Wideband O2
'93 Mustang Cobra replica wheels on 235/50R17

'21 F150 Powerboost
'17 Husqvarna TX300

Re: Work In Progress.

Reply #29
Yesterday, I added some dye to the oil to find an oil leak that was coming from the back of the motor.  I was worried I had a rear main leak.  Nope it was coming out of the dip stick so new o-ring was put in hopefully will help but there is more.....

My friend came over to help and he brought a leak down tester.  The car has been blowing a puff of smoke when first starting so I was guessing the oil seals were not good.  About a year ago at 119k miles I had a compression test done that was around 145 across all the cylinders.  After pressurizing two cylinders and hearing the air leak into the valve cover that was enough of that.  It needs valve seals.  Probably didn't help the dip stick seal previously either.

I was having an over boost problem.   Last year I found a used ihi turbo, wastegate, and actuator.  I bench tested the actuator to make sure it opened at 10 psi and it did.  I was short on time and without a lift so I made an appointment with my mechanic to swap the actuator out last fall.  He called and said the wastegate was frozen shut.  So yesterday was the day to pull the manifold and turbo off to see what was going on.

An innocent bystander of the day was the lower coolant line off the turbo.  Are the "rubber" hoses on the ends factory?


The wastgate was not seized, but the actuator arm had an extra washer or something in it to cause binding.  No axial play was left in it and had caused it to corrode solid.  Stupid modification. 
I didn't take any before pictures but I did have to use a grinding wheel to cut the arm and pin out of it.


Another modification done was the EGR removal......
I need to find a 1/2 NPT plug and a hotter torch to get this one out.  Do I need to do anything to seal the threads when I put the plug in?


I need to pull the head.


Later this week my brake parts should arrive.  Braided brake lines, Hawk pads, and the metal inserts for the front calipers.  that should get the 4 lug brake system up to par for my use so far.  When I replace the brakes I will also be replacing the rear upper and lower control arms.  More fun soon.
1988 Thunderbird TC, 5spd
Stinger 3" single exhaust, Cone Filter, Adjustable Cam Pulley, Schneider roller cam, Walbro 255 lph, AEM Wideband O2
'93 Mustang Cobra replica wheels on 235/50R17

'21 F150 Powerboost
'17 Husqvarna TX300