Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 05, 2017, 04:30:02 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 05, 2017, 04:30:02 AM
Well, it's been over 10 years since I've had my last Thunderbird.
To sum it all up, I sold off and got rid of all of my cars to be able to move out of my parents house. I moved into an apartment. I had my Trans Am as my daily driver and picked up an 87 Shelby Charger as a project/money pit/backup driver. I changed jobs. I ran both cars into the ground for the most part and sold the Shelby to a co-worker. I picked up my 2013 Scion FRS as my daily driver and it has been an awesome car. Girlfriend and I bought a house with a garage. I got a wild hair, decided I wanted a badass exotic car...and then ended up with a Turbo Coupe.
You may have noticed that I tossed in "The life journal" into the title. The main reason for that is because everything I'm doing in life tends to change what I'm doing automotively. For example, I had some money saved up in an automotive fund. My initial plan was to put money into this fund every week until my Scion was paid off so I could put a hefty down payment on something more exotic. I ended up joining a garage forum, which made me realize that I really should get my garage in a place where I'm happy with it before getting another car. I was getting close to buying some flooring for the garage, and then the TC bug bit. Also, I was planning on buying new tool boxes for the garage, so I sold one of mine to a new guy at work to help him out, and that money slid right into buying the TC. So now that the TC bug bit, I have to hold off on the garage work. In addition to that, I have to get the Trans Am back together before the TC comes in because of the size of my garage. So really, this thread will dospoogeent most of my automotive happenings, along with some of the home projects, garage projects, and any other nifty stuff I see fit.
I'm also going to apologize for any py photo quality up front. My current phone (OnePlus Three) has been dropped a few times and now the camera can't focus anymore. It was an awesome camera up until that point. Now I have to use my OnePlus One camera, upload the photos to Google Drive via WiFi, then put them onto my computer and then upload to a host.
To sum it all up, I sold off and got rid of all of my cars to be able to move out of my parents house. I moved into an apartment. I had my Trans Am as my daily driver and picked up an 87 Shelby Charger as a project/money pit/backup driver. I changed jobs. I ran both cars into the ground for the most part and sold the Shelby to a co-worker. I picked up my 2013 Scion FRS as my daily driver and it has been an awesome car. Girlfriend and I bought a house with a garage. I got a wild hair, decided I wanted a badass exotic car...and then ended up with a Turbo Coupe.
You may have noticed that I tossed in "The life journal" into the title. The main reason for that is because everything I'm doing in life tends to change what I'm doing automotively. For example, I had some money saved up in an automotive fund. My initial plan was to put money into this fund every week until my Scion was paid off so I could put a hefty down payment on something more exotic. I ended up joining a garage forum, which made me realize that I really should get my garage in a place where I'm happy with it before getting another car. I was getting close to buying some flooring for the garage, and then the TC bug bit. Also, I was planning on buying new tool boxes for the garage, so I sold one of mine to a new guy at work to help him out, and that money slid right into buying the TC. So now that the TC bug bit, I have to hold off on the garage work. In addition to that, I have to get the Trans Am back together before the TC comes in because of the size of my garage. So really, this thread will dospoogeent most of my automotive happenings, along with some of the home projects, garage projects, and any other nifty stuff I see fit.
I'm also going to apologize for any py photo quality up front. My current phone (OnePlus Three) has been dropped a few times and now the camera can't focus anymore. It was an awesome camera up until that point. Now I have to use my OnePlus One camera, upload the photos to Google Drive via WiFi, then put them onto my computer and then upload to a host.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 05, 2017, 05:24:23 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 05, 2017, 05:24:23 AM
So to go way back to my post w roots (the CougarNuts days), I'm going to break everything up into individual posts. Rather than making a super long post that is difficult to follow or changes topics too many times, I'm going to create a new post.
The Turbo Coupe I purchased belonged to the member BornInAFord here on the forum. Through the interactions on the forum and over text, I could tell he really loved the car. He give me super honest descriptions and went out of his way to take pictures of anything I requested, and took pictures of things I didn't request. Anything I asked for, even if I felt it was unreasonable, he was right on it helping me out. Over the course of a week, I had agreed to buy the car. The initial plan was to borrow a dealer tag from a co-workers shop. I eventually found out that it was the shop across the street from his brothers shop who had the dealer tag. As soon as I realized this, I asked BornInAFord if I could PayPal him the money, and if he could Next Day Air the title to me. He was right on it. I got him the money, and he sent me the title NDA and provided me a tracking number. I went and picked up Street Rod tags here in Maryland so I could bypass inspection and emissions a day or two later. The day before I got the tags, my co-worker came to me and told me that he couldn't get me the dealers tag. Luckily, I followed my gut and did what I did to get tags.
During that process, I booked a flight to Raleigh, North Carolina. I had the intention of bringing tools and supplies with me, but I honestly didn't want to travel heavy. I figured that I would pick up some tools and supplies in NC before taking the 300ish mile drive home in a random strangers car. Also figured that supplies would be cheaper in NC since the cost of living was a bit lower.
The flight was Saturday morning, and because I work nights, I took Friday off in an attempt to get some sleep. Because of my sleep schedule, I got maybe 3.5 hours of sleep. My girlfriend and I grabbed some McDonalds breakfast, I pounded down a Monster, and we head to the airport.
Holy Hell BWI is pretty awesome! I hadn't been in an airport in 20 years, and it wasn't like this! It was like a mall in there with all kinds of food to eat and things to do. We were pissed that we had already had breakfast. Because of my bad anxiety, we sat down at the terminal early so we could figure out the process. This was also Katys first flight. Once we figures out what was going on, she started having a mild panic attack. While there was no calming her down, I did annoy her by singing "Drunk on a Plane" by Dierks Bently. Neither her nor I are county fans by any means, which made it so much more fun to poke at her with it. Once on the plane, she calmed down until take-off. Once we reached altitude, she was fine. The flight was only about 50 minutes.
Once arriving at the airport, it was time to play phone tag. BornInAFord drove the TC about 2 hours to meet me at the airport, and his wife followed him. He pulled up in the TC, and the excitement kicked in. This moment was over 10 years in the making. We were both trying to be quick but thorough with questions, answers and descriptions. I gave him the remainder of the money I owed him for his stockpile of parts, and swapped tags. After a few more minutes of trying to figure out any other details that needed to be hashed over, I jumped in it, adjusted the seat and mirrors and drove off.
Here I am getting ready to embark on this journey. This is a rare photo...as I hate pictures being taken of me, but this was a good enough occasion.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4377/36851991916_3cef756b37_b.jpg)
It was like I had never been without a Bird. Everything was second nature. The car felt great. It has more miles than any of my previous cars, but it felt much more solid. It has a few running issues, but I didn't care. We ran it over to an AdvanceAuto and I gave the car another once over. I lifted the hood, and could instantly tell that BornInAFord took care of the car. New belts, newer hoses, EGR valve, fresh oil change, among many other tell-tale signs that he actually cared about the car. I grabbed a quart of oil, a gallon of anti-freeze, some rags, a gallon of washer fluid and wiper blades. I tossed the blades on the car, Katy set the GPS, and we embarked on our journey.
One thing I wanted to do was stop by a Waffle House. The closest one is about 50 miles North of me, and we pass about 43 of them on the way home. The one we chose was right off of the highway. We pull in the parking lot and I couldn't take my eyes off of the car walking away. Yeah it needs paint and the headlights were hazy. Yeah it has a little rust. None of that mattered to me. We go inside and were met with some of the most friendly people in existence. Based on appearance and stereotype, the patrons and employees would have made people of my complexion nervous back home. While it takes a lot for another person to intimidate me, the fight or flight type of thoughts end up being in the back of your head. After about 2 minutes of sitting at the table, I realized that they were some of the nicest people I've ever met. The service was great, everyone was really friendly, and the food was awesome. The only shame was that they ran out of waffle batter.
After eating, it was time to get back to our path home. About a half hour later, I started nodding off. I snapped out of it, and noticed Katy was falling asleep too. I look over, poked her in the cheek and basically told her that she can't sleep because she can't wake me up if I fall asleep. After maybe another hour later, her stomach wasn't doing so hot and exhaustion set in for me. We pull off into a rest stop for a bathroom break and to get some snacks. I grabbed a double decker oatmeal cream pie and a MountainDew Kickstart. This kept me going for a good while.
A few hours later, we decide to stop at a WaWa in Richmond Va. I didn't know if the gas gauge was accurate, and it was reaching a half tank. I checked the trip minder and it showed me using about 10.2 or so gallons and averaging 26ish mpg. The car took about 9.8 gallons, so I was pretty impressed. I did a quick run through the fluids and everything else and it was doing great. We ran in, and I then grabbed a RedBull Blueberry (best RedBull EVER) and the biggest bottle of water I could find. I couldn't drive, and open this bottle at the same time. I honestly thought the bottle was going to get caught in the steering wheel while I drank it. This then led to the next problem. I had to pee so bad that I didn't think I was going to make it. We ended up diving off of an exit into a town called Triangle, in VA. This isn't the first time I've been to Triangle, and both times I was there, I said "shag this town". I found a Dunkin Donuts and I don't think that bathroom will ever be the same.
The rest of the drive was luckily uneventful. Nightfall came and the curse of the 80's Fords showed its face. I couldn't see shiznit. I couldn't even tell if my headlights were on. Luckily, at this point, we picked up Katys car and I followed her home.
So I bought a strangers notoriously unreliable car sight unseen, and drove it 300ish miles home with no incident. I call this a win.
I haven't had much time to dig into the car, nor really take pictures, This is actually a picture that Katy took and posted on Facebook. Pardon the lack of landscape maintenance.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4419/36868370842_5d8c3b1cfd_b.jpg)
I will have more pictures, actual car descriptions and other fun stuff up tomorrow afternoon. Right now, it's close to my bed time here at 5:20am. Hopefully you all enjoy the read.
The Turbo Coupe I purchased belonged to the member BornInAFord here on the forum. Through the interactions on the forum and over text, I could tell he really loved the car. He give me super honest descriptions and went out of his way to take pictures of anything I requested, and took pictures of things I didn't request. Anything I asked for, even if I felt it was unreasonable, he was right on it helping me out. Over the course of a week, I had agreed to buy the car. The initial plan was to borrow a dealer tag from a co-workers shop. I eventually found out that it was the shop across the street from his brothers shop who had the dealer tag. As soon as I realized this, I asked BornInAFord if I could PayPal him the money, and if he could Next Day Air the title to me. He was right on it. I got him the money, and he sent me the title NDA and provided me a tracking number. I went and picked up Street Rod tags here in Maryland so I could bypass inspection and emissions a day or two later. The day before I got the tags, my co-worker came to me and told me that he couldn't get me the dealers tag. Luckily, I followed my gut and did what I did to get tags.
During that process, I booked a flight to Raleigh, North Carolina. I had the intention of bringing tools and supplies with me, but I honestly didn't want to travel heavy. I figured that I would pick up some tools and supplies in NC before taking the 300ish mile drive home in a random strangers car. Also figured that supplies would be cheaper in NC since the cost of living was a bit lower.
The flight was Saturday morning, and because I work nights, I took Friday off in an attempt to get some sleep. Because of my sleep schedule, I got maybe 3.5 hours of sleep. My girlfriend and I grabbed some McDonalds breakfast, I pounded down a Monster, and we head to the airport.
Holy Hell BWI is pretty awesome! I hadn't been in an airport in 20 years, and it wasn't like this! It was like a mall in there with all kinds of food to eat and things to do. We were pissed that we had already had breakfast. Because of my bad anxiety, we sat down at the terminal early so we could figure out the process. This was also Katys first flight. Once we figures out what was going on, she started having a mild panic attack. While there was no calming her down, I did annoy her by singing "Drunk on a Plane" by Dierks Bently. Neither her nor I are county fans by any means, which made it so much more fun to poke at her with it. Once on the plane, she calmed down until take-off. Once we reached altitude, she was fine. The flight was only about 50 minutes.
Once arriving at the airport, it was time to play phone tag. BornInAFord drove the TC about 2 hours to meet me at the airport, and his wife followed him. He pulled up in the TC, and the excitement kicked in. This moment was over 10 years in the making. We were both trying to be quick but thorough with questions, answers and descriptions. I gave him the remainder of the money I owed him for his stockpile of parts, and swapped tags. After a few more minutes of trying to figure out any other details that needed to be hashed over, I jumped in it, adjusted the seat and mirrors and drove off.
Here I am getting ready to embark on this journey. This is a rare photo...as I hate pictures being taken of me, but this was a good enough occasion.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4377/36851991916_3cef756b37_b.jpg)
It was like I had never been without a Bird. Everything was second nature. The car felt great. It has more miles than any of my previous cars, but it felt much more solid. It has a few running issues, but I didn't care. We ran it over to an AdvanceAuto and I gave the car another once over. I lifted the hood, and could instantly tell that BornInAFord took care of the car. New belts, newer hoses, EGR valve, fresh oil change, among many other tell-tale signs that he actually cared about the car. I grabbed a quart of oil, a gallon of anti-freeze, some rags, a gallon of washer fluid and wiper blades. I tossed the blades on the car, Katy set the GPS, and we embarked on our journey.
One thing I wanted to do was stop by a Waffle House. The closest one is about 50 miles North of me, and we pass about 43 of them on the way home. The one we chose was right off of the highway. We pull in the parking lot and I couldn't take my eyes off of the car walking away. Yeah it needs paint and the headlights were hazy. Yeah it has a little rust. None of that mattered to me. We go inside and were met with some of the most friendly people in existence. Based on appearance and stereotype, the patrons and employees would have made people of my complexion nervous back home. While it takes a lot for another person to intimidate me, the fight or flight type of thoughts end up being in the back of your head. After about 2 minutes of sitting at the table, I realized that they were some of the nicest people I've ever met. The service was great, everyone was really friendly, and the food was awesome. The only shame was that they ran out of waffle batter.
After eating, it was time to get back to our path home. About a half hour later, I started nodding off. I snapped out of it, and noticed Katy was falling asleep too. I look over, poked her in the cheek and basically told her that she can't sleep because she can't wake me up if I fall asleep. After maybe another hour later, her stomach wasn't doing so hot and exhaustion set in for me. We pull off into a rest stop for a bathroom break and to get some snacks. I grabbed a double decker oatmeal cream pie and a MountainDew Kickstart. This kept me going for a good while.
A few hours later, we decide to stop at a WaWa in Richmond Va. I didn't know if the gas gauge was accurate, and it was reaching a half tank. I checked the trip minder and it showed me using about 10.2 or so gallons and averaging 26ish mpg. The car took about 9.8 gallons, so I was pretty impressed. I did a quick run through the fluids and everything else and it was doing great. We ran in, and I then grabbed a RedBull Blueberry (best RedBull EVER) and the biggest bottle of water I could find. I couldn't drive, and open this bottle at the same time. I honestly thought the bottle was going to get caught in the steering wheel while I drank it. This then led to the next problem. I had to pee so bad that I didn't think I was going to make it. We ended up diving off of an exit into a town called Triangle, in VA. This isn't the first time I've been to Triangle, and both times I was there, I said "shag this town". I found a Dunkin Donuts and I don't think that bathroom will ever be the same.
The rest of the drive was luckily uneventful. Nightfall came and the curse of the 80's Fords showed its face. I couldn't see shiznit. I couldn't even tell if my headlights were on. Luckily, at this point, we picked up Katys car and I followed her home.
So I bought a strangers notoriously unreliable car sight unseen, and drove it 300ish miles home with no incident. I call this a win.
I haven't had much time to dig into the car, nor really take pictures, This is actually a picture that Katy took and posted on Facebook. Pardon the lack of landscape maintenance.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4419/36868370842_5d8c3b1cfd_b.jpg)
I will have more pictures, actual car descriptions and other fun stuff up tomorrow afternoon. Right now, it's close to my bed time here at 5:20am. Hopefully you all enjoy the read.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: TurboCoupe50 on September 05, 2017, 09:01:33 AM
Post by: TurboCoupe50 on September 05, 2017, 09:01:33 AM
Quote from: Tbird232ci;462556
So I bought a strangers notoriously unreliable car sight unseen, and drove it 300ish miles home with no incident. I call this a win.
Definitely a Freiberger & Finnegan Roadkill trip for a win...
Glad you've found another Bird, great story...
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Beau on September 05, 2017, 03:48:27 PM
Post by: Beau on September 05, 2017, 03:48:27 PM
This is how lifelong memories are made. Good score. And..welcome back, for real. :D
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Loaded87IROC on September 05, 2017, 06:05:58 PM
Post by: Loaded87IROC on September 05, 2017, 06:05:58 PM
Congrats!
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: 1WLD BRD on September 05, 2017, 07:00:13 PM
Post by: 1WLD BRD on September 05, 2017, 07:00:13 PM
Congrats man. Good to see you back in a bird. If you take care of this one half as much as your old 3.8L (or 1 gallon engine like you use to say lol) then this car is in great hands. I look forward to following your adventure with it.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Haystack on September 06, 2017, 03:40:34 AM
Post by: Haystack on September 06, 2017, 03:40:34 AM
Wait... you flew 300 miles? I might need to rethink my life. I have 200 miles of driving tomorrow.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 06, 2017, 06:20:31 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 06, 2017, 06:20:31 AM
So funny story.
Last night, Katy and I decided to go for an ice cream run. Hope in the TC, cruise through the neighborhood and come up to the stop sign exiting the neighborhood. I look both ways, roll out slowly and then punch it. I run the car up to 55mph and stuff it into 4th. I downshift to come up to the stop light, and when I put my foot on the clutch to come to a stop, the car stalls out. As soon as it stalls out, I hear the distinctive sound of receiving a Facebook message. I crank and crank the car and it sputters to life and dies a few times. I finally get it fired up by keeping it throttled up and I bang a U-turn through a parking lot and zip home. I park the TC and we get out laughing about it, and then walk over to the Scion. It is a relief that I can just get out of the problem child car and into something that is reliable. Anyways, we reach our destination (Rite-Aid, not many places open at 11pm with ice cream), and I check my phone. I initially assumed it was just a buddy of mine. I assumed wrong and it happened to be Loaded87IROC asking me how the TC was.
So I have no issues with the car for the trim from NC to MD. The exact moment the car stalls, a fellow 2.3L guy happens to ask me how the car is doing. It's almost as if he knew....
Last night, Katy and I decided to go for an ice cream run. Hope in the TC, cruise through the neighborhood and come up to the stop sign exiting the neighborhood. I look both ways, roll out slowly and then punch it. I run the car up to 55mph and stuff it into 4th. I downshift to come up to the stop light, and when I put my foot on the clutch to come to a stop, the car stalls out. As soon as it stalls out, I hear the distinctive sound of receiving a Facebook message. I crank and crank the car and it sputters to life and dies a few times. I finally get it fired up by keeping it throttled up and I bang a U-turn through a parking lot and zip home. I park the TC and we get out laughing about it, and then walk over to the Scion. It is a relief that I can just get out of the problem child car and into something that is reliable. Anyways, we reach our destination (Rite-Aid, not many places open at 11pm with ice cream), and I check my phone. I initially assumed it was just a buddy of mine. I assumed wrong and it happened to be Loaded87IROC asking me how the TC was.
So I have no issues with the car for the trim from NC to MD. The exact moment the car stalls, a fellow 2.3L guy happens to ask me how the car is doing. It's almost as if he knew....
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 06, 2017, 06:27:26 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 06, 2017, 06:27:26 AM
Quote from: 1WLD BRD;462574
Congrats man. Good to see you back in a bird. If you take care of this one half as much as your old 3.8L (or 1 gallon engine like you use to say lol) then this car is in great hands. I look forward to following your adventure with it.
Man, I forgot all about that! The only reason I knew that 3.8L was 1 gallon because of a urinal I used. It said right on the top "3.8L per flush (1 gallon)"
Quote from: Haystack;462583
Wait... you flew 300 miles? I might need to rethink my life. I have 200 miles of driving tomorrow.
There was no way I was going to drive my girlfriends car down, and then drive the TC back with her following me. I love her Fiesta ST, but my body starts to get angry sitting in the Recaros for more than 1.5 or so hours. One way tickets for the both of us were just under 200 bucks, and it was well worth it in the time saved. We boarded our flight at 10:15am in Maryland and we were walking out of the airport in North Carolina at Noon. We were in the air for maybe 55 minutes.
I appreciate the comments and the warm re-welcomes. If nothing else, I might single-handedly bring some traffic back to the forum...even if I'm the only one posting.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Haystack on September 06, 2017, 10:07:47 AM
Post by: Haystack on September 06, 2017, 10:07:47 AM
This forum needs a kick start. I wish i had money and a place to work on cars. Im glad to see ya back though.
I don't have a fiesta st, but my dad has a 2011 fiesta. Good fun little car, but between me being 6'5 and the ridiculously uncomfortable seats, i can't stand to even sit in that car for more then an hour. Its really weird, the car has all the head room in the world, but even with the adjustable telescoping column, there is no where for me to put stuff where i can sit. And having head room is really weird. Even in our roomy cougarbirds, i lean the seat back until im almost even with the rear 1/4 window so i dont hit my head.
I don't have a fiesta st, but my dad has a 2011 fiesta. Good fun little car, but between me being 6'5 and the ridiculously uncomfortable seats, i can't stand to even sit in that car for more then an hour. Its really weird, the car has all the head room in the world, but even with the adjustable telescoping column, there is no where for me to put stuff where i can sit. And having head room is really weird. Even in our roomy cougarbirds, i lean the seat back until im almost even with the rear 1/4 window so i dont hit my head.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on September 06, 2017, 04:22:00 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on September 06, 2017, 04:22:00 PM
Nice score, and welcome back :D.
I really love not having a project car and dd as one in the same. I bought a car brand new 6 years ago (well two, and one last year) and, if I can help it, I'm never going back to cheap used cars for daily driving again. I can spend time tinkering on the Thunderbird and not a daily driver to get to work. Makes working on cars more fun.
I really love not having a project car and dd as one in the same. I bought a car brand new 6 years ago (well two, and one last year) and, if I can help it, I'm never going back to cheap used cars for daily driving again. I can spend time tinkering on the Thunderbird and not a daily driver to get to work. Makes working on cars more fun.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Thunder Chicken on September 06, 2017, 06:28:04 PM
Post by: Thunder Chicken on September 06, 2017, 06:28:04 PM
<<>> I knew you'd be back! They always come back!
...said the guy who's been without a Fox for seven years
I've been wanting another Fox for a few years, but instead I keep doing stupid things like buying ATV's and then a side-by-side (Can Am Maverick). And then I keep doing stupid things like spending loads of money on said side-by-side so that I can take it into the woods and beat the hell out of it. The Mustang is loads of fun but so far I've kept it 100% stock. I don't know why, but I haven't really bonded with it. Hell, I've only put a bit over 10k miles on it in almost three years. It's pretty, and it's fast as hell, but it just lacks character. Don't get me wrong, I will never part with it and some day might start feeling the bug to start modifying it, but so far I've been channeling that energy into the Maverick.
That being said, my husband is in school now taking nursing, and when he's out and working in a good paying job I am going to track down my four-eye Bird with vent windows. I will almost certainly have to travel for it, but I'm OK with that. And then I will do stupid things like spend loads of money on it :hick:
...said the guy who's been without a Fox for seven years
I've been wanting another Fox for a few years, but instead I keep doing stupid things like buying ATV's and then a side-by-side (Can Am Maverick). And then I keep doing stupid things like spending loads of money on said side-by-side so that I can take it into the woods and beat the hell out of it. The Mustang is loads of fun but so far I've kept it 100% stock. I don't know why, but I haven't really bonded with it. Hell, I've only put a bit over 10k miles on it in almost three years. It's pretty, and it's fast as hell, but it just lacks character. Don't get me wrong, I will never part with it and some day might start feeling the bug to start modifying it, but so far I've been channeling that energy into the Maverick.
That being said, my husband is in school now taking nursing, and when he's out and working in a good paying job I am going to track down my four-eye Bird with vent windows. I will almost certainly have to travel for it, but I'm OK with that. And then I will do stupid things like spend loads of money on it :hick:
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: 1WLD BRD on September 06, 2017, 07:15:42 PM
Post by: 1WLD BRD on September 06, 2017, 07:15:42 PM
Quote from: Thunder Chicken;462597
That being said, my husband is in school now taking nursing, and when he's out and working in a good paying job I am going to track down my four-eye Bird with vent windows. I will almost certainly have to travel for it, but I'm OK with that. And then I will do stupid things like spend loads of money on it :hick:
All these years on here, I thought you were a guy?
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Haystack on September 06, 2017, 08:04:49 PM
Post by: Haystack on September 06, 2017, 08:04:49 PM
He is. You've missed some things.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: 1WLD BRD on September 06, 2017, 09:02:57 PM
Post by: 1WLD BRD on September 06, 2017, 09:02:57 PM
Lol. Ok I been away way too long ☺
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 07, 2017, 03:29:16 PM
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 07, 2017, 03:29:16 PM
Quote from: Haystack;462600
He is. You've missed some things.
This made me laugh more than it should have.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: EricCoolCats on September 07, 2017, 03:34:55 PM
Post by: EricCoolCats on September 07, 2017, 03:34:55 PM
Nice Shawn! Need more pix....
...of the girlfriend. :evilgrin:
...of the girlfriend. :evilgrin:
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 07, 2017, 04:09:35 PM
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 07, 2017, 04:09:35 PM
Since the weather has been , and I've been pretty sick these past few days, nothing car related has happened. Todays post will be about the house and garage.
So roughly a year ago, Katy and I purchased our first house. We looked at probably 15 houses and had it down to two house. This house, and one in a town called Esshag. For those who know Maryland, it's well known that Esshag and the surrounding few towns are a bit white trashy. That didn't bother me too much. The house in Esshag was pretty nice but needed some work. The selling point was a 20x50 RV garage that was as tall as the house and had electric and water ran to it. The house also had a two car garage on the side of the house. The commute was going to be rough, and the amount of stuff the house was going to need put everything over budget. The biggest deal breaker was the heroin addict next door who had no boundaries. He was high out of his mind, and came over to water the roses in front of the house while we were doing the home inspection. Nope. Not happening.
So, we bought a house in a town called Pasadena. For those who know Maryland, it's well known that Pasadena and the surrounding few towns are a bit white trashy. Notice the trend? This house doesn't have the garage space the Esshag house did, nor does it have the amount of property, but the house is much nicer inside and out.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4344/36947924001_681e848bb6_b.jpg)
I forgot the square footage, but the house is deceiving. It's a split foyer and has vaulted ceilings upstairs. With the open floor plan, you walk in and the house looks huge. One of my buddies walked in and stood by the door saying "Holy shag this house is huge." I gave him the tour, which took about 4 minutes, and he seemed a little disappointed. The bottom floor is half garage and utilities, but has a good sized living space and bathroom. It's where we spend the most of our time. Upstairs has three bedrooms and two more full bathrooms.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4363/36852050586_2cc43998d5_b.jpg)
This is the part that matters most. Unfortunately, the garage isn't as big as I would like, but it works. It's 18x24, so the width is fine, but the depth sucks. The Trans Am fits with enough room to shimmy by the front and rear. I have it on jack stands and the transmission half way out, so obviously there is enough room to work, but it's cramped. The stainless toolbox is the one that I sold to a co-worker. The cart next to it and the other tool box you can't really see are also going to get sold once I pick up some other boxes. I intend on taking down the wire rack shelves and putting up legit cabinets and getting a few taller roll cabinets.
My entire goal is to have everything in the garage to be on wheels. I want the tool boxes, compressor, cabinets, carts, and everything else to be on wheels so I can roll them out into the driveway if I need to. Because the garage is so shallow, I will likely have to get wheel dollies so I can turn the car sideways to do any real work to it. The Trans Am fits but the TC is a bit longer. I'm hoping that I can get it in the garage, and then turn it sideways. The pole will be a problem too.
I eventually want to do a RaceDeck floor and paint the garage some ignorant color. That may be the task for next summer.
So roughly a year ago, Katy and I purchased our first house. We looked at probably 15 houses and had it down to two house. This house, and one in a town called Esshag. For those who know Maryland, it's well known that Esshag and the surrounding few towns are a bit white trashy. That didn't bother me too much. The house in Esshag was pretty nice but needed some work. The selling point was a 20x50 RV garage that was as tall as the house and had electric and water ran to it. The house also had a two car garage on the side of the house. The commute was going to be rough, and the amount of stuff the house was going to need put everything over budget. The biggest deal breaker was the heroin addict next door who had no boundaries. He was high out of his mind, and came over to water the roses in front of the house while we were doing the home inspection. Nope. Not happening.
So, we bought a house in a town called Pasadena. For those who know Maryland, it's well known that Pasadena and the surrounding few towns are a bit white trashy. Notice the trend? This house doesn't have the garage space the Esshag house did, nor does it have the amount of property, but the house is much nicer inside and out.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4344/36947924001_681e848bb6_b.jpg)
I forgot the square footage, but the house is deceiving. It's a split foyer and has vaulted ceilings upstairs. With the open floor plan, you walk in and the house looks huge. One of my buddies walked in and stood by the door saying "Holy shag this house is huge." I gave him the tour, which took about 4 minutes, and he seemed a little disappointed. The bottom floor is half garage and utilities, but has a good sized living space and bathroom. It's where we spend the most of our time. Upstairs has three bedrooms and two more full bathrooms.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4363/36852050586_2cc43998d5_b.jpg)
This is the part that matters most. Unfortunately, the garage isn't as big as I would like, but it works. It's 18x24, so the width is fine, but the depth sucks. The Trans Am fits with enough room to shimmy by the front and rear. I have it on jack stands and the transmission half way out, so obviously there is enough room to work, but it's cramped. The stainless toolbox is the one that I sold to a co-worker. The cart next to it and the other tool box you can't really see are also going to get sold once I pick up some other boxes. I intend on taking down the wire rack shelves and putting up legit cabinets and getting a few taller roll cabinets.
My entire goal is to have everything in the garage to be on wheels. I want the tool boxes, compressor, cabinets, carts, and everything else to be on wheels so I can roll them out into the driveway if I need to. Because the garage is so shallow, I will likely have to get wheel dollies so I can turn the car sideways to do any real work to it. The Trans Am fits but the TC is a bit longer. I'm hoping that I can get it in the garage, and then turn it sideways. The pole will be a problem too.
I eventually want to do a RaceDeck floor and paint the garage some ignorant color. That may be the task for next summer.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 07, 2017, 04:11:34 PM
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 07, 2017, 04:11:34 PM
Quote from: EricCoolCats;462610
Nice Shawn! Need more pix....
...of the girlfriend. :evilgrin:
Those cost money. I'll gladly provide you her PayPal account :shakeass:
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Thunder Chicken on September 07, 2017, 04:49:08 PM
Post by: Thunder Chicken on September 07, 2017, 04:49:08 PM
Quote from: 1WLD BRD;462599
All these years on here, I thought you were a guy?
http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/showthread.php?39901-So-lets-catch-up&p=457742#post457742
Nice house, Shawn. Around here we call that style a "Split Entry", and it is one of my favourite house styles because the basp00get is so usable. Most basp00gets (including my current one) have tiny windows and you feel like you're in a basp00get, but with split entries you've got nice big windows. When we build our retirement home it's going to be that style
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: 1WLD BRD on September 07, 2017, 07:15:33 PM
Post by: 1WLD BRD on September 07, 2017, 07:15:33 PM
Ya I've been updated lol. Congrats on the marriage Carmen. 17 years? What took you so long? Lol.
Shawn. Nice garage man. And house lol
Shawn. Nice garage man. And house lol
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Sancho on September 07, 2017, 09:04:31 PM
Post by: Sancho on September 07, 2017, 09:04:31 PM
It's like all the crazy uncles came to the same family reunion. You inspire me Shawn, I have followed a similar path except I kept my rusty and blowed up TC and dragged that boat anchor house to house a few times now ;)
Some day soon it will move under its own power again.
Some day soon it will move under its own power again.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Haystack on September 08, 2017, 01:57:13 AM
Post by: Haystack on September 08, 2017, 01:57:13 AM
If you didn't have so much money into rc cars, there would be a ton left over for the turbo coupe.
I fly model airplanes, everytime i go to a hobby shop my jaw drops at how expensive much inferior parts for a rc car go for.
I fly model airplanes, everytime i go to a hobby shop my jaw drops at how expensive much inferior parts for a rc car go for.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 09, 2017, 06:37:01 PM
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 09, 2017, 06:37:01 PM
Quote from: Haystack;462623
If you didn't have so much money into rc cars, there would be a ton left over for the turbo coupe.
I fly model airplanes, everytime i go to a hobby shop my jaw drops at how expensive much inferior parts for a rc car go for.
You sir, are not wrong. If you look closely, at the very left of the picture, you can see 5 cars on the wall, just out of the shot is another 5 more. I also have more in the house. Most of the stuff I have is old from when I raced in the early 2000's and a few "newer" ones from probably 2010ish or so. I fade in and out of the hobby.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Haystack on September 10, 2017, 01:20:21 AM
Post by: Haystack on September 10, 2017, 01:20:21 AM
I've probably spent $2k on airplanes in the last 7 years or so. I'm not really an airplane guy, but i am the 3rd generation. When I first seperate from my ex, i found it to be a fun and calming way to be by myself and distract from all I had going on. Overspent on a few planes i only flew once or twice, and way too much on spectrum radio junk.
The mechanics at my old work spent $800 on a 3 channel spectrum setup.
The mechanics at my old work spent $800 on a 3 channel spectrum setup.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: BCA on September 11, 2017, 10:27:13 AM
Post by: BCA on September 11, 2017, 10:27:13 AM
Let's see picks of the whole fleet. :D
Raced RC cars back in the late 80's-early 90's. Besides my local track, I regular drove 3+ hours every week race with my brother-in-law at his local track too. Ended up winning that track championship the last year I competed there. The locals weren't happy that I wasn't a "native". :evilgrin:
When I started, it was fun, but I got out of it because it seemed that your week old parts were outdated. It just got too expensive to stay competitive and that just sucked the fun factor out of it. I still have my original Tamiya Frog and Associated RC-10 (gold pan) though.
My license plate circa 1990 (trunk lid needs some adjustment). :mullet:
Raced RC cars back in the late 80's-early 90's. Besides my local track, I regular drove 3+ hours every week race with my brother-in-law at his local track too. Ended up winning that track championship the last year I competed there. The locals weren't happy that I wasn't a "native". :evilgrin:
When I started, it was fun, but I got out of it because it seemed that your week old parts were outdated. It just got too expensive to stay competitive and that just sucked the fun factor out of it. I still have my original Tamiya Frog and Associated RC-10 (gold pan) though.
My license plate circa 1990 (trunk lid needs some adjustment). :mullet:
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: 4thqtr on September 11, 2017, 02:07:54 PM
Post by: 4thqtr on September 11, 2017, 02:07:54 PM
Hey! This is awesome to hear, great news with the car, the house and everything. Us Maryland guys should get together again sometime, it's been way too long.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: V8Demon on September 13, 2017, 06:20:58 PM
Post by: V8Demon on September 13, 2017, 06:20:58 PM
Katy is not amused by Shawn's new purchase. She looks like she's gonna make you sleep on the couch. :)
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Chuck W on September 14, 2017, 08:21:48 AM
Post by: Chuck W on September 14, 2017, 08:21:48 AM
Welcome back ;)
Great news on the car, house, etc.
I hear you on having garage space, but not really having garage space. The place we bought back in Dec has a 2-car garage (vs the 1-car at the old house), and much more room to park cars, without having to move one or two to get anything else out of the drive. However, with the TBird and the 240 in the garage, there is little room to REALLY get much work done. Gotta do more shuffling to get a secondary storage spot so I have a usable workshop.
Great news on the car, house, etc.
I hear you on having garage space, but not really having garage space. The place we bought back in Dec has a 2-car garage (vs the 1-car at the old house), and much more room to park cars, without having to move one or two to get anything else out of the drive. However, with the TBird and the 240 in the garage, there is little room to REALLY get much work done. Gotta do more shuffling to get a secondary storage spot so I have a usable workshop.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 15, 2017, 05:44:00 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 15, 2017, 05:44:00 AM
Quote from: BCA;462663
Let's see picks of the whole fleet. :D
Raced RC cars back in the late 80's-early 90's. Besides my local track, I regular drove 3+ hours every week race with my brother-in-law at his local track too. Ended up winning that track championship the last year I competed there. The locals weren't happy that I wasn't a "native". :evilgrin:
When I started, it was fun, but I got out of it because it seemed that your week old parts were outdated. It just got too expensive to stay competitive and that just sucked the fun factor out of it. I still have my original Tamiya Frog and Associated RC-10 (gold pan) though.
My license plate circa 1990 (trunk lid needs some adjustment). :mullet:
I have to gather the fleet up into one spot. I have stuff everywhere. I have a few 1/27 scale cars sitting on the window sill, and then cars all over the garage. I counted all of my cars, and it was way too many...
I would LOVE a gold pan though. I don't want one bad enough to buy one though.
Quote from: 4thqtr;462668
Hey! This is awesome to hear, great news with the car, the house and everything. Us Maryland guys should get together again sometime, it's been way too long.
Good God dude. Why the hell did you move to the other side of the bay?
You are right, it's been way too long.
Quote from: V8Demon;462704
Katy is not amused by Shawn's new purchase. She looks like she's gonna make you sleep on the couch. :)
Ironically enough, she wasn't displeased with it. Believe it or not, she doesn't really care what I do as long as our bills are paid and we aren't falling behind. Well, that is, until I want to do something insanely irresponsible. Usually at that point, I can't be mad if she puts her foot down and that's seldom.
Quote from: Chuck W;462712
Welcome back ;)
Great news on the car, house, etc.
I hear you on having garage space, but not really having garage space. The place we bought back in Dec has a 2-car garage (vs the 1-car at the old house), and much more room to park cars, without having to move one or two to get anything else out of the drive. However, with the TBird and the 240 in the garage, there is little room to REALLY get much work done. Gotta do more shuffling to get a secondary storage spot so I have a usable workshop.
So when are you going to post about your great news?
My garage is really meant for car and home storage. I can fit the T/A or TC into the one side. I have enough room to have the doors open on the T/A while it's in the garage, which is a big deal, but the nose to tail space sucks. The TC will probably barely fit. On the left side, I can fit either the FRS or ST with room to spare.
I apologize for my lack of updates. While I'm not broke, my finances aren't where I want them to be so I'm being very selective on my purchases at the moment. I absolutely love the TC, but I need to make sure this doesn't spiral out of control. I know it will be a money pit, but I'm not ready for that yet.
Also, these next few months at work are going to kill my free time. I work for UPS. We call the Christmas seasons "Peak Season". While Peak officially starts Black Friday, and ends Christmas day, we have to have all of the trucks up and running at the beginning of November, and keep them up and running until the end of January. The volume ramps up in November, and doesn't slow down back to normal until February most times.
With that said, I am going to put some time into the car Saturday, and then Sunday I'm going to take it out to the MA86 Club (local FRS/BRZ club) meet. A few people know I bought it, but maybe 4 people will know what it is.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Thunder Chicken on September 15, 2017, 04:47:22 PM
Post by: Thunder Chicken on September 15, 2017, 04:47:22 PM
I've been finding that there is never enough garage space. I went from no garage to a 20X28 barn converted to a garage to the current 24X24 garage with 12' ceilings and a hoist, and each time it felt huge until I loaded it with . My next garage, when I build the retirement palace, is going to be 30X40. Which will probably still not be large enough.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: BornInAFord on September 15, 2017, 08:36:45 PM
Post by: BornInAFord on September 15, 2017, 08:36:45 PM
Quote from: Tbird232ci;462584
... I downshift to come up to the stop light, and when I put my foot on the clutch to come to a stop, the car stalls out. As soon as it stalls out, I hear the distinctive sound of receiving a Facebook message. I crank and crank the car and it sputters to life and dies a few times. I finally get it fired up by keeping it throttled up and I bang a U-turn through a parking lot and zip home....
Shawn,
I wonder if you popped off (or loosened a vacuum or intake hose (pre-turbo)...
Daniel
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 18, 2017, 04:44:48 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 18, 2017, 04:44:48 AM
So Saturday, I straightened up the garage a little bit and nosed the TC in for a little bit of love.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4418/36460219444_ab23c46b79_b.jpg)
The good ole Motorcraft tune up.
So me being me, I pulled off the intercooler, and ended up staring at the passenger inner fender well and how crowded it was. BornInAFord set up a BPV, boost controller and cone filter, and while he did a good job, there was just a lot of clutter on that side.
This is what I started with:
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4372/36460218844_6c0f5b2fd7_b.jpg)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4352/36460214734_df43cce7c8_b.jpg)
At this point, I removed the factory boost control solenoid since it was still there, pulled the IRCM and BAP off of the bracket to relocate them, and removed the manual boost controller. I mounted the BAP to the other holes that were already there in the strut tower for other applications. I drilled two holes in the top of the VAM bracket and relocated the IRCM there. Then I moved the boost controller and re-routed the vacuum lines.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4402/36460220854_d0e48ce822_b.jpg)
Once that was complete, it was time to address the BPV. There were a lot of complicated and restrictive bends. I ended up pulling the intake tube off so I could rotate the dump tube upward, which required cutting the tube. I was then able to move the hoses around and cut some of the bends out. Leaving me with this:
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4437/36483605243_f95587ba5a_b.jpg)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4381/37298270205_90e7d31afc_b.jpg)
Now, I skipped where I did the tune up, because that is a bit redundant. I did take pics of the "carnage".
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4356/37298268885_b8cb0490be_b.jpg)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4339/36483606893_4dbcea8904_b.jpg)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4423/37156594271_935972776f_b.jpg)
As you can see, it needed a tune up pretty bad. None of the components looked old, but they just didn't seem to hold up well.
In the process, I did disable the EGR and remove the lines, re-route some of the cruise control lines, and broke the BPV. I knocked the thing off of the fan shroud and when it hit the ground, I heard that crisp snap of plastic breaking. I sacrificed a vacuum T to the turbo gods and glued it in place of the broken nipple to get it back on the car again. I also ordered a Bosch valve in case this fix didn't hold.
So after getting the tune up done and the BPV setup cleaned up, the car ran significantly better. It never once stumbled or misfired. It felt like it actually had torque! The only disappointing thing is that the BPV is almost silent now. You can hear it if you listen for it, but it doesn't have that impressive sound anymore.
I also had it out for it's first car meet. Because of my lack of patience, I threw the car sideways into the entrance of the lot making all kinds of turbo noises, and mostly everyone looked baffled with a silver Thunderbird pulled around. I got out of the car and some friends came up with "where is your car at" or "what made you buy this?" but it was still a good time. It was to be expected bringing out an old man Thunderbird to an FRS/BRZ meet.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4430/37300377015_b254e0cf24_b.jpg)
I also went through the one bin that I have here with some various parts and found my Maximum Motorsports c/c plates, some spare clusters, and a few other random parts. I thought that was the bin with my 40bob header, so I'm a little concerned that I may have gotten rid of it when I moved to the house. If I did, I may end up going with a gnari manifold or something custom. I'm not sure yet.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4418/36460219444_ab23c46b79_b.jpg)
The good ole Motorcraft tune up.
So me being me, I pulled off the intercooler, and ended up staring at the passenger inner fender well and how crowded it was. BornInAFord set up a BPV, boost controller and cone filter, and while he did a good job, there was just a lot of clutter on that side.
This is what I started with:
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4372/36460218844_6c0f5b2fd7_b.jpg)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4352/36460214734_df43cce7c8_b.jpg)
At this point, I removed the factory boost control solenoid since it was still there, pulled the IRCM and BAP off of the bracket to relocate them, and removed the manual boost controller. I mounted the BAP to the other holes that were already there in the strut tower for other applications. I drilled two holes in the top of the VAM bracket and relocated the IRCM there. Then I moved the boost controller and re-routed the vacuum lines.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4402/36460220854_d0e48ce822_b.jpg)
Once that was complete, it was time to address the BPV. There were a lot of complicated and restrictive bends. I ended up pulling the intake tube off so I could rotate the dump tube upward, which required cutting the tube. I was then able to move the hoses around and cut some of the bends out. Leaving me with this:
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4437/36483605243_f95587ba5a_b.jpg)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4381/37298270205_90e7d31afc_b.jpg)
Now, I skipped where I did the tune up, because that is a bit redundant. I did take pics of the "carnage".
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4356/37298268885_b8cb0490be_b.jpg)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4339/36483606893_4dbcea8904_b.jpg)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4423/37156594271_935972776f_b.jpg)
As you can see, it needed a tune up pretty bad. None of the components looked old, but they just didn't seem to hold up well.
In the process, I did disable the EGR and remove the lines, re-route some of the cruise control lines, and broke the BPV. I knocked the thing off of the fan shroud and when it hit the ground, I heard that crisp snap of plastic breaking. I sacrificed a vacuum T to the turbo gods and glued it in place of the broken nipple to get it back on the car again. I also ordered a Bosch valve in case this fix didn't hold.
So after getting the tune up done and the BPV setup cleaned up, the car ran significantly better. It never once stumbled or misfired. It felt like it actually had torque! The only disappointing thing is that the BPV is almost silent now. You can hear it if you listen for it, but it doesn't have that impressive sound anymore.
I also had it out for it's first car meet. Because of my lack of patience, I threw the car sideways into the entrance of the lot making all kinds of turbo noises, and mostly everyone looked baffled with a silver Thunderbird pulled around. I got out of the car and some friends came up with "where is your car at" or "what made you buy this?" but it was still a good time. It was to be expected bringing out an old man Thunderbird to an FRS/BRZ meet.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4430/37300377015_b254e0cf24_b.jpg)
I also went through the one bin that I have here with some various parts and found my Maximum Motorsports c/c plates, some spare clusters, and a few other random parts. I thought that was the bin with my 40bob header, so I'm a little concerned that I may have gotten rid of it when I moved to the house. If I did, I may end up going with a gnari manifold or something custom. I'm not sure yet.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on September 18, 2017, 05:46:39 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on September 18, 2017, 05:46:39 PM
Hopefully it'll run a little better for ya now.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: 4thqtr on September 18, 2017, 08:59:37 PM
Post by: 4thqtr on September 18, 2017, 08:59:37 PM
Quote from: Tbird232ci;462719
Good God dude. Why the hell did you move to the other side of the bay?
You are right, it's been way too long.
Well, figured I'd give it a shot and there was a pretty nice job available. Plus, building a 10-car garage might actually be possible out here in farm country lol :)
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 21, 2017, 06:51:47 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 21, 2017, 06:51:47 AM
Quote from: 4thqtr;462785
Well, figured I'd give it a shot and there was a pretty nice job available. Plus, building a 10-car garage might actually be possible out here in farm country lol :)
It's a different type of people over there man...guys with big diesel trucks and tiny peckers. Guys who wear camo and vape while listening to country rap. It's a scary place.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on September 21, 2017, 04:45:24 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on September 21, 2017, 04:45:24 PM
Quote from: Tbird232ci;462829
It's a different type of people over there man...guys with big diesel trucks and tiny peckers. Guys who wear camo and vape while listening to country rap. It's a scary place.
Isn't that everywhere outside of major cities :mullet:?
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 21, 2017, 05:03:51 PM
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 21, 2017, 05:03:51 PM
Quote from: thunderjet302;462837
Isn't that everywhere outside of major cities :mullet:?
So Maryland is a slightly unique case. So outside of Baltimore, there are a lot of white trashy towns (one of which I live in). Outside of D.C. on the Virginia side is rich, but on the Maryland side is a blend of rich, and ghetto. That isn't what makes Maryland unique. The Chesapeake Bay basically splits Maryland and cuts about a third off. That third is almost it's own culture. They have a different accent, different look, everything.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on September 21, 2017, 06:25:00 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on September 21, 2017, 06:25:00 PM
Quote from: Tbird232ci;462839
So Maryland is a slightly unique case. So outside of Baltimore, there are a lot of white trashy towns (one of which I live in). Outside of D.C. on the Virginia side is rich, but on the Maryland side is a blend of rich, and ghetto. That isn't what makes Maryland unique. The Chesapeake Bay basically splits Maryland and cuts about a third off. That third is almost it's own culture. They have a different accent, different look, everything.
That's different than most states. Mostly it's one big city then the rest of the state likes country music and being "rural", what ever that means.
Got to live where you like though.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Beau on September 22, 2017, 02:20:14 AM
Post by: Beau on September 22, 2017, 02:20:14 AM
Quote from: thunderjet302;462837
Isn't that everywhere outside of major cities :mullet:?
No. But there are rotten apples under every tree, however, as someone from the other side, who is more at home in a deer stand or in the cab of a Case 1370, the idea of being IN the big city is, in the kindest wording, shaging awful. And I lived for 4 and half years in Springfield Missouri.
Quote from: thunderjet302;462844
That's different than most states. Mostly it's one big city then the rest of the state likes country music and being "rural", what ever that means.
As above, not everyone likes the constant noise, stink, traffic, crime, and dope one finds in the city. I also like to be able to piss off of the front porch and not have to worry about taking a ride downtown in the back of a cop car.
Don't knock the country life, it's clear you've never lived on a farm, felt the sting of a frosty morning, watching a whitetail buck and jockeying for a clean shot, or smelled the fresh crisp rain of a spring thunderstorm.
To be fair, I've spent a lot of time big cities, and simply raged and fussed until I could get my ass back home. This particular piece of ground I'm on....I've got ties to this land. My earliest memories are here. I expect to die here, and it would suit me fine to sleep eternally somewhere up north, my carcass nourishing a tree or the like. The lack of crime is a huge bonus. What crime there is can be swiftly dealt with on my own, with a Walther or Mossberg. Of course, in Chicago, you can't hardly call yourself a gun owner AND a law abiding citizen without some distortion of truth. That's any big city, but the Windy City....yeah, Killville.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Haystack on September 22, 2017, 03:24:46 AM
Post by: Haystack on September 22, 2017, 03:24:46 AM
You guys are funny.
I've found every area has their own version of country. Changes from state to state.
I've found every area has their own version of country. Changes from state to state.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 22, 2017, 07:45:41 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 22, 2017, 07:45:41 AM
Quote from: ThunderbirdSport302;462855
No. But there are rotten apples under every tree, however, as someone from the other side, who is more at home in a deer stand or in the cab of a Case 1370, the idea of being IN the big city is, in the kindest wording, shaging awful. And I lived for 4 and half years in Springfield Missouri.
As above, not everyone likes the constant noise, stink, traffic, crime, and dope one finds in the city. I also like to be able to piss off of the front porch and not have to worry about taking a ride downtown in the back of a cop car.
Don't knock the country life, it's clear you've never lived on a farm, felt the sting of a frosty morning, watching a whitetail buck and jockeying for a clean shot, or smelled the fresh crisp rain of a spring thunderstorm.
To be fair, I've spent a lot of time big cities, and simply raged and fussed until I could get my ass back home. This particular piece of ground I'm on....I've got ties to this land. My earliest memories are here. I expect to die here, and it would suit me fine to sleep eternally somewhere up north, my carcass nourishing a tree or the like. The lack of crime is a huge bonus. What crime there is can be swiftly dealt with on my own, with a Walther or Mossberg. Of course, in Chicago, you can't hardly call yourself a gun owner AND a law abiding citizen without some distortion of truth. That's any big city, but the Windy City....yeah, Killville.
Most of my talk is about the "country" kids who have never shot at an animal, but wear camo. The kids who have lifted trucks with off road tires that never leave the pavement other than to roll coal on people. The who have no idea what a hard day of work is like, yet act like they "work" on a farm.
There is plenty of actual country living in Maryland, but you never meet anyone who lives the life because they're living the life away from the general population.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on September 22, 2017, 08:19:28 AM
Post by: thunderjet302 on September 22, 2017, 08:19:28 AM
Quote from: ThunderbirdSport302;462855
No. But there are rotten apples under every tree, however, as someone from the other side, who is more at home in a deer stand or in the cab of a Case 1370, the idea of being IN the big city is, in the kindest wording, shaging awful. And I lived for 4 and half years in Springfield Missouri.
As above, not everyone likes the constant noise, stink, traffic, crime, and dope one finds in the city. I also like to be able to piss off of the front porch and not have to worry about taking a ride downtown in the back of a cop car.
Don't knock the country life, it's clear you've never lived on a farm, felt the sting of a frosty morning, watching a whitetail buck and jockeying for a clean shot, or smelled the fresh crisp rain of a spring thunderstorm.
To be fair, I've spent a lot of time big cities, and simply raged and fussed until I could get my ass back home. This particular piece of ground I'm on....I've got ties to this land. My earliest memories are here. I expect to die here, and it would suit me fine to sleep eternally somewhere up north, my carcass nourishing a tree or the like. The lack of crime is a huge bonus. What crime there is can be swiftly dealt with on my own, with a Walther or Mossberg. Of course, in Chicago, you can't hardly call yourself a gun owner AND a law abiding citizen without some distortion of truth. That's any big city, but the Windy City....yeah, Killville.
That's the beauty of our country, you can live how you want and whatever suits your lifestyle, as long as you pay taxes.
I love the cluture, food, events, and people that come with living in cites. Hell I can walk to the grocery store if I want. My family has property in rural Michigan, in a small farming town of about 4500 people. It's ok for a bit but I get bored. There's not much to do, at least things that I find interesting. Being raised in an environment usually gives you a set of expectations, and most people stick with those the rest of their lives. It's more comfortable, at least to me, to live in large cities as I was born in one. As far as firearm ownership there's legal ways to do that anywhere in the country , trust me. It's our right ;).
As far as violence/drug dealing goes it's confined to a certain area or neighborhoods in most cities. Avoid those areas and nothing eventful really happens to you. On the bright side in a nuclear war the city is the best place to be. Instant vaporization. Rather have that then radiation poisoning and having to live through mad max land :hick:
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Ifixyawata on September 22, 2017, 09:32:09 AM
Post by: Ifixyawata on September 22, 2017, 09:32:09 AM
Gee thanks, now I have TARBO FEVAR again.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: BCA on September 22, 2017, 09:53:44 AM
Post by: BCA on September 22, 2017, 09:53:44 AM
Quote from: thunderjet302;462859
That's the beauty of our country, you can live how you want and whatever suits your lifestyle, as long as you pay taxes.
I love the cluture, food, events, and people that come with living in cites. Hell I can walk to the grocery store if I want. My family has property in rural Michigan, in a small farming town of about 4500 people. It's ok for a bit but I get bored. There's not much to do, at least things that I find interesting. Being raised in an environment usually gives you a set of expectations, and most people stick with those the rest of their lives. It's more comfortable, at least to me, to live in large cities as I was born in one. As far as firearm ownership there's legal ways to do that anywhere in the country , trust me. It's our right ;).
As far as violence/drug dealing goes it's confined to a certain area or neighborhoods in most cities. Avoid those areas and nothing eventful really happens to you. On the bright side in a nuclear war the city is the best place to be. Instant vaporization. Rather have that then radiation poisoning and having to live through mad max land :hick:
I highlighted that sentence you said because it is so true.
I still live in the area I was born and raised. I have taken several road trips around the country and there were many times that I have thought "Man, I wish I lived here", but in the end, SW Michigan just feels like home. I'm a little more than 100 miles from Chicago. We make many trips there throughout the year and enjoy what the city has to offer; but just like you find yourself bored when your are out of the city, after a few days of visiting I find myself happy to be back home in my quiet rural town away from it all. :)
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Beau on September 22, 2017, 01:59:01 PM
Post by: Beau on September 22, 2017, 01:59:01 PM
All good points, and sorry if I came off as assholish in my prior post, was extremely tired and admittedly, not in the most graceful of moods LOL.
I'm about an hour and a half from Whiteman AFB (where the B2 bombers are "kept") so if the NORKS get their delivery system sorted, and decide to be (even more) ignorant, I'm placing extreme doubts on the survival times in this area. Not to mention, fallout from there will be here within hours, going by prevaling winds alone.
I don't wear camo, except when turkey hunting. Seeing hundreds of people wearing orange coats, hats, shirts while eating out during deer season makes me want to laugh. Posers. What ya gonna do....drop an 11 pointer while chawing down that big mac 'n fries? LOL...
Music wise...tractor rap sucks. 99% of country music in my ear was made before I was 12 years old, some Alan Jackson Brooks and Dunn excepted. I'm the guy in muddy jeans, ripped t shirt with no sleeves pickin' up small bales while listening to pantera, then a pink floyd song, then something off of "Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound. And I know every god word to 'em all. LOL.
Although.....I would appreciate being close to a big city-sized bookstore about once a week. And a by god Hardee's.
I'm about an hour and a half from Whiteman AFB (where the B2 bombers are "kept") so if the NORKS get their delivery system sorted, and decide to be (even more) ignorant, I'm placing extreme doubts on the survival times in this area. Not to mention, fallout from there will be here within hours, going by prevaling winds alone.
I don't wear camo, except when turkey hunting. Seeing hundreds of people wearing orange coats, hats, shirts while eating out during deer season makes me want to laugh. Posers. What ya gonna do....drop an 11 pointer while chawing down that big mac 'n fries? LOL...
Music wise...tractor rap sucks. 99% of country music in my ear was made before I was 12 years old, some Alan Jackson Brooks and Dunn excepted. I'm the guy in muddy jeans, ripped t shirt with no sleeves pickin' up small bales while listening to pantera, then a pink floyd song, then something off of "Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound. And I know every god word to 'em all. LOL.
Although.....I would appreciate being close to a big city-sized bookstore about once a week. And a by god Hardee's.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on September 22, 2017, 04:28:30 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on September 22, 2017, 04:28:30 PM
Meh it's fine. We're all adults, at least physically :hick:.
How's the Turbo Coupe coming along? Sorry I derailed your thread....
How's the Turbo Coupe coming along? Sorry I derailed your thread....
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Beau on September 22, 2017, 07:01:50 PM
Post by: Beau on September 22, 2017, 07:01:50 PM
Quote from: thunderjet302;462871
Meh it's fine. We're all adults, at least physically :hick:.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 25, 2017, 03:31:08 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 25, 2017, 03:31:08 AM
Thread derailments aren't a problem at all. Once I actually have more pictures and tech to add, I intend on adding a table of contents to the first post with links to each post.
I'm at a tough point right now. I'm thinking about doing things in stages. For example, I have a set of SN95 spindles, SN95 springs, Maximum Motorsports camber/caster plates, and some of Chucks shock mounts. I can get the PBR front brakes fairly inexpensively, and land some SN95 axles and and brakes for the rear fairly easily. I could also get some stock replacement Mustang shocks/struts and front control arms to replace the worn out stuff on the car(rear shocks are new). The issue lies in that I want Koni's, MM rear control arms, front coil overs, panhard bar and torque arm, which would require replacing things twice. The dilemma becomes, do I want to have something pretty nice now and wait just a little longer for something badass later, or do I want to just wait it out.
I'm already pretty sure as to which direction I'm going to take because of my lack of patience.
I'm at a tough point right now. I'm thinking about doing things in stages. For example, I have a set of SN95 spindles, SN95 springs, Maximum Motorsports camber/caster plates, and some of Chucks shock mounts. I can get the PBR front brakes fairly inexpensively, and land some SN95 axles and and brakes for the rear fairly easily. I could also get some stock replacement Mustang shocks/struts and front control arms to replace the worn out stuff on the car(rear shocks are new). The issue lies in that I want Koni's, MM rear control arms, front coil overs, panhard bar and torque arm, which would require replacing things twice. The dilemma becomes, do I want to have something pretty nice now and wait just a little longer for something badass later, or do I want to just wait it out.
I'm already pretty sure as to which direction I'm going to take because of my lack of patience.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on September 25, 2017, 03:19:46 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on September 25, 2017, 03:19:46 PM
I'd do all the conventional stuff for now (including the MM rear control arms) and go coil over front and rear later, if you really want to.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 29, 2017, 05:26:46 PM
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 29, 2017, 05:26:46 PM
I apologize for my lack of updates. I've done a few things here and there, but haven't taken any pictures as of yet. I'll have a few updates towards the end of the weekend.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on October 02, 2017, 01:55:38 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on October 02, 2017, 01:55:38 AM
I didn't get too much done this weekend due to the girlfriends parents needing some help in their basp00get. I did score some pretty nice vintage audio gear that needs some work and clean-up, but I'll save that for another post.
The other reason was her moms Mustang needed some brake work. She complained that the pedal was spongy. It didn't feel spongy at all to me, but it required a lot of pedal effort to get any amount of braking. I decided to go the affordable route, and decided to pull the calipers, lube the slide pins and flush the fluid. I broke the bleeder screw on one of the calipers in the process, so a quick trip to the parts store was in order. After a full fluid flush, the brakes feel much more progressive. I ran almost two quarts of fluid through it just to ensure it was clean.
The view from my garage this afternoon:
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4360/37446071361_ccd04f9970_b.jpg)
The new caliper:
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4494/36736725764_c9ca337b15_b.jpg)
And one of my favorite tools ever:
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4343/37446073311_a42dce1a25_b.jpg)
The other reason was her moms Mustang needed some brake work. She complained that the pedal was spongy. It didn't feel spongy at all to me, but it required a lot of pedal effort to get any amount of braking. I decided to go the affordable route, and decided to pull the calipers, lube the slide pins and flush the fluid. I broke the bleeder screw on one of the calipers in the process, so a quick trip to the parts store was in order. After a full fluid flush, the brakes feel much more progressive. I ran almost two quarts of fluid through it just to ensure it was clean.
The view from my garage this afternoon:
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4360/37446071361_ccd04f9970_b.jpg)
The new caliper:
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4494/36736725764_c9ca337b15_b.jpg)
And one of my favorite tools ever:
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4343/37446073311_a42dce1a25_b.jpg)
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on October 02, 2017, 02:17:06 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on October 02, 2017, 02:17:06 AM
As far as my car, I don't have too many picture updates yet.
I finally made it over to my parents house and c00ched most of my parts stash. I was primarily looking for my SN95 spindles. I had two sets, so I gave a set to my buddy. Well apparently, I only had one set, and gave that set to a buddy. I'm not one to ask for things back, so I took to eBay and grabbed a set for 170 shipped. Not too hateful, but I'm still a bit butthurt over it.
In my stash, I also had two nearly new condition headlights, one that is about 85% new, a few turn signals, an inner marker, and 1.5 tail lights. I was heart broken to see one of my nice spare tail lights broken, but it happens sometimes. Before putting the lights on, I want to experiment with putting clear bra wrap over the headlights to protect them from the U.V. rays.
So while I am butthurt over my SN95 spindles, I happened to find that I stashed a set of SN95 rear brake backing plates and anti-moan brackets. I had no idea I owned these, but it *kinda* makes up for the spindles.
I was quite happy to find my 40Bob log.
Found my spare fuel rail with adjustable fuel pressure regulator and gauge on it.
Cleaned up my Camber/Caster plates. Just need to call MM to get some of the missing hardware and new bump stops.
I was also stoked to find the Chuck W subframe connector seat mounts. I thought I gave those away with one of my previous cars.
Ended up finding that I saved a handful of somewhat useless interior pieces and some other random stuff.
In slightly more exciting news, I picked up a set of 99-04 GT wheels for 100 bucks. I needed some 5-lug wheels, and found these. The tires are absolutely garbage, but they should get me to the tire shop when that time comes:
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4447/36736727284_b342290bb9_b.jpg)
I finally made it over to my parents house and c00ched most of my parts stash. I was primarily looking for my SN95 spindles. I had two sets, so I gave a set to my buddy. Well apparently, I only had one set, and gave that set to a buddy. I'm not one to ask for things back, so I took to eBay and grabbed a set for 170 shipped. Not too hateful, but I'm still a bit butthurt over it.
In my stash, I also had two nearly new condition headlights, one that is about 85% new, a few turn signals, an inner marker, and 1.5 tail lights. I was heart broken to see one of my nice spare tail lights broken, but it happens sometimes. Before putting the lights on, I want to experiment with putting clear bra wrap over the headlights to protect them from the U.V. rays.
So while I am butthurt over my SN95 spindles, I happened to find that I stashed a set of SN95 rear brake backing plates and anti-moan brackets. I had no idea I owned these, but it *kinda* makes up for the spindles.
I was quite happy to find my 40Bob log.
Found my spare fuel rail with adjustable fuel pressure regulator and gauge on it.
Cleaned up my Camber/Caster plates. Just need to call MM to get some of the missing hardware and new bump stops.
I was also stoked to find the Chuck W subframe connector seat mounts. I thought I gave those away with one of my previous cars.
Ended up finding that I saved a handful of somewhat useless interior pieces and some other random stuff.
In slightly more exciting news, I picked up a set of 99-04 GT wheels for 100 bucks. I needed some 5-lug wheels, and found these. The tires are absolutely garbage, but they should get me to the tire shop when that time comes:
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4447/36736727284_b342290bb9_b.jpg)
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Aerocoupe on October 02, 2017, 11:53:45 AM
Post by: Aerocoupe on October 02, 2017, 11:53:45 AM
If you paid $170 for 96+ SN95 spindles you should take yourself out back of the house and kick your own ass. If that was for the 94-95 spindles then that was a good price.
http://www.car-parts.com
I get the 96+ spindles from salvage yards for about $70 a pair plus shipping out of Texas. So call it $85 a pair. When you do the search on the website I posted above (I have posted it before) drill down into the pages a bit to get the cheaper prices. If you are buying the pair they will sometimes knock of $5 or so.
http://www.car-parts.com
I get the 96+ spindles from salvage yards for about $70 a pair plus shipping out of Texas. So call it $85 a pair. When you do the search on the website I posted above (I have posted it before) drill down into the pages a bit to get the cheaper prices. If you are buying the pair they will sometimes knock of $5 or so.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on October 02, 2017, 04:02:20 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on October 02, 2017, 04:02:20 PM
For headlamp coatings this might be an option: http://www.meguiars.com/en/automotive/products/g17804-keep-clear-headlight-coating/
I plan on giving it a try. I picked up a set of pretty much like new headlamps and I don't want them to yellow.
I plan on giving it a try. I picked up a set of pretty much like new headlamps and I don't want them to yellow.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on October 02, 2017, 08:45:47 PM
Post by: Tbird232ci on October 02, 2017, 08:45:47 PM
Quote from: Aerocoupe;463012
If you paid $170 for 96+ SN95 spindles you should take yourself out back of the house and kick your own ass. If that was for the 94-95 spindles then that was a good price.
I won't even mess with the 96+ spindles. If I was going with a different k-member, I would consider it, but I really don't feel like dealing with the geometry issues.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on October 02, 2017, 08:46:45 PM
Post by: Tbird232ci on October 02, 2017, 08:46:45 PM
Quote from: thunderjet302;463019
For headlamp coatings this might be an option: http://www.meguiars.com/en/automotive/products/g17804-keep-clear-headlight-coating/
I plan on giving it a try. I picked up a set of pretty much like new headlamps and I don't want them to yellow.
It doesn't seem like a bad option. I also considered the new ceramic coatings that people are using for paint protection. I just don't know much about it yet.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on October 16, 2017, 04:57:10 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on October 16, 2017, 04:57:10 AM
Just a small update for the moment.
The previous owner supplies a 140mph speedometer with the purchase of the car. Last week, I got off of my ass and finally installed it, along with some cool white LEDs. I did nothing more than pop the green lenses off and install the LEDs. At this point, I'm actually unsure of how much I like these particular LEDs. The green is somewhat washed out, and the outer edges of the gauges show a lot of white through. I haven't done anything to help with light spread, so that may improve things.
My phone couldn't get a good picture, so I took the two pictures that are the closest. One is more washed out, and the other makes it look less washed out, so you can imagine the happy medium.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4456/37059257513_54c8f52508_b.jpg)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4495/37697633852_d269dfb3b8_b.jpg)
I've primarily been grabbing parts here and there, so the progress pictures are pretty slim for the moment.
The previous owner supplies a 140mph speedometer with the purchase of the car. Last week, I got off of my ass and finally installed it, along with some cool white LEDs. I did nothing more than pop the green lenses off and install the LEDs. At this point, I'm actually unsure of how much I like these particular LEDs. The green is somewhat washed out, and the outer edges of the gauges show a lot of white through. I haven't done anything to help with light spread, so that may improve things.
My phone couldn't get a good picture, so I took the two pictures that are the closest. One is more washed out, and the other makes it look less washed out, so you can imagine the happy medium.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4456/37059257513_54c8f52508_b.jpg)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4495/37697633852_d269dfb3b8_b.jpg)
I've primarily been grabbing parts here and there, so the progress pictures are pretty slim for the moment.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on October 16, 2017, 05:18:51 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on October 16, 2017, 05:18:51 PM
What about green LEDs?
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on October 16, 2017, 06:55:35 PM
Post by: Tbird232ci on October 16, 2017, 06:55:35 PM
Quote from: thunderjet302;463334
What about green LEDs?
I've thought about green LEDs and I've considered putting the green lenses back in. I do like how white the needles and the odometer window is.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on December 19, 2017, 04:32:25 PM
Post by: Tbird232ci on December 19, 2017, 04:32:25 PM
So it's been too long since I've made an update. Unfortunately, it's because there hasn't been much to update.
I haven't done much with the car other than drive it. I did get into a "speed altercation" with my co-worker in a 2016 Ecoboost Mustang. I ended up walking him by about 2 cars at double the posted speed limit in Mexico. I honestly think there is something wrong with his car, but it's been fun having the entire shop in his ass over it.
This is the busiest time of the year at work and with the social life, so cars have taken a back seat. My garage is full of Christmas so not much has gone on there. We are hosting a big Christmas dinner at my house in which I'm not pleased about, and we just hosted a party this past weekend where I learned that shot glasses fit in the garbage disposal.
I have managed to score an okay deal on some Maximum Motorsports front control arms. It would have been a screaming deal if the balljoints were in good shape. The boots are missing, and the grease is contaminated. I'm hoping I can drill and tap for a grease fitting and push all the garbage out. They also need new bushings, which I'll probably replace with delrin.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4739/38458196684_a6b4741ec5_b.jpg)
We just recently got a few inches of snow here in Maryland. While it's unfortunate that I couldn't get the car in the garage for the winter, it did make for a nice photo op.
I'm also bad for randomly buying toys that take away from my car funds. Prime example:
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4725/38458069524_401c9451b2_b.jpg)
It's a 1/5 scale Redcat Dunerunner. Has a 30cc gasoline engine on it. I bought it used with a few problems I didn't know about. First run and I broke a left front shock, and found that the front driveshafts were missing. I have those coming, in addition to a bunch of hardware that was vibrated loose. It'll do about 40mph, which isn't all that fast, but it will eat up a lot of real estate really fast with how big it is.
I haven't done much with the car other than drive it. I did get into a "speed altercation" with my co-worker in a 2016 Ecoboost Mustang. I ended up walking him by about 2 cars at double the posted speed limit in Mexico. I honestly think there is something wrong with his car, but it's been fun having the entire shop in his ass over it.
This is the busiest time of the year at work and with the social life, so cars have taken a back seat. My garage is full of Christmas so not much has gone on there. We are hosting a big Christmas dinner at my house in which I'm not pleased about, and we just hosted a party this past weekend where I learned that shot glasses fit in the garbage disposal.
I have managed to score an okay deal on some Maximum Motorsports front control arms. It would have been a screaming deal if the balljoints were in good shape. The boots are missing, and the grease is contaminated. I'm hoping I can drill and tap for a grease fitting and push all the garbage out. They also need new bushings, which I'll probably replace with delrin.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4739/38458196684_a6b4741ec5_b.jpg)
We just recently got a few inches of snow here in Maryland. While it's unfortunate that I couldn't get the car in the garage for the winter, it did make for a nice photo op.
I'm also bad for randomly buying toys that take away from my car funds. Prime example:
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4725/38458069524_401c9451b2_b.jpg)
It's a 1/5 scale Redcat Dunerunner. Has a 30cc gasoline engine on it. I bought it used with a few problems I didn't know about. First run and I broke a left front shock, and found that the front driveshafts were missing. I have those coming, in addition to a bunch of hardware that was vibrated loose. It'll do about 40mph, which isn't all that fast, but it will eat up a lot of real estate really fast with how big it is.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on December 19, 2017, 05:42:32 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on December 19, 2017, 05:42:32 PM
Snow is just frozen water. Letting it outside isn't the best but, as long as you don't drive it with salt on the roads you're not doing any permanent damage.
Are you going coil over in front? You need to in order to use the MM front control arms: http://www.maximummotorsports.com/MM-Front-Control-Arms-1979-93-Mustang-P389.aspx
Are you going coil over in front? You need to in order to use the MM front control arms: http://www.maximummotorsports.com/MM-Front-Control-Arms-1979-93-Mustang-P389.aspx
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on December 20, 2017, 11:17:11 PM
Post by: Tbird232ci on December 20, 2017, 11:17:11 PM
I'm not going coil over yet. I found the arms in a Facebook groups for 145 shipped. The guy thought they were a different companies product. I just stuffed them in the stash for the time being. I have SN95 springs and some inexpensive shocks and struts I'll be using for a little while.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on December 20, 2017, 11:54:15 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on December 20, 2017, 11:54:15 PM
For $145 Why not. Stash them until they are needed.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: ZondaC12 on January 09, 2018, 09:26:48 AM
Post by: ZondaC12 on January 09, 2018, 09:26:48 AM
Oooooooooh 1/5 scale GAS BUGGY.
If I ever get another R/C it'll be one of those. Had a Traxxas nitro one, was fun but I always longed for that simplicity. And cheaper fuel LOL
If I ever get another R/C it'll be one of those. Had a Traxxas nitro one, was fun but I always longed for that simplicity. And cheaper fuel LOL
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on January 18, 2018, 05:21:40 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on January 18, 2018, 05:21:40 AM
Quote from: ZondaC12;464212
Oooooooooh 1/5 scale GAS BUGGY.
If I ever get another R/C it'll be one of those. Had a Traxxas nitro one, was fun but I always longed for that simplicity. And cheaper fuel LOL
Don't do it. It's the worst hobby ever. Parts aren't expensive, until you decide to build something. Those 5-12 dollar parts add up fast!
Honestly, electric is the way to go now. With brushless motors and LiPo batteries, they're faster and easier than nitro. This gas buggy does maybe 37-38mph, which isn't that fast. I have a 1/8 electric buggy out of the box that is just as fast, and with gearing and programming the ESC, I can get about 50mph out of it.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Haystack on January 18, 2018, 05:55:01 PM
Post by: Haystack on January 18, 2018, 05:55:01 PM
Electric is definitely the way to go. I can get almost double the perfomance out of a Lipo that I can out of a gas engine on my model airplanes.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on January 19, 2018, 05:49:23 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on January 19, 2018, 05:49:23 AM
Quote from: Haystack;464330
Electric is definitely the way to go. I can get almost double the perfomance out of a Lipo that I can out of a gas engine on my model airplanes.
And no mess, no tuning, no fumes, no glow plus, no spark plugs, no receiver batteries, no mixing fuel, no pistons and sleeves...
But, I do really enjoy this 2-stroke. It does have a neat wow-factor. I have a nitro car I need to rebuild, but I just haven't gotten around to it. Everything else I have is electric
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on March 20, 2018, 05:40:39 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on March 20, 2018, 05:40:39 AM
It's getting to be that time of the year. Finally getting off of my lazy ass and getting a little bit of work going.
This past Saturday, I spent about an hour cleaning the garage. It pretty much got over run with stuff that't supposed to go in the shed, or never quite got a winter home. I didn't get it organized or anything, but I did free up enough room to work.
A gentlemen by the name of Heath has designed some motor mounts for the 86-88 Turbo 2.3 cars. He sent out a few prototype sets of mounts for a discounted rate for people to test. I was the last person to receive the mounts, yet I am the only one to get them installed so far.
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/806/26043120717_a0f4f66c80_b.jpg)
The mounts do bear a strong resemblance to Chucks mounts, but they aren't remotely the same.
I started off trying to take a bunch of pictures to do a How-To type ordeal, but it's hard to stop what you're doing to take pictures.
But anyways, I had to jump start the car, so I had it running while I finished moving some stuff out of the garage. Drive it halfway in and put it on ramps. I laid under it, and looked at the drivers side mount and remembered that it wasn't very pleasant.
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/789/40207283114_f688194088_b.jpg)
That's not too bad.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4795/40207280614_e70232642d_b.jpg)
Those two aren't bad either.
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/814/26043118487_2ffc994d6c_b.jpg)
That's the cheeky little that's a pain in the ass.
Long story short, all of the bolts came out easily, other than that front bolt. I had to use an open end wrench, and when the bolt backed out, it would back against the isolator. In the mean time, my jack crept down and put pressure on the mount. I didn't realize that I didn't have the valve completely closed on the jack.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4773/26043115487_11d52b3447_b.jpg)
I had the jack under the bellhousing with some ss of wood bridging the pan and the bellhousing.
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/819/40022186305_313f71e30f_b.jpg)
There's the new mount and the old mount.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4775/26043111497_24ef0affb1_b.jpg)
I knew that was broken.
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/810/40873622042_eb06a51262_b.jpg)
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/784/40022199345_5db4a86e26_b.jpg)
New mount in.
So at this point, I stopped taking pictures. The installed pictures were actually after I had finished and was getting ready to take the car out.
The passenger mount was actually a bigger pain in the ass than I expected. Part of it is my fault. I tried to do the mounts one-at-a-time. With the drivers side mount installed, there is very little flex to get the engine jacked up. I had to unbolt the drivers side mount from the k-member to get the engine jacked up. Even then, I was wrestling the old mount trying to get it out. I then realized why I remembered installing Chucks mounts was so much easier 10 years ago...I ripped the A/C out of my cars! I actually had to prop the mount up at a wonky angle, and remove the two 10mm bolts to get the mount plate off of the isolator.
Installation was much easier. The mount almost fell into place. I did have to fight and play with angles to get the bolts to start, and there was very limited finger room for the front bolt. I discussed elongating the front hole a bit with Heath to maybe make it a little easier to install.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4779/40873623332_8a84a9dfeb_b.jpg)
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/786/40022202195_fa45164da9_b.jpg)
Passenger mount installed.
Once Heath gets all of the feedback, he is going to make some revisions and send new powdercoated brackets and hardware. When I do this job again, I am going to do things a little differently. First, I'm going to loosen all of the bolts. Then, get the jack set up and remove the crossmember bolts. At this point, I can jack the whole engine up, slide each mount out, and then set the engine back down.
So how does it drive? I wish I knew!
I cleaned up and went to test drive the car. Start it up, and it died after 2 seconds. I know it's low on gas, but I had it running even on the ramps. I fired it up again and it did the same thing. I tried to use the throttle to keep it running, but it dies as if the key is shut off. At this point, I fired it, revved it up and hopped it off of the ramps before it died. My two thoughts is that I may have broken or damaged the ground on the accessory bracket by the drivers side motor mount, or smacked the TFI and made it stupid. I had tach signal, so I feel that the TFI is at least "working". My girlfriend was going to help me just push the car back outside but she was finishing up dinner, so my curiosity got the best of me. The Trans Am barely fits in the garage, and the TC is 9ish inches longer. After I almost pushed it out of the door, I drug it back in.
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/817/40022193005_480a725d33_b.jpg)
The things fits! I have about 4" from the front license plate to the wall, and about 8" behind it to the door.
I hooked up my battery charger/tender, and will get back to diagnosing the running issue another day.
This past Saturday, I spent about an hour cleaning the garage. It pretty much got over run with stuff that't supposed to go in the shed, or never quite got a winter home. I didn't get it organized or anything, but I did free up enough room to work.
A gentlemen by the name of Heath has designed some motor mounts for the 86-88 Turbo 2.3 cars. He sent out a few prototype sets of mounts for a discounted rate for people to test. I was the last person to receive the mounts, yet I am the only one to get them installed so far.
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/806/26043120717_a0f4f66c80_b.jpg)
The mounts do bear a strong resemblance to Chucks mounts, but they aren't remotely the same.
I started off trying to take a bunch of pictures to do a How-To type ordeal, but it's hard to stop what you're doing to take pictures.
But anyways, I had to jump start the car, so I had it running while I finished moving some stuff out of the garage. Drive it halfway in and put it on ramps. I laid under it, and looked at the drivers side mount and remembered that it wasn't very pleasant.
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/789/40207283114_f688194088_b.jpg)
That's not too bad.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4795/40207280614_e70232642d_b.jpg)
Those two aren't bad either.
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/814/26043118487_2ffc994d6c_b.jpg)
That's the cheeky little that's a pain in the ass.
Long story short, all of the bolts came out easily, other than that front bolt. I had to use an open end wrench, and when the bolt backed out, it would back against the isolator. In the mean time, my jack crept down and put pressure on the mount. I didn't realize that I didn't have the valve completely closed on the jack.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4773/26043115487_11d52b3447_b.jpg)
I had the jack under the bellhousing with some ss of wood bridging the pan and the bellhousing.
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/819/40022186305_313f71e30f_b.jpg)
There's the new mount and the old mount.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4775/26043111497_24ef0affb1_b.jpg)
I knew that was broken.
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/810/40873622042_eb06a51262_b.jpg)
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/784/40022199345_5db4a86e26_b.jpg)
New mount in.
So at this point, I stopped taking pictures. The installed pictures were actually after I had finished and was getting ready to take the car out.
The passenger mount was actually a bigger pain in the ass than I expected. Part of it is my fault. I tried to do the mounts one-at-a-time. With the drivers side mount installed, there is very little flex to get the engine jacked up. I had to unbolt the drivers side mount from the k-member to get the engine jacked up. Even then, I was wrestling the old mount trying to get it out. I then realized why I remembered installing Chucks mounts was so much easier 10 years ago...I ripped the A/C out of my cars! I actually had to prop the mount up at a wonky angle, and remove the two 10mm bolts to get the mount plate off of the isolator.
Installation was much easier. The mount almost fell into place. I did have to fight and play with angles to get the bolts to start, and there was very limited finger room for the front bolt. I discussed elongating the front hole a bit with Heath to maybe make it a little easier to install.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4779/40873623332_8a84a9dfeb_b.jpg)
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/786/40022202195_fa45164da9_b.jpg)
Passenger mount installed.
Once Heath gets all of the feedback, he is going to make some revisions and send new powdercoated brackets and hardware. When I do this job again, I am going to do things a little differently. First, I'm going to loosen all of the bolts. Then, get the jack set up and remove the crossmember bolts. At this point, I can jack the whole engine up, slide each mount out, and then set the engine back down.
So how does it drive? I wish I knew!
I cleaned up and went to test drive the car. Start it up, and it died after 2 seconds. I know it's low on gas, but I had it running even on the ramps. I fired it up again and it did the same thing. I tried to use the throttle to keep it running, but it dies as if the key is shut off. At this point, I fired it, revved it up and hopped it off of the ramps before it died. My two thoughts is that I may have broken or damaged the ground on the accessory bracket by the drivers side motor mount, or smacked the TFI and made it stupid. I had tach signal, so I feel that the TFI is at least "working". My girlfriend was going to help me just push the car back outside but she was finishing up dinner, so my curiosity got the best of me. The Trans Am barely fits in the garage, and the TC is 9ish inches longer. After I almost pushed it out of the door, I drug it back in.
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/817/40022193005_480a725d33_b.jpg)
The things fits! I have about 4" from the front license plate to the wall, and about 8" behind it to the door.
I hooked up my battery charger/tender, and will get back to diagnosing the running issue another day.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: 1WLD BRD on March 20, 2018, 11:12:47 AM
Post by: 1WLD BRD on March 20, 2018, 11:12:47 AM
Good to see you making some progress Shawn.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Beau on March 20, 2018, 01:44:24 PM
Post by: Beau on March 20, 2018, 01:44:24 PM
Looks like a few cuss words were probably uttered, lol.
I had to rebuild my jack, the cylinder kept bleeding off, and it would go down.
I'm surprised, I'd have thought that the TA would be a good bit longer than an Aero Bird.
I've gotta get some car stuff done too, one day off a week sucks though.
Good work man, hopefully you can fire it up soon and take it for a spin.
I had to rebuild my jack, the cylinder kept bleeding off, and it would go down.
I'm surprised, I'd have thought that the TA would be a good bit longer than an Aero Bird.
I've gotta get some car stuff done too, one day off a week sucks though.
Good work man, hopefully you can fire it up soon and take it for a spin.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on March 21, 2018, 11:50:27 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on March 21, 2018, 11:50:27 PM
Codes man. Scan the codes ;).
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Haystack on March 22, 2018, 04:03:49 AM
Post by: Haystack on March 22, 2018, 04:03:49 AM
Yup, codes.
My guess is a shiznitty parts store fuel pump. 4 out of 5 ive laid my hands on were bad out of the box
My guess is a shiznitty parts store fuel pump. 4 out of 5 ive laid my hands on were bad out of the box
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on March 26, 2018, 04:37:09 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on March 26, 2018, 04:37:09 AM
Quote from: thunderjet302;465078
Codes man. Scan the codes ;).
I did that before making this post. The codes were completely irrelevant to the issue I was having.
I ended up spending about 10 minutes just looking around the engine bay. Started at the grounds that I know I disturbed. Traced them up to the battery. Nothing there. Went to the other side, started by looking at the engine mount, checking the work I did and then noticed that the intake tube popped off when I jacked the engine up. Problem solved.
I still haven't driven it. A bit too much weather and salt happened recently, so it's just sitting for now.
I did realize how little time I have until Carlisle, so I'm going to have to dump some money into the car and get some stuff in motion. I have a lot of little stuff to do, and a handful of bigger ticket items I'd like to get done. Either way, the car will be there, but it may or may not be uber stock.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on March 27, 2018, 06:15:05 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on March 27, 2018, 06:15:05 PM
Well at least you checked the codes :hick:.
Glad it was a simple fix for you.
Glad it was a simple fix for you.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: jcassity on April 01, 2018, 10:23:17 PM
Post by: jcassity on April 01, 2018, 10:23:17 PM
i need to come to one of these events,,
by the way,, how did i miss this thread!!!
by the way,, how did i miss this thread!!!
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on April 09, 2018, 02:54:46 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on April 09, 2018, 02:54:46 AM
Quote from: jcassity;465156
i need to come to one of these events,,
by the way,, how did i miss this thread!!!
It's pretty easy when you're making windmills out of nuclear reactor parts!
Not too much to update as of right now. I have the door panel off, got the old, peeling tint off the window, and had to order some new window clips. Now I just need to get off of my ass and put it all back together.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on July 07, 2018, 06:18:24 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on July 07, 2018, 06:18:24 AM
So to finally get back to this thread.
Not much has changed. I did slightly change my overall direction for the car. I was going to go after a build where I wanted everything to look clean and original without being too outwardly different. It would have been almost how the factory *should* have built it. After going to Carlisle, and seeing that the majority of cars went that direction, I decided it was time for something different. Another forum member and I were talking, and while some of the cars were nice, none were really "wow" worthy, or really anything special other than just being a nice car.
When I bought the car, I was aware that it had been side swiped. The previous owner didn't own the car when it happened, but he made it seem as if it was a minor issue. There was some bondo cracking in the C-pillar, but I didn't feel it was a big issue. I went to do a tail light swap, which was it's own hassle, so I pulled the trunk carpeting out. That's when I noticed that the inside of the left side was painted black. It grabbed my attention, and that's when I realized that it had a rear quarter welded on. I started looking closer, and it was certainly an insurance job. The welds were , holes were egged out for panel alignment, sealant was sloppy, and the paint job was mediocre at best. This is when I realized that this car will never be as nice as I hoped.
I don't have the insane money or skills to do a super sick custom car, nor do I have the money to do a restoration or track down NOS parts. I don't care for show cars. I feel that they are a waste of time and money. I don't want to sit behind my car in a folding chair just to listen to people compliment my car. I also never want to fear driving the car.
On the flip side of that, I feel that a full race car is a waste of time and money too. I hate the idea of a car that I can only drive under certain conditions, or I can't drive at all other than onto the trailer and to the track.
So, I'm going to try to land somewhere right in the middle. I'm thinking a 6 or 8 point cage, rear seat delete, race seats, a nice steering wheel, and pursuing some entry level track events. My plans have already been to have handling oriented suspension, and badass brakes. The car will never be 10/10, so I might as well have a reason for it to look a little rough. "Why is the paint rough", "Because race car". "Where is your back seat?", "Race cars don't have a back seat." "Why is it noisy?", "Um, race car". "Why does it ride rough?", "EJECTO SEATO CUZ!"
So, I've already taken the first step, and removed the air conditioning. Also removed the EGR solenoid and the overboost sensor and some other garbage. I'll have some other stuff to post a bit later on, but I felt the need to preface with my newest goal in mind.
Not much has changed. I did slightly change my overall direction for the car. I was going to go after a build where I wanted everything to look clean and original without being too outwardly different. It would have been almost how the factory *should* have built it. After going to Carlisle, and seeing that the majority of cars went that direction, I decided it was time for something different. Another forum member and I were talking, and while some of the cars were nice, none were really "wow" worthy, or really anything special other than just being a nice car.
When I bought the car, I was aware that it had been side swiped. The previous owner didn't own the car when it happened, but he made it seem as if it was a minor issue. There was some bondo cracking in the C-pillar, but I didn't feel it was a big issue. I went to do a tail light swap, which was it's own hassle, so I pulled the trunk carpeting out. That's when I noticed that the inside of the left side was painted black. It grabbed my attention, and that's when I realized that it had a rear quarter welded on. I started looking closer, and it was certainly an insurance job. The welds were , holes were egged out for panel alignment, sealant was sloppy, and the paint job was mediocre at best. This is when I realized that this car will never be as nice as I hoped.
I don't have the insane money or skills to do a super sick custom car, nor do I have the money to do a restoration or track down NOS parts. I don't care for show cars. I feel that they are a waste of time and money. I don't want to sit behind my car in a folding chair just to listen to people compliment my car. I also never want to fear driving the car.
On the flip side of that, I feel that a full race car is a waste of time and money too. I hate the idea of a car that I can only drive under certain conditions, or I can't drive at all other than onto the trailer and to the track.
So, I'm going to try to land somewhere right in the middle. I'm thinking a 6 or 8 point cage, rear seat delete, race seats, a nice steering wheel, and pursuing some entry level track events. My plans have already been to have handling oriented suspension, and badass brakes. The car will never be 10/10, so I might as well have a reason for it to look a little rough. "Why is the paint rough", "Because race car". "Where is your back seat?", "Race cars don't have a back seat." "Why is it noisy?", "Um, race car". "Why does it ride rough?", "EJECTO SEATO CUZ!"
So, I've already taken the first step, and removed the air conditioning. Also removed the EGR solenoid and the overboost sensor and some other garbage. I'll have some other stuff to post a bit later on, but I felt the need to preface with my newest goal in mind.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on July 07, 2018, 05:11:19 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on July 07, 2018, 05:11:19 PM
Quote from: Tbird232ci;466348
I don't care for show cars. I feel that they are a waste of time and money. I don't want to sit behind my car in a folding chair just to listen to people compliment my car.
I agree. I've pretty much given up on the car show thing. Just a bunch of old people sitting around in chairs. Boring. The drives to and from the show are much more fun than the show. So that's basically what I do with mine now. Go for long cruises or occasionally blast down the 1/4 mile. It's all clean and shiny but I do that for me, because I want it to be that way.
So moving forward what are the suspension/brake plans? Coil over/tubular K in front and SN95/Cobra brakes all around? If you're going to road course and are more worried about handling then I'd just make the 2.3T reliable vs. boosting the hell out of it. If it fits the budget use as many Maximum Motorsports pieces as you can. There stuff has made my car much more enjoyable to drive. It isn't cheap but you get what you pay for.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on July 08, 2018, 01:35:39 PM
Post by: Tbird232ci on July 08, 2018, 01:35:39 PM
Quote from: thunderjet302;466355
I agree. I've pretty much given up on the car show thing. Just a bunch of old people sitting around in chairs. Boring. The drives to and from the show are much more fun than the show. So that's basically what I do with mine now. Go for long cruises or occasionally blast down the 1/4 mile. It's all clean and shiny but I do that for me, because I want it to be that way.
The local, Saturday night show here starts at 5pm. Most of the people arrive at 4pm and leave by 7pm. Those people are the kind that need to be in bed by 8pm. They all get there, park in the same spot, and set up chairs. I'd rather do that at my house.
Quote from: thunderjet302;466355
So moving forward what are the suspension/brake plans? Coil over/tubular K in front and SN95/Cobra brakes all around? If you're going to road course and are more worried about handling then I'd just make the 2.3T reliable vs. boosting the hell out of it. If it fits the budget use as many Maximum Motorsports pieces as you can. There stuff has made my car much more enjoyable to drive. It isn't cheap but you get what you pay for.
I'm not going with a tubular-K for a long time, if at all really. Maximum Motorsports' tubular does offer geometry benefits, but I'm not aiming to be competitive. I'm just aiming to fix the short-comings of the car.
As of right now, I have MM's tubular SN95 arms in need of bushings and balljoints. Also have their C/C plates. Also have 94-95 spindles and axles. For short term, I have some cheap shocks/struts/springs I'll use as my car has 225K miles on it and it just needs some love.
I'll be using 99-04 GT/V6 brakes until I follow through with removing the Teeves system. They're inexpensive and still pretty effective. After that, I'm unsure of where I'll go with brakes. The Cobra stuff is nice, but there are still a lot of other options to explore.
For certain, I'll be using MM's control arms, torque arm and panhard bar. My goal is to have the money stashed away by the time Black Friday sales start happening. They offer some *okay* sales. I'm hoping to have the TA/PHB for when I take it to the shop to have SFC's and jacking rails welded in and have them do it all in one swoop. After that, I'll determine what spring rates and shocks/struts I want to run.
It's going to take time since the car does need a lot of work. Every system on the car needs some sort of work. It's a 2.3T so every seal leaks. The 4 banger T5 is notorious for the input shaft being galled up, and mine needs attention. Still has a factory fuel pump. Needs headlight relays. So on and so on.
As far as power, the 2.3L can safely handle about 400rwhp. I'm not concerned with the strength of parts as much as I am with keeping it cool and the oiling system keeping up. I haven't done much homework to find what it takes to keep a 2.3 happy under sustained load and RPM.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on July 08, 2018, 05:31:29 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on July 08, 2018, 05:31:29 PM
Quote from: Tbird232ci;466370
I'm not going with a tubular-K for a long time, if at all really. Maximum Motorsports' tubular does offer geometry benefits, but I'm not aiming to be competitive. I'm just aiming to fix the short-comings of the car.
As of right now, I have MM's tubular SN95 arms in need of bushings and balljoints. Also have their C/C plates. Also have 94-95 spindles and axles. For short term, I have some cheap shocks/struts/springs I'll use as my car has 225K miles on it and it just needs some love.
I'll be using 99-04 GT/V6 brakes until I follow through with removing the Teeves system. They're inexpensive and still pretty effective. After that, I'm unsure of where I'll go with brakes. The Cobra stuff is nice, but there are still a lot of other options to explore.
For certain, I'll be using MM's control arms, torque arm and panhard bar. My goal is to have the money stashed away by the time Black Friday sales start happening. They offer some *okay* sales. I'm hoping to have the TA/PHB for when I take it to the shop to have SFC's and jacking rails welded in and have them do it all in one swoop. After that, I'll determine what spring rates and shocks/struts I want to run.
It's going to take time since the car does need a lot of work. Every system on the car needs some sort of work. It's a 2.3T so every seal leaks. The 4 banger T5 is notorious for the input shaft being galled up, and mine needs attention. Still has a factory fuel pump. Needs headlight relays. So on and so on.
As far as power, the 2.3L can safely handle about 400rwhp. I'm not concerned with the strength of parts as much as I am with keeping it cool and the oiling system keeping up. I haven't done much homework to find what it takes to keep a 2.3 happy under sustained load and RPM.
The front plus the brakes sounds like a solid setup. I'm under the opinion that if you're doing mostly street driving that the stock K-member is probably better anyway. Better brakes are a definite plus, and realistically something I should do as well. But ditch that Teeves system. It was such a royal PITA on my Mark VII. Parts were expensive and hard to find, and it's only going to get worse.
I'm interested in you experience with the MM panhard bar. I've been considering picking one up. The MM rear control arms made a huge difference but I think the panhard bar would make it even better. I haven't even considered the torque arm, as that's probably beyond what would make the car tossable on the street, but would be great on a road course.
I would think that an aluminum radiator with two rows of 1" tubes should handle the 2.3T fine. I've got got one of them (a several year old Northern unit) and the car rarely gets over 200°-205° even in traffic with the A/C on stun. But with that turbo dumping heat into the system you may need something even better.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on July 09, 2018, 01:37:26 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on July 09, 2018, 01:37:26 AM
Quote from: thunderjet302;466371
The front plus the brakes sounds like a solid setup. I'm under the opinion that if you're doing mostly street driving that the stock K-member is probably better anyway. Better brakes are a definite plus, and realistically something I should do as well. But ditch that Teeves system. It was such a royal PITA on my Mark VII. Parts were expensive and hard to find, and it's only going to get worse.
I'm interested in you experience with the MM panhard bar. I've been considering picking one up. The MM rear control arms made a huge difference but I think the panhard bar would make it even better. I haven't even considered the torque arm, as that's probably beyond what would make the car tossable on the street, but would be great on a road course.
I would think that an aluminum radiator with two rows of 1" tubes should handle the 2.3T fine. I've got got one of them (a several year old Northern unit) and the car rarely gets over 200°-205° even in traffic with the A/C on stun. But with that turbo dumping heat into the system you may need something even better.
The Teeves didn't treat me bad through the years. The only real failures I had were the relays. Kept a spare motorcraft in the glovebox. I just won't be able to keep a good pedal or good bias with anything other than stock brakes. Going with the PBR front's and SN95 rear will shift the bias forward, but I don't intend on it being permanent.
The torque arm really is another piece of the puzzle. The upper control arms really hurt handling in these cars. You can run the panhard bar, and remove one control arm to help free up the rear end movement. It gets called the PM3L, short for poor mans three link. It's still not as good as a torque arm setup, but it's still far better than keeping the quadrabind.
In a previous car, I used a big, universal radiator. It filled the entire opening in the radiator support. Was 31" wide I think. Was a dual row with 1" cores. It worked well, but it was a normal street car. Do a few highway pulls or stoplight blasts and it was fine. I never did 20 minutes of WOT to brakes. The 2.3T cars have a factory oil cooler, which uses coolant to heat and cool the oil, but I'm going to delete it, and use a large oil cooler with a thermostat. Hopefully that should be enough to keep it happy.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Aerocoupe on July 09, 2018, 10:14:33 AM
Post by: Aerocoupe on July 09, 2018, 10:14:33 AM
So the torque arm in conjunction with the PHB is awesome on the street...have them both on my Coupe (full MM car).
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on July 09, 2018, 02:12:44 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on July 09, 2018, 02:12:44 PM
Quote from: Tbird232ci;466381
The Teeves didn't treat me bad through the years. The only real failures I had were the relays. Kept a spare motorcraft in the glovebox. I just won't be able to keep a good pedal or good bias with anything other than stock brakes. Going with the PBR front's and SN95 rear will shift the bias forward, but I don't intend on it being permanent.
The torque arm really is another piece of the puzzle. The upper control arms really hurt handling in these cars. You can run the panhard bar, and remove one control arm to help free up the rear end movement. It gets called the PM3L, short for poor mans three link. It's still not as good as a torque arm setup, but it's still far better than keeping the quadrabind.
In a previous car, I used a big, universal radiator. It filled the entire opening in the radiator support. Was 31" wide I think. Was a dual row with 1" cores. It worked well, but it was a normal street car. Do a few highway pulls or stoplight blasts and it was fine. I never did 20 minutes of WOT to brakes. The 2.3T cars have a factory oil cooler, which uses coolant to heat and cool the oil, but I'm going to delete it, and use a large oil cooler with a thermostat. Hopefully that should be enough to keep it happy.
The Teeves was ok on my Mark VII. The pressure switch started leaking but other than that it worked. My big issue with them is component parts are pretty much made of unobtanium now. If you do need something it's $$$. You can get a rebuilt pump but that's about $800. Might as well ditch them for a regular power booster and master, especially with any brake upgrade from stock.
I know the stock rear sucks, which is why I eventually want to put in the PHB. The torque arm just seems like overkill for what I end up doing. Plus having to have it welded in puts me off a bit, as I have to drive the car to a welder to get parts of the setup installed.
I'm sure someone has tracked a 2.3T and has a radiator setup that works. The problem is finding it.
Quote from: Aerocoupe;466384
So the torque arm in conjunction with the PHB is awesome on the street...have them both on my Coupe (full MM car).
Did you drive it sans the Torque arm? I'm more than likely just going to add the PHB to the MM rear lowers I have and call it good.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Aerocoupe on July 09, 2018, 11:28:16 PM
Post by: Aerocoupe on July 09, 2018, 11:28:16 PM
Sure did and it was like night and day. The only thing welded in for the torque arm is the “crossmember” as everything else is bolt on.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on August 13, 2018, 04:56:09 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on August 13, 2018, 04:56:09 AM
So, not a whole lot to report. I've been fairly busy just not being busy. My work schedule makes it hard to have free time on the weekends primarily due to the limited time I get to spend with my girlfriend. During the week, we are practically room mates. I wake her up when I go to sleep, and I *might* see her for an hour before I go to work. We have to try to cram in relationship and responsibilities during the weekend.
I didn't take many pictures, but I put LED's in the main interior lights. I am very pleased with how they turned out. I have a ton of lights left over, so I'll be stuffing them in anything remotely useful I can find.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1817/43291139344_f0b604ec5c_c.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1839/30141208328_63bfbcff7b_c.jpg)
The entire car lights up very nicely at night when you press the keypad, and the cool blue looks very nice with the blue interior.
The other project I wrapped up was making a cold air intake. I started off with an ebay 5.0 intake manifold. I ended up hacking up one of the tubes, buying a tube with a fitting for the BPV, replacing all of the couplers, and only keeping the fender-well plate and grommet in tact. I intend on changing the tube that enters the fender-well because I really don't like the angle the filter goes in the fender. It really limits the size of the filter I can run. The VAM is a bigger restriction than the filter, so I'm okay with it for now. When I get more stuff going on, I'm going to pull it back out and paint everything black. No bling for me.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1778/43291141284_cb885b8998_c.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1799/30141211338_8690f27d8a_c.jpg)
For right now, I need to figure out what I'm going to do for a temporary valve cover breather on the cheap. I have a more extensive plan, so I don't want to spend too much on something I'm going to only use temporarily.
I also have some parts on the way that will help me a long nicely. I'm not doing much to make it fast yet. My main objective is to get the car ready before I add power. I hated chasing failing and insufficient parts on my previous car. I'll deal with it being slow as long as I can keep it from being unreliable.
I didn't take many pictures, but I put LED's in the main interior lights. I am very pleased with how they turned out. I have a ton of lights left over, so I'll be stuffing them in anything remotely useful I can find.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1817/43291139344_f0b604ec5c_c.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1839/30141208328_63bfbcff7b_c.jpg)
The entire car lights up very nicely at night when you press the keypad, and the cool blue looks very nice with the blue interior.
The other project I wrapped up was making a cold air intake. I started off with an ebay 5.0 intake manifold. I ended up hacking up one of the tubes, buying a tube with a fitting for the BPV, replacing all of the couplers, and only keeping the fender-well plate and grommet in tact. I intend on changing the tube that enters the fender-well because I really don't like the angle the filter goes in the fender. It really limits the size of the filter I can run. The VAM is a bigger restriction than the filter, so I'm okay with it for now. When I get more stuff going on, I'm going to pull it back out and paint everything black. No bling for me.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1778/43291141284_cb885b8998_c.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1799/30141211338_8690f27d8a_c.jpg)
For right now, I need to figure out what I'm going to do for a temporary valve cover breather on the cheap. I have a more extensive plan, so I don't want to spend too much on something I'm going to only use temporarily.
I also have some parts on the way that will help me a long nicely. I'm not doing much to make it fast yet. My main objective is to get the car ready before I add power. I hated chasing failing and insufficient parts on my previous car. I'll deal with it being slow as long as I can keep it from being unreliable.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on August 14, 2018, 05:27:20 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on August 14, 2018, 05:27:20 PM
Refresh my memory but is the stock TC computer capable of supporting a MAF conversion with a tune?
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Chuck W on August 15, 2018, 08:31:52 AM
Post by: Chuck W on August 15, 2018, 08:31:52 AM
The car looks great, Shawn.
I turned the intake tube downward in the fender on the '83 (You can kind of see it in the pic HERE (https://turbochuckcom.ipage.com/webimages/projects/83%20TBird/TB_IC_1.jpg). Was able to fit a fairly long filter in there.
I turned the intake tube downward in the fender on the '83 (You can kind of see it in the pic HERE (https://turbochuckcom.ipage.com/webimages/projects/83%20TBird/TB_IC_1.jpg). Was able to fit a fairly long filter in there.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on August 15, 2018, 05:11:35 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on August 15, 2018, 05:11:35 PM
VAFs don't care about bends in front of the meter? MAFs get all screwy with bends.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Chuck W on August 15, 2018, 09:09:47 PM
Post by: Chuck W on August 15, 2018, 09:09:47 PM
Quote from: thunderjet302;466769
VAFs don't care about bends in front of the meter? MAFs get all screwy with bends.
*shrug* I threw the last VAM/MAF away from any of my cars a LONG time ago (SD, running on MS).
The VAM shouldn't care, as it's metering on volume of air. (Pushing the flapper/vane open).
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on August 20, 2018, 04:40:11 PM
Post by: Tbird232ci on August 20, 2018, 04:40:11 PM
Quote from: thunderjet302;466757
Refresh my memory but is the stock TC computer capable of supporting a MAF conversion with a tune?
It is capable with a J3 adapter and tuning software. The problem is that even then, the TC computer can only support so much.
Quote from: thunderjet302;466769
VAFs don't care about bends in front of the meter? MAFs get all screwy with bends.
The VAF doesn't care as long as it's mostly level and not getting a lot of NVH. It has a spring loaded door that actuates a potentiometer basically.
With that said, I have a Megasquirt 3 and 1000cc injectors. Once I get some other stuff caught up on the car, I intend on converting the car to MS, getting the cam phaser, setting up a crank trigger, and then going full sequential using LS2 coil packs.
The best place for the VAF and LA3 is the garbage can as far as I'm concerned.
Quote from: Chuck W;466764
The car looks great, Shawn.
I turned the intake tube downward in the fender on the '83 (You can kind of see it in the pic HERE (https://turbochuckcom.ipage.com/webimages/projects/83%20TBird/TB_IC_1.jpg). Was able to fit a fairly long filter in there.
Thanks Chuck. What you did is actually my intention. The way the bend goes into the fender, it angles toward the fender liner, so if I put a 90* bend, it'll aim it towards the fender. When I get to it, I'll get a better angle tube going into the fender and do what you did. I feel the VAM is a bigger restriction than the little filter anyways.
I did take the car out for a drive. Haven't driven it in a month or so. I always forget how shiznitty these cars are. I've got a lot of work ahead of me to get where I'm happy with its performance.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on August 20, 2018, 07:17:02 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on August 20, 2018, 07:17:02 PM
I assume you're doing a stand alone MS conversion, since there is not a PNP option like for a 5.0 car.
The EDIS conversion should help out a bunch, especially since quality remanufactured distributors are hard to find.
The EDIS conversion should help out a bunch, especially since quality remanufactured distributors are hard to find.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on August 20, 2018, 07:20:57 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on August 20, 2018, 07:20:57 PM
Quote from: Tbird232ci;466798
I did take the car out for a drive. Haven't driven it in a month or so. I always forget how shiznitty these cars are. I've got a lot of work ahead of me to get where I'm happy with its performance.
I recently drove a stock, low mile 86 5.0 Cougar. The thing handled like trash and giggled far too much. With all the suspension/frame reinforcement I've done to my car it's like driving a modern car (well except for the shiznitty Fox brakes, need to do a SN95 upgrade one day). You'll be amazed how much suspension mods and frame reinforcement helps. Well you already know, but a you'll be much happier with your TC once you've worked on the suspension.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on August 21, 2018, 09:16:26 PM
Post by: Tbird232ci on August 21, 2018, 09:16:26 PM
Quote from: thunderjet302;466803
I assume you're doing a stand alone MS conversion, since there is not a PNP option like for a 5.0 car.
The EDIS conversion should help out a bunch, especially since quality remanufactured distributors are hard to find.
Actually, Stinger-Performance has a MS based system call Pimp and PimpXS that is PNP for nearly all EEC-IV cars. I was initially going to go with the XS, but its about a grand with software licenses. It's the most seamless way to go MS, but it has it's downfalls, like relying on 30 year old wiring, and still using the IRCM found in the 87-88 TC's that like to have the fan circuit fail.
Distributors aren't that big of a deal. Finding a quality TFI module is the worst now. Other than that, rebuilding them isn't hard.
Biggest reason I'm going to go MS is that I have a MS3 in my toolbox from a previous project. I have to add the MS3xtra board, which isn't expensive, and build a harness. It'll allow me to ditch all of the extra wiring, and all of the that I don't need any more. It'll be a big project, but the payoff will me worth it.
Quote from: thunderjet302;466804
I recently drove a stock, low mile 86 5.0 Cougar. The thing handled like trash and giggled far too much. With all the suspension/frame reinforcement I've done to my car it's like driving a modern car (well except for the shiznitty Fox brakes, need to do a SN95 upgrade one day). You'll be amazed how much suspension mods and frame reinforcement helps. Well you already know, but a you'll be much happier with your TC once you've worked on the suspension.
Imagine that amount of suck, with 225K miles on it. It'll get better, but it's going to take patience. Patience is something I've never been good with.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Chuck W on August 22, 2018, 08:28:32 AM
Post by: Chuck W on August 22, 2018, 08:28:32 AM
Doing the MS and doing tuning is a really great way to get knowledge on how these things work. A lot to learn, but you gain quite a bit from it.
Also, the MS tuning and interface is much easier than the stuff I'm looking at for tuning the factory Bosch Motronic ECUs in the 850's.
Also, the MS tuning and interface is much easier than the stuff I'm looking at for tuning the factory Bosch Motronic ECUs in the 850's.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Thunder Chicken on August 22, 2018, 04:45:54 PM
Post by: Thunder Chicken on August 22, 2018, 04:45:54 PM
Quote from: Tbird232ci;466798
I did take the car out for a drive. Haven't driven it in a month or so. I always forget how shiznitty these cars are. I've got a lot of work ahead of me to get where I'm happy with its performance.
I experience this on a daily basis. I work at a shop that specializes in European cars. 90% of the work I do is on modern BMW's, Benz's, Volvos, Land Rovers, etc. Every once in a while, though, I do some work on a classic European car. Might be an old Land Rover Defender, might be a Triumph, Might be an Alfa Romeo, might be a Fiat. There have even been some old Volvo PV544's & 1800's, plus some air cooled VW's. These cars all look incredible, but driving them really, really sucks. They are awful. They feel like they're falling apart. About the only ones that feel solid are the old Benz's, but they have absolutely no road feel or handling, they just feel like tanks.
This is why some day, when I find a four-eye Bird and am actually in the position to buy it, I don't car what it's got for a drivetrain, because it's all going into the harbour. The car would be stripped to the shell and rebuilt the way I want it. It'll have modern suspension, brakes, drivetrain, etc. The interior would remain as stock appearing as possible but it'd get all modern infotainment and instrumentation. I'm at the point now I don't even know whether I could be happy with a Windsor engine. I think I'd have to go with a Coyote.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on August 23, 2018, 03:17:45 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on August 23, 2018, 03:17:45 PM
Quote from: Tbird232ci;466809
Actually, Stinger-Performance has a MS based system call Pimp and PimpXS that is PNP for nearly all EEC-IV cars. I was initially going to go with the XS, but its about a grand with software licenses. It's the most seamless way to go MS, but it has it's downfalls, like relying on 30 year old wiring, and still using the IRCM found in the 87-88 TC's that like to have the fan circuit fail.
Distributors aren't that big of a deal. Finding a quality TFI module is the worst now. Other than that, rebuilding them isn't hard.
Biggest reason I'm going to go MS is that I have a MS3 in my toolbox from a previous project. I have to add the MS3xtra board, which isn't expensive, and build a harness. It'll allow me to ditch all of the extra wiring, and all of the that I don't need any more. It'll be a big project, but the payoff will me worth it.
Imagine that amount of suck, with 225K miles on it. It'll get better, but it's going to take patience. Patience is something I've never been good with.
I didn't know you were planning on re-wiring the whole engine electrical system. That sounds not so fun. Good luck with that project.
I still think that frame stiffening and new/better suspension components are the best mods you can do to these cars. They just make them so much more enjoyable to drive. With 225k I imagine every bushing in the suspension on your car is toast. It can't ride well at all.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on August 24, 2018, 01:41:07 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on August 24, 2018, 01:41:07 AM
Quote from: thunderjet302;466824
I didn't know you were planning on re-wiring the whole engine electrical system. That sounds not so fun. Good luck with that project.
I still think that frame stiffening and new/better suspension components are the best mods you can do to these cars. They just make them so much more enjoyable to drive. With 225k I imagine every bushing in the suspension on your car is toast. It can't ride well at all.
With some of the products offered for Megasquirt, it really wont be too bad. The hardest part will be separating the necessary chassis electronics from the engine electronics. The EEC harness ties into the ABS and ride control, along with the gauge wiring and other functions. I'll have to do a lot of EVTM studying and unpinning connectors. I actually enjoy that type of work.
I'm well aware of the differences the stiffening makes in these cars. A buddy of mine had a SN95 with a 3.8L, and the full MM catalog. The car wasn't fast, but it didn't matter. It was so much fun to drive. It never felt like a Mustang.
So today I set out to do a simple task. Of course, my attention span turned that into a handful of small projects.
My initial task was to degrease and clean up the engine bay. It's usually one of the first things I do to a car when I buy it. That went well. I sprayed the engine bay down with Greased Lightning, closed the hood, and then drug the power washer out of the shed. I set the power washer up, lifted the hood and sprayed it down again. I could see the crud running off of various components. Then it was time to blast. The only thing I was careful to avoid was the distributor. Everything got blasted. The paint on the valve cover basically exploded in a mess of tiny, black flakes. I chased the residual soap off of the rest of the car, and saw some of the crud coming out of the cracked and textured clear coat, so that also got the blast. The results are pretty pleasing.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1860/44231032171_83257495c8_c.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1882/30363384128_fa840cf146_c.jpg)
So with the pressure washer out, I decided it was time to address the body side molding. It's not in bad shape, but it was a daily driver, and they tend to never get the attention they deserve. There was dirt caked between the door and the molding, and between the inner strip and the molding. I did clean a few sections by hand, but it was super tedious. Last week, I put the door badges back on the car. Typically, I hate putting words on a car. If you don't know what it is, I don't want you to look at the emblems and ask me dumb questions. I've had people read the emblems and say "That's one of them Super Coupes isn't it?" or "Is that the turbocharged V6?" I'd rather the conversation not happen. Anyways, the only reason I put them on was to fill the silver gap in the molding. Well, the pressure washer blew them both right off. I came up with a solution that I'm happy enough with for now.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1850/30363395468_f6b0e1a511_c.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1816/30363386698_a2b9503b15_c.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1812/30363392398_fb19c35bb3_c.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1898/44231037381_1e59bd950c_c.jpg)
While not the perfect solution, I'm actually very happy with the end result. It doesn't have a gaping silver hole in the molding, and it doesn't have an emblem on the door.
While not this week, another upcoming project:
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1813/44231034361_ddb60205ca_c.jpg)
Also received the 92-94 Ranger accessory brackets:
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1862/30363390068_214063463d_c.jpg)
I also scrubbed and power washed them. The durability of 24 year old dirt is quite amazing.
Also, the other night, I bought a palm sander and an array of sand paper. Being a home owner, I know a palm sander will be useful, which is my justification for buying it. I have a few sets of lights kicking around, so I started trying to clean some up. Started with 320 grit and went up to 1k, and then some polish. I think I either need to spend more time with the lower grit paper, or use a more aggressive polish or compound to finish up. The surface still seems to have some haze to it.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1842/44231035971_a30f8db66d_c.jpg)
I do have a mint pair of headlights, but with as rough as this car looks, I don't want to put perfect lights on it right now.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on August 24, 2018, 05:17:04 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on August 24, 2018, 05:17:04 AM
I decided to spend a few hours out in the garage and work on the headlights a bit more. I got them pretty much to where I'm happy with them. The light that was pretty much done needed a more aggressive polish. I happened to have Mothers Mag and Wheel polish. As soon as I started rubbing with that the haze pretty much went away. I then used the Extra Cut polish and a few coats of wax.
These s are hard to photograph.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1862/43516089114_9fec17d680_c.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1859/44233893491_87eef7235f_c.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1839/43516086844_a90145759e_c.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1881/43516090094_b4af08e035_c.jpg)
For the next set of lights I polish, I'll do a more comprehensive write up. I get tired of seeing people charge 300 dollars for a pair of decent headlights when you can put a little time, effort and money in and have your own decent headlights.
These s are hard to photograph.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1862/43516089114_9fec17d680_c.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1859/44233893491_87eef7235f_c.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1839/43516086844_a90145759e_c.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1881/43516090094_b4af08e035_c.jpg)
For the next set of lights I polish, I'll do a more comprehensive write up. I get tired of seeing people charge 300 dollars for a pair of decent headlights when you can put a little time, effort and money in and have your own decent headlights.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Aerocoupe on August 24, 2018, 09:07:28 AM
Post by: Aerocoupe on August 24, 2018, 09:07:28 AM
You probably already know this but my bet is the accessory brackets have oxidized to the point they will need to be bead blasted. You can try some wheel (mag) cleaner on them and a stiff brush to see what that does but I think they have sat so long (typically what happens when a vehicle is not driven and the grim and crud helps with the oxidation process) you are past that. I just cleaned up the '07 Crown Victoria engine cross member and the spindles for my F100 project with mag cleaner and the cross member turned out awesome but the spindles did not. They are now down at the powder coaters getting bead blasted and will be coated a satin black. I opted for the satin black over a clear coat as the control arms are also satin black. I have this posed in the "Other vehicles" section if you want to see the results on the cleaning.
Other than that gibberish the car looks great! Cannot wait to see what your choices are suspension wise.
Other than that gibberish the car looks great! Cannot wait to see what your choices are suspension wise.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on August 24, 2018, 12:06:20 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on August 24, 2018, 12:06:20 PM
The under hood clean up went great. Every time I see a Teves unit I remember how cool they look, for 80's tech. Then I remember how expensive parts are for them now and they seem less appealing.
Do you plan on eventually replacing the door moldings with regular, non TC ones, and then changing the chrome strip to a red strip?
For headlamp polishing I've found this stuff to work great after the last 1500 grit sanding: https://www.meguiarsdirect.com/meguiars-m105-mirror-glaze-ultra-cut-compound-32oz.html It also works great for paint blemishes/scuffs. Be forewarned it leaves a lot of dust.
Do you plan on eventually replacing the door moldings with regular, non TC ones, and then changing the chrome strip to a red strip?
For headlamp polishing I've found this stuff to work great after the last 1500 grit sanding: https://www.meguiarsdirect.com/meguiars-m105-mirror-glaze-ultra-cut-compound-32oz.html It also works great for paint blemishes/scuffs. Be forewarned it leaves a lot of dust.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on August 24, 2018, 01:43:19 PM
Post by: Tbird232ci on August 24, 2018, 01:43:19 PM
Quote from: Aerocoupe;466831
You probably already know this but my bet is the accessory brackets have oxidized to the point they will need to be bead blasted. You can try some wheel (mag) cleaner on them and a stiff brush to see what that does but I think they have sat so long (typically what happens when a vehicle is not driven and the grim and crud helps with the oxidation process) you are past that. I just cleaned up the '07 Crown Victoria engine cross member and the spindles for my F100 project with mag cleaner and the cross member turned out awesome but the spindles did not. They are now down at the powder coaters getting bead blasted and will be coated a satin black. I opted for the satin black over a clear coat as the control arms are also satin black. I have this posed in the "Other vehicles" section if you want to see the results on the cleaning.
Other than that gibberish the car looks great! Cannot wait to see what your choices are suspension wise.
Of they certainly are oxidized. I intend on spending more time on the brackets and getting the power coated, but I at least wanted them clean to where I'm not getting dirty every time I handle them. I did see your thread and was thinking about grabbing some of the wheel cleaner you used.
Suspension will be a long process with a few odd choices at first. I have to use the stuff I have laying around first, before I spend the big money.
Quote from: thunderjet302;466835
The under hood clean up went great. Every time I see a Teves unit I remember how cool they look, for 80's tech. Then I remember how expensive parts are for them now and they seem less appealing.
Do you plan on eventually replacing the door moldings with regular, non TC ones, and then changing the chrome strip to a red strip?
For headlamp polishing I've found this stuff to work great after the last 1500 grit sanding: https://www.meguiarsdirect.com/meguiars-m105-mirror-glaze-ultra-cut-compound-32oz.html It also works great for paint blemishes/scuffs. Be forewarned it leaves a lot of dust.
The Teves unit will be coming out at some point. I do love the technological advancement for the time, but it's terrible by todays standards. The pedal feel is horrible.
I'm fairly undecided as to what I'm going to do with the door moldings and the overall appearance of the car. The paint is shot and there is some rust. I have a co-worker that just came out of a body shop that is very willing to do the rust and mud repairs. After that, I'm not sure my plan. I've considered putting LX molding on it, and then going monochromatic. I've thought about putting the LX trim and swapping the red stripe. I've also thought about leaving the door moldings off and going monochromatic. There are also options like vinyl wrapping and Plasti-Dip. I'll figure it out when I get to that point.
So the Meguires 105 and 205 are compounds I was thinking of using. They are super popular in the detailing scene. Most of the time, the car will get clay bar, then 105, 205 and a wax or sealer. Those are products I intend on buying, aalong with a buffer.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on August 24, 2018, 03:01:51 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on August 24, 2018, 03:01:51 PM
The 105 should work great after the last wet sand (1500 then 2000). Using a foam pad it'll take out all the sanding scratches. Meguiars Ultimate Compound is pretty darn close to the 105 and will get almost the same results with the lenses. So you can use that, as it's usually easier to find than the 105 at most auto parts stores.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 15, 2018, 06:48:58 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 15, 2018, 06:48:58 AM
I don't have a whole lot to report. I have been taking some opportunity to drive drive the car for the most part. The weather has gotten a bit more cool, and the little IHI has been eating it up.
About 10 minutes into one drive to work, I smelled oil and noticed some smoke out of the hood scoops. Oh well, nothing I could do about. I went to work and looked at it before I left. The entire right side of the engine block was coated in oil. My co-worker and I were looking at it, and found the valve cover gasket is the culprit. It's leaking from the front corner, and blowing back over the block. While looking at it, I found that it has a CORK gasket. I haven't seen a cork gasket used in probably 15 years now. Blew my mind. I have a Ranger gasket sitting in the garage. I just haven't felt like messing with it yet.
I have had a head unit sitting in a bin since I parted out my red 87 however many years ago. It came in a friend's 4 runner back when we were just out of highschool, and he replaced it with a nicer one. He gave me this one, and it suited the car fairly well. It was from 1998 or so. I ordered up the harness, and sat and soldered every wire and used heat shrink. I also learned that premium sound cars don't ground the head unit through the harness, they ground through the case. After resolving that issue, and having some other dumb drama with the head unit, that is installed and working well. The best thing was when I turned it on, a CD started playing. It was the last CD I was listening to when I decided to pull the red bird off of the road. Brought back a tidal wave of memories and emotions.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1857/44643263542_8b602bfc19_c.jpg)
It didn't photograph well, but the green matches the green in the car fairly well. I'm happy with it for now.
I've also realize that I haven't really taken pictures of the car. I haven't really felt that desire to just run around and take pictures like I used to. I did randomly decided to take a picture while I was at work.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1881/30821725708_d53d27db7c_c.jpg)
It makes the car look a bit nicer than it is, but I'll take it.
About 10 minutes into one drive to work, I smelled oil and noticed some smoke out of the hood scoops. Oh well, nothing I could do about. I went to work and looked at it before I left. The entire right side of the engine block was coated in oil. My co-worker and I were looking at it, and found the valve cover gasket is the culprit. It's leaking from the front corner, and blowing back over the block. While looking at it, I found that it has a CORK gasket. I haven't seen a cork gasket used in probably 15 years now. Blew my mind. I have a Ranger gasket sitting in the garage. I just haven't felt like messing with it yet.
I have had a head unit sitting in a bin since I parted out my red 87 however many years ago. It came in a friend's 4 runner back when we were just out of highschool, and he replaced it with a nicer one. He gave me this one, and it suited the car fairly well. It was from 1998 or so. I ordered up the harness, and sat and soldered every wire and used heat shrink. I also learned that premium sound cars don't ground the head unit through the harness, they ground through the case. After resolving that issue, and having some other dumb drama with the head unit, that is installed and working well. The best thing was when I turned it on, a CD started playing. It was the last CD I was listening to when I decided to pull the red bird off of the road. Brought back a tidal wave of memories and emotions.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1857/44643263542_8b602bfc19_c.jpg)
It didn't photograph well, but the green matches the green in the car fairly well. I'm happy with it for now.
I've also realize that I haven't really taken pictures of the car. I haven't really felt that desire to just run around and take pictures like I used to. I did randomly decided to take a picture while I was at work.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1881/30821725708_d53d27db7c_c.jpg)
It makes the car look a bit nicer than it is, but I'll take it.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on September 15, 2018, 11:23:24 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on September 15, 2018, 11:23:24 PM
Did the car have Premium Sound without the EQ?
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 16, 2018, 03:40:34 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 16, 2018, 03:40:34 AM
Quote from: thunderjet302;467082
Did the car have Premium Sound without the EQ?
The car did have an EQ. For some reason, I stashed a spare dash cubby in a bin with a bunch of various interior pieces. It was almost as if I planned on doing this conversion 10+ years ago.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on September 16, 2018, 09:48:58 AM
Post by: thunderjet302 on September 16, 2018, 09:48:58 AM
Quote from: Tbird232ci;467086
The car did have an EQ. For some reason, I stashed a spare dash cubby in a bin with a bunch of various interior pieces. It was almost as if I planned on doing this conversion 10+ years ago.
I ended up wiring a modern Bluetooth/CD head unit into the stock Premium Sound system so the EQ would function, because it looks cool....
Only issue is I still run the stock amp (but with modern Polk speakers, 6.5" in the door, 3.5" in the dash, and 6"X9" in the rear deck). It sounds ok but I really want to upgrade to a modern amp for some more punch.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 21, 2018, 05:04:46 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 21, 2018, 05:04:46 AM
Quote from: thunderjet302;467095
I ended up wiring a modern Bluetooth/CD head unit into the stock Premium Sound system so the EQ would function, because it looks cool....
Only issue is I still run the stock amp (but with modern Polk speakers, 6.5" in the door, 3.5" in the dash, and 6"X9" in the rear deck). It sounds ok but I really want to upgrade to a modern amp for some more punch.
I intend on putting some gauges in place of the EQ, so it had to go. I may end up putting some aftermarket speakers in it at some point. I haven't been too concerned. I drive the car once a week on average.
I haven't done much in the way of progress. I did get an odd bit of desire to mess around with the front control arms I have. I spoke with Jack Hidley on another forum, and he informed me that the control arms that I picked up were not Maximum Motorsports, but a product of Granatelli. Anyone who has been around the scene a while knows that Granatelli likes to rip off designs, have them made overseas, and sell them at a cheap enough price to entice people. There are threads upon threads of failures and complaints. Luckily for me, I haven't found anyone who has had failures with these particular control arms. Jack is pretty confident that their Delrin bushings will fit in these arms.
So there are a few tack welds holding the ball joint in. I used a pencil grinder and ground the welds out. A few smacks with a hammer and the ball joint slid out. I'm not the happiest with that, but there is no reason that it won't work properly. I really hoped to not have to tack the new ball joint in.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on December 31, 2018, 01:21:42 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on December 31, 2018, 01:21:42 AM
I haven't update much as I haven't made much headway lately. I did acquire some parts, but I ended up spending the majority of my disposable income on a new daily driver. Between that, the holidays, and regular life stuff, the poor Turbo Coupe has taken a back seat.
I'll have some stuff posted before the end of the week.
I'll have some stuff posted before the end of the week.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: CougarSE on December 31, 2018, 08:13:18 AM
Post by: CougarSE on December 31, 2018, 08:13:18 AM
I’m going to hold you to it.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: V8Demon on December 31, 2018, 10:59:25 PM
Post by: V8Demon on December 31, 2018, 10:59:25 PM
Now it's Coyote Gen III's fault.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: gumby on January 04, 2019, 12:59:03 PM
Post by: gumby on January 04, 2019, 12:59:03 PM
Quote from: V8Demon;468370
Now it's Coyote Gen III's fault.
Oh no, I am sure the s550 is my fault too, somehow...
Quote from: Tbird232ci;468342
I'll have some stuff posted before the end of the week.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: V8Demon on January 05, 2019, 04:24:57 AM
Post by: V8Demon on January 05, 2019, 04:24:57 AM
Quote from: gumby;468419
Oh no, I am sure the s550 is my fault too, somehow...
I might be charged as an accomplice along with you.
Quote from: Shawn
i'Ll HaVe SoMe StUfF pOsTeD bEfOrE tHe EnD oF tHe WeEk
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on January 05, 2019, 01:07:52 PM
Post by: Tbird232ci on January 05, 2019, 01:07:52 PM
You'll have to wait for a very lackluster update probably late tonight. I got sucked into helping my buddy get his truck put back together.
Don't worry, you guys aren't to blame yet. If I followed V8Demons lead, I'd have an S197 and who know what they hell I'd have if I listened to Gumby right now. I accept this one.
Don't worry, you guys aren't to blame yet. If I followed V8Demons lead, I'd have an S197 and who know what they hell I'd have if I listened to Gumby right now. I accept this one.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on January 07, 2019, 05:49:18 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on January 07, 2019, 05:49:18 AM
So I finally felt like sitting down and typing some random nothings on the forum.
For progress, there really hasn't been any on the TC unfortunately. My entire game plan was to soak up as much overtime during my busy season, and buy a ton of parts for the car. We had a ton of overtime for a couple of weeks, and then it came to an abrupt stop. Company projections were a bit ambitious, so they had to cut costs. They didn't feel that us mechanics were essential to the package delivery operation. With that, I didn't have the expendable funds that I expected.
Speaking of expendable funds, I spent the majority of that on Christmas, and purchasing a new daily driver. I was getting close to 100k miles on the Scion, and it became a "now or never" situation with trading it in. I would have ended up coming out upside-down if I had traded it in after 100K miles. The mileage didn't scare me in the slightest, but it was getting to the point to where it was going to need struts, brakes, likely a clutch (the throwout bearing tends to fail at approx. 60k), serpentine belt and a bunch of other small items. Basically, if I replaced/modded everything that car needed, I was keeping it for the long haul. If I was able to get out of it comfortably and get another car with a comfortable payment, the Scion was going bye bye.
Obviously, the Scion got traded in. I got out of the loan with 20 bucks to spare. All of my expendable cash went into the down payment for the new daily driver. If you have read through the hint the V8Demon dropped, you will already know what it is.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7859/45729878225_12e36a3c95_c.jpg)
2018 Mustang GT PP1 with a manual. The car has absolutely no options other than the PP1 and a spoiler delete. I apologize for this being the only picture I have. I haven't had much time to get the car cleaned up, and then drive around to take pictures. A google search will net about 1,355,349.4 Mustangs just like this one, so it's not really a big loss.
I absolutely love the car. It feels like a land yacht coming from the Scion, but it will maintain higher cornering speeds. It's less nimble but isn't terrible. The power is intoxicating. Spinning this thing up to 7400 rpms and it pulling smooth and hard is an awesome feeling. I will say, the rear suspension feels pretty py. The IRS cradle and differential are mounting on big, mushy bushings to appease the Boomers who are buying these cars to try recapture a youth they never had. Luckily, the aftermarket is VAST for these things, and Black Friday sales did me well. I grabbed a few IRS items for the car that will get installed in the spring time.
Now for the TC updates.
There isn't too terribly much to report. I do have the majority of my 5-lug parts, which is my main project for the spring.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7875/39679786903_9339ee4e83_c.jpg)
I need a handful of items still. I need brake hoses, rear park brake cables, bolts, axle seals, bushings and balljoints for the control arms, coil overs, and a bunch of misc. . None of which is a big deal. Most expensive thing left is tires which are dirt cheap in the stock Mustang size.
For progress, there really hasn't been any on the TC unfortunately. My entire game plan was to soak up as much overtime during my busy season, and buy a ton of parts for the car. We had a ton of overtime for a couple of weeks, and then it came to an abrupt stop. Company projections were a bit ambitious, so they had to cut costs. They didn't feel that us mechanics were essential to the package delivery operation. With that, I didn't have the expendable funds that I expected.
Speaking of expendable funds, I spent the majority of that on Christmas, and purchasing a new daily driver. I was getting close to 100k miles on the Scion, and it became a "now or never" situation with trading it in. I would have ended up coming out upside-down if I had traded it in after 100K miles. The mileage didn't scare me in the slightest, but it was getting to the point to where it was going to need struts, brakes, likely a clutch (the throwout bearing tends to fail at approx. 60k), serpentine belt and a bunch of other small items. Basically, if I replaced/modded everything that car needed, I was keeping it for the long haul. If I was able to get out of it comfortably and get another car with a comfortable payment, the Scion was going bye bye.
Obviously, the Scion got traded in. I got out of the loan with 20 bucks to spare. All of my expendable cash went into the down payment for the new daily driver. If you have read through the hint the V8Demon dropped, you will already know what it is.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7859/45729878225_12e36a3c95_c.jpg)
2018 Mustang GT PP1 with a manual. The car has absolutely no options other than the PP1 and a spoiler delete. I apologize for this being the only picture I have. I haven't had much time to get the car cleaned up, and then drive around to take pictures. A google search will net about 1,355,349.4 Mustangs just like this one, so it's not really a big loss.
I absolutely love the car. It feels like a land yacht coming from the Scion, but it will maintain higher cornering speeds. It's less nimble but isn't terrible. The power is intoxicating. Spinning this thing up to 7400 rpms and it pulling smooth and hard is an awesome feeling. I will say, the rear suspension feels pretty py. The IRS cradle and differential are mounting on big, mushy bushings to appease the Boomers who are buying these cars to try recapture a youth they never had. Luckily, the aftermarket is VAST for these things, and Black Friday sales did me well. I grabbed a few IRS items for the car that will get installed in the spring time.
Now for the TC updates.
There isn't too terribly much to report. I do have the majority of my 5-lug parts, which is my main project for the spring.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7875/39679786903_9339ee4e83_c.jpg)
I need a handful of items still. I need brake hoses, rear park brake cables, bolts, axle seals, bushings and balljoints for the control arms, coil overs, and a bunch of misc. . None of which is a big deal. Most expensive thing left is tires which are dirt cheap in the stock Mustang size.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Mikey97D on January 07, 2019, 08:27:08 AM
Post by: Mikey97D on January 07, 2019, 08:27:08 AM
Now that's a commuter!!! Congrats!
Any of those parts that don't have seals/bearings in them that are rusty I would suggest soaking in Evapo-Rust then painting. I've used it quite a few times restoring old dirt bike parts and it works well, but you have to paint it afterwards or it flash rusts quickly.
Any of those parts that don't have seals/bearings in them that are rusty I would suggest soaking in Evapo-Rust then painting. I've used it quite a few times restoring old dirt bike parts and it works well, but you have to paint it afterwards or it flash rusts quickly.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Thunder Chicken on January 07, 2019, 04:41:03 PM
Post by: Thunder Chicken on January 07, 2019, 04:41:03 PM
Congrats on the Mustang. I love my 2015 GT, I can only imagine what it'd be like with another 25 horses along with the rest of the improvements they've made to them.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on January 11, 2019, 12:19:14 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on January 11, 2019, 12:19:14 PM
Nice car. The wife and I had the previous (17) GT as a rental in April 2017 when we were in Florida. It was a nice car and just pulled everywhere at every RPM. The thing just sounded incredible. I really wanted one after that trip but I like having paid off cars, so it was a no go.
If I had the $$$$ I'd drop a Coyote and 6 speed auto in my Thunderbird in a heart beat. The Coyote is just all around better than the 50 year old Windsor design. You need at least a 408W to come close.
If I had the $$$$ I'd drop a Coyote and 6 speed auto in my Thunderbird in a heart beat. The Coyote is just all around better than the 50 year old Windsor design. You need at least a 408W to come close.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Aerocoupe on January 14, 2019, 11:00:18 AM
Post by: Aerocoupe on January 14, 2019, 11:00:18 AM
Meah, my 331 is putting down 452 fwhp and 410 ft-lb of torque so its doesn't take a 351W based motor to make what the 5.0 Coyote is making. Now if we want to talk about how much those motors love boost that is a whole other conversation and the reason why I am putting one in my '70 F100.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on January 14, 2019, 03:06:27 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on January 14, 2019, 03:06:27 PM
Quote from: Aerocoupe;468507
Meah, my 331 is putting down 452 fwhp and 410 ft-lb of torque so its doesn't take a 351W based motor to make what the 5.0 Coyote is making. Now if we want to talk about how much those motors love boost that is a whole other conversation and the reason why I am putting one in my '70 F100.
You can make comparable power with a 302 based motor but a Coyote starts with about twice the power a 302 HO makes stock. Plus to be reliable you really need to plan out the parts very well. In the end a 331/347 is probably cheaper but not by leaps and bounds.
If I was starting from scratch and had a pile of cash I'd have a hard time deciding whether to go with a Dart 363 build or a Coyote.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: V8Demon on January 15, 2019, 09:53:45 AM
Post by: V8Demon on January 15, 2019, 09:53:45 AM
Milkdud and his Coyote!!!!!!!
I'm taking the copyrights to that name when you get your TV show!
I'm taking the copyrights to that name when you get your TV show!
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on January 17, 2019, 05:31:04 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on January 17, 2019, 05:31:04 AM
Quote from: Aerocoupe;468507
Meah, my 331 is putting down 452 fwhp and 410 ft-lb of torque so its doesn't take a 351W based motor to make what the 5.0 Coyote is making. Now if we want to talk about how much those motors love boost that is a whole other conversation and the reason why I am putting one in my '70 F100.
Does that come with a 36K mile warranty? ;)
Quote from: V8Demon;468522
Milkdud and his Coyote!!!!!!!
I'm taking the copyrights to that name when you get your TV show!
You want to copyright a name of a show when you got Milkdud from me?!
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on January 21, 2019, 05:18:28 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on January 21, 2019, 05:18:28 AM
Quote from: Mikey97D;468452
Now that's a commuter!!! Congrats!
Any of those parts that don't have seals/bearings in them that are rusty I would suggest soaking in Evapo-Rust then painting. I've used it quite a few times restoring old dirt bike parts and it works well, but you have to paint it afterwards or it flash rusts quickly.
I haven't tried Evapo-Rust yet. I was thinking of doing just an old fashion wire wheel and wire brush, but that may be worth a shot.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Chuck W on January 21, 2019, 06:48:41 AM
Post by: Chuck W on January 21, 2019, 06:48:41 AM
I almost bought some Evapo-Rust to use on some smaller parts of my project(s), but I went ahead with some more Rust-911 stuff. It's worked pretty well before, and is concentrated (1 gal makes 16 gal), so it's a bit more cost-effective.
I'm going to be putting some parts through it this week, I think, so I can post up some results.
I'm going to be putting some parts through it this week, I think, so I can post up some results.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Aerocoupe on January 22, 2019, 11:29:12 AM
Post by: Aerocoupe on January 22, 2019, 11:29:12 AM
Yeah, a crate motor warranty is nice but as soon as you change anything (tune, parts, fart on it) the warranty is null and void.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on January 23, 2019, 05:14:10 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on January 23, 2019, 05:14:10 AM
Quote from: Aerocoupe;468580
Yeah, a crate motor warranty is nice but as soon as you change anything (tune, parts, fart on it) the warranty is null and void.
Not necessarily true. Typically, the dealership has to prove whatever you modified is what caused a failure. If you changed your intake, and then your rear blew, you're fine. If you put cams in it, and then you had a valve spring fail, then you're screwed.
The only thing I've seen that pretty much insta-voids the warranty is a tune. They consider the factory tune to be completely safe-guarded. Change the tune and warranty voided.
Title: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Vintage on January 23, 2019, 03:53:52 PM
Post by: Vintage on January 23, 2019, 03:53:52 PM
Been there. The dealership does discovery and diagnosis, the manufacturer ultimately determines warranty coverage in questionable/borderline cases where the claim is of a substantial amount.
If dealership sees evidence of abuse or neglect, they can and will dospoogeent it, again, for CYA. Rubber dust, compound in the wheel wells, inside the rear bumper cover from the burnout box at the dragstrip or mud and water up to the headlights, on top of the motor on trucks. If you race or abuse it, you're expected to pay for your own mechanical failures, modified or stock.
The dealership may or may not have some potential influence in the manufacturer's decision, but what the manufacturer determines, goes. Noone is going to override it. You can sue if you like.
If the dealership honors a questionable and or fraudulent claim without manufacturers knowledge, they WILL be backcharged for it, if discovered. Ten dollars or ten thousand, makes no difference. But if its $10K the service manager and warranty administrator should prepare themselves for payroll deductions, being fired, and possibly a lawsuit to recover losses incurred. Its happened, its real, they dont risk it.
If dealership sees evidence of abuse or neglect, they can and will dospoogeent it, again, for CYA. Rubber dust, compound in the wheel wells, inside the rear bumper cover from the burnout box at the dragstrip or mud and water up to the headlights, on top of the motor on trucks. If you race or abuse it, you're expected to pay for your own mechanical failures, modified or stock.
The dealership may or may not have some potential influence in the manufacturer's decision, but what the manufacturer determines, goes. Noone is going to override it. You can sue if you like.
If the dealership honors a questionable and or fraudulent claim without manufacturers knowledge, they WILL be backcharged for it, if discovered. Ten dollars or ten thousand, makes no difference. But if its $10K the service manager and warranty administrator should prepare themselves for payroll deductions, being fired, and possibly a lawsuit to recover losses incurred. Its happened, its real, they dont risk it.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on May 10, 2019, 06:19:29 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on May 10, 2019, 06:19:29 AM
Wow, has it really been almost 5 months since I've updated this thread?
Over the past few months, I've been dabbling in so many other hobbies and adult tasks that the poor TC has been on the back burner. I have been gathering some parts slowly. Some of which will be for the long term, some will be installed very shortly.
Long story short, I have a large portion of my suspension work, 5-lug and a bunch of random odds and ends to get done by the end of the month and have it solid for the drive up to the Ford Nationals at Carlisle. It's a lot of work, but it also isn't. I tend to work best under pressure anyways. With the amount of work I'm about to hammer out, updates should be rolling in pretty steadily. I'm also going to work up some pictures and some good information for tech in the process.
I'll leave this one little picture to show some of whats coming
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47817070251_29493b882e_c.jpg)
Over the past few months, I've been dabbling in so many other hobbies and adult tasks that the poor TC has been on the back burner. I have been gathering some parts slowly. Some of which will be for the long term, some will be installed very shortly.
Long story short, I have a large portion of my suspension work, 5-lug and a bunch of random odds and ends to get done by the end of the month and have it solid for the drive up to the Ford Nationals at Carlisle. It's a lot of work, but it also isn't. I tend to work best under pressure anyways. With the amount of work I'm about to hammer out, updates should be rolling in pretty steadily. I'm also going to work up some pictures and some good information for tech in the process.
I'll leave this one little picture to show some of whats coming
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47817070251_29493b882e_c.jpg)
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on May 10, 2019, 01:20:58 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on May 10, 2019, 01:20:58 PM
Fancy.
You're going to love the suspension rebuild.
You're going to love the suspension rebuild.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on May 12, 2019, 02:51:32 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on May 12, 2019, 02:51:32 AM
Today's progress wasn't as good as I would have liked.
Over the past day or two, I have been running a game plan through my head, and making a list of the supplies that I was going to need for this project. I came to realize that there were a lot of things that I needed that you never think of buying. I set out today and bought bearing grease, suspension grease and grease gun, anti-seize, paint, gloves, and a bunch of other consumables. Also has to buy some tools and other misc. . With that, along with other errands, my day was half over.
With that said, today's progress didn't go as well as I had hoped.
One of my tasks was to weld new ball joints into the front control arms. I'm not sure if I'm an idiot, or my welder just doesn't like me, but I couldn't get a weld going to save my life. My co-worker will weld them in for me come Monday, but I was hoping to have the suspension going back going tomorrow.
I did get the right-front torn most of the way down before it was time to eat and I ran out of momentum.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/40863793333_0c3a6bc678_c.jpg)
This is pretty much where I left it. I initially was going to pull the strut, spindle and rotor as a full assembly. I had forgotten that the dust shield basically captures the lower control arm when you try to pull the spindle off of the ball joint. That made me a little upset.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47040803854_006357e9e0_c.jpg)
At this point, my butt hole was puckered. I've never enjoyed playing with these springs. It was highly uneventful which is a plus.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47778201602_fee1632acf_c.jpg)
I put one of the camber/caster plates on loosely just to make me feel accomplished. These plates have been through hell. I bought them used from someone who didn't use the washers under the nuts and basically smashed the slots. I filed the slots smooth, and am using larger diameter grade 8 washers so the nuts and washers don't catch on the indents from the previous owner.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47778201002_9868f45a65_c.jpg)
Also, this shows the size of my garage. I have about 3 inches between the rear bumper and the door. Luckily, I'm not that big of a guy. I am over weight, but not too overweight.
Tomorrow should be a better day. I'll get the rest of the right side torn down and get the left side torn down. Will also cut the k-member for the control arms. Hopefully, if I am ambitious, I can install the aluminum rack bushings and the SN95 inner and outer tie rod ends.
Over the past day or two, I have been running a game plan through my head, and making a list of the supplies that I was going to need for this project. I came to realize that there were a lot of things that I needed that you never think of buying. I set out today and bought bearing grease, suspension grease and grease gun, anti-seize, paint, gloves, and a bunch of other consumables. Also has to buy some tools and other misc. . With that, along with other errands, my day was half over.
With that said, today's progress didn't go as well as I had hoped.
One of my tasks was to weld new ball joints into the front control arms. I'm not sure if I'm an idiot, or my welder just doesn't like me, but I couldn't get a weld going to save my life. My co-worker will weld them in for me come Monday, but I was hoping to have the suspension going back going tomorrow.
I did get the right-front torn most of the way down before it was time to eat and I ran out of momentum.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/40863793333_0c3a6bc678_c.jpg)
This is pretty much where I left it. I initially was going to pull the strut, spindle and rotor as a full assembly. I had forgotten that the dust shield basically captures the lower control arm when you try to pull the spindle off of the ball joint. That made me a little upset.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47040803854_006357e9e0_c.jpg)
At this point, my butt hole was puckered. I've never enjoyed playing with these springs. It was highly uneventful which is a plus.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47778201602_fee1632acf_c.jpg)
I put one of the camber/caster plates on loosely just to make me feel accomplished. These plates have been through hell. I bought them used from someone who didn't use the washers under the nuts and basically smashed the slots. I filed the slots smooth, and am using larger diameter grade 8 washers so the nuts and washers don't catch on the indents from the previous owner.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47778201002_9868f45a65_c.jpg)
Also, this shows the size of my garage. I have about 3 inches between the rear bumper and the door. Luckily, I'm not that big of a guy. I am over weight, but not too overweight.
Tomorrow should be a better day. I'll get the rest of the right side torn down and get the left side torn down. Will also cut the k-member for the control arms. Hopefully, if I am ambitious, I can install the aluminum rack bushings and the SN95 inner and outer tie rod ends.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Chuck W on May 12, 2019, 09:44:55 PM
Post by: Chuck W on May 12, 2019, 09:44:55 PM
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47040803854_006357e9e0_c.jpg)
At this point, my butt hole was puckered. I've never enjoyed playing with these springs. It was highly uneventful which is a plus.
Yeah, that's pretty much how we pulled them at KB, and any time I've removed them at home. Let it droop, pry the spring out of the seat (While you're off to the side, out of the way). *BANG* (Well, kinda) Doesn't do near what you're expecting.
Now, reinstalling stock-length springs requires a spring compressor, but that's not gonna be a problem for you.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on May 13, 2019, 04:42:52 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on May 13, 2019, 04:42:52 AM
Yeah, that's pretty much how we pulled them at KB, and any time I've removed them at home. Let it droop, pry the spring out of the seat (While you're off to the side, out of the way). *BANG* (Well, kinda) Doesn't do near what you're expecting.
Now, reinstalling stock-length springs requires a spring compressor, but that's not gonna be a problem for you.
I sat and stared at it for probably 15 minutes trying to remember how I did it the last time. I eventually said grabbed my pry bar, popped it under the edge of the bottom coil and it broke the bond of the rubber isolator. It made the nicest "thunk" kinda sound. I laughed, did it again and popped it out of the spring perch. After that, I could just the control arm down and pull it out.
I was actually disappointed with how anti-climactic it was.
Progress today was pretty decent. I have both sides torn completely down minus the tie rods. I needed to order control arm bolts and rear spring isolators, so once I get the tie rods swapped and the rack bushings replaced, the front end will be at a stand still. I picked up another set of jack stands, so I can get started on the rear end.
As I'm typing this, I remembered that I need gear oil and friction modifier. It never ends!
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on May 16, 2019, 05:35:26 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on May 16, 2019, 05:35:26 AM
Progress has been pretty steady over the past few days. I've been working on the car for an hour or two before work. It hasn't been as fast as I would like, but it it still far better than no progress.
Since I was at an almost stand-still on the front end, I turned my efforts to the rear end.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/32914100497_eaba8db955_c.jpg)
I set out to install these bad boys. Maximum Motorsports quality never disappoints. I didn't take many pictures of the process because it really isn't much different than any other fox body. I got into a groove and really didn't want to stop
I also installed the Chuck W shock brackets. I forgot how badass and beefy they were.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/40891776273_f58bc9a4f3_c.jpg)
This shows the height difference between the stock shock mount, and Chucks mount.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/32914102197_a8b0fe300f_c.jpg)
This is with the factory mount removed. The oval hole is the one that needed to be drilled out to 3/8".
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47806012622_81d18e3766_c.jpg)
Chuck's shock mount mounted.
I left off at this point because I was still waiting on the spring isolators.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/32914103607_dbd3c02432_c.jpg)
This was the discard pile as of yesterday. I love seeing the pile of junk build up, and love seeing the parts stash diminish.
The following day, I received my control arm bolts and spring isolators from Jegs.
I installed the springs and isolators, and installed the shocks.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/40891792473_a5a8744911_c.jpg)
I did stop to take this picture to actually show the height difference between a stock shock, and a fox body shock. It really demonstrates why we need the shock brackets.
Once the springs and shocks were in, I moved on to start the 5-lug process in the rear.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/33983994548_6efff61713_c.jpg)
This was by far the biggest sigh of relief that I had. That one little bolt can make that nice, easy job turn into a nightmare.
I pulled the axles out and pulled the caliper brackets off of the end of the rear. I pulled out the handy dandy grinder with a cutoff wheel and cut the welds on the anti-moan brackets the best that I could, and used a hammer and chisel to get them broken off. A flap disk on the grinder made short work of the remainder of the welds.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47809034622_3f3635f9c1_c.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/32917131997_c9a2327413_c.jpg)
That's where I left off before I went to work.
When I wake up, I need to hit Auto Zone and pick up axle seals, gear oil and friction modifier. I'm hoping to have the rear back together and then start on replacing the park brake cables. I really HATE messing with park brake cables.
Since I was at an almost stand-still on the front end, I turned my efforts to the rear end.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/32914100497_eaba8db955_c.jpg)
I set out to install these bad boys. Maximum Motorsports quality never disappoints. I didn't take many pictures of the process because it really isn't much different than any other fox body. I got into a groove and really didn't want to stop
I also installed the Chuck W shock brackets. I forgot how badass and beefy they were.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/40891776273_f58bc9a4f3_c.jpg)
This shows the height difference between the stock shock mount, and Chucks mount.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/32914102197_a8b0fe300f_c.jpg)
This is with the factory mount removed. The oval hole is the one that needed to be drilled out to 3/8".
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47806012622_81d18e3766_c.jpg)
Chuck's shock mount mounted.
I left off at this point because I was still waiting on the spring isolators.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/32914103607_dbd3c02432_c.jpg)
This was the discard pile as of yesterday. I love seeing the pile of junk build up, and love seeing the parts stash diminish.
The following day, I received my control arm bolts and spring isolators from Jegs.
I installed the springs and isolators, and installed the shocks.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/40891792473_a5a8744911_c.jpg)
I did stop to take this picture to actually show the height difference between a stock shock, and a fox body shock. It really demonstrates why we need the shock brackets.
Once the springs and shocks were in, I moved on to start the 5-lug process in the rear.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/33983994548_6efff61713_c.jpg)
This was by far the biggest sigh of relief that I had. That one little bolt can make that nice, easy job turn into a nightmare.
I pulled the axles out and pulled the caliper brackets off of the end of the rear. I pulled out the handy dandy grinder with a cutoff wheel and cut the welds on the anti-moan brackets the best that I could, and used a hammer and chisel to get them broken off. A flap disk on the grinder made short work of the remainder of the welds.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47809034622_3f3635f9c1_c.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/32917131997_c9a2327413_c.jpg)
That's where I left off before I went to work.
When I wake up, I need to hit Auto Zone and pick up axle seals, gear oil and friction modifier. I'm hoping to have the rear back together and then start on replacing the park brake cables. I really HATE messing with park brake cables.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Chuck W on May 16, 2019, 06:47:33 AM
Post by: Chuck W on May 16, 2019, 06:47:33 AM
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47806012622_81d18e3766_c.jpg)
Chuck's shock mount mounted.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/33983994548_6efff61713_c.jpg)
This was by far the biggest sigh of relief that I had. That one little bolt can make that nice, easy job turn into a nightmare.
You've held onto those brackets for a while now. :toothless:
I've had that little bolt go badly before. Oh man, I hate that thing. :beatyoass:
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on May 16, 2019, 11:43:49 AM
Post by: thunderjet302 on May 16, 2019, 11:43:49 AM
Nice work so far. What springs are you running?
If you don't want the 11" brake front spindles let me know. I could use a spare pair.
If you don't want the 11" brake front spindles let me know. I could use a spare pair.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on May 17, 2019, 06:01:46 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on May 17, 2019, 06:01:46 AM
You've held onto those brackets for a while now. :toothless:
I've had that little bolt go badly before. Oh man, I hate that thing. :beatyoass:
These aren't my original set, as those went with one of my previous cars. The previous owner of the car provided these luckily. I do still have the SFC seat braces I ordered from you however many years ago. I feel like you should autograph them for me now.
Nice work so far. What springs are you running?
If you don't want the 11" brake front spindles let me know. I could use a spare pair.
I'm using BMR springs for the fox body. I did a bunch of math (probably incorrectly) and found that these match up with the front coilover springs I selected pretty well. They were also one of the few companies that offered them in pairs, and gave their spring rate information. I have a bunch of their products in my Trans Am, and some waiting for the Mustang. Top notch stuff.
As far as the spindles, I have a buddy who may want them, but I'll keep you posted.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on May 17, 2019, 06:12:24 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on May 17, 2019, 06:12:24 AM
I made a bit more headway on the car today. Unfortunately, the parts store only had one axle seal. Only one was leaking, but I would have liked to have replaced both of them.
One thing I hate, is having to undo work. I had the shocks and everything on, and then realized that I had to unbolt the shock to change the brake hoses. It wasn't a big deal, but I try to think ahead so I don't have to touch the same things over and over again (well...most things).
I'm typically not a gambling man, but after browsing the parts sites, looking at pictures and using the old noggin of mine, I purchased some 94-95 Mustang rear brake hoses. That gamble paid off.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47078434484_05427e79ea_c.jpg)
The hoses were almost a perfect fit! I had the bend the bracket a little bit to get the hose to clear the quad shock bracket.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/33990590348_7df1543682_c.jpg)
I attribute the lack of clearance to them being a 6 dollar, Chinese brake hose.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/33990586588_8269a65e57_c.jpg)
That's where I left off the the day. I need to put the left side brakes on, change the center hose, fill the rear, and install the new park brake cables.
I do with I had more than 1.5-2 hours before work to work on this thing. You don't realize how much time you waste pulling everything out, and then putting it all away. I also do my best to sweep everything up and keep the garage clean. It slows down progress but makes it much nicer to work on.
One thing I hate, is having to undo work. I had the shocks and everything on, and then realized that I had to unbolt the shock to change the brake hoses. It wasn't a big deal, but I try to think ahead so I don't have to touch the same things over and over again (well...most things).
I'm typically not a gambling man, but after browsing the parts sites, looking at pictures and using the old noggin of mine, I purchased some 94-95 Mustang rear brake hoses. That gamble paid off.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47078434484_05427e79ea_c.jpg)
The hoses were almost a perfect fit! I had the bend the bracket a little bit to get the hose to clear the quad shock bracket.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/33990590348_7df1543682_c.jpg)
I attribute the lack of clearance to them being a 6 dollar, Chinese brake hose.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/33990586588_8269a65e57_c.jpg)
That's where I left off the the day. I need to put the left side brakes on, change the center hose, fill the rear, and install the new park brake cables.
I do with I had more than 1.5-2 hours before work to work on this thing. You don't realize how much time you waste pulling everything out, and then putting it all away. I also do my best to sweep everything up and keep the garage clean. It slows down progress but makes it much nicer to work on.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Aerocoupe on May 17, 2019, 07:48:26 AM
Post by: Aerocoupe on May 17, 2019, 07:48:26 AM
Why keep the quad shocks now that you have the MM control arms?
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Chuck W on May 17, 2019, 09:20:17 AM
Post by: Chuck W on May 17, 2019, 09:20:17 AM
Why keep the quad shocks now that you have the MM control arms?
This.
The big blubbery bushings in the stock lower arms were the cause of a lot of the problems that the quads were the "band-aid" for.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on May 17, 2019, 05:11:19 PM
Post by: Tbird232ci on May 17, 2019, 05:11:19 PM
Why keep the quad shocks now that you have the MM control arms?
This.
The big blubbery bushings in the stock lower arms were the cause of a lot of the problems that the quads were the "band-aid" for.
There are a few reasons actually. The biggest one is that the upper control arm bushings are pretty much toast. The LCA bushings are obviously the biggest contributor to wheel hop, but the sloppy uppers will still cause some hop. The quad shocks also do help keep the rear centered to a small degree. They obviously don't help as much as a PHB setup, but every little bit helps. The quad shocks also don't hurt anything.
They'll hang out on the car until I toss a wide wheel/tire package on it, or I do a PHB/TA setup. When I get around to building a rear, I'll be cutting the quad shock brackets off and all that, so hopefully the PHB/TA setup happens before then.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on May 18, 2019, 11:20:47 AM
Post by: thunderjet302 on May 18, 2019, 11:20:47 AM
BMR makes some good springs. Should hopefully give you a decent combo of ride and handling.
If it makes you feel any better I have the same MM rear lower arms and my car still has the quad shocks installed. The brackets are on the car and the quad shocks don't rub the tires so I just left them in place.
I'm interested to hear how the MM panhard bar works out for you. Mostly how much of an improvement you feel in day to day and spirited street driving. I haven't picked one up due to some house repairs and travel eating up my car fund money. Hopefully next year.
If it makes you feel any better I have the same MM rear lower arms and my car still has the quad shocks installed. The brackets are on the car and the quad shocks don't rub the tires so I just left them in place.
I'm interested to hear how the MM panhard bar works out for you. Mostly how much of an improvement you feel in day to day and spirited street driving. I haven't picked one up due to some house repairs and travel eating up my car fund money. Hopefully next year.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on May 22, 2019, 06:37:18 PM
Post by: Tbird232ci on May 22, 2019, 06:37:18 PM
Update time!
Katy and I are both off of work this week so it's been a combination of playing video games, doing housework, and thrashing on the car. I've spend the majority of a few days hammering out work. Unfortunately, I haven't been too good with taking pictures.
Friday, I completed the rear brakes before work.
Saturday made some pretty good headway.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47911528691_0655bfb832_c.jpg)
After a coat of paint. The used control arms looked...decent enough. Ironically enough, Granatelli knocked off Maximum Motorsports well enough that MM's bushings fit the arms like they were meant to be.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/46995580485_8228a0dbe4_c.jpg)
Pardon the blur. I took this picture because I want to put together a write up on doing the SN95 5-Lug setup on an 87-88 TC. I knew the SN95 inner was going to be longer, and at this point, I didn't realize this length difference was going to be a problem. I'll get back to this later.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47911526901_0c6ac31dd8_c.jpg)
Spindle and tie rods on. This was the first time I've done inner tie rod ends. Other than the set screw, they were much easier than I antited. I needed the pull out the heat to get the setscrew out.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/46995578425_1f1032dffe_c.jpg)
Brakes on.
The following day was Katy's birthday. I used the day to take a nice break from working on the car and to get out. We went to a nice park about 10 minutes from the house and went to a nice dinner. I took a few pics at the park we went to.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/40944942273_e9bb1ac75a_c.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47859547672_f708abf2fe_c.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/40944940953_e080e34a49_c.jpg)
The park is huge. It goes through deep woods with a lot of picnic tables and pavilions. There a nice playground and a bunch of other things to do, in addition to the water.
The following few days, I did a huge amount of work, but didn't take many pictures. I completed the brakes on the front. I replaced the parking brake cables, all of the brake hoses and installed poly sway bar bushings.. In my infinite wisdom, I ordered brake hoses for the 94-95 Mustang. They worked beautifully in the rear, but up front, they didn't with the PBR calipers. I had to make a run to AutoZone to get the correct hoses.
I also found part of why my brake pedal never felt great.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47859554672_bc4f56bcbf_c.jpg)
To get back to the topic of the tie rod ends; I got the car on the ground and saw that The inner was too long to keep the car from being toed out. I sat on the forum for a bit and found that I needed to use a Taurus outer tie rod end. I picked those up earlier today.
I did also complete another small project, but never took any pictures of it. I replaced the transmission cross member with one from a Mustang. To do this, I had to remove the mount adapter from the transmission, and use a mustang transmission mount. With the transmission cross member, I installed Competition Engineering's aluminum bushings. Now both the engine and transmission are solidly mounted. Surprisingly, the vibration didn't feel any worse compared to just the poly engine mounts.
So most importantly, the car is mobile under it's own power once again.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47859558372_efc5350bbb_c.jpg)
The brakes feel like trash and the tires rub really bad, but it feels like a completely different car.
Later tonight or tomorrow, I need to bleed the brakes and install the Taurus tie rod ends. I have an appointment for tires and an alignment for Friday morning. The car has positive camber at the moment. Dialing in a little bit of negative camber should clear up any of the rubbing.
Katy and I are both off of work this week so it's been a combination of playing video games, doing housework, and thrashing on the car. I've spend the majority of a few days hammering out work. Unfortunately, I haven't been too good with taking pictures.
Friday, I completed the rear brakes before work.
Saturday made some pretty good headway.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47911528691_0655bfb832_c.jpg)
After a coat of paint. The used control arms looked...decent enough. Ironically enough, Granatelli knocked off Maximum Motorsports well enough that MM's bushings fit the arms like they were meant to be.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/46995580485_8228a0dbe4_c.jpg)
Pardon the blur. I took this picture because I want to put together a write up on doing the SN95 5-Lug setup on an 87-88 TC. I knew the SN95 inner was going to be longer, and at this point, I didn't realize this length difference was going to be a problem. I'll get back to this later.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47911526901_0c6ac31dd8_c.jpg)
Spindle and tie rods on. This was the first time I've done inner tie rod ends. Other than the set screw, they were much easier than I antited. I needed the pull out the heat to get the setscrew out.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/46995578425_1f1032dffe_c.jpg)
Brakes on.
The following day was Katy's birthday. I used the day to take a nice break from working on the car and to get out. We went to a nice park about 10 minutes from the house and went to a nice dinner. I took a few pics at the park we went to.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/40944942273_e9bb1ac75a_c.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47859547672_f708abf2fe_c.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/40944940953_e080e34a49_c.jpg)
The park is huge. It goes through deep woods with a lot of picnic tables and pavilions. There a nice playground and a bunch of other things to do, in addition to the water.
The following few days, I did a huge amount of work, but didn't take many pictures. I completed the brakes on the front. I replaced the parking brake cables, all of the brake hoses and installed poly sway bar bushings.. In my infinite wisdom, I ordered brake hoses for the 94-95 Mustang. They worked beautifully in the rear, but up front, they didn't with the PBR calipers. I had to make a run to AutoZone to get the correct hoses.
I also found part of why my brake pedal never felt great.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47859554672_bc4f56bcbf_c.jpg)
To get back to the topic of the tie rod ends; I got the car on the ground and saw that The inner was too long to keep the car from being toed out. I sat on the forum for a bit and found that I needed to use a Taurus outer tie rod end. I picked those up earlier today.
I did also complete another small project, but never took any pictures of it. I replaced the transmission cross member with one from a Mustang. To do this, I had to remove the mount adapter from the transmission, and use a mustang transmission mount. With the transmission cross member, I installed Competition Engineering's aluminum bushings. Now both the engine and transmission are solidly mounted. Surprisingly, the vibration didn't feel any worse compared to just the poly engine mounts.
So most importantly, the car is mobile under it's own power once again.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47859558372_efc5350bbb_c.jpg)
The brakes feel like trash and the tires rub really bad, but it feels like a completely different car.
Later tonight or tomorrow, I need to bleed the brakes and install the Taurus tie rod ends. I have an appointment for tires and an alignment for Friday morning. The car has positive camber at the moment. Dialing in a little bit of negative camber should clear up any of the rubbing.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Aerocoupe on May 22, 2019, 07:30:30 PM
Post by: Aerocoupe on May 22, 2019, 07:30:30 PM
Could you have just cut the inner tie rod down to the right length?
I ended up using the Fox Inner which allowed me to use Fox outers.
I ended up using the Fox Inner which allowed me to use Fox outers.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on May 22, 2019, 10:50:36 PM
Post by: Tbird232ci on May 22, 2019, 10:50:36 PM
I very well could have just cut them. I like to try to use as many off-the-shelf items rather than cutting or modifying if I can help it. I intend on swapping to a Cobra rack at some point, and would hate to have to cut the inners. It's already bad enough going to the parts store and asking for a few parts for a Thunderbird, and then a Mustang...
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on May 23, 2019, 02:24:56 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on May 23, 2019, 02:24:56 AM
I have come to find that the Taurus outers have a different taper for the spindle. I cut an inch off of the inner and that seems to have done what I needed it to.
The big bummer is that my new China front calipers have basically locked up. I was thinking "how hard is it to screw up a caliper", but apparently it's pretty easy.
The big bummer is that my new China front calipers have basically locked up. I was thinking "how hard is it to screw up a caliper", but apparently it's pretty easy.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: gumby on May 23, 2019, 07:20:49 AM
Post by: gumby on May 23, 2019, 07:20:49 AM
Mental note filed on the 94-5 rear hoses. I considered those when I plumbed mine but couldn't put my hands on a pair without paying for them, so I went with ol' reliable and built brackets.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on May 24, 2019, 01:09:53 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on May 24, 2019, 01:09:53 PM
The front control arms are the stock position ones correct? Not offset front or rear?
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on May 25, 2019, 12:31:08 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on May 25, 2019, 12:31:08 AM
The front control arms are the stock position ones correct? Not offset front or rear?
Yes. No offset on the control arms. They fit exactly as stock.
Story time.
Wednesday, I had the car together and drove it a little. I called a shop and they ordered me some tires and scheduled me in for Friday morning at 9:30am for tires and alignment. Unfortunately, the china casting calipers I purchased to save some money bit me in the ass. The right/front locked up and the left/front was binding up pretty bad. That night, I ordered a set of Duralast calipers from AutoZone,
Thursday, I picked the calipers up and Katy and I went to breakfast, and went to a farm that has been converted to a park and does a lot of 4H stuff. They had a bunch of farm animals and other stuff to wander around and check out. That evening, I decided to put the calipers on and get ready to get the car to the shop. I put the calipers on and had Katy helping me bleed the brakes. The left/front went smoothly. The right/front blew a seal and dumped fluid everywhere. I almost lost my mind. I checked the inventory of the nearby AutoZones and the other ones had a caliper. Keep in mind, I work nights and I went to bed "early" at 2am.
Friday morning at 6:30, I wake up and box up the defective caliper. We get to the AutoZone right as they opened. There were two employees there. One guy decided to hide in the back. The guy who was helping us had absolutely no ambition. He started the exchange, but needed a second approval to be able to do the exchange. We waited to a half hour. In the meantime, customers were coming in like crazy. At 8am, another employee comes in, clocks in and then helps us. That guy hiding in the back was never to be seen. Because of that jackass, I had to hustle. I slammed the caliper on and had Katy help me bleed the brakes. I got the car back together and busted out the door to make the appointment. The entire way, my tires were rubbing. Every bump, every dip, every time I hit the brakes or turned the wheels, they rubbed. The guy who worked on my car raised it up a little bit on the coil overs, put new tires on it, and got the alignment kinda how I wanted it.
The ride home was awesome. The car rides so much nicer than stock. The poly bushings in the tubular front arms combined with the coil overs added almost no NVH. The rear end doesn't wallow around. Bumps and pot holes are just a satisfying "thud". The car is so much more responsive and confident. It really is amazing.
As with every success, there is a setback. The new driver side window motor took a dump and now the window won't go up. The next best thing, the passenger window won't go down. I have a few days to get all of the little things sorted out luckily.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on May 26, 2019, 12:19:44 AM
Post by: thunderjet302 on May 26, 2019, 12:19:44 AM
Glad to hear it's now driving, and driving better. Does the car have subframe connectors yet? If not it should feel even more solid after those go in.
How's body roll and turn in with the new front suspension setup?
How's body roll and turn in with the new front suspension setup?
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: ISTLCRUZ on May 26, 2019, 06:55:41 AM
Post by: ISTLCRUZ on May 26, 2019, 06:55:41 AM
Looks great and those wheels compliment the car very well. What’s next on the “to do” list?
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on May 26, 2019, 05:04:52 PM
Post by: Tbird232ci on May 26, 2019, 05:04:52 PM
Glad to hear it's now driving, and driving better. Does the car have subframe connectors yet? If not it should feel even more solid after those go in.
How's body roll and turn in with the new front suspension setup?
I don't have subframe connectors yet. I initially wanted to do the subframe connectors before doing anything else, but some of the parts I've ded and other good deals called out to me. They will probably be something I do this spring. I'd like to do the TA/PHB at the same time, but the budget will determine that.
There is still body roll, but it is greatly reduced. I have 225lbs springs in the front, which is fairly soft for most handling setups, but still are equivalent to an H&R Super Sport spring. I still need to shorten the sway bar end links, so that may change the characteristics a bit. I'm not too sure yet.
The turn-in is pretty awesome. It's still a little bit lazy for my liking, but it's worlds better than it was before. I also haven't had much opportunity to really throw the car around and push it's limit yet.
Looks great and those wheels compliment the car very well. What’s next on the “to do” list?
Thanks! I was actually surprised that the wheels look as good as they do on the car. I found them on Facebook Marketplace for 100 bucks and figured that they were "acceptable". They work on the car and may stay on longer than I antited.
The to-do list right now is mostly tying up loose ends right now. I have a lot of small tasks that need to be addressed such as window motors, speakers, headlight relays, fuel pump and filter, and a multitude of small projects. This project ate up most of my disposable income, so I need to slow my roll a bit.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Beau on May 26, 2019, 07:31:14 PM
Post by: Beau on May 26, 2019, 07:31:14 PM
Hell yeah. I've got a set of those wheels for my '87 notch....I like them a little better than the Bullits on it now.
I need to find another one, as one of the set has curb rash, and I'm missing two center caps.
They're like a modern (well, in '99, anyway) version of the Pony wheel.....
Your car is sick...good work dude!
I need to find another one, as one of the set has curb rash, and I'm missing two center caps.
They're like a modern (well, in '99, anyway) version of the Pony wheel.....
Your car is sick...good work dude!
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on May 28, 2019, 04:30:26 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on May 28, 2019, 04:30:26 PM
I'm glad it's handling better. I get the softer springs though. I have 98 Mustang GT convertible springs all around. They aren't the firmest things and there is still some body roll but it's much better than stock. The stiff bushings front and rear help though. I assume like me you didn't want to go nuts with a non-dedicated track toy. If you've got to street drive the car the softer springs are going to ride much better over py roads. When I was younger I wanted the springs and all suspension components as stiff as possible. Now that I'm in my 30's compliant and firm is great, as it doesn't beat my kidneys to death.
Subframes are going to make a huge difference. I bet the car handles even better with them.
Subframes are going to make a huge difference. I bet the car handles even better with them.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on May 29, 2019, 04:25:50 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on May 29, 2019, 04:25:50 AM
I'm glad it's handling better. I get the softer springs though. I have 98 Mustang GT convertible springs all around. They aren't the firmest things and there is still some body roll but it's much better than stock. The stiff bushings front and rear help though. I assume like me you didn't want to go nuts with a non-dedicated track toy. If you've got to street drive the car the softer springs are going to ride much better over py roads. When I was younger I wanted the springs and all suspension components as stiff as possible. Now that I'm in my 30's compliant and firm is great, as it doesn't beat my kidneys to death.
Subframes are going to make a huge difference. I bet the car handles even better with them.
Honestly, ride quality was the lowest on the list for choosing the springs I did. When I initially bought the car, it had some stock SN95 springs with it. I intended on using those temporarily, so I bought the cheapest shocks and struts I could find. Once I landed the front control arms, I decided it was time to go coil over. Basically, I did a bunch of number crunching between what I felt the struts should be able to handle, with consideration to matching with the rear springs. I eventually want to go with Koni's and some seriously stiffer springs, but that will be after the torque arm when I have to change rear springs anyways.
Although I'm in my 30's, I still have the desire for stiff suspension. My budget is what isn't allowing it at the moment.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on May 29, 2019, 03:13:58 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on May 29, 2019, 03:13:58 PM
Ah. I thought you were going with a decent ride approach in mind. There are enough potholes/bad roads near me that I went softer with the suspension.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on June 01, 2019, 05:22:22 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on June 01, 2019, 05:22:22 AM
There hasn't been too much progress to report. This work week has been hectic and not left me with much time/energy to make much headway before Carlisle.
I did manage to get my drivers window fixed (not even getting into that problem), the passenger window motor replaced, door speakers "upgraded" and a few other odds and ends.
The poor car was so dirty and the paint is so shiznitty that I said screw it, put in the car soap, and then put in some Simple Green. A lot of the nastiness came right off, showing the absolute beauty of the early 90's insurance job respray...it's bad.
At least it looks good in pictures.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47977722601_9fa4b6ed7d_c.jpg)
So it's time for me to try to pass out, grab a few hours of sleep, and drive up to Carlisle for the afternoon.
I did manage to get my drivers window fixed (not even getting into that problem), the passenger window motor replaced, door speakers "upgraded" and a few other odds and ends.
The poor car was so dirty and the paint is so shiznitty that I said screw it, put in the car soap, and then put in some Simple Green. A lot of the nastiness came right off, showing the absolute beauty of the early 90's insurance job respray...it's bad.
At least it looks good in pictures.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47977722601_9fa4b6ed7d_c.jpg)
So it's time for me to try to pass out, grab a few hours of sleep, and drive up to Carlisle for the afternoon.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: 85CougarCobra on June 02, 2019, 09:43:24 PM
Post by: 85CougarCobra on June 02, 2019, 09:43:24 PM
I like the stance. How'd did it ride on the Carlisle trip? Must have missed you ... walked through the T-birds on Saturday around 1PM and didn't see you, but then saw the car later in the day when I went through again. We bailed in the early evening to beat the rain since we were camping.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on June 03, 2019, 12:23:47 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on June 03, 2019, 12:23:47 AM
Carlisle was pretty much a success.
The entire drive up was great. The car ran smooth, stayed cool and showed absolutely no signs of problems. It was very smooth and comfortable. It did become apparent that the shocks and struts on the car aren't enough for the springs, but it's not too bad. I did take opportunity and run some exit ramps at a faster-than-usual rate of speed. The car did great on the ride up.
The fun began when we arrived. We pull into the registration building parking lot and go in to register. I was BSing with a few S550 guys and get the car registered. We get back in the car and it wouldn't start. It was cranking slow and would maybe sputter every handful of revolutions. It started cranking really slow, so I pulled out my little lithium jump starter and it was still cranking slow. It eventually wouldn't even crank. I hit the schrader and it had fuel. I can only assume it had spark.
I text a few people I know (from these forums actually) and then try to go see if I can walk into the show field to see if someone else has a jump pack. The woman at the gate tells me how I have to get my hand stamped to walk in, but they had a phone number for a guy who could ride down with a jumper pack. I gave him a call and in the mean time, Brian and Andrew came walking down.
The guy with the jump pack arrives a few minutes before Brian and Andrew do. As they're walking down, they take a picture and eventually sent it to me.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47990882018_79ddd72fd4_c.jpg)
You can see my roadside assistance there helping me out. The car had cooled off a bit and with the jump pack, it started right up. It didn't want to stay running by itself, so I had to help it along for a few minutes.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47990880233_e31a24d854_c.jpg)
Brian says to me "well, it wouldn't be a turbo ford" and takes that picture.
I drove it up to the rest of the Turbo Coupes and proceeded to catch up with people, run around and all the normal Carlisle festivities. I didn't take any pictures unfortunately.
Hours later, when we got back up to my car, it started without too much issue. The starter was a little slow to crank but it fired up and ran just fine. It ran mostly okay the whole way home. It was REALLY fast into boost, but made very little power once it was in boost. I also noticed that every so often, I would get a smell of hot. You ever get a pot or pan really hot, and you can just smell the metal roasting? That was the smell.
I haven't messed with the car yet, but I did do a good bit of thinking. I had to let the situation pass and think about it clearly. In the old days, especially with carb cars, too much ignition timing would make for a very difficult and sluggish hot start. Also, the really fast boost and lack of power under boost point to cam timing being a tooth off. In addition to that, the super hot exhaust points to timing also. Hot exhaust will cook that poor starter too. Me being the idiot that I am; I threw out my timing light thinking that I would never have another distributor car again. I have to grab another one of those, and do a bunch of basic checks and see what I come up with.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47990880218_046dff878a_c.jpg)
My girlfriend did take one picture of my car on the show field
The car rode great. It rode much more smoothly than I expected on the highway. Speed was hard to judge. It felt like I was going slow because of how smooth it was. It soaked up bumps with no drama and didn't transmit much impact into the car. The coil overs really transformed how the car felt.
I didn't get up to the show field until probably 2pm. I wanted to arrive sooner, but my night hours and traffic didn't do me too well. I did see your car there but I didn't spot you guys while I was running around. Spent a lot of time with Eric, Baxo and the crew.
The entire drive up was great. The car ran smooth, stayed cool and showed absolutely no signs of problems. It was very smooth and comfortable. It did become apparent that the shocks and struts on the car aren't enough for the springs, but it's not too bad. I did take opportunity and run some exit ramps at a faster-than-usual rate of speed. The car did great on the ride up.
The fun began when we arrived. We pull into the registration building parking lot and go in to register. I was BSing with a few S550 guys and get the car registered. We get back in the car and it wouldn't start. It was cranking slow and would maybe sputter every handful of revolutions. It started cranking really slow, so I pulled out my little lithium jump starter and it was still cranking slow. It eventually wouldn't even crank. I hit the schrader and it had fuel. I can only assume it had spark.
I text a few people I know (from these forums actually) and then try to go see if I can walk into the show field to see if someone else has a jump pack. The woman at the gate tells me how I have to get my hand stamped to walk in, but they had a phone number for a guy who could ride down with a jumper pack. I gave him a call and in the mean time, Brian and Andrew came walking down.
The guy with the jump pack arrives a few minutes before Brian and Andrew do. As they're walking down, they take a picture and eventually sent it to me.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47990882018_79ddd72fd4_c.jpg)
You can see my roadside assistance there helping me out. The car had cooled off a bit and with the jump pack, it started right up. It didn't want to stay running by itself, so I had to help it along for a few minutes.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47990880233_e31a24d854_c.jpg)
Brian says to me "well, it wouldn't be a turbo ford" and takes that picture.
I drove it up to the rest of the Turbo Coupes and proceeded to catch up with people, run around and all the normal Carlisle festivities. I didn't take any pictures unfortunately.
Hours later, when we got back up to my car, it started without too much issue. The starter was a little slow to crank but it fired up and ran just fine. It ran mostly okay the whole way home. It was REALLY fast into boost, but made very little power once it was in boost. I also noticed that every so often, I would get a smell of hot. You ever get a pot or pan really hot, and you can just smell the metal roasting? That was the smell.
I haven't messed with the car yet, but I did do a good bit of thinking. I had to let the situation pass and think about it clearly. In the old days, especially with carb cars, too much ignition timing would make for a very difficult and sluggish hot start. Also, the really fast boost and lack of power under boost point to cam timing being a tooth off. In addition to that, the super hot exhaust points to timing also. Hot exhaust will cook that poor starter too. Me being the idiot that I am; I threw out my timing light thinking that I would never have another distributor car again. I have to grab another one of those, and do a bunch of basic checks and see what I come up with.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47990880218_046dff878a_c.jpg)
My girlfriend did take one picture of my car on the show field
I like the stance. How'd did it ride on the Carlisle trip? Must have missed you ... walked through the T-birds on Saturday around 1PM and didn't see you, but then saw the car later in the day when I went through again. We bailed in the early evening to beat the rain since we were camping.
The car rode great. It rode much more smoothly than I expected on the highway. Speed was hard to judge. It felt like I was going slow because of how smooth it was. It soaked up bumps with no drama and didn't transmit much impact into the car. The coil overs really transformed how the car felt.
I didn't get up to the show field until probably 2pm. I wanted to arrive sooner, but my night hours and traffic didn't do me too well. I did see your car there but I didn't spot you guys while I was running around. Spent a lot of time with Eric, Baxo and the crew.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on June 08, 2019, 12:22:15 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on June 08, 2019, 12:22:15 PM
Glad to hear the trip mostly went ok.
You should hopefully get the engine issue ironed out shortly.
You should hopefully get the engine issue ironed out shortly.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on June 08, 2019, 02:45:29 PM
Post by: Tbird232ci on June 08, 2019, 02:45:29 PM
I have figured out the issue, but I haven't solved it yet. I found that the diaphragm in the FRP ruptured. Basically flooded the engine and fouled out the plugs. I have a Kirban adjustable on the shelf, but it's about 25 years old. It was old when I got it from a friend back in 03 or so. I ordered a diaphragm for it and am just waiting for it to arrive.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on August 04, 2019, 03:58:13 PM
Post by: Tbird232ci on August 04, 2019, 03:58:13 PM
I haven't updated much as I haven't done much.
I put on the adjustable fuel pressure regulator, and as I was installing the rail mounted gauge, I broke the fitting off in the rail. I dug my spare rail out, did new injector o-rings, new fittings and swapped it all on.
In the meantime, I found that the battery is shot. Had it on my charger/maintainer for 2 days. It didn't charge fully and still barely started the car. I let it run outside for a half hour or so while I worked on the Mustang and it wouldn't even crank the engine over.
That's leading into the next project. Going to do the PMGR starter, Ranger 3g alternator setup, heavier gauge battery cables and a small battery.
I put on the adjustable fuel pressure regulator, and as I was installing the rail mounted gauge, I broke the fitting off in the rail. I dug my spare rail out, did new injector o-rings, new fittings and swapped it all on.
In the meantime, I found that the battery is shot. Had it on my charger/maintainer for 2 days. It didn't charge fully and still barely started the car. I let it run outside for a half hour or so while I worked on the Mustang and it wouldn't even crank the engine over.
That's leading into the next project. Going to do the PMGR starter, Ranger 3g alternator setup, heavier gauge battery cables and a small battery.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on January 04, 2020, 05:02:52 PM
Post by: Tbird232ci on January 04, 2020, 05:02:52 PM
Finally, I'm back. Other hobbies, a little bit a traveling and the holidays took my interest from messing with the car for a little while. It took a while, but I got off of my ass and got the car mobile once again.
Since the TC is an occasional driver, I decided to go with a race battery. After looking at the cost of a Braille battery and other various companies, I took to Google and a bunch of other various forums to refresh some research I did years ago. Braille batteries are made by Deka. The biggest difference is the case color and labels. Braille rates their batteries using a different method, so the numbers trick you into thinking you are getting a much more potent battery for the money.
With me trying to stretch my budget, I picked up an off brand battery, which is a replacement for the Deka ETX14. I had to purchase terminal posts and a bracket. Sadly, the bracket cost more than the battery.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49329038778_2fbb95518e_c.jpg)
It's so cute!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49329730407_2b6d9291cb_c.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49329038388_31c95fe659_c.jpg)
The terminal posts are a bit...clumsy looking.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49329729887_17c4fea9d8_c.jpg)
And with it mocked up.
I didn't take a whole lot of other pictures. I ended up using different terminals which shorter. I also got some silicone hose to slide under the adapter to cover the square terminals. I tried to remove the decals from the battery, but the glue was much stronger than the paper so I used to black vinyl I had laying around for years. The nerve racking part was drilling holes in the inner fender to mount the bracket.
In the process, I decided that windshield washers are for the weak. The tank went into the s bin. The cruise control servo followed the same fate.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49329037963_8dcd7ebb37_c.jpg)
So much room for activities! This setup shaved roughly 22lbs. The terminals are temporary. I'm ordering a 3g alternator for the Ranger bracket, a PMGR starter, and some supplies to do headlight relays. Once I get that setup sorted out, I'll likely make nicer cables.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49329730817_f8c650ff8d_c.jpg)
I drove the car to work a few days this week. Felt great to be back in it and driving around. The battery works pretty well. It doesn't like being below 40 degrees, but still gets the car started. I also forgot how well it handled.
Since the TC is an occasional driver, I decided to go with a race battery. After looking at the cost of a Braille battery and other various companies, I took to Google and a bunch of other various forums to refresh some research I did years ago. Braille batteries are made by Deka. The biggest difference is the case color and labels. Braille rates their batteries using a different method, so the numbers trick you into thinking you are getting a much more potent battery for the money.
With me trying to stretch my budget, I picked up an off brand battery, which is a replacement for the Deka ETX14. I had to purchase terminal posts and a bracket. Sadly, the bracket cost more than the battery.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49329038778_2fbb95518e_c.jpg)
It's so cute!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49329730407_2b6d9291cb_c.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49329038388_31c95fe659_c.jpg)
The terminal posts are a bit...clumsy looking.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49329729887_17c4fea9d8_c.jpg)
And with it mocked up.
I didn't take a whole lot of other pictures. I ended up using different terminals which shorter. I also got some silicone hose to slide under the adapter to cover the square terminals. I tried to remove the decals from the battery, but the glue was much stronger than the paper so I used to black vinyl I had laying around for years. The nerve racking part was drilling holes in the inner fender to mount the bracket.
In the process, I decided that windshield washers are for the weak. The tank went into the s bin. The cruise control servo followed the same fate.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49329037963_8dcd7ebb37_c.jpg)
So much room for activities! This setup shaved roughly 22lbs. The terminals are temporary. I'm ordering a 3g alternator for the Ranger bracket, a PMGR starter, and some supplies to do headlight relays. Once I get that setup sorted out, I'll likely make nicer cables.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49329730817_f8c650ff8d_c.jpg)
I drove the car to work a few days this week. Felt great to be back in it and driving around. The battery works pretty well. It doesn't like being below 40 degrees, but still gets the car started. I also forgot how well it handled.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: V8Demon on January 05, 2020, 12:13:11 AM
Post by: V8Demon on January 05, 2020, 12:13:11 AM
You really ran with the whole "windshield washers are for the weak" what with driving it to work and having it rain, lol. Nothing but rain on the eastern seaboard for 3 weeks now....
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on January 06, 2020, 04:47:52 PM
Post by: Tbird232ci on January 06, 2020, 04:47:52 PM
You really ran with the whole "windshield washers are for the weak" what with driving it to work and having it rain, lol. Nothing but rain on the eastern seaboard for 3 weeks now....
Exactly what some weak ass would say.
I placed a pretty hefty Rock Auto order, which consisted of mostly everything I need to the Ranger 3G alternator, PMGR starter, and a ton of other odds and ends. I also ordered a 3" downpipe to start the exhaust. I haven't made my decision as to what lers I want to run. I also need to find a source for genuine Walbro pumps.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Aerocoupe on January 06, 2020, 09:08:17 PM
Post by: Aerocoupe on January 06, 2020, 09:08:17 PM
As far as I know LMR is a dealer:
https://lmr.com/item/LRS-9350D-K/1986-97-Mustang-Walbro-255-Lhp-High-Pressure-Fuel-Pump-Kit
Or you can buy just the pump from Walbro:
https://walbrofuelpumps.com/universal-in-tank-fuel-pumps.html
https://lmr.com/item/LRS-9350D-K/1986-97-Mustang-Walbro-255-Lhp-High-Pressure-Fuel-Pump-Kit
Or you can buy just the pump from Walbro:
https://walbrofuelpumps.com/universal-in-tank-fuel-pumps.html
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: V8Demon on January 09, 2020, 04:10:52 PM
Post by: V8Demon on January 09, 2020, 04:10:52 PM
You really ran with the whole "windshield washers are for the weak" what with driving it to work and having it rain, lol. Nothing but rain on the eastern seaboard for 3 weeks now....
Exactly what some weak ass would say.
I also told you that if you want one of those NIB Borlas I have sitting here, it's yours. ;)
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on January 09, 2020, 04:34:26 PM
Post by: Tbird232ci on January 09, 2020, 04:34:26 PM
Believe it or not, my Rock Auto orders came fast as hell. My Rock Auto orders arrived before my downpipe from Stinger has even made it to the post office. It's no big deal either way as I have more stuff to acquire, but I like having what I purchased in my possession.
Pretty much my goal is to set a bunch of tasks and have the car ready to take up to Carlisle. While I couldn't care less about a car show in itself, it gives me a reason to get the car together and have it solid for a nearly 2 hour drive each way. It keeps my goals reasonable and reels back my ambition.
That was more or less a "figures that I finally put the car back together and it decides to rain." Similar to how every time you actually want to work on your car, it either rains or snows or your old ass gets injured.
I do appreciate the offer on the Borla. I ended up ordering some Amazon special lers. They probably cost about the same amount shipped as it would cost to ship the Borla, especially with shipping companies hiking up their rates.
Ironically enough, I looked at the Walbro page, but something inside of me thought that it wasn't actually Walbros page.
I've actually hit a minor crossroad and have been thinking about an Aeromotive 340 pump. I've been seeing nothing but rave reviews. Many years back, I ran into a bunch of issues with a batch of Walbro pumps. Dropping the tank 4 times in one summer was not fun. I would still buy a Walbro, but it does make the Aeromotive look like a nice option.
I also intend on running my own wiring and relay to the pump. I started looking into that and learned that the cost of wire has gone up a good bit in the past 10-12 years.
Pretty much my goal is to set a bunch of tasks and have the car ready to take up to Carlisle. While I couldn't care less about a car show in itself, it gives me a reason to get the car together and have it solid for a nearly 2 hour drive each way. It keeps my goals reasonable and reels back my ambition.
This from the guy who messaged me bitching about the rain :toothless:
I also told you that if you want one of those NIB Borlas I have sitting here, it's yours. ;)
That was more or less a "figures that I finally put the car back together and it decides to rain." Similar to how every time you actually want to work on your car, it either rains or snows or your old ass gets injured.
I do appreciate the offer on the Borla. I ended up ordering some Amazon special lers. They probably cost about the same amount shipped as it would cost to ship the Borla, especially with shipping companies hiking up their rates.
As far as I know LMR is a dealer:
https://lmr.com/item/LRS-9350D-K/1986-97-Mustang-Walbro-255-Lhp-High-Pressure-Fuel-Pump-Kit
Or you can buy just the pump from Walbro:
https://walbrofuelpumps.com/universal-in-tank-fuel-pumps.html
Ironically enough, I looked at the Walbro page, but something inside of me thought that it wasn't actually Walbros page.
I've actually hit a minor crossroad and have been thinking about an Aeromotive 340 pump. I've been seeing nothing but rave reviews. Many years back, I ran into a bunch of issues with a batch of Walbro pumps. Dropping the tank 4 times in one summer was not fun. I would still buy a Walbro, but it does make the Aeromotive look like a nice option.
I also intend on running my own wiring and relay to the pump. I started looking into that and learned that the cost of wire has gone up a good bit in the past 10-12 years.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Aerocoupe on January 09, 2020, 05:50:16 PM
Post by: Aerocoupe on January 09, 2020, 05:50:16 PM
The Aeromotive pumps are awesome!
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on February 17, 2020, 06:23:47 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on February 17, 2020, 06:23:47 AM
Obviously, I've been terrible with updates. I spent a bunch of time driving and beating the hell out of it.
The brakes are awful. Around the town, they aren't bad. I had gotten a little too comfortable on the highway, and wasn't paying too much attention. Traffic was stopped in front of me. I've never used so much brake pressure while heel-toe downshifting. I got it stopped, but I had a chunk of blue velour in my cornhole after that. I have something in the works for brakes.
I did manage to complete one mod. Probably one of my favorite mods to do to any car.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49547405297_88ab118bda_c.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49547405167_abcb0932dd_c.jpg)
I was browsing eBay, and found that Steeda sells blemished shifters. It was cheaper than the Summit branded shifter, which Steeda makes. Well worth every penny.
I had a plan. I ordered an alternator, a starter, a power steering pump pulley, belts and a bunch of misc stuff. The plan was to do the 92-94 Ranger alternator, PMGR starter, swap on a larger diameter pulley, do a fuel pump and a ton of little stuff. I pulled the car in the garage and started the alternator swap. I found that the suggested alternator, which was a 5.0 Explorer alternator, doesn't remotely fit the bracket. At this point, I started yanking more apart.
Fun story. When I was driving the car frequently, I noticed that the car would build boost fast, but not pull as hard as normal. I also noticed that it didn't really run smooth. I didn't put much thought into it since I had been planning on doing an assload of work. I figured, if it was a vacuum leak, weak fuel pump, or anything like that, it was going to be addressed over the winter. For fun, I pulled the timing belt cover off. The belt had an insane amount of slop. I could slide the belt off of the cam gears by hand. I could spin the timing belt tensioner by hand, with very little resistance. It's the first time I've seen one that bad.
With everything I took off, I found more that the car needs and more that I want to do while I'm at this point. A few things added to the list
-PCV delete. Delete the oil separators, have large fittings welded to the valve cover for the crankcase breather and catch can.
-Radiator, fan, shroud and coolant reservoir.
-Upgraded water pump.
-Oil cooler delete.
-Ranger roller regrind, valve springs, new HLA's.
-Adjustable cam gear, lightweight auxiliary shaft gear and crank gear. Round tooth.
-Remove coolant from the lower intake and relocate the ECT sensor.
-Cut the power steering pump bypass valve spring.
There is plenty more that I intend on getting to. That's a large chunk of what I need to get done before Carlisle.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49547178161_f509f43a2a_c.jpg)
That is the current state of the under hood. It will get more removed before long.
I know most people on this forum are on Facebook, or follow me on Instagram, but here is a parting shot I just wd across a few groups.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49547405127_36cc17a982_c.jpg)
The brakes are awful. Around the town, they aren't bad. I had gotten a little too comfortable on the highway, and wasn't paying too much attention. Traffic was stopped in front of me. I've never used so much brake pressure while heel-toe downshifting. I got it stopped, but I had a chunk of blue velour in my cornhole after that. I have something in the works for brakes.
I did manage to complete one mod. Probably one of my favorite mods to do to any car.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49547405297_88ab118bda_c.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49547405167_abcb0932dd_c.jpg)
I was browsing eBay, and found that Steeda sells blemished shifters. It was cheaper than the Summit branded shifter, which Steeda makes. Well worth every penny.
I had a plan. I ordered an alternator, a starter, a power steering pump pulley, belts and a bunch of misc stuff. The plan was to do the 92-94 Ranger alternator, PMGR starter, swap on a larger diameter pulley, do a fuel pump and a ton of little stuff. I pulled the car in the garage and started the alternator swap. I found that the suggested alternator, which was a 5.0 Explorer alternator, doesn't remotely fit the bracket. At this point, I started yanking more apart.
Fun story. When I was driving the car frequently, I noticed that the car would build boost fast, but not pull as hard as normal. I also noticed that it didn't really run smooth. I didn't put much thought into it since I had been planning on doing an assload of work. I figured, if it was a vacuum leak, weak fuel pump, or anything like that, it was going to be addressed over the winter. For fun, I pulled the timing belt cover off. The belt had an insane amount of slop. I could slide the belt off of the cam gears by hand. I could spin the timing belt tensioner by hand, with very little resistance. It's the first time I've seen one that bad.
With everything I took off, I found more that the car needs and more that I want to do while I'm at this point. A few things added to the list
-PCV delete. Delete the oil separators, have large fittings welded to the valve cover for the crankcase breather and catch can.
-Radiator, fan, shroud and coolant reservoir.
-Upgraded water pump.
-Oil cooler delete.
-Ranger roller regrind, valve springs, new HLA's.
-Adjustable cam gear, lightweight auxiliary shaft gear and crank gear. Round tooth.
-Remove coolant from the lower intake and relocate the ECT sensor.
-Cut the power steering pump bypass valve spring.
There is plenty more that I intend on getting to. That's a large chunk of what I need to get done before Carlisle.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49547178161_f509f43a2a_c.jpg)
That is the current state of the under hood. It will get more removed before long.
I know most people on this forum are on Facebook, or follow me on Instagram, but here is a parting shot I just wd across a few groups.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49547405127_36cc17a982_c.jpg)
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on February 17, 2020, 06:39:02 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on February 17, 2020, 06:39:02 AM
It's time for update part two.
I have been keeping this project fairly quiet. I have a few people who I didn't really want knowing what I'm doing. The good...and bad thing about this forum is that there isn't much traffic.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49546846648_7278d1447b_c.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49547349076_5e18ab9128_c.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49546846543_6405047158_c.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49547348931_bcd67a9b94_c.jpg)
This is my first project that I designed from start to finish, and my first real attempt at any real 3D modelling. I designed these around Autometer gauges since I had two sitting around. I will do a redesign when I get the VDO gauges for my car.
As of right now, they are made of PLA, which really isn't suitable for automotive applications. I did make a dead pedal for Katys Fiesta and it's holding up fairly well. I just don't trust it to be too durable in the summer heat. Hopefully I can figure out PETG and do more testing.
Once I am confident in my design and durability, I will likely start a website and do a little online store.
I do ask of those 4 of you that do frequent the forum to keep these off of Facebook for the time being. I would appreciate it.
I have been keeping this project fairly quiet. I have a few people who I didn't really want knowing what I'm doing. The good...and bad thing about this forum is that there isn't much traffic.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49546846648_7278d1447b_c.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49547349076_5e18ab9128_c.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49546846543_6405047158_c.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49547348931_bcd67a9b94_c.jpg)
This is my first project that I designed from start to finish, and my first real attempt at any real 3D modelling. I designed these around Autometer gauges since I had two sitting around. I will do a redesign when I get the VDO gauges for my car.
As of right now, they are made of PLA, which really isn't suitable for automotive applications. I did make a dead pedal for Katys Fiesta and it's holding up fairly well. I just don't trust it to be too durable in the summer heat. Hopefully I can figure out PETG and do more testing.
Once I am confident in my design and durability, I will likely start a website and do a little online store.
I do ask of those 4 of you that do frequent the forum to keep these off of Facebook for the time being. I would appreciate it.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Clayton on February 17, 2020, 04:46:23 PM
Post by: Clayton on February 17, 2020, 04:46:23 PM
I do ask of those 4 of you that do frequent the forum to keep these off of Facebook for the time being. I would appreciate it.
That looks like a pretty sweet setup man!
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Mikey97D on February 17, 2020, 09:33:16 PM
Post by: Mikey97D on February 17, 2020, 09:33:16 PM
I do ask of those 4 of you that do frequent the forum to keep these off of Facebook for the time being. I would appreciate it.
I can only fit a 5x5x5 in my FDM printer. If it fits and you want me to print one and ship it to you to try out let me know. I don't have any interest in one for myself....yet.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on February 18, 2020, 06:07:33 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on February 18, 2020, 06:07:33 AM
That looks really good. One part of caution with 3d printed parts is there are not a lot of UV rated materials. I have a FDM printer at work that I made a guide for the throttle cable on my bike with. I simply painted it to keep the sun from evaporating the material. 3 years so far it has held up.
I can only fit a 5x5x5 in my FDM printer. If it fits and you want me to print one and ship it to you to try out let me know. I don't have any interest in one for myself....yet.
Paint will help with the UV issues, but I'm concerned about the heat warping the PLA. It has a fairly low glass transition temp. I printed some spool clips so the filament won't uncoil itself when I'm not using it. As precaution, I toss my filament in a dehydrator before storing it to help remove any moisture it may have pulled from the air. The filament clips ended up relaxing from the heat and came close to falling off.
I started to work with PETG, but I had a time crunch with a few things I needed to get printed, so I didn't make much headway figuring it out. I had bed adhesion and layer adhesion issues. Once I take the time to get it figured out, I shouldn't have to worry about radiant temperature. The glass transition temperature is a good bit higher than PLA and it's almost as strong as ABS.
I'm using a Crealty CR10, with a 300x300x400 print bed. I'm hoping that once I get some issues with the printer ironed out, that I can print three of these things at once. Each one takes about 8.5 hours.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Mikey97D on February 18, 2020, 10:55:31 AM
Post by: Mikey97D on February 18, 2020, 10:55:31 AM
I'm using a Crealty CR10, with a 300x300x400 print bed. I'm hoping that once I get some issues with the printer ironed out, that I can print three of these things at once. Each one takes about 8.5 hours.
We have a Stratasys Mojo sitting on my work desk. I have not made the personal investment to have at home although I have been playing with the idea to teach my children on the in's & out's currently. I think it may be invaluable in the future for the if they go into manufacturing.
a broken part from the Mojo:
(https://i.imgur.com/Ax60yts.jpg?1)
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Haystack on February 18, 2020, 05:13:07 PM
Post by: Haystack on February 18, 2020, 05:13:07 PM
Pla warps pretty bad in a car interior in the summer.
The thicker you make the part the stronger, obviously. We've been making parts out of Pla dor model airplanes for a few years and they warp bad. Particullarly the wing mounts we've designed to be held on with rubber bands. Without the rubber bands they hold up okay if its not in sunlight.
Abs is slightly lighter bit not quite as rigid for the same part. Adhesion between layers is hard to get right though.
The thicker you make the part the stronger, obviously. We've been making parts out of Pla dor model airplanes for a few years and they warp bad. Particullarly the wing mounts we've designed to be held on with rubber bands. Without the rubber bands they hold up okay if its not in sunlight.
Abs is slightly lighter bit not quite as rigid for the same part. Adhesion between layers is hard to get right though.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on February 18, 2020, 11:54:33 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on February 18, 2020, 11:54:33 PM
It looks pretty good for a prototype.
I haven't messed with 3D printers regularly in about 4 years but I remember all sorts of problems with heat warping PLA even when we painted stuff. ABS or something like it will be more stable when exposed to heat, but I'm curious how even that will hold up in a closed car, in the sun, in mid July. I'm not too familiar with how much better hobby level machines have gotten in the past 4 years but I'd hope that layer adhesion has improved.
I haven't messed with 3D printers regularly in about 4 years but I remember all sorts of problems with heat warping PLA even when we painted stuff. ABS or something like it will be more stable when exposed to heat, but I'm curious how even that will hold up in a closed car, in the sun, in mid July. I'm not too familiar with how much better hobby level machines have gotten in the past 4 years but I'd hope that layer adhesion has improved.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on February 19, 2020, 04:47:16 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on February 19, 2020, 04:47:16 AM
Looks like they have a nice sale going on that model right now.
We have a Stratasys Mojo sitting on my work desk. I have not made the personal investment to have at home although I have been playing with the idea to teach my children on the in's & out's currently. I think it may be invaluable in the future for the if they go into manufacturing.
a broken part from the Mojo:
My particular printer is the cheapest model of the CR10 they sell. The higher end models, like the CR10S and V2 do offer a lot more for the money, but I really don't have many complaints. They're easily upgraded and still very capable. The 3d printer community is very helpful too.
I just looked up the Mojo. Holy hell that thing is pricey. Certainly out of the league of what I'm working on!
That print looked like it was under extruded, or extruded a little too cold. Does the mojo use proprietary software?
Pla warps pretty bad in a car interior in the summer.
The thicker you make the part the stronger, obviously. We've been making parts out of Pla dor model airplanes for a few years and they warp bad. Particullarly the wing mounts we've designed to be held on with rubber bands. Without the rubber bands they hold up okay if its not in sunlight.
Abs is slightly lighter bit not quite as rigid for the same part. Adhesion between layers is hard to get right though.
I've had good luck with the one part I've printed for a car. It's just a little dead pedal for the girlfriends car. Her car is black, and sits out in the sun, in a parking lot all day. It's held up pretty well for about a year so far. I know I can't trust it, but it's done well for her car so far.
ABS is a pain to work with. You need a printer that's enclosed and the enclosure has to be temperature controlled. The ABS shrinks when it cools, and if some layers cool faster than others, it warps and pulls apart. I have some things in the works to enclose my printer, but that's going to wait for a little while.
ABS isn't as rigid, but it does have a bit more tensile strength. I want to eventually use it for some under hood parts.
It looks pretty good for a prototype.
I haven't messed with 3D printers regularly in about 4 years but I remember all sorts of problems with heat warping PLA even when we painted stuff. ABS or something like it will be more stable when exposed to heat, but I'm curious how even that will hold up in a closed car, in the sun, in mid July. I'm not too familiar with how much better hobby level machines have gotten in the past 4 years but I'd hope that layer adhesion has improved.
Most of the time, layer adhesion has more to do with your temps and your Z-axis offset. Takes a decent bit of trial and error. When I get a failed print, I initially want to be all pissed off at the machine, or the filament. Half of the time, I didn't level the print bed, or I messed the settings up or overlooked something. I've had prints fail about 3 hours in because I forgot to uncheck a box in the slicer.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Mikey97D on February 19, 2020, 08:11:06 AM
Post by: Mikey97D on February 19, 2020, 08:11:06 AM
Quote
I just looked up the Mojo. Holy hell that thing is pricey. Certainly out of the league of what I'm working on!
That print looked like it was under extruded, or extruded a little too cold. Does the mojo use proprietary software?
The Mojo is for work and is pretty much plug and play for the filaments. It has a heated chamber. The software is proprietary so no manipulating it to fine tune.
I print stuff to check designs and also fixturing for assembly. I have noticed on larger printed parts like the one pictured there is some separation as seen on the side of the cylinder. It does have solid print or honeycomb center to save material. I wonder if the print head is getting clogged or off temperature causing these imperfections.
Okay, I think I have derailed your thread enough.
Upgrade water pump or OEM replacement? I have not experienced over heating, actually mine runs too cold, so wondering why the upgrade or is this with conjunction to deleting the oil cooler?
Why cut the power steering pump bypass valve spring?
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on February 21, 2020, 05:52:33 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on February 21, 2020, 05:52:33 AM
Okay, I think I have derailed your thread enough.
I don't mind the derailment at all. I would rather there be off topic discussion rather than no discussion at all.
Upgrade water pump or OEM replacement? I have not experienced over heating, actually mine runs too cold, so wondering why the upgrade or is this with conjunction to deleting the oil cooler?
The pump I'm looking at is made by Race Engineering. The impeller has a back plate to reduce cavitation. Also has better bearings for sustained RPM use. One of my outlandish hopes is to one day partite in a road rally. There are quite a few that run through being as I don't live far off of I-95. To run with some of the more modern performance cars, I would need to be able to sustain triple digit speeds, and in a 2.3 car, that's a lot of RPM. I'll probably never be able to hang with legit sports cars, but it sounds fun. It may never happen, but those high hopes help keep me motivated.
Why cut the power steering pump bypass valve spring?
Basically, it will reduce output pressure which reduces the steering assist. I really don't like how little steering effort is required to get the car change direction. I'm hoping to get it to feel more like my Mustang, or ideally, more like my previous FRS.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Mikey97D on February 21, 2020, 07:53:40 AM
Post by: Mikey97D on February 21, 2020, 07:53:40 AM
The Race Engineering pump sounds interesting. I have an interest in doing track days so going to make a note of this.
Your picture here of the rear center brake line. I have a friend on the west coast that makes brake lines that I will be taking the original off to send to him. Wondering if I should have him make several and sell the others off? Not sure if there is a real want for them?
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47859554672_bc4f56bcbf_c.jpg)
Your picture here of the rear center brake line. I have a friend on the west coast that makes brake lines that I will be taking the original off to send to him. Wondering if I should have him make several and sell the others off? Not sure if there is a real want for them?
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47859554672_bc4f56bcbf_c.jpg)
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: mcb82gt on February 21, 2020, 10:44:11 AM
Post by: mcb82gt on February 21, 2020, 10:44:11 AM
Is no one making that line? Figured it would readily available.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Mikey97D on February 21, 2020, 11:40:11 AM
Post by: Mikey97D on February 21, 2020, 11:40:11 AM
I have not found any. Jack at MM helped me with the 4 corners using the SN95 braided.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on February 22, 2020, 06:59:31 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on February 22, 2020, 06:59:31 AM
Your picture here of the rear center brake line. I have a friend on the west coast that makes brake lines that I will be taking the original off to send to him. Wondering if I should have him make several and sell the others off? Not sure if there is a real want for them?
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47859554672_bc4f56bcbf_c.jpg)
Is no one making that line? Figured it would readily available.
A stock replacement is readily available. I grabbed one off of Amazon for pretty cheap. It's Dorman H38611.
A stainless braided replacement has long since been extinct. They were specific to the 87-88 TC if I remember correctly, so the demand is pretty low. If your buddy makes a stainless braided one, I'd be in for two. I like having one to install, and one as a spare.
I have not found any. Jack at MM helped me with the 4 corners using the SN95 braided.
Glad I was able to help Jack help you out.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Aerocoupe on February 22, 2020, 03:46:30 PM
Post by: Aerocoupe on February 22, 2020, 03:46:30 PM
Tbird232ci,
By no means am I telling you what to do but I did want to mention a couple things with regards to the steering effort on our cars. In my experience cutting the spring on the pump only increases the effort of getting the steering wheel off center. This is due to there being zero boost when the rack is centered. Once it breaks off center that is when the boost is applied. The boost is regulated by the torsion bar within the rack and pinion so unless you can rebuild a rack and change this part there is very little that can be done to change the boost on a Fox rack. One thing that seemed to help was the larger diameter SN95 V6 power steering pulley which when installed on a Fox pump would under drive it thus would help with the over boosted feeling but not to the point of what I would call decent.
To really solve the over boosted issue a 99-04 SN95 rack needs to be installed which has improved bearings and stiffer torsion bars. Notice I said "bars". Different models of Mustang had different racks in them and are differentiated by the SPR code on the rack which can be found as follows:
(https://i786.photobucket.com/albums/yy142/dbrune_83/Ford%2099-04%20Mustang%20Steering%20Rack%20SPR%20Code%20Location_zpszur9bkaw.jpg)
This chart shows the racks by stiffness (1-6 in order of stiffness):
(https://i786.photobucket.com/albums/yy142/dbrune_83/Ford%2099-04%20Mustang%20Steering%20Rack%20SPR%20Code_zpsqmqe7xlz.jpg)
Obviously the Cobra R rack is unobtainium and everyone and their dog went after the '03 & '04 Cobra racks so they are impossible to find now so I would look for a '99, '01, or '02 Cobra rack and then on to the '02-'04 GT or Mach 1.
MM's hybrid steering shaft makes the adaptation to our cars very trouble free but they are not cheap but none of this is. From there you get into having to decide whether or not to run the Fox inner and outer tie rods or to use the SN95 parts. All of this is here:
https://www.maximummotorsports.com/Steering-Rack-SN95-to-Fox-swap.aspx
I have done this on both my '93 Coupe and my '83 T-Bird and it was like night and day difference.
By no means am I telling you what to do but I did want to mention a couple things with regards to the steering effort on our cars. In my experience cutting the spring on the pump only increases the effort of getting the steering wheel off center. This is due to there being zero boost when the rack is centered. Once it breaks off center that is when the boost is applied. The boost is regulated by the torsion bar within the rack and pinion so unless you can rebuild a rack and change this part there is very little that can be done to change the boost on a Fox rack. One thing that seemed to help was the larger diameter SN95 V6 power steering pulley which when installed on a Fox pump would under drive it thus would help with the over boosted feeling but not to the point of what I would call decent.
To really solve the over boosted issue a 99-04 SN95 rack needs to be installed which has improved bearings and stiffer torsion bars. Notice I said "bars". Different models of Mustang had different racks in them and are differentiated by the SPR code on the rack which can be found as follows:
(https://i786.photobucket.com/albums/yy142/dbrune_83/Ford%2099-04%20Mustang%20Steering%20Rack%20SPR%20Code%20Location_zpszur9bkaw.jpg)
This chart shows the racks by stiffness (1-6 in order of stiffness):
(https://i786.photobucket.com/albums/yy142/dbrune_83/Ford%2099-04%20Mustang%20Steering%20Rack%20SPR%20Code_zpsqmqe7xlz.jpg)
Obviously the Cobra R rack is unobtainium and everyone and their dog went after the '03 & '04 Cobra racks so they are impossible to find now so I would look for a '99, '01, or '02 Cobra rack and then on to the '02-'04 GT or Mach 1.
MM's hybrid steering shaft makes the adaptation to our cars very trouble free but they are not cheap but none of this is. From there you get into having to decide whether or not to run the Fox inner and outer tie rods or to use the SN95 parts. All of this is here:
https://www.maximummotorsports.com/Steering-Rack-SN95-to-Fox-swap.aspx
I have done this on both my '93 Coupe and my '83 T-Bird and it was like night and day difference.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: HAVI on February 23, 2020, 10:09:21 AM
Post by: HAVI on February 23, 2020, 10:09:21 AM
Subscribed for the rack info
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on February 23, 2020, 04:07:31 PM
Post by: Tbird232ci on February 23, 2020, 04:07:31 PM
Tbird232ci,
By no means am I telling you what to do but I did want to mention a couple things with regards to the steering effort on our cars. In my experience cutting the spring on the pump only increases the effort of getting the steering wheel off center. This is due to there being zero boost when the rack is centered. Once it breaks off center that is when the boost is applied. The boost is regulated by the torsion bar within the rack and pinion so unless you can rebuild a rack and change this part there is very little that can be done to change the boost on a Fox rack. One thing that seemed to help was the larger diameter SN95 V6 power steering pulley which when installed on a Fox pump would under drive it thus would help with the over boosted feeling but not to the point of what I would call decent.
I think you actually have that backwards. The valve in the pump is what determines pump pressure, and the torsion bars are what determine at what point the rack goes into assist with the rotation of the pinion.
Shortening the spring reduces the pressure that is required for the pump to start bypassing the impeller. I was digging through years worth of threads to find that most guys cut the spring down to about 5/8's of an inch, which made a favorable impact on assist reduction. It still can only do so much due to the rest of the system.
Under driving the power steering pump seems to make the biggest difference at low RPM. The pulley and bypass valve are set up so it's easy and comfortable for grandma to be able to idle in a parking lot and park the car. The larger pulley will raise the RPM threshold in which the pump goes into bypass. The added benefit to the larger pulley is that in the higher RPMs, it can reduce fluid temps and cavitation.
Funny story. I found two part numbers for pulleys to under drive the pump. One being a mild under drive, and one being more significant. I purchased the mild under drive for like 13 bucks. It was the same diameter as what was currently on the car.
The main reason I'm going to shorten the spring is because it's free at this point.
To really solve the over boosted issue a 99-04 SN95 rack needs to be installed which has improved bearings and stiffer torsion bars. Notice I said "bars". Different models of Mustang had different racks in them and are differentiated by the SPR code on the rack which can be found as follows:
Picture removed for cleanliness
This chart shows the racks by stiffness (1-6 in order of stiffness):
Picture removed for cleanliness
Obviously the Cobra R rack is unobtainium and everyone and their dog went after the '03 & '04 Cobra racks so they are impossible to find now so I would look for a '99, '01, or '02 Cobra rack and then on to the '02-'04 GT or Mach 1.
MM's hybrid steering shaft makes the adaptation to our cars very trouble free but they are not cheap but none of this is. From there you get into having to decide whether or not to run the Fox inner and outer tie rods or to use the SN95 parts. All of this is here:
https://www.maximummotorsports.com/Steering-Rack-SN95-to-Fox-swap.aspx
I have done this on both my '93 Coupe and my '83 T-Bird and it was like night and day difference.
The SN95 rack swap is certainly on my radar. It's going to end up being a project for another year. With my car being as high mileage as it is, I intend on replace the rack and pump at the same time. Part of why I'm currently opting to cut the spring. If I don't like it, oh well, in the garbage it goes.
The real shame now is that everyone purchased the Cardone 03-04 Cobra rack, and send in their base model racks. At this point, you have no idea which torsion rods and valving you'll actually get. At this point, it's a matter of hunting down a good, used rack or finding an NOS rack that doesn't cost your first born. Once you obtain a wallet draining rack, you then have to purchase the steering shaft. Certainly becomes a hefty investment. It's an investment I'll get to, but more in the distant future.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Aerocoupe on February 24, 2020, 04:08:54 PM
Post by: Aerocoupe on February 24, 2020, 04:08:54 PM
Interesting and it made me go read. You are 100% correct on the torsion bar and coming off center to the point the power steering fluid can assist the turning. What actually controls the amount of fluid in the rack that decreases the turning effort for the driver is the spool valve in the rack. From what I understand the flow control spring in the pump is "sized" so that the pump provides a steady volume of fluid through the range of engine speed which in turn gives the right feel to the steering. Some tech info from one of the better steering vendors:
https://www.turnone-steering.com/blogs/tech-101/pressure-vs-flow
https://www.turnone-steering.com/blogs/tech-101/debunking-the-shim-kit-theory
https://www.turnone-steering.com/blogs/tech-101/why-the-flow-control-spring-shouldnt-be-cut
Article that goes into depth on how the rack works (spool info is in here):
http://www.mustangandfords.com/how-to/drivetrain/m5lp-1207-power-steering-steered-straight
So just like you and I said its costly to change the over boosted nature of the Fox body cars but if you really want that right feel and to do it right you need to change the rack. This also explains why I did not like the steering my buddy's Fox Mustang after the spring was cut and the comments others made on "no real change" when they cut theirs. I don't remember how much they cut but I don't think anyone got down below an inch in length.
https://www.turnone-steering.com/blogs/tech-101/pressure-vs-flow
https://www.turnone-steering.com/blogs/tech-101/debunking-the-shim-kit-theory
https://www.turnone-steering.com/blogs/tech-101/why-the-flow-control-spring-shouldnt-be-cut
Article that goes into depth on how the rack works (spool info is in here):
http://www.mustangandfords.com/how-to/drivetrain/m5lp-1207-power-steering-steered-straight
So just like you and I said its costly to change the over boosted nature of the Fox body cars but if you really want that right feel and to do it right you need to change the rack. This also explains why I did not like the steering my buddy's Fox Mustang after the spring was cut and the comments others made on "no real change" when they cut theirs. I don't remember how much they cut but I don't think anyone got down below an inch in length.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on February 25, 2020, 03:42:24 PM
Post by: Tbird232ci on February 25, 2020, 03:42:24 PM
Well, now you've gone and done it. I've started my hunt for a Cobra rack.
I have read the Turn One articles. My biggest qualm is that they are trying to sell a product, so if course they;re going to say "don't do a cheap alternative that might work". No vendor of innocent of that, even the beloved Maximum Motorsports. I did a ton of reading over at Corner-Carvers, and the general consensus is that cutting the spring is just a small part of improving the steering feel, and that it doesn't do much on its own.
While reading through some other threads, I came across Jack Hidley suggesting a 94-95 V6 SN95 pump. I'd like to go that route, but I need to get rid of the Teeves to give myself clearance for standard style reservoir. I'm not sure if I want to tackle that part of the project just yet. I am proficient at many things in the automotive world, and brake lines are not one of those things.
To be honest, I am somewhat hoping that I don't find a rack too soon.
I have read the Turn One articles. My biggest qualm is that they are trying to sell a product, so if course they;re going to say "don't do a cheap alternative that might work". No vendor of innocent of that, even the beloved Maximum Motorsports. I did a ton of reading over at Corner-Carvers, and the general consensus is that cutting the spring is just a small part of improving the steering feel, and that it doesn't do much on its own.
While reading through some other threads, I came across Jack Hidley suggesting a 94-95 V6 SN95 pump. I'd like to go that route, but I need to get rid of the Teeves to give myself clearance for standard style reservoir. I'm not sure if I want to tackle that part of the project just yet. I am proficient at many things in the automotive world, and brake lines are not one of those things.
To be honest, I am somewhat hoping that I don't find a rack too soon.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: CaifanSC on July 28, 2020, 10:07:42 PM
Post by: CaifanSC on July 28, 2020, 10:07:42 PM
Well, where da hell is the update?????
I've enjoyed reading through your progress bro. I always knew you'd end back in a TC. Lookin through your pics, I saw you installed that trip computer for the TC's. It reminded me of the hot ass days at Ray's messing around with cars and trying to source pieces for the birds. I still have my trip computer somewhere in the parts stash. If memory serves, it has a plug-n-play harness you made.
Your bird is looking great! I'm jelly...im in the fox body forums reading through stuff as I found one that caught my attention.
https://boston.craigslist.org/nos/cto/d/reading-1988-thunderbird-turbo-coupe/7157311282.html
If only it had the right transmission.
Hope you and yours are fairing well with this COVID crisis.
I've enjoyed reading through your progress bro. I always knew you'd end back in a TC. Lookin through your pics, I saw you installed that trip computer for the TC's. It reminded me of the hot ass days at Ray's messing around with cars and trying to source pieces for the birds. I still have my trip computer somewhere in the parts stash. If memory serves, it has a plug-n-play harness you made.
Your bird is looking great! I'm jelly...im in the fox body forums reading through stuff as I found one that caught my attention.
https://boston.craigslist.org/nos/cto/d/reading-1988-thunderbird-turbo-coupe/7157311282.html
If only it had the right transmission.
Hope you and yours are fairing well with this COVID crisis.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on August 16, 2020, 09:28:20 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on August 16, 2020, 09:28:20 AM
Well, where da hell is the update?????
I've enjoyed reading through your progress bro. I always knew you'd end back in a TC. Lookin through your pics, I saw you installed that trip computer for the TC's. It reminded me of the hot ass days at Ray's messing around with cars and trying to source pieces for the birds. I still have my trip computer somewhere in the parts stash. If memory serves, it has a plug-n-play harness you made.
I really miss the old days of going to Rays. It was hot, but never seemed too hot. The yards were always full of useful stuff and we never left with out pockets empty. I still laugh when I think about the handle breaking off of your tool box.
Your bird is looking great! I'm jelly...im in the fox body forums reading through stuff as I found one that caught my attention.
https://boston.craigslist.org/nos/cto/d/reading-1988-thunderbird-turbo-coupe/7157311282.html
If only it had the right transmission.
Hope you and yours are fairing well with this COVID crisis.
If you're actually looking, they aren't terribly hard to find. I bought the first car I found. A few weeks after I bought mine, a guy posted a lower mileage 88 TC over in Salisbury for 3K. His car was a little nicer, but this one had a lot of other stuff going for it.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on August 16, 2020, 10:11:21 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on August 16, 2020, 10:11:21 AM
For update part one today:
For those of you who have followed my progress, and lack thereof; this thread has been a testament of my ADD. I'm very easily distracted. For the past few months, I had gotten side tracked with other hobbies and endeavors.
The other issue that I have is that I do my best work under pressure. Carlisle was pushed back a few months, so there was no reason to hustle. Along with that, it was moved to a hotter month. That's not a fun drive in a car without air conditioning. In my youth, that wouldn't have been an issue. I've been spoiled these days.
Anyways, I have made some headway and taken some pictures and whatnot. I am going to do a bit more work today, upload the pictures and make an actual update.
For those of you who have followed my progress, and lack thereof; this thread has been a testament of my ADD. I'm very easily distracted. For the past few months, I had gotten side tracked with other hobbies and endeavors.
The other issue that I have is that I do my best work under pressure. Carlisle was pushed back a few months, so there was no reason to hustle. Along with that, it was moved to a hotter month. That's not a fun drive in a car without air conditioning. In my youth, that wouldn't have been an issue. I've been spoiled these days.
Anyways, I have made some headway and taken some pictures and whatnot. I am going to do a bit more work today, upload the pictures and make an actual update.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on August 17, 2020, 04:16:56 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on August 17, 2020, 04:16:56 AM
Update part 2.
Months ago, I decided to tear the car apart. Typically I gather all of my parts and supplies long before I touch anything. I decided to take a different approach, start taking things apart and figuring the details out later. That method has saved me a little but of money here and there, but it made it much more difficult to stay motivated and on track.
I had to go back a post from February to see where I left off as far as posting goes. I'm going to try to go in order.
In the last update I posted, I had the intake manifold and all of that off. None of that has changed. I have actually removed more since then. The stock radiator has been ripped out along with the stock fans. With that, I took to eBay and purchased a universal 31x19 Ford style radiator, fan shroud and 16" fan. I cruised eBay for an aluminum coolant reservoir but never really found one that I liked. I ended up finding a pretty nice piece off of Amazon. Part of my wanting to do the specific setup I'm doing is to have a place to mount a catch can. There was very few options for a catch can with a -16an fitting on it, so Moroso got the nod for that.
This is the quick mock-up of the setup.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50235156168_dbfbc6cb0d_c.jpg)
I'll have a challenge or two with the lower hose, but I'll handle that when I get to that point.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50235810031_b01097a188_c.jpg)
The radiator is a pretty tight fit, which is exactly how I wanted it. I have since rerouted the headlight harness to under the front of the upper radiator support. I still need to lengthen the ground.
Another part of the project I started to tackle was the PCV delete. I went over to a company called Kevko and ordered their oil separator delete fitting. Yoshifab also has one, but I chose the Kevko as it is -12an rather than the -10an that Yoshifab offered. I have most of the other fittings I need do the PCV delete the way I want. I just need to swap valve covers, mark and drill for the fittings so I can have them welded in.
Here's the oil separator fitting sorta installed. It uses green Loctite to secure it, and I haven't taken that step yet.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50235158518_9323b6ec80_c.jpg)
I also ordered this guy, along with the correct fuel strainer for these cars. Not pictured is the Kirban AFPR that I also ordered.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50235809701_5da98eafa3_c.jpg)
I found that a few companies make a 12g fuel pump pigtail which was a relief considering that I was ready to find a way to unpin the connector, get new pins, solder 12g wire and drill out the connector. The plan is to run a heavy gauge power wire to the trunk, and use a heavy duty relay to power the fuel pump.
Around the time I got to that stopping point, I basically got bored. The list of things I had to do started to overwhelm me. I started playing with my RC hobby and rebuilt a few cars I had. I also collected a bunch of stuff to do a live planted aquarium. In typical Shawn fashion, all of those projects became disinteresting and are unfinished.
Gumby and I had a few conversations about wheel fitment which was sparked by someone selling wheels from their 4th gen F-body and dual lug patterns. That conversation bounced around in my head for at least a month until I said to hell with it and yanked a pair of wheels off of my Trans Am. I had to order some lug nuts and once those came in, the wheels got tossed on the car. I'm surprised how well they fit. The wheels are in horrible shape and need paint. Two of the tires are shot, but this at least gives me some ideas.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50236023557_78e4534fd8_c.jpg)
They only slightly poke out at the top. I wanted 1.5 degrees of camber, and the shop only set me up at .9 degrees. I figure that the extra .6 would get that tire under the fender.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50235156598_09b9e89e19_c.jpg)
Yesterday was the day I finally got motivated to do some more work. It took me nearly a half an hour to get the car jacked back up. I have the car back on 4 jack stands and they're all maxed out. I decided to tackle installing the PMGR starter.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50236023332_2282957b6b_c.jpg)
If you haven't installed one of these starters, DO IT. It's significantly lighter and is much easier to get on and off of the car.
While I was under the car, I zipped off the stock downpipe and hunger the Stinger Performance downpipe. Honestly, I feel that the fit is mediocre, but it gets the job done.
Months ago, I decided to tear the car apart. Typically I gather all of my parts and supplies long before I touch anything. I decided to take a different approach, start taking things apart and figuring the details out later. That method has saved me a little but of money here and there, but it made it much more difficult to stay motivated and on track.
I had to go back a post from February to see where I left off as far as posting goes. I'm going to try to go in order.
In the last update I posted, I had the intake manifold and all of that off. None of that has changed. I have actually removed more since then. The stock radiator has been ripped out along with the stock fans. With that, I took to eBay and purchased a universal 31x19 Ford style radiator, fan shroud and 16" fan. I cruised eBay for an aluminum coolant reservoir but never really found one that I liked. I ended up finding a pretty nice piece off of Amazon. Part of my wanting to do the specific setup I'm doing is to have a place to mount a catch can. There was very few options for a catch can with a -16an fitting on it, so Moroso got the nod for that.
This is the quick mock-up of the setup.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50235156168_dbfbc6cb0d_c.jpg)
I'll have a challenge or two with the lower hose, but I'll handle that when I get to that point.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50235810031_b01097a188_c.jpg)
The radiator is a pretty tight fit, which is exactly how I wanted it. I have since rerouted the headlight harness to under the front of the upper radiator support. I still need to lengthen the ground.
Another part of the project I started to tackle was the PCV delete. I went over to a company called Kevko and ordered their oil separator delete fitting. Yoshifab also has one, but I chose the Kevko as it is -12an rather than the -10an that Yoshifab offered. I have most of the other fittings I need do the PCV delete the way I want. I just need to swap valve covers, mark and drill for the fittings so I can have them welded in.
Here's the oil separator fitting sorta installed. It uses green Loctite to secure it, and I haven't taken that step yet.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50235158518_9323b6ec80_c.jpg)
I also ordered this guy, along with the correct fuel strainer for these cars. Not pictured is the Kirban AFPR that I also ordered.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50235809701_5da98eafa3_c.jpg)
I found that a few companies make a 12g fuel pump pigtail which was a relief considering that I was ready to find a way to unpin the connector, get new pins, solder 12g wire and drill out the connector. The plan is to run a heavy gauge power wire to the trunk, and use a heavy duty relay to power the fuel pump.
Around the time I got to that stopping point, I basically got bored. The list of things I had to do started to overwhelm me. I started playing with my RC hobby and rebuilt a few cars I had. I also collected a bunch of stuff to do a live planted aquarium. In typical Shawn fashion, all of those projects became disinteresting and are unfinished.
Gumby and I had a few conversations about wheel fitment which was sparked by someone selling wheels from their 4th gen F-body and dual lug patterns. That conversation bounced around in my head for at least a month until I said to hell with it and yanked a pair of wheels off of my Trans Am. I had to order some lug nuts and once those came in, the wheels got tossed on the car. I'm surprised how well they fit. The wheels are in horrible shape and need paint. Two of the tires are shot, but this at least gives me some ideas.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50236023557_78e4534fd8_c.jpg)
They only slightly poke out at the top. I wanted 1.5 degrees of camber, and the shop only set me up at .9 degrees. I figure that the extra .6 would get that tire under the fender.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50235156598_09b9e89e19_c.jpg)
Yesterday was the day I finally got motivated to do some more work. It took me nearly a half an hour to get the car jacked back up. I have the car back on 4 jack stands and they're all maxed out. I decided to tackle installing the PMGR starter.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50236023332_2282957b6b_c.jpg)
If you haven't installed one of these starters, DO IT. It's significantly lighter and is much easier to get on and off of the car.
While I was under the car, I zipped off the stock downpipe and hunger the Stinger Performance downpipe. Honestly, I feel that the fit is mediocre, but it gets the job done.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on August 17, 2020, 04:17:40 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on August 17, 2020, 04:17:40 AM
Update 2.1. Apparently, there is a 5000 character limit in a post.
Today, I set out to mock up my exhaust. I could have easily purchased Stingers setup, but I felt that it was way over priced for what you get. My last exhausts from him were cheaper, and they both fit like . I took my last car to an exhaust shop, and they took about 5 hours making everything fit the way it should have from the turbo to the tip. This car isn't getting a tailpipe, so I ordered a kit with various bends and straights. I also picked up a pair of Amazon special lers.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50236023472_bd3a1b8847_c.jpg)
I need to get a turndown, a hanger and some more welding wire. My welding skills are horrendous, especially with a flux core. I'm only tacking it together and then having my coworker do the finish welding for me.
I do have a lot more parts that I didn't take pictures of. I picked up a full cam gear setup, valve springs and retainers, 5.0 T5, Race Engineering water pump, blow off valve and a ton of misc stuff. I'll cover that stuff in more detail as I get to the installs.
Today, I set out to mock up my exhaust. I could have easily purchased Stingers setup, but I felt that it was way over priced for what you get. My last exhausts from him were cheaper, and they both fit like . I took my last car to an exhaust shop, and they took about 5 hours making everything fit the way it should have from the turbo to the tip. This car isn't getting a tailpipe, so I ordered a kit with various bends and straights. I also picked up a pair of Amazon special lers.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50236023472_bd3a1b8847_c.jpg)
I need to get a turndown, a hanger and some more welding wire. My welding skills are horrendous, especially with a flux core. I'm only tacking it together and then having my coworker do the finish welding for me.
I do have a lot more parts that I didn't take pictures of. I picked up a full cam gear setup, valve springs and retainers, 5.0 T5, Race Engineering water pump, blow off valve and a ton of misc stuff. I'll cover that stuff in more detail as I get to the installs.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Clayton on August 22, 2020, 10:15:00 PM
Post by: Clayton on August 22, 2020, 10:15:00 PM
Looks good man. Its a whole different ballgame this time around than it was 10+ years ago not having to daily a project car. Now you don't have to rush to get it done in time to get you to work the next day.
I'm digging the TA wheels on it too.
I'm digging the TA wheels on it too.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on August 24, 2020, 05:01:06 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on August 24, 2020, 05:01:06 AM
Looks good man. Its a whole different ballgame this time around than it was 10+ years ago not having to daily a project car. Now you don't have to rush to get it done in time to get you to work the next day.
I'm digging the TA wheels on it too.
The lack of urgency is part of my lack of motivation. I'm glad I don't have to rush, but I do wish it was easier for me to get off of my ass and hammer out work.
Part of the reason I was optimistic with stuffing he 18x9's on the car was that they actually fit on your car. I was under the impression that a 9" wheel was much harder to fit up front. I'll find out for certain whenever I get to that part of the project.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on August 24, 2020, 06:23:52 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on August 24, 2020, 06:23:52 AM
Progress was slow this weekend. I had higher hopes, but life does it's own things.
Now that I'm in my mid 30's, the things that excite me have changed. Here is a prime example of the things that excite me at my older age.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50262512507_af79f1cd64_c.jpg)
It's a Hollands 24.5 vise. My coworkers father sold his house, and told him to keep or junk whatever was left behind. My coworker already had a vise, so he gave me this one. It's pre-WW2, so it's legit American iron. I did wire wheel off the jaws and gave it a rub down with penetrating oil since the picture was taken.
The other hint of progress was that I finally found a reasonably priced 85-86 TC cluster. My ride control is disabled, so I didn't want the tach with the Firm Ride light.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50262323156_0ab5b5f271_c.jpg)
I knew the 87-88 TC cluster was different than the rest, but I never realized how stupid it was. It has a little secondary harness for the Check Engine, Check ABS and Firm Ride light. I had to unpin the Ride Control light and had to unpin and cut the wires for the ABS light.
At least it looks good next to the 140mph speedo.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50262322991_af3c7bd44a_c.jpg)
While I have it out, I'm also trying to refine the lighting. I've never liked how the white LEDs washed out the green on the gauges, but didn't like how the green LED's lit the needles and windows green. I'll have a few pics once I get my idea kinda dialed in.
Now for a little bit of a rant.
I have the full cam gear set from Race Engineering. Since I'm changing the belt and all of the gears, I wanted a nice billet tensioner. CheapHP.com made one and when I was ready to order, they went out of stock. I check at Speedway Motors and the tensioner was on backorder. I get around to Stinger-Performance, and they said to have 12+ in stock. I order it, and then get the e-mail that it's back ordered. I e-mailed CheapHP and ask about an ETA and have gotten no response. At this point, I said to hell with it, and emailed Esslinger to see if they had theirs in stock. Once again, no response.
I have NO idea how companies can't do something as simple as communicate with their customers. If the 2.3L wasn't such a small market, all of these vendors would lose 100% of my business. I know I will do as little business with them as possible now.
Now that I'm in my mid 30's, the things that excite me have changed. Here is a prime example of the things that excite me at my older age.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50262512507_af79f1cd64_c.jpg)
It's a Hollands 24.5 vise. My coworkers father sold his house, and told him to keep or junk whatever was left behind. My coworker already had a vise, so he gave me this one. It's pre-WW2, so it's legit American iron. I did wire wheel off the jaws and gave it a rub down with penetrating oil since the picture was taken.
The other hint of progress was that I finally found a reasonably priced 85-86 TC cluster. My ride control is disabled, so I didn't want the tach with the Firm Ride light.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50262323156_0ab5b5f271_c.jpg)
I knew the 87-88 TC cluster was different than the rest, but I never realized how stupid it was. It has a little secondary harness for the Check Engine, Check ABS and Firm Ride light. I had to unpin the Ride Control light and had to unpin and cut the wires for the ABS light.
At least it looks good next to the 140mph speedo.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50262322991_af3c7bd44a_c.jpg)
While I have it out, I'm also trying to refine the lighting. I've never liked how the white LEDs washed out the green on the gauges, but didn't like how the green LED's lit the needles and windows green. I'll have a few pics once I get my idea kinda dialed in.
Now for a little bit of a rant.
I have the full cam gear set from Race Engineering. Since I'm changing the belt and all of the gears, I wanted a nice billet tensioner. CheapHP.com made one and when I was ready to order, they went out of stock. I check at Speedway Motors and the tensioner was on backorder. I get around to Stinger-Performance, and they said to have 12+ in stock. I order it, and then get the e-mail that it's back ordered. I e-mailed CheapHP and ask about an ETA and have gotten no response. At this point, I said to hell with it, and emailed Esslinger to see if they had theirs in stock. Once again, no response.
I have NO idea how companies can't do something as simple as communicate with their customers. If the 2.3L wasn't such a small market, all of these vendors would lose 100% of my business. I know I will do as little business with them as possible now.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on August 24, 2020, 12:52:18 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on August 24, 2020, 12:52:18 PM
Captive market. When they have little competition there is no reason for them to have great customer service. They know you'll have to come to them either way.
Cluster looks nice. I've wondered how it would look if an electroluminescent sheet was used to light it. Bring a little modern look to it. Plus no hot spots from bulbs/LEDs.
Cluster looks nice. I've wondered how it would look if an electroluminescent sheet was used to light it. Bring a little modern look to it. Plus no hot spots from bulbs/LEDs.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: BCA on August 24, 2020, 02:12:38 PM
Post by: BCA on August 24, 2020, 02:12:38 PM
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50262322991_af3c7bd44a_c.jpg)
Over a 1/4 million miles? :crazy:
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Clayton on August 24, 2020, 09:52:02 PM
Post by: Clayton on August 24, 2020, 09:52:02 PM
Looks good man. Its a whole different ballgame this time around than it was 10+ years ago not having to daily a project car. Now you don't have to rush to get it done in time to get you to work the next day.
I'm digging the TA wheels on it too.
The lack of urgency is part of my lack of motivation. I'm glad I don't have to rush, but I do wish it was easier for me to get off of my ass and hammer out work.
Part of the reason I was optimistic with stuffing he 18x9's on the car was that they actually fit on your car. I was under the impression that a 9" wheel was much harder to fit up front. I'll find out for certain whenever I get to that part of the project.
They're actually 18x10 all the way around.
I feel ya on the motivation factor. In my mind I had to make up for 10 years of doing literally nothing to my car. I had a good goal set up in mind for this year til the virus pretty much closed all the events I was interested in going to. That's okay though I get more seat time in it this year and finish up some odds and ends then come out swinging next year. I just want to enjoy the car now. Next year I wont have to fiddle with stupid stuff just get in and drive since this year is pretty much a wash.
Next year I want to run it at the track a few times and see what she does with and without nitrous. I also want to chase down some cones in some scca style runs just for kicks even though I can't see the right front corner I'm gonna giv'r hell
You just gotta make your own deadlines in times like these man
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on August 25, 2020, 05:45:04 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on August 25, 2020, 05:45:04 AM
Captive market. When they have little competition there is no reason for them to have great customer service. They know you'll have to come to them either way.
Cluster looks nice. I've wondered how it would look if an electroluminescent sheet was used to light it. Bring a little modern look to it. Plus no hot spots from bulbs/LEDs.
I figure that these companies must not need money. With the way everything is going, you would think that they would be doing everything they can to keep business flowing.
I've thought about the EL sheets before. The "indiglo" gauges were a HUGE trend in the early 2000's. Most were that blue-teal color and I was never really a fan. I don't really want to change the color or go too crazy. The hot spots aren't noticeable at all, I just want to add a little "saturation" to the green without making everything green.
Over a 1/4 million miles? :crazy:
Yessir. There's a bunch of telltale signs that pretty much every assembly in this thing has been rebuilt or replaced, but the body has certainly seen 226K.
They're actually 18x10 all the way around.
I feel ya on the motivation factor. In my mind I had to make up for 10 years of doing literally nothing to my car. I had a good goal set up in mind for this year til the virus pretty much closed all the events I was interested in going to. That's okay though I get more seat time in it this year and finish up some odds and ends then come out swinging next year. I just want to enjoy the car now. Next year I wont have to fiddle with stupid stuff just get in and drive since this year is pretty much a wash.
Next year I want to run it at the track a few times and see what she does with and without nitrous. I also want to chase down some cones in some scca style runs just for kicks even though I can't see the right front corner I'm gonna giv'r hell
You just gotta make your own deadlines in times like these man
I didn't think a 10" wheel would fit up front. What size tires are you running? I have 275/35/18 on mine and it's close to the spring.
I've been trying to go out and do small tasks lately to keep myself moving a little bit. I've mostly given up on trying to get it rolling for any of the summer events for obvious reasons. At this point, I'd like to get it going for boost weather. It won't make a whole lot of power, but it'll still be fun to run around in and make whooshy noises.
I have been ordering little bits of stuff here and there as well. I go through phases where I will dump a ton of money, and then I'll be frugal as hell and spend hours looking to save 3 bucks. That hasn't been helping much either.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: gumby on August 25, 2020, 05:53:54 PM
Post by: gumby on August 25, 2020, 05:53:54 PM
I think the board notifications are broken, I missed a couple updates in here....
Your 18x9's from the Trans Am are +35, right? Don't make me scroll all the way back to when I was shopping for RAD era billets again. I don't need that thought coming back. Stock K-member/arms? 94-5 spindles or 96+?
I felt the lack of deadline crushing motivation in my soul. When HRPT got postponed, and ultimately cancelled, all urgency on my car evaporated and then scope creep showed up. :nono:
Your 18x9's from the Trans Am are +35, right? Don't make me scroll all the way back to when I was shopping for RAD era billets again. I don't need that thought coming back. Stock K-member/arms? 94-5 spindles or 96+?
I felt the lack of deadline crushing motivation in my soul. When HRPT got postponed, and ultimately cancelled, all urgency on my car evaporated and then scope creep showed up. :nono:
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Clayton on August 25, 2020, 07:34:03 PM
Post by: Clayton on August 25, 2020, 07:34:03 PM
275/40s and they're close
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on August 26, 2020, 05:31:10 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on August 26, 2020, 05:31:10 AM
I think the board notifications are broken, I missed a couple updates in here....
Your 18x9's from the Trans Am are +35, right? Don't make me scroll all the way back to when I was shopping for RAD era billets again. I don't need that thought coming back. Stock K-member/arms? 94-5 spindles or 96+?
I felt the lack of deadline crushing motivation in my soul. When HRPT got postponed, and ultimately cancelled, all urgency on my car evaporated and then scope creep showed up. :nono:
Yes, they are +35. Stock K-member, stock length arms and 94-95 spindles. They probably wouldn't *really* fit if I had the 96+ spindles.
Scope creep had been getting me a bit too. Luckily, not nearly as badly as you have been hit. I wouldn't be upset if things worked out and I landed a bunch of cool stuff the way you did though.
275/40s and they're close
Do yours poke out of the fender? How much negative camber are you running?
Something that has been frustrating is that I have to buy a lot of the random supplies you take for granted. When I lived in my apartment, I couldn't store things like wire, wire loom, grease guns, chemicals, boxes of bolts and brackets and whatever else. I just didn't have the room. I've had to go out and buy a grease gun just for a few fittings where as when I lived with my parents, I just hijacked my dads. Needed some wire loom? Go and grab a foot. I just recently bought an assortment of wire loom. I've never had to buy it before in my life. Next, I'll be buying wire assortments.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: thunderjet302 on August 26, 2020, 01:16:31 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on August 26, 2020, 01:16:31 PM
I've thought about the EL sheets before. The "indiglo" gauges were a HUGE trend in the early 2000's. Most were that blue-teal color and I was never really a fan. I don't really want to change the color or go too crazy. The hot spots aren't noticeable at all, I just want to add a little "saturation" to the green without making everything green.
I believe there is a green color that's pretty close to the factory color. I think it would look pretty neat. Not factory but neat.
I'm waiting for the "pop a screen in and make what ever you want" aftermarket cluster, so we can have something like newer cars. I figure someone will make it for a Fox Mustang and we can just adapt it. Something with 0-60 and quarter mile times built in.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Clayton on August 26, 2020, 01:59:48 PM
Post by: Clayton on August 26, 2020, 01:59:48 PM
-1.25* is all I could get without longer lower control arms or modifying the top of the tower. And I believe 4* of caster maxed out the cc plates. On 98+ spindles. And they do poke out about 1/4"
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on March 20, 2021, 06:00:50 AM
Post by: Tbird232ci on March 20, 2021, 06:00:50 AM
It's time for the Semi-Annual update!
Since the last update, not a lot has changed. With the pandemic, work has been brutally busy. In September, we had two guys quit, and then in November another go out for hernia surgery. UPS being the way they are, no one has been replaced and the efforts to stay afloat has been left up to the remaining employees. Needless to say, I didn't have much free time for a while and if I did, I was too tired to enjoy it. More recently, 8 coworkers and I all got the Covid. We were all out for 2 weeks other than one guy who was out 3 and one who was out 4.
My hobby ADD also kicks in full force and my funding goes elsewhere. I can't remember the exact sequence, but I've certainly dumped a good bit of time in my 3d printing, RC and computer hobbies. I ended up buying an RC car in kit form, and an assload of various upgrade parts. At this point, I realized that I didn't feel like setting up the folding table to build my kit so I embarked on a journey to set up my "hobby space" in the house. Katy and I both have some form of "crafting" hobbies. I bought her a Cricut for Christmas and she also had a sewing setup. I have my 3d printers (oh yeah, I somehow adopted a second one), my RC hobby and a lot of electronics projects. Our spare spare bedroom has become the craft room. She has about 2/3 of it for all of her stuff, and I have the remaining third.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51054820427_ba0d74a8ce_c.jpg)
That was my initial setup. Excuse the poor lighting. That is on the list of things to do in there. The desk was from my apartment, and the shelving units are some generic China junk that I 3d printed some spacers so I could bolt together. It was insanely cramped and mostly useless.
I decided to measure out the space and purchase a larger workbench ordeal. Rather than the 48x24 glass desk, I picked up a 60x30 work bench. While I was at it, I utilized Katy's Cricut abilities.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50996802335_1ef53174e7_c.jpg)
My entire concept now is to not have anything that actually stays on the bench. I want as much space and as little clutter as possible. I picked up a monitor arm and I absolutely love it.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50996802255_2502f77065_c.jpg)
I'm currently between two projects in there. One is doing a spare parts PC build and the other is fixing one of my 3d printers.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51047356041_5dfc72509e_c.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51046628928_1602ed0d51_c.jpg)
I am going to be adding some shelving above the bench and adding a shelf under the bench so I can keep things less cluttered. I'm also going to make all of the shelves with the printers white and work on lighting for the printers and my workbench.
Now, for automotive updates. I haven't done much of anything. I got into an old school audio kick. I picked up a new radio bezel kit which fits very nicely.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51054794026_9873239888_c.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51054793931_15abe7f792_c.jpg)
I also picked up an Alpine 6-disc CD changer that can be controlled by the head unit, and an RF adapter that I can use to add an auxiliary input to which is also Alpine. Everything is from the late 90's and blends in with the dash lighting very well.
I spent a few hours in the garage getting it cleaned up and organized. Now that the weather is breaking, I'll be able to start cleaning and painting things and getting them ready for assembly.
Since the last update, not a lot has changed. With the pandemic, work has been brutally busy. In September, we had two guys quit, and then in November another go out for hernia surgery. UPS being the way they are, no one has been replaced and the efforts to stay afloat has been left up to the remaining employees. Needless to say, I didn't have much free time for a while and if I did, I was too tired to enjoy it. More recently, 8 coworkers and I all got the Covid. We were all out for 2 weeks other than one guy who was out 3 and one who was out 4.
My hobby ADD also kicks in full force and my funding goes elsewhere. I can't remember the exact sequence, but I've certainly dumped a good bit of time in my 3d printing, RC and computer hobbies. I ended up buying an RC car in kit form, and an assload of various upgrade parts. At this point, I realized that I didn't feel like setting up the folding table to build my kit so I embarked on a journey to set up my "hobby space" in the house. Katy and I both have some form of "crafting" hobbies. I bought her a Cricut for Christmas and she also had a sewing setup. I have my 3d printers (oh yeah, I somehow adopted a second one), my RC hobby and a lot of electronics projects. Our spare spare bedroom has become the craft room. She has about 2/3 of it for all of her stuff, and I have the remaining third.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51054820427_ba0d74a8ce_c.jpg)
That was my initial setup. Excuse the poor lighting. That is on the list of things to do in there. The desk was from my apartment, and the shelving units are some generic China junk that I 3d printed some spacers so I could bolt together. It was insanely cramped and mostly useless.
I decided to measure out the space and purchase a larger workbench ordeal. Rather than the 48x24 glass desk, I picked up a 60x30 work bench. While I was at it, I utilized Katy's Cricut abilities.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50996802335_1ef53174e7_c.jpg)
My entire concept now is to not have anything that actually stays on the bench. I want as much space and as little clutter as possible. I picked up a monitor arm and I absolutely love it.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50996802255_2502f77065_c.jpg)
I'm currently between two projects in there. One is doing a spare parts PC build and the other is fixing one of my 3d printers.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51047356041_5dfc72509e_c.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51046628928_1602ed0d51_c.jpg)
I am going to be adding some shelving above the bench and adding a shelf under the bench so I can keep things less cluttered. I'm also going to make all of the shelves with the printers white and work on lighting for the printers and my workbench.
Now, for automotive updates. I haven't done much of anything. I got into an old school audio kick. I picked up a new radio bezel kit which fits very nicely.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51054794026_9873239888_c.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51054793931_15abe7f792_c.jpg)
I also picked up an Alpine 6-disc CD changer that can be controlled by the head unit, and an RF adapter that I can use to add an auxiliary input to which is also Alpine. Everything is from the late 90's and blends in with the dash lighting very well.
I spent a few hours in the garage getting it cleaned up and organized. Now that the weather is breaking, I'll be able to start cleaning and painting things and getting them ready for assembly.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on June 22, 2021, 04:44:14 PM
Post by: Tbird232ci on June 22, 2021, 04:44:14 PM
Once again, my ADD has gotten the best of me over the past few months.
I got the itch to build a new computer as mine is dated and had to turn a bunch of game settings down to get decent frame rates. Unfortunately, the current state of computer components is absolutely insane. I decided that rather than build a computer; I'll just do new peripherals. I ended up going with a 49" ultrawide monitor, new keyboard, mouse pad, and painted some stuff to make it look a little nicer. I then pulled the case apart and cut out all of the mesh and honeycomb that was blocking the fans airflow. With that, I RGB'd the hell out of the computer. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures of the completed setup. That'll be for another day.
One of the other things I've gotten around to is starting my aquarium. I put in S.Repends and some Anubias Nana Petite so far. I've been battling some algae as the tank cycles, but I think I'm getting it under control now. I'll be adding some Red Root Floaters, an Anubias Golden Coin and maybe some Pearl Weed. I'll probably break it down and change the substrate at some point once I get the plants established. I made a poor choice of substrate and nothing likes to stay planted.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51265248949_552c76c22d_c.jpg)
Now, to more of the automotive stuff.
Carlisle came and went. This time, I got a room and spent the weekend up there. It was a good time, and it was nice to not have to rush to find friends and be able to actually see the cars. I took the Mustang and with as hot as it was, it was nice to have A/C. I didn't take many pictures, and only took one of my own car with V8Demons mustang.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51264510301_4709b3479a_c.jpg)
The car was clean until I drove up through a battlefield of cicadas.
After Carlisle, my sleep pattern has shifted, so I've had more time during the day to get work done. I have stuffed the upgraded water pump on the car, and have painted some other . I haven't taken pictures. I did get the exhaust mostly wrapped up.
I made a turn down out of a 90 degree bend using just a sawzall. I was quite proud.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51263776632_f56e3983d9_c.jpg)
A buddy of mine did all of the welding on the exhaust for me and it came out quite nicely. The hangers should be in today, so it may get installed tomorrow.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51265547525_1cb912b767_c.jpg)
One of the other things I'm stupidly happy with is how the alternator bracket is coming out. I had to grind a nub off to give myself room to the thermostat housing bolt. I hate the idea of making maintenance difficult on myself. When I ground the nub off, I also ground down a casting seam and smoothed it out a bit. I found out that my buddy has a bead blaster at his shop so I bead blasted the bracket and I'm pretty happy with it thus far.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51264510121_746bc02a78_c.jpg)
This week will hopefully will be decent enough weather wise so I can get off of my ass and finish painting a bunch of parts to install.
I got the itch to build a new computer as mine is dated and had to turn a bunch of game settings down to get decent frame rates. Unfortunately, the current state of computer components is absolutely insane. I decided that rather than build a computer; I'll just do new peripherals. I ended up going with a 49" ultrawide monitor, new keyboard, mouse pad, and painted some stuff to make it look a little nicer. I then pulled the case apart and cut out all of the mesh and honeycomb that was blocking the fans airflow. With that, I RGB'd the hell out of the computer. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures of the completed setup. That'll be for another day.
One of the other things I've gotten around to is starting my aquarium. I put in S.Repends and some Anubias Nana Petite so far. I've been battling some algae as the tank cycles, but I think I'm getting it under control now. I'll be adding some Red Root Floaters, an Anubias Golden Coin and maybe some Pearl Weed. I'll probably break it down and change the substrate at some point once I get the plants established. I made a poor choice of substrate and nothing likes to stay planted.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51265248949_552c76c22d_c.jpg)
Now, to more of the automotive stuff.
Carlisle came and went. This time, I got a room and spent the weekend up there. It was a good time, and it was nice to not have to rush to find friends and be able to actually see the cars. I took the Mustang and with as hot as it was, it was nice to have A/C. I didn't take many pictures, and only took one of my own car with V8Demons mustang.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51264510301_4709b3479a_c.jpg)
The car was clean until I drove up through a battlefield of cicadas.
After Carlisle, my sleep pattern has shifted, so I've had more time during the day to get work done. I have stuffed the upgraded water pump on the car, and have painted some other . I haven't taken pictures. I did get the exhaust mostly wrapped up.
I made a turn down out of a 90 degree bend using just a sawzall. I was quite proud.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51263776632_f56e3983d9_c.jpg)
A buddy of mine did all of the welding on the exhaust for me and it came out quite nicely. The hangers should be in today, so it may get installed tomorrow.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51265547525_1cb912b767_c.jpg)
One of the other things I'm stupidly happy with is how the alternator bracket is coming out. I had to grind a nub off to give myself room to the thermostat housing bolt. I hate the idea of making maintenance difficult on myself. When I ground the nub off, I also ground down a casting seam and smoothed it out a bit. I found out that my buddy has a bead blaster at his shop so I bead blasted the bracket and I'm pretty happy with it thus far.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51264510121_746bc02a78_c.jpg)
This week will hopefully will be decent enough weather wise so I can get off of my ass and finish painting a bunch of parts to install.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Mikey97D on June 23, 2021, 01:14:46 PM
Post by: Mikey97D on June 23, 2021, 01:14:46 PM
Nice!
Are you moving the alternator to the passenger side? Maybe I am remembering where the thermostat housing is located incorrectly.
Are you moving the alternator to the passenger side? Maybe I am remembering where the thermostat housing is located incorrectly.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on June 23, 2021, 04:38:53 PM
Post by: Tbird232ci on June 23, 2021, 04:38:53 PM
Yes, I am using the 92-94 Ranger alternator and bracket to move it to the passenger side. It uses a bolt hole that It right by the thermostat housing. I went through my pictures and realized that I didn't take one of when I mocked up the bracket and alternator. It was close to the thermostat housing bolt, and its tight around the coolant tube off of the water pump.
I did manage to go out and paint a few more things today. I still have to paint the radiator, sort the hoses and finish painting a few more small items. I'm really dreading the radiator. That's a lot of masking.
I also learned that VHT Chassis and Roll Bar paint is pure garbage. I used it to paint my control arms, and brake fluid peeled the paint right off. I thought that maybe it was because the paint didn't have a lot of time to cure. When I installed the double hump crossmember, I had to tack weld the bushing sleeves in place. I reached under the car and kinda sprayed the welds with the VHT. Today, I wanted to pull the crossmember and give it a more official paint job. I splashed some acetone on a rag, and the VHT wiped right off. I've been using Krylon Industrial on some other stuff and it is far more durable and about the same price.
I did manage to go out and paint a few more things today. I still have to paint the radiator, sort the hoses and finish painting a few more small items. I'm really dreading the radiator. That's a lot of masking.
I also learned that VHT Chassis and Roll Bar paint is pure garbage. I used it to paint my control arms, and brake fluid peeled the paint right off. I thought that maybe it was because the paint didn't have a lot of time to cure. When I installed the double hump crossmember, I had to tack weld the bushing sleeves in place. I reached under the car and kinda sprayed the welds with the VHT. Today, I wanted to pull the crossmember and give it a more official paint job. I splashed some acetone on a rag, and the VHT wiped right off. I've been using Krylon Industrial on some other stuff and it is far more durable and about the same price.
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Beau on June 25, 2021, 02:03:00 AM
Post by: Beau on June 25, 2021, 02:03:00 AM
I painted a double hump years ago with krylon and though it's been in 3 cars now, it's held up fairly well. I did also prime it too.
The F body still got an LT1 (or is lucky enough to have the LS)?
The F body still got an LT1 (or is lucky enough to have the LS)?
Title: Re: Back in a fox. 1988 Turbo Coupe. The life journal.
Post by: Tbird232ci on June 30, 2021, 03:07:18 PM
Post by: Tbird232ci on June 30, 2021, 03:07:18 PM
The Krylon Industrial line seems to be pretty durable so far. I haven't through its paces yet though.
That is indeed an LT1 car. Honestly, for a normal street car, I prefer the LT1. It sounds better and it has all of its torque down low. With headers, exhaust, roller rockers, intake and a tune, it made 294hp/347ft/lbs to the wheels and the curves were flat. It made torque everywhere, and would cruise at 1700rpm at 70mph with no issues. If I were building a GM with the sole purpose of going fast, then LS is the way to go.
That is indeed an LT1 car. Honestly, for a normal street car, I prefer the LT1. It sounds better and it has all of its torque down low. With headers, exhaust, roller rockers, intake and a tune, it made 294hp/347ft/lbs to the wheels and the curves were flat. It made torque everywhere, and would cruise at 1700rpm at 70mph with no issues. If I were building a GM with the sole purpose of going fast, then LS is the way to go.