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Topic: My 85 TBird (Read 60586 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: My 85 TBird

Reply #210
Quote
So Jack is a very smart guy but I’m running a full MM setup with panhard bar and torque arm in my Coupe and do you think any of it is bolted in? The answer is no sir. It literally takes an hour per side to weld up the torque boxes. The USF and LSF connectors do nothing to strengthen these areas. With the stiffening of the chassis more power will he directed to the place of least strength so my suggestion would be to weld ‘em up and then not have to deal with it later. Good insurance if you ask me

This is from Maximum Motorsports Website

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Stop Torque-box Damage
Torque-box damage is often blamed on "too much power". Wrong! It is usually the result of metal fatigue caused by a poor rear lower control arm bushing design.

Not saying it wouldn’t be good insurance while I’m at it.

Finished up the top side of the USF connectors.


Re: My 85 TBird

Reply #211
Looks good!!

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


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

Re: My 85 TBird

Reply #212
Got the car back up on the tall stands today for some more welding. Made the brackets to connect the rear subframe to the bulkheads of the USF connectors. Also tied the rear of the front subframe to the LSF connectors. Then finished welding the floor pans to the USF where needed.

Re: My 85 TBird

Reply #213
I really should consider some of these through-floor SFC's and take the cage out of the car.

The wife gives me a nasty look every time I suggest it, though. :giggle:
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo

Re: My 85 TBird

Reply #214
I really should consider some of these through-floor SFC's and take the cage out of the car.

The wife gives me a nasty look every time I suggest it, though. :giggle:
If she’s against taking out the cage leave it in and add the SFC’s.  :toothless: 

Re: My 85 TBird

Reply #215
Got a few things done this week. Built a whatchamacallit to use with the engine hoist to lift the engine off the k member. Then I could get the headers bolted up. Used Stage 8 header bolts and locks with ford exhaust gaskets. One issue with having to cut one bolt so short to get installed that there was not enough thread engagement into the head and it pulled the threads out. So I ended up using a stud and metal lock nut in that location. It only messed up the threads about 1/4” into the head and I added some threads to the stud so there is at least an inch of good thread engagement. Tonight I washed off 8 years of dust.

 

Re: My 85 TBird

Reply #216
Would you hurry up and get that  motor started already????  That is just engine bay candy right there...who doesn't love a Terminator motor?

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


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

Re: My 85 TBird

Reply #217
Got the underside in paint this weekend. Saturday afternoon I did some masking to protect things and try to keep some sand out of it. About 4 o’clock a friend stopped in to help me get it back up on stands in the booth, then the blasting started. The plan was to hit a few bad spots and the areas that were affected by welding. Once the bad spots were done the rest of it didn’t look so good so I just kept at till I couldn’t take anymore, that was about 9:30. 





This morning I cleaned up the mess and blew as much sand out of it as I could. After dinner I sprayed it with etch, sealer, and some single stage black. If there is ever a next time doing an underside there will be a rotisserie involved.










Re: My 85 TBird

Reply #218
I can only imagine how that overhead work sucked and then combine it with sandblasting. Looks really good and you will be happy you went the extra mile.

That is the one thing I regret not doing when I had my car painted in ‘98 was doing the underside. Wasn’t an issue then but now I’m seeing very small areas of surface rust. Only a few but that’s how it starts. Having the car in the shop year around and not driving it in wet weather has helped.

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


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

Re: My 85 TBird

Reply #219
Man, oh, man, that looks nice.

Kudos on going the extra mile there. I'm not sure I'd want to go through with that.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo

Re: My 85 TBird

Reply #220
More than nice!  That is friggin beautiful.
Mike

Re: My 85 TBird

Reply #221
Thanks guys. It looks better in the pics than it is, some sand got in it here and there and it’s a little fuzzy and dry in some spots, but it should keep it protected. Most of it is going to get under coated anyway. The worst part was holding the sandblasting nozzle at or above shoulder height for so long.  I taped my dewalt work light to it, which now needs a new lens, so I could see what I was doing which made it even heavier. I hope to get it under coated later this week so I can get it down and start prepping the engine bay for paint.

Re: My 85 TBird

Reply #222
Wow, that looks awesome.  Nice job!

Re: My 85 TBird

Reply #223
Sounds like it was a PITA but the results were worth it. Looks great.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Re: My 85 TBird

Reply #224
Pulled the supercharger off to get the coolant crossover pipe out to weld a fitting in for the head cooling mod. Also installing all new idler pulleys, belts, and a 2.8” pulley on the supercharger.



This evening got the undercoating sprayed.