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Messages - 5.0 tbird

1
User Rides / Re: 84 Tbird project
I think I'd rather have the wipe full length, personally. Good job at making those work, though.

When I did the dew wipes on the LTS, I wound up using a piece that was originally the outer piece for the rear window of a Full-size Bronco. Discovered it in a Google search. PN for the outer is D8TZ-9841610-A. (A lot of places sell both the inner and outer as a kit) I think mine came from Dennis Carpenter.

They are roughly 4' long and use the stock-style clips.


The clips are removable/usable though.  While most of the clips on the new piece lined up with the originals, a few didn't. To relocate them, you just pry the two little tabs open on the back side and remove the clip from the strip. Then I just drilled 2 small holes, big enough for those tabs to go through at the new location. Then install the clip and bend the tabs back into place. They're a little shorter than the TBird stuff below the window line, but the same elsewhere.

One of the Bronco pieces was enough to do one side of the LTS, and should be more than enough for a TBird.

My TBird needs new dew wipes as well, and I was going to investigate this route when I get around to doing them.


Thank you sir! I got these Fairchild dew wipes because I saw them on coolcats. They're 48" long too so I cut about 6" off each one. They do the job, but no clips is a drawback. If I ever do dew wipes again I'll definitely use those Bronco dew wipes.
2
User Rides / Re: 84 Tbird project
Knocked out a couple small projects while I'm on vacation this week.

First I dealt with a power steering issue. The power steering worked fine when it was cold, but when it warmed up it would groan and hang up when turning the wheel. It would also shoot fluid out of the cap sometimes. So I bought a power steering cooler and installed it. I also replaced the power steering pump under lifetime warranty from 2018. That seems to have resolved the power steering issues.









New dew wipes!

I used the universal dew wipes from Fairchild part no: 1369-4x2. They're not bad for the price. I think they were $27 plus $20 for shipping from Rockauto. They're not perfect, but definitely a lot better than cracked and crumbling 40 year old dew wipes.















Here's the new dew wipe next to the old one. I was unable to reuse the clips from the old dew wipe. The clips are stapled into the dew wipe, and wouldn't come off without destroying them. The door mirror, the stud at the back of the dew wipe, and the B pillar trim is still holding the dew wipe in place so I'm not worried about the clips.






Here's the dew wipe riveted onto the trim. I didn't have to make any relief cuts since it's a lot shorter than the factory dew wipe, and I'm not using any trim clips.












3
User Rides / Re: 84 Tbird project
Update time! Been busy with work and everything ya'll know how it is. But I did get some work done on the car since last year.

Starting with GTS headlight covers. I'm surprised they still make these, but I'm glad they do.









Danco console decal.











I didn't use this timing set because the chain was too long. I got one from SA gear that fit correctly.


Factory V8 front springs




front strut mounts


New brake and parking brake pedal pads


New fuel pressure gauge


Dorman compression fittings for nylon fuel line. I used them to clean up the fuel lines underhood.






Ball joints. 2 for the Thunderbird and 2 for the Mustang.


This is the install of the v8 front springs, KYB 87-88 Turbo Coupe struts, strut mounts, and ball joints. The passenger spring was broken in 3 pieces. I couldn't even tell it was broken until I went to remove it from the control arm. You can use a standard spring compressor, but everything has to be in the correct spot and lined up just right or it won't work. It took a lot of trial and error, and oiling the spring compressor, and batteries for the impact.




















E303 cam install. I used Anderson Motorsports cam install tools. They work great you just have to be careful. Double check everything to make sure they have a good hold on the lifters before you swap out the cam. If you drop a lifter it's gonna be a bad day LOL.











You can see the a/c condenser hanging from the hood in this pic.










Back together






The new front springs and struts raised the front a lot so I bought new rear springs. They raised the back up some, but the front still sat higher than the back so I added some spring locks to the rear. We live on a bad road so I don't mind the car sitting up high.







The last item for this update. Like I said, we live on a bad road so I wanted to get some mud flaps on the car.

You can spend big $ on some nos factory Ford mud flaps, but why when your girlfriend has a Silhouette machine?

$12 a pair on Amazon






Here's some new pics of the car from yesterday at my Dad's on July 4th.

























4
User Rides / Re: 84 Tbird project
Not much has been happening with the Thunderbird, but here's a small update.

I removed the body mouldings between the wheels because they were peeling up and warped. I also painted the lower body satin black. The speedometer was so worn it was basically useless so I started searching for a good one. The only speedometer I could find was on ebay in Canada. It was a good price too so it arrived 3 weeks later, and now the Thunderbird has a kilometer speedometer. It works good, I just have to read the inside numbers for mph. :giggle: It does have one advantage, in that it goes to 110 mph instead of only 85.  :canada:







What's next for the Thunderbird.

The rear main seal and transmission tailshaft seal are leaking so those need to be replaced.

I also wanna put in a 3 row aluminum radiator

87-88 TC front struts and strut mounts or caster camber plates so I can replace the strut mounts I had to modify for the Mustang struts.

I also wanna put a cam in the motor at some point.
5
User Rides / Re: 84 Tbird project
Well, the bearing in the 60 amp 1g alternator gave out after 41 years. (Yes, it's older than the Thunderbird)  I'd like to see an alternator made in China nowadays last that long! It was also having trouble keeping up with the electrical load from the a/c and headlights especially in traffic. I may be upgrading to electric fans soon too so I decided to upgrade to a 3g 130 amp alternator. I got the kit from Latemodel Restoration Supply with the alternator bracket. You can grind the factory bracket to fit the 130 amp alternator, but for the little extra it costs I'd rather just bolt on a bracket that's made for the 130 amp alternator. The install went smoothly except the alternator bracket doesn't have a threaded hole for the tensioner bolt, and the kit doesn't come with a nut so you need to provide your own nut to attach the belt tensioner. The alternator upgrade made a big difference. It handles the car's electrical loads like it's nothing staying above 13.5 volts at idle in drive with the brakes on and a/c and headlights on high beam. It's no wonder I see so many Mustangs and Thunderbirds with 3g alternator upgrades.









6
User Rides / Re: 84 Tbird project
Wheels pics are here!

After I sold the TRX wheels I used that money to buy a new set of 245/45-17 Falken Ziex ze950 a/s tires



Then 4 members of our family got covid, and thank God we all survived. My girlfriend's stepdad got it first and it turned into covid pneumonia and sent him to the hospital for 5 days. He was out of work for 6 weeks. Then my girlfriend's mom got it from the stepdad and she got over it within about 3 or 4 days. My girlfriend got it from her mom, and it was pretty much like a bad case of the flu for her. She went back to work after 10 days. I got it from my girlfriend, and it turned into covid pneumonia for me also. I stayed out of the hospital thanks to virtual doctor visits where I got antibiotics and steroids. I was out of work for 3 weeks.

Yesterday I was able to get the tires put on the mesh wheels, and get the mounted on the car.













8
User Rides / Re: 84 Tbird project
Still have the TRX wheels? I'd be interested in them for my bird

I sold them to a member on foureyedpride.


I'll have pics of the new wheels soon. I just got a set of new tires for them, but I gotta get them mounted and balanced then I'll put them on the Thunderbird. I just got over covid so everything got put on the back burner.
9
User Rides / Re: 84 Tbird project
Finished putting it together and fired it up today!







Also received a visit from the big brown truck.





I picked up a set of the LMR mesh wheels for my Mustang a while back, and I liked them well enough that I got a set for the Thunderbird too. So I'm gonna be listing the TRX wheels for sale soon.



11
User Rides / Re: 84 Tbird project
Started the 11" brake upgrade last week. I went with 94 Mustang GT front struts that I learned have a shorter top bolt about 1/2" shorter than Thunderbird struts. The nut just barely threads on so I modified the strut mount. I ended up cutting a 1/2" out of the spacer in the strut mount.



































While we were bleeding the brakes I discovered the master cylinder was slowly losing pressure so I replaced it.







Now it just needs an alignment and that should finish the 11" brake upgrade.

Today, I decided to start tearing down the motor to install my GT40 heads.













Next is to drop the heads on with fresh gaskets and start reassembly
13
User Rides / Re: 84 Tbird project
Picked up my GT40 heads from the machine shop today! I had them rebuild the heads and install a Trick Flow spring kit.















I also got my gears installed a few weeks ago. Going from 2.73 to 3.73s was exactly what this car needed. The shop said it wouldn't cost any extra labor to rebuild my trac-lok while they did the gear swap so I bought a clutch kit.





After I got the car back from the shop I swapped out the speedo gear



So next up is upgrading the front brakes and putting the heads on.