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Topic: 87 "coug" resto winter project (Read 80568 times) previous topic - next topic

87 "coug" resto winter project

Reply #45
I agree completely. But, a cast stroker crank, even the whole kit can be relatively cheap compared to a stock build. You can get into block splitting territory without stroking or boosting a 302. I would consider a 347 for a replacement on a mild build because it would do everything, better, at lower Ron's.

I've seen quite a few mustang guys throw gt-40 heads on a stroker. Some were happy, some really weren't. Scotts heads are at least as good as gt-40's if they have had some work done, if not better.

Not gonna be earth shattering, but much better then a stock bottom end build.
Quote from: jcassity
I honestly dont think you could exceed the cost of a new car buy installing new *stock* parts everywhere in your coug our tbird. Its just plain impossible. You could revamp the entire drivetrain/engine/suspenstion and still come out ahead.
Hooligans! 
1988 Crown Vic wagon. 120K California car. Wifes grocery getter. (junked)
1987 Ford Thunderbird LX. 5.0. s.o., sn-95 t-5 and an f-150 clutch. Driven daily and going strong.
1986 cougar.
lilsammywasapunkrocker@yahoo.com

87 "coug" resto winter project

Reply #46
thanks guys, ever word you all say I am paying attention to very closely ,, I appreciate the ideas and it causes me to reconsider now rather than later.

we got moving on to the core support to here I will post up some pics of progress.
I am dospoogeenting some reference points others may find useful and for us when we weld back on the misc brackets to the new lower core support.




87 "coug" resto winter project

Reply #50
we immediately rolled right into a mock up of a new core support.
I had located various choices to suit the 2'' x 2 1/2'' hole we need to insert a new core into.
the choices seemed to offer Galvanize only in a thickness that was very suitable.  It wasn't solid tube steel but rather uni-strut like in various applications.

we chose to use 2'' x 2'' , 1/8'' thick  tube steel and fab up and work it in.

********The exact length you need to replace a core support is 5 feet off steel material,, my piece was about 15$

so here are some pics of this phase.
I took some decent notes on the material if you want to do this yourself.
find the center of your 5' material
measure 16 5/8'' to the left and right and that will meet up to the inside to inside measurement of your material you insert up into the remaining section of your core support hollow tubing.
from the new outer marks, you then transfer a 45deg bandsaw cut to remove the material so you can bend up your uprights.

we will remove two opposite sides of the uprights so that the new core support will slide up on on either side of the factory shock that is inside the frame.. that will come later.
the uprights will look like goal posts so to speak.


87 "coug" resto winter project

Reply #52
last pic,
sorry they are out of order,, some reason the site loads them up in any order it wants.

now that its bent and fitted, chance needs to tac weld it
next will will take it out and start work on cutting out the saddle area on the uprights so the new core support extends up inside the existing car on either side of the factory bumper shock.  this will offer better support.
we expect this to be several attempts of pulling out and and regrinding because the shock is round so we want our saddle to perfectly mate to that surface offering the most contact area.

ultimately this core support will integrate a flat plate for future jacking up of the car which will come in  HANDY!  In a way I am wanting something like this for my 20th.

87 "coug" resto winter project

Reply #53
Nice progress, and great core support rebuild.  I love all the things painted on the bumper, including the front towards enemy - flashback to my Army days.  You should nickname yours "project claymore"

Geoff
T-Birds can't fly.  Ask how I know...

87 "coug" resto winter project

Reply #54
that's what happens when you have a heard of teen agers with a sharpie doing nothing and a surface with nothing written on it.

I wrote the one part,, "if your reading this you must have f'd up!",, guess im just as guilty


87 "coug" resto winter project

Reply #56
Looks much more sturdy than the factory piece. What are you planning on doing for the radiator brackets? Are you fabricating new ones or transferring over the ones from the factory core support?
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

87 "coug" resto winter project

Reply #57
i like the sharpie art also.

We plan to reuse the original brackets , that's why we dospoogeented their exact placement earlier.

here are a few pics illustrating the saddle cut outs allowing this to go deeper upright into the core frame.
the last two pics were kinda hard to get, these are the openings just to the inside of the engine bay looking down into the core support tubing.

87 "coug" resto winter project

Reply #58
more progress pics

drilled through the car and new core support material twice on each side and then installed 1/2'' gold chromate carriage bolts with the head facing into the engine bay and hardware on the outside, using bellevue washers to spread out the weight of the connection point.

next we put together the mock up of the diagonal braces catching the connection point of the sway bar mount.

The diagonal steel is thinner than the 2''x2'' core support but yet strong enough to achieve our objective which is the following.
-- be able to use the front left or front right core support to jack up the car for future work
-- be able to pull this car out of a ditch or trouble by using the core support if ever that time comes.
-- be able to remove this complete assembly incase of a repair need ect, however I have noted that it offers the possibility to extract the engine out the front as well.

Note the new core support is shimmed up in areas where it was skinny, we shimmed the rear with 1/4'' steel , should be good nuf'
so here come the progress pics as of just now

87 "coug" resto winter project

Reply #59
and a couple more with a final mock up view that still needs the diagonal brace welded to the bottom left and right of the core support.