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Topics - thunderjet302

16
Lounge / Well someone ordered a different combination of options
According to the Standard Catalog of Thunderbirds I have it was possible, in 1987, to order a Thunderbird LX with articulated sport seats (Turbo Coupe seats) but not a Sport. I have seen, at a local car show, an 87 Thunderbird LX 5.0 with red leather sport seats and a floor shifter. The options were on the car's window sticker. Now get a load of this car: https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?listingId=464253601&zip=60638&referrer=%2Fcars-for-sale%2Fsearchresults.xhtml%3Fzip%3D60638%26startYear%3D1981%26sortBy%3DderivedpriceDESC%26incremental%3Dall%26firstRecord%3D0%26endYear%3D1988%26modelCodeList%3DTBIRD%252CCOUGAR%26makeCodeList%3DFORD%252CMERC%26searchRadius%3D50&startYear=1981&numRecords=25&firstRecord=0&endYear=1988&modelCodeList=TBIRD%2CCOUGAR&makeCodeList=FORD%2CMERC&searchRadius=50&makeCode1=FORD&modelCode1=TBIRD

87 Thunderbird LX 3.8 with a TC style raven interior, minus floor shift. I can't imagine there were very many of these made. Either it was custom ordered (to get a black/black car) or some dealer just had a weird guy filling out the lot order sheets. The car is localish to me as well.
17
Suspension/Steering / reproduction 93 Cobra wheels
Does anyone know how the fitment is on the 93 Mustang Cobra reproduction wheels Late Model Restoration sells? https://lmr.com/item/WK-1007RSRL/mustang-93-cobra-wheel-kit-silver-4-lug-7993

I'm considering swapping to a set of 93 Cobra wheels and 245/45/17 tires in the next year or so. With the power and suspension modifications I've done it's pretty easy to overwhelm the 225/55/16 tires on TC Snowflake wheels I currently run. The 93 Cobra wheel is the only thing I can find that looks kind of factory correct and allows for larger tires. Plus I'm pretty sure I can use Snowflake center caps in them.
19
General Fox T-Bird/Cougar Discussion / 87 Thunderbird LX, V6, 86K miles, virtually rust free, what's it worth?
Someone local to me is looking to sell his 87 Thunderbird LX V6. It has 86k miles and is virtually rust free, besides some surface rust here and there. The car also has an almost mint interior with a CRACK FREE dash. It has every option but a sunroof. The catch is the car hasn't been run in 8 years. There was an issue with the transmission where it was shifting odd and developed a leak at one of the cooler lines. That puts a damper on things. Up here where these things rust out (gotta love the salt belt :mullet:) if it ran it's a $2-2.5K car easy. He's wondering what to ask for the car in it's current state and, quite frankly, I'm not sure what it's worth. It's not a se value car by any means, but again, it hasn't been started since 2009. I'm thinking $1000-1200 is a fair price to ask. What are your guys thoughts?

Exterior:




Only exterior rust spots:



Engine bay (brown stuff is undercoat):



Chassis:





Interior/Trunk:


21
Body/Appearance/Interior / Center console trim gray, what is the paint code?
Does anyone happen to know the paint code for the gray trim around the window/mirror/seat controls on the full length center console? The ashtray lid on mine could use a repaint and I have no idea how to find the paint code for the color gray Ford used. I've circled the area I'm talking about in the attached picture.
22
Electrical Tech / "Functional" oil pressure sender, digital dash
I'm looking to make the oil pressure gauge on my digital dash move, instead of just constantly display 5 bars all the time. I can't seem to find the part number for the sender (the large one) that makes the gauge move. Does one for a 5.0 Mustang work or do I need a different one? If you've done the conversion let me know what part number you used. Thanks.
24
Body/Appearance/Interior / Lower body side stone/rock guard
Does anyone know how high up the factory stone/rock guard is from the factory on 87-88 cars? The body shop stripped it off the car and I don't remember.  I want it to look stock so if someone could check there car I'd appreciate it.
25
LEADS on T-Bird/Cougar Stuff For Sale / 84 Thunderbird 5.0, 77k miles, FILA edition
84 Thunderbird 5.0, 77k miles, FILA edition. Looks to be in nice shape. For $3500 it might be a deal, if rust free.

https://chicago.craigslist.org/nch/cto/6116964429.html

Quote
1984 Ford Thunderbird
77,500 miles, 5.0L V8 (302cu in), P/S, P/B, PW, A/C,
Ford premium sound system, AM/FM cassette
PWR Leather Seats and mirrors, Lumbar supports,
Tilt wheel, Only 2532 produced,
Owner's manual included, All original, 2nd owner.
Clean car, garage kept, solid runs great.
$3500.00
Call Stan at 773-775-7077
26
User Rides / After 29 years it's time for some paint
Well after 29 years, and 15 years under my ownership, it's time for some new paint on my Thunderbird. The whole project was brought on by some rust that started to form in the seam between the quarter panel and rocker on the driver side a couple years ago.



Fortunately the rust does't really pop through to the other side.

 

Well it snowballed from there :hick:. I figured since that area of rust needed to be fixed I might as well get 29 years of acspoogeulated dents repaired at the same time. I pulled the easily removable molding, trim, emblems, and interior panels for easy body shop access. I also, per body shop request, circled all the dings and dents I could find. The shop will be removing the quarter windows and the rest of the window trim.





At some point moisture got behind the passenger door molding and formed a spot of rust the size of a pencil eraser.



As of this morning it's at the body shop.


In two weeks or so it should be done, and hopefully look like new again :D.
27
Engine Tech / Front accessory squeal/vibration, alternator?
So yesterday I took the Thunderbird out for a drive after it sat all winter. Everything was fine. After the car warmed up I did some wot runs. There was a weird squeal and vibration I could slightly feel in the floor from 4000-4200rpm. Above or below that range there was no noise/vibration. I went home and could duplicate the condition with the car in park. So to narrow the issue down I removed the accessory belt and started the engine. I revved the engine up to the same speed (4000-4200rpm) and the squeal/vibration was gone. That ruled out the damper, crank, and torque converter and isolated the issue to the front accessories. The water pump pulley, smog pump eliminator pulley, A/C compressor pulley, and power steering pump pulley spun straight and true by hand. The alternator pulley, however, wobbled slightly when spun by hand. I put the belt back on and the squeal/vibration was back. I listened to the alternator with a stethoscope and, when the engine was revved up, the alternator clearly made a noise I could hear through the stethoscope.

So based on the process of elimination I'm fairly certain the alternator is the culprit here. Has anyone has a bad alternator shaft/bearing resonate through the car at high RPM? The alternator has a lifetime warranty so it will cost me nothing to swap out.
29
LEADS on T-Bird/Cougar Stuff For Sale / 83 Cougar 5.0, $2900
https://chicago.craigslist.org/sox/cto/6012385553.html

1983 cougar with the 5.0, power window's , and ant. ROCK SOLID BODY LIKE A CALIFORNIA CAR SHOULD BE. Run's good, but can use a tune-up, 123k miles, seat's have the CALIFORNIA SUN FADE but they are not torn to shreds. Run's and drive's but it was sitting in a CALIFORNIA garage for 15 year's. AGAIN THIS IS A ROCK SOLID CALIFORNIA BODY !!!! Only missing 2 minor thing's the driver's side front molding and hood ornament.

Looks like there's a weird dent under where the rocker and quarter panel meet on the driver side.