BlueBird

Topic: BlueBird (Read 40507 times) previous topic - next topic

Reply #45 – October 17, 2018, 01:36:34 PM

Quote from: Tbird232ci;467642

There was someone on another facebook group that had one installed. I can't remember who. Probably the group I got banned from.

Knowing gumby, he will probably make something anyways.

So someone did add one? Did it have tail pipes and the stock gas tank? The way the bar mounts it seems like 2.5" tail pipes won't fit around it with the stock 22 gallon fuel tank in place.

BlueBird

Reply #46 – October 17, 2018, 02:26:44 PM

http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/showthread.php?39131-Panhard-bar-for-1988-Sport

There are a couple of guys with TC's over on NATO that have them installed and I have PM'd them to get the details. I will post back up when and if they reply.

BlueBird

Reply #47 – October 26, 2018, 08:59:55 PM

This car has been fighting me and I thought maybe if I showed it a bit of love it might return the favor. Sponge bath day!

BlueBird

Reply #48 – October 26, 2018, 09:18:09 PM

If you really wanna get intimate with the scars of your car, don't bother grabbing a hose. A bottle of your favorite quick detailer and a few microfiber rags will give you the opportunity to sympathize with each nick, scratch, gouge, and blemish. I am continually amazed at how nice this car is at 140K miles and 31yo. It is far from perfect and has had some previous issues, and eventually could stand to be repainted, but it must have had a series of owners who really tried to keep it nice.

Unfortunately, it refuses to run! This car has been started, idled, and moved around 1-2 times per year each year I had it stored. Never an issue.
I thought it was just an empty fuel tank, but 5gal of fresh fuel did not bring it around. I didn't have a fuel pressure tester, so even though that was my gut feeling, I began poking around other places. No codes KOEO. I found that it would idle and free rev in limp mode with the ECT and IAT unplugged. Plug in either and it instantly stalls out. Inspected some wiring, fearing I may have had rodent intruders, but have found no signs of inhabitation. I disconnected the ECU so I could test the sensor wiring, and I swear I must be the first person to ever be in here

All things checked out in the wiring dept, and my tech line supervisor was as perplexed as I was. I decided I better nail down some hard numbers on a few basics before bringing my issues to the forum. I picked up a rental fuel pressure tester and found zero psi build during the 2sec prime. How the car ever started at all, I don't understand, but once running again(still with ECT and IAT disconnected) the gauge showed only 5psi. I threw a filter at it, but it dropped that Hail Mary pass. Looks like I am dropping the tank soon.

BlueBird

Reply #49 – October 27, 2018, 02:13:30 PM

Quote from: gumby;467795

All things checked out in the wiring dept, and my tech line supervisor was as perplexed as I was.

BlueBird

Reply #50 – November 02, 2018, 06:15:09 PM

While dropping the tank I found another little indicator of how well kept this car has been

I also found the culprit of my non-running issue

So, now that it lives again, let us begin!

Who wants a decent set of 8holes?

BlueBird

Reply #51 – November 02, 2018, 07:29:58 PM

Easy fix on the no fuel pressure!

I think I have 3, maybe 4 sets of the 14" wheels. They look good, but they're so small.

I'm gonna pick the best 4 out, and s the rest. I've got a bunch of old metal and a Mustang body, just need s to go up. No hurry, it's all out in the barn(s), out of sight, but not out of mind.
If I could just find myself a straight and rust free '87-8 Thunderbird...I'm on medical leave for awhile, and am already bored shiznitless. Got a '94 Flareside to tinker with, but it needs some stuff that honestly I'd rather cheap on rather than put good stuff in/on, as it's gonna be a farm truck and not something to drive on the road.

I don't think I've ever seen a 'Bird that color. It's sharp. :)

BlueBird

Reply #52 – November 04, 2018, 01:14:02 PM

Hose holes suck :hick:

BlueBird

Reply #53 – November 18, 2018, 07:59:29 PM

This car looks great. I love the 8 hole wheels. I wish I still had mine. I got rid of them for TC wheels.

BlueBird

Reply #54 – November 20, 2018, 10:52:01 AM

Per my post #47, no response from the two guys over on NATO so I checked their activity and both have not been active for about two years so those are gonna be dead ends.

BlueBird

Reply #55 – December 04, 2018, 09:27:22 AM

So I posted up on http://www.foureyedpride.com and not much there either so I went with probably what should have been done in the first place...I emailed Maximum Motorsports. I was hoping Jack Hidley would respond and sure enough that is who got back with me. Below is the response I got from Jack and I did edit it in that I removed my email address for spamming purposes:

[COLOR="#0000FF"]Maximum Motorsports Tech tech@maximummotorsports.com
To me@email.com Dec 3 at 4:07 PM

Yes, it will bolt into the chassis.

The only problem we are aware of is clearance to the fuel tank with the tailpipes. Some of the Thunderbirds have larger fuel tanks than Fox Mustangs. These have a different shape in the front. They may require the tailpipes to be modified to fit.

Note that the forward RLCA mounting points on the chassis are 1.75" lower down than on a Fox Mustang. If you want decent levels of antisquat, these must be moved up when the car is lowered.

Sincerely,

Jack Hidley
Maximum Motorsports Tech Support
http://www.maximummotorsports.com[/COLOR]

[COLOR="#FF0000"]-----Original Message-----
From: Maximum Motorsports Sales
Sent: Monday, December 03, 2018 12:35 PM
To: Maximum Motorsports Tech
Subject: Contact Form response

Dept: Tech Department
Name: Me
Email: me@email.com
Message:

Will the panhard bar for the Fox Mustang work on a 83-88 Thunderbird? I was looking for chassis info just to see if it would physically install but cannot find two drawings with the same info to make the comparisons.[/COLOR]

So it will work but the tail pipes and fuel tank most likely will be an issue. Jack's comment on the rear lower control arm (RLCA) forward mounting location has not been an issue on my '83 Bird as it is lowered but I also have MM rear coil overs with Koni SA's, Griggs LCA's, and Global West adjustable UCA's. That is not saying that on a road coarse one would not notice this or otherwise Jack would not have mentioned it.

Sorry for the partial hijack but wanted to follow through with the whole panhard bar thing.

BlueBird

Reply #56 – December 04, 2018, 08:28:10 PM

While digging through old threads I found a post from Jack himself on this forum. The post was from 2008 or so and he said in that post it would fit but raised the same concerns as your email.

i don’t know that I have ever read the control arm mounting changes he mentioned.

BlueBird

Reply #57 – December 04, 2018, 11:10:46 PM

I think there are several that have searched and not found that thread. Could you either post back with a link or edit your response above to include it for future reference?

BlueBird

Reply #58 – December 05, 2018, 07:30:23 AM

I’ll take a look, I knew at the time I should’ve saved the link.

BlueBird

Reply #59 – December 05, 2018, 10:59:55 AM

Maybe this one?

https://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/showthread.php?39131-Panhard-bar-for-1988-Sport