No need to "ping" me. This has been covered ALOT on here. Use the Fox Mustang arms. You may need CC plates to tweak the camber adjustment. It all depends on the car and the ride height.
Sorry, Chuck. I searched and read every thread I could on k-members, a-arms, wheels, shocks, struts, caster/camber plates, and 5-lug swap on this board, the old board, Coolcats, and Google. Nothing came up where someone had a Fox Mustang k-member and SN95 (or stock 87-88 Tbird arms) that switched to a Fox Mustang a-arm to get back some spacing. I did find a couple of posts where folks had swapped in the updated FMS a-arms and had tie-rod and alignment problems. But they were running the stock k-member (or they didn't say). Just trying to get the best info possible before I tear into the car and find I can't do what I thought.
I still need to finish the interior before I can start on the suspension. Hopefully, I'll have that tackled by summertime and will post up results and pics. Thanks everyone for the help, info, and advice! :bowdown:
Ditto on a console switch, if it is non-TC with the dual-power seat option. Lemme know what shipping would be to 77450 (Katy, TX) and how to get money to ya! :)
As I was told here, it's not so much that the K-member itself it wider, rather it's the mounting points of the LCA's. Talk to Chuck W for a better idea as to what will work for your car. Very knowledgable man.
John
Thanks for the tip, John. I will probably ping him. This whole thing is sooo confusing. I really would like to keep the Mustang k-member, since it is already there and lets me use cheaper mounts. All I really want is the wheel and tire to suck in about an inch. I am sure I could correct with backspacing, but then I may have interference problems. Plus, the wheels would be more expensive. (I know...I want to have my cake and eat it too!). :hick:
If I can get some info from Chuck W, I'll post up his recommendations. Thanks again!
Yes. Yes, but you need a 0.330" tall spacer, 5/8" inside diameter , 1.5" outside diameter (or a stack of washers totaling 0.330").
Maybe. You might need C/C plates to correct the camber difference caused by the shorter LCAs. I also believe you need SN95 tie-rods to reach the SN95 spindles.
No concerns. The rack and tie-rods are common between the two models.
I honestly don't know 100% what parts are there. Just what the previous owner told me. I will probably pull it all apart, then evaluate. :)
I am beginning work on my new project ('88 Sport) and need some help from all of you knowledgeable sorts.
My '88 has a swapped-in '91 Mustang k-member and a full SN95 5-lug swap (a-arms and spindles). I test fit some 17x8 5-spoke Mustang wheels and found the fronts stick out too far for my tastes. The tire (245/45/17) is right at or just outside of the fender lip, maybe 1/4" at most. From what I have read here and on Coolcats, stock '88 a-arms are the same length as SN95's. However, the Mustang k-member is about 1 1/2" wider than the stock '88 Tbird k-member. So this would push the wheels out about 3/4" on each side.
After all of my searching, I think I am more confused than before. Hence, these questions:
1) It seems I could just swap in some Mustang Fox body a-arms to "pull" the wheels back in a little. First, would this work? Second, will the SN95 spindles mount correctly to the Fox Mustang a-arm ball joints?
2) Will a Fox Mustang a-arm cause issues with front-end alignment, strut mounting, tie-rod ends, sway-bar mounting, etc?
3) I also need to replace the steering rack. I'll just get a stock Fox Mustang 15:1 unit and a new PS pump. Any concerns about using a Fox Mustang rack with a Fox Mustang k-member and Fox Mustang a-arms in a Tbird? (LOL!! That really sounds odd....)
Thanks, everyone, for helping me figure this out. It's the first step in getting this old girl back on the road. Albeit a big one! Thanks!
WOW!!! Thanks for all of the pics. It was exactly what I needed to help me visualize the wheels.
So, I am down to two: the satin Cobra R's and the snowflakes. It'll probably come down to price, but I think I like the snowflakes better. This TC looks KILLER:
I am thinking about contacting a couple of engraving or custom wheel shops about replacing the pony in the center cap with a TBird emblem. We'll see how it goes and/or how much it costs.
Thanks again, guys, for all of the pics! Your cars look AWESOME! :)
It's time for some new wheels. But I am pulling my hair out trying to decide what wheels I like/look good. Since the car already has a 5-lug conversion, I am thinking about the following:
I am also not sure what wheel color/finish I prefer (satin/silver, chrome, powdercoated grey/black, etc). Pic of the car is below, Current plans are to strip her bare and repaint the original Scarlot Red (paint code 2D) or go with a clearcoated medium-dark red.
Anyways, post up your pics before I go bald!! :pbb: Thanks!
By the way, are you anyways near Pearland, Texas. Thats my hometown.
I'm out in Katy (far west side of Houston). Pearland is a little ways away on the southeast side but not too far. Where are you now? Was it the military, work, family, etc that forced a move?
WOW!! Thanks for all of the posts and comments. I really feel like I got my money's worth with her. As it turns out, the car already has a 5-lug swap (SN95 front spindles and brakes, rear 5-lug axles from an Aerostar van) and an 8.8" swap with the quad shock brackets already there! No idea on the ring gear though. I'll have to spin the wheels to get an idea.
I didn't notice it before, but the trunk lid is shaved too. Kinda cool, I think. I am also slowly adjusting to the paint job and may leave it. The pinstriping is actually painted on and has a Tbird emblem in it just under the rear tip of the quarter windows. Pretty cool. :)
As far as the wheels go, they are from a early-90s Supra. LOL!! It's all the guy had to put on the car, so we could load it on the trailer. They'll be history soon. With the 5-lug swap already done, I am thinking about getting the stock "split" 5-stars from a '96-'98 Mustang. I have always liked those wheels. Maybe some satin Cobra R's, if the price is right.
I did get more info on the k-member swap/issue. It is out of a '92 Mustang. He had to "wallow" out the rear holes a little bit to get the k-member to fit. Which brings up another question. Does a Fox Mustang k-member change the position of the engine (up/down, left/right, front/rear) in any way? If not, I'll just keep it. No sense changing something that doesn't need to be changed. I'll work out header, exhaust, sterring, or any other clearance issues if they arise.
Anyways, thanks again for your comments. The car does look good and appears to be an excellent find. I'm sure I'll have to work issues here and there, but that's half the fun of owning these cars isn't it? :D
New member checking in to what looks like an excellent forum! I have always loved Tbirds and just sold my '97 Sport (MN12 chassis). As luck would have it, I found a 1988 Tbird Sport for $300. She's a roller (no motor or tranny), although I did get a 302 shortblock in the deal. Based on the current condition of the car, there is a fair amount of work that needs to be done to get her back on the road. Most of my previous builds have been Mustangs, so this one will be interesting since my searches here and through the "typical" vendors shows a serious lack of stock and aftermarket products. However, I will still follow my typical build process, which is interior, then exterior, then drivetrain.
With that being said, I have a few questions if you guys don't mind.
1) Dash pads - Does anyone make replacement dashboards/pads or am I going junkyard shopping?
2) Speedo/tach/gauge cluster - I found a few posts about the elusive 140 mph Motorsport speedo/cluster, as well as some posts about converting my 80 mph unit. Unfortunately, I am not clear on exactly what needs to be done. Does anyone or any company recalibrate these two units to bring the speedo up to 140 mph and the tach to 7,000 (preferrably with a "pick it yourself" redline)?
3) Passenger seat - My car only has a power driver's seat. Is the wiring harness already there to convert my passenger seat to power? Also, from my searches it appears I will need to get a new console plate with the appropriate holes for the new seat controls. Does Ford still make this or do I need to junkyard one and buy the decal from AM?
4) Autolamp conversion - I have to pull the dash to replace the heater core and work out some wiring issues, so is it possible to convert a "regular" headlight system to autolamps?
5) Interior kits - 5.0Resto makes all kinds of interior kits for Mustangs (carpet, door panels, replacement screw kits, etc). Does anyone make any of these parts for our TBirds? I am mainly interested in replacement screw and carpet kits.
6) K-Member - I know it isn't really interior related, but the previous owner tried to install a Mustang k-member because he said the motor mounts for Tbirds are over $100 each. Needless to say, it is now a mess. Since this car is a V8 car and an HO motor is no different physically from a non-HO motor, why would you need to swap k-members? Does anyone make a k-member (stock or otherwise) that doesn't push the front wheels forward?
Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. I can already see a lot of enjoyment in this project and look forward to partiting in this board and maybe a few events here and there. I snapped a couple of pics of how she is now. Ignore the wheels, as these will change to something else soon. Hopefully, the "after" pics will be amazing compared to these!
