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Messages - Combatspace

1
Suspension/Steering / Re: Strut removal question
Those bushings are hesitant to give up the ghost. Would highly recommend putting one bolt back in the knuckle before giving the strut shaft a good whack from up top. Personally, I'd remove the bushing assembly as well as one big unit, but you're already this far, would suck to have to go backwards to move forwards...
3
T-Bird/Cougar Parts & Cars WANTED / [NE Delaware] ISO Red interior 87-88 TURBOCOUPE pieces.
I'm adding little pops of red to the interior of the car and am hoping to purchase the following:

- Red Center console lid
- Red Door pulls
- Red Armrests
- Black D/S door pocket
- Full (no rust please?) black door with power windows, operating locks and keyless entry pad. (The door skin on mine is rusting out badly along the lower edge, the vinyl finger from the lock cylinder to the rods is broken and I cannot seem to source another.)

DM me with price, please. (I'm much more active on the site now, checking in daily.)

I had purchased some of these things from another user but found there is a distinct difference in the door cards and geometry of the Turbocoupes versus non-turbo cars.
4
Suspension/Steering / Re: Leads on brake line kits?
Y'all are life savers...I was really not looking forward to paying someone else to screw up hand bending new lines and then screwing up the bleeding procedure... Just ordered the stainless set so I'll never have to worry about this BS again.
5
Suspension/Steering / Leads on brake line kits?
88TC, hard line sprung a leak right where the firewall and the crossmember meet. I don't imagine anyone makes pre-bent lines for these old shiznitboxes, but I figured I'd ask if anyone has a lead on who might. I've spent two afternoons looking around the googles and came up empty. Help?

Or if there's no help to be had, just the friendly pat on the shoulder a shake of the head will suffice.
6
User Rides / Re: Bird back on the road.
Quote from: grutinator – on
That's a good idea but the tires are so bad that I'm really not comfortable racing with them. It has 3.55's in it now, so I think a wider tire in 28" would kill what little gearing I have. A wider 26" probably makes the most sense between making them fit, adding traction, and helping final drive ratio, but I really don't want to go down to a 26 for cosmetic reasons.

It's a shame because if someone made a 27" tall 275 width tire, I'd be all over it. As I said, I may got with M/T ET Street S/S radials to get the max traction out of a 255/60R15 size. I only put 200-300 miles a year on it, so I'm not really worried about tire life, but boy they are way more expensive than standard summer tires.

If you haven't already, take a look at the technical specs of some of the 26" tires for the actual inflated diameter. As I'm sure you're aware, just because a tire is advertised at a calculated size, doesn't necessarily mean it meets those mathematical measurements. A Nitto 215/45r17 will often be taller than a Sumitomo in the same size when inflated for various reasons, to do with tread depth, sidewall stiffness, etc...

You may find a 26" tire that when aired up to normal driving pressures is closer to that 27" ideal you're looking for.
8
Drivetrain Tech / Re: Discussion time: Best FD gearing for 88TC cruiser?
Quote from: Beau – on
You'll never have the V8 torque...

...a car like an '87, '88 Thunderbird wouldn't be much of a "drive long distance at highway speed" car. I've got a Fusion for that...

So yeah...upgrade to 5 lug. Find some wheels that will let you fit stock or slightly bigger than stock tires, at least in back. Adjust the speedo drive gear for proper MPH, and lastly...put a bigger shaging hairdryer on that thing.

All these things are on the board for upgrades (aside from speedo gear...I'll have to add that one) gonna take some time, but she'll get there. And while I'd like to one day take her cross country on rt66, we have two modern Lincolns that would be much better for that job. My father and I did a short stint of the Route a while back and its not the smooth road one expects. Back in 2010 it was mostly abandoned side road through bumf*ck egypt and the stiff coilovers on the bird now would not make that a pleasant ride...
9
Drivetrain Tech / Re: Discussion time: Best FD gearing for 88TC cruiser?
Quote from: Chuck W – on

What matters is how YOU use the car. Where do YOU drive it most?

My preference is for an all-around gear, thus the 3.55's.

Well, truth be told I've put less than 1000 miles on the car in the two years I've owned it...cuz I keep finding stuff that needs fixing and don't trust myself to fix it until I say f* it and do it anyways. *is sad*
Quote from: Mikey97D – on
I am happy enough with the 3.55's in my car but at 70 mph I am at 2546 RPM with 235/50R17 tires from my calculator I made.  

Online it says your tires are 23.9" in diameter so at 70 mph you should be around 2800 RPM or maybe my spreadsheet needs adjustments.  Or you already have 3.75 gears that puts you at 2954 RPM.  IMO, I think it would be worth double checking if my spreadsheet concurs with others.   If my calculation does maybe you should inspect the rear end in your car to see what is in there?


With the mild stretch, it's possible the tires aren't quite the full calculated diameter they ought to be. I just know that I'm considerably slower than indicated when comparing dash reading to GPS output. That said, it certainly keeps me from speeding, lmao (when the isn't broken, of course)
10
Drivetrain Tech / Re: Discussion time: Best FD gearing for 88TC cruiser?
Quote from: Mikey97D – on
What tire size are you running?

Currently sitting on 215/35r18's (18x9" +30) due to clearance issues with the front coilovers. With the 5 lug swap, properly backspaced wheels will be on the agenda (18x9" +0ish 275/40r18 perhaps?). Regardless, I'm asking what YOU guys like, not what I should get. Do y'all prefer the shorter gearing for the canyon twisties or the longer gearing for the highway cruising? This was the real reason for the poll...
11
Drivetrain Tech / Re: Discussion time: Best FD gearing for 88TC cruiser?
There are plans in the works for a more effective turbo and fuel system for the 300whp goal, specifically a twin scroll 50 trim .63A/R something or other. Would like to have a nice big brand like Garrett or Turbonetics, but with those names and reputations comes a hefty price tag. That said, if I'm going to upgrade, I'd rather only ever to do it once so I suspect it'll be worth it to spend the cash.
12
User Rides / Re: 88 TC project.
Picked up a Stinger-Performance 3" full turbo-back piping kit and while I still need s, hangers, cat and resonator welded in, she's clamped in for the time being and all things considered, doesn't sound half bad for a straight piped tractor motor. I did manage to get the bird out to a couple events early in the season before an emergency stop popped a brake line right at the K-member. As such, she's up on blocks for the time being while I fiddle with some other stuff. Not yet sure if I'm going to try taking the lines on myself or bring it to a shop to do. There are some things that I would just rather have a professional do than pretend I know how to myself and get myself killed, yanno? The short list of these is tuning, cracking open an engine/trans, precise setup of suspension, bending new brake lines. At some point I'm going to have to learn these skills but for things that require precise tolerances and specific calculations to get right, I'd rather pay someone to do it properly.

Before:
IMG_1481 by Lexi Edwards, on Flickr

Cold Start:
IMG_1547 by Lexi Edwards, on Flickr

Warm and revs:
IMG_1565 by Lexi Edwards, on Flickr

EDIT: OP updated with list of modifications.
13
User Rides / Re: 88 TC project.
Managed to unstick the wastegate so I'm not having boost problems anymore. Found I had the boost controller hooked up wrong, so now I'm boosting properly and even put in a nice set of buttstuffog autometer gauges for Boost, AFR, and Oil Pressure (preparations for the future). Thought I was going to move soon so I've been putting the interior back together as well, but turns out that was a false alarm. I wanted to carry the subtle red strip around the outside of the car inside as a styling choice so I picked up some red interior pieces from another member here. Was only after I received them that I found I'd made an oopsie in not realizing the TC and non-TC interiors are different. Live and learn. Would like to get red TC door pulls and armrest pads (center console top too maybe?) but so far I'm really liking the stock red seatbelts and door pulls look (despite the pulls being slightly wrong.) Also been thinking about a nice little halfcage setup with a red suede bucket seat but I'm not sure if that'll be too much for the interior. We'll see as things progress. Here's some of the interior and miscellaneous stuff:
14
User Rides / Re: 88 TC project.
Figured I'd post an update on the car since I haven't in over a year.

Been fiddling with the stance a bit, picked up some 1' spring spacers for the rear to give me a little more adjustability in height back there. It's been a real c trying to get this car level at all four corners and I'm sure it has everything to do with the mismatched Frankenstein of parts I've cobbled together for this. Fox stang, bird and SN95 parts all over just to get things right. They "should" be, but adjusting it all? It's been a nightmare trying to get it perfect.
15
User Rides / Re: Starting fresh
Looks really good for a rattle can job. A little wet sanding could bring it up a notch, but that's also a lot of work for a $100 paintjob. Glad to hear you're able to enjoy the car during the season.