both of us walked away. i was under 30, i'm guessing the closing speed was around 50 mph. at impact, The Bird was under full brake and trying to steer left, so i got to deflect some of it and looks like with my brake and her on power i got under her bumper. i came to rest with front wheels into the curb on oncoming traffic side of street.
i've got some pain in knees, back, chest, neck, shoulders, collarbone... pretty lucky overall. Thank you Ford!
These are great cars. i got hit with her 4000 lb hammer. drivers door took little extra force to open. when on flatbed and i was unloading my stuff, passenger would only open about 8", but i could have forced it if i had to. there was a LOT of energy, my hydraulic floorjack in trunk tried to come through the trunkwell bulkhead. something dented my fire extinguisher and broke the mount.
Thank you. You sacrificed it all my friend, I'll always owe you for this.
85 Thunderbird vs Pontiac GrandAm. i guess outside lane was stopped for her? she pulled out from parkinglot into me. 45 mph street, i was going slower approaching a light that turned green and traffic was pulling away.
update, dropping a new IAT and changing sparkplugs (i'd already picked them up) have given me driveability again! and my mpg isn't in the 10 and under range.
now I just have to figure out an intermitant miss when warm and at idle.
85 CFI V6. Absolutely no power. It's always rich, pulling like 7-10 mpg the last few tanks. It goes between idling ok and really rough. Little bit of power at the bottom end, then drops off as you go up RPM, sometimes you get more power again taking it up to WOT. go to put your foot in it and usually falls on its face so fast it almost feels like a blocked cat.
Codes: 54 31 24 41 91 31 33 13 77 EVP / EVR low IAT High IAT out of range system lean running lean EVP low EGR not open (didn't warm up car pre-test) Idle Speed Control no goose test (didn't bother)
:punchballs: Am I missing anything obvious? What do we call the IAT on the CFI system, and where does it live?
How many gallons of Holy Water are we recommended to run in the radiator with the antifreeze?
Yeah, I WISH it'd been security torx! got several sets of all the security apex bits.
My good pair of vice grips followed me home, switch swapped out, old shear screws back in. Wow, the ignition switch is actually crisp between detents now!
I'm still alive, still have my 85. long time owner, bird's been mostly good for a while...
Anyway, a few times on Start I've had the engine light off no issue, but on release the Radio and (base cluster) Fuel and Water gauges have no power (cold/empty). Wiggle the key cyl slightly and those power up.
I'm calling that a Bad Ignition switch. $10 later, couple minutes and and I've got the panels off staring up at what appears to be 2 headless pot-metal bolts. :mad: thanks ford :beatyoass: love your anti-theft :punchballs:
What I've got to work with is like a panhead with a pin sticking up out of it. What's the best way to get these out? Once out does anybody remember the size/pitch hardware I need?
I was thinking vice-grips, or dremel then flatblade, or worst case drill&tap. I'd rather not hold out on the Ford Fairy to burn her to the ground as I quite like my bird.
Nice! I like the sound of your car. Wanna sell it? :D:D
Pfft, do any of us want to sell our cars? Besides, even if I were willing to sell, not sure you'd want her; she's a midwestern girl, roads are salted horribly. Thanks for the compliment though!
Sorry for dragging up an old topic. Atleast now I'm not feeling like mine is quite as much of a total base model.
My 1985 Thunderbird (Had when I got her) - 232/C5/7.5" open -Metallic Grey Paint -Grey cloth interior -Cruise Control -Consolette with fuzzy storage thing -AM/FM/Cass Radio -Power Mirrors -Hi/Low/Off wipers -A/C -10-D alloys
Has, but were these even options? -Manual seats -Manual windows -Manual locks -Trunk light -Glovebox light -buttstuffog clock -Column shift -Base cluster -Brushed aluminum look dash -Fixed Radio Ant. -Power Steering -Dome light -Donut Spare -Single Exhaust -Rear swaybar (seems like somebody had a car without)
No hood light No footwell lighting (front or rear) No mirror lights No visor lights No C-pillar lights No cornering lamps No fog lights No door lock lights No auto-lights No auto-dim No Trip Minder No System sentry No keyless entry No rear defrost No power mirror No trunk release No block heater No tilt wheel No front plate bracket (glad not to have it!!!) - As to the question about NOT having rear defroster grid, the HVAC panel does NOT have the defrost switch
Hey guys, long time no lurking. Life has been busy, car has been getting some neglect. :(
Does anybody have some pics of the fox mustang Ford Motorsport Strut Tower Brace? Either installed on their car, or sitting out?
I just bought one of them from Jegs for my '85 Bird. The invoice and sticker on the box both said it's the M-20201-A50 (Fox), but the install sheet in the box said it's the M-20201-A51 (SN-95). I haven't found a part number on the brace. I'm trying to figure out what I've REALLY got.
The strut tower mounting points on the brace that arrived are some L-brackets that drop over the outboard leading edge of my strut towers, far away from any mounting hardware. I see no factory started mounting location near them, it looks like (if this is correct) it's supposed to go into sheetmetal instead of fastening onto the suspension component hardware. There are 6 mounting points; 2 for firewall, 2 for each strut tower.
Help me out, it's making me feel stupid, and I don't know if I need to send this back for the right one.
Thanks for the compliment though!
