So, let me tell you all a story.
I'm a local undercar tech at a small shop in a small iowa town. i know the customers by name, they know me, its all good.
Old boy comes in today and says "didnt i see you drive an old red Tbird last week?"
Yes, yes i was.
"do you want another? you can have it for free, it just needs gone by the weekend!"
Ummm.... sure? can I swing out over my lunch?
Old boy pulls the title out of his back pocket "sure, but its yours now" and hands me the paperwork and walks away.
So i take my lunch break and drive across town to where the old boy has some storage sheds, to see what I had just gotten myself into. Here's what i found.
(http://i.imgur.com/Dr33tOZl.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/XMCSMfyl.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/JdxI6AQl.jpg)
I think it's safe to assume two things, the car has not moved in a while, and the body is complete junk.
However, there are some redeeming attributes
The car is a 302 car. ( the transmission is completely removed)
The car has the same color interior as my Tbird, and the seats and console are much better.
The car is free.
Old boy thought it was a 5 lug car, i havent pulled a hubcab to verify. I will once its on the trailer this weekend.
So, my plan to pluck the 3.8 out of my car just got a lot easier. Tell me, oh wise ones, what all do i need to salvage from this car before shipping it off to the s yard? whats all of value for my swap?
No way it's 5 lug. Looks like 14" steelies and 14" rims won't clear 11" brakes.
Keep the head lights and tail lights. Plastic stuff from the interior as well. The little seat belt catches become brittle and break, as do the turn signals and dash panels. If it was a floor shift, those can be sold for an okay profit on the forums.
That car is gone though. Looks like damiacs when he pulled it out.
WOW!! Time to start pulling anything and everything that looks decent - interior parts, trim parts, switches, small motors (if you have a way to test them), outside mirrors and trims. Just trying to think of the things that I see get snapped up pretty quickly on forums and ebay. I'd even consider the glass and window trims if you have a place to store them. They're getting harder to come by all the time :(
Poor ole car...god, I hope the rats n mice ain't turned it into the Rodent Hilton and ruined all of the cloth interior stuff...
Yep other than the Lincolns, '84-'86 SVO, & '93 Cobra Stangs, no fox chassis came with five lug... Even us Turbo Coupe owners have to swap or live with four lug...
The Cobra was 4 lug, Cobra R as 5 lug...'93 Cobra cars only. ;)
Pull the EEC, EEC harness and associated harnesses for the 5.0 swap. I would advertise it in the for sale forum and see what all people on here need and just tell them to make you an offer and they pay shipping.
Unbroken 87-88 header panels are getting tough to find too.
I parted out an anniversary edition that looked like that. I couldn't even jack it up it was so rusty. I tried two places and the jack broke through both places, lol.
yeah, i will totally agree, its too far gone ot even consider saving. a dang shame, too.
i intend to keep the 5.0, all assorted wiring, brackets, and ECM for my current project ( although i think im going to run carbed). if it has an 8.8, even if it's a 4 lug 8.8, i will probably keep that as well. the interior looks better than my car does, so i plan on keepingthe buckets and console and other assorted parts like that ( its the same shade of red as my 87 Tbird).
I'll unbolt that header panel if it passes inspection when i get it up on the trailer. i'll give you all pics to update the process.
It *might* have an 8.8, but just as sure as there's shiznit in a cat, that car is 4 lug. IF, and that's a big ole "if", it's an 8.8, it would be one to hang onto because it will have the ten inch drum brake rear, rather than the nine inch drums. The ten inchers will have smooth drums...the 9 inch drums will be finned.....
if window trim, headlights/taillights, emblems, mirrors, glass etc are good save them does it have a good condition autolamp rearview mirror im in desperate need of one and i could prob use those chrome side view mirrors
Some of the '88 5.0 had 8.8", never seen one in a '87...
this car is an 88. the car is home, but still on the trailer, i'll find out what all i have once i get it unloaded.
the big bad news.... mide decidedto chomp right through the main engine harness. not just a little bit, either. I havent dug in yet, but it's not looking good.
I'll nab the mirrors off for you, i have no need for them, i will check on the auto lamp rear view for you.
thank you man appreciate it
so, im finally getting to getting this car in short pieces. the body and front stub are absolute rust. i was scared to get under the car to undo the engine mounts. but the 302 has been extracted. the engine doesnt spin, so im going to rob it of all the accessories, and i do believe its a roller cam engine, so im going to nab the dogbones and spider out for another 302 build.
The engine harness was an all you can eat buffet for the mice. im not sure if i should attempt to keep it or not.
are the swaybars any better ( bigger) than my 87 Tbird with a 3.8? are they worth torching the brackets and setting them off to the side? or am i better off looking for different swaybars?
I also still need to gut the interior, grab a few other odds and ends off the car, but i hope to have this thing on the trailer by Sunday night.
If the face hubcaps aren't in too bad of shape, i wouldn't mind one. My 83 someone took a tire iron to it trying to get them off and bent up the metal where the plastic cap pops out and the allen bolt sits inside.
The swap bars might be alittle bit bigger with the v-8. Some of the earlier 3.8's didnt even have swap bars. Car should also have a double hump cross member and the tail pipe mounts for dual exhaust.
i'll inspect em and set one aside for you if they are decent.
will the AC parts from my 3.8 car be fine when i put a 302 in, or do i need to grab some special parts from this one?
3.8 and 5.0 accessory brackets are different I believe. I would either use a TC front sway bar and a Fox Mustang V8 car rear sway bar or order ADDCO front and rear sway bars. Sway bars are like springs though and they do wear out due to cyclical fatigue.
Those side view mirrors in good shape?
you already asked, and once i get em off, i will nab pics for you. :)