Chuck's '83 TBird

Topic: Chuck's '83 TBird (Read 103889 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #330 – March 18, 2020, 02:55:19 PM

Got a few moments to get a bend in the panhard bar.

Planning on ordering parts this weekend for the adjuster.

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #331 – March 21, 2020, 08:20:07 PM

While I'm waiting on panhard bar parts to show up, I took care of a couple other details that needed attention.

Got the panhard chassis bracket all fastened down.

Inserted a nut plate behind the upper of the two side mounting bolts (It supposed to line up with an existing quad-shock mount) and ran the lower bolt through the frame. I didn't weld it, as I *may* revisit the chassis brace at some point, and didn't want to mess with cutting things out.

I went to install my non-power lock door plates, only to find that the DS one has gone missing at some point...

New floor mats ordered and on the next round of parts buying in a couple weeks, I'm going to pick up one of THESE to tidy up things under the hood a bit and help aid in airflow management.

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #332 – March 23, 2020, 09:56:35 AM

That radiator piece is cool! Thank Chuck.

Are you going to rivet it in?

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #333 – March 23, 2020, 10:31:46 AM

Not sure yet. I may do some small riv-nuts, as I'd rather be able to easily get it out of there if I need to more easily access anything with the IC or oil cooler.

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #334 – March 23, 2020, 11:10:45 AM

I agreed, would be nice to easily take off. Let me know what you go with, thanks.

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #335 – March 26, 2020, 03:35:57 PM

The panhard parts showed up today.

Hoping to test fit things and get this together by the end of the weekend. Floor mats are supposed to arrive tomorrow.

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #336 – March 27, 2020, 09:12:23 AM

How is that insert being attached to the bar? I see a chamfer, welded? Will you be running a tap through it afterward?

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #337 – March 27, 2020, 09:30:39 AM

So is the EVTM the inspiration for the green color?

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #338 – March 27, 2020, 09:32:18 AM

It'll be welded. I had no issues with the panhard bar I modded on my 240 using these parts. Same with the new upper links I built for this car with the weld-in bungs.

I have the car down, suspension loaded. I'm going to mock up the original bar to see what length the car wants for everything to be centered. Then I'll cut off the section to allow for me to insert the new parts to allow for some adjustment around that point.

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #339 – March 27, 2020, 09:33:14 AM

Quote from: BCA – on March 27, 2020, 09:30:39 AM

So is the EVTM the inspiration for the green color?

Heh.

Nope, just wanted something different.

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #340 – March 27, 2020, 09:37:19 AM

Quote from: Chuck W – on March 27, 2020, 09:33:14 AM

Heh.

Nope, just wanted something different.

I can respect that.
It's why we own what we do and not another cookie cutter Mustang.

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #341 – March 27, 2020, 09:11:37 PM

Looking good. Can't wait to see it move under its own power again.

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #342 – March 29, 2020, 08:36:03 PM

Well, I started to make some progress today.

Got the rear centered under the car and mocked up what I needed the nominal length of the panhard bar to be.
Then I cut the LH threaded end off and cut it to fit the new adjuster parts in for the correct length.

Then I grabbed the other weld bung from the package to weld it in. After it cooled a bit, I was test-fitting the jackscrew and it wouldn't thread in. So, I gave it a dirty look and grabbed the 5/8-18 bolt that was sitting on the bench...and that threaded in.

I was sent a mis-made part. See that scribe line in the weld bung? That means LH threaded, as BOTH of them in the package should've been. This one was RH threaded.

So, instead of having the car done and on the ground today, I'm having to wait for a LH rod end to make this all work now.

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #343 – April 03, 2020, 08:49:18 PM

Finally got a couple moments to get the panhard installed this evening.

I may need to pop it back out quick and clearance the PS side of things. It's not super happy with the female rod end in there.

It is however ready to come down off the stands.

This weekend I'll be buying that fill piece for the front of the engine bay and getting the remaining bits to reconnect the heater.

I disconnected it waaaaay back when not because the core was leaking, but because I'd deleted the coolant passage out of the intake, and needed to figure out different coolant tubes, and never got around to it. Getting around to it now.

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #344 – April 04, 2020, 08:25:32 PM

I spent a little more time making myself feel better about the panhard bar. I needed to do a little clearancing of the rod end spacers to get things to be happier in the bracket.

Then we got to this point.