84 Tbird project

Topic: 84 Tbird project (Read 16612 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: 84 Tbird project

Reply #90 – October 05, 2022, 08:00:32 AM

Car is looking good!

I would bet an overlay would not be difficult to reverse the numbers so MPH is easier to see.

Re: 84 Tbird project

Reply #91 – October 12, 2022, 04:54:00 PM

I have a MPH speedo out of an '83 that you can have if you want it. Needle is a little faded but you can swap those out.

Re: 84 Tbird project

Reply #92 – July 05, 2023, 04:10:59 PM

Update time! Been busy with work and everything ya'll know how it is. But I did get some work done on the car since last year.

Starting with GTS headlight covers. I'm surprised they still make these, but I'm glad they do.

Danco console decal.

I didn't use this timing set because the chain was too long. I got one from SA gear that fit correctly.

Factory V8 front springs

front strut mounts

New brake and parking brake pedal pads

New fuel pressure gauge

Dorman compression fittings for nylon fuel line. I used them to clean up the fuel lines underhood.

Ball joints. 2 for the Thunderbird and 2 for the Mustang.

This is the install of the v8 front springs, KYB 87-88 Turbo Coupe struts, strut mounts, and ball joints. The passenger spring was broken in 3 pieces. I couldn't even tell it was broken until I went to remove it from the control arm. You can use a standard spring compressor, but everything has to be in the correct spot and lined up just right or it won't work. It took a lot of trial and error, and oiling the spring compressor, and batteries for the impact.

E303 cam install. I used Anderson Motorsports cam install tools. They work great you just have to be careful. Double check everything to make sure they have a good hold on the lifters before you swap out the cam. If you drop a lifter it's gonna be a bad day LOL.

You can see the a/c condenser hanging from the hood in this pic.

Back together

The new front springs and struts raised the front a lot so I bought new rear springs. They raised the back up some, but the front still sat higher than the back so I added some spring locks to the rear. We live on a bad road so I don't mind the car sitting up high.

The last item for this update. Like I said, we live on a bad road so I wanted to get some mud flaps on the car.

You can spend big $ on some nos factory Ford mud flaps, but why when your girlfriend has a Silhouette machine?

$12 a pair on Amazon

Here's some new pics of the car from yesterday at my Dad's on July 4th.

Re: 84 Tbird project

Reply #93 – July 06, 2023, 01:58:43 PM

Looks great!

I like the looks of cars lowered, i just don't want to drive them in New England. My car isn't lowered either and I still hit the front air scoop / dam on dips.

May I suggest black floor mats? There's so much black parts in the interior of our cars I was thinking about swapping mine over from red too. My red ones always look messy even after I vacuum them.

Re: 84 Tbird project

Reply #94 – July 06, 2023, 03:20:33 PM

It looks like the rear springs are not installed correctly. The end of the pigtail on the bottom of the spring should point to the driver's side on both springs.

https://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/index.php?action=dlattach;sa=tmpattach;attach=post_tmp_1511_d86fcdcde77acf81a0619b3c5f8c6654;topic=41162

Re: 84 Tbird project

Reply #95 – July 06, 2023, 07:42:17 PM

Lookin' good. Little too high for me, but it's your car..roads here are too, my Tbird was always sing stuff, the little I drove it around...

Didn't know if you had ever done the control arm bushings (front and/or rear)....but if you do, make sure the suspension is in a compressed state, as though the weight of the car was on the wheels when torquing the bolts. Not doing that will increase ride height and give ya some wonky-ass handling to boot.

Re: 84 Tbird project

Reply #96 – July 20, 2023, 12:07:15 AM

Knocked out a couple small projects while I'm on vacation this week.

First I dealt with a power steering issue. The power steering worked fine when it was cold, but when it warmed up it would groan and hang up when turning the wheel. It would also shoot fluid out of the cap sometimes. So I bought a power steering cooler and installed it. I also replaced the power steering pump under lifetime warranty from 2018. That seems to have resolved the power steering issues.

New dew wipes!

I used the universal dew wipes from Fairchild part no: 1369-4x2. They're not bad for the price. I think they were $27 plus $20 for shipping from Rockauto. They're not perfect, but definitely a lot better than cracked and crumbling 40 year old dew wipes.

Here's the new dew wipe next to the old one. I was unable to reuse the clips from the old dew wipe. The clips are stapled into the dew wipe, and wouldn't come off without destroying them. The door mirror, the stud at the back of the dew wipe, and the B pillar trim is still holding the dew wipe in place so I'm not worried about the clips.

Here's the dew wipe riveted onto the trim. I didn't have to make any relief cuts since it's a lot shorter than the factory dew wipe, and I'm not using any trim clips.

Re: 84 Tbird project

Reply #97 – July 20, 2023, 08:40:48 AM

I think I'd rather have the wipe full length, personally. Good job at making those work, though.

When I did the dew wipes on the LTS, I wound up using a piece that was originally the outer piece for the rear window of a Full-size Bronco. Discovered it in a Google search. PN for the outer is D8TZ-9841610-A. (A lot of places sell both the inner and outer as a kit) I think mine came from Dennis Carpenter.

They are roughly 4' long and use the stock-style clips.

The clips are removable/usable though. While most of the clips on the new piece lined up with the originals, a few didn't. To relocate them, you just pry the two little tabs open on the back side and remove the clip from the strip. Then I just drilled 2 small holes, big enough for those tabs to go through at the new location. Then install the clip and bend the tabs back into place. They're a little shorter than the TBird stuff below the window line, but the same elsewhere.

One of the Bronco pieces was enough to do one side of the LTS, and should be more than enough for a TBird.

My TBird needs new dew wipes as well, and I was going to investigate this route when I get around to doing them.

Re: 84 Tbird project

Reply #98 – July 20, 2023, 05:52:28 PM

Quote from: Chuck W – on July 20, 2023, 08:40:48 AM

I think I'd rather have the wipe full length, personally. Good job at making those work, though.

When I did the dew wipes on the LTS, I wound up using a piece that was originally the outer piece for the rear window of a Full-size Bronco. Discovered it in a Google search. PN for the outer is D8TZ-9841610-A. (A lot of places sell both the inner and outer as a kit) I think mine came from Dennis Carpenter.

They are roughly 4' long and use the stock-style clips.

The clips are removable/usable though. While most of the clips on the new piece lined up with the originals, a few didn't. To relocate them, you just pry the two little tabs open on the back side and remove the clip from the strip. Then I just drilled 2 small holes, big enough for those tabs to go through at the new location. Then install the clip and bend the tabs back into place. They're a little shorter than the TBird stuff below the window line, but the same elsewhere.

One of the Bronco pieces was enough to do one side of the LTS, and should be more than enough for a TBird.

My TBird needs new dew wipes as well, and I was going to investigate this route when I get around to doing them.

Thank you sir! I got these Fairchild dew wipes because I saw them on coolcats. They're 48" long too so I cut about 6" off each one. They do the job, but no clips is a drawback. If I ever do dew wipes again I'll definitely use those Bronco dew wipes.