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Project "dirty bird" suggestions

Hello all,  im new to the forum and am looking for suggestions. I have an 88 t-bird lx.  I am in the process of building a street/strip drag car.  It will eventually host a very nasty 460 bbf.  I am doing the subframe and the cage within the next few weeks.  I have reviewed all the threads and have reviewed opinions.  I am not concerned with the cars cornering ability or ride quality.  I want drag performance.  I dont have a ton of cash at this point and am having to work ot to pay for it.  I was hoping to get chassis setup suggestions for both the front and rear.  Heres what ive learned from you guys to this point (and thank you all for your excellent site).  I wamt to run as big a tire as possible without tubbing or back-halving. So: Rear: 8.8 rear end from a 86-93 fox to get the narrower rear end (should allow for a bit more tire). And then,  Che adjustable upper and lowers.  As for the front setup, im not sure here. I will eventually want a tube k member and lower a arms but im not sure what to use. I want to run 3.5 frontrunners in a 5 lug and mines a 4 pattern. Im not convinced that i need to use thousands of dollars in racing components for the front at this point.  Im not running in the nhra and its mainly for bracket racing or street fun.  Please give me guidance for this specific purpose as im kind of lost.  Thanks guys and god bless.

Clem

Project "dirty bird" suggestions

Reply #1 –
275/60r15's fit perfectly on the rear of my tbird stock. Should have been a 28" tall tire and about 10.8" wide. With several hundred pounds in the trunk the lightly rubbed the quarters at full suspension travel. Use a 94-98 mustang axle and brakes to get you an easy 5 lug 10" rear disks cheap. The 94-98 mustang rear is the same width as our cars, if you don't want to swap everything.

Upfront, id run mark7 disks (with 87-93 spindles or turbo coupe). Should bolt in place and fit under the dust cap of skinnies.

Are you going to swap the k-member or fabricate your own mounts? The mustang 460 mounts won't bolt in unless you swap a k member.

In actually working on making my own mounts using speedway universal motor mounts and the stock brackets.
Quote from: jcassity
I honestly dont think you could exceed the cost of a new car buy installing new *stock* parts everywhere in your coug our tbird. Its just plain impossible. You could revamp the entire drivetrain/engine/suspenstion and still come out ahead.
Hooligans! 
1988 Crown Vic wagon. 120K California car. Wifes grocery getter. (junked)
1987 Ford Thunderbird LX. 5.0. s.o., sn-95 t-5 and an f-150 clutch. Driven daily and going strong.
1986 cougar.
lilsammywasapunkrocker@yahoo.com

Project "dirty bird" suggestions

Reply #2 –
Also, read up on coolcats.net. has a ton of good info for these cars.
Quote from: jcassity
I honestly dont think you could exceed the cost of a new car buy installing new *stock* parts everywhere in your coug our tbird. Its just plain impossible. You could revamp the entire drivetrain/engine/suspenstion and still come out ahead.
Hooligans! 
1988 Crown Vic wagon. 120K California car. Wifes grocery getter. (junked)
1987 Ford Thunderbird LX. 5.0. s.o., sn-95 t-5 and an f-150 clutch. Driven daily and going strong.
1986 cougar.
lilsammywasapunkrocker@yahoo.com

project dirty bird

Reply #3 –
Quote from: Haystack;443396
275/60r15's fit perfectly on the rear of my tbird stock. Should have been a 28" tall tire and about 10.8" wide. With several hundred pounds in the trunk the lightly rubbed the quarters at full suspension travel. Use a 94-98 mustang axle and brakes to get you an easy 5 lug 10" rear disks cheap. The 94-98 mustang rear is the same width as our cars, if you don't want to swap everything.

Upfront, id run mark7 disks (with 87-93 spindles or turbo coupe). Should bolt in place and fit under the dust cap of skinnies.

Are you going to swap the k-member or fabricate your own mounts? The mustang 460 mounts won't bolt in unless you swap a k member.

In actually working on making my own mounts using speedway universal motor mounts and the stock brackets.


I plan to use the stock k member and fab mounts.  Now when hou say to use the 94-98 axles,  are you saying to just keep my curent rear end and run 94-98 axles int it or are you saying to use an 8.8 with 94-98 axles?

Project "dirty bird" suggestions

Reply #4 –
Swapping in a 94-98 complete rear end is the easiest way to get 5-lug and disc brakes on the rear
1987 T-Bird TC: 5-Spd, 5-lug conv., CHE Rear CAs, '04 Cobra wheels and 13" Brakes, Vac Assist conv: '93 Cobra BB/MC & Wilwood PV, Gutted/Knived Intakes, T3 turbo, RFE6 Mani, Stinger 3" Exhaust & Oil Feed, 255HP Walbro, Kirban AFPR, RR Cam, Esslinger Cam gear and Round Tooth Conv., Gillis Boost Valve, Speedway Dual Valve Spring,  K&N, 130a 3g Alt conv., 140mph Speedo
Running Better Than Ever :burnout:

Project "dirty bird" suggestions

Reply #5 –
Either way works.

You'd probably benefit from the 8.8 rear and traction lock with a big block under the hood. The weak point in the 7.5 is the spider gears if you want traction lock.you could swap the entire rear end with a mustang and have everything already upgraded for about the same price and hassle as trying to get the 7.5 strong enough.

Id stay away from the fox rear. I had plenty of clearance with my tires and stock width rear on mustang 10 hole rims. I did have to ziptie the brake cables to keep from rubbing, but it didn't effect anything and ebrake still worked fine.

There are a few big block 87-88 tbirds on here. A quick search should get you everything you need.
Quote from: jcassity
I honestly dont think you could exceed the cost of a new car buy installing new *stock* parts everywhere in your coug our tbird. Its just plain impossible. You could revamp the entire drivetrain/engine/suspenstion and still come out ahead.
Hooligans! 
1988 Crown Vic wagon. 120K California car. Wifes grocery getter. (junked)
1987 Ford Thunderbird LX. 5.0. s.o., sn-95 t-5 and an f-150 clutch. Driven daily and going strong.
1986 cougar.
lilsammywasapunkrocker@yahoo.com
 

Project "dirty bird" suggestions

Reply #6 –
Sometimes a narrowed rear end is not the answer.  Backspacing and offset of the wheel will be very important with either the stock width Fox (86-93 V8 Mustang) or a stock width SN95 (94-98 V8 Mustang) rear end.  Please understand that the 8.8 housings from 86-98 in the V8 Mustangs are physically the same in every dimension.  What is different is the 94-98 cars have axles that are 0.75" wider per side for the exciter rings on the ABS.  The rear end that is currently in your car should be the same width ( to ) as the SN95 V8 cars.  With this you can simply find a wheel with the right offset and back spacing to fit your existing rear end that is the width you need for the size of tire your want to run.  If you cannot find one that will fit then maybe you can find one that will work with the narrower Fox V8 rear end.

This site is really good for comparing the wheels and tires you already have to a wheel and tire combination that you might want to run:

http://www.rimsntires.com/specspro.jsp

That will get you going in the right direction on the rear as well as the front of the car with regards to the wheels and tires.

As for the suspension you want weight transfer so light springs and adjustable struts that go up fast to transfer the weight to the rear.  In the rear stock springs, air bag on the right rear, and some adjustable shocks.  You are going to find that the SN95 Mustang struts will work on your car up front with no mods.  The Fox and SN95 rear shocks will work if you get some of Chuck W's adapters.  I say this as no one really makes any kind of dampers worth a shiznit for the Fox Birds and Cougars.

Tubular K-member and control arms...do a search and you will be amazed.

Darren

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp