newbie needs advice

Topic: newbie needs advice (Read 2957 times) previous topic - next topic

newbie needs advice

March 24, 2005, 12:52:59 PM

87 5.0 lx model silver with maroon interior.

i've had this car for several years, always wanted one, finally got one and gave it to my daughter for part time job and back and forth to school. She's married and off now/ So i'm sharing the car with my 16 year old son.
I've replaced alll a/c compenetent except condensor (guess whats leaking)
replace all motor and trans mounts (i guess my daughter was off roading)
complete tune up wires caps plugs t/p senors
new belt and rad and heater hoses (including the ones in the back of the motor)
new relays for interior lamps and headlamps
new blower controler
new a/c controler
stock ten hole wheels with cooper cobra tires.
i have a set of 16" with caps i'l like to put on.
new disc pads,front struts(kyb),tie rod ends,
new rear shoes, rear shocks (kyb)
need advice now

please i don't want to waste money or do something twice.
what should be my next?first upgades?
i'm considering the following
8.8" rear / true dual exhaust with headers / conversion to Mass air

Re: newbie needs advice

Reply #1 – March 24, 2005, 01:06:45 PM

H.O. upper intake and throttlebody,headers and H-Pipe,remove the air silencer from the inner fender behind the filter box (that's a freebie).A Mass Air Conversion won't do you any good unless you go with the H.O. cam and computer.As you sit,the H.O. upper intake is a good improvement,as are the exhaust upgrades.Perhaps rear gears.I went to 3.45's,and it felt like the car had gained 20 horsepower (of course it doesn't add any).But it launched much better.I'm still using a 7.5 rearend,and it has held up fine.If you have a chance to get a Locker 8.8 for cheap,grab it.Good luck.Keep us posted on your progress.

Re: newbie needs advice

Reply #2 – March 24, 2005, 01:37:07 PM

yea i wouldn't worry about the rear unless you find a good Turbo coupe complete rear,don't use a mustang one,the track differance makes it look dumb on a t-bird.
The stock 7.5 will handle late 13s and your in the 16,s right now.
Do all the HO stuff or an engine swap and then but in a nice TC reare end and you should be good to go.

Re: newbie needs advice

Reply #3 – March 24, 2005, 02:40:32 PM

My first "upgrade" would be balljoints: I didn't see them in your list, and by now they are well on their way out.

Re: newbie needs advice

Reply #4 – March 24, 2005, 05:12:26 PM

mustang rears fit just fine, just make sure it's out of an SN-95 car or the wheels will sit in too far. But pretty much what vinnie said until you get ready to upgrade to an h.o. or bigger engine.

Re: newbie needs advice

Reply #5 – March 25, 2005, 12:35:55 AM

Quote

i'm considering the following
8.8" rear / true dual exhaust with headers / conversion to Mass air

thought it would be worth mentioning that you cant do a mass air conversion on the SO without using the mustang computer, injectors, and cam.

using stock mustang stuff you dont realy need MAF anyways.

Re: newbie needs advice

Reply #6 – March 25, 2005, 01:51:07 AM

Isn't it true though, that a.) Earlier cars had the same track width as the Mustang and b.) axles can be changed out to make the rear the same width? I realize the car in question is an '87, but I'm asking this because I have a mustang 8.8" that's going into my '85 Bird.

Re: newbie needs advice

Reply #7 – March 25, 2005, 01:55:53 AM

I never thought 3/4" would be that big of a difference, but I've never seen a car like that or a pic so i dunno. also I figure some spacers could be used to make up a little bit of the difference, if not all. one thing to consider is using wider wheels/tires. I wasn't about to get new wheels and tires and probably won't for a while so I just got a TC rear

Re: newbie needs advice

Reply #8 – March 25, 2005, 07:37:38 AM

check out coolcats.net lots of good tips and advise there

Re: newbie needs advice

Reply #9 – March 25, 2005, 12:05:17 PM

IMHO i always thought that the turbo coupe rear could go a little wider. looking at the car from the rear with stock size wheels and tires the wheels look like they could come out a little. narrower however would be pretty uncool.

Re: newbie needs advice

Reply #10 – March 25, 2005, 12:19:21 PM

I talked to a guy once who swapped in an 8.8 mustang rear with factory 10holes all around and before i knew he had done it i asked him what the hell happened to the rear of his car and why were the rear tires so far in from the fender.
His response as we already know was"i swapped in a stang rear end and it's about 3/4 of an" shorter on each side"
It really is noticeable and the only way to fix it would be to use a different offset rear wheel.
Longer axles would not work as the brakes would be to far inwards and the axles to far outwards plus you'd be putting alot more stress on the axle and bearing to to the increased length.
All stangs from 86-93 had the same width rear and rim spacers would mean alot longer wheel studs and again would mean alot of stress on them as well as the axles and rims.
With any kind of power or hard cornering i would definetly be worried about the studs shearing off.

Re: newbie needs advice

Reply #11 – March 26, 2005, 03:05:00 PM

87 LX
thanks guys read all the post to date. i think i have a plan of attack. Fix A/C new condensor no used stuff. Poly bushing on front end then Intake silencer, H.O. upper, unequal headers and 2 1'2 duals as a first step. Then i'll try to hook up on a T/C rear. Still debating rear end ratio, i've been told 3:25 is enough to wake up the car and still kepp decent milage, others said go all the way to 3:55 i'll only notice the milage change on long hiway trips. Any advice
thanks
walt

Re: newbie needs advice

Reply #12 – March 26, 2005, 05:07:36 PM

Tc rear end out of a stick car is stock 8.8 3.55 posi track
Tc rear out of an auto car is 8.8 3.73 posi track
Take your pick.
I wouldn't bother changing the gears out of any TC rear that you buy,just leave whatever's in there,in there.

Re: newbie needs advice

Reply #13 – March 28, 2005, 10:30:03 PM

In a couple of days I'm gonna have a turbo coupe rearend for sale. I won't want very much for it. I will find out what the ratio is after its out. Let me know.

Re: newbie needs advice

Reply #14 – April 01, 2005, 01:10:02 AM

My main catalyst ('88 5.0) turned sideways in the case & caused extreme slowdown. I beat it out with a tire tool & it got much faster, much faster (and I use the term loosely:D) than it ever was before. Cost? Less than an hour & a few shots of WD-40.

And the 3.45 rear (from a late-'85 TC) helped a bunch too. Best $50 I ever spent.