Trading cars.

Topic: Trading cars. (Read 3758 times) previous topic - next topic

Reply #15 – October 05, 2010, 11:27:20 PM

It would seem that it cost more to "down grade" everything than to keep the power steering and such.manual racks cost,manual brakes I wouldn't think would be real safe,manual seat tracks are getting more expensive and harder to find,manual mirrors and windows are costly now and harder to find,replacement spindles and associated hardware is also costly.The 5.0 and V-6 cars share the same spindles and brakes and you can swap them from one car to the other.You need new tie rods and ball joints.Used parts here are a big NO. As I said,do it right the first time.Patience (or lack of it I should say) can get VERY costly,and then one still ends up with a pile of a car.

As far as being more comfortable in the cars than at home,I don't feel that way.I want to be comfy anywhere.Especially when I have the wife and kid in the car.Even though Gayle has a Maxima as of a few weeks ago,we still like to take the Sport out,and there's no need to sweat,feel miserable and show up wherever you go with sweat drenched clothes.I have power everything (and power passenger seat coming soon),a/c finally,and the Sport can still show the tail lights to a lot of other cars fairly easy.

With your plan,I'd have to question the reality of getting out cheap.I'd be wiling to bet it'll cost you a lot more to follow your plan that you mentioned than to build upon what you have on hand and filling in the "gaps" with the few parts that will be necessary to finish the job.As I've stated MANY times,I truly know how it is to build on no budget at all. Zero dollars from the paycheck go towards the Sport,but,with time,patience,and being very resourceful,the Sport has really come a long way from the salvage yard I got her at.

NOW,to add a disclaimer....I mean no disrespect in what I say,and I'm only stating my own opinions to try and help you out.I'd love to see you in the Bird,and happy with the results.I've started from a broken car and no money,and understand that,and due to that,have learned a LOT about what works and what doesn't,and how to use what is readily available.Whatever way you decide to go with this project in the end,good luck,and I'll be around to help in any way I can.

Trading cars.

Reply #16 – October 05, 2010, 11:41:25 PM

I like any, and all feed back. Its only hot enough for A/C maybe 3 months out of the year here. We have 5 months of winter, and 4 or 5 of spring/fall. As far as the spindles go, I have though about it, but the brakes on both cars are junk. If I have to buy new rotors, I am going to upgrade. Its like a $5 difference, minus the spindles.

For the "manual" rack, I might just hook the two lines back into each other and decide it isn't worth it I have driven my car with the vac line capped, and its not exactly easy to lock up the tires, but it is still an expectable amount of effort. With a delete kit, and modifying the brake pedal arm for more assist, I really don't think it will be too bad. As much as I like my cheap cars, I am not going to play the budget card here too much. I am not going to pay more for a manual rack then I paid for the car though, there is no reason for it. I plan on doing it right. If it is too much work to lose some things, I might as well keep them. I have a place to keep the car over the winter, and longer if I need to.

Trading cars.

Reply #17 – October 05, 2010, 11:56:15 PM

Good to have a plan.If I can help,you know where to find me.

Trading cars.

Reply #18 – October 06, 2010, 12:00:30 AM

What would it take for some 19#ers? Send me a PM.

Trading cars.

Reply #19 – October 06, 2010, 02:39:45 AM

if you want to delete your power brakes, i would look into a tilton or wilwood master cylinder.. so much better than using 1 made for power brakes

Trading cars.

Reply #20 – October 06, 2010, 08:07:43 AM

I would have thought that you would want to upgrade the braking system on our cars, not downgrade.... I would love anti-lock bakes on mine...

Trading cars.

Reply #21 – October 06, 2010, 01:56:23 PM

Quote from: daminc;338264

I would have thought that you would want to upgrade the braking system on our cars, not downgrade.... I would love anti-lock bakes on mine...

Me too.I want everything my wife's Maxima has....but in a cooler package (The Sport of course.LOL). She even has a heated steering wheel.Crazy. When I have my seats done,I will be adding seat warmers. I figured "why not?". Gayle will love that.

Trading cars.

Reply #22 – October 06, 2010, 02:11:35 PM

some people believe that power brakes take away from power because of the vacuum they use.. i'll never understand that train of thought

if you were ever to lose any power from power brakes, it'd be 1/2 a hp, if that lol

Trading cars.

Reply #23 – October 06, 2010, 02:26:58 PM

There's no way an engine would "lose" power by having vacuum brakes...after all, doesn't an engine need air to run?

How much vacuum exactly do brakes take? Not enough, nor often enough to make a noticeable decrease.

That's some bunk-ass thinking from those folks, kind of like the 100 m.p.g. carb. Just doesn't happen, lol

Trading cars.

Reply #24 – October 06, 2010, 03:07:47 PM

Quote from: ThunderbirdSport302;338291

kind of like the 100 m.p.g. carb. Just doesn't happen, lol

pretty much lol but i personally don't give a hoot about gas mileage 1 bit, so i don't care if there ever was such a thing hahah

Trading cars.

Reply #25 – October 06, 2010, 08:06:30 PM

Quote from: turbo_88_XR7;338287

some people believe that power brakes take away from power because of the vacuum they use.. i'll never understand that train of thought if you were ever to lose any power from power brakes, it'd be 1/2 a hp, if that lol

I'm not going to delete them for an imaginary 1hp. On one of my old 86's, I had the brake booster nipple broken when i bought the car. I just capped the line and drove it like that for about 2 years. I do not think that there is anyway to lose braking power without a power assist. I could lock up the breaks just like any other car, and other then how fast the brake pedal went down, I don't think there is any way it could effect braking distance. Even then it would be minimal.

The same 86, the pump was also bad on the power steering. There was a large hole on the side of the pump. Drove that for about 2 years just like that too. I had a couple of friends drive the car too, and they never complained. I do not see our cars as a luxury car. My first car only had 2, maybe 3 options. It didn't even have a passenger mirror. I basically want to mimic that car, and cut down on some of the things that I have had problems with. Rather then upgrade or rebuild, I am just going to delete them.

Trading cars.

Reply #26 – October 06, 2010, 08:09:08 PM

Also, you probably do not want to get me started on my view of ABS...

Trading cars.

Reply #27 – October 06, 2010, 08:13:11 PM

my cougar didn't have power steering, just made my own little reservoir to run the lines to in order to keep the rack from going dry.. no complaints there :D i actually enjoyed it that way

Trading cars.

Reply #28 – October 06, 2010, 08:14:34 PM

Quote from: Haystack;338343

Also, you probably do not want to get me started on my view of ABS...

x2, can't stand it or the BS it comes with

Trading cars.

Reply #29 – October 10, 2010, 05:00:08 AM

Just updating this list...

Gonna try to get the crown vic on the road this weekend.

Here is the basic plan. Listed by importance.
New parts for the suspension. I am not sure which way to go for this yet.
Better radiator, possibly electric fan
Swap brakes to 11", possibly disc rear end.
Downgrade to either 4-eyed headlights, or back to a 87-88 bird front end.
H.O. upgrade. I might go gt40p heads If I can find them cheap, stock cam, and gt40 intake. Dual exhaust, probably stock mustang shorties. Motor mounts.
Delete A/C, run an A/C core where the heater core goes.
Downgrade to manual heater.
Downgrade to manual seats, windows, possibly mirror(Don't know how hard that one would be, not alot of them to choose from.)
Delete power brakes.
Delete power steering.
Delete most if not all vacuum lines, Except for MAP.
Gut behind the dash, get rid of all the power wires for power options.
Manual transmission. I would like a toploader, may settle for a t-5. Decided to put this off temporarily.