Blue by You - TC+4

Topic: Blue by You - TC+4 (Read 41469 times) previous topic - next topic

Blue by You - TC+4

Reply #45 – April 19, 2011, 10:23:22 PM

I am still in love with that enigine. it just looks so nice. I think using what looks to me, in the pictures, like a darker shade than "Ford Blue" turned out much nicer.

Blue by You - TC+4

Reply #46 – April 20, 2011, 12:50:42 AM

Thanks guys for the comments... It really is motivating to know that others are watching and following this build.

I made a lot of progress again tonight, but I don't have after pictures - just before pics...

I'm happy with the engine bay/chassis as there is very minimal to no rust. These pictures were taken before I taped everything off, sprayed engine degreaser on the whole engine bay and k-member, then hosed everything down.

Then I sanded some of the rough spots, cleaned up any surface rust, primed the bare metal areas, then painted the engine bay body color (Twilight blue metallic 7F), I just primed the k-member gray. Then I coated the entire engine bay with clearcoat including the k-member. It turned out pretty well. I'll take pictures tomorrow when it is light out.

Thankfully, God gave me beautiful weather this week to work outside.

I'm having fun!

Blue by You - TC+4

Reply #47 – April 20, 2011, 11:59:20 AM

Quote from: The Shredder;358402

Thanks guys for the comments... It really is motivating to know that others are watching and following this build.

I made a lot of progress again tonight, but I don't have after pictures - just before pics...

I'm happy with the engine bay/chassis as there is very minimal to no rust. These pictures were taken before I taped everything off, sprayed engine degreaser on the whole engine bay and k-member, then hosed everything down.

Then I sanded some of the rough spots, cleaned up any surface rust, primed the bare metal areas, then painted the engine bay body color (Twilight blue metallic 7F), I just primed the k-member gray. Then I coated the entire engine bay with clearcoat including the k-member. It turned out pretty well. I'll take pictures tomorrow when it is light out.

Thankfully, God gave me beautiful weather this week to work outside.

I'm having fun!

The guy at Lorain who painted the engine bay on your car did a good job. I've seen many dark colored T-birds where the area under the cowl and the shock tower sides are just primer gray. It seems to be more prevalent in dark colored cars.

Quote from: The Shredder;356960

A little more progress... Got the valve covers and oil pan painted and installed along with the water pump, coolant pipes and injectors/Explorer fuel rails.

Purdy :D.

What cam are you running? I'm just wondering if 19lb injectors are enough. I'm running 24lbers on my combo. The car is quicker (better 1/4 mile et) with the 24s than the 19s. The 19s were leaning out on the top end. I'm running a stock Motorcraft non adjustable fpr as well.

Blue by You - TC+4

Reply #48 – April 20, 2011, 08:27:29 PM

Updated with after pictures of the engine bay...

Blue by You - TC+4

Reply #49 – April 20, 2011, 08:41:27 PM

Quote from: thunderjet302;358424

The guy at Lorain who painted the engine bay on your car did a good job. I've seen many dark colored T-birds where the area under the cowl and the shock tower sides are just primer gray. It seems to be more prevalent in dark colored cars.

Purdy :D.

What cam are you running? I'm just wondering if 19lb injectors are enough. I'm running 24lbers on my combo. The car is quicker (better 1/4 mile et) with the 24s than the 19s. The 19s were leaning out on the top end. I'm running a stock Motorcraft non adjustable fpr as well.

Hey Thunderjet. I have a LONG way to go to make my engine bay look as purdy as yours. :)

I am running the stock HO cam. I really want a mild street car when idling and cruising - but a MONSTER when in boost.

I will run just the stock 19lb injectors and fpr while the car is Naturally Aspirated. If you read the first couple pages of this thread, you will see that I have great plans for this TC...

Blue by You - TC+4

Reply #50 – April 20, 2011, 09:06:41 PM

Looks very nice , personally I would have painted the K member too, But that's just me

Blue by You - TC+4

Reply #51 – April 21, 2011, 03:21:14 PM

Quote from: The Shredder;358444

Hey Thunderjet. I have a LONG way to go to make my engine bay look as purdy as yours. :)

I am running the stock HO cam. I really want a mild street car when idling and cruising - but a MONSTER when in boost.

I will run just the stock 19lb injectors and fpr while the car is Naturally Aspirated. If you read the first couple pages of this thread, you will see that I have great plans for this TC...

I re-read the begining of the thread. I see what you're doing now. Just be careful and don't try to go nuts with the 19lbers and you should be fine.

Blue by You - TC+4

Reply #52 – May 16, 2011, 12:59:49 PM

Alright, I have been quiet in posting, but still making some progress. I have the engine and transmission in the car. Pictures here...

The setup dropped right in, since I used the motor mounts and transmission mounts from the 88 cougar I parted out.

Blue by You - TC+4

Reply #53 – May 16, 2011, 01:56:41 PM

Recently, I have been pulling my hair out with the wiring.

So here is what I have and what I still have to figure out...

- 1988 Thunderbird TurboCoupe Complete harnesses
- 1993 Mustang 5.0L HO EEC Engine Harness
- 1988 Cougar 5.0L O2 Sensor Harness
- 1988 Cougar 5.0L Front Light Harness

Unfortunately, I sold the Cougar 5.0L Engine Harness before I realized how much easier it would have been to use that instead of the Mustang harness.

So, here is what I am finding...
1. Mustang Engine harness (C213 - Green 8 pin) to TC Dash harness needs to be setup -- this has HEGO power, VSS + and -, MIL (Check Engine), A/C Pressure switch and Fuel Pump ground to ECU. It appears that the TC used the 2.3L engine harness to carry these items back to the ECU from the dash harness connectors by the windshield wiper motor. I'm trying to keep the number of wires to a minimum in the engine bay, so I have fabricated a wiring harness to run behind the dash. This will tie the dash harness to the Mustang harness near the HO computer.
2. The Alternator wiring (Charge/Power) circuit will have to be built for the 5.0L since the 2.3L alternator is on the driver's side. The 5.0L engine wiring has the alternator wiring as part of the front chassis harness along with the front lights. I harvested the alternator wiring from the 5.0L Cougar front harness. However, I have to figure out how to tie in the BK/O, LG/R and Y/W wires into the TC harness wiring (or can I just use the existing Cougar fusible links and eyelet on the starter solenoid?)
3. I have to figure out the Fuel Pump Relay and wiring for the 5.0L since the 2.3L had the Integrated Controller that contained the Fuel Pump Relay. I plan to use the Cougar 5.0L Fuel Pump relay and wiring. I believe that relay was in the trunk on the passenger side.
4. I am running SN95 brake booster and master cylinder, so I plan to eliminate ALL the old ABS wiring, except wheel sensor ABS sensor wiring. In the future, I will plan an SN95 ABS pump to be mounted where the battery is today.
5. I plan to keep the PRC Ride Control, so I will have to run the power back to the starter solenoid for that.

A LOT left to do!

Blue by You - TC+4

Reply #54 – May 16, 2011, 04:18:13 PM

I just caught up to your build, Shredder. It's coming along quickly! Engine and bay look great. Very clean and pretty.

Where will your battery be mounted? I ask because if it is in the trunk you might just wire the relay back there yourself. There is already a p/bk wire running down the pax side that you can put a relay on. Otherwise using the Cougar wiring should work fine. You'll just splice in to the fuel pump at the wire I mentioned at the top of the r pax shock.

When you are making your power connections, just keep the old links on the TC side of things and bring your alternator wires to them at the solenoid. Your wiring will be determined by which alternator you will be using. Open up the charge circuits for the two side by side and you should see what to do. Alternator wiring isn't too bad.

On the PRC, the EEC sends a signal from the TPS in a TC for acceleration firming. What EEC are you going to use?

Holler if you get stuck, I'll help any way I can.

Blue by You - TC+4

Reply #55 – May 16, 2011, 04:52:14 PM

Don't know how I missed this thread...your car is going to be very nice when finished. Great work so far!

Blue by You - TC+4

Reply #56 – May 18, 2011, 08:30:49 PM

Thinking about it, and you could just use the Coug front alternator harness. Having two sets of links won't HURT anything, it'll just be more to check if you burn one down the road.

I know some (most) people aren't as ready to cut wires as I am. LOL

Blue by You - TC+4

Reply #57 – May 19, 2011, 12:04:21 PM

flylear,

Oh. I have cut my share of wires here! :) I need to get some pictures of my wiring progress. For now, I plan to keep the battery in the Front Driver's side engine bay.

I plan to run the 130A 3G alternator that was on the cougar. I will run a 4 ga wire from the alternator output post to the batt relay post (with 200A fuse) to handle the increased alternator output.

If I remember correctly, there are three wires coming out of the alternator wiring harness... BK/O - 10 ga (or 8 ga) Main charging circuit wire (to be supplimented by 4 ga), a Y/W wire (maybe 14 or 16 ga), and a G/R (maybe 12 or 14 ga). I used part of the Cougar front harness to run those wires over to the relay.

Now, I can either tie those wires into the existing TC charging wires, or just use the existing fusible link eyelet on the Cougar wires. But the battery relay post is getting crowded!!!

The battery relay post will have...
1. POS battery cable from battery
2. Charge cable from alternator
3. POS starter cable to starter (hi-torque mini starter)
4. Eyelet from alternator harness
5. Eyelet for Mustang EEC power
6. Fuel pump power eyelet (I'm thinking of reusing a fusable link from the TC PRC eyelet)
7. TC eyelet for PRC
8. TC eyelet for Dash harness power

What to do?

Blue by You - TC+4

Reply #58 – May 19, 2011, 12:51:50 PM

If you don't mind me putting up some pics, I'll show you a possibility.

I had the same issue, so I used the posts on the alternator fuse for some of it.

Thusly:

The top cable on the fuse leads to the alternator.

Blue by You - TC+4

Reply #59 – May 19, 2011, 11:08:41 PM

and for some of the low amperage stuff there's also the option of adding a fuse box in your E/C:

It wouldn't looks so crowded but I have two relays in there too.... I plan to also add a large terminal fuse like that to mine soon. I have a lot of heavy gauge wires crowding my solenoid post too. I need to get them off and on a big fuse like that. Those must be TC specific cause I do not have one of those. I didn't even know they had them. Maybe I can pull one of a TC....hmmmm....