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Topic: Dan B's build thread.....'88 Sport Coupe (Read 6687 times) previous topic - next topic

Dan B's build thread.....'88 Sport Coupe

Since this turned out to be a long"er" term build that a simple HO swap I thought I'd start a build thread with pics and updates.  Here's the first posts about removing the stock driveline.

http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/showthread.php?32258-SO-5.0L-and-AOD-are-on-the-ground!&highlight=

A week or two later I had the engine prepped but decided to start tapping around the shock towers with a body hammer and heard a couple soft spots.  Here's what I found....that's when it went from a simple HO swap to a complete engine bay resto!

K-member dropped....


Driver side....


Pass side....


K-member on ground....


Outside of pass shock tower....


Outside of driver side tower....


Stay tuned..........
1988 T-Bird Sport Coupe--5.0 HO, MAF swap, 1-5/8" shorties, BBK/Flowmaster exhaust, Explorer intake, 70mm Edelbrock TB, T5, B&M short throw, Centerforce clutch and PP, disc brake TC rear w/ 3.55's, TC front brakes, '98 Cobra springs, DIY SFC's, other misc .  14.05 @ 98mph with launching too low and shifting too high.

Dan B's build thread.....'88 Sport Coupe

Reply #1 –
Day-um! Sorry you have to deal with that. Keep us updated with your progress.

I guess it's a good thing that you found it now when you can get at everything better.

BTW, How far are you from The Roadster Factory? Or have you even heard of it?

Dan B's build thread.....'88 Sport Coupe

Reply #2 –
Reminds me of my old '87 XR7, I drove the  outa that car for years, it had 350,000 miles on it. The death blow was when the gas tank rusted right off the car one day. When I pulled the motor and trans out, I found out that that was practically the only thing holding the front end to the rest.....lol. Yours is no where near that bad. :D
95 Ranger Splash 2.3
88 Tbird Sport :ies::ies:
5.0 SO, stainless shorty headers, w/ Magnaflow lers. KYB struts, KYB shocks. 5lug conversion from sn95 Mustang, subframe connectors, drilled and slotted rotors, 03 Mach 1 wheels. sequential taillights.140 speedo

Dan B's build thread.....'88 Sport Coupe

Reply #3 –
Quote from: flylear45;370452
Day-um! Sorry you have to deal with that. Keep us updated with your progress.

I guess it's a good thing that you found it now when you can get at everything better.

BTW, How far are you from The Roadster Factory? Or have you even heard of it?

The rust...yeah...that's a bummer.  But, I like to make patches and weld.  That's a fact of life when you live in PA and like wrenching on older rides. 
 
Roadster Factory...I can see the barn roof that's next to their warehouse from my front porch...and it's about three miles away.  My mom worked there back in the early '90's.
1988 T-Bird Sport Coupe--5.0 HO, MAF swap, 1-5/8" shorties, BBK/Flowmaster exhaust, Explorer intake, 70mm Edelbrock TB, T5, B&M short throw, Centerforce clutch and PP, disc brake TC rear w/ 3.55's, TC front brakes, '98 Cobra springs, DIY SFC's, other misc .  14.05 @ 98mph with launching too low and shifting too high.

Dan B's build thread.....'88 Sport Coupe

Reply #4 –
Today's progress........started with the worst part.....the driver side frame rail and shock tower.  Thanks to a friends junk fox'stang front clip I have some good patching material.  I cut sections out of the donor rails and started fitting them in.  My welder is just a cheapo Harbor Freight unit...the $99 one!  But it was given to me so I can't complain.



Hopefully many of you don't get to see the INSIDE of your frame rails, but where the K-member bolts go through it there are supports to keep from crushing the rail when the bolts are tightened.  Well, not suprisingly some my supports were GONE!  So I toook a small piece of thin plate to lay in the bottom of the channel and used a piece of pipe to recreate the rail support.  The tack isn't real pretty but it worked!  I slotted the bottom edge of the frame and rolled it over to slide the pipe in straight and have it fit snug top to bottom....then bent the bottom rail edge back up and stitched it shut.



After that I coated the inside of the rail with a rust convertor and started to close up the hole.  Could have spent more time fitting the patch but it worked...just took some more time filling the gaps.



A bunch of spot weld later it was almost done.  Needs some more spots tended to and more clean up with the grinder.



Hopefully by Friday I'll have the frame rail and shock tower all done on that side.
1988 T-Bird Sport Coupe--5.0 HO, MAF swap, 1-5/8" shorties, BBK/Flowmaster exhaust, Explorer intake, 70mm Edelbrock TB, T5, B&M short throw, Centerforce clutch and PP, disc brake TC rear w/ 3.55's, TC front brakes, '98 Cobra springs, DIY SFC's, other misc .  14.05 @ 98mph with launching too low and shifting too high.

Dan B's build thread.....'88 Sport Coupe

Reply #5 –
I started the same way.... figured I'd do a little body work and paint....lol
4 years later and I'm almost done
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
***** Project "EVOLUTION" 1987 Cougar LS  & 1985 Cougar Convertible *****
[/COLOR]
5.0 HO 306 roller block, machined GT-40P heads, Wiseco dished forged pistons, Eagle forged floating I-beam connecting rods, Lunati pushrods, ARP bolts, Scorpion aluminum 1.6 rockers, Comp Cams Magnum 266HR, Explorer intake, 65mm TB, MAF Conversion, 19# injectors, Ford Racing stainless P-headers, 2-1/2" cat-less exhaust w/ Flowtech Afterburner lers , SC AOD with 2800 BDR torque converter, 3.73 T-Lok rear, CHE rear control arms, full 2-1/2" frame w/1" jacking rails & seat supports, Rear disk brakes, Turbine wheels, All original interior w/ floor shift upgrade .......
Pretty much every panel on my 87 is new, rebuilt, or re constructed. :D
Join us on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_137541156293768&ap=1

Dan B's build thread.....'88 Sport Coupe

Reply #6 –
Quote from: daminc;370587
I started the same way.... figured I'd do a little body work and paint....lol
4 years later and I'm almost done

Guess who I thought of when he showed us the first post, Jerry?

Nice progress already! Work looks good as new after the repair. I like the pipe used for reinforcing the bolt spots. That's an often overlooked detail.

I've been to Roadster Factory several times in the past. I buy stuff from them all the time.

Dan B's build thread.....'88 Sport Coupe

Reply #7 –
Update time again......

A friend of mine has been helping about one night a week...that sure helps get all the big stuff knocked out in batches...two air guns running at a time makes quick work of things!!  Yesterday I got a new (to me) Lincoln SP100T....bought it from my grandfather....so now with two welders we can really make progress getting patches stitched in.

Driver side inner rail done and undercoated...after I had the two patches put in I ended up cutting out the middle section that was still original and replacing it also.  You can still see the welds...since it's not outer body panels I didn't detail it out as well as I am capable.  Would rather get them burned in and move to the next one.


Then I got digging into the passenger side rail a little deeper and here's what I ended up with.  I have a repair plan in place.  The "ragged" looking edge is the lower lip of the rail slotted and rolled over with a cresson wrench.  I'm going to plate the inside, bottom of the frame with 1/8"x2" flat bar and put new support pipes in like the other side.  The outer and top of the rail are in good shape yet.




Here's is what remained of the inner frame rail support post that the K-member bolts go through.


After all this I ended up with a new pile of t-bird parts for sale if anyone is interested.  I could sweep it into a flat rate envelope and send it your direction!
1988 T-Bird Sport Coupe--5.0 HO, MAF swap, 1-5/8" shorties, BBK/Flowmaster exhaust, Explorer intake, 70mm Edelbrock TB, T5, B&M short throw, Centerforce clutch and PP, disc brake TC rear w/ 3.55's, TC front brakes, '98 Cobra springs, DIY SFC's, other misc .  14.05 @ 98mph with launching too low and shifting too high.

Dan B's build thread.....'88 Sport Coupe

Reply #8 –
[/QUOTE]

HEY !!!! Where did you get this old pic of daminc's car before he started the resto?
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Dan B's build thread.....'88 Sport Coupe

Reply #9 –
Quote from: vinnietbird;370819
HEY !!!! Where did you get this old pic of daminc's car before he started the resto?

I thought some folks may like that pic!!
1988 T-Bird Sport Coupe--5.0 HO, MAF swap, 1-5/8" shorties, BBK/Flowmaster exhaust, Explorer intake, 70mm Edelbrock TB, T5, B&M short throw, Centerforce clutch and PP, disc brake TC rear w/ 3.55's, TC front brakes, '98 Cobra springs, DIY SFC's, other misc .  14.05 @ 98mph with launching too low and shifting too high.

Dan B's build thread.....'88 Sport Coupe

Reply #10 –
lol... I got a pic like that... or 2 or 3
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
***** Project "EVOLUTION" 1987 Cougar LS  & 1985 Cougar Convertible *****
[/COLOR]
5.0 HO 306 roller block, machined GT-40P heads, Wiseco dished forged pistons, Eagle forged floating I-beam connecting rods, Lunati pushrods, ARP bolts, Scorpion aluminum 1.6 rockers, Comp Cams Magnum 266HR, Explorer intake, 65mm TB, MAF Conversion, 19# injectors, Ford Racing stainless P-headers, 2-1/2" cat-less exhaust w/ Flowtech Afterburner lers , SC AOD with 2800 BDR torque converter, 3.73 T-Lok rear, CHE rear control arms, full 2-1/2" frame w/1" jacking rails & seat supports, Rear disk brakes, Turbine wheels, All original interior w/ floor shift upgrade .......
Pretty much every panel on my 87 is new, rebuilt, or re constructed. :D
Join us on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_137541156293768&ap=1

Dan B's build thread.....'88 Sport Coupe

Reply #11 –
Quote from: daminc;370823
lol... I got a pic like that... or 2 or 3

Did you do any frame rail reconstruction similar to what I'm digging into??  I've not read your entire build thread.....in the time that would take I could have about all my patches welded in!!  ;)
1988 T-Bird Sport Coupe--5.0 HO, MAF swap, 1-5/8" shorties, BBK/Flowmaster exhaust, Explorer intake, 70mm Edelbrock TB, T5, B&M short throw, Centerforce clutch and PP, disc brake TC rear w/ 3.55's, TC front brakes, '98 Cobra springs, DIY SFC's, other misc .  14.05 @ 98mph with launching too low and shifting too high.

Dan B's build thread.....'88 Sport Coupe

Reply #12 –
I rebuilt both from the swaybar to the firewall

http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/showthread.php?17304-quot-Project-Evolution-quot-....-Today-s-Update...-Oct-2011/page104
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
***** Project "EVOLUTION" 1987 Cougar LS  & 1985 Cougar Convertible *****
[/COLOR]
5.0 HO 306 roller block, machined GT-40P heads, Wiseco dished forged pistons, Eagle forged floating I-beam connecting rods, Lunati pushrods, ARP bolts, Scorpion aluminum 1.6 rockers, Comp Cams Magnum 266HR, Explorer intake, 65mm TB, MAF Conversion, 19# injectors, Ford Racing stainless P-headers, 2-1/2" cat-less exhaust w/ Flowtech Afterburner lers , SC AOD with 2800 BDR torque converter, 3.73 T-Lok rear, CHE rear control arms, full 2-1/2" frame w/1" jacking rails & seat supports, Rear disk brakes, Turbine wheels, All original interior w/ floor shift upgrade .......
Pretty much every panel on my 87 is new, rebuilt, or re constructed. :D
Join us on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_137541156293768&ap=1

Dan B's build thread.....'88 Sport Coupe

Reply #13 –
Thanks!
1988 T-Bird Sport Coupe--5.0 HO, MAF swap, 1-5/8" shorties, BBK/Flowmaster exhaust, Explorer intake, 70mm Edelbrock TB, T5, B&M short throw, Centerforce clutch and PP, disc brake TC rear w/ 3.55's, TC front brakes, '98 Cobra springs, DIY SFC's, other misc .  14.05 @ 98mph with launching too low and shifting too high.

Dan B's build thread.....'88 Sport Coupe

Reply #14 –
Got the passenger side frame rail reconstructed and closed up on Monday night.  Used the 1/8" plate I had mentioned to line the inside of the rail and rebuilt the bolt sleeves with 1" pipe.  Then got it prepped and painted on Monday and Tuesday night.  Now going to start on cleaning up the k-member and swapping on the TC front control arms and brakes.  May have it ready to go in by Friday.
1988 T-Bird Sport Coupe--5.0 HO, MAF swap, 1-5/8" shorties, BBK/Flowmaster exhaust, Explorer intake, 70mm Edelbrock TB, T5, B&M short throw, Centerforce clutch and PP, disc brake TC rear w/ 3.55's, TC front brakes, '98 Cobra springs, DIY SFC's, other misc .  14.05 @ 98mph with launching too low and shifting too high.