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Topic: Dan B's build thread.....'88 Sport Coupe (Read 6631 times) previous topic - next topic

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

Reply #15 –
K-member back in and the driver side suspension is reassembled w/ TC brake upgrade.  Putting those coil springs back in sucks!!  Need to finish up the passenger side then will start replumbing the braking system before the motor goes back 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 #16 –
Good work. You're moving right along finally.LOL.
'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 #17 –
Quote from: Dan B.;370812


 

5 bucks! i can build a daewoo out of that with some bubble gum, a spool of mechanics wire and zip ties!

looking good so far.. i used to have 1 of those $99 harbor freight welders. wanted to set it up for just sheet metal work and leave my miller for the bigger stuff.. it didn't like sheet metal very much!!
ShadowMSC.com < < Still Under Construction

R.I.P. 'Zump' 8/29/86 - 11/11/11
3- 87 TC's / 1 really mean 83 Capri RS / 94 Sonoma SAS Project on 37x12.50 TSL Radials / 88 S10 that's LITERALLY cut to pieces / 84 F150 SAS, 351M, 39.5 TSL's / 85 Toyota regular cab, 22R 5spd, 3/4" drop, my little junkyard save/daily driver

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

Reply #18 –
Quote from: vinnietbird;371818
Good work. You're moving right along finally.LOL.

Thanks.....I try to hit it hard once a week and dabble in between.  Yesterday AM I swapped over the rest of the accessory drive onto the HO motor and cleaned up the garage from working the evening before.  Doing all of the "little to no-cost" stuff for now until I have a complete plan for what I want to do with the rest of the parts.  Sometime in the next couple weeks I'm going to need a bigger bore MC (likely a 1993 Cobra), new steering rack, an adjustable prop valve and new lines to replumb everything that goes in the engine bay.  Then the motor can go in and I can start the SFC's/jacking rails. 

After the front end stuff is done I'm going to strip out the back end....drop gas tank and rear, box and re-bush the CA's.  Then clean, rustproof everything and hit with epoxy primer and black paint.

I have a plan in mind.....just trying to keep forward motion!!
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 #19 –
Quote from: Shadow;371827
looking good so far.. i used to have 1 of those $99 harbor freight welders. wanted to set it up for just sheet metal work and leave my miller for the bigger stuff.. it didn't like sheet metal very much!!

Mine is loaded with .035" flux core....I've done a LOT of sheetmetal with it, just have to be VERY careful!!  It does good on work up to 1/4" plate. The Lincoln has .023" and a bottle so I'll start using it for sheetmetal then leave the HF welder for heavier stuff.
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 #20 –
Quote from: Dan B.;371834
Thanks.....I try to hit it hard once a week and dabble in between.  Yesterday AM I swapped over the rest of the accessory drive onto the HO motor and cleaned up the garage from working the evening before.  Doing all of the "little to no-cost" stuff for now until I have a complete plan for what I want to do with the rest of the parts.  Sometime in the next couple weeks I'm going to need a bigger bore MC (likely a 1993 Cobra), new steering rack, an adjustable prop valve and new lines to replumb everything that goes in the engine bay.  Then the motor can go in and I can start the SFC's/jacking rails. 

After the front end stuff is done I'm going to strip out the back end....drop gas tank and rear, box and re-bush the CA's.  Then clean, rustproof everything and hit with epoxy primer and black paint.

I have a plan in mind.....just trying to keep forward motion!!

Sounds like a solid plan to me. You are moving right along. I never had to do springs in one of these, but it sounds like no fun at all!

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

Reply #21 –
Quote from: flylear45;371930
Sounds like a solid plan to me. You are moving right along. I never had to do springs in one of these, but it sounds like no fun at all!

Here's how I see it......if it were something I had to have it up and running for tomorrow, then it would be like work and no fun at all.  But since I can peck around at it, do a bunch of no cost tinkering as I go until I have a plan laid for other various improvements then it is more of a hobby project.  Plus I like having a clean (top and bottom) old school ride to cruise around in with the wife and kids.  Anyone can buy a clean and fast car, I prefer to build mine!!
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 #22 –
Quote from: Dan B.;371935
I prefer to build mine!!

mini trucker's moto.. BUILT, NOT BOUGHT lol
ShadowMSC.com < < Still Under Construction

R.I.P. 'Zump' 8/29/86 - 11/11/11
3- 87 TC's / 1 really mean 83 Capri RS / 94 Sonoma SAS Project on 37x12.50 TSL Radials / 88 S10 that's LITERALLY cut to pieces / 84 F150 SAS, 351M, 39.5 TSL's / 85 Toyota regular cab, 22R 5spd, 3/4" drop, my little junkyard save/daily driver

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

Reply #23 –
Weekly progress update.

Started on the pedal swap last night.  From the time I opened the driver side door until the automatic pedal assembly was setting on the work bench was about an hour.  I removed the few interior trim pieces around the steering column, undid the four column support nuts and dropped it.  Popped off the wiring and slid it completely from the car.  Next I removed the two bolt from the top of the pedal box.  Then with a couple long extensions I had the four firewall nuts removed.  Popped off the brake pedal rod and guided the entire pedal assembly out.  Couldn't have been easier.

After that Rick, my helper friend, showed up and we started hitting the two person jobs.  Finished up the passenger side suspension and strut install.  Since I need to order some braking upgrade pieces we were going to wait on doing the engine install to make the brake plumbing easier.  But since my toy funds are otherwise obligated to other parts for now, we decided to drop the motor in and start wiring it back up then just deal with plumbing the brakes later.  So, the motor is back in with the lower intake assembly completed...injectors, harness, BBK Fuel Pressure Regulator, fuel rail, metal heater core rails, etc.  We made pretty good progress last night.

The only snag we hit was when looking at the stick shift pedal assembly.  I need some parts and have some questions.  Going to post those in another thread.....here's the link.

http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/showthread.php?32490-T5-pedal-swap.......missing-pieces&p=372317#post372317
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 #24 –
Went to meet "1bad88tbird" this AM and picked up a pretty clean TC hood.  So...one more thing to add to the upgrade list!!
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 #25 –
I now have a stick shift V8 Thunderbird!!  Last night we stabbed in the T5 onto the motor with a Centerforce clutch an PP sandwiched in between.  Everything lined up with a little fiddling and went together fine.  Shifter base went right into the stock auto shifter location nicely, put the handle on but did not spend any time really looking that over.  Also got my quadrant onto the pedals, just need to put the pedals in then reassemble the interior....YAY!!

Also did some motor work....more wiring, dist and other little stuff.

Progress is a good thing!
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 #26 –
sounds like she's coming together.. but what's up with no pics? hahah
ShadowMSC.com < < Still Under Construction

R.I.P. 'Zump' 8/29/86 - 11/11/11
3- 87 TC's / 1 really mean 83 Capri RS / 94 Sonoma SAS Project on 37x12.50 TSL Radials / 88 S10 that's LITERALLY cut to pieces / 84 F150 SAS, 351M, 39.5 TSL's / 85 Toyota regular cab, 22R 5spd, 3/4" drop, my little junkyard save/daily driver

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

Reply #27 –
I'll get some pics uploaded today.  Been meaning to take better pics as we go but just get greasy and forget about it.
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 #28 –
Latest pics........please excuse that not all the parts are cleaned and painted.  I'm mainly in mock up now to make sure everything is going to work.  The springs will also get swapped for SN-95's when I locate a set.

All TC front brake parts installed.



Driver side of motor.  HEaders are unknown brand.  Plugs are old ones installed just to block the holes.



Passenger side of motor.  Still deciding what to do with the smog pump lines.  Eliminate or keep??  If take out, then how are the passages blocked off?



TC hood from Jay.



Driver side interior out for pedal swap.



Auto shifter out.



Stick shift pedals ready to go in.



Column and auto pedals out.



Shifter through the stock opening without any floor pan tpuppies.  The shifter is a B&M short throw that was on the tranny when I got it.





Insulation reinstalled.



Factory TC boot installed.  The boot is kind of crunched up like the shifter hand is too short or something.



This is the handle that came on my tranny....thinking I'm going to go with just a white or black ball.

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 #29 –
looks good so far! i agree with ditching that handle though.. it's really weird trying to shift with a handle like that
ShadowMSC.com < < Still Under Construction

R.I.P. 'Zump' 8/29/86 - 11/11/11
3- 87 TC's / 1 really mean 83 Capri RS / 94 Sonoma SAS Project on 37x12.50 TSL Radials / 88 S10 that's LITERALLY cut to pieces / 84 F150 SAS, 351M, 39.5 TSL's / 85 Toyota regular cab, 22R 5spd, 3/4" drop, my little junkyard save/daily driver