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Topic: My 85 TBird (Read 162931 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: My 85 TBird

Reply #270 –
I have to ask. So I’m pretty sure there was a dash change in 85. Did you switch out the dash to an 83/84 style at some point and I just missed that?

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

Re: My 85 TBird

Reply #271 –
Quote from: Aerocoupe – on
I have to ask. So I’m pretty sure there was a dash change in 85. Did you switch out the dash to an 83/84 style at some point and I just missed that?

Yeah, I guess I over-looked that too. The dash was changed in '85.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo - '85 Marquis LTS - '86 LTD Wagon-  '81 Granada GL 2dr

Re: My 85 TBird

Reply #272 –
Quote from: Aerocoupe – on
I have to ask. So I’m pretty sure there was a dash change in 85. Did you switch out the dash to an 83/84 style at some point and I just missed that?

I wondered if anyone was ever going to notice this car has the wrong dash. I did put a different dash in, but it’s the same style as the one I took out. It’s possible a previous owner changed it, but I have owned the car since 94/95. My best guess is that it’s a really early 85 and ford did what they did best back then, threw whatever parts the still had laying around at it.  The 10th vin digit is “F”.

Re: My 85 TBird

Reply #273 –
I suppose that's a possibility. You know "Job 1" and all. Lol.

Does it have the early or late TBird emblems on the c-pillars and grille?
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo - '85 Marquis LTS - '86 LTD Wagon-  '81 Granada GL 2dr

Re: My 85 TBird

Reply #274 –
Quote
I suppose that's a possibility. You know "Job 1" and all. Lol.

Does it have the early or late TBird emblems on the c-pillars and grille?


That’s a question I don’t know the answer to. Those are long gone, I de-badged the car when I repainted in 95. It must have been the cool thing to do at the time.

Re: My 85 TBird

Reply #275 –
I did the same thing. Only badge left is on the passenger side of the dash. I even have a 85 grill so it could be painted the same color as the car and the badge holes were filled on it as well.

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

Re: My 85 TBird

Reply #276 –
Couldn’t find the panel I was looking for so modified the one I had. Thin sheet of aluminum, glued on with headliner adhesive and some satin black trim paint.





A few $’s worth of seals arrived today. So far only installed the upper door seals, they snapped in fairly well.




Re: My 85 TBird

Reply #277 –
What are you going to do for the window channel runs?

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

Re: My 85 TBird

Reply #278 –
Quote from: Aerocoupe – on
What are you going to do for the window channel runs?

This is a vent window car, so I found some good used 93ish 2 door Tempo window runs. I’ve read that they work, haven’t tried them yet. Still need to find a run that goes into the vent window part, thinking maybe a ford pickup one might work. I do have one NOS ford window run I might use on the driver door, keep hoping I’ll stumble across another one. 

I also ordered dew wipes from Steele, they are for a Lincoln Mark VII, hopefully they work out. Those are 4-6 weeks out.

Re: My 85 TBird

Reply #279 –
What's the P/N on those upper door seals? My Tbird has needed those for about 20 years.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo - '85 Marquis LTS - '86 LTD Wagon-  '81 Granada GL 2dr

Re: My 85 TBird

Reply #280 –
Quote from: bodyman – on

This is a vent window car, so I found some good used 93ish 2 door Tempo window runs. I’ve read that they work, haven’t tried them yet. Still need to find a run that goes into the vent window part, thinking maybe a ford pickup one might work. I do have one NOS ford window run I might use on the driver door, keep hoping I’ll stumble across another one. 

I also ordered dew wipes from Steele, they are for a Lincoln Mark VII, hopefully they work out. Those are 4-6 weeks out.


I used the channel run from a Ford Ranger for my vent window convertible and that worked great. But I don't know if that works for a coupe door. It looks pretty close. Truck weatherstripping is plentiful and cheap so there's no harm in experimenting. The dew wipes should work great from a Mark VII.

I also commend you for getting new seals where possible. That's an overlooked part of restoration which most people ignore. Plus the cost is a huge factor...it's great to buy new but I've paid less for entire cars than the cost of new rubber seals LOL.

Chuck, Steele has those under p/n 70-2720-73. With sticker shock.
https://www.steelerubber.com/door-weatherstrip-70-2720-73

Re: My 85 TBird

Reply #281 –
Quote
I used the channel run from a Ford Ranger for my vent window convertible and that worked great. But I don't know if that works for a coupe door. It looks pretty close. Truck weatherstripping is plentiful and cheap so there's no harm in experimenting. The dew wipes should work great from a Mark VII.

I also commend you for getting new seals where possible. That's an overlooked part of restoration which most people ignore. Plus the cost is a huge factor...it's great to buy new but I've paid less for entire cars than the cost of new rubber seals LOL.

Chuck, Steele has those under p/n 70-2720-73. With sticker shock.
https://www.steelerubber.com/door-weatherstrip-70-2720-73

Yeah, you’re not kidding about the sticker shock. It was a close my eyes and hit send moment.

 Thanks for the tip on the ranger vent runs, the guys that had the tempo parts car probably have a ranger or two out there also.  What year ranger should I be looking for?