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Topic: My ol beater tbird (Read 6748 times) previous topic - next topic

My ol beater tbird

This is my 88, bought it last year for $700. Drove it home pulled the motor out and converted it to h.o. with stock E7TE heads, blew a couple head gaskets and cracked a few piston skirts. I think I've put 3 blocks in it now the current is out of a 94 cobra and has lasted the longest. I've put 4.10 gears in the stock 7.5 and still has the original aod with column shift. Ran a 14.7 @ 95 mph. Got tired of being beat by srts and mustangs, put a nitrous kit with 255 lph pump I think.  47lb ford performance injectors and I tune it with a Moates Quarterhorse. Ran a 12.95 @ 106 mph with a 150 shot and was only getting faster as I was advancing the timing. Now took a break over summer from racing because I'm in Az decided to install a turbo kit got an eBay turbo and manifold set for a mustang and just got it running a couple weeks ago. Am headed to the track this Saturday plan on running 8-10 psi and launching with a 50 shot we will see what happens. Positive I've missed stuff I did all the work and tuning myself any questions just ask.

My ol beater tbird

Reply #1 –
Looks like a pretty straight car and a lot of fun.
It's Gumby's fault.

My ol beater tbird

Reply #2 –
Very cool.

Have you done anything with the rear suspension?  How are your 60' times?
1988 Thunderbird TC, 5spd
Stinger 3" single exhaust, Cone Filter, Adjustable Cam Pulley, Schneider roller cam, Walbro 255 lph, AEM Wideband O2
'93 Mustang Cobra replica wheels on 235/50R17

'21 F150 Powerboost
'17 Husqvarna TX300

My ol beater tbird

Reply #3 –
X
X

I didn't want to spend so much on the che rear control arms and couldn't find them anywhere else that would be right so I boxed the originals with some steel and put new polyurethane bushings in it. Also welded up the torque boxes while I was in there. Currently has nitto 275/65, runs a 1.8 60ft. I launch at 1200 rpm and as soon as my foot hits the floor I hit the nitrous.

My ol beater tbird

Reply #4 –
Sweet!  1.8 must feel like rear ended by a Mack Truck.
1988 Thunderbird TC, 5spd
Stinger 3" single exhaust, Cone Filter, Adjustable Cam Pulley, Schneider roller cam, Walbro 255 lph, AEM Wideband O2
'93 Mustang Cobra replica wheels on 235/50R17

'21 F150 Powerboost
'17 Husqvarna TX300

My ol beater tbird

Reply #5 –
Yeah it's a lot of fun at the track I always push it as hard as it will go and cross my fingers I know eventually the diff or tranny will give up when it does I'll upgrade it. Thinking of doing a c4 with a 9" but I like manuals so much I may end up going with a T5 or T56 next haven't decided. Obviously there's a lot to be had with the motor but it's doing ok with all I put it through for now. We will see tomorrow how everything holds up, first time at the track with the turbo.

My ol beater tbird

Reply #6 –
I probably wouldn't even bother with a T5, with that kinda 60' time on stickier than stock tires, it won't last unless you get one built right. Thought about the newer auto trans with a standalone? Drawing a blank on the name right now..is it an E4OD I'm thinking of..?
'98 Explorer 5.0
'20 Malibu (I know, Chevy, but, 35MPG. Let's go brandon, eh)

My ol beater tbird

Reply #7 –
I've heard of the AOD-E and the 4r70w fitting which I never considered for myself until you brought it up that might be a better way. Then I could control everything easier. I'll have to look more into that.

My ol beater tbird

Reply #8 –
I love the cut and welded stock upper intake, the turbo with nitrous spool-up/intercooling setup, all the grassroots, knock-em out with a $5 brass knuckles engineering attitude that went into this car. Its all great. An 8.8, aluminum heads, and a T5 swap and this thing is going to really start hurting some feelings at the track.

My ol beater tbird

Reply #9 –
Quote from: Vintage;467460
I love the cut and welded stock upper intake, the turbo with nitrous spool-up/intercooling setup, all the grassroots, knock-em out with a $5 brass knuckles engineering attitude that went into this car. Its all great. An 8.8, aluminum heads, and a T5 swap and this thing is going to really start hurting some feelings at the track.


That's the exact mindset I have while working on this car. I know at some point I'll take one of my blocks to the machine shop and get some forged pistons, aluminum heads, diff, and tranny and start really pouring on the boost and nitrous but for now I'm just tuning it in as close to blowing up as possible to gain every tenth of a second I can on those 40-70k cars at the track.

My ol beater tbird

Reply #10 –
X

Ran out of nitrous at the track last time I went, so I bought another bottle figured id keep adding to my post I as do stuff. Also you can see where I mounted my boost-a-pump if you look hard enough. Also if anyone has any recommendations on a water/meth setup let me know I'm shopping for one currently

My ol beater tbird

Reply #11 –
Get yourself checked in somewhere soon dog, graduating from nitrous to meth, you're a straight up junkie and need help.

If I ever catch you at my track, I'm gonna spray you like a bug.

My ol beater tbird

Reply #12 –
Lmao Well if it helps I'll be using both so here's the plan I have a nitrous controller on the way that has an internal map sensor so in theory I'll launch with a 150 shot and as it sees the boost it will progressively bring my shot down as my boost rises, then that's when I want the water meth to start spraying that way I can with, any luck keep advancing my timing to the best spot without running straight race fuel  and hopefully avoid detonation we will see if my stock setup holds up enough. I'm hoping to get into the 11s or come home on a tow truck

My ol beater tbird

Reply #13 –
Be interested to see how it tunes out. I'll be pullin for ya to see the 11s before the tow truck. If not, get the tow truck driver to make a pass before he loads you up. He ought to be able to get an 11 in the 1/8th with the diesels they have these days.

Back in 03 or 04? we hung out with a 94 Cobra that launched on dry and intercooled on wet. Just a fogger nozzle right in front of the dry nozzle. Had the dry on throttle activation with window switch and the wet on the shift

Used a single 15lb bottle and seemed to get pretty good mileage out of it. I guess his theory was to lower launch rpm because of the violence of the stick shift and save driveline parts. He 60 footed 1.5 and trapped 137 so couldnt have been doing it all wrong.

My ol beater tbird

Reply #14 –
Thats a hell of a setup and an impressive 60' I hope to get my car down that low someday.  Before I did the turbo I had thought about using a dry shot and wet shot in two stages seeing how much nitrous it would take to break the block, was figuring I'd get a dedicated fuel source for the nitrous system and shoot for a 300 shot but I convinced myself it was probably not a great idea and I wanted something that was fast on the street without burning through nitrous all the time like I was. Air is free and I just turn up the duty cycle on my tru-boost when a Corvette pulls up beside me. Water/meth is just another safety for me. I'd be using it mainly for knock suppression under boost while I tune my timing in and hopefully will see some gains due to the changes in air density. Wish I had a Dyno laying around.