"Ls" swapping my 1984 Thunderbird élan

Topic: "Ls" swapping my 1984 Thunderbird élan (Read 6527 times) previous topic - next topic

"Ls" swapping my 1984 Thunderbird élan

July 09, 2019, 05:45:56 PM

This is my 1984 Thunderbird élan i bought last Christmas eve, for $450. I bought it as roller having a 5.3l already put together by me for a fairmont I was gonna put it in but this car popped up and it was to good to pass up. The car was a 5.0l élan with a c4/3? I want to say it had? Now it has currently a 5.3l and 4l70e I will be adding more pictures and info on the build as a post them up.

Re: "Ls" swapping my 1984 Thunderbird élan

Reply #1 – July 09, 2019, 05:50:49 PM

The motor combo is a 2001 5.3l lm7 gen 3 motor, with a 220/224 cam, speed engineering ls swap mustang headers inch and 7/8 to 3inch. I milled the heads and did a valve job on them. For an intake it has a holley dual plane intake and a 750 double pumper carb, I can only go carb with this car since it still has tbi pump and tank and it's more out of my budget to do so.

Re: "Ls" swapping my 1984 Thunderbird élan

Reply #2 – July 09, 2019, 05:58:16 PM

I tried to use the 5.0l k frame, but the conversion mounts I bought didn't work because the guy lied and sent me 4.6 to ls swap mounts, and so then I had the extra k frame laying around for the fairmont the motor was going to go in and used that, but I had to make a half inch spacers for the front mounting points. I used an aje mustang k frame and the spring perches to use the stock tbird a arms.

Re: "Ls" swapping my 1984 Thunderbird élan

Reply #3 – July 09, 2019, 06:04:41 PM

Then I put the trans in it after I got the motor in it and etc. I put the 4l70e in and I modified the stock crossmember that came with the car, and used the stock drive shaft with 1330 joints. Then I put 3.45 gears and a posi in the factory 7.5 and 8.8 xr7 axles since the factory ones were done and I put a turbo coupe rear sway bar on the rear from my turbo coupe that had strut tower issues. Then I ran the exhaust, it is a custom made exhaust system other than mustang tail pipes, it is 2 and half inch all the way back. Then I bought a turbo coupe shifter, I had to cut the cable part out to make it fit thru the small area, but I am gonna use a rod to connect the trans linkage to the shifter.

Re: "Ls" swapping my 1984 Thunderbird élan

Reply #4 – July 09, 2019, 06:11:13 PM

I used the truck accessories on it with the smaller 4.3l alt, I had to modify my turbo coupe hoods scoop to make it work, but i should have bought a flat hood and sold the TC hood but oh well, which I did buy one and I would recommend if you are going to do this swap to a tc to do so as well. And here's a photo of the header i bought and the steering shaft i made.

Re: "Ls" swapping my 1984 Thunderbird élan

Reply #5 – July 10, 2019, 01:01:16 PM

Looks pretty good, for GM guts in it. LOL

I really like the LS motors in my pickups.

Re: "Ls" swapping my 1984 Thunderbird élan

Reply #6 – July 10, 2019, 11:53:41 PM

I like em just from a pure reliability stand point on the trucks from 99-02. My daily driver is an 02 Silverado 1500 extended cab with a 5.3l and it has 545k miles on the clock. I plan on daily driving this bird, and use the truck as a work vehicle only.

Re: "Ls" swapping my 1984 Thunderbird élan

Reply #7 – July 11, 2019, 11:34:51 AM

My gosh, that is the most ive ever heard. What has been replaced large item wise?

Re: "Ls" swapping my 1984 Thunderbird élan

Reply #8 – July 11, 2019, 09:13:42 PM

The motor and trans lol, the motor was leaking oil Soo bad and started burning oil
at 486k soo I pulled it out and swapped in a junkyard one with 86k miles, then the trans went out at 432k. That's about it just maintenance other than those 2.

Re: "Ls" swapping my 1984 Thunderbird élan

Reply #9 – August 21, 2019, 10:25:41 AM

Nice clean job on that conversion.

How is it driving?

Re: "Ls" swapping my 1984 Thunderbird élan

Reply #10 – September 07, 2019, 01:07:56 PM

Not driving yet, gonna find out how it drives tomorrow, I'm swapping a new transmission in it and finishing up a couple odds and ends on it then I'm firing it up and then possibly am going to test drive it.

Re: "Ls" swapping my 1984 Thunderbird élan

Reply #11 – September 24, 2019, 09:18:08 AM

Skinnies in the front so I guess you are headed for the strip.

Driving yet?

Re: "Ls" swapping my 1984 Thunderbird élan

Reply #12 – September 24, 2019, 09:50:29 AM

Looking good! Did you keep the digital dash in it?

Re: "Ls" swapping my 1984 Thunderbird élan

Reply #13 – September 27, 2019, 11:28:51 PM

It is running and driving now, it has an issue with blowing the tires off at 1/4 throttle and wheel hopping at 1/2 throttle. But other than that rides and drives and feels like a brand new tbird other than the cammed ls sound lol. And yes I kept the digital dash. I have a Ford speedometer to gm 700r4 speedo cable I'm going to buy once I measure out the old one.

Re: "Ls" swapping my 1984 Thunderbird élan

Reply #14 – September 27, 2019, 11:31:43 PM

Also does anyone know how many gph a stock tbi tbird pump pushes out because my stock pump isn't doing , I have a cheapo $20 pump running it all currently and I know it's not good to be pulling fuel thru the stock pump when it's kinda working.