So I put the T-bird away for the winter today. I filled it up with gas, dumped some Stabil in it, drove it around for 40 minutes to run the Stabil through the system, changed the oil, washed and waxed it, and covered it up and put it in the garage. So now that the car is down for 5 months (till April 1st) I have time to work on some things. I have to re-paint the wheel wells and brakes to make them look nice again after a summer of driving, cut off that trailer hitch, and get some misc. parts for the HO swap I'm doing in the spring. Anyone else have any winter projects they're planning? Nothing beats sitting in the garage freezing your ass off working on your Cat or Bird right? ;)
I'm just soooo happy I only get to drive my 1993 Buick Century for 5 months. :sleep: The things we do to keep our cars away from salt and snow.......well SALT more than anything.
I just scored a free oil heater for my shop :D hopefully get that set up tomorrow after work, finish the sprint then its a coin flip between working on the Zephyr or the t-bird for the winter. Theres also a couple other small projects I need to get to... eventually.
I get to drive my turbo sprint for the winter (and most of the summer) so I dont mind. as long as the tbird stays safe :p
the list is too long.:grinno:
lets jus say i wanna actually drive this thing come springtime!!
(http://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gallery/displayimage.php?&photoid=127158&width=0)
here's priority one.
We don't have salt on the roads here,and we just barely have a winter.I get to keep driving my 'Bird.....Winter projects???Only one,I'm going to be collecting parts for the '88 Sport I'm getting.That's my project.I'm going to get all of the H.O parts and convert that engine.Nothing like the current 'Bird.I'm just going the basic Mustang part,factory cam,headers,intake.I already have an H-Pipe for it,and just made a deal for a '91 cam for $30.00.I'm already on my way.
More projects,guys???
Yeah I keep my Bird safe too that's why I drive the Buick every where and just use the Bird for shows and fun driving. At least you get to drive a fun car. My Buick rides like a '50s car........and handles like it too.
Good luck! I hope I get my HO swap done early in the spring. Then the car will be much more fun to drive:cool:
My garage is heated (wood stove) :shakeass: Winter plans include:
- Install TC header panel, hood, bumper cover, and left fender (the one on the car is starting to show a bit of rust after having to drive the car last January). This project is actually underway right now - I've stripped the hood and fender down to metal (they had flaking clearcoat) and smoothed out all the dents/door dings, etc and sanded all the paint off the header panel and bumper cover. They're all in primer now, awaiting installation. I will also be removing the right fender to make sure there is no hidden rust inside that one, and removing the interior panels to apply some rustproofing inside the quarters and doors - I already did this a few years ago but it's time for another application. Rustproofing is a must around here whether the car is driven in winter or not - even the air and rain are salty. The car should be ready for a new coat of paint in Spring...
- Finish TC interior swap - this includes installing the crack-free dash, recovering the head liner, repairing/installing the TC door panels, and replacing the carpet
- Rebuild the traction-lock in the TC 8.8, then actually install it into the car with the CHE arms, TC springs & swaybar, KB subframe connectors, etc
- My patented "Thundercat wheel resto" on the snowflakes, and some new tires. The snowflakes will be painted white, though, to keep the 80's theme going (I'm building the Thunderbird GT that Ford didn't bother with)...
That should keep me busy through the winter. If not (meaning, "If by some miracle I actually finish all this shiznit") I'll commence work on the 351.
I got a nasty little 2.3 to stick in the ranger ;)
and the dart is getting a new look ;)
84fila and I have cleaned up my garage so it's no longer just dead storage space and now one can pull a car in, work on it, and walk all the way around it, with the door closed, even!
I quickly got to busting out the front suspension on my T-bird. Since this picture I've pulled both sides down that far, plus removed the spindles... now I need a lot of new parts. Then there's the rear end to address.
(http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o12/Ifixyawata/TbSusp.jpg)
I also gotta figure out some sort of heat solution for the garage. There's a brand new furnace in there, but it's set up for natural gas and I need it to be set up for propane. I'm trying to find a way that it can be converted. Otherwise it'll be another barrel stove or propane or kerosene heater. Ugh.
Converting to propane should be easy enough, just needs a larger hole for the gas to enter the burner I believe. Had the one in my old place converted to natural gas, guy was there for about an hour including removing, cleaning, and oiling the fans.
I got a 30,000 btu oil heater for my shop, should help keep the chill out.
Interesting droop-light holder ya got there :shakeass:
-lets see......
pour that concrete pad at the end of my garage so i can put in that new compressor that sitting inside, so i can set up my blasting cabinet.
-finish the floor on the storage side of my garage so i can put up my shelving.
-get rid of some of the cars in my yard.
-get the front suspension back together on the money pit so i can haul it to work and have the trans put back in after the overhaul.
if i can do all of this, i will consider it a successful winter.....
I live in Tucson, AZ and thus don't have to worry about winter. We have Two Springs out here and one long Summer, so I'll just keep driving my car thankyou very much.
Actually, I'm probably going to try to sell it and get another Turbo Coupe.
Winter projects... Which car?? :D
For my 83, I am going to put the WCT-5 in it when I put in a new bellhousing that I recently won from ebay. I am also going to put in a LA3 computer, brown tops, large VAM, BPV (dont have yet), all of which I already have and were not put on from last years winter project :D I WILL BREAK THE 14's WIDE OPEN (goal ;) )
For my 88, fix all the minor little interior problems like the window knocked off track, and dye and install my dashpad cover. I would also like to refinish my snowflakes. The little stuff to be done on the 88 will wait until my 83 is built and ready to roll!!
Frank M.
You weenies can't work in a non-heated garage.
Try working on a stone driveway out in the cold of winter fighting wind snow and frostbite.
Actually due to the above conditions, I don't have much in the way of winter projects. I have enough to do with regular maintenance to our other cars. :( I started tearing apart the interior of the '86 and might bring it all in the basp00get for the next few months so I can fix it up. Right now there are parts all over the place inside that car.
Me and Ifixyawata might be putting in a flexplate soon, possably coverting the Bird over to carb, and finishing up his car.
I knew someone would comment. I guess I should add 'New Fenders' to my list of shiznit to do.
Try doing it in Canada, where we have REAL winter :beatyoass: I did the head gaskets in my old '91 T-Bird in the driveway during the few days between Christmas and New Years. It was about -30 celsius, which is why it took several days. I did the tranny swap in my old Nissan truck in February during a snow storm (I actually built a makeshift tent around the truck with one of those blue tarps to try to prevent the wind blowing the snow under the truck - didn't work). I've worked on vehicles when it was so cold that I wasn't sure which would snap first - brittle aluminum parts or frozen fingers. I've paid my dues...
lol, I have to admit, you guys up north have it far worse than we do here in MD.
My driveway is at the bottom of a small hill and we have no trees on our property. When we do get snow, it just buries the driveway in one big 5 foot deep snowdrift. I did an alternator in my mom's malibu standing in a 3 foot snow drift... the wind on a cold day is much worse than the snow though.
1993-94, Ely, MN. never got above -20F the entire month of January. It was just the right time for my np203 tcase to break a chain and crack the extension housing. Was my only vehicle, towed and pushed up into the front yard, and that's where I rebuilt the tcase. 120plus needle bearings that only bare fingers can hold made it quite interesting...especially the ones shivering hands dropped in the snow. I clamped my hands on the trouble light for heat every now and then. I finished it, and it worked, but I swore I'd never do that again....thus my previous post and link....heated slab 36x44. I've certainly paid my dues, too.
Nah just put a hole in each wheel arch and call 'em speed holes :grinno:
Install Sequential Turn Signals and dual exhaust, finish painting the rims, and new tires.
Get my 55 Willys Sedan running, sell it, all proceeds go toward suspension for the Cougar and a crate for my '53 Chevy. Im getting a 400 here soon, Hope to tear that down and rebuild this winter.
Rebuild the carb on my dads 70 Chevelle. 402's are gas hogs!
Well my cat is in the garage, my Ranger is sitting out on the street and my aspire will get no respect this winter.
Actually I am trying to fix what I can on the Ranger and sell it whole to make way for some work on my cat. The aspire the only things I will be doing to it are new front tires/alignment, and plugs/wires. Thats about it.... oh and blowing stuff up with my sks.
Daniel
-i'll admit ya'll up north have the worst winter weather to deal with, but the problem here is we have EXTREMES both ways!!! it will be 80 with high humidity today, and freezing around 40 with a 10-15mph north wind. we cant just have a constant to get use to, it has to volley back and forth for 2-3 months in the spring and 2-3 in the fall. the rest is either extreme hot or cold.....
Well I have a heated garage, but it's where the '83 resides, so space is limited. I need to do another "reorganization" do eek out more workspace. Work on anything other than the '83 will be outside.
Projects?
Well for right now the '83 sits with a dead block :beatyoass: while I figure out what I'm going to do. I have other things going on in my life that may neccessitate just digging up a useable shortblock to get the car back on the road. If things pan out I'll work on the SHO swap, but I'll need to have a DEFINITE plan on that. I really won't think too much about it for a couple months though as I have other things I need to do.
I need to get the '80 mobile again. The windshield is out and I have blasted the rust. Just needs one small hole filled and then encapsilated and the windshield reinstalled. Hopefully I won't knock it over and break it before that time :dunce: The brake system is completely off the car and it needs a tune up. It's possible I may just say screw it and get the other engine and trans ready for it and yank that slug of a 302 out of there. Again....need to sort out a plan.
There's also work on the Scorpio....
We'll see.
It's going to be a very busy winter for me... depending on the weather.
1: First priority is to put the 87 back together (just scored some nice E7's from 46tbird so that should happen next week or the week after.), and install the new passenger side window.
2: Get it to pass TX emissions and get it legal.
3: Heater core and EGR repair for the 86.
4: Bribe someone to get it to pass TX emissions... or have a legal cat back exhaust fabbed up for it so it will actaully pass. It would be much cheaper to bribe someone.
Once all that boring legal stuff is out of the way the real fun begins...
5: Install Twisted Wedge heads and Cobra intake on the 86. Trade H-pipes with the 87 (it has a MAC 2 1/2" H-pipe, the 86 has a factory Mustang H-pipe.)
6. Re-center the steering rack on the 86. It has offset bushings and I was in a hurry when I installed the new rack so they're a little off... and then fart around with the alignment (again). That's always fun (tedious)
7: Start selling all the parts I've accumulated for the 87 that I'm not going to use anymore.
8: Pending progress on #7 start working on the 351 (It's going to eventually end up in the 86).
9: If you're still reading this, you are even more bored than I was when I typed it!
That's funny! Here in Texas you cant work on your car in the summer between about 8am and 8pm because it's too hot. The pavement is about 200 degrees and so is your car. And God forbid you leave a creeper exposed to the sun for more than 30 seconds and then lay on it! Between June and Sept you might as well be working on your car on the planet Mercury! We hibernate during the summer down here...
... and lets not forget the humidity, heheh. Anyway, bring on the winter and 60-70 degree days!
Not that anyone really cares but the ranger is now running with 2.3 power :shakeass:
Hey Dogcharmer,I agree.The summer will kill you.......quick !!! !!0 degrees and 90% humidity.But,I work in the shade.I love the weather we're having now.High of 75 degrees.WOO-HOO !!! Play time !!
You got that right Vinnie, I'm about to take a whole week off of work just to work on the cars.
Depending on my tax return, I may be buying a water toy......not the specific one in the link, but the same make and model.
http://www.usedboats.com/index.php?site=usedboats.com§ion=search&keyWords=&boatId=595316
I'll be focusing on two main ideas:
1. Making sure the '86 is reliable and solid, while installing small performance modifications.
2. Preparing it for a paint job in the spring, which would have me ready to go for Carlisle and Cat Jam.
Fix my hung o sheit.
Your car dosen't look that bad.
He's good at trickery through photography.
Honestly though, the only issues I know of with the car is the clearcoat peeling that you can never see in his pictures.
I am now revising my winter plan. I need paint/body work and some brake work and a full tune up. After that Mine should be done for the most part. Untill I break something or buy parts I don't need.
a rebuilt engine for the mustang (stock is tired) but thats late winter early spring. gonna brace the car up and have the stoping power adressed. 4 wheel disc
Start the body work in the 84 T/c and maybe some engine compartment upgarades to make things look better.
heres a sneak peak at the project already underway.
It's a 91 Cougar HO motor, that I am puttin an E303 in and GT40 intakes, and noisey gear drives. Then I will be converting the bird to mass air and dropping it in.
Bingo. The car is a piece of junk. It has more body work in it than Michael Jackson. Rear 1/4 has been replaced, and so much puddy in it that its not funny. Not to mention the clearcoat peel, the twisted front end, and the caved in drivers door. And thats only the exterior. Looks are very decieving.
Saving up for a surprize... if someone doesn't beat me to it first. :D
Other than that I plan on driving my TC this winter.
thats what makes it into the badassed sleeper that it is
I thought you were sellin' that car?
Cool but, uh, why didn't you paint the valve covers too?
I did. they aren't installed yet. those are the ones just to seal the motor so I didn't have to tape much. I will post a pic of the motor mocked up and all painted, this weekend for you.
I was triing to sell the bird, but since nobody on here seems to be intrested in it (what a shock:sleep: ) I figure I might as well make it haul ass.:birdsmily: And keep it around.:grinno:
I would probably still hit it, though. Maybe if it didn't have that intermittent squeally belt.
I quickly mocked up the motor and got some fresh pics. Here is basically what it will look like, but the lower wil be painted to match the block, and the upper will be done to match the valve covers.:cool:
Look F'in sweet so far
Looks sweet:cool:. Now just get rid of the FRAM filter:grinno: