Here's my idea...take sheetmetal and following the lines from the strut towers form a cover for everything on the sides...makes them even, and cleans stuff up...I'm going for it...what's to loose
(http://www.rankmyride.com/data//b/5/817//.large/modded1.jpg)
(http://www.rankmyride.com/data//b/5/817//.large/modded2.jpg)
i for see an issue. how would you change your wiper motor when it does go bad? also the battery and everyhing on the firewall and fenderwells is that just gonna be covered and acsess panels made to get into there to change or repair also what bout our air box? soo mutch can go wrong with something like tat bur also i think e-man did something like tha with the converdable.
well, how are you going to attach them? Dzus fasteners?
Also, Im curious about how you are going to form the panels - Do you have a small sheetmetal brake or something like that?
the pics don't do justice,and I suck @ computer imaging...the motor will be exposed...the panel's are able to be removed. firewall will be exposed...it's gonna be carbbed so no airbox...
yes I got a sheetmetal brake...my bro works for a local steel company...they will probably bolt on unless I find something else to use that'd come off quicker
Personally, I think it's a great idea. Along with most great ideas, they've only got great results with a decent implementation. It's your car man, go for it. If it turns out decent, I may steal the idea.
Cool. Im trying to google some pictures because I know I've seen other cars with panels like you are talking about - but nothing is turning up. I've seen it alot on mini trucks/ lowriders.
I like the idea as well. I've actually seen someting similar on a Mustang, only difference was that it covered the radiator core support and such. I think it was an aftermarket production piece, and i've only ever seen one.
I was thinking of doing the same thing except on a smaller scale. I was just going to cover up the coil and wires around it, but that's all that I have over there anyways. Just something to clean up a messy spot. My only concern was how to make it look like it wasn't a piece of sheet metal just stuck on there. I don't want it to look tacky. Post some pics when you do it, I am curious how it will look.
This guy did something similar.
Bay Covers (http://"http://forums.tccoa.com/showthread.php?t=75392&highlight=fiberglass")
Yuck!
That demonstrates the next concern I had. Where do you start and stop the cover up?
that's hidious! I like the idea of just evening the sides out while covering up the ugly "bullet" holes in the frame.
Has anyone ever thought of just hiding all the engine compartment wiring in the dash(almost done) and putting the battery in the trunk(i've already done that) smoothing and boxing in the engine compartment frame rails(working on it) and filling in the swisscheese holes? I got inspired my a few cars I've seen in my mustangs and fast fords magazines. I'll have pics of my progress sooner or later..
Hey I never said I liked it. I was just showing him something similar that someone else had done. Personaly his whole car is not my style if any of you guys have seen it, but I'll give him props for doing it up right and actually doing the majority of the work himself.
Hmmm... I like it. Or rather the basic concept. At least he's doing something... though it would look better on a 4.6L. :)
The Big E did it to his car.
Sheeyah...and I'd probably not do it again. ;)
OK, first things first: wiring. We have a ton of it. In some instances it can be moved to the inner fender areas (underneath the plastic, above the wheels) with perhaps some minor lengthening needed on a few little things. That's what I did in the convertible. Don't forget, with a power top mechanism, my wiring bundle got even thicker, so it was a big challenge to do. For a stock setup, no problemo. It did take me a few nights to figure out though. It's easier if the battery is on the driver's side since you can put the wiring harness through the hole next to the wiper motor.
Also...one can consider hiding the engine harness inside the car, up behind the dash. Requires cutting some new holes, plugging up the main harness hole...shouldn't need much lengthening of wires, if at all. This should only be considered if you have the dash out or are planning to remove it from the car. It's very labor intensive.
Filling in the holes...I had a friend come over and weld them, while the motor was out. He had a hell of a time. I even gave it a shot too. We both agreed that we'd never do it again. ;) If you have the time and patience, it's the best way to clean things up. Also, I don't know if they will work for our cars but there still should be a company or two that makes fiberglass slip-over covers for the inner fenders of Fox Mustangs. They slip around the strut towers and are paint-to-match. Pretty slick...although there still is a seam showing, that can probably be minimized or smoothed out somehow. Plus your engine bay will smell like fiberglass after you've driven the car, and that is a heavenly scent like no other.
Moving the battery to the trunk is cool if you don't use the trunk as originally intended (to haul stuff). Otherwise it's a pain. But it does work fine and saves you ~50 lbs. of unsprung weight from the front of the car, plus puts a little more weight near the axle for better launches. Not on the street, of course. ;)
In the end I opted to bend up some aluminum cover panels since I have access to an aluminum bender. I used No-Mar crinkle finish Alcoa aluminum, .024 gauge. Hides dirt very well. Am I happy with the panels? Meh, yes and no. I can do better...but there are also limitations to what I can do with the material and bender. For now they are covering stuff up and that's all that counts. I have a game plan for the engine bay that, should I ever stumble across that rarity known as 'free time', I shall implement.
I think this may be what I was thinking of. Do you recall if it covered the radiator core support?
I don't think so...I just remember seeing them in the New Products section of MM&FF about, oh, 8 years ago and it showed them covering the inner fenders only. I would imagine fiberglass hood manufacturers may have them listed.
The radiator core covers for a Fox Mustang work on our cars...we share the same core support.
Labor intensive is an understatment! I've had no dash In the tbird for 4 months now, and I'm geting close to being able to put a dash back in and finish my interior.
Speaking of which, I never have seen an underhood pic of your car, Eric. ;)
Oh reh-heh-heallllyyy? ;)
(http://www.coolcats.net/eric/86convertible/images/conv49.jpg)
(http://www.coolcats.net/eric/86convertible/images/2003_conv06.jpg)
If you look to the left in the picture, under the CAI tube, you can see some. There is a full-width cover over the radiator core also. I'll see if I can dig up better pix for everyone.
****! I'M BLIND!!!!!!!!!
That's beautiful, man.
Thanks...it's alright, I could do better. For this engine I accept things because it's gone about as far as it can go.
The next engine...yeah...you've seen what Chip Foose does, right? With engine bay presentation and all? Or some of the newer cars at the auto shows? Think along those lines... ;)
Know what they say "If it dont go, Chrome it" :giggle:
Na I really like it, can tell alot of work went into that. And I have to ask where did you get the chrome radiator hose?
looks nice eric, you taking it to carlisle this year? Id rather just weld/fill up the holes myself but the hard way usually looks better lol
t-bird85, ive always gone with the saying, chrome wont get ya home :p:
Chrome radiator hoses were a Christmas gift from an ex-girlfriend. She was good at something after all. ;) I believe they are made by MAC.
The Carlisle thing will now be a 'wait and see' event for me. I won't know if I'm going until 2 or 3 days beforehand. This is due to the weather...I'm getting pretty annoyed at getting rained on year after year. But of course, the years I keep the car home, it's nice and sunny. Glad I can make some people happy, at least.
The chrome was going to be different...I had radical plans for the engine bay a few years ago. Things didn't work out how I'd liked so I kept everything chromed. I guess looking back it was for the better.
That doesn't mean the car doesn't go, however. ;)
thats a clean bay you got there eric. Like the Radiator hoses but im biased....
I bet the chrome cover i have on my stang would work on the Tbirds too. I'll have to take it off and try it on the TC
here's some pics of my turd stang
(http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/10/web/2098000-2098999/2098591_14_full.jpg)
(http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/10/web/2098000-2098999/2098591_15_full.jpg)
(http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/10/web/2098000-2098999/2098591_16_full.jpg)
Sometimes just detailing the bay works wonders (yeah this was a pain in the ass but worth it :D )
Screw all three of you and the horses you rode in on. :D
Hey I rode in on a Thunderbird not a horse :raspberry
eric...what a dump, quit while your ahead woudja... ;) jk, o0bviously.
Hawk has a decent looking radiator cover...should check that out if your not familliar with his car guys....
man id love too take the time and fill in all the holes in the engine bay as well as give it a nice fresh coat of paint while the engines out. its not gonna happen though.
Thunderjet and Demented....very nice, guys. Exceptionally clean. Props to you! :bowdown: :bowdown:
i have a question im gonna be getting my dads 88 thunderbird turbo coupe in a few years about 2 once i get my license. im gonna be doning a build of the spare 2.3 we hav in my basp00get. should i get the car early from him, and re do the engine bay before i drop in the new redone motor or just say the hell with it
Take note young one!
Translation
I have a question, I'm going to be getting my dads 88 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe in about 2 years when I get my license. I'm planning on rebuilding a spare 2.3 I have in my basp00get. Should I get the car now and clean up the engine bay before I pull the current engine and install the new one? Or should I just do it all at once when the new motor is ready?
Oh and my reply
I would just wait and do it all at once because a dirty k member doesn't look good below a clean engine.
hey here is some old pics of what my motor looked like before i had it painted.... that is an old pic of it painted to ... it dont look like that now ... ill take a pic of what it looks like now eventually :)
Hey Yea Ive Been Planing The Same Thing But I Have Nothing To Cover Just A Lot Of Hole's Where Stuff Once Was I Would Also Use The Flat Hood Locks To Mount The Cover To The Fenders
I see you have no heater hoses running to the heater core. I'm not the only one! I removed the heater core in my t-bird and all the surrounding plastics. I'll have a EFI 351 In the t-bird by the end of this summer, So I think that will make three of us with 'em...