I have decided to keep the bird.

Topic: I have decided to keep the bird. (Read 1695 times) previous topic - next topic

I have decided to keep the bird.

November 15, 2010, 09:51:08 PM

So, some of you may remember my thread on trading cars, well I have given up on giving up on my car. I have found that oriley's (New to us on the west side, bought out checker) now carries some struts for our cars for $44 each. That makes it quite a bit more cost effective for me to keep my car then to get rid of it. In the last couple of months, I have only been able to find a handful of cars in my price range, and they all needed about the same work as mine to keep it on the road.

I managed to get the crownvic all done and on the road. Runs fine, and so far no problems out of it. My registration expires at the end of this month. I plan on pulling the car apart, and doing some suspension work. I can now replace inner and outer tie rods, both front struts, and both rear shocks, with new swaybar end links, for about the same price as ONE shock from autozone. That was more then a deal breaker for me. I was actually considering going foxless and getting another crownvic, except as a 2 door to replace this car.

While I have the car apart, I am going to put new wheel bearings, and a new spindle on the drivers side to replace the one I think is bad. It has been eating a wheel bearing about every 10,000 miles, no matter what I do to it. This was very evident in the last year, when I put around 40k on the car. Its time to start liking my car again.

I am also going to make some new motor mounts for the car. I really want chucks mounts, but it is outside of my budget. I am going to probably just put a metal spacer in the space of the motor mounts, with some larger all-thread, or a bolt, to make sure that it will pass saftey. motor mounts have to hold the motor. After that, I will swap in my "new" ones from my last motor, and weld a chain on each side of the motor as a limiting strap to make sure that it will not tear again.

The car needs an oil change, and spark plugs. Might do fuel filter. Going to swap tires from my old neon onto the bird, and swap the tires off my car onto the crownvic. I will probably not swapping the H.O. motor in anytime in the immediate future, but I want to have it all ready to go by spring. All I need for the swap would be a bigger fuel pump. I am also going to try to address the front headerpanel and head lights issue while I am at it. Hopefully I can had some sort of bird front dressing ready too.

All and all, its good to feel like I can keep this car, so I think I will.

I have decided to keep the bird.

Reply #1 – November 15, 2010, 10:14:34 PM

A member her has a set of Chucks mounts listed for $50

http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/showthread.php?29503-Parting-my-88-Sport-in-the-weeks-to-come...PICS-ADDED-9-26!!!/page3

see post #28

I have decided to keep the bird.

Reply #2 – November 16, 2010, 06:55:03 AM

Glad to hear you're back with the Bird. Personally,I'd swap the entire steering rack instead of just the inner and outer rods. Yes,it'll cost a little more,but if the inner and outer rods are needing to be swapped,there's no telling how much wear the rack has internally. Swap it all at once and do it right the first time. I did the rack,control arms,strut mount,and all suspension work up front on the same day. That way, I'm not taking anything apart I just put back together. Make a plan,gather your parts, then hit it. Otherwise you end up with a lot of wasted time and money,and a job that never was done right to begin with. Good luck and I hope you get the bird in shape by spring.

I have decided to keep the bird.

Reply #3 – November 16, 2010, 06:55:00 PM

steering rack was replaced when I bought the car. I found out my leak was not a cracked housing, just a loose line. Fixed now. Basically, I am only doing the tie rods because I am doing the struts, springs, wheel bearings, and spindle. I figure I will need to get an alignment after the struts, and I might as well do the tie rods with the whole front end torn off. I will probably also do my oilpan gasket and motor mounts.

Thanks for the heads up on the chuck motor mounts, but it really is not in the budget right now.

I have decided to keep the bird.

Reply #4 – November 16, 2010, 10:56:59 PM

Good luck.Keep us posted and grab a few pics.

I have decided to keep the bird.

Reply #5 – November 17, 2010, 02:39:52 PM

I got 2 spindles, your welcome to, pay the shipping there yours.

I have decided to keep the bird.

Reply #6 – November 17, 2010, 09:38:19 PM

Thanks kits, I have been more then pleased with what I have bought from you in the past, but I already have another car for the spindles. I am trying to talk myself out of the 11" front brakes right now. I just put new rotors on, and what to wear them down a bit.

I have decided to keep the bird.

Reply #7 – December 06, 2010, 02:40:36 AM

So, just for my own clearification before I forget, I am updating this thread. The SN-95 t-5's behind the v-6 will bolt right in. All you have to do is use the 94-95 bellhousing from a gt, and get the same clutch. Everything else is the same. It will just move the shifter back 3/4". This is an upgrade that I want to do in the future, and might just do that around tax time.

The bird is parked temporarly. mostly because I am not sure that it will pass saftey with how bad the motor mounts are, and how the suspension is. Even if it passed the state saftey inspection, I think it is something that should be fixed before I drive it. I will be putting alittle bit of money into the crownvic to ensure that it is and will stay road ready for the next couple of weeks before I get to the bird.

I have decided to keep the bird.

Reply #8 – December 06, 2010, 07:52:28 AM

I van send you brand new motor mount cushions for $45.00

I have decided to keep the bird.

Reply #9 – December 06, 2010, 11:55:36 PM

I already purchased them, thanks though. Those 24#ers will be in the mail on wend-say for sure.

I have decided to keep the bird.

Reply #10 – December 11, 2010, 11:43:23 AM

Quote from: Haystack;344679

The SN-95 t-5's behind the v-6 will bolt right in. All you have to do is use the 94-95 bellhousing from a gt, and get the same clutch. Everything else is the same. It will just move the shifter back 3/4". This is an upgrade that I want to do in the future, and might just do that around tax time.

Are you sure about that? The shifter location on the Tbirds is 3-4 inches farther back than the SN95's and fox's. I don't think it's a bolt in. You will need a major shifter modification to get the shifter right.

http://tccoa.com/articles/tranny/tranny-swap/index.shtml

http://tccoa.com/articles/tranny/transwap.html

There are other manual trans swap articles in that same area

I have decided to keep the bird.

Reply #11 – December 11, 2010, 12:20:36 PM

Quote from: xjeffs;345278

Are you sure about that? The shifter location on the Tbirds is 3-4 inches farther back than the SN95's and fox's. I don't think it's a bolt in. You will need a major shifter modification to get the shifter right.

http://tccoa.com/articles/tranny/tranny-swap/index.shtml

http://tccoa.com/articles/tranny/transwap.html

There are other manual trans swap articles in that same area

Those are MN-12 specific. Unless I'm mistaken, Haystack has a Fox car & the info can be found @ http://www.coolcats.net/tech/advanced/t5_conversion.html although it is for the V-8 cars ...

I have decided to keep the bird.

Reply #12 – December 13, 2010, 12:06:43 AM

The sn-95's (read, 94-95gt's and 94up v-6's), the bellhousing and input shaft is 3/4" longer then the fox's. Even the 94 up v-6 has a 93 cobra spec tranny, and all you need to make it work in a fox is a 94-95 gt bellhousing and clutch. This was just something I wanted written down somehwere that I found out. It will move the shifter back about 3/4", but I don't think it will be too big of a deal with the way I would do it. There isn't a hole in the floor yet, so I could move it back some.

I have decided to keep the bird.

Reply #13 – December 21, 2010, 12:01:00 AM

Couple of updates here. I am going to use the Mark VII rear I have. It is currently mustang width. I might just go to 5-lugs. It would be easier to upgrade to 16" rims when it comes time to buy tires. I think I am going to do a 5 lug swap on front, fix the suspension and get new tires. I also think that it is time to cut the radiator support and bumper mounts off and weld on a new front end. I think I am just going to downgrade to an 85-86 thunderbird bumper/grill and run the old style headlights. I am also going to wire the lights in with a relay to take the load off the headlight switch.

Maybe do a 3g upgrade and start putting my other motor together.