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Topic: 88 bird tubular k member help (Read 3830 times) previous topic - next topic

88 bird tubular k member help

after doing several searches and finding a lot of conflicting info i decided i would start my own thread.  i realize that i may need shims or to elongate some holes to get the k to fit and i'm ok with that.  what i'm concerned about is everything else.  i won't be using aftermarket arms.  will the stock tbird arms work?  tie rods?  spindles?  motor mounts?  i want to keep the wheels in the same location and i also want to stay four lug.  my only reason for the tubular k is more room for routing the downpipe.

88 bird tubular k member help

Reply #1 –
Quote from: jridenour31;336455
after doing several searches and finding a lot of conflicting info i decided i would start my own thread.  i realize that i may need shims or to elongate some holes to get the k to fit and i'm ok with that.  what i'm concerned about is everything else.  i won't be using aftermarket arms.  will the stock tbird arms work?  tie rods?  spindles?  motor mounts?  i want to keep the wheels in the same location and i also want to stay four lug.  my only reason for the tubular k is more room for routing the downpipe.

stock control arms: yes, will work.
as will tie rod ends, spindles, but engine mount brackets will most likely be a Mustang specific application. Yours is a TC, no? Get some LX (2.3) mounts, good to go.

Hope this helps. :D

BTW, neighbor, where in Missouri are you?
'98 Explorer 5.0
'20 Malibu (I know, Chevy, but, 35MPG. Let's go brandon, eh)

88 bird tubular k member help

Reply #2 –
it's actually a 5.0 car, i don't know if they're all sports or not, lol i'm a mustang guy.  i'm either in st. peters or clarksville, just depends on the week lol.  i guess a set of solid mustang mounts will do the trick.  i'm assuming the distance between the control arm mounting points are the same on the thunderbird k as they are on a mustang k?  i just want to be absolutely sure this is going to work before i start ordering parts.

88 bird tubular k member help

Reply #4 –
lol i searched and searched and found pretty much nothing useful.  i guess i need to figure out what control arms, tie rods, and everything to use.

88 bird tubular k member help

Reply #5 –
Well, your 87-88 control arms are the same length as the 94-04 Mustang ones. 

The control arm mount locations on the 87-88 TBirds has shown to be very close to those of the 96-04 Mustangs.

Take it for what it is and do some research on the K-member you want to use.

You say "more room for routing the downpipe".  You building a turbo V8?
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo - '85 Marquis LTS - '86 LTD Wagon-  '81 Granada GL 2dr

88 bird tubular k member help

Reply #6 –
perfect, that's exactly what i was hoping to hear.  i'll be ordering a tubular k in a couple weeks.  yes i'm building a turbo 302.  i had an 88 gt with a turbo that ran pretty good on 9 lbs. so i'm hoping this runs just as well.  already have my motor built and ready to go.

88 bird tubular k member help

Reply #7 –
i would also suggest some careful research into whichever k-member you are actually planning to use. different manufactures may do different things with suspension pick up locations depending on the intended usage, and whatever they feel like doing.

my setup is tubular k-member for a fox with sn95 length control arms in an 87 tbird. i run a +40 offset on 8" wide wheels to keep the tires under the fenders(barely). i also have extended tie-rod ends on the factory tbird rack to reach my 94 spindles.
gumby - beauty may fade, but stupid is forever!

88 bird tubular k member help

Reply #8 –
at the moment i'm looking into the aje or pa.  the car will be on skinnys all the time and as long as they don't rub i'll be happy.

88 bird tubular k member help

Reply #9 –
anyone have any info on Griggs K-frams fitment?  I have a tubular fox Mustang Griggs k-frame,  and want to use on an '83 TC.

88 bird tubular k member help

Reply #10 –
Well I got a little carried away.  I ordered an entire tubular front end from Team Z.  This whole build has really snowballed.

88 bird tubular k member help

Reply #11 –
Quote from: jridenour31;354244
Well I got a little carried away.  I ordered an entire tubular front end from Team Z.  This whole build has really snowballed.

Yeah. That'll happen. Keep us posted on your build.
 

88 bird tubular k member help

Reply #12 –
will do, guess i need to start a build thread.