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Topic: 87 "coug" resto winter project (Read 104772 times) previous topic - next topic

87 "coug" resto winter project

Reply #195 –
Cat door is almost done. Seeing as before it looked like like a saw, I'd say we did good.

There's a few imperfections left to address, but that can be handled tomorrow lol

87 "coug" resto winter project

Reply #196 –
ITS ALIVE.... Well... Not really. But the door is done lol

87 "coug" resto winter project

Reply #197 –
We have been working spare hours in the evenings making slow progress on body parts and painting the undersides and such.
We drilled drain holes in our new home made core support and now are ready to mount the condenser and radiator mounting brackets to it.

Yesterday I re-enforced the sub frame connectors as shown below.
I fumbled through some spare hardware and came up with a decent solution .. see pics.
If you have to bolt in sub frames in the rear , use the big oval hole in the rear to sneak in and drop in your new bolt.  We used carriage bolts so later on if removed its easier work.
The bolts under the front seats will have the carpet cut so there is an access flap.

87 "coug" resto winter project

Reply #198 –
a few more shots of sub frame bolting

and of course don't forget torque marking

87 "coug" resto winter project

Reply #199 –
last shot, rear bolting hardware

you can see the big oval hole I spoke of on the pass side, use this opening to drop in your bolt.

I know we welded but I wanted to be extra sure that if or when they break, the sub frame stays on the car.

87 "coug" resto winter project

Reply #200 –
The bolts are extra insurance but probably not needed. If you break the welds off the subframe connectors you have bigger problems than them falling off ;).
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

87 "coug" resto winter project

Reply #201 –
core support rad & condenser supports fit tested,, painted them and they are drying now

im calculating with this lower core support im going to be putting the fan blades about 1/2'' closer to the radiator.

87 "coug" resto winter project

Reply #202 –
cant seem to find where I put the upper condenser mounts... im confussed.

87 "coug" resto winter project

Reply #203 –
What the heck's wrong with this picture

87 "coug" resto winter project

Reply #204 –
Can we say ball joint is wrong

87 "coug" resto winter project

Reply #205 –
wow, a lot of hard work going into this build, one option I did not see here was take your stock HO cams to a cam shop and make it to your specs.. can any one tell me if the stock 3.8 cross member work for a V8 build, I have a 351W from a 4x4 was told the pan will work... and have the mustang 351 swap headers. so any advise would be great. look forward to see more progress here and the finished product.
 

87 "coug" resto winter project

Reply #206 –
Scott, those are SN95 ball joints. I thought you guys were going 5 lug....

tugsnipe, the crossmember is the same for all the engines, you need mounts respective to the engine, ie, 3.8 mounts are different than the 2,3 and 5.0, etc.

The 4x4 351w pan WILL NOT work in a Fox car, I don't know who told you it would but I'd ed sure not take any more advice from them.

To put a 351w in a Fox you'll need the special pan, summit and jegs both have it. The Mustang swap headers will work, might need to get a MFH (as opposed to a BFH) to tweak the driver header a bit in regards to the steering shaft...



Scott, if you guys are keeping 4 lug stuff, you'll need to pop those ball joints and get the longer Fox ball joints. Keep those though, they're pretty new. ;)
'98 Explorer 5.0
'20 Malibu (I know, Chevy, but, 35MPG. Let's go brandon, eh)

87 "coug" resto winter project

Reply #207 –
new ball joints in,, 
I honestly let these CA arms lay around for months now and just noticed when the spindle went on.  I purchased the CA's from here, my fault for not noticing, no biggie,

doing spring installs next, trying to get it to be a roller out the door to our painting tent next.

we cant go 5lug yet,, we got 5 lugs stuff for my oldest boys Tbird but not installed yet.

87 "coug" resto winter project

Reply #208 –
Quote from: ThunderbirdSport302;451129
Scott, those are SN95 ball joints. I thought you guys were going 5 lug....

tugsnipe, the crossmember is the same for all the engines, you need mounts respective to the engine, ie, 3.8 mounts are different than the 2,3 and 5.0, etc.

The 4x4 351w pan WILL NOT work in a Fox car, I don't know who told you it would but I'd ed sure not take any more advice from them.

To put a 351w in a Fox you'll need the special pan, summit and jegs both have it. The Mustang swap headers will work, might need to get a MFH (as opposed to a BFH) to tweak the driver header a bit in regards to the steering shaft...



Scott, if you guys are keeping 4 lug stuff, you'll need to pop those ball joints and get the longer Fox ball joints. Keep those though, they're pretty new. ;)

I have the FRPP 03-04 Cobra replacement front control arms on my Thunderbird with the 03-04 Cobra ball joints and the stock Thunderbird spindles. How? I just took the factory spindles to a local machine shop and had them mill about 1/8" off the pad where the ball joint nut sits. I was then able to use the factory nylock nut on the ball joint. It's been like that for the past seven years with no issue. I painted a stripe on the spindle and lock nut and it hasn't moved at all in that time. It as actually cheaper than replacing the ball joint plus I got to use the nice new style low friction ball joints with no grease fittings.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

87 "coug" resto winter project

Reply #209 –
I saw that possibility to,,, nice work,  there is a significant amount of meat on the top side spindle area you mention available to sacrifice to meet the middle road of sn95 ball joints & stock.  I was falling short just as you said but 1/8'' is skinny compared to what I was seeing.  Looked more like 1/2'' yet I bet your right ,  I was guestimating 1/4'' was needed taken off the spindle mount to make the cotter pin show up correctly.  Yet that all really depends mostly on your castle nut design and such,, there are about 4 of them ive seen to choose from.
one of them is really  tall,,, then theres a shorter one.
I didn't mention it to chance though,, im not sure he would have bought off on it because he thinks structural all the time.  He has a good head on his shoulders and is skeptical by nature and understandably so when it come to his new baby he's going to end up owning.