Winter Projects...let's hear em!

[Blown306]

On the slate for this winter:

• Dropping the entire IRS, welding and boxing it up.
• Upgrade halfshafts
• Upgrade driveshaft
• Finish my hammer shifter install (replace the trans linkage and gear indicator light)
• Rebuild the 8.8 on the Bird with 3.73's and aftermarket trac-loc
• Rebuild the 8.8 on the Mark with 4.10's
• Remove the already disconnected smog pump and cut off the bracket
• Remove the disconnected air conditioner stuff and cut off the bracket
• Install aluminum radiator and electric fan(s)
• Investigate aftermarket bracket for the alternator
• Investigate converting to manual steering
• Redo belt routing (again)
• Finish building the air box
• Finish WBo2, mount bung and install
• Remove NOS kit (to install in the Mark in the spring)

I still have the fuel system to do, but I don't know if I'll have enough dough to get that stuff done. If so, I'll also be plumbing in new fuel lines, rails, pump, regulator, filters and cell.

What's everyone else's plans?

 

[Aaron_T]

Nitrous - very very soon
255lph fuel pump
get my chip reburned w/ dual programming
new driveshaft
finish my exhaust
new throttle body - From 02' Stang, or maybe aftermarket
possibly headers

that's about for the 97'

as for the 95' finish the body work, and fix the powerseering, may need a new rack.

All in all not too much, just kinda costly.

 

[Embalmer]

Hopefully we get our g/p on springs soon. I plan to install the springs, new struts, upper control arms and an alignment. I spent the big bucks last winter with the new heads. Well worth it, though. :thumbsup:

 

[VicRattlehead]

stuff to do this winter not in exact order.

• re-install Nitrous and get it working. Done!
• cams
• upper and if there is one a lower intake (looking at the fox lake intake)
• slicks and skinnies
• k-member
• springs/shocks
• mmx driveshaft from dennis
• fuel pump
• injectors
• new tune
• info center
• start gutting interior
• kooks headers
• finish the front half of the exhaust and replace the H with an X pipe
• paint

 

[TwoToneFreak]

Finish my friends 88 notch project, finish my new engine, repaint my car, repaint friends 88 hatch and get roll bar and suspension make over done.

 

[bbp42d]

get the car repainted
alum heads
9 pd pulley
just ran out of money:coolman:

 

[Blown306]

Well, I got the differential swap done in the Lincoln, it temporarily has a T-Bird cast iron 3.27 open in it now. A couple of things I've learned:

1) It's a PITA to swap the pumpkins on the Mark...the tire, brakes, spindles and half shafts all need to be removed seperately...one lower spindle bolt gets hung up on the halfshaft, so it can't be removed without pressing out the halfshaft from the hub.

2) The aluminum center section is WAY lighter than the T-Bird cast iron pig.

3) I originally had 3.07's in the car! I thought all the Bird/Cougar/Lincolns had 3.08's or 3.27's. Something new learned every day. No wonder it couldn't get out of the hole...best 60' on crappy street tires: 2.262 with no spinning.

4) The car responded excellent going to 3.27's, noticable SOTP improvement...the 4.10 trac-loc should be absolutely wicked :burnout:

Now I'm motivated to get the gear swap done and back in the car! Almost got one thing crossed off the list...

 

[VicRattlehead]

one more thing checked off the list, 3 more things added to the list.

• re-install Nitrous and get it working. Done!
• cams (Comp XE268H or XE274H)
• forged flattop pistons by diamond racing
• JE rods forged
• P-n-P my NPI heads
• upper and if there is one a lower intake (looking at the fox lake intake)
• slicks and skinnies
• k-member
• springs/shocks
• mmx driveshaft from dennis
• fuel pump
• injectors purchased waiting on tune to install
• new tune (Superchips Custom Tuning softwear)
• info center Done!
• start gutting interior
• kooks headers
• finish the front half of the exhaust and replace the H with an X pipe
• paint

 

[RickieFrat]

My plans;

* Install new struts - shocks - springs
* Convert bolt patern from 4.25 to 4.5 to accept Stang rims.
* Tint
* Thinking of loud sound system

I know there will be more. As for the suspension ....... I have no clue what brand I wanna go with. This is my budget car so I don't wanna spend alot. I have tooooo much chit to install in the Stang with more on the way. The Stang has been put away for the win-tah and this is now my daily driver till the summer.

 

[SnakedMark8]

Jeff,

There must be something out of whack with your IRS if you couldn't change out the rear without removing all that.

I did my Mark with one hand, the right one was in a cast.

After dropping the exhaust I pulled one wheel, removed the 3 bolts holding the knuckle assembly. Then pulled the emergency brake cable and mount for the brake line. Then pulled on the whole assembly and the shaft and all came out from the center section. Unbolted the center section and dropped it down and the other shaft comes out. Install in reverse.

 

[Tydlwavs]

Well, I have quite a bit ahead of me this winter...

Remove the old Romeo motor(5 bolts left)
Order my TC
Order my MK8 pan, frpp oil pump and MK8 pick-up
Order my 3.73 rear end


INSTALL what I've been sitting on for a while:
2002 GT longblock
2001 Bullitt Intake
Upgrade the valve body again
New BS stuff like motor mounts and sway bars
Metal Matrix Driveshaft
2003 Cobra Radiator/Fan assembly
New carpet
New front seats
wire new gauges(optional)
complete interior trim refreshening
re-work the rear of the exhaust(last thing)

Shooting for much improved times in 2004 and looking to have a LOT of fun running NMRA in the summer.

 

[Art M.]

My winter project fixing an oil leak

Well it didn’t started that way, but things usually never do.
I took my car to the shop to get an oil leak fix; it was coming from the oil pan and the oil pressure sensor. The sensor wasn’t a big deal, but the engine had to come out to fix the oil pan leak. When the engine was taken out we discovered the engine mounts, sway bar bushings and front strut rod bushings were shot, I figured the rest of the suspension couldn’t be far behind. I decided to take the plunge and order the front suspension polyurethane bushing kit from MN12 performance, along with the solid rubber engine, and tranny mounts and the cross member poly bushings.
It was a good thing too because when they took the suspension apart we found out the ball joints and sway bar end links were also toasted, which meant new upper control arms had to be bought.
Also a brass plug was rusted through, so I had those and the main seals changed.
Mid January I will be doing the rear suspension on poly bushings, along with the FRPP rear-end and chassis braces, unless my radiator starts leaking, but I guess a griffin rad could take care of that .

Art M.

 

[Blown306]

Hey, I think I know who this is ;-) Welcome! It's been awhile, I need an off-line update on your situation if you get a chance, been wondering abou it.

I'll have to take a pic of the problem I had in order to illustrate it for you, but I'll try and explain what happened. The lower bolts holding the spindles on have a very wide head with the 'star' socket in them (t-45 or t-50). They were installed both pointing the same way i.e. one was on the outside of the spindle, the other was on the inside...well, the one on the inside could not be removed without pressing the half shaft out because it hits the shaft at the large part near the hub. There was no way of removing the spindle because of that one lower bolt. To me, it would have been better with the head parts of the bolts on the outside of the spindle (one facing forward, the other facing backwards with the nuts on the inside, then I could have removed them without popping the halfshaft).

I wasn't sure if it was critical or not, so I put them back in the same way they came out...prolly shouldn't have done it that way...oh well. The t-bird was nothing like that, I believe it had regular hex bolts on the lowers, but it's been awhile. I do know that I didn't have to remove the shaft in order to remove the spindles...

Originally posted by SnakedMark8
Jeff,

There must be something out of whack with your IRS if you couldn't change out the rear without removing all that.

I did my Mark with one hand, the right one was in a cast.

After dropping the exhaust I pulled one wheel, removed the 3 bolts holding the knuckle assembly. Then pulled the emergency brake cable and mount for the brake line. Then pulled on the whole assembly and the shaft and all came out from the center section. Unbolted the center section and dropped it down and the other shaft comes out. Install in reverse.

 

[VicRattlehead]

whats done....

• re-install Nitrous and get it working. Done!
• Injectorspurchased waiting on tune to install
• info center Done!

whats not...
well as with everything, plans have changed.

• cams (Comp XE268H or XE274H)
• P-n-P my NPI heads
• upper and if there is one a lower intake (looking at the fox lake intake)
• slicks and skinnies
• k-member
• springs/shocks
• mmx driveshaft from dennis
• fuel pump
• new tune (Superchips Custom Tuning softwear)
• start gutting interior
• --k-o-o-k-s--h-e-a-d-e-r-s-- SHM TBird FULL LENGHT LONGTUBES!!!
• finish the front half of the exhaust and replace the H with an X pipe (gonna fix this once i get the longtubes)
• paint

i keep adding more stuff before i finish the last items. oh well.

 

[Blown306]

:lol: EXACTLY why our cars NEVER get finished! There's always something better/stronger/faster coming out!

 

[Art M.]

me and my big mouth

Well it happened, my car is back together and my mechanic tells me I have a radiator leak, well I guess I´ll be buying a new giffin rad, Only place I can think off right now is super coupe performance, any other ideas, keep in mind the place has to ship to Mexico.
Art M.

 

[Shawn40th]

My winter project is keeping my only car (the tbird) out of any ditches in Maine winter. It hasnt been too bad yet this winter so we are on a lucky streak.

 

[96tbird]

Winter is almost over (well here in TN anyway). I guess it about time to find out about spring projects. I did my springs, shocks, and airbags this winter. I also purchased new engine mounts, crossmember mounts, and tranny mounts from MN12performance as well as frpp 4.10 gears. I just have a couple thousand more to spend before the REAL spending begins. Its pretty bad that you have to spend money to get ready to spend more money. I just wanted to have the drivetrain upgraded before I really upgraded the engine.


Russell

 

[91HellCat]

My spring projects will begin soon. A new mildly built AOD is replacing the 250k mile worn to hell AOD in the car now. Also putting in a new 5.0 with a custom cam, ported E7s, and Cobra intake which is replacing the 250k mile 5.0 in it now. Lastly, a set of 4.10 motorsport gears will be thrown in. Hopefully it will all be done in time for FFW.

 

[Aaron_T]

Damn been a grip since I checked this site out.

Since my car was undercover this winter, I haven't yet I got a chance to do anything to it. I pulled it out on Sunday, then it snowed again Sunday night and everyday up to now

Anyways, need to install the nitrous kit, fuel pump, misc. stuff for the nitrous.
Now I need to order a d/s, 75mm throttle body, upper plenum, rest of exhaust, and new tunes for my chip before mother's day (when track opens).