Comming soon to the Restoration Forum

Discussion in 'Cosmetic & Restoration' started by tbirdsps, Apr 24, 2009.

  1. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

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    That's a good deal, for sure.

    Why not the steering wheel? Was it just stubborn to come off or what?
     
  2. tbirdsps

    tbirdsps New Member Charter Member

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    He won't sell the steering wheels separately from the steering column.:confused:
     
  3. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

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    I kinda get that. Too many folks go in with a prybar and a couple hammers and wreck the car for a wheel.

    With your 'experience', he could give you a discount for taking out the other good parts. :evilsmile::biglaugh:
     
  4. tbirdsps

    tbirdsps New Member Charter Member

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    I ordered the SEM paint today for my interior restoration. 3:30 PM eastern time and it shipped already! Immediate response from them. Close to immediate shipping.

    http://www.vinylprosem.com/

    :party3::victory::chirp::wow:
     
  5. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

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    When you're hot, you're HOT!!;)
     
  6. tbirdsps

    tbirdsps New Member Charter Member

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    I received the paint yesterday via FedEx. Now the real work starts. I'll open a new thread with pictures soon. It's going to take me a couple of dedicated weekends to do the swap. I have to install the seat rails from my car on the "new" seats as the drivers seat was powered on the salvaged seats and I'm keeping the manual seat and the passenger seat rails were all rusty and missing a couple of bits.

    Last weekend I cleaned the upholstery and all the plastic parts in preparation for the painting. Oxy Clean in the carpet cleaner with the upholstery attachment works fantastic by the way. I have no headliner work as I repaired that a couple of years ago. It will basically be old parts out refinished parts in. But I'm stuck with a whole interior that I have to store. It takes up a whole lot of space. No basement at my house. That's the downside of a modern California construction. Basements here are rare.

    Brandy new steering wheel soon too. NOS. It's black with black leather rim. I'm leaving it black. Stormin's new wheel looks great in black. It has the cruise control buttons on it too. I'm working on a trade. Bartering works for me as I'm oh so very cheap.:dance:

    If you can't tell I'm very excited to get the interior new. Almost.
     
  7. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

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    Wow! Nice to hear about the progress. That Oxy Clean is great stuff.

    Why don't get one of the other LTD II wagons and make a trailer out of it? Store all the spare parts in that!:rofl2:
     
  8. tbirdsps

    tbirdsps New Member Charter Member

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    You're a card Norm.:(
     
  9. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

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    I know. The folks got a raw a deal when I came along.;)
     
  10. tbirdsps

    tbirdsps New Member Charter Member

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    ThunderCat

    Remember this? I tend to get motivated when the temperature cools down. Apparently it's always been a phased project and I didn't realize it myself.

    The blue items are done. Now the red items are back on the to do list. I'm just really tired of the old carb technology and 70's era emissions controls. One of the time saving things I'm considering is to unbolt the K members of both cars and lift the body off the engine/tranny/K member instead of removing those items individually. I'll look again but I think I just need to undo the struts at the control arms. A two ton high lift engine hoist ought to do the trick. There will be some regasketing of the donor engine before the install so it will really be done first. Rape the donor car before the Cougar comes apart.

    The only de-motivator is the same removal tasks on two cars.:banghead3:

    BLUE=DONE
    RED=to accomplish

    GREEN=sometime later

    Cougar:
    Remove and sell the inline six and C5 automatic tranny.
    Clean and paint under the hood.
    Remove the complete fuel system and possibly sell the tank/float combo.
    Remove the dash and possibly sell.
    Remove all underhood and under dash wiring harness.
    Remove all the exterior chrome/stainless/aluminum.
    Paint the car top to bottom.
    Gut the interior.
    Install new interior from 1984 LTD and paint.

    From the donor car. 1986 Thunderbird CFI 3.8 liter with the same C5 tranny.
    Install all engine and emission control wire harness to include the EC computer and underdash wiring.
    Install the K member, engine and transmission.
    Install the fuel tank and all hoses and fuel lines. (this will require the deletion of the spare tire well in the wagon.) The tbird tank is 20 gallons and set up for the electric fuel pump. I think I can still have the spare tire well only shallower as I have a mini-spare. I may modify this task and use an LTD wagon tank. Fits better. I'm just not sure of the Tbird pump/float combo fitting the LTD tank.
    Redye and install the 86 Tbird dash.
    Install new upholstery whole new interior from 1984 LTD.
    clean repair and repaint interior plastics and door panels.
    Install dual exhaust fromt the catalytic converter back.
    Install Tbird steering column and steering wheel.
    Install and recharge the a/c from the tbird.

    Get California to inspect and certify for emissions controls. Those requirements are:
    1. transplant engines must be from the same year or newer vehicle.
    2. same type e.g. Car engine to car. No truck to car transplants or car to truck.
    3. Emission controls must be maintained on the donor engine.
    4. Engine source must be from a Ca. emissions compliant vehicle.

    Since the VIN is on the dash there's some paperwork to do to install the original VIN on the donor dashboard.

    I guess it will be a ThunderCat.:thumbs2:
     
  11. silverfox

    silverfox New Member

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    Yup. I remember, TB. Better you than me doing all that work! Dunno about that engine hoist idea...................
     
  12. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

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    Is the TBird an EFI Turbo setup? Sounds like I'm going to drool thru that swap.

    I'm pretty sure the tank from the LTD wagon is the same, but a Mustang/Capri TBI tank would work too. Alternately you could use an external pump?

    Check here in their e-catalogue:
    http://www.spectrapremium.com/spectra.html

    Then you can buy direct or from:
    http://www.quantaproducts.com/home.asp

    This tank should do. It's a Wagon tank. Look at all the cars it covers. With or without an engine-mounted pump.
    http://www.quantaproducts.com/prodinfo.asp?number=F-2B
     
    Last edited: Nov 20, 2009
  13. tbirdsps

    tbirdsps New Member Charter Member

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    Foiled again

    It is not meant to be. #3 and #5 have low compression. Appears to be valves as oil in the cylinder does not bring up the compression. All other cylinders are 155 and these two are 110. No wonder it has a bit of unsteady idle. I thought it was just carbon under the throttle body and a tune up needed. I don't believe it's a head gasket issue or for sure water would be disappearing. They are adjacent cylinders though.:banghead3:

    My car apparently is only meant to have the inline six. At #235 per head plus valve it's not worth fixing in my opinion.
     
  14. silverfox

    silverfox New Member

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    Bummer, TB. I would still pull that head and look at the gasket. They can fool you. Although, oil in the cylinder should have helped.
     
    Last edited: Nov 24, 2009

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