Regrouping again. The 86 Bird is out, the 92 Bird is in. There is a valid reason for the flip. The 92 has 20k on the engine and the tranny is freshly serviced and leak fixed. The 86 has 107k on the engine, the a/c doesn't work, needs heater core, radio etc. etc. etc. So my list for the 92 is: 1. Complete new front suspension: $624.00 2. Two new rear view mirrors: $ 88.00 3. Rear bumper strip: $ 17.50 4. Fuel pump, sender, strainer etc. $100.00 $875 is half the cost of all the work required for the 86. Then I can think of new 17" wheels and tires.
It hasn't been a driver for almost 2 years. I may try to sell it as a project or part it out but just the basics will cost about 1600 bucks and it's just a whole lot more labor to get it right. The 92 has a great Kenwood stereo system that we put in a few years ago. Temp controlled a/c and heat. Leather, power and is a whole lot nicer. I've had a hate relationship with it due to the totally worn out front suspension. It almost drives itself without regard to steering input. Back to the whale reference.It does need paint on the front bumper. My big problem is it's 5 inches wider than the 86. I've never been a fan of large cars but when it was young it handled mountain twisties fantasticly with the IRS in back.
IRS= Independent rear suspension. He says with a straigt face.... You do know those visors and light are a direct bolt in to the 92.
I got my front spring/shock assys yesterday. No wonder cars are so heavy. Those Bast**ds are heavy. Two in a box and I could hardly move it. They are purdy. Hopefully the upper and lower control arms will come today.
I should have the control arms today along with the sway bar links. On the MN-12 Tbird those sway bar links have a ball type joint on each end. No wonder they are $40 each.
You sound like the Coyote getting his stuff from ACME to nuke the Roadrunner... I guess we all do, at one time or another.
I got the suspension all replaced last week. Now it'll need an alignment. The mechanic estimated 6 hours, I got it all done in 7.5. Not bad for a hack. I even got the visors in and the new outside mirrors. It's been too cold to lay on the concrete floor to do the fuel pump and sender unit. All in all it went well. The only thing I had to hammer was the lower ball joints to get them to release from the spindle. Everything else came apart real well. It's nice not having salt on the roads and rust..eh! I saved $678 labor.
