'88 Fox T-bird progress

[Dan B.]

With the crappy weather going on outside I went to the garage last night to get a few things done.

Yanked the incredibly pathetic 150hp SO 5.0L and AOD last night.....started at about 5PM, worked at a leisurely pace, even spent some time helping my bro-in-law finish his 429CJ '68 F-100 (....again....and probably not the last time) and was scrubbed up and setting in the house at 9PM.

Going to pressure wash the engine bay and give it a fresh coat of paint next. Also gonna clean up some minor scale and rust on the unibody rails

Now I need to swap over the SO accessory drive to my '88 GT HO motor and bolt on the T5 then drop them in together. If funds allowed (or the right deal came up....hint, hint...who's got a good deal for sale! ;) ) I'd like to swap heads and intake, even Cobra intake/GT40 heads, before dropping the HO motor in.

Also would really like to ditch the smog pump and junk but going to keep it fully emission compliant (my area requires a visual emissions inspection). Just not looking forward to the pedal swap.....everyone says that's the toughest part of the entire install. So, if you are 2' tall or know anyone that is and like to do a stick shift pedal swap, send me a PM!

Not trying to build an 11 second car, just a nice cruiser with more power than stock, handles great and has A/C.

[Martin0660]

Just not looking forward to the pedal swap.....

Are you doing a fox cable set-up or the 87/88 t-Bird hydraulic set-up?

Either way, I suggest just pulling the dash. It's not that hard on a t-bird, then do a heater core swap while you are there ;)

[Dan B.]

Fox cable.....

[HOTMARK7]

did this on my mark 7, pull front seat and drop steering column, no need to pull entire dash unless you need a new heater core. When I say pull column, I mean pull, dont just lower, disconnect joint and completely pull from car.

[Dan B.]

Never pulled a dash.....how miserable is that? May as well do it while under construction......and....I need to do a heater core the wife's fox'stang......uck.

[HOTMARK7]

not fun, I pulled mine last year, unbolt as much as possible and pull out the passenger side to gain access, basically pull it away from windshield enough to get to the core, no need to undo wiring on driver side.

[bluenotch]

I did the pedal swap in my notch. I didn't have to pull the column out I just let it hang and I didn't take the dash out either. it wasn't that bad to do

[Dan B.]

A perfectly good car disassembled in an attempt to make it a perfectly gooder'er car.

[Dan B.]

....and its former innerds scattered on the floor.

[Donstang86]

5.0 Bird will be nice. I would dig up a Turbocoupe hood and nose. I wonder what I have sitting above the garage from my old Turbocoupe?

[Terminated]

An old 4-eyed Turbo Coupe swap would be cool looking!

[Dan B.]

Those are kinda cool. They only made my body style for two years so I'll keep it. I would be interested in a 87-88 TC front though.

Did get to mess with the 'bird a little before turning in for the day.....pressure washed the engine bay and HO motor....getting both ready for paint before putting everything back together.

[Dan B.]

Today's progress......

-Motor is painted...Ford Blue, of course.
-Most of the accessory drive is swapped over.
-Explorer intake is cleaned up and primed...likely going to paint to match body color, dark grey.
-Found some spots on the inner fenders that need attention prior to paint...the scale turned out to be rot...ICK!! Each spot is less than an inch across and there is only about three.

If I get gaskets on Tuesday for the intake install the motor will be about done.

[Stroked03Cobra]

I love those birds!

[Dan B.]

Thanks. The wife isn't too fond of it....calls it the ghetto cruiser...but I like it! Super comfortable and rides great. Just need to add some "GO" to it!

[Dan B.]

Wow....way behind on updating.

HO and T5 are in....but not before completly rebuilding the frmae rails for about a 14" area from the sway bar to the firewall. Didn't see that coming until I was tapping around with a hammer and heard "thud" instead of solid metal. No biggy though....I like welding and patching. All sealed up and looking like new.

Got an Explorer upper/lower from "HowMuch?" (Bill) and a bunch of other parts from various other board members (mainly from Altoona area)....typical 5.0L bolt ons and such. It's nearly all buttoned up and has been started.

Also sourced a Turbo Coupe hood but going to keep the Sport Coupe grill/nose for now. Pretty much just need to button up some vaccum lines, radiator and the entire braking system......then it will be done.....at least for now.

Will post pics later if anyone gives a crap! ;)

[PaxtonShelby]

Heck yeah - let's see the some pics!

What exhaust are you running?

[Dan B.]

Here is some of the mess I had to clean up...both sides were about the same so I completely opened them up, replaced the bolt sleeves on both sides for both bolts with 1" pipe and plated the bottom of the frame rail....this is an area that most people NEVER want to see on their fox cars. After that I used a 'stang core support that I snagged just for this purpose...cutting patches to repair my rails with factory material.



Could have spent more time making the patches prettier by grinding them smoother but I had a friend helping and let him do most of the welding/grinding since he wanted to learn. It'll be a cruiser, not a show car so I'm not worried.



Extra parts.........



TC hood

[Dan B.]

More pics. Pedal swap.....took about an hour to pull the driver seats, remove under dash and column plastic and then yank the column. Much easier than I expected.



Another ten minutes and I had the pedals out.



B&M Short Throw up through the stock T-bird auto shifter hole. YAY!!



Shifter boot and handle in place! Don't mind the ghetto handle....blame "badstanglx" for that, it was his. I'm going to go with a white or black ball.



The HO and T5 look like every other fox car so not many pics of that together. Now that deer season is over I'll get back to it and may have it done by January 1.....but if not, it won't be driving weather then anyhow!

[Dan B.]

Heck yeah - let's see the some pics!

What exhaust are you running?

Pics added.

Exhaust.....headers are unequal length shorties that were on the motor when I got it from Mark Aubele. Typical full diameter tubes, not the kinked up stockers. H-pipe is 2.5" BBK offroad. Then I have a set of two chamber Flowmasters for it. Flow tubes will be modded 'stangers...just need to get a set to lengthen. Then I'll get a set of LX tailpipes.

Also had to swap a DA1 computer to replace the 'bird'puter. Went with a DA1 since I'm keeping the SD system for now. May go mass air if I swap heads and cam.