5/7/06 NEWS: Okay, The SN95 hubswap is done and a couple new pics are up in the Gallery section. The bird is now sporting 17" '97 Cobra wheels with 255/50/17 Falken rubbers, backed with 13" DBRU front brakes and calipers with 11.65" rotors out back. The fronts were a breeze, it took me all of 10 minutes per side. The rears were another story altogether. I wont go into too much detail, but I will say that it was the usual "nothing goes according to plan but I get it to work out in the end" sorta thing. New Adco rear sway bar later this weel.
5/7/06 NEWS: Been awhile since I updated this, so I'll try to give a quick rundown of where I'm at and whats in store. So, all the parts I need for the hubswap are here: rotors, calipers, hubs, bearings etc. I just need to get tires and some time off. I'm making a giant laundry-list of stuff to get done this summer. Including (but not limited to), repainting the B-pillars and mirrors, new stereo, and a dash mat... then its time to get busy on the deuce!!! I really need to get the EFI conversion moving along. But I may pour a little more energy into the t-bird in order to get it ready to sell (thinking about it). Maybe some engine and/or tranny work. We'll see
8/29/05 NEWS: The rear disc swap is working out great so far. The weekend after I buttoned that up, I got bored and fabricated a new intake tube. Its a 3" 45* mandrel bend (with about a 6" straight leg) between the TB and MAF. The maf is attatched to a 3.5" tube that is welded at an angle through a steel plate that attatches in place of the old airbox. On the bottom side I put in my ACT sensor provision, and capped it off with a HUGENORMOUS K&N conical air filter. I dont need one this big, but it was the only one the local hotrod shop had in stock with a 3.5" mouth. And it fits, so I suppose it doesnt matter. This made room for me to install the Moon overflow tank I picked up to replace the hacked-up stock tank. I burned out a mounting plate for that, so its sitting next to the radiator now as well. I may install a universal ratidator down the road sans-cap, and I'll use the Moon tank as both reservior and as a pressurized part of the system. But that wont happen until late next summer at the earliest, if ever.
7/26/05 NEWS: I finally installed the JL FSTB a month or so back. I had to remove the washer resevoir, and trim the overflow tank. I could have modified the washer fluid reservoir to fit (And I may still), but its been dry since I bought the car. I plan to replace the overflow tank with an aftermarket unit... maybe something from Moon. Today I got around to doing the rear disc swap. However, the brake lines I have wont quite work on my car... as usual. I have some new ones on the way, but they wont be here for a few days. So until then, the Bird sits in the garage. Oh well.
1/13/05 NEWS: Ok, I did in fact get my Vogtland springs, sport front shocks, and Cobra vert rear Bilsteins in. The hardest part was getting the damn suspension shop to mount the front cartridges correctly. After that things went pretty smoothly. The car is only slightly lower (this is a good thing), and it handles nicer, though the front end still floats a bit sometimes. Ride quality is acceptable too. My FSTB from JL just came in today, and I'm all reved up to install it, but it'll have to wait until saturday morning or sunday. It looks like I'll just have to move my coil to make it work, and perhaps grind down an alternator bolt. Such is life. Waiting on the Rear disc brake conversion from Dode now.
11/01/04 NEWS: Just replaced my front upper and lower control arms and tie-rod ends with new MOOG units (and all applicable bushings). While I was at it I upgraded to the '93+ style front spindles and endlinks, and slapped on a set of the 2-piston PBR Mustang calipers. I have nearly everything I need to get my new shocks and springs in too. Shocks came in today, now I just need the Cobra rear shock nuts, new front shock mounts, and an afternoon to do it :). Though with the SEMA AAPEX show next week, and finals approaching, that could take a little while to roll around.
Lowdown on the Nigel-mobile:
What it is:
- 1992 Thunderbird LX
- 5.0L HO V8
- Champagne Gold exterior
- Tan leather seats from a '94