View Full Version : My 1983 Thunderbird build!
I was given a 83 Thunderbird from a friend of mine that I have know since the 2nd grade. He started on this build when we finished high school in 1991. After some paint and body work was finished, he got the car back and park it in his dads shop. Lost interest in the car because he purchased an 1998 dodge viper, lol. I have always given him hell for not finishing the car, we had some good times back in the day crusing around in it. He called me back in September of 2012 and wanted to give me the car and all the stuff he had with it. He thought I would take the time and put it back together.
Some progess soon after
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had some rust around back window, we cut out and weld in some patch panel
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351w with a 5 speed, the car as a nine inch under it with rear disc already
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Z06killinSBF
09-09-2013, 06:41 AM
Cool! I like these kinds of cars. Tuned in.
Roger56
09-09-2013, 08:04 AM
Cool like them birds! Roger56
Jetfixr320
09-09-2013, 10:50 AM
You need one of the sets of Turbo coupe seats I have. ;-)
Hold onto that seat, I have some more pictures I will get posted soon, the guys from Foxbody Tbird Fourm have been awesome helping me also and finding parts. More to come!!
Freebies!!!! Friend brought me over some dual fans off another ford vehicle, so we trimmed up the shroud and made it fit the radiator.
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On the engine picture above, we cut the A/C and P/S bracket into to ad some width to it, for the tall deck height on 351w vs 302, all the front bracket set up is from a mustang 302 efi car.
I finished mocking up the E-fans to radiator and fitted back in car, going today to find some stainless brackets I like to mount, the factory holes for factory mounts were filled in and smoothed out.
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I have the stuff for Sn-95 mustang brakes up front, but for now I have a 1/8in spacer up front so the 17x9 wheels will fit for moving around.
On the back, car has a nine inch out of a Lincoln Versailles with disc brakes, the problem I had with the wheels were sticking to far out and narrowing the rear end was not an option for me right now. So a local machinist in town center bored my wheel to fit over the hub deal on the end of the rear end. This allowed the rear wheels to tuck back in some.
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I have made my own harness for under the hood stuff, I had to make a new headlight harness (high and low beam), electric fans (two relays to share load of fans), fog lights. I have tried to route the wires behind the fender to make look cleaner, but fender and ground effects are molded in so I can not take fender off.
rusty428cj
10-07-2013, 06:08 AM
Very nice. I have the same front end on my 86 T-bird that someday I will work on. Somebody did a lot of work molding the grille to the nose.
Yes they did, however if a fender or quarter panel gets missed up, I got a lot of work to do to fix, lol
ent72olds
10-07-2013, 06:05 PM
Love those birds! My first car payments were on a '84 T-Bird........
boneheadzz
10-07-2013, 06:24 PM
So cool! So different! Keep it up! I had an 83 5.0/AOD and an 85 turbo coupe 5 spd, but now I'm a Chevy guy. I was just thinking the other day that nobody does these cars... But they should! Good luck!
cobragt
10-07-2013, 08:16 PM
very cool! was wondering if someone would build one of these.
Buryingthesun
10-08-2013, 03:01 AM
I though NASCAR and Monster trucks took all these cars away from us lol
Better picture of fan install, and I just go so small L brackets and used where some holes were already there to mount.
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Mustangs had this heater tube on them, but were straight and fit under the upper intake, however since I am using factory intake right now and I did not want to run long heater hoses from the firewall to the front of motor, I heated and shaped it around the electric choke set up. I have an extra straight one for when I put an aluminum intake on later and it should clear then just fine.
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I know its not much, but 1yr and 1mouth later, it cranks, I am very excited, I have something to work with now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPaaA-en_N0&feature=c4-overview&list=UUNvjP03QBjYGC_89ZppaQsw
Bygblok
10-28-2013, 05:53 AM
awesome man!! How soon we going to see that thing up at BK on 9-Mile? Let Randy Jernigan do the exhaust for you too. You won't regret it!!
Hopefully soon, I used a mustang exhaust, used all new hangers in factory locations, was able to hang most of it my self, have to have some pipe made from muffler to H-pipe for the extra length of T-bird vs mustang, had few little set backs, but making progress, Do you know Bill Kaeser up there at the BK on nine mile, I think I have meet you before?
I have 3/4 of the exhaust done and added a aeromotive fuel pump because the intank pump was not enough only 2 to 2.5 psi at the carb, so I did the fuel supply and adding a return line from regulator. Then going to tackle adding the 94 mustang spindle to and brakes on the front.
I have my regulator mounted up, and some fuel line wrap done, where the exhaust is ran close by
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the way she looks now, next big purchase is the 3G alt for it.
Bygblok
02-12-2014, 06:15 PM
Hopefully soon, I used a mustang exhaust, used all new hangers in factory locations, was able to hang most of it my self, have to have some pipe made from muffler to H-pipe for the extra length of T-bird vs mustang, had few little set backs, but making progress, Do you know Bill Kaeser up there at the BK on nine mile, I think I have meet you before?
we hang out up there with Bill and his dad when we go. May try to make it Saturday if we don't take the car over to either Mobile Alabama or down to Ft. Walton for that rod run there. Get that bird out!!!
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yes I had Randy finish up the exhaust for me, he did a great job, very happy.
lucky13firebird
07-23-2014, 05:19 AM
That's cool, very different that's for sure. Those wheels look tiny sitting under that big car. Very few t birds left cause a lot of people didn't keep them when they broke down, they just scrapped them for metal. Or pulled the motors for other projects.
SSninja
08-10-2014, 08:09 PM
Man, that looks great. I love the 80s and 90s T-birds.
I added some CHE performance upper and lower control arms, had to do some modification on the mounting ears that were welded to the 9 in for the upper control arms. I added some new poly spring isolators and torque box reinforcement kit Mounted some fog lights also.
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Motown 454
03-19-2015, 07:40 AM
The engine looks great in there. Nice job.
Josh@Ridetech
03-19-2015, 09:15 AM
Very cool, I like this build alot!
I have maximum motorsports caster camber plates now, waiting on getting new struts and 13 in brake kit, will post up some progress on it soon.
Pic of it in the yard with new tires on it and working on rear seat delete and some insulation on the floor
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I also have the headliner in
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vintageracer
08-16-2015, 07:17 AM
EXCELLENT example of where our hobby is headed!
1980's and 1990's vehicles as the Fat and 55 & up crowd is on the downslide and the young bucks like different and newer cars!
The Crow
01-13-2016, 12:23 PM
Beautiful Bird....
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