North American Turbocoupe Organization



And the work goes on...
Protouring442 Offline
Member
#1
I have been going a bit crazy here lately! I don't remember if I mentioned this before, but my wife and I are in the process of fixing up our house in preparation for a move to Tennessee. At the same time, we've also been packing up all the extra "stuff" you need to get out of the house so it can be shown. Needless to say, this has been rather time consuming!

On top of all of the above, I have also been working on my father's boat, which was stored here at my house. We finally got it all done, and towed down to my parent's home in NC.

http://www.fquick.com/images/vehicles/fu...279678.jpg

http://www.fquick.com/images/vehicles/fu...279679.jpg

As you can see, it even floats!

After all of these projects, it's finally time to work on the 'bird. The last couple of days I have spent my running stereo wiring, and installing my new dash cluster (with 140mph speedometer). While I had the cluster out, I converted it to red lighting. I also installed an analog clock in place of the digital one.

For the stereo I went with a 2-din Kenwood with integral Garmin GPS. This is backed by all new MTX speakers and subs, driven by a couple of old Fultron amps I had laying around. Sounds damned nice, and without too much cash outlay!

Interior pics are so hard to take! Anyway, here is the new dash pad installed, along with a bit of the new cluster and headunit.

http://www.fquick.com/images/vehicles/fu...279680.jpg

Another shot of the headunit. This thing is so cool!

http://www.fquick.com/images/vehicles/fu...279681.jpg

On Monday they come to install a new windshield, and then I hope to get the black headliner in, and finish re-installing the black interior.

I have a slight noise in the stereo that Kenwood tech thinks is a ground loop issue, so I will be picking up an isolator. I also have an alternator whine, but the isolator may help that too, if not, I will isolate where it's picking up the noise and install a filter.

Then comes the rest of the stuff to get it on the road. I need to do the exhaust (3" from the Turbo back), check the suspension, finish installing the interior, figure out what the last hack, eh, I mean "owner," did when he wired his "custom" gauges so the factory ones will work again, and diagnose a check engine light (has a TPS Low code, and probably needs a TPS).

Shiny Side Up!
Bill
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Cerebral Offline
Senior Member
#2
Just make your own ground for the radio instead of buying an isolator. Just cut the black wire, and run it to the dash frame. Dvd player looks niiiice, although im not a fan of mtx subs, lets see dem subs and amps.
1987 Automatic TC- parts car

1987 5 Speed TC, K&N on Vam,Boost controller, T3, Bob's Log, Stinger 3 inch exhaust with Magnaflow, FMIC, Forge Dual Piston B.O.V., Ranger Roller, Esslinger Adjustable Pulley, Boport Drop in Valve Springs, Pyro Pete Clutch
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TCx2 Offline
Senior Member
#3
With the stereo illumination seeming to be bluish in color, wouldn't blue dash lighting be a better choice than red?
Kevin
TCx2
67 Green Ford Fairlane 428CJ 5spd
89 Fiji Blue Chrysler Conquest
03 Mercury Marauder "Supercharged"
03 Ford Excursion(King of the SUVs)
04 Mustang Cobra - Screaming Yellow
10 Challenger R/T "Supercharged"
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Protouring442 Offline
Member
#4
Quote:Originally posted by TCx2:
With the stereo illumination seeming to be bluish in color, wouldn't blue dash lighting be a better choice than red?
I took the pic before I started setting up the unit. I have since set it for red illumination, thus matching the dash and clock.

Shiny Side Up!
Bill
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Protouring442 Offline
Member
#5
Quote:Originally posted by Cerebral:
Just make your own ground for the radio instead of buying an isolator. Just cut the black wire, and run it to the dash frame. Dvd player looks niiiice, although im not a fan of mtx subs, lets see dem subs and amps.
Thanks for the idea, I will give this a try first.

Shiny Side Up!
Bill
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Redbone Offline
Senior Member
#6
Looks good! I really need to put a new dash pad in my car. Just curious, where did the analog clock come from? BTW, those are the nicest boat ramps I've ever seen.
All your boost are belong to us
1988 TC 5m 3" elbow back exhaust(with cat and muffler), Walbro 255, gillis mbc, airbox removed w/ K&N cone, A/C removed, Spec clutch, Ranger roller swap.

John A.
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RC Martin Offline
Posting Freak
#7
Quote:Originally posted by Cerebral:
Just make your own ground for the radio instead of buying an isolator. Just cut the black wire, and run it to the dash frame. Dvd player looks niiiice, although im not a fan of mtx subs, lets see dem subs and amps.
I second that. If the later TCs are anything similar to my 84, then the factory stereo was grounded through the antenna and didn't even have a wire of it's own in the harness. Running an aftermarket deck off only the antenna ground is simply asking for trouble. I ran a 12ga wire to the plate around the shifter, sanded off the paint on the frame, which cleared up pretty much 100% of my alt. noise. Do the same and I'm guessing that will solve the problem.

Many cheap "isolators" you can buy just have a simple HP filter, or soemthing similar, which will simply cut out the audio spectrum from 6khz or so and below to try to kill the noise. That just destroys your sound quality and wastes money. Other isolators depending on where they connect (in-line RCA, power, etc.) may do different things but they rarely work.
Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, Bright Canyon Red TuTone, Desert Tan Interior; 1 of 7 in this combo in 1984 according to Marti.  1 of 13,361 TCs in 84.
   Rebuilt, 3-Angle Valve Job, SYB37 "OE/Small" Slider Cam
   Full 3" Stinger Exhaust to Flowmaster 40, Gnari FMIC/Recirc/BPV, MBC @ 18psi, RF-E6 Manifold, Remote-Mount TFI, PC1 and Flowed 35# Injectors, Inline Walboro 255HP, Kirban AFPR
   Rebuilt Suspension -- KYB & Energy Suspension
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Protouring442 Offline
Member
#8
Quote:Originally posted by Redbone:
Looks good! I really need to put a new dash pad in my car. Just curious, where did the analog clock come from? BTW, those are the nicest boat ramps I've ever seen.
Thanks! The clock is from some '80s Ford, but unfortunately it doesn't work! Argh! Back to the salvage yard again!

And yes, those are definitely some nice boat ramps! Believe it or not, they are just public boat ramps, not some marina or private deal.

Shiny Side Up!
Bill
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Protouring442 Offline
Member
#9
Ran a separate ground, noise was still there. Added an isolator and the hum is gone. Traced the alternator whine to the electronic crossover, and installed a power side filter, and that killed the whine. WhooHoo!

The glass guy came today and installed the new windshield, so now I can install the interior. I recovered the headliner, and I need to recover the rear deck, but other than those I will stick with the cloth seats for now. Later I hope to re-upholster the seats and install new carpet, but that's a project for a different wallet!

Shiny Side Up!
Bill
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Ryan H Offline
Posting Freak
#10
That head unit looks good, how much did it run you?
'88 TC Smile Walbro 255HP, Stinger FMIC, PIT BOV, Pro 5.0, Kirban, RR cam, FRPP strut tower brace, T3
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