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I'm going to post some pictures of my car soon, and I guess in here I will share what I am doing, what I've done so far. Good for looking back in the future, bouncing ideas off people etc
Bought my car in 2015 off a guy who had wanted to fix it up, but had a couple other projects on the go.
It's a 1987 Thunderbird, with 158000 KM(98000 miles) 5 speed turbo, all stock that I know of, though I think the exhaust might have been changed, I don't know for sure. I think it has all the extras except for keyless entry and power passenger seat. Grey leather seats.
When I bought it, the paint was not good, looked almost a bit purple. the red stripe around the car had been changed to a really awful blue colour. The bottoms of the doors were both rusted at the bottom seams, and they were coming apart.
Said at first that I would safety it and maintain it, but that I was not going in deep. I would just enjoy it while it lasted. I was wrong.
My cousins husband works in the body shop at Ford, and said he would paint it, cant remember how much now, but cheap. Think it was $2500. Decided to go for it. Tried to find new doors, and got two out of the states. Sent the drivers door back though, it was worse than the one on the car.
So we fixed the drivers door, and swapped the other, and painted the car back to the original black with red stripe. He did an excellent job, though I was disappointed that he didn't do a bit better job of dust control, lots of little bits in the paint, but you don't see them if you don't look for them
Also kept the original rims, but painted the bird in the cap black, as well as the inside of te rims so I don't have to always wipe brake dust.
Found out that a previous owner cut a chunk of metal out of the back end of the car under the back window to accommodate for a big sub box in the trunk, was going to weld a piece back in from a parts car I bought, but never got around to it.
I've had some already documented issues regarding the alternator, but working good now.
New plugs, wires, distributor cap, solenoid, clutch pack, starter, heater core and gas tank. Also did an oil leveler sensor(almost $200??)the other day.
Fixed a bad repair in the exhaust that caused an annoying rattle, fixed a leak in the ac and recharged, and new bushings on sway bar.
Windows tinted.
As for what DOESN'T work or things on my wish list...
Rear defrost will never work unless I pull the window and replace, pretty sure I have a spare.
Surprisingly annoying whine that only goes away when you turn the windshield wipers on. Not loud, but annoying.
Drivers side does not lock when you push the lock button.
Rear seatbelts(not the lap belt, it's fine) are seized.
Pretty sure the original stereo was not always in it. Definitely have some speaker issues. No rear speakers, though wires are there. Front passenger dash speaker doesn't have a signal. Got cheap speakers and adapters off ebay for rear, one works, but not loud. I don't care about great sound, I'd be happy with stock "premium" sound. Need to investigate wiring, fade and balance are definitely not doing what they are supposed to do. Also had a problem with stereo very frequently loosing power to the point of not being able to be used. Seems to have stopped since I changed the starter solenoid...not sure if that makes any sense.
Got a code from HVAC, says 02(floor panel door actuator I think). Not sure if related, but ac works great when set to lowest setting, but not if turned up. I get good air out the dash vents, and I like it cold in summer, but the blinking is annoying.
Weather stripping all around is in good shape, but old. Water leaks into trunk and a bit in doors when raining.
Water gets into rear tail lights, oddly only in automatic wash stations. Found that out the hard way.
Passenger seat belt has a tear or fray, and clip holder "thingy" broken of course.
Not sure what you call it, but the plastic roof piece that covers the sunroof...you pull it closed to block out sun...no fabric but plastic in good shape.
No more buzzer warning when boosting too much, worked before heater core replacement. Is there supposed to be a light as well?
Other than that, everything else works great!
Things I want to do and working on:
Fix that UGLY sunroof thing. Not sure how yet
Cleaning and repairing my less attractive set of tail lights, and having them tinted with paint, and converting to LED lights maybe.
Having a friend pull apart and restore cloudy headlight lenses
Find the source of that whining from the wiper switch
Repair stereo issues
Something I'm not sure about regarding the turbo. Am I supposed to have boost in the first two gears?
Anybody ever wire the trunk release so you don't have to have the key in to open the trunk? I'm just happy I got it opening with the button. Now I'm getting greedy
Jumped the gun when it wouldn't open with the button. Had power everywhere I should, but it didn't work. Removed the trunk release actuator and did some testing. Busted the feet off it to inspect it inside, and was set to rebuild it myself or find a similar one and retrofit it when I couldn't find a replacement. Turned out the wire in the connector had come loose. Gorilla glued it back together and working great now. My desire for a keyless trunk pop started that very second when I locked the keys in there!
Bought my car in 2015 off a guy who had wanted to fix it up, but had a couple other projects on the go.
It's a 1987 Thunderbird, with 158000 KM(98000 miles) 5 speed turbo, all stock that I know of, though I think the exhaust might have been changed, I don't know for sure. I think it has all the extras except for keyless entry and power passenger seat. Grey leather seats.
When I bought it, the paint was not good, looked almost a bit purple. the red stripe around the car had been changed to a really awful blue colour. The bottoms of the doors were both rusted at the bottom seams, and they were coming apart.
Said at first that I would safety it and maintain it, but that I was not going in deep. I would just enjoy it while it lasted. I was wrong.
My cousins husband works in the body shop at Ford, and said he would paint it, cant remember how much now, but cheap. Think it was $2500. Decided to go for it. Tried to find new doors, and got two out of the states. Sent the drivers door back though, it was worse than the one on the car.
So we fixed the drivers door, and swapped the other, and painted the car back to the original black with red stripe. He did an excellent job, though I was disappointed that he didn't do a bit better job of dust control, lots of little bits in the paint, but you don't see them if you don't look for them
Also kept the original rims, but painted the bird in the cap black, as well as the inside of te rims so I don't have to always wipe brake dust.Found out that a previous owner cut a chunk of metal out of the back end of the car under the back window to accommodate for a big sub box in the trunk, was going to weld a piece back in from a parts car I bought, but never got around to it.
I've had some already documented issues regarding the alternator, but working good now.
New plugs, wires, distributor cap, solenoid, clutch pack, starter, heater core and gas tank. Also did an oil leveler sensor(almost $200??)the other day.
Fixed a bad repair in the exhaust that caused an annoying rattle, fixed a leak in the ac and recharged, and new bushings on sway bar.
Windows tinted.
As for what DOESN'T work or things on my wish list...
Rear defrost will never work unless I pull the window and replace, pretty sure I have a spare.
Surprisingly annoying whine that only goes away when you turn the windshield wipers on. Not loud, but annoying.
Drivers side does not lock when you push the lock button.
Rear seatbelts(not the lap belt, it's fine) are seized.
Pretty sure the original stereo was not always in it. Definitely have some speaker issues. No rear speakers, though wires are there. Front passenger dash speaker doesn't have a signal. Got cheap speakers and adapters off ebay for rear, one works, but not loud. I don't care about great sound, I'd be happy with stock "premium" sound. Need to investigate wiring, fade and balance are definitely not doing what they are supposed to do. Also had a problem with stereo very frequently loosing power to the point of not being able to be used. Seems to have stopped since I changed the starter solenoid...not sure if that makes any sense.
Got a code from HVAC, says 02(floor panel door actuator I think). Not sure if related, but ac works great when set to lowest setting, but not if turned up. I get good air out the dash vents, and I like it cold in summer, but the blinking is annoying.
Weather stripping all around is in good shape, but old. Water leaks into trunk and a bit in doors when raining.
Water gets into rear tail lights, oddly only in automatic wash stations. Found that out the hard way.
Passenger seat belt has a tear or fray, and clip holder "thingy" broken of course.
Not sure what you call it, but the plastic roof piece that covers the sunroof...you pull it closed to block out sun...no fabric but plastic in good shape.
No more buzzer warning when boosting too much, worked before heater core replacement. Is there supposed to be a light as well?
Other than that, everything else works great!
Things I want to do and working on:
Fix that UGLY sunroof thing. Not sure how yet
Cleaning and repairing my less attractive set of tail lights, and having them tinted with paint, and converting to LED lights maybe.
Having a friend pull apart and restore cloudy headlight lenses
Find the source of that whining from the wiper switch
Repair stereo issues
Something I'm not sure about regarding the turbo. Am I supposed to have boost in the first two gears?
Anybody ever wire the trunk release so you don't have to have the key in to open the trunk? I'm just happy I got it opening with the button. Now I'm getting greedy
Jumped the gun when it wouldn't open with the button. Had power everywhere I should, but it didn't work. Removed the trunk release actuator and did some testing. Busted the feet off it to inspect it inside, and was set to rebuild it myself or find a similar one and retrofit it when I couldn't find a replacement. Turned out the wire in the connector had come loose. Gorilla glued it back together and working great now. My desire for a keyless trunk pop started that very second when I locked the keys in there!
