Whitedevil666

Yes Sir. My car is a 1996 LX with the 4.6, 16" wheels w/drum rear (??), and factory 3.27 traction lock. I'm not sure if it's different because of the v8 or what. I'm not really a thunderbird expert or anything, I just like this car because there's more room in it than a mustang, and it doesn't attract attention (race at every light, thieves, etc.) I am really a Ford guy, but Ford screwed us bad with the ohc engines. The 4.6 in my car is larger externally than a 460 big block. Do the math on that one. I still don't like the old school chevy small blocks, but the gen 3+ engines are a gem. It's the engine ford should have built and put in my car. I will just have to do it for them...

lincolnboy

Their are tbird guys installing either a mark viii dohc or a cobra dohc but still dohc a money pits. I really don't care for the dohc in the mark to much trouble to do any head work have to remove the kmember and lower the engine just to remove the head and plus it four cam to replace compared to the LsX one cam . Even adding a blower involve mod to installing a blower. So why not add a LsX for some head intake and cam for as much as a blower or head and cam work. What are LS2 goin for.

gofastwclass

iTrader: (2)

Devil:
Interesting. I didn't realize they still had drums on 1996 cars either, I thought that stopped in 95. I have disks all around but they were too small when it was a V6.

I agree, the mod motors are too expensive to update for my pleasure compared to my goals and budget (see first post in this topic). Acquiring a mod motor with the power I have isn't going to happen in factory form without forced induction (have you ever tried to price one ) which won't fit under my hood (see goals). Besides I'm only a factory cam and intake away from a power change I can feel. Add the right heads and we open things up again... Since my car is so easy to work on compared to a mod motor in theory I could start the H,C,I swap on Saturday morning, make a few computer updates, do my testing Sunday and drive it to work Monday if I felt like moving that quick.

Since I had to do the same amount of work to get a mod motor in the car (engine swap, transmission swap, harness, new exhaust, different drive shaft, etc.) I figured I may as well go with something that actually met my HP goal out of the box instead of modding something that didn't. Since I was committed to swapping engines I could do anything I wanted. Being a Chevy guy helped make the decision easier to lose the Ford V6, but didn't really change much beyond that.

1995blacktattop

iTrader: (2)

I'm guessing someone changed over to the 16" sport wheels then. IIRC only the sports got those 16" wheels and they also got 4 wheel disc brakes.

little tidbit of info. the 96-97 Sport rims are basically carryovers of the 1993-1995 SC wheels except they lack the small indent for prying off the center cap since the sport rims have a moulded plastic piece that leaves the lugnuts exposed while the SC's had a full lugnut cover with a bird emblem on them.

gofastwclass

iTrader: (2)

I found a driver who failed the bit in science class where the teacher talked about multiple objects occupying the same physical space at the same time.

After our altercation I didn't think my car was too bad...


Until I saw this!


Further inspection revealed the real damage.




At the proper angle you can see my engine work from outside the car - cool on a Corvette or other exotic but takes away from my sleeper / grocery getter low profile image. Besides I would have opted for something a bit more engineered if the choice were given.

This obviously throws a wrench in my program of working on another project but most important - do I stop where I am and pull all my gear and put it in a different project or do I play body man and fix the daily grocery getting sleeper?

The crazy part is for all the apparent damage, it is only cosmetic. There was only one wire damaged in the whole melee (ground for my electric fan) and none of my fab work was touched. The car still runs and drives great but is a bit scary to navigate near crowded sidewalks.

Jimbo1367

Fix it. did you get their insurance ?( I didn't read anything other than your last post )

gofastwclass

iTrader: (2)

The wreck happened nearly a month ago, insurance money is already in hand. I was debating doing that and just thinking aloud and updating my LS1Tech family. This car is (was) my daily since the conversion in August / September last year. Most of my friends think I would be crazy to not fix it and I'm starting to agree. Besides I miss driving it a lot.

Off to the salvage yard - the search for parts begins.

PontiacPOWA

this is a really cool swap! totally badass and really low key
+1 to fix it

gofastwclass

iTrader: (2)

Thanks for the compliment.

Over the last two weeks I have driven the car to work and used it for all my daylight running for the first time since the wreck. I amazed myself as I had completely forgotten how fun this car is to drive! I had a few odd stares since I'm running without the fender and light but otherwise it drives completely fine.

I've already scored a hood, fender, wheel well and a bracket that holds the lights in. I still need to source a new light and turn signal for the passenger's side and some misc stuff which may happen today if I get lucky.

I removed the power antenna that was never used and didn't work, then filled the hole in my new fender with metal from the original. A few more tack welds, a touch of love with the body hammer and grinder followed a thin glazing of putty and a scuff or two of sand paper will make it primer ready.

throttlejunkie1

iTrader: (10)

Bump for progress update. I've always liked these cars! A friend of mine up in MD had 3 of them lol. One was a SC.

gofastwclass

iTrader: (2)

Three - wow! I had enough trouble keeping it running when it was all Ford! hahahaha!

Not much to update at the moment. With other projects around the house and work (thankfully) taking the lion's share of my time means not much has changed on the car besides the mileage. The most I have done is take the peeled fender off and drive the car to work and run errands. I get much more "respect" in traffic with no light and fender but I hate the trailer park "I was at the NASCAR race ON the track" look. I've been trying to find a set of used lights (pass side head and turn) to keep my salvage yard / sleeper theme going but it isn't happening so I'll have to purchase new. I'm kind of picky and didn't really want to do that which is causing a problem because I don't want one new light and one old. Buying new means committing to purchasing both sides to make it look right because the originals were fogged. Once I finish some repair work on a friends car I can get back on this one. Right now driving it is a pain because I can only drive during the day and have to switch cars before dark which is getting earlier - besides it's so much fun in the winter.

BFK86

iTrader: (1)

WOW, I must say this is an awsome thread, I made a username on here just to post some comments about your thunderbird project..i hope its not too late to revive the thread!

For one I'm a huge fan of the LS motors, and also love the MN12's, (used to have a 97 tbird 4.6)..I have been looking all over the internet for so long for someone to swap an LS engine into a thunderbird/cougar/mark viii and i finally found it!

I've read most of the 6 pages of this thread, and i see the little mishap you had recently (or at least within the last 6 months or so)..thats a shame, I really hope you havent given up on this project because of it..hope it's back together again..but anyways, i thought i'd share some pictures of my old bird and show some wheel options if you are still looking to change the hubs and wheels..



had both the cougar 7 spokes, and the stock 16" sport SC style rims



also here is a car from my neighborhood that i have seen on and off for the last 3 or 4 years..(yes I actually found where the guy lives and stalked his car haha) I even saw it at the drag strip once randomly..wish i could remember what it ran..low 14s high 13s maybe? it had some work done to the trans at the least (judging by the hard tire chirping shifts everytime he passes by my house) and some kind of dual exhaust set up..but anyways he did the mustang hub swap and put on some older SN95 cobra wheels from the mid 90s, i want to say 96/97 cobras had these rims?? im pretty sure they're 17"s and i love the way they look on the thunderbird..in my opinion



and one last thing..considering you are driving this car in the winter I would HIGHLY recommend looking into some rust prevention if you plan on continuing to drive it in winter conditions with snow and salty **** roads because these cars like to rust out from underneath you as I'm sure you have noticed going to the junkyard as much as you do..this is partly the reason why I sold mine..I'd hate to put all the time and effort into an engine sawp and see the car start to rust away...BUT in any case, i hope the project is going well, and i hope to see some updates and pics of the car soon! best of luck!
-Kevin

gofastwclass

iTrader: (2)

Thanks for the kind words BFK86. Stalking the neighbours car, so I guess you're a fan huh?

The car is still alive so it's not too late to revive the thread. I thought for a short time about pulling all my gear and using it for another project but the voices in my head and friends here told me to carry on. Damaged body panels have since been replaced and put in primer. Now we are even more sleeper than before - 'cause we all know cars with primer are slow POS's, right.

I do a pretty good job at keeping the salt and crap off my cars in the winter and so did the previous owners. This makes the car 95% + rust free which coupled with no other major problems helped my decision to keep it.

Later this summer I will do a complete makeover by cutting out the usual rust spots and removing the bloody foam Ford put in the quarters to help promote rust. Home fabricated sub frame connectors, shaving emblems, filling holes and new paint are top priorities followed by a laundry list of small refinements.

I have the Cougar wheels because the car currently has the "big" (yeah right) Mark VIII brakes. Ironically, they still don't stop the car in what I consider a reasonable distance at street speeds, especially compared to my other cars. These cars are severely lacking in the brake department - which may get upgraded again.

I still need to make a trip to the track and run. I know I'm severely traction limited and probably under-geared for that contest but I'm curious.

ls1nova71

iTrader: (4)

A hydroboost would make a world of difference, just saying.

gofastwclass

iTrader: (2)

That may be an option worth researching... I think my current project may grow a hydroboost for clearance and such, I could get a second one for the Thunderbird.

seawalkersee

Woa woa woa...you never said you were a body man...I have QUESTIONS...

And, when you go to the track, you have to give me a heads up so I can go too.

SWS

gofastwclass

iTrader: (2)

You are right my friend... I didn't say I'm a body man - because I'm NOT! I can do fabrication and thus bodywork falls into the light fabrication category as does custom exhaust work to an extent. When necessary I can step up but I wouldn't say I'm good enough at body work to teach anyone much. I can pull simple dents, shave handles, fill holes, make small patch panels, etc. but nothing really impressive like making fenders or wheel wells.

I can ring you up when I go to the track. I'm sure it will be interesting, I've never tried to run it there and I need to get past some wheel hop and traction issues.

slow_5.0

Its nice to see other tbird enthusiasts , i thought i was the only one on tech! good luck with the car man and keep flying low!

Rare96LT1Formula

iTrader: (32)

Interesting build. Always like this style T bird

seawalkersee

Nope...I have two, and want at LEAST one more MN12 and a fox for the 6er. Bad part is, I am swimming in Mod motor parts and want to have a 5.3 turbo setup. BUT, I think with my DOHC 5.4, I will be cheaper off at about the same power.

Brian, I have a way to get rid of the wheel hop on these. I have not tested it yet, but I have the parts. You need to add a trailing arm on the upper rear contorl arm. The reason they hop so bad is because the upper arm walks all over the place. There are other places to add the strength like derlin bushings on the LCAs, but you need a set of 'luminums to do that. Just so happens, there are 5 Marks at Uwrench it as of friday.

Oh...and I am sad that you are not a body man. I need help fixing a fender.

SWS