What did you do with your Thunderbird Today?

Derphound01 said:
The early-2010s Expedition had them with a screen and a Bluetooth microphone. You can find them on Fleabay in then $100-150 range.
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Yes, that's probably the same as the Taurus ones I see. Junkyard pricing for the mirror would be $16 plus $30 for the camera. Is there any sort of control unit in-between? Or is it just a matter of wiring the two things up?
 
No control module that I know of. Definitely get the pigtail if you can. It will make wiring it much easier.
 
Drove it to the junkyard and admired my new DRL setup's reflection in the cars ahead of me while waiting at stoplights.

Here's an interesting (and somewhat sad) junkyard observation I make pretty regularly: I open the trunk, and there's a collection of all-new parts in there. Someone had great plans for this car...but they never got around to it.

Today's example: a Jaguar XJS V12 Convertible. The trunk contained among other things brake pads, calipers, distributor cap, convertible canvas top and headliner. Everything new in its original packaging, and some things including the original invoice. The canvas top was $329. The date on the bill was 2016, and judging from the condition of the car, it probably hasn't been moved about that long.

None of the items were of any interest to me personally, but I feel oddly moved by their story, especially since the XJS is one of my all-time favorite cars (though I prefer the coupe).
 
I like XJSs too, I hate Jag snobs who bag on it because it isn’t the phallic E type everyone loves. That said they are mechanical and electrical nightmares.
 
They didn't get reliable until ford bought them. One of the assholes I worked for had two, The v12 wasunreliable as hell. He gave it to his brother he didn't like, lol. Dude didn't want to hear that the new one shared a chassis with a lincoln ls and a 00's tbird. all 3.8l v12's, but the jag was dohc, I think.
 
Wome of the jags have desirable Irs's; the brake rotors are at the diff, rather than the wheel. much less unsprung weight.
 
Grog6 said:
They didn't get reliable until ford bought them. One of the assholes I worked for had two, The v12 wasunreliable as hell. He gave it to his brother he didn't like, lol. Dude didn't want to hear that the new one shared a chassis with a lincoln ls and a 00's tbird. all 3.8l v12's, but the jag was dohc, I think.
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If you have ever tried to bleed the cooling system on a V12 Jaguar, you'd hate them too. Committing suicide is a more pleasant alternative.
 
Derphound01 said:
If you have ever tried to bleed the cooling system on a V12 Jaguar, you'd hate them too. Committing suicide is a more pleasant alternative.
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I managed to avoid the pleasure of actually working on one, but had a neighbor withTwo that warned me of the pitfalls. I seriously tried buying his faded red 78(?) as my first car and he was in hindsight generous enough to refuse my offer!
 
Yeah, those years are not kind to their owners.
 
XR7-4.6 said:
I managed to avoid the pleasure of actually working on one, but had a neighbor withTwo that warned me of the pitfalls. I seriously tried buying his faded red 78(?) as my first car and he was in hindsight generous enough to refuse my offer!
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"Generous" is an understatement. What he actually did was prevent you two from becoming the next Hatfields and McCoys.
 
A buddy of mine was really pissed at his dad, for not letting him buy one. :) His dad wads a mechanic, and knew. I knew the guy that bought it, and he said it never ran right, and finally Blew a rod out the side.
 
Got this piece of acrylic from a store at work, asked the guy how much. He says buy us a box of donuts and your good 😂

These CAD ( cardboard assisted design) brackets were handed to a fabricator to be made in aluminum. I still need to cut the sheet to size and make the center bracket. It’s about a 40 degree angle on the bracket. The trunk has about 6 degrees of downward slope also.

Havnt decided if I want the 7” or 10”. The bigger one seems like it would be too noticeable.






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I, for the second time, swapped a rack and pinion in the red car.

Having now done 8 total, I still say that the rack is an easier job than a fuel pump.
 
Took my dad out for lunch today instead of tomorrow (crowds are evil!). Owing to the nice weather and occasion, I found the impetus to clean the car more than I have in the last 12-18+ months. I even found and used my bottle of tire black gel that I don't think I've used in 7 or 8 years.

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Wile E. Coyote said:
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I, for the second time, swapped a rack and pinion in the red car.

Having now done 8 total, I still say that the rack is an easier job than a fuel pump.
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I agree, it’s not as bad as people make it out to be. But really the fuel pump isn’t bad if the fuel level in the tank is low either, probably equal
 
theterminator93 said:
Took my dad out for lunch today instead of tomorrow (crowds are evil!). Owing to the nice weather and occasion, I found the impetus to clean the car more than I have in the last 12-18+ months. I even found and used my bottle of tire black gel that I don't think I've used in 7 or 8 years.

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Looks awesome though! Pretty close to mine.
 
XR7-4.6 said:
I recruited my dad for either the SOHC removal or the DOHC install on either Father’s Day 2016 or 17. It’s the best!
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We had a good time. Listened to the new record by Mike Campbell and the Dirty Knobs. Had some laughs. And my son and I both at separate times managed to walk headfirst like we had our eyes closed into the lift boom for the hoist. Like dummies. Ouch!!
 
Grog6 said:
I seem to do that every fucking time I use it! It still doesn't move, dammit! Whang!
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Greg, I've definitely done it before but I was moving so quickly that my right eye socket hurt for an hour. But we got that engine in!!
 
I've blacked eyes in some of the damndest ways. The first time drove Lazarus, after the stroke, I bent down getting into the car, and headbutted the top edge of the door, hard enough to drop me into the seat, lol.
 
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ATS brembo - 10lbs
CT6 brembo - 12lbs

Cobra 13” rotor - 18-19lbs
boss 302 14” rotor - 24lbs



looks like the rotors I got a while back might be put to work. The S&S kit allows you to use the XTS caliper which is similar to CT6 minus the brake pad opening which is smaller and requires to remove the whole caliper to change pads.

For an extra 8LBS is that extra inch of rotor worth it?? I’d say so, the look of the bigger rotor filling the wheel gap is massively aesthetically pleasing to me.




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came up on this vortech v3 today for 1400 today. Pulley runs nice and smooth and it came with all the piping, intercooler, maf and 47lbs injectors. Only thing is it’s missing couple bolts to the timing cover.

Anybody have tips on the install? Or a thread from somebody who has done it?? Not in a rush to install just wanna get everything ready for when I do.
 

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