What did you do with your Thunderbird Today?

Rodeo Joe said:
Packed it away for the winter! :sad:

It sucks, because I really didn’t get anything done with it this year. I need to get my ass in gear for next year, I really want to make it to Carlisle.

Joe
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Same here. I didn’t have any big projects planned for it this year, mostly just crossing off to-dos like fresh brake lines/deleting ABS and re-relocating the battery, but the DD Focus had so many pressing issues pop up this year it kind of killed my drive to mess with the Cougar in any form.

I really wanted to take it up to the drag strip this year too but that opportunity came and went(which is related to the battery), hell I didn’t even bring it to a cruise night.
 
Today, I blew all of my leaves into the front lawn in a big pile and then proceeded to suck them up with the lawn mower and lawn vac. My Cougar was parked out front.

Its covered in dust.
 
Washed it / parked it for the winter. Getting it set up for my 5 speed swap, and svo supercharger. 😁

Rodeo Joe said:
Packed it away for the winter! :sad:

It sucks, because I really didn’t get anything done with it this year. I need to get my ass in gear for next year, I really want to make it to Carlisle.

Joe
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I’d really like to make it to Carlisle too, it’s always been a goal of mine.
 
We had no salt on the roads prior to this last week, so it would have been a great fall for a toy.
 
So, I'm taking a drive to the store to get to one of the outlets from my neighborhood to the main street and there is a one lane line up as far back as you can see of traffic. I do a K turn and I will be dipped, the little Cougar did a burn out on the right hand turn around! In 30 years I have had this car, I could never do a burn out.

Then, on the way out of my neighborhood on the other side, I came flying up to the stop sign and hit my brakes and I'll be damned if the brakes went into ABS! I never thought the ABS worked until just now.

What a day for the Cougar!
 
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It has begun! I started with the interior, the clutch pedal is fully in and I removed the shifter. While everything is out, I decided to ditch the silver faced gauges, they were starting to bubble up, and the light isn’t all that bright at night, even with LEDs.
I also got the starter out and the flywheel bolts except for one, cause the shop that did my stall converter stripped one out. 🤬


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XR7-4.6 said:
Ahh making me nostalgic, the 5 speed swap was by far my favorite project, not just the outcome, but the actual install and creative ways I had to figure out ahead of time and on the fly how to make it work in the chassis was just plain fun for me.
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I’ve read your write up about 8 times, it is definitely helpful!

KevinVarnes said:
Not sure if you have the room, but a set of Irwin bolt extractors has helped me loosen some pretty gnarly looking nuts and bolts.
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I have a set of those too, didn’t even think of using them. lol.
 
Ericv8thunderbird said:
I have a set of those too, didn’t even think of using them. lol.
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MadMikeyL said:
I have a set of those, and they work way better than the Snap-on ones that were like 5x the price!
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They have earned a place of honor in my tool collection. Last time was on a Subaru wheel bearing bolt that I rounded the head on because I was trying to hit it with an impact while I wasn't straight on the head of the bolt. They have been one of my better tool investments.
 
MadMikeyL said:
Check the seam sealer where the quarter panel meets the trunk jamb. Over time, it cracks and peels back, and can let water leak in. The fix is to scrape it out and spread new seam sealer in there, then you should be good to go.
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Thanks ,I will look around there better. I have a big gardening syringe, maybe I squirt and check the trunk. Otherwise not sure how to spot check it, unless theres a dye that totally vanishes in a small while
 
It is grueling and I absolutely hate it, but I finally did my annual rust-proofing on the '97 last night. We started getting snow Thanksgiving night so I needed to get it done. I still have to do my Saturn if I ever get it back on the road, but that thing is simple compared to the Thunderbird.
 
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