What did you do with your Thunderbird Today?

[XR7-4.6]

Should this be a tech article?

Yes but I rushed it and took way too few pictures to qualify

 

[1997ThunderbirdLXV6]

Yes but I rushed it and took way too few pictures to qualify

Just take it back apart, then do it again while taking more pictures.

 

[XR7-4.6]

Just take it back apart, then do it again while taking more pictures.

I know myself, I’ll still rush it halfway through and forget

 

[KevinVarnes]

Getting my Vogtlands ready to go back in, I want them to fall somewhere between their uncut length and the cut Tokicos that are on it now, so maybe 1/2” shorter/1/2” taller respectively ? So I’m keeping the cut conservative at a little less than a half coil

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Primed and painted

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Colors not a great match, it’s more purple to the vogtland’s pink but closest thing I could find off the shelf. Ace Plum

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If it makes you feel any better, even Vogtland's touch up paint doesn't match their powder coat. This is a brand new in box from Vogtland spring.

 

[XR7-4.6]

If it makes you feel any better, even Vogtland's touch up paint doesn't match their powder coat. This is a brand new in box from Vogtland spring.
View attachment 18876

Much better actually

I made a few more touch ups to a few bare areas last night just spraying paint onto the cap and brushing on the liquid paint and it it looks about like that, just too purple rather than too pink

 

[1997ThunderbirdLXV6]

I got over 30 mpg today. Short trip, only country highway with varying speed limits between 45 and 60 mph. Same pump for both fill-ups.

 

[Grog6]

I hit 35 mpg, for 1 week, with Lazarus, following a state trooper.
70-80, with traffic getting out of the way, lol.
22 is more typical on a 4.6

 

[XR7-4.6]

I hit 35 mpg, for 1 week, with Lazarus, following a state trooper.
70-80, with traffic getting out of the way, lol.
22 is more typical on a 4.6

I found strict highway at 70-80 24 is doable with even my not very efficient combo. High 20s and even 30s can be hit if you go 55-60 but it’s just way way too dangerous to go that slow with modern traffic.

My record was 30mpg, and that was with the PI swap 3.55 gears and all the other stuff I had 10+ years ago. Although that was also on pure gasoline, which at the time anyway you could still get in Wisconsin when I was on that trip, E10 kills mileage

 

[1997ThunderbirdLXV6]

55-60 but it’s just way way too dangerous to go that slow with modern traffic.

In my case, it was country two-lane (or four-lane) highways with the occasional traffic light and a junkyard at the end. 60 mph is the fastest you can safely go.

 

[Grog6]

Ethanol in gas sux; used to, I'd see a 3-5 mpg drop from 'winter gas' now it all sux.

 

[Grog6]

in 1984-6, I drove a 1 lane rural, partially gravel road, for about 4 miles at 5am, about 60, with farm traffic. In a 63 Tbird.
Many oh shit moments on that drive. 120 all the way to knoxville, once I got to the interstate.

 

[MadMikeyL]

Best I ever saw in an MN12 was 31mpg in my old 89 XR7 5-speed. That was cruising around 75mph on the PA Turnpike heading out to Pittsburgh. My old 94 Cougar with the Cobra spec T45 and factory 3.08 rear would routinely get 28mpg on the highway cruising at around 80mph. All of this was before they were putting ethanol in the gas.

 

[KevinVarnes]

Best I ever saw in an MN12 was 31mpg in my old 89 XR7 5-speed. That was cruising around 75mph on the PA Turnpike heading out to Pittsburgh. My old 94 Cougar with the Cobra spec T45 and factory 3.08 rear would routinely get 28mpg on the highway cruising at around 80mph. All of this was before they were putting ethanol in the gas.

Same. My '95 SC would routinely get 30-31 all highway when it still had the 2.73 gears. My old '92 V6 was capable of 30-31 all highway when it was in prime tune. I've never bothered really closely monitoring the '97, but I would ballpark it at 22-24. These cars can knock down some pretty decent mileage numbers when set up properly.

 

[XR7-4.6]

The funny thing with gears is going from 3.55s to 4.30s made absolutely no difference in city, highway or combined mpg (mind you my overdrive is a much taller .62 to the Automatic’s .70), but before and after it’s consistently 14 all city and low to mid 20s all highway. In my mind I think it dinged the mixed driving a bit as it’s closer to the city number but… worth it!

 

[KevinVarnes]

I agree to some extent. The 351 in the Crown Vic doesn't really care if it had 2.73's or the current 3.55's. Although I tend to not bother trying to calculate mileage with that car. I did notice a definite drop in highway mileage when I swapped in the 3.27 gears in the '95 SC. I think after that change I maxed out at maybe 26-27mpg. Still not bad, but not as awesome as it was.

 

[Grog6]

Our gas mileage has more to do with the weight of the car, or v6 cars would get 40mpg, lol.

 

[XR7-4.6]

Our gas mileage has more to do with the weight of the car, or v6 cars would get 40mpg, lol.

The current gen (gas)Ford Explorer weighs nearly 4400lbs and is rated at 20/29, it ain’t the weight. Our cars are actually pretty average by today’s standards, even sports cars are 3000-3500lbs now

 

[Grog6]

When I had the 63, I thought switching to the 2bbl intake would help, no, not at all; it took much longer to get moving, and used just as much gas. Now, the tri-power intake was a beast, but 5 mpg sux, even at $1 gas.

Ford 390 Engine Guide - Specs, History, Facts, & More

Guide to the Ford 390 engine inside the Mustang, Galaxie, and Thunderbird. Learn all about the 390 Ford FE including specs, history & more.

musclecarclub.com

 

[Sniper83rdID]

When I had the 63, I thought switching to the 2bbl intake would help, no, not at all; it took much longer to get moving, and used just as much gas. Now, the tri-power intake was a beast, but 5 mpg sux, even at $1 gas.

Ford 390 Engine Guide - Specs, History, Facts, & More

Guide to the Ford 390 engine inside the Mustang, Galaxie, and Thunderbird. Learn all about the 390 Ford FE including specs, history & more.

musclecarclub.com

Yeah, but it was a hell of a lotta fun!

 

[Chandar8]

Hey, not bad

 

[Stanley]

Doing a ton of cosmetic work to the girl: rust removal, wiper powdercoating, polishing, ceramic coat, fender rolling, hood repaint. I'll take some photos when it's all done. In the meantime, here's a shot of the new Duque hoodliner. They have a lot of different decal colours, which come with the liner. You can even get it with the hood light pre-cut out.

1996-1997 Thunderbird (w/o Light Cutout)

Dimensions Hoodliner: 35 ⅝" length x 56 ⅝" width Holes: 11 This Hoodliner is fabricated from black rubber foam, designed to muffle the heat and sound of your engine. This is not like the original fiberglass material. This is not a pre molded hood insulator. Once adhered to the underhood it will...

www.hoodliners.net

 

[Grog6]

I'm happy Carlos'family picked that up.

 

[Generalee0527]

If it makes you feel any better, even Vogtland's touch up paint doesn't match their powder coat. This is a brand new in box from Vogtland spring.
View attachment 18876

Hell, the dealer where I ordered and received my '97 Sport did that on the edge of the spoiler when I brought it in for the first oil change at 500 miles. Never been so pissed in my life. I was Damm. can't even keep a new car ding free for more than 2 weeks. Shhhesh. I got over it though.

 

[Generalee0527]

Today I succeeded in getting those (3) SOB valve cover bolts out on the passenger side. I will definitely go back w/ studs so the next guy wont curse me. NOW after a month of tinkering with a 1/4" wobble extension (and a little dremel work to get a smoother turn) and finally dropping a few bucks for an 8mm shallow swivel socket (Mac Tools) I can now get valve covers off to complete my timing job. They were so tight I thought I broke the swivel socket each time. It must have been 50-60 Ft-Lbs to break loose. Been driving a beater Ranger till F N hyd throwout sheeit the bed. Been working on the clutch and while trans is out of the ranger of course the rear main needs to be replaced and hell the oil pan is leaking like an oil well. Been driving the Excursion at 12-13 MPG to work (120 miles per day) and it seems like the pinion bearing is getting noisy. Gonna be a busy summer. At least I was able to get my son's '94 F150 A/C charged. Never felt this good to break bolts. HeyI didn't even skin a knuckle. Win Win.