I've been looking around and want to upgrade the front end of '83 5.0L Thunderbird like Mustang owners can but am unsure of what I can do. I was wondering if anyone here has used parts from Maximum Motor Sports (i.e. Sway Bar End Links, Caster/Camber Plates, etc.) Would a Strut Tower Brace for an '83 or so Mustang for instance fit on my T-Bird?
Read here, http://www.coolcats.net/tech/ , just replace cougar with tbird, then do some searches on here, then come back with questions.
1 question still lingers though in my mind: what is the interchangeability between say an '83 TurboCoupe and an '83 5.0L T-Bird. The front ends are different, no?
Actually thanks a lot man that site is wicked...I know what I'm asking for at Christmas time now! But I am still curious about the above question still.
Nope. Identical.
Also, the STB's will fit. The engine bay is the same as any other Fox-chassied car.
I have an 87 cougar front end on my 87 bird. even the light sockets plugged right in. They are very much the same. The 86-87 front ends and fenders are slightly different, but I think that they would still bolt up. I have seen a couple of 87-88's with 83-86 front ends on them. I know the doors will swap.
I have the MM CC plates on my 83 and they are specific to the T-Birds. Sway bar was off of a Fox Mustang GT but it now has an ADDCO sway bar. The end links will work but depending on the ride height you may have to shorten the spacer between the sway bar and the lower control arm. The bolt may have to be shorter as well which usually means getting two new bolts as the threads are pretty short on most end link kits.
The strut tower brace will fit with an injected motor but I am not sure if it will with a carbed motor. The '85 Mustangs were carbed so the one for that setup may fit but I am not 100% sure. Call MM and ask as they are pretty knowledgeable.
I have had all kinds of brake setups on the '83 as well as suspension so if you have any more questions use the search function first and if you cannot find the answer just ask!
Darren
nice car, very similar to mine in body