1983 Thunderbird Heritage - 03.03.10 New parts! Reply #45 – June 13, 2009, 07:05:07 AM I'm joking about the discount days, and we don't have to give a buck to get in the yards here, at a few you have to sign your life away just in case you hurt yourself out there.Watchdevil, what type of center are you looking for? The all black, or the darker woodgrain? I know there's a few out there so just give me a heads up. Quote Selected
1983 Thunderbird Heritage - 03.03.10 New parts! Reply #46 – June 13, 2009, 08:01:29 AM Quote from: 302 PWR;277436I'm joking about the discount days, and we don't have to give a buck to get in the yards here, at a few you have to sign your life away just in case you hurt yourself out there.Watchdevil, what type of center are you looking for? The all black, or the darker woodgrain? I know there's a few out there so just give me a heads up.I'll take what you can find either black or woodgrain but I do prefer the woodgrain. I do know the steering wheel center trim was used from 1980-83. And if by chance you find a 83-84 Tbird or Cougar with woodgrain dash panel trim in decent condition I'd be interested in those trim parts. Also, if you happen to come across a pair of clear 1983-84 parking/turn lamps I would like those too!I certainly appreciate your help! Quote Selected
1983 Thunderbird Heritage - 03.03.10 New parts! Reply #47 – June 13, 2009, 10:40:43 AM I'm pretty sure I can find all of those at one yard; do you mean the amber/orange lights on the front or the clear ones on the side of the fender? Quote Selected
1983 Thunderbird Heritage - 03.03.10 New parts! Reply #48 – June 13, 2009, 11:19:08 PM Quote from: 302 PWR;277453I'm pretty sure I can find all of those at one yard; do you mean the amber/orange lights on the front or the clear ones on the side of the fender?1983 Thunderbirds and Cougars have the clear (instead of amber) turn signal lamps in the front bumper strip under the headlamps just like your Heritage model. Mine are the 1984 model year change over to amber lamps and I always liked the clear ones better!Thank you kindly for your help! It means a lot to me that someone I hardly know would go to such trouble to help me. The salvage yards around here are bare of Tbirds of those model years so you will be my saviour helping me locate these parts. Quote Selected
1983 Thunderbird Heritage - 03.03.10 New parts! Reply #49 – June 26, 2009, 09:22:48 PM So I started my teardown and rebuild Monday. Picked up the header panel, fender, lights and lenses for $150. I have the header sanded and ready for primer, I'm about half done sanding the fender, its just gonna be rattle canned primered until I get enough cash to take it in or spray it myself. The headlight buckets will be painted black, I'm quite fond of the look and I think it will look sharp. Just have to get a hood, do the 87-88s fit? I'm pretty sure they do but I just want to make sure before I drop cash on it. Quote Selected
1983 Thunderbird Heritage - 03.03.10 New parts! Reply #50 – June 26, 2009, 10:26:58 PM No cornering light on that fender?Great deal on all of those parts though. Good luck with it.... Quote Selected
1983 Thunderbird Heritage - 03.03.10 New parts! Reply #51 – July 20, 2009, 10:06:15 PM Nope but that can be cut out with a dremel. I finished the car about a week and a half ago. All I need is a hood. This fender took a hit some time ago so I pounded it out as best as I could and body filled the rest. Yikes.I refilled the hole with fiberglass mat and fiberglass reinforced body fill.I didn't spend too much time with the gaps as I just really wanted to drive the car again.Notice the new red top!I installed my tach., put on some old school fog lights, and removed the coolant overflow/windshield washer container and put in a 26 of Jack for overflow. Pics of those to follow Quote Selected
1983 Thunderbird Heritage - 03.03.10 New parts! Reply #52 – July 21, 2009, 08:23:01 AM One piece at a time.Good work so far.Keep it up,and keep us posted.I see your Bird has the super rare wooden prop rod for the hood.Only a few cars were equipped with those.LOL. Quote Selected
1983 Thunderbird Heritage - 03.03.10 New parts! Reply #53 – July 21, 2009, 11:07:08 PM I hope I still have those cornering lamps I took off my 1989 Thunderbird. The lamp housing itself was recycled from the 1983-88 Thunderbirds but with a new seperate outer trim bezel for a finished look. I just realized I would like the cornering lamps installed on the 1984 I am restoring now since it never came with them. I have always been a cornering lamp w! Quote Selected
1983 Thunderbird Heritage - 03.03.10 New parts! Reply #54 – July 23, 2009, 11:36:02 AM Vin- Its not the super rare option it is infact a custom one off, I've been told its worth more than the car itself. :hick:I've never really been a fan of the cornering lights as my Cougar doesn't have them, just another bulb to change to me. Here are my super kick ass Canadian Tire "Phantome" fog lights circa 1985, I found them amoungst a pile of old car parts my dad has accumulated over the years. I really like them, they look awesome at night with the low beams on, however the cops don't seem too. I was driving a few nights ago with them on and I noticed a cop taking a very slow right onto the street I was driving on, when he was making the turn he shined his A pillar light at me and that was bright. Didn't pull me over though so thats a plus. I'll get pics of them at night soon. Oh and I'm leaving the high beam pass side out so I can rig up a ram air like that grey 4 eye with the 87-88 front bumper had.I added another shim to the top of the fender and it seems to line up a little better.Heres my J.D. overflow bottle:Not done with it yet.Heres the tach.It blocks the clock but I have one on my H.U. so thats ok. Switch for my fogs and my iPod cable for my deck, this allows me to control my iPod thru my deck. I think the headliner was replaced once upon a time due to these creases. Does anyone else have this? Quote Selected
1983 Thunderbird Heritage - 03.03.10 New parts! Reply #55 – July 23, 2009, 02:02:25 PM My headliner has those creases (It came out of a heritage also).There is actual slits down the corners in the cardboard backing that sorta meet together when installed. Quote Selected
1983 Thunderbird Heritage - 03.03.10 New parts! Reply #56 – July 23, 2009, 04:41:23 PM the corners are made like that. the others are from the board being bent. it could have been recovered and they bent it re installing. or from people pushing on it. I HATE that. Quote Selected
1983 Thunderbird Heritage - 03.03.10 New parts! Reply #57 – July 24, 2009, 06:43:53 PM Thanks for the info guys. Did a couple things today, the "ram" air high beam thing, started screwing around with the grille, I'm still undecided what I want to do with it I was thinking a floating bird. And I painted the air cleaner as it was flaking. The mesh is so fine you can't even see it in the pics but trust me its there. I couldn't find the ricer shiznit so I ended up using this:And a pic showing how bad the hood is. Wow shakey hands. Quote Selected
1983 Thunderbird Heritage - 03.03.10 New parts! Reply #58 – July 24, 2009, 11:53:32 PM Love the JD overflow bottle Quote Selected
1983 Thunderbird Heritage - 03.03.10 New parts! Reply #59 – October 24, 2009, 04:43:24 AM Not much of an update but I did a few things:new plugsnew plug wires (Accel's but they're way too long)new front brake padspainted calipers blackdid a little more work on the grillput the winter tires on (studded in the rear)Pics to followThings on list:T.C. hood, trying to track one down, kind of rare up hereheads (found a motor out of a Mustang cop car)valve covers (thinking Ford racing)headers (should be ordered next pay cheque)exhaust (h-pipe, Cherry Bombs, dumps)aftermarket or 'Stang intake manifold4 barrel 600 cfm carb (Holley or Carter) Quote Selected
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