Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: My 1988 Thunderbird (Read 2696 times) previous topic - next topic

My 1988 Thunderbird

Hey guys.  It's been ages since I last posted, but I figured I would update everyone on how it's going.  Today I snapped a few shots of my old white T-bird.  This old Bird was my first car, purchased back in 1998, and I've owned it for almost 12 years now.  It has sat for 4 years, from 2005 to 2009, and since 2002, has only accrued 2,000 miles.  I've since taken it out of hibernation and have put it back on the road.  I have a little free time this summer and might get around to doing some more mods on it.  If you want, swing by my new webpage I'm building, http://www.joedangberg.weebly.com and check out the background story on this car (it's a long read), or check out my other rides and how-to's.  Anyways, enjoy:











My 1988 Thunderbird

Reply #1 –
great looking bird!

is the ssp in your avatar yours?!?!
1971 Camaro Blown 640ci
1988 T-Top Mustang
1980 Mustang coupe
1988 Thunderbird TurboCoupe
And a purple mini van! :burnout:

Previous Thunderbirds:
1988 Sport

My 1988 Thunderbird

Reply #2 –
Nope.  I should remove that avatar.  I sold my SSP almost a year ago to a friend.  Anyway, that's a pic of a Nebraska SSP, back in the day when it was still in service.  My SSP project was to restore my 87 SSP to that condition.  Maybe some day, but not right now.

EDIT:  avatar fixed.

My 1988 Thunderbird

Reply #3 –
Hey Joe how ya doin? Car looks good, must've stored it right. I'll give the website a looksee. Been to the u-pull-its in Omaha lately? Have to meet up there sometime. Actually saw a fairly clean TC go through the south yard a month ago.
88 TC 5speed, 168000+ miles, stock 2.3T long block, ported RFE6 exhaust, Evergreen T3 running 15#'s.
Up next: FMIC, fresh air intake, ported intakes, ported big valve head.

My 1988 Thunderbird

Reply #4 –
Quote from: jangus;319038
Hey Joe how ya doin? Car looks good, must've stored it right. I'll give the website a looksee. Been to the u-pull-its in Omaha lately? Have to meet up there sometime. Actually saw a fairly clean TC go through the south yard a month ago.


Someone else told me there was a TC in the south yard.  I never did go take a look.  I'm not really hurting for any parts though.  Picked up a set of underdrives for the T-bird tonight, so I'll have fun installing them sometime soon.  If you take a gander at my site, you'll get to see a few pics of my new 1991 Mustang 2.3 project.  I'll be putting in the 2.3T from my 87 TC this summer, while retaining the 7.5 mustang rear (with a trac-lok carrier out of an aerostar).  Should be a pretty fun project.

My 1988 Thunderbird

Reply #5 –
Gotta say, I'm surprised no one's called me out on those crank windows....:dunno:

My 1988 Thunderbird

Reply #6 –
Quote from: joefriday;319047
Gotta say, I'm surprised no one's called me out on those crank windows....:dunno:


Didn't notice them until you pointed them out... interesting. I am guessing you added them?

Shiny Side Up!
Bill
"as if 'religion' were something God invented, and not His statement to us of certain quite unalterable facts about His own nature." -C.S. Lewis

My 1988 Thunderbird

Reply #7 –
yep, I put in the cranks last fall.  Still haven't cleaned out the power window switches yet either (as you can see in the pics).  Just been busy with other projects.  I'll be putting the manual seat tracks back in as well.  I'm changing direction with the old Bird.  At one point, I thought I was going to continue daily driving it, and wanted all the cool options.  Anymore, I've accepted the fact it will only be a toy, and with its loud exhaust, it simply wants to be a street bruiser more than it wants to be a hi-tech gizmo machine.  The manual seats, crank windows, AC delete, and manual steering will fit it well.

Joe

My 1988 Thunderbird

Reply #8 –
I want more information on the hand cranks. Did you add them to a power door, or swap doors? A write up or information would keep me reading.
Quote from: jcassity
I honestly dont think you could exceed the cost of a new car buy installing new *stock* parts everywhere in your coug our tbird. Its just plain impossible. You could revamp the entire drivetrain/engine/suspenstion and still come out ahead.
Hooligans! 
1988 Crown Vic wagon. 120K California car. Wifes grocery getter. (junked)
1987 Ford Thunderbird LX. 5.0. s.o., sn-95 t-5 and an f-150 clutch. Driven daily and going strong.
1986 cougar.
lilsammywasapunkrocker@yahoo.com

My 1988 Thunderbird

Reply #9 –
Not sure if taking my door panels off is worth it to snap a few pics, but I'll give you the written rundown:
They were added to my factory power doors.  It's pretty simple...at least, if you have the factory parts.  I came across those cranks in a no-option 87 cougar.  When I swapped them out, all I had to do was remove 3 body rivets to dislodge the old power window crank assemblies, unbolt them from the window tabs, remove them, and then mount the hand crank assemblies, attach them to the window tabs, and re-rivet them in place.  After that, I just had to make an X cut in the door panel where the hand crank shaft exits, and then put the door panels back on and install the hand cranks.  The window tabs don't need to be changed or anything.  Other than the need for a  body riveter, it's all a bolt-in deal.  Although they are probably different, I wonder if mustang window crank assemblies, or even Ford Tempo crank assemblies wouldn't just happen to be the same as these old T-bird/cougar units.


This is a shot of the Cougar it came from.  Notice the car also has power door lock switch deletes.


Car also had a no-cruise base steering wheel.

My 1988 Thunderbird

Reply #10 –
Glad to see you're still around.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

My 1988 Thunderbird

Reply #11 –
Joe, you PM'd me asking about your old gallery entry. Here's the link:

http://www.foxthundercats.net/gallery/dangberg.htm

If you visit any portion of my old site and get a 404, simply replace the .com in http://www.foxthundercats.com with a .net - somebody poached my domain name a few years ago and rather than pay a ransom I simpy changed it to foxthundercats.net.
2015 Mustang GT Premium - 5.0, 6-speed, Guard Green - too much awesome for one car

1988 5.0 Thunderbird :birdsmily: SOLD SEPT 11 2010: TC front clip/hood ♣ Body & paint completed Oct 2007 ♣ 3.55 TC rear end and front brakes ♣ TC interior ♣ CHE rear control arms (adjustable lowers) ♣ 2001 Bullitt springs ♣ Energy suspension poly busings ♣ Kenne Brown subframe connectors ♣ CWE engine mounts ♣ Thundercat sequential turn signals ♣ Explorer overhead console (temp/compass display) ♣ 2.25" off-road dual exhaust ♣ T-5 transmission swap completed Jan 2009 ♣

My 1988 Thunderbird

Reply #12 –
Quote from: Thunder Chicken;319185
Joe, you PM'd me asking about your old gallery entry. Here's the link:

http://www.foxthundercats.net/gallery/dangberg.htm

If you visit any portion of my old site and get a 404, simply replace the .com in http://www.foxthundercats.com with a .net - somebody poached my domain name a few years ago and rather than pay a ransom I simpy changed it to foxthundercats.net.


Thanks Sam.

My 1988 Thunderbird

Reply #13 –
im suprised ive never seen this bird around. didnt think there was many birds left in town let alone a swaped 5.0 tc
 

My 1988 Thunderbird

Reply #14 –
Quote from: 86mk7;319628
I'm surprised I've never seen this bird around. Didn't think there were many birds left in town let alone a swapped 5.0 V6 base model with Turbocoupe parts.

fixed. ;)

EDIT:  You see that Bill Blass Mark VII on craigslist?  Not a fan of 84, but that looks like one clean ride:
http://omaha.craigslist.org/cto/1708714296.html