Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: After 29 years it's time for some paint (Read 9189 times) previous topic - next topic

After 29 years it's time for some paint

Reply #30 –
Turned out looking great. Ready for another 30yrs?
1987 Turbo Coupe, 306, Trick Flow Track Heat heads, Comp Cam, Trick Flow Pistons, Eagle Rods, Center Force clutch, T-5, 8.8 w/373 gears, and a bunch more

After 29 years it's time for some paint

Reply #31 –
Quote from: tommym;461066
Turned out looking great. Ready for another 30yrs?

I hope the paint lasts that long :hick:
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

After 29 years it's time for some paint

Reply #32 –
Got it home late Friday afternoon. It's back in one piece again and detailed. Better pictures to come.





88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

After 29 years it's time for some paint

Reply #33 –
It looks great!

After 29 years it's time for some paint

Reply #34 –
Suddenly it's 1988 again. :D

Looks awesome! Those snowflakes compliment it nicely and look perfect on it too. You should be proud.
Now comes the hardest part. Driving it and parking it in the wild without being a Nervous Nelly.
1985 Mercury Cougar XR-7 - 5-speed 
One of 1,246 built

After 29 years it's time for some paint

Reply #35 –
It hasn't been out in the wild except for the drive home from the body shop. I plan on taking it out tomorrow morning. Parking, well, it's not a grocery getter. I'll only be parking in places with a very low chance of damage being inflicted.

I still want to get some Mustang GT tail pipes. That way I can tuck them up like the factory style Thunderbird tail pipes. The Mustang LX pipes are too visible and ruin the "stock" appearance.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

After 29 years it's time for some paint

Reply #36 –
Quote from: thunderjet302;461183
I still want to get some Mustang GT tail pipes. That way I can tuck them up like the factory style Thunderbird tail pipes. The Mustang LX pipes are too visible and ruin the "stock" appearance.


I know they are popular, but I never thought that the Mustang LX tailpipes looked right on our cars. To each his own though.

I put factory '87-'88 Turbo Coupe lers & tailpipes on my car and they are a bit too subtle, but with the way the rear bodywork is, it's a bit difficult to do much back there that looks "proper" without going overboard too. The GT pipes should give a very similar look.

I ended up painting the tailpipes black and leaving the end where the factory turndowns unpainted and then just went over them with some fine grit sandpaper. The material isn't good enough that they can be polished and you really have to look to see them, but it dressed them up just enough.
1985 Mercury Cougar XR-7 - 5-speed 
One of 1,246 built

After 29 years it's time for some paint

Reply #37 –
Quote from: thunderjet302;460694
All those white circles are dents and dings. I could look down the door at certain angles and see them all. It used to drive me nuts :hick:

Wow I just looked at that. Nothing like some good old-fashioned perspective. It never changes, and you just assume even though you know it's irrational......that EVERYONE sees all of it too.

Is that a dealership? Looks like one hell of an outfit. Confidence-inspiring.
1987 20th Anniversary Cougar, 302 "5.0" GT-40 heads (F3ZE '93 Cobra) and TMoss Ported H.O. intake, H.O. camshaft
2.5" Duals, no cats, Flowmaster 40s, Richmond 3.73s w/ Trac-Lok, maxed out Baumann shift kit, 3000 RPM Dirty Dog non-lock TC
Aside from the Mustang crinkle headers, still looks like it's only 150 HP...
1988 Black XR7 Trick Flow top end, Tremec 3550
1988 Black XR7 Procharger P600B intercooled, Edelbrock Performer non-RPM heads, GT40 intake AOD, 13 PSI @5000 RPM. 93 octane

After 29 years it's time for some paint

Reply #38 –
Quote from: BCA;461182
Suddenly it's 1988 again. :D

Does that mean I have to get married again?? I sure hope not, as I won't do it again... :hick:

Seriously car looks great, far better detailed than anything I own...

After 29 years it's time for some paint

Reply #39 –
Very nice looking TBird.
1987 Turbo Coupe, 306, Trick Flow Track Heat heads, Comp Cam, Trick Flow Pistons, Eagle Rods, Center Force clutch, T-5, 8.8 w/373 gears, and a bunch more

After 29 years it's time for some paint

Reply #40 –
Quote from: ZondaC12;461189
Wow I just looked at that. Nothing like some good old-fashioned perspective. It never changes, and you just assume even though you know it's irrational......that EVERYONE sees all of it too.

Is that a dealership? Looks like one hell of an outfit. Confidence-inspiring.


I always assumed that people saw the dents but, really, they probably didn't. I did and that's all that mattered, to me.

That's just the body shop about a mile from my house. My family has been going there for over 20 years. They do good work so I gave them the job. They only have one location but it's decently sized, as you noticed.

Quote from: TurboCoupe50;461190
Does that mean I have to get married again?? I sure hope not, as I won't do it again... :hick:

Seriously car looks great, far better detailed than anything I own...


I was 3 years old in 1988.....

I still have to clean the chassis. There is sanding dust under the car still. It's clean enough to drive though, I guess.

Quote from: tommym;461192
Very nice looking TBird.


Thanks.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

After 29 years it's time for some paint

Reply #41 –
Took it out for a drive this morning and took some pictures. Morning sun angle isn't the best.






At some point I need to get some NOS headlamp housings. I've polished the bejesus out of the ones on the car and they still have a yellow tinge in certain light.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

After 29 years it's time for some paint

Reply #42 –
Car looks great man.  BEAUTIFUL!!!!

Go Fast the first time.  The tickets the same.
86 Thunderbird 5.0.  All original good weather driver. Tbird Reg #53035
86 Thunderbird TC.  All original good weather driver.  Tbird Reg # 58555
87 Thunderbird TC.  All original good weather daily driver.  Tbird Reg # 64647

After 29 years it's time for some paint

Reply #43 –
Now I'm just worried about the first ding or scratch, like a new car :hick:
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

After 29 years it's time for some paint

Reply #44 –
Not in the shade pictures :hick:




88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.