64 Tbird big project- 4.6L mod motor, 5spd manual, IRS

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Joe Johnston
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Re: 64 Tbird big project- 4.6L mod motor, 5spd manual, IRS

Post by Joe Johnston »

Silver - with a couple of shades of smokey gray ghost flames!
PLEASE invest a few bucks and buy all the shop manuals for your car. Definitely will save you much time and be an education.

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sseebart
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Re: 64 Tbird big project- 4.6L mod motor, 5spd manual, IRS

Post by sseebart »

Intrigued by the shaved firewall, since I've got my motor out as well & there would love to clean up under the hood. Looks like you eliminated the wiper connections & heater motor access. What are you planning for the wipers? Still going to run the brake line across the firewall?

BTW, I'd go for the blue, depending on body color. Are you going to keep it red?

~Steve
Hitman
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Re: 64 Tbird big project- 4.6L mod motor, 5spd manual, IRS

Post by Hitman »

Thanks guys, the blue/silver will be the body color, I'm planning on painting the engine compartment similar to factory -black firewall and body color for the fender wells. I want to do a two tone paint job to break the body up a bit, with either color I was going to paint the roof and the bumpers a deep grey or gunmetal color.

For the wipers: I was planning on retrofitting an electric wiper motor in place of the original hydraulic...I've retrofitted wiper motors to cars they didn't belong in before, but never a tbird before.

The crown Vic/town car subframe has the brake lines running from the master straight down then under the engine and along the k-member so I'll be reusing these lines.
Hitman
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Re: 64 Tbird big project- 4.6L mod motor, 5spd manual, IRS

Post by Hitman »

2 floors 95% installed, Just have to make a couple small patch panels, seam seal the edges.
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Hitman
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Re: 64 Tbird big project- 4.6L mod motor, 5spd manual, IRS

Post by Hitman »

Not exciting, but progress is progress. Work and life got in the way last month, I only put 20hrs into the car then but I put 10hrs in it just yesterday and today for this month. I have the cowl area all welded up and I'm seam sealing it and the floor pans now.

Bottom plate in:
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Then the side and seam seal:
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Hitman
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Re: 64 Tbird big project- 4.6L mod motor, 5spd manual, IRS

Post by Hitman »

Today marks the first day that there are no holes in the floor pans big enough for your foot to go through! The seams are sealed and everything is ready for paint/POR15/ sound deadener. I also welded in a bracket for the gas pedal and dropped the front suspension out to gusset some areas and get it out of the way for paint in the coming weeks.

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Bondo has begun, hoping to put some kind of paint on the engine compartment within a month.

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Hitman
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Re: 64 Tbird big project- 4.6L mod motor, 5spd manual, IRS

Post by Hitman »

It's at least all on color now with POR15, I have a bit of sanding left but am hoping to raptor bed line the firewall and frame outside.

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Hitman
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Re: 64 Tbird big project- 4.6L mod motor, 5spd manual, IRS

Post by Hitman »

Getting close to painting the firewall and frame, probably a couple more coats of primer and few more hours of sanding. While I've been waiting for paint to dry I've been turning may attentions to other bodywork and disassembling the doors. Hopefully I can buy some big ticket items in the next month like ac, wiring harness, paint, gauges, etc... And things can start to fall into place (hah!).
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Re: 64 Tbird big project- 4.6L mod motor, 5spd manual, IRS

Post by Hitman »

Started cutting some rust out on the drivers side while I've been waiting for bondo and primer to dry on the firewall. Not too many surprises, but the panels are pretty thick with bondo whether it was needed or not (I guess to feather out the previous rust 'repairs').

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sseebart
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Re: 64 Tbird big project- 4.6L mod motor, 5spd manual, IRS

Post by sseebart »

Any chance you could snap a close-up of the drip rails stripped? I've got rust in that area & am wondering just what kind of job it would entail to fix.

~Steve
Hitman
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Re: 64 Tbird big project- 4.6L mod motor, 5spd manual, IRS

Post by Hitman »

Drip rails stripped of their trim? I literally just cut them off the car, they're so far gone they weren't held to the roof by more than 2" of metal, the rest was 1/4" of bondo. I'm going to rebuild the inner/lower structure and 'shave' the drip rails from the roof. Luckily the roof is in good shape aside from the rails. Let me know if I can get you any detailed pics of what I have left.

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Stuart522
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Re: 64 Tbird big project- 4.6L mod motor, 5spd manual, IRS

Post by Stuart522 »

I'm just curious what 'kind' of profit you plan on making? I've spent an ungodly amount on mine and didn't do 1/2 the things you are attempting, now my costs were probably doubled since i don't do the work myself. but quick and at a profit..?, these cars can go for 6 or 7k. in pretty good shape. which is nothing. i've spent well over 25k on mine and it doesn't even have a radio...
:n00b:
1966 T-Bird (almost finished-if that's possible)
2015 Range Rover Sport SVR (super-charged V8 - 541 hp)
2003 Harley XLH Hugger
1966 Mustang - (SOLD for Cash$ and a Winchester Rifle) Will buy one complete if i want one
Hitman
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Re: 64 Tbird big project- 4.6L mod motor, 5spd manual, IRS

Post by Hitman »

Stuart522 wrote:I'm just curious what 'kind' of profit you plan on making? I've spent an ungodly amount on mine and didn't do 1/2 the things you are attempting, now my costs were probably doubled since i don't do the work myself. but quick and at a profit..?, these cars can go for 6 or 7k. in pretty good shape. which is nothing. i've spent well over 25k on mine and it doesn't even have a radio...
I'll admit the thunderbird market is a lot softer than I was thinking it to be when I bought one (and am not sure why that is), and I'm constantly doubting what I think this thing will be able to sell for once I'm done. But my hopes are that the modifications I'm doing to this car will make it appealing to other markets than a stock example will (hot rodders, street cruisers, 'pro-touring').
My THOUGHT is that I'm putting rack and pinion steering, modern suspension, 4whl disc brakes, and a fuel injected engine/ overdrive trans that can get better mileage and be more comfortable to cruise in than stock could ever hope to be. I'm hoping to cap my budget out in the high $7k mark (everything from car purchase to paint and wheels/tires) and so far am on track to do so. With that in mind I'm hoping to be able to sell it for around $14-$15k I'm doing all of the work myself and have been keeping track of the hours, I'm guessing I'll have 400hrs or more in it by the time I'm done. I'd be extatic if I could get above minimum wage for my time, but I see it as 'free time' that I'd otherwise be wasting in front of a tv or computer.
Stuart522
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Re: 64 Tbird big project- 4.6L mod motor, 5spd manual, IRS

Post by Stuart522 »

Well it sounds like you're building a 1-off custom T-Bird and are obviously doing it right from the start. so after further review, i think the car you're building will be worth a lot more. 25k easy. Someone would be lucky to own it. Can't wait to see it done.
good luck!

in my mind, i'm seeing a charcoal gray exterior....just my 2 cents.
:n00b:
1966 T-Bird (almost finished-if that's possible)
2015 Range Rover Sport SVR (super-charged V8 - 541 hp)
2003 Harley XLH Hugger
1966 Mustang - (SOLD for Cash$ and a Winchester Rifle) Will buy one complete if i want one
Hitman
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Re: 64 Tbird big project- 4.6L mod motor, 5spd manual, IRS

Post by Hitman »

It's definitely not a get rich quick scheme! I don't know if I said it at the beginning, but I enjoy making cars that you won't see two of on the street or in a car show, I unfortunately don't have the space at this point in my life to keep every car I dream of, so after I get all the bugs worked out I'll have to sell it to make room for the next one. And if I make a little extra money than what I have into the project, that'll just help fund the next one!

Based off of what I've been hearing from people I think I'm going to go with the blue for the main body color, I'll be painting the roof a deep charcoal to break things up, and since the chrome is shot I'm thinking that most of it will get powder coated black.
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