Vintage Thunderbird Club International

If you're not concerned with originality, I found this style of 15" Ranger wheel as used from 2001-2011 (came in black or argent silver) would clear the 66 disc brakes with a small slip-on spacer.




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Ed

We need to know what the width is of the wheels that you are looking at. If it's any wider than the originals, that affects the backspacing you'll need too. 3.75" backspacing vs. stock 4" backspacing means that the wheel is pushed 1/4" toward the outside compared to the originals. If ...

I'm guessing that most people on the Net with this generation of Bird spend their time at the TCCoA forums.


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Ed

That would be a cool solution for people who want to put more axle ratio in the 60s Bird to gain some acceleration, but still be able to cruise them. Probably easier than any sort of OD trans solution if you're looking to retain the factory style shifter and column.


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Ed

Ford has used electric vacuum pumps for many years on the diesel Super Duty pickups.


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Ed

They are nice cruisers, not super quick by any means, but a civilized yet sporty car. Great feature is the fuel tank size, 22 gallons, so that combined with the 4 cyl. engine means that you can go forever on a tank if you drive a steady reasonable speed and stay out of the boost.


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Ed

Back in to a T-Bird for me, this time of the Fox variety: ./image-archive/i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp278/fastEdVW/88%20T-Bird%20Turbo%20Coupe/_20.jpg ./image-archive/i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp278/fastEdVW/88%20T-Bird%20Turbo%20Coupe/_202.jpg ./image-archive/i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp278/f...

Decided to move on from the 66 Town Hardtop that I had picked up a few years ago. It is just a driver quality car that had a very old repaint, whole car needed a cosmetic restoration really, and recently the C6 trans was having some issues. Liked the car, but didn't love it, so I decided it was time...

We put an aftermarket adjustable valve like that Jegs piece in my 66 last when the original was leaking. Car isn't 100% original, so I wasn't concerned with trying to get a stock replacement. The aftermarket one works fine with the single pot master cylinder.


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Ed

That would be good info too of course, many of us want to keep the skirts with non-stock wheels. I've got a set of the 2008 Mustang "fanblade" 18" wheels that I am going to try on my 66, they are the version with the painted accents like this: ./image-archive/img.photobucket.com/album...

I wonder how those wheels would look with the black paint that you've done, and then take the paint off the front of the lace spokes for some contrast?

Thanks for sharing the info on those.


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Ed

Wish we had thought of that when doing the install on my 66, D'OH!


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Ed

The difference in track width for the CV stuff could be made up with higher offset wheels. Since it can only be a bolt-in, the important measurement would be the width across where the CV subframe would be bolting up to the T-Bird chassis.


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Ed

I've pondered the CV swap for my 66. The crossmember, spindles, and steering rack housing are aluminium. The whole assembly is a pretty reasonable weight, but sturdy enough to support a full-size car obviously.


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Ed

Great looking wheels, I would have a set on my 66 if they had a deep enough pad to clear the calipers.

I think that you'll find 215/65R17 to be too tall, they work out to around 28" diameter. Probably something like 215/60R17 at around 27.1" is going to be a better fit.


cheers
Ed