I'm new to your little forum and I recently converted a 3.8 automatic thunderchicken to a 5.0 5-speed and it was by far no simple task I have about 3500 in cash and a whole summer invested in the car. I did more to it than the conversion I changed the front and rear springs as well as the swaybars and added a 3:73 8.8 out of a mustang tied the subframes together with mustang sub-frame connecters. I used an 88 cougar for parts and an 83 thunderbird. The cougar was used for the motor mounts and wiring harness and computer. The mounts for an 86 are not the same as mustang the motor is from an 88 towncar so I ended up changing the upper manifold, because a towncar put's the throttle body on the driverside I could have left it alone but I wanted it to apear stock I also had to change the pullies because the towncar has a clockwise rotated waterpump and a t-bird is a counter clockwise go figure. What cost me the most was hiring someone to do the nightmare wiring job
I sent that to a garage and they charged me 1200 to do it I suppose it is better off left done by the pro's it taken them 2 weeks to do it I can only imagine what it would have taken me but it is done and running now and it runs like a champ. The clutch is a centerforce it is a 5 speed and all the parts came out of a mustang. Drop the column and the bracket and pedals went right in it. Now has the adjustable quadrant on it that was actually an easy swap and the rear was also out of a mustang and it gained me tire clearance the car sports 245/50/16 and it has alot of room for more. I beefed up my rear trailing arms by boxing them in so no rearend flex their. If anyone has any questions on converting one drop me a message at
[email protected] I am getting ready to add more upgrades to it the usual bolt on's to make it go fast will I ever be done.....NOTTTTT take care and love the foreum
01-31-2006, 08:55 AM
