Recent content by Classiccarmartin

15"x6" Vision HD steel trailer wheels with 215/70R15 Cooper Cobras. Backspacing is 3.5", zero offset. 1991 Ranger 2WD at standard ride height.

Self-changing oil system! My 91 3.0 uses a quart every 750 miles. I figured I’d just put a new filter on every year and call it good!

Well the Thunderbird went off to the junkyard on Wednesday morning. I had taken everything out of it, including the fuel relay wiring section in the trunk - thanks Bird76Mojo! - I even got $70 for the car! Now the more alert amongst you may have noticed what's on the back of the tow truck...

Josh and I looked through the factory Ford manual that I have (came with the Thunderbird - a godsend!) and came to the conclusion that this harness wouldn't be necessary as I should have basically the same parts in my 1991 Ranger. Perhaps we were wrong. Fortunately, Pick-n-pull aren't coming to...

Well I'm hoping that it's going to be fast, but the plan more involves surprising BMW's and Mustangs than heading into orbit! Busy day today. The dismantling of the Thunderbird is now completed and I've brought everything home to my garage where the swap will eventually take place. As of this...

Great advice, thank you! As my Ranger is an EFI model from the factory, I can use the standard in-tank pump. I checked on the websites of a couple of parts suppliers, and the standard flow rates and operating pressures seem to be the same for both the Ranger and the Thunderbird. What will need...

Thursday did indeed turn out to be engine out day! I removed the starter motor and the torque converter nuts (3 with a socket, the fourth with an air chisel!) and took out the lower 6 engine to transmission bolts in the morning. Then after work I removed the jack stands and put the Thunderbird...

More time has been spent on the dismantling the last two mornings, and after a tough day at work, I stayed after everybody else had gone home and put another couple of hours in. Nice to enjoy some afternoon warmth, instead of the usual morning rain! I'm now very close to getting the engine out...

Wise words Walt - thank you for the encouragement. I’ve been servicing, repairing and restoring classic cars professionally for 11 years now and I’ve always tried to “do it right first time, even if it takes time”. The end result is always worth it! Right, off outside to take more bits off the...

The countdown is on to get the Thunderbird stripped and off to the junkyard before next week, so I'll be going into work early this week to make sure I get all the parts I need. This morning I removed the windshield wiper assembly and cowl vent cover to allow better access to all the vacuum...

That maybe true, but whatever it's called, it takes forever to get anything done! :rolleyes:

So I was feeling confident last night and decided to take a test drive in the Supercoupe. Filled up the cooling system and ran it up and down the quiet road outside our house. The freeze plug stayed sealed, the suspension is definitely bent and the broken headlamp was completely useless. But boy...

I certainly will. I'm planning a good freshen up, with new head gaskets, freeze plugs and depending on the condition of the bearings when I remove the oil pan, maybe even a ring and bearing rebuild. If I can make some sensible upgrades to the engine at the same time, I will do. Plenty of...

Yep. I don’t have any anti-freeze at home at the moment. The forecast for the next few days shows no freezing temperatures and the car will be coming apart again starting on Sunday. The main reason for straight water is that I have to drive the car over to work on a ferry. If I leave a big green...

Just a quick update from the cold wet driveway tonight. I decided that my chances of fitting a standard freeze plug were zero as there's practically no room to swing a hammer or a straight shot to strike the plug. A trip to the parts store yielded a rubber expansion type plug and this is what's...