88 5.0 Thunderbird

[DirtyBird95]

I just picked one up not to long ago
and was wondering can suspension for a mustang work on it?

 

[stewyrx786]

tbird

ya mustang suspension parts will work

 

[Vinnietbird]

The rear control arms are longer on a T-Bird,as are the front a-frames.If you change all of the front suspension,you can use the Stang parts.The motor mounts are also different for the Bird.The H-Pipe and headers are a bolt on.If you have a column shifter,the linkage may need to be moved a bit,and the mid pipes lengthened.The tail pipes from a Stang will also work,but like the mid pipes,also have to be lengthened.The Mustang's 11 inch front brakes are also a good upgrade from the smaller brakes on the Bird.You'll need to swap spindles ,lines,calipers and rotors,and a new master cylinder and proportioning valve as well.These cars have a ton of potential.I've been going through it for years.LOL.

 

[ID89GT]

Are the engine harness the same? Not the one that runs along the firewall, but the one that plugs into all the injectors and such? Im curious cause I can find 5.0 Thunderbirds all the time but never can find a Mustang at the junkyards.

 

[DirtyBird95]

thanks for the help
yea im gonna start working on it as a winter project
im wanting to do twins on it
just saving some money right now
i also have a 95

 

[Vinnietbird]

Are the engine harness the same? Not the one that runs along the firewall, but the one that plugs into all the injectors and such? Im curious cause I can find 5.0 Thunderbirds all the time but never can find a Mustang at the junkyards.

The injector harness is the same.The O2 harness is shorter than the Mustang's since the O2 sensors were in the exhaust manifolds on the Bird,and not the H-Pipe as with the Stang.I had to lengthen mine,no big deal.The main harness is different between the two.For mass air,modify the factory Bird's harness.It's quick and easy.Follow the instructions as you would for a Stang.The process is identical.

 

[DirtyBird95]

so doing the maf
can u tie it in to the stock harness?
and can the stock computer work for it?

 

[Vinnietbird]

The Mass Air upgrade ties into the stock harness at the computer plug.I ordered a kit from Ebay for about $40.00.It came with everything I needed (wiring,plug,instructions),then you can use an Mustang computer.I'm using an A9P right now.It's been great with the AOD,and now the 5 speed.If you get the kit,or find the Mass Air instructions online,just wire it up as the instructions say.The T-Bird harness accepts the exact same Mass Air swap as the Stang.I had my harness out of the car when I did it,took me about 30 minutes at the dining room table.About an hour under the dash (remove the passenger seat and it'll make life a lot easier).

 

[DirtyBird95]

alright sounds good
theres a mercury mountainer(i think thats how u spell it)
at the junk yard and has the 5.0 in it
im trying to get the MAF and the computer and the heads out of it
those are gt40 heads right? and would the computer work?
also how hard was it for the 5 spd swap?
my 88 has all the power stuff in it with the digital dash to

 

[Vinnietbird]

The engine from the mountaineer will work,but not the computer.You need one from a Stang.They are all over eBay. Get a Mass Air meter and sensor from a 4.6 Crown Vic.As far as the engine goes,get the whole thing.The engine in your Bird has flat top pistons with no valve reliefs,and that makes mods hard to do with decent piston to valve clearance.I'm using a '98 Explorer engine.It has the GT40 P heads.The '96/'97 Explorers/Mountaineers had the GT40 heads.The 5 speed swap was done in about 4 hours,(5 if you count the pedal swap) using all Mustang parts (except the console shifter bezel) with zero mods to the car.Everything was bolt in.The driveshaft,crossmember,and tranny mount all are used from the Bird.The shifter bezel will need to come from a 5 speed Fox body Cougar or Thunderbird. With your digital dash,is it just the speedo that is digital?Either way,there's a mod that you can do (takes about 30 minutes which includes removing the cluster) that will allow your speedo to read up to 199 mph instead of only 85.I have a Sport model Bird which has analog gauges like the Turbo Coupe,except for the boost gauge.I installed a Ford Motorsport 140mph speedo. PM me and I'll show you where to look for a lot more info.