i am currently parts collecting for my next project. i am looking for info,advice and opion's on using a late '80s/early '90s t-bird or couger irs for a '60s custom wagon project. here are my requirements for the rear end 1. must travel about 8" from bump stop to max lift(it will lay frame). 2. must be able to live behind a 300hp blown sbc or a stock '76 500cid cad. 3. needs to be resonable to install in fabicated frame(i am a journey man machinist and certified welder). 4. support a 4000lbs 4 door wagon. 5 . has good tuneability. i have limted funds so i am trying to do this as resonable as posible. my track with i belive is 56"(it is curently to DFC to verify)and i need to locate a t-bird to see how close it is. so let hear your in put. Trout
These are sooooo bitchin'!!!! Real easy to set up using coil mounts, I tuned mine using spring rubber.....PM me for photos. The only problem is a very limited gear selection. I used one on my chopped and channled '34 pick up...had 5.0 HO and it lived just fine...It's good to be a little bit unique Pat
Well, it uses 8.8" guts, so any 8.8" ring & pinion will work - plenty of popular ratios due to Mustang interest....perhaps "limited" means what you can find in a junkyard...
ok, not to sound stupid but what is a lincoln lsc? it's not a car that comes to the front of my brain at the molment. Trout
pm sent, sounds ajustable to me(spring jacks for a static suspention).thanks for the help. flat ernie, thanks for the info. as long as i can get 3.42 to 3.73 i'll be happy.Trout
Aren't these units a bit on the wide side? I don't know how wide they are but how easy/hard would it be to narrow if needed. I wouldn't mind IRS in my Packard since it's gonna be a custom (someday).
LSC=Lincoln Sports Coupe.. High performance version of the Mark Series. VII had solid axles but VIII had IRS. I'm pretty sure it's the same axle as the T-Bird as they also share the same platform, the MN12. Pretty good axle. I had 250,000 on a Thunderbird SC (Supercharged V-6). I would guess that the car was putting out in the low to mid 200hp range. One thing though is the native bolt patern is an oddball size. The only cars that have it are Mk VIII, T-birds, Taurus, Sables and some Volvos.
[quote One thing though is the native bolt patern is an oddball size. The only cars that have it are Mk VIII, T-birds, Taurus, Sables and some Volvos.[/quote]i'll have to look the bolt circle. i figured i would change it over to a 5 on 4.75 any way to match the s-10 front sub or vs a vs to 5 on 4.5. thanks for the info Trout
Found these guys at Turkey Rod Run in Daytona. I have a '93 Cougar in my parts car inventory and have been considering using the rear from it for one of my projects. Even if you're on a budget and don't plan on buying from them, you might get some ideas for doing something yourself from what they do. Here's their website: www.team321.com The Cougar/T-bird diff housings are steel but I was told the Lincoln and Mustang Cobra housings are aluminum and posi. Some T-birds have posi also. Not sure about Cougar but I would assume it was available.
It's some metric bolt pattern. I wanna say that it was 5x110mm, I Had a heck of a time finding decent looking wheels to fit. And my t-bird was a posi unit.
The SC guys modify the brakes with Cobra units to give them 5 on 4.5" bolt pattern. I'll see if I can find the site showing the swap. The original bolt pattern is the same as Taurus/Windstar. Stu
up date,i found 3 t-bird/courgar and 1 lincoln markVIII irs with 5 lug disks locally (all at the same yard to) for $250 apiece. that is a hub to hub complete assembly. now i need to decide which one to get. the debate is do i get the one out of the '94 sc t-bird or the '9? lincoln? i want to run bags ,so i thought if i went with the lincoln it would be all ready set up for it, but if i went with the bird i would get posi (a better bonus in my eyes) and then i could run a firestone 9000 can in place of the coil. i know what the bird assambly looks like,but now i need to find a good pic of the lincoln.i did screw up and lose my paper work on what car had what for gears and diff's with what motor. i'll post some more when i re dig up the specs from the cobra kit car forum i found that had a lot of good info. thanks for all the help Trout.
For airbags check out www.baggedbirds.com they have a bunch of info. I put a t-bird in my 47 truck that is one day to be completed I just have way too many projects. I have only been working on the truck for the last 11 years. I think I put the rearend in it about six years ago.
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