My 1987 Two Door Crown Victoria AKA THE BROWN BLOB

[gadget73]

Between the two, you can probably make one, or at least rebuild one. Hard shifting T5 might just be the wrong fluid. Pretty sure those use ATF. If someone put gear oil in it, it won't go.

[87gtVIC]

The hard shifting one is currently in dads 85 Mustang it was fine before just progressively getting harder.....The whiny one is in the basement. Dad was thinking of meshing the two together but is leaning towards picking up a brandy new one.

Went outside to go for a drive this morning but everything was wet. Ugha. Maybe I will wire in the WOT lead to the air fuel ratio gauge as well as plumb in the dual relay box I picked up months back to use for a fog light relay. I'll see how ambitious I feel later in the day.


Oh yeah. Last week when I had the dash pieces removed I slipped in my single podded a pillar molding/trim and put the wideband air fuel ratio gauge in place. I left the WOT wire in the engine compartment to tap into the AC WOT relay. Otherwise the gauge is just sitting there. Didn't wire in a ground, the ignition power, the o2 sensor etc etc.

[86VickyLX]

Here are a few pics of the modified Sunpro illumination holder I modified.......THAT I CANNOT GET TO BECAUSE OF THE FREAKING WEATHER...

How did you modify these? Because I have the same gauges and with the color condoms can barely see the gauges.

[87gtVIC]

I showed pictures. Nobody listens....

I ripped out the guts of the sunpro holders and the 194 LED I had wedged firmly in place. I then soldered wire to the leads and attached accordingly.

[Bobcat]

I think I remember you having A pillar gauges? Which ones did you use if you do have those, lol.

[jaywish]

How does the t-5 stand up to power shifting. Sometimes I get lazy and don't want to bother to use the pedal.

[87gtVIC]

I think I remember you having A pillar gauges? Which ones did you use if you do have those, lol.

I used to have a dual gauge podded a pillar in addition to the single gauge podded a pillar I am running now with my Autometer Wide band air fuel ratio gauge (7378).


I used sunpro gauge cages and molded them to fit.

[Bobcat]

How does the t-5 stand up to power shifting. Sometimes I get lazy and don't want to bother to use the pedal.

They really really don't like it, lol. I've been reading up a lot on them for my 5spd swap, you'd want a 88+ and in stock form, it's possible to explode the case when they're abused. 90-93? Cobra ones could withstand a little more torque (Would be suitable for a 302 mild panther) Without being shifted properly, they go through synchronizers often. Some people have pushed stock T5s to around 400hp and haven't had them grind though.

Okay thanks Davey, I was thinking of trying to find a single pod for a Tach.

[pantera77]

How does the t-5 stand up to power shifting.

It doesn't.

[gadget73]

you'll get away with it a few times. Not very many though. You can flat shift even a non-synchro trans without damaging it if you match the RPMs properly but it won't deal with being jammed into gear.

[87gtVIC]

Picked up a Mustang fox body manual pedal assembly for the future 5 speed build. Also quickly browsed the interwebs...Mustangs Unlimited....and found the exact brake pad and clutch pedal pads I will use. They have chrome bezels to boot!

Just have to pull an 87 and down panther pedal assembly from the yard now. I guess I could go up to 89 but I don;t really want to risk it.

Also picked up a NOS shift lever knob, starter solenoid and received a GOOD coupon for a 2 ton engine hoist.

Looking into picking up a neato 1+ quart over stock tranny pan for the good old AOD already in the car to complement the new torque converter going in her as well as the Hi rev kit/transgo governor.

I gotta start doing the bodywork on the fenders I picked up from the yard. One was a 89 Grand Marquis fender so I gotta weld up the holes and the other was a CV fender that had a little dent/accident previously repaird near the ditch light. Plan is to strip both entire fenders and lay out a thin skin of body filler, guide coat that and get her looking laser straight. Then remove the front clip of the car and replace/build the engine and place all of the panels back on.

[87gtVIC]

Picked up a few more shop manuals for my Vic in addition to a 1987 EVTM. I had an 86 one all of these years.........

Looking into pin-striping the vic after I replace the fenders. Will do everything like stock. Trunk, hood, header panel and body sides will all be hit. I plan to use a gold pin-strip as it is the closest to tan I can find in stores. Looking forward to it.

[miamibob]

IIRC my '87 GM had gold pinstripe, from the factory and our colors are VERY similar.

[87gtVIC]

Only reason I mentioned tan was because that is the color of the interior. I always liked a pinstripe that matched the interior of the vehicle. Due to the metallic in my paint I think I will like the metallic the gold pin strip will give me.

Oh and my 5speed fox body pedal assembly arrived today. Hacks. Someone welded the nut on that secures the clutch pedal to the shaft it swivels on. How the hell would one change out the bushings in the tube now. Hacks. Luckily when I said "welded" it was just tacked poorly. Shouldn't be to bad to grind down and disassemble.

[gadget73]

Lots and lots of that stuff goes on. Must be a reason its welded, probably the shaft stripped out or something. Are those bushings plastic? If so, you're gonna have to do something different to put it back together. Plastic doesn't tend to like welding heat very much, though it can be done if you are very quick about it and only tack weld it.