1963 ford thunderbird unibody upgrade#
1963 ford thunderbird unibody free#

it was very pricey but its a complete kit with the FE adapter. I went with the Ford AOD HD kit from Monster Transmissions. I also found polished tri-bar spinners that actually fit the wheels. I originally wanted at least 8's in the back but I wanted to keep the skirts on so it was risky and stuck with the 7's. They were then finally able to fit properly. Instead of going with generic wheel spacers I went with custom made hub centric wheel spacers for $200. I ran into a problem with the front calipers and had to but wheel spacers. I went with Vox Old School Wheels 17x7 all the way around and staggered tire setup. So after searching for weeks with no luck for wheels that would fit and are in stock, I finally found the size and setup after going to a tire shop and talking with the manager that actually happened to have a lot of experience with flair birds. I was thinking of going with air suspension, not bags tho because I don't want an elaborate system and the maintenance involved with compressors. I am trying to figure out what to do with the rear suspension. I was going to respond to your thread of the Ultimate Restomod Flair bird. So I went all in on my build for my recently acquired bird. They're pretty enjoyable the way they are, especially with the ignition system and exhaust system upgrades. Then you could stop talking about miles per gallon and instead talk about time to go from 0 to 100 mph.Ī note of reality before we all launch on this: the TBird is not a muscle car, it's a sports luxury car. Still pretty expensive but lots of scoot when you're done. You can add performance adders like intake manifold and camshaft, but why not go with a lighter, more modern engine that can make more horsepower and torque? Personally I'd look at a Coyote or an LS engine.Īn then there's ditching the gas engine and installing an electric drive. The 390 is a heavy sucker, weighing in around 650 pounds. Overdrive transmission, upgraded disc brake system, replace single with dual master, suspension upgrades to better connect the car with the road, third member gear ratio change, limited slip differential, and possibly an aluminum driveshaft.įinally, the engine.

1963 ford thunderbird unibody free#

Free flowing exhaust headers and mufflers, although I've heard the benefit of the headers may not be all that obvious. Doing the electronic ignition upgrade, of course.

1963 ford thunderbird unibody upgrade#

Whether going with the 390 or other engine, an EFI fuel system upgrade is nice, although carburetion is OK. At least replacing the control arms to get more castor and adjustability for castor, camber and toe in would be good. I saw a Dodge Dart (a unibody car) that a guy had put a frame under so he could go with the suspension he wanted. Not sure this is easy or even feasible with a unibody car, but maybe it's out there. Would be very nice to replace the suspension with a modern suspension.