|
|
 |
|
| While the rear axle assembly was out, the rear spring mounts were straightened. | |
| With the rear axle housing welded, it was painted, and reinstalled. | |
| New springs, pads and shocks are used to make the ride characteristics correct. The rear brakes are reinstalled with new brake lines. | |
| When reinstalling the drive shaft, care must be taken to ensure proper alignment both horizontally and vertically between the third member and transmission. | |
| While the rear axle assembly was out of the way, the new gas tank with a new sending unit was installed. | |
| After removing the transmission the clutch assembly and flywheel are removed for inspection. | |
| An oily plate and weak spring tension meant a new clutch assembly was warranted. More working room around the engine is provided by also removing the T-Bird's starter motor. | |
| The shiny surface of the old pressure plate on the left is the result of wear and oil. At this stage of restoration it makes good sense to replace these parts now while the other parts are out of the way. | |
| With the Thunderbird's flywheel back in place the new clutch assembly is installed. | |
| The bell housing also gets a coat of new Ford red paint before going back into the car. | |
| With the rearend completed, it's time to tackle the front suspension, beginning with the removal of the spindle. | |
| The original rubber pads are completely gone from years of wear and even after a lengthly power washing the assembly will still need extensive cleaning. | |
| Degreaser, a wire brush, a grinding wheel and a lot of time were all required to remove the 50 years of dirt and grime. | |
| The frame, tie rods and other components will also need a good cleaning before reassembly. | |
| Cleaning this section was probably the dirtiest job so far, with the wire brush flinging dirt and grease around. The extra effort is worth it when it comes to putting it back together. | |
| Fresh primer and paint on the exposed frame and front crossmember before reassembly will make the finished product look more professional. | |
| With the upper and lower A-arms painted, assembly will go smoother. | |
| The reassembled lower A-arm includes a new ball joint and bushing. All the bolts and nuts have been cleaned with degreaser and wire brush. | |
| New bushings make the reinstalled arms fit tight again the way they should. | |
| New coil springs will firm up the ride and return the Thunderbird ground clearance to normal. | |
| One upgrade that is included in this project is converting the front brakes to disks. | |
| The new disk came completely assembled with spindles, bushings, calipers and pads. | |
| The conversion to disk brakes changes the position of the tires so they were mocked up prior to installation to check the clearances. | |
| Installing the spindle and brake assembly required compressing the coil spring while keeping it properly positioned. | |
| With the new disk brake assembly in place the new shocks are installed. | |
| With everything in place, painted and polished the final product is impressive and will last for many years. | |
| Along with the new disk brakes in front, the Thunderbird also gets new custom fitted brake lines. | |
| The new brake line then runs down the outside of the frame rail. | |
| The old drum brakes included a power assist unit which was removed. The new master cylinder was repositioned slightly. | |
| A new proportioning valve was mounted under the new battery tray with all the lines custom fitted. | |
| The T-Bird will ride on new radial tires sporting the classic wide whitewalls of the 1950's. | |
| The new tires, including a spare, will be mounted on new rims built to original specs. | |
| With all the new suspension parts the car sits a little higher off the ground, more like it did originally. | |
| Once the Thunderbird has gas in the tank, a driver and a few miles on it, the ride height will drop just a little. | |
| The final step for the front steering and suspension will be lube and alignment. | |
Street Rods Forever 512-462-9855
Click here for a map and directions
|
Copyright 2004 - 2008 Street Rods Forever,
Austin, Texas. All Rights Reserved. All brands and product names are trademarks of their respective owners. site maintained by Dave McConnell d.b.a. CableSmart! |
