Rumbuilder Thunderbird

4bangen · 06-25-2021, 09:51 PM

Well, another one followed me home. Drove all the way out to Amarillo to pick up this turd. But rust free and a factory 5.0 for $500 with a a clean title was to good to pass up. Even though it looks rough as hell.

So as of now I've really not touched it. But I plan on digging into it a little this weekend. What I know is the flex plate is missing a few teeth, the battery is dead, and there's no electricity in the interior. The engine spins free and the starter turns the motor. But when it hits the missing teeth it stops. It came with a new flex plate and starter, so that's a good thing. But I want to get it started and running to make sure the trans works before I pull the trans to replace the flex plate and put a potentially bad trans back in. Also the brakes don't work. lol
It's going to be a youtube project obviously, and I have a very specific plan for it.
I'm going to make it look as much like an 80's NASCAR as humanly possible, paint, cut and flair the fenders, shave the outside door handles, wheels, tires, and side pipe exhaust. Oh, and a cage! Once it looks and sounds the part, the first goal is to take it to TMS and run it on the track. Next step will be daily drive it for a few weeks and get people's reaction to it on film.
Once that's all done my daughter will learn to drag race, autocross, and rally cross in it. Then depending on which one she likes the best, the car will get built for that form of racing. Here's the way I'm painting it.

off the bat I need a few things, mainly a header panel and front bumper cover. If any of you have a local lead on either part please let me know. I want to get paint on it as soon as I can.

And lastly, The mustang is still going strong. It's at the exhaust shop now getting my dream exhaust built!

as usual, if you have any spare parts laying around for either of these cars that are better than stock hit me up. I'm also looking for an inexpensive car trailer. My buddy with the bas ass aluminum trailer I've been using is moving out of state this week.

TX_92_Notch · 06-25-2021, 11:04 PM

**like**

4EyedTurd · 06-26-2021, 06:21 AM

Nice find

Gasser64 · 06-26-2021, 02:35 PM

You need to fully restore that thing into being a nice street machine

No more of this off road car weirdness

4bangen · 06-26-2021, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gasser64

You need to fully restore that thing into being a nice street machine

No more of this off road car weirdness

I've had more fun offroad than I ever had on road. But this car is going to be setup to street drive and race. Though the future of it depends on what the kid wants to do with it. I'm building it to race with her. If she wants to rally, it will rally, if she wants to autoX it will do that. Not often your 15yo daughter takes an interest in her dad's passion.

cool cat · 06-27-2021, 02:16 PM

Need an S trim?

4bangen · 06-28-2021, 07:14 AM

spent a little time on the car yesterday. Got most of the electrical worked out. Still not getting any fuel to the injectors, but I can hear the pump. I need to replace the flex plate before I do anything else. It ran out of teeth. lol

71chevellejohn · 06-28-2021, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gasser64

You need to fully restore that thing into being a nice street machine

No more of this off road car weirdness

If you're concerned of the fate of this car, you should buy it from him. $10k should do it!

TX_92_Notch · 06-28-2021, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cool cat

Need an S trim?

yes

JC316 · 06-28-2021, 11:39 PM

I've got the floor mats and members only jacket for that car. I had one just like it that I bought from a member on here.

4bangen · 06-29-2021, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JC316

I've got the floor mats and members only jacket for that car. I had one just like it that I bought from a member on here.

I've got floor mat's but what size is the jacket?

4bangen · 07-17-2021, 03:40 PM

First video with the thunderbird.

AnthonyS · 07-28-2021, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4bangen

I've had more fun offroad than I ever had on road. But this car is going to be setup to street drive and race. Though the future of it depends on what the kid wants to do with it. I'm building it to race with her. If she wants to rally, it will rally, if she wants to autoX it will do that.

Agreed. And if she wants to try autoX she can try my new autoX car. Dirt is more fun, but both are fun.

Trip McNeely · 08-22-2021, 07:17 AM

homealone · 08-23-2021, 01:15 PM

For those that remember "The Fastest Chicken In the South"

Link because the pics are just too damn big.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...8931319&type=3

Rick Modena · 08-23-2021, 01:57 PM

haha, bad ass!

Tx Redneck · 08-23-2021, 03:54 PM

How'd that Ranger tow?

cool cat · 08-23-2021, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tx Redneck

How'd that Ranger tow?

I'm curious as well.

dcs13 · 08-25-2021, 06:54 AM

Mines ready to go down the road...

Sean88gt · 08-25-2021, 09:17 AM

Is your dash already cracked on the ranger?

06-25-2021, 09:51 PM	#1
4bangen ©4bangen© Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 6,780	Rumbuilder Thunderbird Well, another one followed me home. Drove all the way out to Amarillo to pick up this turd. But rust free and a factory 5.0 for $500 with a a clean title was to good to pass up. Even though it looks rough as hell. So as of now I've really not touched it. But I plan on digging into it a little this weekend. What I know is the flex plate is missing a few teeth, the battery is dead, and there's no electricity in the interior. The engine spins free and the starter turns the motor. But when it hits the missing teeth it stops. It came with a new flex plate and starter, so that's a good thing. But I want to get it started and running to make sure the trans works before I pull the trans to replace the flex plate and put a potentially bad trans back in. Also the brakes don't work. lol It's going to be a youtube project obviously, and I have a very specific plan for it. I'm going to make it look as much like an 80's NASCAR as humanly possible, paint, cut and flair the fenders, shave the outside door handles, wheels, tires, and side pipe exhaust. Oh, and a cage! Once it looks and sounds the part, the first goal is to take it to TMS and run it on the track. Next step will be daily drive it for a few weeks and get people's reaction to it on film. Once that's all done my daughter will learn to drag race, autocross, and rally cross in it. Then depending on which one she likes the best, the car will get built for that form of racing. Here's the way I'm painting it. off the bat I need a few things, mainly a header panel and front bumper cover. If any of you have a local lead on either part please let me know. I want to get paint on it as soon as I can. And lastly, The mustang is still going strong. It's at the exhaust shop now getting my dream exhaust built! as usual, if you have any spare parts laying around for either of these cars that are better than stock hit me up. I'm also looking for an inexpensive car trailer. My buddy with the bas ass aluminum trailer I've been using is moving out of state this week.

06-26-2021, 02:35 PM	#4
Gasser64 Lifer Join Date: Oct 2013 Posts: 4,998	You need to fully restore that thing into being a nice street machine No more of this off road car weirdness __________________ WH

08-22-2021, 07:17 AM	#14
Trip McNeely Black Ac Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Central Alabama Posts: 39,472	Last edited by Trip McNeely; 08-22-2021 at 07:26 AM.

08-23-2021, 01:15 PM	#15
homealone Still got nothing Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: If I Were You I'd Kill Myself Posts: 4,027	For those that remember "The Fastest Chicken In the South" Link because the pics are just too damn big. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...8931319&type=3 Last edited by homealone; 08-23-2021 at 08:50 PM.

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06-25-2021, 11:04 PM	#2
TX_92_Notch Just a nobody Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 2,702	like

06-26-2021, 06:21 AM	#3
4EyedTurd Lifer Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 3,467	Nice find

06-27-2021, 02:16 PM	#6
cool cat Lifer Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 16,772	Need an S trim?

06-28-2021, 07:14 AM	#7
4bangen ©4bangen© Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 6,780	spent a little time on the car yesterday. Got most of the electrical worked out. Still not getting any fuel to the injectors, but I can hear the pump. I need to replace the flex plate before I do anything else. It ran out of teeth. lol

06-28-2021, 11:39 PM	#10
JC316 Lifer Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Kaufman Posts: 5,885	I've got the floor mats and members only jacket for that car. I had one just like it that I bought from a member on here.

07-17-2021, 03:40 PM	#12
4bangen ©4bangen© Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 6,780	First video with the thunderbird.

08-23-2021, 03:54 PM	#17
Tx Redneck Wannabe puter fixor VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: On the straight and narrow,stumbling at best, only by Gods grace. Posts: 15,402	How'd that Ranger tow?

08-25-2021, 06:54 AM	#19
dcs13 Lifer Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 2,828	Mines ready to go down the road...

08-25-2021, 09:17 AM	#20
Sean88gt Avenge Me! Join Date: Sep 2000 Posts: 46,819	Is your dash already cracked on the ranger?