Hey I don't control what other people hear. 
Hey I don't control what other people hear.
And now for something completely different:
The duct tape is not mine.
I now haz two functioning windows!
Lately I've been debating whether I should drop in a Stage 1 AOD (better than stock) or swap it over to a 5-speed manual.
I don't want to hack the car but if I could make the 5-speed look O.E., ala GTC stage III, it would be pretty sweet! After all it already has the 3.45:1 rear gears... 
They converted one here using the Fox body Stang parts with some mods. It can look VERY OEM. http://thelincolnmarkviiclub.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=75&start=50
That's a nice write up!
fwiw, a T5 in a Mustang with the same stock 302 has a sketchy history of longevity. Add a few hundred pounds of luxury and the Tremec's start looking more attractive. I'm not saying you would break a T5, but lots of folks have in a car 700 pounds lighter. Third gear seems to be the most common failure point, typically from guys who barely touch the clutch and don't lift... the drag race guys, in other words. Ford put a Mazda transmission behind the Supercharged V6 in the SC Thunderbird, which is kind of a hint about torque capacity I guess.
I've never seen 3.45's in a 8.8 before. 3.27's from Mustang V8/AOD, and 3.55's from Cobra Mustangs, trucks and aftermarketout the wazoo, my LSC has 3.27's which I thought all LSC's had ... interesting! Did I miss the door tag in this thread? 4.10's and an AOD with the wide ratio gear set and/or valve body modification where you can hold second gear would be fun. Broader Performance has a good reputation and parts for the AOD, and clickclickracing (.com) has a wealth of AOD information for DIY rebuilds.
OTOH, I'd love to see it with a third pedal if that's where you want to go. Clutch quadrants on Ebay run all over the map, I have been watching people ask 150 and see them sell for 50.00. A "good" used T5 is getting kind of scarce. I think you can still get gearsets with a .82 OD (maybe) which would keep you from having to pull it out of fifth on the highway to pass somebody. I'd plan on putting synchros in and inspecting any T5 unless I could drive it and confirm it was okay. I think the Tbirds turbo coupes used a hydraulic clutch which may be something to look at in the junk yard if you can find one. I'm not sure if you can keep the big brace on the LSC under the transmission. There were extra braces on them that the manual Mustangs didn't have. ddperformance (D&D) has been around for years (decades), and does a lot of Mustang work.
I ramble a lot... sorry about that. Good luck!
Having seen this car I can attest that it is a beautiful automobile, inside and out. Looking forward to seeing how the project goes. That white color is gorgeous on those cars in person.
In reply to Beagle:
No problem whatsoever with the rambling, lots of good info there! Thanks!
In reply to BlueInGreen44:
Thanks!
I would suggest you do a T5 swap if you're going to keep the car for a while, or else it probably wouldn't be worth it to you.
I wouldn't be to worried about longevity with them because of race cars. Guys that are racing 3rd gen Mustangs and Camaros in a spec class use T5s that have been upgraded to handle the extra torque. You can buy their beefed up trans or buy one and have the internals strengthened.
This is definitely a long-term car and, aside from the occasional Autocross, I will not be flogging it very hard or very often.
Given some experience with your engine combo, I'll offer a slightly different perspective. And that is, given the standard 5.0L version of the T5's 300 lb-ft rating, I think they hold up remarkably well given the level of abuse many are saddled with. Lots of people with lots more torque than that out of the 302/306/331/347 motors you find in the Stangs and T5's that have held up over the years. Tough to find a used one that doesn't need to be gone through - but given what you're talking about and your intended use, a properly refreshed one ought to last a good long time behind it in the Mark.
After some consideration I think I may be experiencing a bit of Scope Creep. I could very easily fall victim to the "I want it all!" car building mentality. I have in the past.
As much as it pains me, I'm going to have the AOD rebuilt to stock specs... for this round anyway.
it's a good call... keeps it mobile! They're not much fun when they sit. :)
The_Jed wrote: After some consideration I think I may be experiencing a bit of Scope Creep. I could very easily fall victim to the "I want it all!" car building mentality. I have in the past.As much as it pains me, I'm going to have the AOD rebuilt to stock specs... for this round anyway.
Your wife appreciates this plan.
Pffft. I have less then a grand in my AOD and that includes a trans brake and all the available upgrades for back in 98......
At least do the commercial clutch kit for direct and the upgraded OD servo even for staying stock. 
Popped in new front sway bar bushings today. Hopefully that cures a persistent clunk I've been hearing from the right front. The O.E. bushings didn't look too bad though. I've been unable to replicate the sound by tugging and prying on things when it's on jack stands.
The clunk persists... 
The_Jed wrote: And now for something completely different:
Quick Q: how rough was it to get the window working? The driver's side window on my TC is in fixed in the upright position, which here in Oregon is fine 8 months of the year. But the heats been killer in that black beast the past few weeks.
The_Jed wrote: The clunk persists...
Strut tops might be gone, as well as the bar bushings themselves.... Double check the tightness on the spindle to strut bolts too....
Flyin Mikey J wrote:The_Jed wrote: And now for something completely different:Quick Q: how rough was it to get the window working? The driver's side window on my TC is in fixed in the upright position, which here in Oregon is fine 8 months of the year. But the heats been killer in that black beast the past few weeks.
Not very difficult at all. There are 3 small holes in the door that line up with the bolts that hold the motor in place. There is also a larger hole that you can snake your arm through to grab the motor once it's unbolted. It was a tight fit with my stumpy arms.
If you look in the picture, straight down from the inner door handle, you can see the 3 small holes. The larger hole is directly below the speaker.
Ranger50 wrote:The_Jed wrote: The clunk persists...Strut tops might be gone, as well as the bar bushings themselves.... Double check the tightness on the spindle to strut bolts too....
I only gave the strut top bushings a cursory glance when I installed the KYB's, that may be worth looking into. The sound seems to be coming from somewhere low, but I'll scope them out anyway.
Good call on the strut-to-spindle bolts, I had to re-torque them when I was getting some strange steering behavior.
I'm worried it might be the right front air spring...
17.7 average mpg for this tank, 100+ smiles per gallon. 
Jacked up the car and set it on jackstands a bit ago in order to hopefully track down and eliminate the source of the clunk.
I noticed something that while checking out the air springs, I have the soft ride springs, not the LSC type.
Pic coming soon...
It should taper outward ever so slightly instead of being concave.
You'll need to log in to post.
