Project Grand Touring 1966 Thunderbird

[1970camaroRS]

For quite some time, it has been evident that my 1970 Camaro project had irrevocably gone down a road I no longer wanted it to travel. It had become a project only for my own personal enjoyment, and a limited amount of enjoyment at that. So, the decision was made to cut my losses and start fresh. And with a better plan. The plan was set with this in mind:

1. It is to be a big car with four doors. The meant four people would easily fit in it. As it turns out, large two door cars would work as well.

2. My wife and others are to be intimately involved in this project, so the car had to pass inspection from the wife.

3. It had to be at or near $1,000 initial purchase cost.

4. The 6.0L Chevy motor that I already have will have to be fitted. With a pair of turbos and factory EFI. Thoughts of brand loyalty didn't keep me from looking for interesting cars, despite the feelings of others: http://www.bangshift.com/forum/showt.../41303-Purists

So, I cranked through craigslist after craigslist ad. Started a few threads here and there, including the one that talked about awesome 4 door cars. http://www.bangshift.com/forum/showt...highlight=door

I was loving the 4 door mid-'60s Lincoln Continentals. I even went to go see one. The asking price of $2,000 was too much, and it was a ratty, rusty mess. I passed. http://www.bangshift.com/forum/showt...buy-this-truck

So, I finally settled on a '66 Ford Thunderbird that looked pretty decent for $999. The owner claimed it would even fire up if we tried hard enough. From the pictures I was sent, it was obvious that it has sat for a long time and anything not glass or metal was trash. But, for that price, it was a steal. With a bonus paycheck from work in my pocket, my future ex-brother in-law and I headed south into one of the many armpits of Washington State to retrieve the bird.







Once there, we opened up everything we could...the key didn't want to turn a single lock, but with a little WD-40 everything opened up. I first noticed that despite the trunk liner's destruction making the trunk look like a cesspool, the metal was actually in really good shape. The only major damage being to the left front fender need the door and the passenger quarter panel. The vinyl top hides a tremendous amount of rust, as they always do. Oh, and the carpet and just about every piece of the interior is trash. BUT, the trim is all very nice. That's the most important part!





Turns out that the ignition switch decided to commit hari-kari in the last few months since it was last used. And it did so in spectacular fashion. The plastic simply crumbled around the three pole switch and the entire thing fell off of the key switch. I felt no resistance when turning the key and that was because there wasn't anything to turn against! Lucky for us it's a Ford and insanely simple to fire up from the engine compartment.

Step 1. Add a battery.

Step 2A and 2B. Give the coil 12 volts and jump the starter relay.



Step 3. Prime the engine with gas from a beer bottle.

Step 4. Drive that mother onto the trailer!



Turns out the transmission seems to work, so does the power steering. Engine runs...ok...water-pump makes terrible noises. Alternator is kaput. Brakes are scary. They are on/off. Either all the way to the floor or nothing. And once they get to the floor, they like to stay there.

Stopped for lunch at the LeMay Museum. Car got noticed by more than a few people. We're just glad it hadn't killed us or anyone else. Yet.





Getting close to home.


Empty trailer, torrential down-pour, car in the drive-way.


She sure looks nice in the wet.




So, the short-term plan. Get the engine out of the Camaro and get the Camaro off to a new home. Clean up the T-Bird...possible fix a few of the minor mechanical issues and drive it this summer. Then tear it down for the long-term project.

The grand vision: This car will be in the class of the Grand Touring Car. Lots of comfort, power and reasonable road-handling skills. It will not be a drag racer. It will not be an auto-crosser. It will have a basic restoration done to the exterior and interior with a few modern updates to the guages and sound system. Power will be from the Chevy 6.0L and a pair of turbos making about 15lbs of boost. 600-700 horsepower at the wheels. Transmission will be a built up 4L80E 4 speed auto. Suspension will simply be rebuilt stiffer and the ride height will be only slightly lowered. Wheels and tires are undecided, but are likely going to be in the 18" by very wide range. And that's just about all I have to say about that.

Stay tuned for regular updates as I plan to play with this thing a lot.

[TheSilverBuick]

Should be interesting. Looking forward to seeing what fabrication it needs to clear the 4L80e.

[Deaf Bob]

I am pretty sure you have the 9 inch rear... It MIGHT be the 9.3.. Luxury cars got those earlier than the other big cars..
If you do have the 9.3.. Don't worry if you can't find gears for it.. Just use a 9 inch carrier.. Goes right in!

[1970camaroRS]

I am pretty sure you have the 9 inch rear... It MIGHT be the 9.3.. Luxury cars got those earlier than the other big cars..
If you do have the 9.3.. Don't worry if you can't find gears for it.. Just use a 9 inch carrier.. Goes right in!

Haven't double checked but I'm 99% sure it's the 9 inch. Wasn't aware of there being another option. As for the 4L80e, it should just be a cross member fabrication to get it to work. Tunnel should be plenty big enough. If not, wont have to grow by much. Largest issue I know of before even starting is the motor. I will have to run a front sump to clear the rear steer drag link. Looked at a few options so far, and the Canton racing sheet metal front sump pan looks like the option to solve that issue.

[Deaf Bob]

Can't really tell by looking except by measuring and the tag.. Once you try to put 9 inch gears in, the difference is obvious.. Don't fit..
I think it is 69 at the earliest.. Could be 70-3

[fast Ed]

Yes, should be a 9" in a 66.

Interesting ideas, as a fellow 66 owner I will be following this one. Too bad about the 6.0L swap, but hey, it's your car now!! LOL


cheers
Ed

[STINEY]

I'm praying that under-vinyl rust is better than I a imagine.

Cool car, my Great Aunt Dorthy had a '66, white vinyl roof, royal blue metallic. White interior.....I remember thinking how huge that trunk was and how low it sat. I was just a dumb kid at the time, but I swear I had to put my head on the asphalt to see under the thing, it was that low.

Can't wait to see the progress!

[Russell]

Glad to hear its going to be a street car, I neally cried when you gutted the 70

[Scott Liggett]

Even in "rust free" SoCal, I have seen scary things under vinyl tops.

[1970camaroRS]

Glad to hear its going to be a street car, I neally cried when you gutted the 70

Yeah, the '70 is the victim of my want and desire to go racing. I still want to go racing, but it's just not in the cards. If it doesn't sell, then I'm sticking it in a dry place and waiting until I can afford and have the free time for racing. Either way, it's a dead project and the Thunderbird is where all effort will be placed for the next few years.