1979 Mercury Capri

[milner351]

Russell - not sure when we could meet - perhaps at Willmington - but I have a GT front sway bar off the 89 I just parted out- I believe it's the stock piece, it's a beefy SOB, didn't measure with a caliper - but it's a big one.

Glad you found a deal on the 3.73 8.8 - I hope the trac-lock is in good shape - if not rebuild kits are cheap and it's a pretty simple operation.

I like the idea of keeping the brake system intact - just swap rear brakes backing plate and all - no fluid to spill and you keep the brakes you know work well.

I'm going to take a wild azzz guess and say that assuming you don't smoke the tires - you're looking at a minimum of 0.2 improvement from the gear change alone, but the butt dyno, it will feel as if you've added 100 HP!

[Russell]

If time and money allow I hope to be in Wilmington there Is much more likely that I show up with the car. It adds a lot of cost to the trip.

One of the upper control arm bushing is warn out any advice on R&R?

John I like Beags guess better! Got to many irons in the fire Capri is at Dad's rear is at my house need to get them together.

[Beagle]

Fifth, I was thinking LSR...

[Russell]

Fifth, I was thinking LSR...

Oh I see! Dad's car had 3.73 and it did not like the rpm drop going into 5th. If you ask me I think a 3.08 is the best gear for LSR in my speed/power range. Then if you make a little more power you can go from a 26" to 28" tire and pick up about 10 mph. The Capri has to have a roll bar etc. before it can go back to Wilmington, I would have to sell some stuff to fund that, and I kinda want to build a street car.

[milner351]

Sorry Russell - I tend to be conservative instead of getting my hopes up - better to be pleasantly surprised than disapointed... trust me that gear change will make the car feel like an animal.

[Beagle]

Oh I see! Dad's car had 3.73 and it did not like the rpm drop going into 5th. If you ask me I think a 3.08 is the best gear for LSR in my speed/power range. Then if you make a little more power you can go from a 26" to 28" tire and pick up about 10 mph. The Capri has to have a roll bar etc. before it can go back to Wilmington, I would have to sell some stuff to fund that, and I kinda want to build a street car.

Roll bar, good seat, good harness ... cheap insurance. Sell some stuff (yah, I know, I looked in the mirror before I said that.)

Street car with a manual, the 3.73's are probably better than same car with 26" tire and 4.10's if you have an interest in first gear. You'd be shifting into second about the time the clutch was fully engaged, roughly half way through the intersection. haha. However, I think it would pull the OD with 4.10's maybe. The 3.08's are running about 5500 ish at 140 in fourth, 3500 in fifth. The 4.10's about 4500 in fifth... might be enough gear to let it keep pulling. Just thinking out loud.

If it were an AOD, I wouldn't hesitate on the 4.10's... but you got a deal going there with the 3.73's, and I'd be surprised and checking for a broken something if you didn't pick up at least .4 going from 2.73's to 3.73's or more with traction. You're gonna need the DR's.

[Russell]

I love compairing apples to oranges! I picked up .4 in the 1/8 in my 93 AOD GT vert going from 2.73 to 3.73.

This swap will be going from 2.47 open to 3.73 trac loc (hopefully it works)

Pulling gear on the top end takes some power when I had the Mark 8 with 3.08 gears it hit the limiter about 131. The taller tires should have put it over 140 (I don't remember the size and I did not post it) made the effective gear high 2.80 low 2.90? Never hit the limiter again went 136 with just the tire change, got 138 with the exhaust dump. and that car had great aero.

I really want a quick change!

[Russell]

Dad helped me switch rears in over the weekend. Capri now has an 8.8, newer lower control arms, larger sway bar, new used shocks! I kept the breaks on the car mine looked a lot better than the cracked shoes on the 8.8 and I was going to have to switch the brake lines anyway. We all so put the DRs that Dan hooked me up with, Thanks Dan! Looks pretty mean with meats on the back! I need to do a little more hammer mods they are rubbing some. Hope to get it to the 1/4 before Christmas!

Any advice on how burn outs and air pressure?

[DanStokes]

I'm surprised that the drag radials rub at all. They cleared on my '88 LX just fine.

As far as burn outs - I just did a little dry hop to clean the tires off. I drove around the water and just did a couple of seconds. Do you have a linelock? Might need it. I could lock the front brakes and overpower the rears so everything went up in smoke but that's not gonna work with a stick. Seems like I ended up at 15 PSI at Milan but the convert is probably a bit heavier in the tail than the Capri.

I want to see those DR's up in smoke!

Dan

[Russell]

On street tires I would just dump the clutch and scuff em, No line lock I guess I will start psi higher maybe in the mid 20's then work down. If it does not wheel hop I think I can get them to burn! It looks there is a bracket race this weekend in Fayetteville not sure if I can get any TNT in, the next Saturday (15th) afternoon I have to go to a State Basketball game with my Wife. It looks like Jacksonville has a TNT on Sunday weather permitting. So if it look like FMSP is a no go I will try Costal on the 9th! Pencil it in!

[DanStokes]

I LIKE Coastal Plains - closer AND they have good track sloppy-Joes. If you can make it I'll be there. Dave Rackley might be there with the new car, too.

Dan

[Russell]

1/4 TNT Sunday weather permiting at Fayetteville!

[Beagle]

1/4 TNT Sunday weather permiting at Fayetteville!

you guys are still running? Rock on! Looking forward to the numbers.

[Russell]

30% chance of showers in high of 66. Do an anti rain dance for me. I am a little worried about wheel hop, any susgestions?

[Beagle]

Mine always either spun a little or bogged - I'd back out of it if it started wheel hopping, they don't have the strongest torque boxes in the world. That'd be an abort for me.