Commander Cody (Lincoln Mark viii)

[stangbanger]

So I finally found myself a "hotrod". Kind of fell into it by accident. I traded a tired Honda straight up for a 97 Lincoln mark viii lsc. Fairly low miles and basically mint. Found out (through receipts in glove box) that the car is from san diego and lived there up until last year! Score! Found this out after the deal was done, and I was wondering how the car was so rust free (not a new England rot box). Now I know.



SO the plan:

Keep the car streetable, but make it fun on the track and strip.

Suspension:
Still has factory air ride (that works perfectly, for now....) That's going shortly and will be swapped to coils.

Engine:

All stock right now. Runs amazing. starting with bolt ons.

Trans:
stock 4r70w shifts fine, just mushy. Jmod and possible a converter in the works.

Rearend:

stock 3.27 open diff. Looking for a 3.73 trac lok diff.

[stangbanger]

Working on getting some pics up.....

[Russell]

Great trade, I had 93 Mark 8 loved that car except for the fact that it was missing a pedal. My 1993 would knock on 87 gas ran fine on 89, the computer is diffrent in yours so I don't know how it will act, if you are going to keep it for awhile I would look in to getting a programer.

I look foward to see what you do with it. The Mark is the only car I have ever sold that I miss

[stangbanger]

Like this?

First modification so far. Makes a big difference in how it shifts!! Very worthwhile. Found a mark viii specialist and had a custom tune loaded for it. Better than a canned tune imho.

I love the car so far. Don't know why I didn't buy one earlier lol

I only run 93 in it so no knocking issues as well.

[stangbanger]

Just a few pics

[milner351]

one of my favorite modern fords - had a 93 bird, but never had a chance to own a MK8 - not very practical for me now with a toddler.

They are fantastic cars - good to firm up the 4r70 shifts - that will help the clutches last longer.

[stangbanger]

And the FedEx santa brought these today.....






Going to hang them on the stock piping with a reducer for now. 2.5" in/ 2.5" in preparation for future exhaust.

[stangbanger]

Got the magnaflows in. sounds amazing. Nice deep rumble but not excessive noise. Definitely looking into a shift kit now. And a one legger cure as well.
Also took the time to remove the factory intake silencer. Basically a giant piece of intake flow robbing plastic.

[stage1scott]

one of my favorite modern fords - had a 93 bird, but never had a chance to own a MK8 - not very practical for me now with a toddler.

They are fantastic cars - good to firm up the 4r70 shifts - that will help the clutches last longer.

those are great cars, especially since you dodged the rust monster-congrats! I love them...

[stangbanger]

So I have a wheel fitment issue. I have a set of 17" wheels in a 5x 114.3" lug pattern with two brand new Falken 245/45-17s on them (I'll obviously need two more tires). I have them kicking around so the price is right. However it turns out the Lincoln has a 5x 4.25" hub pattern. I'd rather not buy wheels if I don't need to.

SO does anyone have any advice on hub adapters? I've never used them and don't know much about them. Are they a viable solution?

[Beagle]

So I have a wheel fitment issue. I have a set of 17" wheels in a 5x 114.3" lug pattern with two brand new Falken 245/45-17s on them (I'll obviously need two more tires). I have them kicking around so the price is right. However it turns out the Lincoln has a 5x 4.25" hub pattern. I'd rather not buy wheels if I don't need to.

SO does anyone have any advice on hub adapters? I've never used them and don't know much about them. Are they a viable solution?

As expensive as adapters are these days you may want to see if you can change front hubs (instant brake job!) and rear axles instead. Check the rear width and get a bone yard 8.8 limited slip with gear you want. An Explorer may be a good candidate here, 31 spline and a lot of them had a traction lok. The rear end tag will say something like the below if I remember right:

3 L 73

3.73 / limited slip

4 10

4.10, not limited slip.

Crap - I forgot the viii is a IRS / MN12. Get the rears redrilled. I'm not sure about the center section interchange, would look into that however.

[stangbanger]

Well I did a little more looking and removed the wheels to look at the hubs and axles. Noticed while removing the wheels that they are extremely light (especially for stockers). So I think I'll stay with the stock wheels for now and hold off on a hub and axle swap until I decide to do a brake upgrade. This car will be seeing the track, so it's only a matter of time anyways.

I have been looking into a gear swap/ center section swap to gain ~3.73 with limited slip. I have read that Tbird center sections from the same era are interchangeable. and they were available with limited slip, which wasn't available on the Mark viii

[Beagle]

check and see if it has to be a V8 'bird ... not that there weren't a billion of those. The gears should be 8.8 gears? If so, they fall out of the sky.

[Russell]

There is some good info out on the web about the Lincolns and the t-birds, For some reason I though the only tbirds with trac loc where the Super Coupes and I thought they mostly had freeway gears (2.73) I am pretty sure the standard 8.8 R&P will work, and I think the trac loc is the same. Please verify this else where before taken as truth.

[Admirall2]

I had a 92 cougar with 3.27 traction lok. I don't think the MN12 platform came with anything higher than 3.55. I could be wrong about that.