65 T-BIRD SUSPENSION / BRAKES DONE

The T-Bird is back on the floor with the suspension work done and it now has brakes. Note: If you double click on a picture it will come full screen then click the back arrow to return to blog.

 A shot of the engine compartment with the new master brake cylinder installed that is the third one ordered the first two were sent back because they leaked around the piston and out the push rod hole. What ever happened to good parts.

 Above & below the new coil-overs installed with new ball joints, A-arm bushings and rubber brake hoses. The rotors, calipers and pads are in good shape. Wheel bearings were cleaned and repacked with new wheel seals. New mounts had to be fabricated at the bottom of the coil-overs as the T-Bird shock mount that attach to the top of the upper A-arm would not work and at the top spacers were made to fit where the stock shocks were attached.

 I made my own power bleeder from the old master cylinder lid and my air pressure regulator, that is used with the paint spray gun, and reduced the pressure to 10 lbs. then ran a quart of brake fluid through all 4 wheels to flush the old black fluid from the lines and wheel cylinders. After every thing was flushed with clean fluid coming out at each wheel my wife pumped the brake pedal while I bled the air bubble's until we had a nice firm pedal.

 A shot of the nice clean and painted front suspension before the brakes were installed.

 Update on the 60 Ford Starliner that is still at Hot Rods by Dean, the paint and new suspension work is complete so the new grill was next.

 Below is a billet grill for a 04 to 08 Ford F 150 that we thought would work but it was not wide enough to fill the space between the head lights. that is now for sale on criag's list.
Above is the hand formed grill from 1/16 X 3/4 flat bar stock. The back supports will be blacked out with the front of the bars polished that will give the grill the appearance of floating in the opening. The head lights have been re positioned  to fit the angle and grill. New turn signal/parking lights will be round and above the head lights in the corner of the hood-fender.

The back of the car had a plastic filler between the tail lights that looked cheep. Now a hand formed grill, that matches the front, has been made and will receive the same treatment as the front with blacked out supports and polished bars.

Next the interior will be worked on with a center console and bucket seats from a 65 Thunderbird.