wow thanks for the replies guys!
When i said front bushings i was meaning ALL bushings in the front suspension. Or, at least the ones that would be due for replacement at 128k and harshing up my ride.
i read reviews and "first owner accounts" of the mark viii and they said one of hte best parts of the car were the air suspension, soaking up every bump and pothole like they werent there.
My car ... not so much
Clunking on big bumps, and just general "bump noise" when crusing over imperfections. On the highway, its a floating dream, save some rotor warpage and an alignment requirement.
anyway... The only concern i have with going the supercoupeperformance route for the shock mounts ... how do I know which shock will fit the mount? The more cost effective to get the job done, the better
It so confusing to 1) know what I need to get 2) get the right parts from all the different places and 3) get OK prices
This is what I got so far (rough list).
ROCK AUTO:
K8781 (front control arm w/ ball joing LH upper)
K8782 (front control arm w/ ball joing RH upper)
K8635 (front sway end links)
EBAY:
SOLID strut mounts for rear
LOCAL STORES (napa, pepboys, aidauto, autozone):
rear monroe sensatracs for 96 tbird
universal rear sway bar endlinks
STEALERSHIP
ford front strut rod bushings
Question ; what is MOTORCRAFT Part # AD254 "Shock Mount Insulator?" at rockauto? I called them and they said it was not the strut mounts for the rear. do i need this?
I still have to do a quick test on the steering to see if i need any tierod parts, but the boots look A-OK. the upper arm balljoints are SHOT (most clunking coming from here). front air bags are suncore remans .. so the shocks are likely worn but they hold air fine, so can't replace them yet. anything else you think I may want for a smooooth ride? Also please let me know if any of these will require the bushings be pressed .. I need to plan a ride to the place.
Also .. If a single person wants to undertake the creation of a part# list for me .. I will pay that person $10 via paypal for the help, if you're interested.
In any case- thanks for the help gentlemen. i was unsure if i should post here or one of the other 3 markviii forums I frequent. I wish there was ONE forum for markviii's where EVERYONE goes