A real super coupe

L

Lee Billing

New member
Well guys its time to pull the trigger. This weekend I will begin my install of the M90 supercharged cobra motor in my 94 Thunderbird SC. I know there are Thunderbird related sites that this would fit better in but I enjoy this site way better than those sights. So you guys are gonna have to put up with it. :D Here's a break down of what I am going to accomplish.........

1994 Thunderbird SC 5-speed
3.8 SC removed
1996 Cobra motor with M90 installed
factory 4.6 Tbird radiator(soon to be Cobra but this is a start)
Mark VIII Coolant hoses and related hardware
2001 Cobra tr3650
Custom driveshaft
03-04 Cobra manifolds into true duals passed through a magnaflow crossover resinator
Dallas speed cal
255 LPH Fuel pump
Tuned by Lidio at Evolution
Already has 3.27 Trak Lok rear end

I will post up as many pics as possible as the progress goes. My goal is to be completed in one month.........:cool: Any tips and pointers are very much appreciated.

Thanks
Lee
 

Attachments

Last edited:
L

Lee Billing

New member
DLF said:
Are you planning to use a Mark VIII oil pan or something else?
Click to expand...
Yes, I put a mark pan and pick up tube on it a long time ago. Along with mark engine mounts. I tried this project once before but dove in before I checked how deep the water was.:rolleyes:

By the way I got my O rings. Thanks
 
L

Lee Billing

New member
Austin said:
Are you done yet?! :D
Click to expand...
Yep all finished. Ready for the track. ;):D

Today was a pretty productive day. Got the whole powertrain removed and towed the car down the street to the powerwash and cleaned the engine compartment. Dont mind the blue engine compartment. That is another project for next winter. My goal is to get this powertrain in and all the bugs worked out, I dont want to be doiing all this surgery in a freshly painted engine bay.

I forgot just how packed that little v-6 is in that engine compartment. Its hard to believe that all that room was taken up by a 3.8.

Tomorrow i think the goal will be to get the 1.25 front sway bar installed and all the wiring removed. Possibly the "custom" harnesses installed.
 

Attachments

Last edited:
L

Lee Billing

New member
Little more work

Today was a pretty good day. A few things accomplished. Old harness removed, new "custom" harness installed, EEC installed and sway bar installed. Found 2 connectors that dont quite plug in. The accumulator pressure switch connector needs to be changed to the right one for the pressure switch, easy fix. The connector behind the headlights needs to be adapted also. Square peg round hole......just need a bigger hammer :rolleyes:. This one is gonna make me review my EVTM's I think this is the connector the EEC gets Key-on power from but im not sure. Also threw in the coolant reservoir.
 

Attachments

Mad1stGen

Mad1stGen

Booster
Well well well, here it is. LOL. I need to swing by one of these days when you're working on it.

Does the SC A/C compressor have in/out on the back of it ? Hmm, that might come in handy.
 
L

Lee Billing

New member
Mad1stGen said:
Well well well, here it is. LOL. I need to swing by one of these days when you're working on it.

Does the SC A/C compressor have in/out on the back of it ? Hmm, that might come in handy.
Click to expand...
Yes it does. You are more than welcome anytime but right now its just the boring stuff. Hopefully next week the motor will go in for mach ups for trans mount, hydraulic clutch line, shifter bracket relocation and driveshaft measurement.
 
L

Lee Billing

New member
Nothing big happened today just bolted up the Mark VIII PS pump to retain the EVO sensor. I was gonna just put the sensor on the cobra pump but no luck. They are different pumps, so the Mark VIII pump got the Cobra pulley and DONE.

Removed the high pressure line and return line to install the SS Braided lines.

Flipped the motor upside down and removed the pan just to indpect a little. This motor has been sitting for a long time so I wanted to see the cylinder walls and look for any kind of moistur damage. There was none. The inside of this motor looks brand new. There is hardly any witness marks in the cylinders to indicate piston travel. :D

I think this motor is gonna be sittin in the car very soon. Im gettin antsy but dont wanna skip a step.:rolleyes:

Thanks
Lee
 
L

Lee Billing

New member
More boring stuff today. Just wired in my OBD II DLC connector, the SC did not have EEC V it was EEC IV with the DLC connector under the hood. Having to include this in my adapter harness for the EEC harness to the Dash harness made it kinda ugly but it all functions as it should as far as i can tell at this point.

Got the battery harness to starter installed but cant route it correctly until the motor is in. Had to change a couple connectors to match the bird harness but for the most part an easy install. The positive battery cable clamp does not fit the way i would have liked it but its not bad. I guess a Cobra harness wasn't made for a thunderbird:D. Hooked it to the distribution box and gave it a key on. The fuel pump cycles so i guess thats a good sign.

Hoping to have the engine sitting in the compartment this weekend.
 

Attachments

SCTBIRD1173

SCTBIRD1173

Mark my Bird!
I see a MAC CAI and B&M ripper :D

Looking good Lee... Remember that's a 1 of 722 5 speed car you have there ;) :p

Good luck with the project!
 
L

Lee Billing

New member
SCTBIRD1173 said:
I see a MAC CAI and B&M ripper :D

Looking good Lee... Remember that's a 1 of 722 5 speed car you have there ;) :p

Good luck with the project!
Click to expand...
I may sell those to help fund my meth kit. You interested ? Dont worry I have been careful not to "hack" it up. I could put it back to stock at a moments notice.
 
SCTBIRD1173

SCTBIRD1173

Mark my Bird!
I would be but I've had a Ripper on my SC since before I even registered the car in '99! LOL Also had the MAC CAI on for 10+ years by now. Both are great mods for the money. In my opinion NOTHING shifts as nice as a M5R2 with a B&M Ripper on it.

I know you're not hacking it up but I'm still having fun with you Lee :D
 
L

Lee Billing

New member
Now it's gonna start getting interesting. I put the motor back together and bolted up the trans. Then with a couple shoe horns I stuffed it in the car. Now the next couple of weeks will be the fun stuff. I need to measure the length for my clutch line, driveshaft, trans mount relocation bracket, and shifter relocation bracket. Now I can also install all my SS braided PS lines.
 

Attachments

You must log in or register to reply here.
Top