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New Member: 77 Thunderbird |
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derth 
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Joined: 06-October-2022 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 23 |
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 Topic: New Member: 77 ThunderbirdPosted: 06-October-2022 at 4:54AM |
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I bought a 77 Thunderbird about a month ago, and already this forum has been a huge source of information for me. Thanks everybody!
Love to post a picture, but don't seem to have an option to upload.
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72 RS 351
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Joined: 04-September-2014 Location: Knoxville TN Status: Offline Points: 2767 |
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Posted: 06-October-2022 at 5:12AM |
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Welcome aboard. You will be able to post pictures when the administrator confirms the membership, usually in a day or so.
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Don
73 Ranchero "Sport 72 front end", floor shift/console, planning EFI 7000+ rpm 351-4V &4R70W 73 Ranchero GT 351C-4V &4R70W for sale later. 92 Lincoln Mark VII SE GTC, OBDII 347/4R70W |
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72FordGTS
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GTS.org Admin Joined: 06-September-2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Status: Offline Points: 5846 |
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Posted: 06-October-2022 at 11:20PM |
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Welcome to the forum! Nice to see another Thunderbird owner join. I upgraded your membership so you have full forum privileges and can upload photos. So post some pics when you have a chance.
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Vince
1972 Ford GTS Sportsroof - Survivor, One Family car GTS.org Admin |
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Steve M.
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Joined: 08-June-2019 Location: Florida Status: Offline Points: 1755 |
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Posted: 07-October-2022 at 12:12AM |
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Welcome to the forum.
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Steve M.
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derth
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Joined: 06-October-2022 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 23 |
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Posted: 07-October-2022 at 3:07PM |
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All right, here we go. Previous owner had a plan with the paint scheme, as you'll see. Not sure I would have done it, but it's grown on me. Intending to finish that job in the spring. For now, overhauling brakes, swapping shocks, looking for the vacuum leak in the headlights, window-shopping for some baller wheels, and generally just making the list. Oh, and doing something about the crumbling gauge cluster housing - probably a set of aftermarket gauges and some sheet metal unless I can find a decent replacement housing.
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spriegel
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Joined: 28-September-2021 Location: Fairview, PA Status: Offline Points: 680 |
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Posted: 07-October-2022 at 4:06PM |
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Welcome to the forum!
Nice looking car! -Chris
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Chris
Fairview, PA '1973 Ford Gran Torino |
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Steve M.
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Joined: 08-June-2019 Location: Florida Status: Offline Points: 1755 |
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Posted: 08-October-2022 at 4:36AM |
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Nice T-Bird
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Steve M.
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californiajohnny
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Joined: 05-October-2013 Location: winlock, wa Status: Offline Points: 14609 |
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Posted: 08-October-2022 at 8:57PM |
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welcome!
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JOHN
74 GRAN TORINO S&H CLONE 74 VETTE CUSTOM 90 S10 BLAZER 4X4 LIFTED 77 CELICA CUSTOM 75 V8 MONZA SUPERCHARGED 79 COURIER VERT. SLAMMED 75 VEGA V6 5 SPD 70 CHEV C10 P/U 68 MUSTANG FB CONVERSION |
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derth
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Joined: 06-October-2022 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 23 |
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Posted: 09-October-2022 at 3:28AM |
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Thanks for the welcome everyone!
Quick question, I've read through all the threads I could find here about the gauge clusters. Does anyone know of a source for the white plastic housings? I've got the regular ol' 3 gauge plus clock, and my whole housing has gone to dust, leaving me with pretty much just a speedometer. I'm kind of guessing I'll end up rebuilding the whole business out of acrylic or just scrapping it in favor of a custom setup, but if there was a decent replacement for that white housing out there, that would be pretty sweet.
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Steve M.
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Joined: 08-June-2019 Location: Florida Status: Offline Points: 1755 |
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Posted: 09-October-2022 at 5:16AM |
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Consider changing over to the '77 and up rally pack/cluster with all the gauges. Its an easy upgrade and those clusters are out there.
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Steve M.
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kychevyguy
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Joined: 16-December-2013 Location: Lexington KY Status: Offline Points: 1996 |
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Posted: 20-October-2022 at 12:40AM |
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Welcome, nice 'bird.
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JT, USAF Ret./Architect
1971 Ford F100 "Lizzy" 1971 Cougar XR7 "Kitty" 1984 Chevy Silverado "Sylvia" 2009 Smart Fortwo Cabrio "Lil Dude" 2015 Volvo XC60 R-Design "Sven" |
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derth
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Joined: 06-October-2022 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 23 |
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Posted: 20-October-2022 at 1:22AM |
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I had seen the rally pack clusters on ebay. It looks like a pretty pricey proposition, but I can't say I wouldn't prefer the gauges over the idiot lights. Does anyone know, do the rally cluster housings stand up to time better? I'd hate to pop that much cash on something and then be back in the same boat a few years later.
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72FordGTS
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GTS.org Admin Joined: 06-September-2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Status: Offline Points: 5846 |
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Posted: 20-October-2022 at 12:37PM |
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The white plastic housing? No, its no more durable than the standard gauges. It's a bit of a crapshoot buying used. A cluster from a car that lived in a garage is going to be in better shape than one that lived outside in the desert.
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Vince
1972 Ford GTS Sportsroof - Survivor, One Family car GTS.org Admin |
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Big Bird
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Joined: 25-August-2013 Location: New York Status: Offline Points: 4194 |
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Posted: 25-November-2022 at 5:44AM |
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Hello and Welcome!
Headlight vacuum leak is usually in the (irreplaceable) headlight switch... Years ago a guy on another forum (The old Thunderbird Registry forum, migrated to LoveFords.org and then...Paul from Gearworks???) was making/trying to make electrical actuators for these. He was drag-racing an orange big block car. Don't know if he ever finished or got to market.
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"What we do in full frontal view, is more honest than your cleaned-up mind."
Randy 1979 T-Bird 2005 F-150 STX RCSB 4.6, 3.55 LSD How the Heck does a REGULAR CAB SHORTBED weigh over 5200 pounds? |
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derth
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Joined: 06-October-2022 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 23 |
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Posted: 25-November-2022 at 7:06AM |
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I was thinking about this too. Linear actuators are tempting, but then you need limit switches etc. Seems like a vacuum valve activated by 12v would be a better choice - retain all the stock vacuum actuators but bypass the whole hose loop running through the firewall and switch.
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Big Bird
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Posted: 25-November-2022 at 1:42PM |
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At any rate, there's about 20 feet of hoses and the vacuum cans as well as the switch. Inspect them all and use a small hand pump to pull a vacuum on the canisters and switch individually.
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"What we do in full frontal view, is more honest than your cleaned-up mind."
Randy 1979 T-Bird 2005 F-150 STX RCSB 4.6, 3.55 LSD How the Heck does a REGULAR CAB SHORTBED weigh over 5200 pounds? |
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wonderlander774
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Joined: 12-December-2022 Location: Ohio Status: Offline Points: 5 |
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Posted: 13-December-2022 at 8:43AM |
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Welcome
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7T9_Tbird
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Joined: 04-December-2017 Location: Athens, Alabama Status: Offline Points: 495 |
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Posted: 24-December-2022 at 6:55AM |
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Don't know if your still looking, but:
http://dicksterssmartpants.com/store/vacuum-to-electric-headlight-conversion-kits/ford/1977-79-ford-thunderbird-vacuum-to-electric-headlight-conversion-kit.html Hope this helps!
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John
79 Thunderbird Heritage 79 Thunderbird Town Landau 02 Ram 1500 Sport Quad Cab |
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derth
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Joined: 06-October-2022 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 23 |
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Posted: 24-December-2022 at 9:22AM |
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That kit looks fantastic! May be a little rich for my blood, though. Maybe I can poach ideas off of it, at least.
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Greg73Oregon
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Joined: 23-February-2021 Location: Roseville, CA Status: Offline Points: 232 |
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Posted: 27-December-2022 at 7:26AM |
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I'm not all that familiar with vacuum operated headlight doors - whether vacuum to open or close.
I have worked extensively with design and build of atmospheric (altitude) test chambers for avionics testing. These are a couple of inexpensive 12V electric vacuum control valves. Seems they could possibly work to turn ON/OFF vacuum for your purpose. However, the design needs a designed-in bleeder orifice, or an additional control solenoid to bleed off vacuum down-stream of the main control valve, when vacuum is no longer needed.   Found cheapest on Amazon.
Edited by Greg73Oregon - 29-December-2022 at 10:54AM |
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GKF
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