LocostUSA.com

Since the tbird irs is so popular and I have both the 7.5 and 8.8 sitting here, I'm sure a lot of folks would appreciate a side by side comparison. I didn't check to see if this is a 28 spline or 31 spline 8.8 diff. Both iron and both open.

The 7.5 is narrower at the inner cv cups, which are larger on this 8.8.
The 8.8 is 90 lbs.
The 7.5 is 80 lbs.
The 8.8 needs an extra 1/2 inch of clearance above the diff and hangs below the axle a lot more, where some run their exhaust so ground clearance is less.
The pinion flanges were the same.

If anyone wants a specific measurement, now would be a good time to ask.

Shocks/dampeners/coilovers

I compressed the springs the first inch (which will have the least rate from the most active coils and other reasons) for an idea of the rates.

The original spit springs indicated a 200 lb rate. From ride height, I'm guessing 225-250/inch.
The blue coilovers indicated 250 lb rate. I was going to use two per rear corner but I think I will use one on each corner instead. Then I won't need to cut the tub corner at the rear and I will have more clearance at the front uca.

Picked up some more steel for the frame yesterday. Next step is to fit the cut bits up into the tub picking up the attachment points, mirror the other rail, then bring it to the chassis. Cross bar cut extra long since I don't know how long it will need to be until I have arms and fit the coilovers.

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

Cut myself prepping a pork shoulder so it was for a good cause, but it has slowed my roll a few days.
No problems at all with the build.

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

Ouch! Not too bad, I hope... How was the pork?

JDK

_________________
JD, father of Quinn, Son of a... Build Log
Quinn the Slotus:Ford 302 Powered, Mallock-Inspired, Tube Frame, Hillclimb Special
"Gonzo and friends: Last night must have been quite a night. Camelot moments, mechanical marvels, Rustoleum launches, flying squirrels, fru-fru tea cuppers, V8 envy, Ensure catch cans -- and it wasn't even a full moon." -- SeattleTom

Thanks, not too bad and the pork turned out great this time. I've been working my way through a 30 lb case I bought last summer, trying different methods slow roasting, pressure cooking, and combinations of the two. Self-less perfectionism for perfect pulled pork? You're going to make me blush!

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

Decided to work on this project for a while. No real progress that has not been shown. I've been working on the ifs using jeep tbird taurus suzuki swift bits. Really wanted to use the aluminum uprights but the ubj completely fowled the strut boss for any decent geometry. Raising the ucaps two inches and keeping the same angle allows me to leave the original ucap mounting on the spit in case I ever fab my own upright for this with a better ubj mount. Here are the vsusp results: default values

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

Thank you for taking the time to do a side-by-side comparison on these .. I used the 7.5 in my last 2 builds, but I never took the time to weigh it.. 80 lbs is more than I would have thought!.. A nice piece that gets the job done, but a husky little guy.. the 8.8 even more so..

--ccrunner

_________________
Dean

1972 Honda N600 Restomod "ccrunner's N600 VFR800 repower"

1963 Volvo P1800 Restomod
http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16309

1959 Berkeley SE492 Restomod...
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19397

"ccrunner's 1960 MGA coupe Restomod" found on MGExp.com

Thanks. Good to know someone is getting use out of this thread. Here is a good pic of the difference in axles between 31 and 28 spline at the diff.

Speaking of overdoing it, everything about my taurus uprights is overkill for a street car. Very heavy even with an aluminum upright. No maintenance, over-engineered hubs and no fade but much heavier. Turning the rotors to minimum thickness and shimming the pads along with cross drilling the rotors should help a lot. If I end up fabbing uprights, I'll switch to the standard od rotors.

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

Trimmed the upright for a bolt on tie rod and ubj mount. No mod to spit frame required for decent geometry. Mock up is for drawing on. Cut the boss out of the taurus arms to fit beween the triumph lca flanges, offset 1/2 inch fwd.

Lbj is stock taurus. By putting the ball in the upright, it eliminates the lever of the pin trying to rip it out of the upright. It also allows for less kpi by getting it as close as high as practical to the center of the wheel for reducing scrub.

Ubj is a right side, jeep tie rod end with 11/16-18 thread shank. Boss is made from 1" dom, 1/4" wall that will be sleeved to increase the ledge and slightly more welded area. In hind site, 1.25 with .375 wall or 1.5 with .500 wall would be better for providing a ledge for removal of the joint. By using dom instead of .750 plate, a lot of extra machining is eliminated. Just ream to size and cut to length.

Ubj shank tube is 1/2 sched 40 pipe, which is very close to the correct id for tapping and made for welding, despite being called "black iron pipe". Ordered a 21/32 bit anyway but probably not needed.

I didn't show just how tight these brakes fit to a 15 inch wheel. I applied some black paint to show the rim contact then ground the caliper shoulder for clearance. It clears but Brembo reccomends a minimum of .125" and this not enough at this point. Could probably save weight and room switching to some wilwood calipers, eliminating the iron caliper guide rail used on the taurus. Rotor specs are 11.56 OD for the v8 application, 1.02 nominal thickness. V6 application has 10.85 OD.

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

Cut 1/8 strip to make the brackets for both sides. Here is the design. Steering arms will be added much later when i know exactly where they should go.

Found a pic of how the right side manifold fits on the left with the steering in place so i may not need any joints. Pipe will scroll up and around to drop behind the engine mount, then follow the frame rail to the right side. Looks like it will be small side pipes for best ground clearance.

The 11.56" rotors are police/sho/v8 application and between standard mustang and cobra sizing. Can't use cobra calipers because they are for too big a difference in rotor od so I will be using the stock caliper (66mm bore) after clearance to the rim at least 1/8" with a new outer pad. An4 braided hoses with 10mm banjos, stock taurus master cyl or cobra master (bleeders at master are nice to have, both one inch bore), and fab pushrod since they only came with a vacuum booster. I'll try to increase the pedal ratio for more leverage/travel. Rear are tbird 10.5" disc brakes. Front shocks are kyb KG9125 "gas adjusts".

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

I've settled on a 85-86 firenza/cimmaron/cavalier brake master. It provides a lightweight aluminum body, a sloped reservoir for the angled mount, only two ports to fill, both ports toward the center of the car for access, a quick take-up piston (1.25) to eliminate pad to rotor clearances, and then a smaller than the stock 98 taurus (1.0 to 0.875) main piston for better leverage without a booster. If it is too soft and/or not enough travel, I'll go with a 1988 caprice master with larger pistons (1.575/1.125) for more effort or rework the pedal a little. I'll have to make a pushrod and mount bracket. Trying to keep the stock triumph rubber boots. Adapting to 3/8-24 hard lines and tees.

I found the early 80s vette and fiero clutch masters had the same bore as the s10 donor but the reservoir is not angled. The spit pedal ratio is lower, but the forks are about the same. The lower ratio pedal provides more travel at the fork so I can use a smaller bore master. The spit has a 5/8 (0.625) master where the s10/vette/fiero have 11/16 (0.6875) for a difference in od of 0.065 (a difference in piston area of about 0.0038"). If it isn't enough travel at the fork, I'll extend the pedal travel a bit by starting higher off the floor and/or tweak the ratio by lowering the master pushrod attachment on the pedal slightly.

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

Ohhhhhh Ya, Lets change the thread to Chef-boy-r-d All the info on the T-Bird rear would be great for my next build,

_________________
TomyJcreations @ Pinterest

Thanks. In a related note, my fuyu persimmon is just about ready to pick. Switched from cases of pork to chicken and now to flank steak at $3/lb

Today I "massaged" one caliper to where it clears the rim no matter what. Compare to earlier pics to see how much has been removed. figured out i could use the smaller rotors (10.85") with 99-04 mustang aluminum dual piston calipers without any mods. That would be logical, but I just want to see if I can fit 11.5" SHO rotors in a 15 inch rim. Also tack welded one ubj bracket together.

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

My master cylinder came in today. There is just enough room between the firewall and pedal. The master was $20 pm ebay, about $150 on rockauto. They have an issue with pics that don't match the specs listed, like number of ports. The extra ports are for antilock and could be plugged but I lucked out and found this one with two ports, no antilock.

Looked at a 2000 mustang gt being parted on craigs and picked up aluminum 2 piston pbr calipers, rails, and brackets for $40.

This means going to the standard rotor od of 10.85ish so I ordered a pair of gold drilled brembos for $48 on ebay as standard replacements to fit a non SHO taurus.

I'll weigh the difference in calipers and rotors, full spindle assemblies, and the spit assembly for comparison.

Does anybody have any experience with any of the chinese TIG welders? I assume I need a pedal setup for aluminum. I have a lincoln tombstone but it is AC only so I might as well buy what I need.

I want 110 for portability.

I was looking at these:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/200-AMP-DC-Inv ... 2547856971

https://www.ebay.com/itm/TIG-MMA-ARC-PU ... 3346067651

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

I wanted to learn TIG and aluminum was one of my requirements. After several days of searching and reading reviews, I decided on the AlphaTig 200X. Although this was a bit higher priced than your two welders mentioned, it has more capability, I think. AHP has a lot of good reviews with very few bad ones. In my business, I have worked closely with a few Chinese companies for over 15 years and I am not afraid of Chinese products in general. However, I was a bit afraid of any form of continued support of parts. The AlphaTIG will run on either 240 or 120 with reduced amps. On fact, it came with the pigtail adapter to plug into a 120 socket. TIG is different. I need a lot more practice to become anything close to my amateur skills on the MIG. But I try.

_________________
Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

Both of your ebay links are to DC TIG welders. You should be looking at a unit that is AC/DC , the AC is for Aluminum DC for everything else. The AC/DC units are a little more spendy, but provide the right stuff.