1987 Ford Thunderbird Boss 429

This Thunderbird is another refugee from my dusty and dirty model shelves. When I get done with this T-Bird, it will no longer be a Turbo Coupe! Why? It will have a Boss 429 engine in its engine compartment, that's why. This T-Bird was covered with dust and dust-puppies and I started to clean it off. Then, the model started to fall apart. I remember reading in Hot Rod Magazine some time ago about rodders stuffing Ford V8s into the T-Bird and then Ford followed suit by adding a 5.0 Ltr. V8 to their lineup. I'm going to attempt the same, but with a BIG PUNCH!  The Boss 429 is on the left. The others were considered, but were too small.  The Boss 429 fits the frame rails, but it might have to be lowered a bit to fit under the hood.
More Thunderbird to come...

Nice swap subject. Should be interesting.

Excellent.

I got the 429 lower in the chassis by turning the 429 from a wet sump engine into a dry sump engine.

Where's the oil tank? lol

Love the idea, keep going

I haven't installed the oil tank yet. All in due time...

Awesome modification! The engine swap thing is classic and a Boss 429 is one of the ideals of that zone (the other being a Mopar 426 Hemi in my world). Looking forward to seeing this develop.

Thanks Kats!  I wanted this rebuild to have something more than just a cleanup and put it back on the shelf.  It needed some serious power and it is in the form of a Boss 429!
Save for a few touchups, the chassis is done! The engine has been installed and the exhaust system from the Mustang Boss 429 hooked right up to were is should.



More Thunderbird to come...

I masked the T-Bird this morning and brush painted the trim around the windows and the body side moldings. I had some bleed under the tape, so now it's cleanup time. The more I stared at the exhaust system, the more I didn't like it. I cut the mufflers from the Turbo exhaust and the Mustang Boss 429 exhaust and swapped them around.
More Thunderbird to come...

I painted the trim on the T-Bird and polished the body. I added the glass and the interior. The engine will have a Parts by Parks aluminum distributor, but I may have to add plug boots.

Oooh. I like that distributor.

Thanks Mike! They are pretty neat looking distributors. I need to make some plug boots for the wires now.

I have finished my '87 Boss 429 T-Bird and it is posted in Finished Works. I would like to thank all those who have viewed and commented on my WIP.

Cool project. Looks like you really have to "shoe horn" that engine into it.

Thanks Mike C! It is shoehorned in there, that's for sure!