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Thread: Its time 85 GT

  1. #1

    Default Its time 85 GT

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Size:  181.5 KBu.

    First bath of the season - fresh plugs and carb adj ready to go....
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  2. #2

    Default It’s time — 85 GT

    Name:  E08FF8FA-DCAD-4B62-949E-063C0D4AFEF1.jpg
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Size:  181.5 KBu.

    First bath of the season - fresh plugs and carb adj ready to go....

  3. #3
    FEP Member
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    Had an '85 GT with an AOD years ago. Mine was white, and no T-Tops, but I loved that car. Wife totaled it.

  4. #4

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    Hate to hear that - my wife will not drive it because it’s a stick shift.. lucky for me and the car— lol

  5. #5
    FEP Senior Member Dave9052's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by cabbage45 View Post
    Name:  E08FF8FA-DCAD-4B62-949E-063C0D4AFEF1.jpg
Views: 259
Size:  181.5 KBu.

    First bath of the season - fresh plugs and carb adj ready to go....
    Sweet car!! Here in MI. I still have about a month to wait.

  6. #6
    FEP Member endub's Avatar
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    Nice! I have the same car but silver.

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  7. #7

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    Thanks guys - in a couple of months I'm putting in new springs - shocks and bushing --- looking to improve the ride and handling. I hope to find a nice set of ten hole rims sometime in the near future....

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    FEP Member endub's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by cabbage45 View Post
    Thanks guys - in a couple of months I'm putting in new springs - shocks and bushing --- looking to improve the ride and handling. I hope to find a nice set of ten hole rims sometime in the near future....
    I went from 10 holes to ponys like you have now and the diff is night and day. 10 holes are 15" and have a taller sidewall tire. The look is all different. But it's your car so do what makes you happy!

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  9. #9

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    The ponys look ok in the pictures - but if I stay with ponys I need some new ones - these are shot and will not buff out - no shine at all.....

  10. #10
    FEP Member endub's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by cabbage45 View Post
    The ponys look ok in the pictures - but if I stay with ponys I need some new ones - these are shot and will not buff out - no shine at all.....
    Check out some pony r's. 17". Or you can buy the correct argent paint in rattle cans from Lmr, npd or the like.

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  12. #12
    FEP Super Member escogt's Avatar
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    Gotta love an '85GT!!! Very nice, sir!!
    '85GT Bright Atlantic Blue
    '92LX Bimini Blue-sold
    '93 COBRA Teal Metallic-sold
    '86SVO Oxford White-sold
    '86GT 'Vert True Blue-sold
    '81'GT' Medium Red-sold

  13. #13
    FEP Super Member erratic50's Avatar
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    The biggest difference 15" to 16" or even 17" is based upon the strength of the sidewall on the tire. I've had tires with very strong sidewalls and tires that aren't much.

    that being said, a tire on a 15" rim is going to be a bit more forgiving than one on a 16 or 17. Bigger rims or stronger sidewalls
    hugely increase the snap steer tendency that already exists in these cars.

    You can solve it with a panhard and it is a good idea to do so.

    For a car on the street if you don't have a panhard I would run a softer sidewall tire like an S or a T rated tire and I would run a 15" rim and I would eliminate the rear sway bar. Most critical being removing the rear sway bar.

    10 holes with Cooper Cobra tires bite good and are reasonably forgiving.

    Strut tower brace and subframe connectors will keep the pony very spirited.

    Caster/camber plates in front and some 4cyl LX springs in back make a whole new car - that's 3/4" lower.

    Just my thoughts after putting countless miles on a foxbody doing daily driver duty on crappy Nebraska roads.

  14. #14
    FEP Member endub's Avatar
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    Biggest question...
    Do you want it to look good or ride good?

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  15. #15
    FEP Super Member erratic50's Avatar
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    Both are possible. 1993 Cobra Is an example. Although personally I strongly prefer the CobraR when it comes to looks.

  16. #16
    FEP Member 86MustangGtRob's Avatar
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    Very nice Gt! I can't wait to get my 85 out.

  17. #17

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    I have camber and caster plates - but a rough ride - I think it needs new bushings, so I'm going to put on new shocks and maybe change the springs as well...

  18. #18
    FEP Power Member dagenham's Avatar
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    I have used the duplicor argent silver wheel paint and it does a really nice job and is pretty durable.

  19. #19
    FEP Super Member erratic50's Avatar
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    Rough ride is 99% the rear springs rate being too firm like all V8 LX and GTs are. So firm in fact they are what the Cobra R race car ran. Add rear swaybar aggregated and triangulated upper control arm caused suspension bind and it will knock your fillings out on a rough road.

    Stock shocks, stock struts, stock springs in front, stock swaybar in front, stock rear springs, and no rear swaybar is 50x nicer to ride in. That's what my son runs in his 86GT.

    They ride 100x better with 4 cyl LX springs in back and no sway bar. Handling improves too.

    Panhard bar cleans up the bind but costs $$$.

    you can get a small sway bar for the front - MM sells them. That balances the antiroll out and makes it so the rear actually has to do its job.

    Otherwise the inside tire comes, the limited slip locks, and in circles you go.
    Last edited by erratic50; 02-25-2018 at 12:12 AM.

  20. #20

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    Thanks Erratic50 - I'll look into that....

    Dagenham - I could try that I guess - looks like someone already tried to paint them - and did a bad job - so I might go ahead and replace them...

  21. #21

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    Quote Originally Posted by cabbage45 View Post
    The ponys look ok in the pictures - but if I stay with ponys I need some new ones - these are shot and will not buff out - no shine at all.....
    Those wheels are painted, not polished metal so there is no polishing them. That should be a good sign, not a bad one. You can have them refinished (repainted) many times and they look brand new. the polished wheels take daily care and maintenance. I don't think you want that. Those wheels are not "shot" by any means. Come on people. This conversation got way sideways, LOL. Sidewall strength and panhard rods is not really the topic here. This is in the car show forum. Not the "how do I spend $12,000 to make my car handle like a $12,000 2005 Mustang" forum.

  22. #22
    FEP Super Member erratic50's Avatar
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    Well - we were having a discussion and enjoying it. Not sure where you went wrong.

  23. #23

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    Thanks for all the feed back guys - I'm planning on updating a few things - but mostly just enjoying it this summer.

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