Cougar/Thunderbird - Mustang/Capri K-member comparison

[MHISSTC]

Are the front K members in these particular cars the same? If I remember correctly they are, but the A-arms are different because the Cougar/Thunderbird track is wider. Please correct me if I'm wrong. I am wondering because I may be picking up a V6 Cougar and want to know what, if anything, I'll need to change if I go the minimalist route and swap over just the motor from a 5.0 Capri. Also, I can't remember if the K-member for the Turbo-4, V8, and 3.8L V6 are same with different engine mounts, and the different K-member is the one for the 3.3L I6 or how exactly that all goes. I should have paid better attention to all those threads that I can't find now.

I'd really like to be different and begin making it into a dedicated track car, by going with a 5.0, changing the front suspension over to a tubular K-member, tubular A-arms, coil-overs, SN95 5-lug conversion, and Cobra brakes, and on and on... How possible is this?

Scott

[Dugzy33]

What year bird?

mine is an 83, and came with a 302.
The k member for the v6 should be the same as the v8.

[MHISSTC]

'85/'86 T-bird/Cougar

[LTDScott]

Yup, should be the same as the Stang stuff.

[mutantcapri1979]

mustang/ capri k members are different from tbirds/cougars. i had any 87 the had a diiferent mounting point for the motor mounts ( more of a pedastall mount than the mustang wedge type. the k member is wider i think

[MHISSTC]

Now that I've done more research on the Cougar Nuts, Cool Cats, and the Fox T-bird/Cougar Forums, in addition to the Griggs, and MM sites, I'm even more confused than ever.

Pondering the question, "Will Mustang/Capri K-members swap with T-bird/Cougar K-members?", I found the following answers: Abosulutely, Yes, No, Maybe, and Sometimes.

Even by limiting things to '79-'93 Mustangs, '79-'86 Capris and '83-'86 Cougars/T-birds, I get the same responses.

It seems it can be done because there are folks that have done it. Some have been able to swap directly, others have had to elongate the rear mounting holes. There are aftermarket companies that make performance suspension upgrades that have the same partst for all the above mentioned vehicles. Some folks have had to grind away some of the aftermarket K-member mounting areas to make them fit...others have not.

Swapping in a Mustang K-member into a T-bird/Cougar appears to be desirable since they use different motor mounts than the Mustang/Capris. The Bird/Cougar mounts are harder to find and more expensive than the Stang/Capri mounts. Apparently this swap also lowers the engine in the engine compartment.

There's also a vague general agreement that the track of the T-birds/Cougars is wider than the Mustangs/Capris, but there was a lot of uncertainty where the extra width came from...the K-member or the A-arms. Some folks said the arms were different while others said it was the K-member. It seems to me if you were able to narrow the track width front and rear by using Stang/Capri parts, and working with wheels offset, a person would be able to run wider wheels and tires on the Cougar/T-birds than the Capri/Mustangs with fewer rubbing problems.

I'm still confused.

It looks like if I want to do such a swap I could go for it, but expect to do a little massaging. The K-member would be the least of my worries. It appears the most difficult part of such a swap would be if I also changed the type of motor between the turbo 4s, V6s and V8s due to the modifications needed in the wiring harnesses, electronics, computers, and plumbing.