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Welcome to the forums. The '77-'79 T-birds are pretty nice cars, and I've been very happy with my '78 Bird. The only trouble area I've run into on mine is the rubber damper on the steering column. The rubber tends to get brittle and crack with age, and if it fails, you could lose steering...

That's good to know. My '65 has a bad expansion valve, which I'm hoping to address once I get the car back on the road. I was quite shocked the first time I read the factory shop manual's instructions on getting to the expansion valve. I had already tangled with the dash once before, when I...

Well, it's been five months living with my "new" low mileage '78 T-bird and so far I've been having a blast with it. I'm trying to preserve the low mileage (it only had a documented 10,400 miles when I first got it), but I'm finding I'm having too much fun driving it. I'm pleasantly surprised...

Last week I had to replace the rag joint on my "new" 1978 T-bird. Although low mileage, the rubber disc had developed serious cracks from the rubber becoming hard and brittle with age. This must be a common problem with Fords built around that era since I also have a 1981 Mercury Zephyr which...

It sounds like an excessive amount of current is being drawn when you try to start the engine. I didn't notice if the reason you pulled the engine was to have it rebuilt. If so, are you sure it was reassembled to specs and there isn't anything binding? Without the plugs (to relieve...

Thanks. It looks like maybe a design flaw with the 1978 models, then. I was afraid the gauge was bad the first tankful since it seemed it never left full. It was only as I got a feel for fuel consumption rate and got bold enough to keep going that I finally confirmed the gauge actually moved...

It's not quite as low mileage as the '79 I was considering last year, but it's still pretty good at a documented 10,400 miles (well, now that I've driven it some, it's just turned over 11,000 miles). The car is a 1978 Town Landau, 400 V8 and C6 transmission. It's clearly been well cared for...

The calipers were replaced with rebuilt ones right before I got the car. Judging by their appearance and amount of fresh lining on the pads, I'm sure they were actually replaced. However, it seems that the rotors were not replaced, just the calipers and brake pads. The rotor warpage gradually...

Ever since I had my '65 Thunderbird hardtop, I've had a problem with the front brakes wanting to stay applied. I'd have to actually pull up the brake pedal with my foot after a stop. In fact, it seems an enterprising mechanic who worked on the car some time before I bought it actually put a...

The headlight doors do indeed stay closed. I can't vouch for them staying closed for a week at a time or overnight since I personally couldn't baby sit the car to find out (for obvious reasons). However, they were closed when the seller started the car from a dead cold, and they stayed closed...

Well unless the guy was able to find NOS Ford date coded belts and hoses, I'm fairly sure they're original. There's no wear on the seats or around any controls. I made a point to look in all four wheel wells and around any place that looked like it could hold moisture and rust. Nothing. The...

I recently found a very low mileage pristine 1979 T-bird that I'm contemplating. I'm curious to know from those who have 'em if there are any weak points on these cars that I should look out for. I've had it on a lift and it is almost perfectly rust free--there isn't any surfact rust on the...

That's good to know. Thanks for the helpful hint. Joe

I took a look at the shop manual, and you are correct, there's no mention of such a spring. Perhaps some previous owner rigged it as a way to work around the brake dragging problem. With a car this old and who knows how many past owners, there's bound to be a few surprises in store for me. Joe

Although I didn't do the actual work, I know that both the power booster and the master cylinder are brand new (from the seller's records and receipts). Looking under the hood, I can see they're new (or else he spent a LOT of time cleaning & refinishing them to look brand new). The spring...

The problem appears to have been fixed. Last Tuesday I took the 'Bird into work for some exercise, and after work I stopped by a friend's place to help him change a starter solenoid on his '93 Ford Ranger. Long story short, after changing the solenoid and hanging out afterwards (his wife made...

I replaced both the halogen headlight with the conventional sealed beam bulb, and also replaced the dimmer switch. UPS must have had a different driver on my route, since the packagage with the dimmer switch was delivered to one of my neighbors, so I didn't get it until after I installed the...

While replacing the dimmer switch on my '65, I took another look at the brake pedal. I've verified that there is indeed a spring connected between the pedal arm and a bracket under the dash. Ford may have done something different in '66 or yours may be missing. If I can find a little time...

Funny you should mention this problem. My '65 does the exact same thing. The vacuum booster was recently replaced with a rebuilt unit by the previous owner (from looking at it, it's clearly a reconditioned unit). Would the return spring be replaced as part of that rebuild? I noticed what...

Thanks! I'm inclined to agree--if there was a bad (corroded) connection, there should be resistance and a voltage drop at the headlights. To be sure, I should double check with a voltmeter, but judging by the brightness of all four bulbs, I can't imagine there's much, if any, drop. I'm still...