Did a search and couldn't find anything that addressed the question I have. I know there are a few forum members who have installed a Foxbody MM Panhard Hard bar on their tbirds. My question is what did you do with the passenger side shock mount? Right now, I'm running reinforced shock brackets from Heath for my coilover setup. After looking at the panhard bar shock mount, it looks like the shock bracket will be placed lower (mustang factory height?) than my current reinforced mount. I'm thinking that if I run a mustang lower shock mount on the passenger side I should be good to go as far as leveling out the shock mounting points on both sides. Thoughts?
Since you're running coil-overs, it shouldn't matter, as long as your suspension has enough droop and the shocks are long enough.
The stock TBird shocks are about 3" shorter than the Mustang ones, so if you're c/o set-up is sized for Mustang length, you'll want to make sure things are long enough to allow for that difference.
You may have to get creative and make some mods.
"Nobody can be so amusingly arrogant as a young man who has just discovered an old idea and thinks it is his own."
1983 TBird TC Clone - 1985 Mercury Marquis LTS - 1986 LTD Wagon
Thanks Chuck, did you mean to say that the mustang shocks are 3" shorter than the stock tbird shocks? Currently, I'm running the 79-04 Mustang Koni single adjustable struts in the rear with the maximum motorsports coilover kit. I had plenty of shock travel and even distance to play on ride height based the spring placement before I took it all apart.
I'm hoping to confirm with MM Tech today but I believe I should be good. Even with a slightly lower shock mounting point, I should have enough travel in the rear
I did mean to say that, because they are in fact 3" shorter, The main reason why I did the lower shock adapter brackets all those years ago. You mentioned using Heath's shock brackets, which are my old shock brackets, that raise the lower shock mounting point about 2-1/2" over the stock location.
I tried Mustang shocks on the back of TBirds (SVOs all the way to New Edge 99+ cars) and I had to compress the rear springs so much to even get the shocks installed (like had to have someone in the trunk to hold the car down...) Even with slightly shorter rear stock-style springs.
Coil over are a totally different story vs stock springs in this respect, but you're still using lower shock mounts that raise up the lower shock mount, if I read your post correctly.
You may be able to get enough travel and have your car at the ride height you want with the lower shock mount in the "Mustang" location, but you may need to raise things up with the current bracket you're using on the one side and modifying the other.
"Nobody can be so amusingly arrogant as a young man who has just discovered an old idea and thinks it is his own."
1983 TBird TC Clone - 1985 Mercury Marquis LTS - 1986 LTD Wagon
Thank you Chuck; that all makes sense. I actually just got off the phone with Mike over at MM and he explained that using the lower “mustang” shock mount on the rear end will not allow enough travel due to the heightened shock tower points in the Thunderbird.
To remedy this, my game plan is to use your/heath’s shock mount on the passenger side like I was previously and modifying the driver side to work with the MM panhard bar mount. I’m going to cut up the driver side shock mount and weld it into the panhard bar mount so I can keep the higher bottom mounting points for my coilovers. Unfortunately, us Thunderbird people don’t have an out of box solution for this yet so creative solutions are needed. I’ll be sure to take a bunch of pictures and post my results when completed. Hopefully others going down this path will find it helpful
Any progress on this? I'm looking into the MM kit as well and am figuring on having to do some fab work. How is fitment between the fuel tank and rear diff cover? I'm running a girdle and have seen installs on foxbody Mustangs where clearance with the factory cover is tight, so I'd imagine a girdle might have some clearance issues. Also the issue with having to re-route the exhaust pipes if running duals over the axle. Looks like a nice kit and I'd like to get it even if some fab work is needed to make everything fit.
88 TC 2.5 5spd~money pit
I unfortunately don't have any updates on this at the moment. It has been on the back burner due to other priorities with the project.
My setup is a bit different in that I have a fuel cell in the trunk and will be running a side exit exhaust before the rear passenger tire so I can't/won't be able to comment on the fitment of those two items. Based on my decisions with people here and Mike from MM, the majority of fab work (outside of the install itself) will be combining the panhard axle bracket with the shock mount so I can continue to run my mustang coilovers.
I don't believe fitment with the diff cover would be an issue given that it is the same as a mustang and the frame bracket needs to be installed a certain way relative to the diff itself. MM states "While a properly installed MM Panhard Bar is compatible with most aftermarket aluminum differential covers, we do recommend the low-profile covers listed for the S197 model to ensure there is no interference."
