New Member

[Catbyrd]

Hi! I just got a grey 2003 Tbird also. I haven't added any stuff to it and I haven't figured out what kind of wheels I have.

Do you get most of the accessories online or just at a dealer? Thanks!

[A Justin]

trout welcome. I split your post into a new thread so that you could get the attention that you needed as a new member. Im glad that you chose TBN to be your first message board experience. You will have a great time online with us.

If you are looking for thunderbird accessories... check out some of our sponsors (there banner ads appear on the website).

Wish you the best with your new bird and hope that you find all the information you will ever need in this website.

[BLUNBIRD]

Welcome trout!:bestwish:

I think you will find anything you would ever want to add to your new bird right here in the "nest". There are even some lines of trim generated by our members that would look sharp on that grey!:lol:

We hope you will be able to attend some of our upcoming functions. You can find most anything you have an interest in by utilizing the "search" feature of our forum.

We are glad you joined the nest.:pbj: :pbj:

[VA2k2Tbrd]

Welcome Trout,
Don't feel apprehensive at all. Jump right in where you feel like it. Everyone has something to contribute and everyone here will make you feel welcome. There's a lot of info here also, just takes time to absorb it all. Also a lot of fun. So hope you stay with us. And enjoy your new ride!!!!

[5bird7]

I'm here to answer your interior question:
Standard black interior on 03 - Black Ink Leather with steering wheel fully covered in the black leather and gear shift knob covered in leather too.
Black accent interior on 03 - upper third of steering wheel bare of leather, painted gloss black over wood. and gear shift knob also painted gloss black over wood. Rest of interior leather, black ink .

Watch out for Blunbird and some others - they can lead you astray in an instant! :lol:

Meanwhile we all know that you're driving around with a :biggrin:


As for wheels:
check out this page:
http://www.geocities.com/thenewtbird/Wheels.html

[texscott]

Welcome ,,you picked THE best place to be

[SunLuvNBird]

Welcome, Trout :wavey:

This is the best place to be - among friends who all share the same love of their cars :love:

Take the time to read many of the threads in the different forums, and you'll find all you need to know. Check out the gallery for pictures of what everyone has done to their cars if you want an idea of how the different modifications look.
:bestwish: :bestwish: :bestwish:

You picked a great color!!!

[Red Bird Dave]

Trout welcome aboard.
I have had my bird since June 3,2003 and I have been a member of this "motley" group for almost that long. I have found many good ideas for customizing my bird. All the vendors and member/vendors I have delt with have been very good. I log on as soon as I get to work each day and can't believe the amount of information I have gained by being a member.

Red Bird Dave

[Catbyrd]

Thanks you guys! I posted two messages on my first day and for some reason I was being notified by email about the other thread and not this one, so I didn't think anyone responded! And thanks to 5bird7 I figured out what kind of wheels I have.
I'm finally learning how to peel out!
People with T-Birds are so nice!

Other questions:

1) When you pass another T- Bird on the road are you supposed to wave?
2) Is there a group of Pacific Northwest TBirders?
3) I should read the manual that came with the bird, but when I bought my last car I thought they told me to keep my MPH under a certain number until it hit 3,000 miles or something. Should I have done that with my new bird?
I'll try the search button too!
Thanks again!
:biggrin:

[goredgo]

Trout, welcome to the nest. A lot of good people with tremendous advice and knowledge here. Hope you enjoy your new bird.
I don't think there are any restrictions about MPH under 3000 miles.
I just wouldn't try to hit the 160 mph for awhile but most everything else should be fairly safe.

Ray in Atlanta

[0bird2]

Trout,
5bird7 is on her way to the Seattle area right now. I talked to her last night and she was in Homedale, ID and will go to Portland on Thursday. She left Dallas/Ft Worth on monday morning and drove to Denver, CO. Denver to Homedale (50-60 miles west of Boise) on Tuesday.
She is trying to get the Seattle area owners together for an evening at the Triple X in Issaquah (Root Beer joint). I don't remember what the date was but she should be online today for a while and may be able to give us an update.
She is driving the '02 and will be traveling back here over Labor Day weekend.

[Red]

Break - In ****** Try to vary your speed a lot for the first 1,000 miles. (25 - 70 mph and don't hold a steady speed for mote than 20 minutes or so) That helps the ring and pinion gear seat and prevents developing a wear pattern that will whine at certain speeds. People that get their new vehicle and take off on a long trip with the speed control set are the ones that get gear whine.


Don't break hard for 1,000 miles if you can avoid it. If you get your brakes hot (hard stop from highway speed) let the vehicle roll out of the stop instead of sitting on the brake pedal, The brake pads can get up to 1,400 degrees and if you hold them at one place on the rotor it can cause rotor warpage. Try to always stop 8-10 feet behind your final stopping place and gently let the car creep forward to dissipate the heat.:roll:

Try to keep your RPM's realonable for the first 2,000 miles to let the engine rings seat. Don't go WOT (wide open throttle). The speed is not as detrimental as the high torque load. You can run 70 but get there gradually, not under full throttle. (Peel out in a Thunderbird - NEVER):nono:

Yes, it is required to wave at other new Thunderbird owners. :wavey: When you get to meet DavidA, he will teach you the secret hand-shake (don't be suprised, it tickles a little).:poke:

[Bill Brown]

Welcome Trout to the "tbird fever swamp" everyone here is slightly nuts about their cars (see my signature). More info on the bird here than can be found anywhere else on the web. So have fun mining the data and Red is right about davida..

[JerryP]

Welcome Trout,
The MS Grey is a beautiful bird. Congratulations on your purchase and enjoy you new ride. There are many posts that will answer your questions concerning the accessories, etc. Just use "search". :thumbsup:

[winterm]

Welcome to "The Nest" Trout! You're gonna love it here!!

BTW, get your credit card ready for all the cool TBird accessories!!

Congrats on the 03 Grey!!

[FEsTbird]

Welcome Trout. Awesome car!! You will have a lot of fun and learn a lot on this board.

[Proboxfan]

I just wanted to give out salutations to everybody seeing how I'm a new guy here. Although I don't have a picture to post of my T-Bird yet, I own a 2003 Torch Red. So far, I have put the custom Thunderbird license plate frames and the custom floor mats with the T-Bird emblems on them on my car. I like what some people have done experimenting with different wheels from the pictures that I have seen.

I too am having the problem with the hardtop scuffing the paint on my rear decklid like so many of you. And I don't like the mylar strips that are the supposed temporary solution. I am finding that I'm not the only one who's banged his head on the wall regarding this. My dealer told me "C'mon in and we'll touch it up with paint." And I replied, "Well, what do I do when my warranty runs out? Besides even though it's once a year it's still a hassle for me and an extra cost to you." He's tried to get an answer from Ford, but they won't officially admit that there's a problem.

I had an idea for a fix even though it would be by no means permanent. If they had some rubber molding that fit under and over the edge of the decklid from door-to-door around the back, it might keep the paint on the body from being damaged, and you could take the rubber edge molding off when you take your top off. That way it would look as it was intended to look. Clean, without molding. But such a rubber molding would be a damn sight easier to put on and deal with than those cursed mylar strips they gave us (and we will have to buy after they run out).

Well, enough venting for a new guy.:mad: I'm just glad and honored to be in your midst!:wavey:

[winterm]

Gary,

"Welcome" to "The Nest"! Very good indeed to have you!

Please post some pics of your Bird if you get a chance.

You will find a wealth of information here just by doing a search
on any topic.

The hardtop "rub" issue is still a "thorn in our sides". I like you
suggestion. Ford are you listening??

Welcome again!:bestwish: :bestwish:

[brd4jk]

trout........welcome to tbn......as you already can see that this is the best sight for info for our birds...........


tbn ............the best there is:tbn: :tbn: :tbn: :tbn:

[K.P.]

Trout-- Welcome to the Nest!
I have scratches (really a cut ) on my car,too.
I loke your suggestion for a fix. If Ford was smart, they'd have someone monitoring this site.

[Quickdraw]

Proboxfan,

Did you see this thread on the hardtop scuffing?

http://www.thunderbirdnest.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1888&perpage=30&highlight=hardtop%20problem&pagenumber=1


And see these photos?
http://www.thunderbirdnest.com/vb/showthread.php?postid=21587#post21587

[Proboxfan]

Thanks, Marty. Regarding the rub strip or scuff molding, I was thinking about something along the lines of the rubber molding along where the side windows and the doors meet. Just not a part that protrudes toward the interior of the car like they do. I realize that they most likely would not last forever, but far longer than those mylar strips and do a much better job of protecting the paint without compromising the fit of the hardtop onto the decklid. Plus it would be so much easier and quicker to install and deal with. Those mylar strips can be tricky to keep in place while fitting the hardtop back onto the car with a hoist like I use.

I took a 2" X 4" and screwed eyebolts into the narrow edge so that once they come up and into contact with the hardtop, they are outside the edge of it. I then got a webbed nylon strap with rubber coated hooks on each end and a D-ring slipped over onto the middle of it, and hooked the ends of the strap onto the eyebolts of the 2" X 4". I then took a ratcheting load-binding strap (again with coated hooks), strapping one end onto the D-ring in the middle of the strap going over across the hardtop, and the other end beneath the middle of the rear window, on the bottom edge, making a sort of three-point-of-contact web. It does not ruin or stress the rubber bulb seal or mar the paint, and once you ratchet the strap up tight, you can find the point where the top will be pulled horizontal to the ground. The top is pretty bottom-heavy so this aides in getting it to land squarely and safely onto the car. I then pull the car under the 4-pulley rope hoist that I have rigged and hook it into the D-ring as well. It is easily pulled up and down with only one hand because of the multipling effect the pulleys have. 84 pounds without hassle or help and works great!:mouth_wat

I know this is somewhat of a rip-off of Thunderbird Concepts model, or whoever it is that makes the one we've all seen that comes with either an electric hoist or boat winch. I think that I invested all of $40 into my little system. I know that a picture would explain it much easier, but if you look at the model that Thunderbird Concepts has, you can imagine what I just tried to put into words.

If that helps anyone that doesn't want to lay out hundreds for such a thing, then I'm glad to be of help!:cheers:

[Proboxfan]

Yes, Quickdraw, thanks to you, I have seen those pictures of Mark Scanlon's one-and-only. I have also seen your efforts over at ThunderbirdForums.com. You are definitely the MAN. It seems you've done as much if not more for this issue and the people affected by it than anyone including Mr. Scanlon. I greatly appreciate everything you've done.

I wish that I could say what's holding Ford Motor Co. up on this issue. I think that they could come up with a couple of workable solutions and offer a choice to us. One would be the stainless rub strips or scuff moldings. Another could be a rubber edge guard (a 1" wide two-sided strip) such as I suggested that could be put on and taken off easily, and would not be expensive to replace. And applicable in one piece and not easily dislodged like the mylar can be.

I just want to say again that this place is full of good people with good intentions and good ideas. I think I'm going to enjoy my stay and learning from you all.:hail:

[SunLuvNBird]

:bestwish: :bestwish: :bestwish:
:wavey: :wavey: :wavey:
Welcome to the nest, Gary!!