Ernest,

Thanks. This answer is the best. I was found to have cancer in july and
have been in and out of the hospital until october 20th. i am finding
someone to do this work for me because i can not get around very well.
i am waiting to hear from my vol fire company or the police departments
good and welfare members to see if someone can change the starter. get
the boat running and get it onto my trailer.

I have also never seen another thunderbird ever.....nice to know
someone else has one. its a great boat. i bought it for 1,000.00
because it would not start. the fuel pet cock was turned off at the
inspection cover plate.
all it needed was two new back seats and a new engine cover before the
hurricane soaked it with the 21 inches of rain....

I also want to get a new snap on boat cover made. i have some of the
old brittle one.

thanks again

sonofadocker


Ernest Scribbler wrote:
"sonofadocker" wrote
Does anyone know what would be in the way of getting a socket or wrench
on the starter bolts ?

Thanks for telling me what sizes to try. The two bolts are too close to
the rear block or bell housing to get a socket on them. A wrench does
not have enough "bite" on the bolt to losen them.

I just went out to the garage and poked around on my 165 (77 Thunderbird)
with a flashlight and an inspection mirror. I didn't try removing anything,
but I was able to get a 3/8" drive 9/16" socket on each bolt head with a
short extension. There's a flywheel cover bolt head right in the way under
each starter bolt, and it's so close that a deep well or a 1/2" drive socket
would probably be too big to get past without taking those cover bolts out
first. Even the smaller socket may not get past them once you get the
starter bolt backed out a bit, so you might have to remove them regardless.
BTW, if your T-bird is built like mine, six screws will take out the back
seat and make the side of the engine a whole lot easier to get to.