While in the process of re-re-building the engine
of a troubled 1976 Thunderbird, I have come up with
some chassis & electrical questions that I couldn't
find the answers to via the normal channels.
(i.e. parts diagrams, service manuals, etc.)

Hopefully there will be someone out there with
a relatively "concours correct" '76, that would
be able to assist me with some eye-balling.

1.) The primary ground strap from the block
to the chassis is missing. I can't tell
exactly where it attached to the firewall.
There is a small hole, mid-way between the
wiper motor and master cylinder, but it is
about the size of a #10 screw, and it seems
doubtful that they would have used it for
the primary ground.

2.) Is there supposed to be a support clip on the
starter wire within a few inches of the starter?
I see an open stud near the motor mount that looks
like it might have been for that purpose.

3.) The wire for the electric choke is shielded, and
splits off into a ground wire with a ring terminal.
I have seen pictures of engines that show this
ground wire attaching to one of the mounting flanges
on the side of the valve cover, towards the front.
Is this correct? It is the original wire, and is
way too short to reach the carburetor itself.

4.) There is a ground strap attached to the front fender,
near the hinge for the hood on the passenger side.
It was torn/cut off at some point.
Was this a ground strap for the hood itself?
(It is too thin and too far away to be the primary
block/firewall ground I mentioned earlier.)

5.) The leads for the cornering lamps appear to have
a retaining clip molded right onto the wires.
Currently, they aren't clipped on to anything,
and are just kind of hanging there.
I only see one "logical" hole for these clips to
snap in to (on the framework of the cornering lamp
assembly itself). However, the length of the wires
coming down from behind the headlights are too short
to allow that. Unless of course the wires aren't
routed correctly, which is entirely possible.
(It looks as though someone has previously removed
the front clip, possibly for post-accident repairs).

6.) Is there supposed to be a guard/shield that protects
the bottom of the air conditioner condenser coil
from stones and/or road debris?
Currently there is nothing there, and the bottom
of the condenser coil looks like it's been through
a war zone.


Thanks in advance for your help!



T