i hopped in the 87 today, gonna go up the street real quick...
it cranks once over, the bendix pops out, so i crank it again, bendix doesnt engage...
so now the solenoid is out...

everytime i fix this car something dies...

if some thing major goes again this car is headed to a used car lot...

am i going to have to pull the front header?

NOPE!
Just pull the fan assembly off (4 bolts - 2 top, 2 bottom)
Then hold your tongue right to get the starter out!
Remember the Starter shims TOO! Put the originals back in or you'll need a flywheel soon too!

my 87 series 1 chirps when I start it, sounds ugly. new starter? shimmes?
my 92 series 2 sounds like my camaro when it starts, smooth
so i could be just how the series one sounds.. but it cant be how the toronados sound..

woah there, series I wasn't until either 1988, or 1992...
series II did not start until 1995 and later. So, your 87 is just a 3.8, and your 92 is a series I. anyway, my 88 buick didn't make a chirp noise when it started and that sound isn't normal. you might want to check on that.

this may sound far fetched, but ford water pumps like to chirp when they get old. also, it might be good to look at the motor mounts

The service manual called it 3.8 series II tuned sequenal ported injection. but the 87 mite just be a 3800.

I just replaced my starter on Sunday. I had to remove the EGR tube from the header to get out once disconnected. I didn't even think about shims, I just took out the old one and put in the new. It seems to sound fine, but what should I check to make sure?

Actually, he'* right to a point.....The LN3'* were designed the same as the Series I'* are & most parts are interchangeable!

It may not have shims....It all depended on how well the mating surface is when both the Starter & Housing are. The shims allow you to adjust the clearance between the Starter & the Flywheel teeth. Too much one way & you get a grinding noise, too much the other weay & you get a nice spinning noise!

ok guys, i finally got that starter off., turns out, i couldn't see the bolts because of the fly wheel inspection sheild.... though the good ole boys i found a dealer man who showed me where they were, he was real nice about it... didn't even call me a retard. that part was easy, but now how do i get the starter out of the car?
i got it off the motor... just not out of the car...