Here is my 1988 Ford Thunderbird. It was my first car, and was sold to me for $100 by my grandmother. She has since passed away, and I keep this car as a rememberance of her.
When I first bought the car there was a large dent in the passenger side quarter panel, there was quite a bit of rust throughout the car (luckily mostly surface rust), major discoloration of the bumpers, and a broken tailight.
The interior was pretty rough too.
The Engine compartment, containing a highly under powered 232 v6, looks quite unatractive( for now :-) ) For the size of this engine (3.8l) one would think it would be adequate, but it wasn't. It was pretty good on gas though, I used to get over 30mpg on the highway.
My first course of action was to drop a Turbo Coupe hood onto the car. I thought it would give it a nice touch. In case any of you are wondering, I cut out pieces of fiberglass to insert where the air enters through the hood, to prevent unwanted rain, snow, or dirt from entering the engine compartment. I didn't want my plug wires or distributor getting wet.
Secondly I wanted a rear decklid spoiler. The man who's turbo coupe this came off of, had told me someone else was going to buy it. After two months of searching elsewhere for one, I emailed the gentleman back just to ask if he still had it. By some miracle he did. That weekend, (I think it was a thursday night when he responded to me) I drove all the way to connecticut for this.
I have to say, if theres a part you want, no matter what the car, you better go get it. It may be the last one in the area, and its better to travel and get it, than not to travel and always wish you did.
The car it came off of: Painted and on the trunk of my bird:
Next, in a local junkyard I found a Turbo Coupe and took the rear sway bar off of it. Its amazing what a simple piece of metal can do for the handling of a car. Highly recomended for any of you Standard Thunderbird people out there, like me, whom were ripped off from the factory and didn't get a sway bar, or a good engine for that matter.
After the addition of the spoiler, I had the car painted Medium Wedgewood Blue. I'ts a 2006 Ford F-150 color.
After having the car painted, I choose to buy some wheels. I chose some nice turbo coupe wheels. They are in order from the start, or purchase condition, all the way through my refinishing, to my painting idea.
My Anti-Tuner Display on my rear Window: :)
To Hell with Honda, Toyoya, Mitsubishi, and all of you other obnoxious hornets nest sounding cars!
I also bought a parts car: A 1987 ford thunderbird with a 302 engine in it. I got sick an tired of losing races to locals with smaller engines... No longer will this happen as an engine swap is underway. Any suggestions for more power out of a 302, email me at jpc647@charter.net or sign my guestbook.
Two weeks after found this car, I broke my drivers side strut. I hit an onramp at 60+ and heard the snap. Scared the shi* out of my girlfriend, but it was fun. Parts car has paid for itself in struts and tires which came on it. $200 was all I paid for a 5.0 liter car with 70,000 original miles on it.
Turbo Coupe Seats have been added now too.
Car during the summer:(turbo coupe wheels) Winter wheels are the stock hupcaps
I am looking for the door key scratch guards. They are those stickers that go around the keyhole, and prevent scratches to the paint. If anyone knows a store that still carries them, please let me know. I tried making them myself, out of magnets, but the first highway trip they blew off. :(
Engine Swap Pictures:
Engine On Stand:
Engine Finally in car:
New Springs for V8:
Other random pictures:
