Thunderbird Turbo Coupe 88

thundr

thundr

Well-known member
Some call them a thunder chicken, usually non ford guys. Some refer to them as thunder fox, since there are some many fox mustang parts in common.
This was SVT production car and it won car of the year for Road and Track magazine back in the day when we bought those.

The car had anti lock brakes, no air bags or cup holders, and four wheel disc brakes. Mine had a five speed world class tranny with limited slip. The engine was 2 valve 2.3 turbo with inter cooler. Made 195 hp, but seemed to go well beyond that.

The hood scoops actually brought air into the inter cooler. I kept the car mostly stock except for wider stickier tires and mandrel bent exhaust from turbo to sst tails.

IMG_00000230_zpsf64f9250.jpg


IMG_00000235_zpsoc7fwowk.jpg


You can tell a real ford guy when he has his wash bucket with ford logo on it.
 
TrueBlue02058;n4752 said:
If I recall correctly , the next Generation of this car had a Supercharged V6 under the hood. Am I right ?
Click to expand...

Yes it was, I had one 91 SC Thunderbird. 3.8 supercharged. made about 230 HP with about 320 FT. LBs. of Torq.
Funny at the time the big knock on the car, it was to heavy. about 3500 + lbs. Now that would be considered light.
I can attest it was very quick. one of my all time favourite cars.
 
Or more affectionately know as a Thunder Fox. Since it was basically a long fox body mustang
 
Shipwright;n4749 said:
Sorry for being late to post. As you know, I really like Fords "aero cars" I still think they look great and age very well. Didn't you sell yours to a youngster. I'm sure that would be a good story.
Click to expand...


I was unsure of what would happen last winter in terms of it getting put a way. But true to form it has spent one more winter inside.
 
My Cobra's rear end was salvaged from a 88-89 T-bird turbo coupe. The disc brakes and the standard 3.55 rear gearing, was a big advantage over the donor Mustang drum brake rear end set up, which a lot of FFR builders used.
 
Ok well I guess it was an 88 that my rear came from. I thought it was the Super-coupe that the IRS became standard. So they had one year they put the IRS in the Turbo Coupe, or is 89 the first year of the Super-Coupe?
 
The Turbo coupe was Motor Trend car of the year. But the super coupe was an advanced car in stock form. But with force feeding oxygen into these cars, lots of power could be made.Turbo charger versus super charger, pick your poison.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top