Some know I have a one owner tc some don't.
When I bought it I bought it because the sheet metal that formed it was beautiful. Not because it had a four cylinder turbo to power it. I actually looked for a sport model with a 5.0 in it because I did not want a six cylinder motor. Not sure, but I believe they sold less sport models then tc's? Yes, I thought a tc had a six cylinder motor in it when I was looking. I wanted an eight! NO sport models to be found.
Love this little car but when I have the time and money it will be powered by a BOSS 302 crate engine with a carburetor.
I would love to drop a 302 into a sport with low, low mileage but I can't find one for sale. Any one out there know of one for sale with less then 50 grand on the speed-O?
The following ad was sent to me 2 days ago. It is from the Cleveland OH Craigs List:
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1988 Ford Thunderbird - $10000 (Cleveland)
Reply to
[email protected] [Errors when replying to ads?]
Date: 2009-05-19, 8:25PM EDT
Original owner, 40k original miles, has never seen winter or been smoked in. Sport model with 302 V8. All factory options. Dealer installed alarm and mudflaps. Asking $10000 or best reasonable offer.
* Location: Cleveland
* it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
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PostingID: 1179437563
Never put anything but a 2.3 motor in a TC. You will kill its value and why put in a 302. Just buy a shitty MUSTANG 302.
:mad:
2.3T would outrun a 302 in 87 and 88!
It's your car and I am not at all caring what you do to it but this pops in my head:
A boss 302 crate carb'd motor? Less gas mileage and about the same performance as spending half that on doing up the 2.3? Changing all the springs, cross member, wiring and more to a perfectly good car (any car)? Sounds like a PITA to me. And again a shame to any car to frankenstein it like that especially since it's a one owner car.
Just seems easier to take a v8 bird and put your crate motor into it. Then get the TC nose and hood. The only thing you'll be missing is the side body moulding.
Quote:Originally posted by Matt S:
Just seems easier to take a v8 bird and put your crate motor into it. Then get the TC nose and hood. The only thing you'll be missing is the side body moulding.
AND you'd still be missing the 8.8 rear, the 11" front brakes, ABS & ride control systems... If you can find a Sport, those do mostly have the TC interior but as sicpony mentioned, I believe there were probably less Sport models sold than TC's(Ford doesn't seem to be able to produce any individual production records other than TCs)... When I was buying TCs at auction I rarely saw a Sport model...
As far as value I could care less, with or without the 4cyl these aren't going to be worth huge money any time soon... I have a fairly rare '69 Fairlane Cobra(think Ford Roadrunner) that I've never considered modifying in the 36+ years I've owned it... Comparatively speaking, a TC is just another car...
Anyway, many of the cars I see on here are hacked up with missing AC, ABS, etc, not exactly collector material... Except for the engine and tranny, mine is 100% complete with all systems intact and operational...
How could I have guessed I was going to get flack over this? For now the tc is safe. Still would like to add nitrous.
That sport in Ohio sounds nice. Had know idea they didn't have abs or an 8.8 rear. The cost seems to be going up,up. Just for the record I was talking about a 302 punched out to a 347 with 425 shaft hp. How anyone can get those numbers out of a 2.3 without blowing it up is a mystery to me.
I have dynowed many a 347 in my life(not built by us)and always see the look of displeasure on the customers face when the numbers are posted. Those engines are hard to make power in the 400+ range. If you believe you can achieve that type of HP you will be very disappointed. My street driven coupe is very close to those numbers. I will admit its a high HP number for a TC but the engine is only 140 cubes. The 302 is twice as big and is a hard press to achieve 300 ponies running it NA. Tom Senior
OK,OK, i am gonna freak y'all out . I have a OLDS 350 diesel that might just fit in my 87 TC that is getting a little ruff... the good parts are going in my no rust 88. As long as the ARP head studs hold it together i think it will be a blast! Might be hard to find springs stiff enuff to hold it up as it is FRIGGIN HEAVY !
(very late april fools) heh heh
hey tom have you ever dynoed a Boss 302 ? I had one in the early 80's. Was mostly stock besides a 289 HP cam ,roller rockers,headers and 650 mech.holley. The car was a dailey driver but what a blast.