Yet another Turbo Coupe wreck, car for sale

Hey all,

Sad news to report. Two weeks ago I was hit by a drunk driver in Orlando and spun backwards into a ditch. The gas tank ruptured, and the car flew approx. 50ft in the air. I was wearing my seatbelt (now frayed and will need to be replaced) and do not have any injuries except a sore back and neck (doc has already cleared me). Anyways, the drunk drove away and I did not have collision insurance against hit and run. So I have had some estimates made. The car has all cosmetic damage except the gas tank and did not damage the drivetrain or structure of the car at all. I've had estimates from $1600 to $5000 to get it back to the way it was (a solid 9 out of 10, previous show winner). So I am now forced to sell the car as I do not have the funds or time to restore it. It is a 1988 TC, Medium clearcoat red metallic, charcoal/raven cloth interior, and all options except the auto and leather. It has power windows, locks, seats, mirrors, moonroof. Factory spoiler, fogged windshield, premium sound. It also had a perfect ground effects kit that was dealer installed by the dealer that sold the car in Penn. The side skirts are unharmed and I picked up all the pieces so you might be able to salvage the rest. It was the ground effects kit that was installed on the 150 Bill Elliot Edition V8 Birds. I have a Carfax and all records of the car, including the original owners manual. The car does still roll and crank (no gas). I am asking $2500 from a fellow TC lover. Please restore her. She just turned over 159000 miles and was registered for the Silver Springs show. More pictures available. Please e-mail me at [email protected] . Thanks guys, at least I'm OK, it's not totaled, and I still have my 87.

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Michael Pinto

Some extra information:

The car ran perfect and I had just performed maintenance on it including: ney water neck, upper and lower radiator hose, thermostat, refurbished original radiator, NGK plugs, 8MM Bosch Wires, Blue Streak rotor and cap, Purolator Fuel Filter and Air Filter, serviced the turbo, replaced all the little hoses for the turbo's cooling, serviced the intercooler, and serviced the throttle body. The car has a recent (9000 miles) clutch and slave cylinder. It ran EXCELLENT and was a consistant 16.30 quarter mile contender. It's best time was 16.12. The A/C was coverted to R134a and blew cold before the wreck. The car still has the original working equalizer, but the speakers were replaced with new Premium Pioneer speakers less than a month ago. I have an original radio, but it doesn't work. The car had an Alpine unit (not included). The seats started to fade a little and the paint was VERY nice. The only rust was a very little around the rear wheel-wells that showed up after the wreck. I'm happy to answer any questions, please contact me as I have to sell the car soon, or else she will be stripped and crushed, and I do not want to do that to a repairable TC. Oh yeah, the title is CLEAN and the car has no previous accidents. It migrated to FL before 1990.

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Michael Pinto

I'm sorry that you got into the accident. It sounds really bad but I'm glad that you're alright. [Image: smile.gif]

Just to let you know, you probably won't get anything near $2500 for the car. Cars that are in the condition of yours before the accident go for around that price, if not less. Also, this may be better suited in the "Cars for Sale" section.

Godd luck with trying to sell it though.

3 posts and you're a TC lover! Start partin' it out DUDE! And get off the crack pipe! I hate to see a nice TC wrecked like that, especially when it's not your fault - but get real! Look for someone local, and $500 is a stretch.

I am sorry, FloridaT. I would have to agree with the above.

I am sure that the TC would be totaled, in terms of Title. The ratio between market value of the car, and how much damage there is, that car is totalled.
And, you say that it is Stucturally sound. That is a false statement. Our cars are Unit-Body construction. Basically, that rear panel is part of the roof of the car, and is welded to the floor, which creats the structure (or "frame/undercarage"). With that kinda damage, even after pulled up, that car would never be the same. Not to mention a trunklid never matching up, and age and weight would sag the rear alot.
I am sorry for your loss, but I do think the only thing you can do is part with it and part it out.
Good Luck to you
Kett

If you can, keep the car and to keep the expenses down buy a TC with mechanical or electrical problems and a fix it using your car as a donor. If you can find a car like this you can normally get it for a good price, a car that doesnt run is not worth that much! I also think it is easier to do mechanical or electrical work rather than body work. I was in a similar situation and thought of buying a cheap ass V6 or V8 t-bird with a clean body and turning it into a Turbo Coupe (at the time i didnt have much money but lots of parts, but not enough time either). I can tell you one thing tho, besides the people on this site, you wont find anyone to pay much money for a nice TC, let alone a wrecked one.

Mike, I'm glad your not hurt seriously. Since you had neck and back related problems, don't sign any waivers. These things could come back to haunt you years down the road. I know, I have whiplash related problems and they are not fun and they sometimes don't show up for 20 years or more.

As o the car, I don't doubt it was a show winner and immaculately maintained. I have seen you post to other groups so I know you have been in the TC scene for awhile. However the price you are asking is about as much as you could expect to get out of it before it was wrecked. I also question what kind of repairs you could have gotten for $1600. You might get a good paint (not great) job for that. And the damage to the quarter area on the driver's side has to be one of the most expensive areas to repair correctly, and I'm not talking dent pulling and 20#s of bondo. Unless the car has been put on an frame alignment machine, there is no way to say what the structual integrity is.

I wish you the best of luck with it but I think you need to rethink your price.



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NATO Member. it's not a vice, it's an obsession
"The nice thing about each new day is nobody ever used it before" Barnaby Jones
88 TC X 2, 86 SVO, mods list at
http://www.turbotbird.com/showroom/pd_88tc.htm

Hey again,

I know the $2500 is high, I just haven't seen any car, let alone another TC this optioned. I came to that number by figuring what the car was worth stripped. As far as the estimates go, $1600 was just for the bodywork, not including paint or parts. I was going to buy another TC or T-Bird and fixing it. We measured and disected the car from end to end and nothing was out of alignment. It would need a trunk floor, both full quarter panels, trunk hinges and supports, and entire taillight and rear bumper section. The car just means alot and was SO NICE before. That and the fact that I'm still hunting the car that hit me down, so if I actually find him, I will have his (or her) insurance rebuild the car. Beggars can't be choosers though, so if ANYBODY wants the car, the motor, tranny, rear-end, interior, nose, whatever, e-mail me. Conversly, the TC is a GREAT car and it (and the seatbelt) saved my life. The fact that 22 gallons of 93 Premium didn't explode like so many other Fords is a testament to how great these cars were. Every car has it's issues, but of all the wrecks and totals we've seen on this board, I can't think of anyone that has been killed or seriously injured. Thanks for all your support and I will be back in the game soon. In fact, if anyone has an ugly TC, Merkur, SVO Stang, turbo'd whatever that they would like to trade/sell in FL, I would really like to talk. I've been forced to drive my fun car every day now, and sure it's fun, until I have to start putting gas in it, and that annoying rattle around 2900 rpm's, and eventually I turned the boost DOWN to 18 psi. The sooner I get a street car, the sooner I can get the pig down to the track for a timed run! Thanks again, and I will keep you updated and reply daily. Keep up the boost!

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Michael Pinto

Michael, you related to Ray Pinto by chance?
That really rots, what with the hit 'n run. Felony isn't it? Good thing you're okay so far!
If you're looking to part out E-mail me [email protected]

Yes I am related to Ray, he's my grandfather. I work for him at his car lot. The bird is around back so you can come see it if you want. E-mail me if you don't know where it's at.


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Michael Pinto