Money No Object: You Don’t Have The Guts To Put This 1988 Ford Thunderbird SCCA Racer Onto The Streets, Do You?


Money No Object: You Don’t Have The Guts To Put This 1988 Ford Thunderbird SCCA Racer Onto The Streets, Do You?

The late 1980s Ford Thunderbirds are sorely underrated outside of NASCAR fans. Why is that? The roundy-round folks know why this car rules: 212.809 miles per hour at Talladega Speedway in 1987. Yes, it was a full-tilt race machine, but Bill Elliott turned the Thunderbird into a legend. Outside of a pair of gold mid-1980s examples running around town, though, seeing any Fox Thunderbird out and about is pretty rare anymore. And that’s a shame…between the versatility of the Fox platform, the unique history of the Thunderbird, it’s honestly handsome styling, and the fact that it’s not another Mustang, you’d think you would see more of them.

Well, maybe there is something that can be done about that. You see, in stock form, a Fox-Bird isn’t that spectacular. No, not even in Turbo Coupe form. But this 1988 Thunderbird…well, this is spectacular. It’s a former Trans Am GT-1 and IMSA GTO race car. It’s got a steel roof and a stock Thunderbird rear bumper assembly and has headlights and taillights. Outside of that, you have a no-kidding race car. There’s a Ford Cleveland mill and a TopLoader four-gear, a Franklin quick-change rear setup, a 32-gallon fuel cell, a five gallon Moon dry-sump tank, coilovers, a 3-link rear axle with a Watts link, brakes for days, and even body molds for the remainder of the skin, which is fiberglass.

You probably already know what I’m thinking: how close to street-legal is it? It’s over twenty-five years in age, so depending on where you live, you just need the basics: lights, horn, wipers, rear view mirrors, seat belts, DOT tires, mufflers, and an inspection to see if your state will issue a VIN to the car. You aren’t duplicating a Ferrari, but putting a race car T-bird on the street. You know we think it’s worth it, but what about you?

eBay Link: 1988 Ford Thunderbird SCCA Trans Am GT-1/IMSA GTO Race Car


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6 thoughts on “Money No Object: You Don’t Have The Guts To Put This 1988 Ford Thunderbird SCCA Racer Onto The Streets, Do You?

  1. Chevy Hatin' Mad Geordie

    In a word – no!

    But we can all dream but in the UK the environmental nazis would consign this to a hell of mufflers, functioning door locks, street tyres, hordes of lights and then you wouldn’t get out of 2nd gear due to all the speed restrictions. At least the body panels are easily detached when some lycra wearing cyclo-path aims a kick at them….

  2. Matt Cramer

    No, I wouldn’t try putting it on the street – this looks like it would be too perfect for track days and HSR events for me to want to change it. If I had the money to buy that thing, I’d turn it loose on Road Atlanta and AMP every chance I got.

  3. Russell

    I will be buying a lotto ticket today! If I win it will be reskinned as a ’82 bird got to be 35 years in NC to be inspection exempt.

    My frist car was an 85, great car but the 3.8 v6 was SLOW

  4. jerry z

    I too frigging old and fat to be climbing into a car anymore! Now if it had functioning doors then maybe I would attempt to get it roadworthy. Like Matt posted, would rather make it a track day car.

  5. C.M. Bendig

    Some chopping cutting welding… Drivers side A pillar and whole Cowl from a car with a valid title. The rest is a hand built hot rod. I think that would meat the legalese in Ohio.

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