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  • New additions to the family.

    Went hunting for a car this past week. Everything I was finding was either completely impractical for what I needed (a reliable daily driver that wouldn't require too much work right off the bat) or rusted beyond recognition (which I already have). It was pretty damn dismal but I was determined to get something that I would enjoy driving. I've been making do with crappy fwd econo-boxes for far too long. Got a call from my brother Wednesday, he was getting a new car and getting rid of his 97 Thunderbird. He'd sell it to me for what the dealer was offering for trade in. This car was bought new by my parents, my brother bought it from them 8 years ago and has been his daily driver ever since. He ran a service station for years and is completely OCD about maintaining his cars so I knew it was solid as a rock mechanically. It's starting to have some rust issues, and there are some minor things here and there, but it was immensely better than anything I had come across. I've had tags on it for 2 days now and keep finding excuses to go driving in it, spent almost all day yesterday just driving. It's been a long time since I've been able to do that and actually enjoy it. Already coming up with plans to restore the body next year and put a real engine in it instead of the 6 cylinder that's in it now. Life is good in Tedly World right now. Here's my new baby:

    Not bad for $1100, wouldn't you agree?
    I'm probably wrong

  • #2
    And here's my brother with his new baby:

    An all original Marauder with about 30,000 miles on it. It goes well with his 96 Impala that has under 10,000 miles on it. I'd be jealous but I'm having too much fun with mine to pay much attention to his.
    I'm probably wrong

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    • #3
      Good buy!

      When I was about 12 years old we took a vacation to the Southwest and the rental car was the V8 version of that generation T-Bird. It had like 1200 miles on it when we got it. Anyway, there were some long drives on that trip and during one of them through the desert my mom and sister were sleeping. I caught my dad staring at me in the rear view and he motioned that I lean forward. He had that bastard wound right up to the speed limiter which was somewhere in the 115-120mph range. We cooked along like that for about 10 minutes, mom and sis none the wiser.
      That which you manifest is before you.

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      • #4
        Speedo tops out at 120, I haven't gotten it that far yet (too much traffic) but I have no doubt it will do it even with the underpowered 6 it has. Can't wait to start building a V8 for it!
        I'm probably wrong

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        • #5
          nice car, i have had my mn12 based 90 cougar for 18 yrs. i put it up in the winter so the salt doesnt get to it. I look forward to getting it out every spring and I drive the piss out of it. 130,000 miles and taking it to drag week. I think this chassis is overlooked at the moment for project cars.

          Nice buy!
          Neal

          Drag Week 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013

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          • #6
            Hell yeah, it looks like a great deal!

            4.2 from a truck and a turbo, then let your folks drive it again.
            Flying south, with a flock of bird dogs.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by Beagle View Post
              Hell yeah, it looks like a great deal!

              4.2 from a truck and a turbo, then let your folks drive it again.
              I'm going back and forth between a Windsor stroker or a 32 valve 4.6, then yesterday I had a stroke of genius (or maybe it was just a stroke...): Turbo 4 banger.
              I'm probably wrong

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              • #8
                In Boston we call 'em Windsahs....and that's the way I would go!
                That which you manifest is before you.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Brian Lohnes View Post
                  In Boston we call 'em Windsahs....and that's the way I would go!
                  That's what I'm really leaning towards. My basic plan is after getting rid of the rust and putting the body back where it should be I'm going to upgrade the interior to the top of the line model: Leather seats, any options I like that it doesn't have already, etc... After that it will be worked into a multipurpose car that will put down respectable numbers on the strip, auto cross and road course, LSR, and still be able to drive on road trips with the A/C blowing, the cruise control on, and the stereo cranked. I don't expect to excel in any of those arenas and I have no specific power or performance goals in mind, I just want to be able to do them just for fun. A Windsor will help keep the weight down and be simple enough to repair easily, but a blown Romeo engine has a strong appeal too. I'll burn that bridge when I come to it though.
                  I'm probably wrong

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                  • #10
                    Good buy! Dont listen to Brian he drinks too much cawfee.
                    Jeff
                    Follow My Build

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                    • #11
                      nice buy,, nice color, good luck with it.. if your going v8 remember ford had to cut off it's nose inspite of it's face, and put a choking intake one them to clear that low hood line.. and I'm sure a carb'd set up be no better..
                      by the time you are read the ecoboost v6 might be in enough wrecked f-150's to swap in, hell the unboosted one, prob. makes more power than the 302 they stuffed in those..

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                      • #12
                        Yeah, those intakes really choked the V8s, but I got no problem putting a cowl hood on it and will probably end up going with FI instead of a carb anyway.
                        I'm probably wrong

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                        • #13
                          I had one of those my only non GM car. It was a 91 with 3.8 liter, really a great car. It was black with limo tint windows and my first newer car (only 3 yrs old when I bought it) I waxed it every weekend too and chicks dug it. Rot eventually got to the rockers and it went through front rotors like cookies,I would still have it if it werent for the rot.

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                          • #14
                            I approve! I have had 3 t-birds and now have a markviii, While technically a different platform they art mostly the same

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by antmnte View Post
                              I had one of those my only non GM car. It was a 91 with 3.8 liter, really a great car. It was black with limo tint windows and my first newer car (only 3 yrs old when I bought it) I waxed it every weekend too and chicks dug it. Rot eventually got to the rockers and it went through front rotors like cookies,I would still have it if it werent for the rot.
                              Yeah, the rust monster is eating away at this one too. The rocker panels are worse than they look in the pic, it's started on the doors, and the rear shock towers are getting pretty bad. Objectively, it's not worth saving. It's an $1100 base model TBird from a non-desireable year that will never be worth much to anyone else. I would drive for a few years then unload if it weren't for the family history. I'm going to put the old girl through one more winter, pick up a good welder and teach myself how to weld, then start on it next spring/summer. It's a gorgeous car that has always gotten a lot of compliments, I think when I lower it a couple of inches, put on some chrome 18" Cobra R rims, and tint the windows it will look pretty damn sweet. I'm still geeked about having a good car with potential right now though and will enjoy the hell out of it until it's time to tear into it.
                              I'm probably wrong

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