Why is it that the Fox and MN-12 Ford Thunderbirds and Mercury Cougars aren’t as popular as their Ford Mustang cousin? They’re effectively the same car, just with a bit of useable legroom…same engines, same transmissions, same freaking everything. You could even get manual transmissions and supercharged V6s if you wanted! Surely some of you older types have great memories of Aero Birds running NASCAR, or maybe you picture the Mercury Cougars that ran in IMSA. Or maybe you forgot that the cars even existed…and that’s a shame, because with all of the Mustang knowledge out there, you could transfer it to a T-bird or Cougar and wind up with something absolutely bitchin’.
This T-bird looks a bit homely, doesn’t it? Take one look at the back tire setup and think about it. If it weren’t for the big meats on the rear axle this would be any other beater Thunderbird that somehow is still rolling along, but this isn’t. At some point this former four-cylinder car got a 5.0 and AOD swap and a tub job out back. Nothing about the car is pretty…it’s got the typical Ford clear coat peel, the trim has seen better days and underhood needs at least a day’s worth of detail work just to be passable. But look past the rough: this is a prepared and obviously driven Pro Street car that has held up! For Rough Start money, you could give the 5.0 some love (and maybe some boost) and if it were up to us, we’d swap the 4.10s out of the rear for something a little more street-friendly. Why? Easy: we could live with this maligned coupe as a daily driver all day long. When most of the traffic out and about is rolling silver sedans, gray CUVs and beige embarrassments to the automotive world, this Thunderbird could be the rolling culture shock that the roadways need. Somehow, watching a red Thunderbird parting the gray sea on the Interstate somewhere is just satisfying to the soul.
eBay Link: 1988 Ford Thunderbird
4.10’s, a tall tire, and an AOD are fine. You’d regret changing them, unless it’s to a 4.56. 🙂
The fox body thundercats are some of the best hidden gems out there. They have all the great benefits of a fox Mustang but with a longer wheelbase which makes it less nervous feeling on the street, plus it looks better (in my opinion), is more aerodynamic, and cheaper. The Turbo Coupes have the same 4 cylinder turbo as the SVO Mustangs and Merkurs, which have some serious potential, or obviously they’ll accept any small block, big block, or other block that a Mustang can take. And best of all it isn’t a Mustang. No offense to Mustang guys, it’s just nice to stand out a little. Of course, I might be biased in saying all this as the owner of an ’87 T-bird that I love to pieces (sometimes literally).
Also, just to prevent confusion, the MN12 thundercats are in no way related to any Mustang, other than sharing the 4.6l V8. It’s a completely different chassis with almost no part interchangeability.
I had an 87 Turbo Coupe 5 speed for a short time. With some minor tweaks it was a quick little car that was lots of fun. I miss it now and then until I remember how nasty it was to work on.
I’ve wanted an ’87-’88 Thunderbird 5.0 with the Turbo Coupe aero nose for a while.
I had a 92′ T-Bird Sport (5.0L) I used to drive to Lebanon Dragway in NY. I still have the time slips. Bone stock it was in the high 15’s. Pretty respectable and a lot of fun.
Had a ’95 T-Bird with the V8. LOVED that car. Handled great and while the non-PI 4.6 wasn’t exactly a tire fryer, it could cruise comfortably at triple digit speeds. I want another one.
Built an 88 Cougar with a friend…..Car started out as a 6 cylinder auto….93 GT 5.0 motor bolted right in along with the pedals and T5 trans, backed up with the 8.8 rear with 4.10’s…..Great sleeper !!!
Glad I’m not alone. Had a stocker 86 Cougar. Dumb move getting rid of it.
I’ve had couple of these now … awhile back, a 95 Super Coupe 5-speed for about 10 years, and now an 88 Turbo Coupe 5-speed. Definitely more refined than the Mustangs of the same era.