Idk what the powerplant is, and it doesn't have the steering wheel I like, but it looks pretty clean based on the photos, and definitely a LOT cheaper
Do these things really go for so cheap despite looking so clean?
I'm not sure I'd be interested in anything that's not a V8, just because that sound is important to me, and I'm not sure what this one has under the hood, I'm betting it's probably a V6.
I was actually first turned to these cars because of a friend of mine who has a '87 TurboCoupe, I thought it was silly at the time but I'm starting to realize more and more how special it actually is. I just remembered he's selling it but it's not really in the best condition. Maybe I'll get some photos of it just for fun to put up on a different thread.
Darn right they can be addictive. We now have 4 birds in our stable. so be careful or you'll catch the bug too!
This was sort of what I was hoping for!
Quote from: Haystack;429926
I personally would steer clear of the cfi motors.
Are the CFI motors really such a pain? Maybe I should so some research on this.
I like the sound of swapping a T5 in.. It's nice to know I have some options thanks to similarities with the Mustang
If it really is a reliable car, has such low miles, 'like-new' interior, and minimal rust, I feel like it would probably be worth $3500
But I agree that the there's probably more to this rust spot he mentioned.. I'll make sure to check the vital spots,
and thanks again dragon for the info on the headgasket being a rare fix.. It does sound a bit fishy, maybe he had a little too much fun with it when he owned it? Also that paint going up around the wheel wells is definitely suspicious and NOT factory.. (though I kind of like the look, I'll have to check it for rust) Based on his E-mails he seems like a pretty big fan of the car
[COLOR="#FF0000"]I'll definitely take plenty of photos and maybe even video if I can...[/COLOR] and hopefully the guy won't think I'm a nut
[COLOR="#FF0000"]Maybe you clever s will pick up something that I don't[/COLOR]
I'm sure you all would like to see as many pictures of it as I can get anyways
Thanks a lot dragon for the info on the rust spots! I'll keep these in mind
For some more context about my situation maybe some of you will have more advice about what I should do, I'm sort of just looking for another daily driver (my Caprice is REALLY... eh), but this will also be my FIRST actual car.
My dad wanted my brother and I to have a V8 in High School, so he bought us the GTA to serve that purpose.. It's a HOT car, but it's a pain in the ass as a daily (sits really low which is bad for speed bumps, and I generally feel stressed having to baby it wherever I go to keep it in good shape).
So I'm not really looking for another fast car, or expecting this car to perform nearly as well, I just can't see myself driving a boring KIA around, and I love me an American V8, and that 5.0 sound (music to my ears). I've also have a secret dream to drive American V8 cars for the rest of my life
We're really a car family, but I don't actually tinker with cars myself real often, but I'd like my first car to be something unique that I can have pride over, and something to START tinkering with, and these T-birds are definitely unique
I don't really care much for all the electronics and gizmos (though I think the electronic gauge clusters are pretty tight), and I'd probably try to keep it as stock as possible, which is why I'm hoping this car is in great shape so I can keep it that way or improve it (I DO like those 5.0 badges though.. >_>)
My brother got his first car a few years back, an '84 VW Scirocco, and he's definitely fallen in love with it and has become quite the 'car tinkerer'. He's part of a few VW communities now and suggested that I join one for more info.
It's also because of his love and knowledge of VW's that I'm sort of drawn to getting one myself, he claims they are pretty easy to work with, and I've been wanting to get a stick shift too. And depending on how high-maintenance these T-birds are, maybe a VW would suit me better?
So some more questions:
1. Are these cars pretty easy to maintain? -I'd imagine this probably depends on the power plant.
2. Do you think this would be a suitable car to fit my needs? (i.e. fixable, lovable, drivable) -fixable, lovable, driveable are really my 'need-to's' for my first car, but what's on the line here is can I find this with a unique American V8 car such as this year of T-Bird? Or do I have to play it safe with a common VW buzzbox?
I guess what I'm really asking is what would I be getting myself into? Am I looking at a Delorean-style American classic (Unique, collectible, breaks a lot) or something rugged and completely viable as a daily commute?
I understand this sort of goes beyond the questions about this particular car, and this car could definitely be a bust depending on what I find, but I'm starting to really like these cars.
I've recently been in the market for a new car: My '91 GTA isn't fit for harsh conditions up here in Washington, and my '81 Caprice Classic (while working fine) is pretty run down.
So after some hunting on Craigslist I found an '85 T-Bird in my area (302 V8). I'm a big fan of driving around American Steel, and the awesome sound of the 5.0 engine (my dad has an '89 Mustang GT 5.0 and I just love the sound it makes, though I believe the engines are a tad different in both cars).
[COLOR="#FF0000"]Details:[/COLOR] According to the seller it's lived in a garage for quite a bit of its life. After sending a few e-mail queries about it, he tells me he bought it from the original owner, an older woman, in 2004 (at which point it only had 29,000 miles).
The main work he's had done on it since owning it was: "Water pump, all brakes replaced, New radiator, tires, head gasket, heater core, distributor cap and rotor, full tune up. Those are the main ones and were done about 80,000 miles. "
He also claims the interior is like new.
Concerns:
He also mentioned: "Has one light ding in the rear bumper and one small spot of rust that needs sanding and touch up paint. Both of which were on car when i purchased it."
Now, due to the inclement weather, he hasn't been able to take it out to take more pictures, and I haven't been able to schedule a time to go over there and look it over. I also don't know much about these T-Birds, or what I should look out for, what they are worth, etc.
So, with all of that, I have a few questions:
What are some things I should look out for when I go to take a look at this car whenever I do? Can anyone who owns a T-Bird of this year tell me about their experiences with the car?(with the V8) Was it love at first drive?? Does this car seem like a steal? Or could I get one in similar condition at a better price? Bonus!: He mentioned the car " has a unique paint job with 2 tone and red pinstriping." Anyone know about the uniqueness of this particular paint? Maybe a picture of a T-bird with similar paint?
