The thread about that pro-street T-Bird got me thinking: There have been some wild/wonderful concepts, race cars and just plain wierd versions of these cars built over the years. It'd be nice to have a single place to look at them, so if you've got knowledge of 'em post 'em up here. Pics are required, obviously, but if you could post up a link to the source/article it would be great. Let's get educated!
I'll start:
(http://www.foxthundercats.com/ppg.jpg)
This beautiful 'Bird was created as a pace car concept for the 1984 PPG Indycar series. It was built off an 83 or 84 model but you can clearly see that it had some influence on the '87-'88 version - flush glass and no grille, for instance. Check out how the spoiler is built into the trunk - probably functional, given the pace car status. I absolutely love this car and would move mountains to own it if it still exists.
'Nother one:
(http://www.foxthundercats.com/spyshot.jpg)
Looks like nothing spectacular, right? You've all seen 83-84 Turbo Coupes with the FMS body kit, grille and spoiler. Thing is, according to Car and Driver magazine this is a spyshot of a 1987 Turbo Coupe prototype/developmental mule. It was powered by a twin-turbo 3.8 V6 producing 250 horsepower (remember, this was 1983, when Corvettes made do with fewer than 200 horses). The story goes that the FMS (and other aftermarket) body stuff was patterned off this very car. Pity that twin-turbo 3.8 never made production, but it was probably a branch in the development of the SC 3.8. Then again, given the 3.8's now known reliability problems maybe it's not such a pity...
The Couguar
(http://info.detnews.com/dn/joyrides/2002/yelley/couguar.jpg)
Built on a Mercury Cougar chassis and is powered by a Mercury 3.8 V-6. The hood, top front fenders and front fascia and grille are from a '67 Jaguar and the rest of the car is an '85 Mercury Cougar.
no way look at how much the trunk slants and it has a chrome rear buper
The rear is Jag too, I just forgot to mention it.
I see Carmen reads Car Craft. Nice Sig
Actually, I don't. Too Chevy oriented. But I had to buy it when I saw the thread that said K & B waere doing a T-Bird :D
That was my thread ;) And right now they have a Fireturd and a bad-ass Rambler :D
Carm....doesn't that PPG car also have gullwing doors? I remember something about that...could be another car...but one of the prototype/show cars did have gullwings.
Anyhow, here are my contributions:
(http://www.coolcats.net/ximages/w86nscr.jpg)
This was an actual prototype NASCAR-style Cougar that buzzed Route 23 in Detroit back in the day.
(http://www.coolcats.net/ximages/wflare.jpg)
Someone should be shot for this.
(http://www.coolcats.net/ximages/wswitches.jpg)
Some of you may remember this one...it was on Auto Trader for about 2 years. Never did find out if it sold; he was asking $10K US for it...with a V6 LOL. But he is (drum roll please) HITTIN' SWITCHES BABY!! WOOOOOOO!! GIT 'R' DUNNNNN!!!! PLAY SOME SKYNYRD MAN!!!!! :hick:
And let's not forget the Tiffany Cougar...
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l110/fordtruckfreeek/88tiffany01_lg.jpg)
id drive the out of a tiffany!
There are not enough roads in the world to get all the driven out of that monstrosity.
:iagree:
ideas like that shoube be bagged before they even get tagged
:pbb:
:iagree:
Things like that should be bagged before they even get tagged :pbb:
ever see a tiffany in person? Theyre actually neat.
I'd pimp one... pimp being the operative word, of course :D
Eric: I dunno if that PPG has gullwing doors or not - that pic is the only one I have ever seen of it, and the magazine ad I scanned it from was pimping the PPG indycar series, not the car itself. They also did a pretty cool Fiero...
I know you hate it eric but i love that cougar pickup.
I know this is weird but i've always wanted to take an 83-88 cougar and turn it into a nomad inspired wagon. Sick and Wrong I know but i think it would be cool
tc
Agreed. Sick but I would like to see one done. Almost just to say that someone did it and made a cougar look good as something it's not. just my .02
Oh, don't get me wrong...I think these cars would make for a
great pickup.
Just not
that one.
The only one I'm NOT crazy about is the Truck, or it may just need ma better picture angle, but I think it's mostly the paint job I don't like. Guess that's why we have more than 1 auto maker, that makes more than 1 type of vehicle every year.:D
:iagree:
tcanthonyii: I had the same fantasy back in high school. Below are the results of my perverted idea. This was done many years ago, before I knew much about these cars, so the tail lights are different than what I'd do if I actually built one (I was going for the Mercury look, but actually prefer the 87-88 T-Bird look). My "Concept" would have had a fiberglass removable roof that opened all the way to the tailgate, for a convertible with door frames, quarter windows and c-pillars.
(http://www.foxthundercats.com/t_wagon2.jpg)
(http://www.foxthundercats.com/t_wagon.jpg)
If you think this looks bad, you should see my idea for the interior. Picture a complete home stereo with dual cassette decks in the center stack. Remember, this was done in the early 90's, when CD players weren't popular. If I were to do it over I'd do it with a mini-PC with touch screen, like Baxo's (except I wouldn't use a Fisher Price (Mac) computer :D
Ahh yes, the offspring of a T-bird and a Pulsar. :p
I SO wanted a Pulsar back when I was a teen. Removable roof for teh win.
I bet you knew this was coming ;)
(http://www.baxo.ca/cougar/cxt.jpg)
Baxo: That is bad ass. I love it.
Carm: I see the potential in that. That's almost exactly what i was thinking. I like the removable roof idea too.
thought i'd add my Night Cat.
If you think that's bad, I had an'88 Pulsar in high school. Did I really admit that. That was in 1990 what did I know
(http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/6/web/2322000-2322999/2322669_8_full.jpg)
I'll throw the Fila in too
Hers some concept drawings for the 80 thunderbird, dunno if they count.
(http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i11/turbosprunt/bd.jpg)
(http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i11/turbosprunt/fd.jpg)
(http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i11/turbosprunt/tre.jpg)
(http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i11/turbosprunt/tytr.jpg)
Wow.. somebody must have loved the Delorean!
Now that you mention it, I can see the resemblence
That fourth one down definitely influenced the '83...
anybody else see a resemblance between the 89-90 birds/cats and the second and fourth pictures down?(or at least the front anyway) if they wouldve went that way, they wouldve been about 10 years ahead of thier time. idk thats just my :2c:
Looking at the pics, but before I saw your post, I was thinkin the same thing, only with a Fiero :grinno:
I can see a lot of resemblance in later 'Birds from the fourth, and that grille/header on the second one looks like it may have influenced the TC's and 89+ Tbirds....
I think the 2nd and 4th ones down resemble mn12 birds more so than foxes.
Actually the 4th and 6th remind me of the mid 80s Camaros. And as far as 10 yrs ahead of their time? Glad they didn't. The flattened out, squared off Cougars of 89 & up really turned me off. Then that ricer POS killed the Cougar for me.
Don't feel too bad. It killed the Cougar for Mercury as well :pbb:
No doubt. It went against all that the Cougar stood for. Mercury's biggest mistake.
They did, in part, make up for it with the Marauder, though.
I kinda like this one.
Folks would have pooped themselves in '80 had they come out looking like this. Would have been a much better compliment to the marque.