Title: Should I?
Post by: 20thanniver-ls on August 16, 2010, 05:46:29 PM
Post by: 20thanniver-ls on August 16, 2010, 05:46:29 PM
I have a chance at getting this '84 Thunderbird.
http://nashville.craigslist.org/cto/1900788206.html (http://"http://nashville.craigslist.org/cto/1900788206.html")
I have been talking/texting this guy back and forth about doing an even swap - my '94 bird for his '84 bird. As far as he has told me, the body is straight, no rust, the 3.8 runs good, tranny shifts good. Interior is a little bit of a project.
My main concern is the 3.8L. I know they have a problem with the headgaskets blowing. And, going from a 4.6 to a carbed 3.8........I dunno.... I could always swap in a 302, but I've never swapped a motor before. Of course, I haven't gone and looked at it yet, I will be doing so tomorrow. The guy is definitly interested, and after showing him a few pics, he basically said if my car runs, then he is willing to work out a deal. I really want to get into another fox, and really just wondering what you guys think.
Here are a few interiot pics of the '84
http://nashville.craigslist.org/cto/1900788206.html (http://"http://nashville.craigslist.org/cto/1900788206.html")
I have been talking/texting this guy back and forth about doing an even swap - my '94 bird for his '84 bird. As far as he has told me, the body is straight, no rust, the 3.8 runs good, tranny shifts good. Interior is a little bit of a project.
My main concern is the 3.8L. I know they have a problem with the headgaskets blowing. And, going from a 4.6 to a carbed 3.8........I dunno.... I could always swap in a 302, but I've never swapped a motor before. Of course, I haven't gone and looked at it yet, I will be doing so tomorrow. The guy is definitly interested, and after showing him a few pics, he basically said if my car runs, then he is willing to work out a deal. I really want to get into another fox, and really just wondering what you guys think.
Here are a few interiot pics of the '84
Title: Should I?
Post by: vinnietbird on August 16, 2010, 05:55:04 PM
Post by: vinnietbird on August 16, 2010, 05:55:04 PM
Personally,I'd wait to find a 5.0 car if that's what you want.Don't get in a hurry,otherwise,you'll end up trading for a pile.Deals are out there.
Title: Should I?
Post by: Kitz Kat on August 16, 2010, 06:01:35 PM
Post by: Kitz Kat on August 16, 2010, 06:01:35 PM
I would have to agree with Vin.
Title: Should I?
Post by: 20thanniver-ls on August 16, 2010, 06:08:57 PM
Post by: 20thanniver-ls on August 16, 2010, 06:08:57 PM
Quote from: vinnietbird;332178
Personally,I'd wait to find a 5.0 car if that's what you want.Don't get in a hurry,otherwise,you'll end up trading for a pile.Deals are out there.
I hear ya on that one. Very true, I am wanting a 5.0 car, I guess it's just the "wanting that fox body again". It's a sickness..... This one just looks pretty decent rust-wise. (Since I had my last 20th anny, I've had nitemares about rust issues...LOL) I just really want another fox, I mean I love my tbird, and I love the 4.6, but theres just something about a fox thundercat...... And the MN-12 is getting kinda stale to me
Title: Should I?
Post by: hypostang on August 16, 2010, 07:55:53 PM
Post by: hypostang on August 16, 2010, 07:55:53 PM
Look at this .....
http://knoxville.craigslist.org/pts/1901780755.html
http://knoxville.craigslist.org/pts/1901780755.html
Title: Should I?
Post by: mercury-man on August 16, 2010, 08:05:30 PM
Post by: mercury-man on August 16, 2010, 08:05:30 PM
Hey Joe , Keep looking friend time is always on your side. :poke:
D & P ;)
D & P ;)
Title: Should I?
Post by: 20thanniver-ls on August 16, 2010, 08:23:34 PM
Post by: 20thanniver-ls on August 16, 2010, 08:23:34 PM
@hypostang - Thanks for the link..... I will be contacting that one.
Dan, now, you know how impatient I can get... LOL
It's looking like I may pass this one up, It is what I want and it isn't - it's a bird, but not a V8 bird. I still may go check it out, maybe I can convince the guy to keep it for himself and join the forums, hopefully saving another fox from being beat to hell by someone who dosen't appreciate it.
Dan, now, you know how impatient I can get... LOL
It's looking like I may pass this one up, It is what I want and it isn't - it's a bird, but not a V8 bird. I still may go check it out, maybe I can convince the guy to keep it for himself and join the forums, hopefully saving another fox from being beat to hell by someone who dosen't appreciate it.
Title: Should I?
Post by: hypostang on August 16, 2010, 08:28:57 PM
Post by: hypostang on August 16, 2010, 08:28:57 PM
Quote from: 20thanniver-ls;332200
@hypostang - Thanks for the link..... I will be contacting that one.
My pleasure ............. just FYI he wont take $200
I already offered him that :hick:
Title: Should I?
Post by: 20thanniver-ls on August 16, 2010, 08:39:00 PM
Post by: 20thanniver-ls on August 16, 2010, 08:39:00 PM
Quote from: hypostang;332202
My pleasure ............. just FYI he wont take $200
I already offered him that :hick:
Ahh, thanks for the heads up lol Maybe 300, then again, these cars do have the same motor as a fox stang (I've heard that sooo many times, and it's pointless trying to prove otherwise) so people think their gold. It's always worth a shot though
Title: Should I?
Post by: Beau on August 17, 2010, 01:41:59 AM
Post by: Beau on August 17, 2010, 01:41:59 AM
If the body is nice enough, no rust, or else very little.....why NOT get it..swapping an engine isn't all that bad. hellfire, grab a harness from an '88, a DA1, an HO from a mark 7 or stang....220 ponies..for a few hours' work.
But that's spending money I don't have...hopefully your wallet is thicker than mine lol
But that's spending money I don't have...hopefully your wallet is thicker than mine lol
Title: Should I?
Post by: jcassity on August 17, 2010, 01:58:50 AM
Post by: jcassity on August 17, 2010, 01:58:50 AM
its not a carb car.
not sure why you thought it was. Only if you are lucky it ends up being a carb'd 3.8.,, carb engines are a default extra 20 horses. Not saying the 3.8 carb is that lucky but id bet the carb'd 3.8 is more powerfull than the cfi.
those small runners are the problem in the intake.
HG are a myth in my opinion based soley around aluminum heads. wow those are really scares now adays as well eh?
nice looking car from what i can see though.
not sure why you thought it was. Only if you are lucky it ends up being a carb'd 3.8.,, carb engines are a default extra 20 horses. Not saying the 3.8 carb is that lucky but id bet the carb'd 3.8 is more powerfull than the cfi.
those small runners are the problem in the intake.
HG are a myth in my opinion based soley around aluminum heads. wow those are really scares now adays as well eh?
nice looking car from what i can see though.
Title: Should I?
Post by: Thunder Chicken on August 17, 2010, 06:37:05 AM
Post by: Thunder Chicken on August 17, 2010, 06:37:05 AM
Speaking as one who blew the head gasket in a '91 3.8 Bird (in a quite spectacular fashion, I might add), I can assure you they're no myth. It's not an iron vs aluminum thing, it's just poor design - the 3.8 heads have a weak area in which there's a very narrow section of gasket between the combustion chamber and a water passage. Updated gaskets that are stronger in this area have pretty much solved the problem...
Title: Should I?
Post by: 20thanniver-ls on August 17, 2010, 05:52:40 PM
Post by: 20thanniver-ls on August 17, 2010, 05:52:40 PM
Quote from: jcassity;332244
its not a carb car.
not sure why you thought it was. Only if you are lucky it ends up being a carb'd 3.8.,, carb engines are a default extra 20 horses. Not saying the 3.8 carb is that lucky but id bet the carb'd 3.8 is more powerfull than the cfi.
those small runners are the problem in the intake.
HG are a myth in my opinion based soley around aluminum heads. wow those are really scares now adays as well eh?
nice looking car from what i can see though.
Well, I say that from experience ;)
My old '84 cougar's head gaskets blew while I was driving from Tampa, Fl to where I live now. Warped the heads and all (it overheated on the interstate - thats how I knew). That and a lot of the other people who have owned 3.8 cars have had HG's blow pn them around 100k miles or so.
On another note, I did go check the car out today, and it was as the man said, the body was straight, no rust even in the most problematic spots. The interior was a little screwed up, a little more than he led on. Of course, the headlight switch burned up, so he replaced it with a toggle, the door panels were , center console was , etc,etc. I think I made a smart choice not trading. Thanks for the input guys.
Title: Should I?
Post by: ShowBoy on August 17, 2010, 07:53:37 PM
Post by: ShowBoy on August 17, 2010, 07:53:37 PM
Quote from: hypostang;332195
Look at this .....
http://knoxville.craigslist.org/pts/1901780755.html
Why would it have needed just the hood replaced?
Fire?
Title: Should I?
Post by: jcassity on August 17, 2010, 10:47:43 PM
Post by: jcassity on August 17, 2010, 10:47:43 PM
im probably just lucky with cars in general. both my 3.8's had over 300k miles with no blows.
Title: Should I?
Post by: FLSTCI71 on August 20, 2010, 01:44:59 PM
Post by: FLSTCI71 on August 20, 2010, 01:44:59 PM
This comment is just regarding 3.8 headgaskets - We have owned four Fords with 3.8s in them and we have replaced four sets of headgaskets. I can't guarantee you will have problems, but I certainly won't guarantee you will NOT. "YMMV"