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Technical => Body/Appearance/Interior => Topic started by: snooking99 on September 25, 2011, 10:32:29 PM

Title: 83-86 front nose on a 88
Post by: snooking99 on September 25, 2011, 10:32:29 PM
Does anyone know if a 83-86 4 eye front end will fit on a 88?
Title: 83-86 front nose on a 88
Post by: Shadow on September 25, 2011, 10:50:09 PM
the kid i bought my 87 cougar from wanted to put a 4 eye front end on the car.. we took a lot of measurements and everything seemed to be the same.. i bought the car before he got around to doing it, but i believe it will work.. the hoods are the same, i know that much.. so i can't see anything else being all that different
Title: 83-86 front nose on a 88
Post by: Haystack on September 25, 2011, 11:23:51 PM
Work fine. Headlight wiring is different.

I've seen at least 4 in person. Even the fenders work. I had a 87 cougar front on my 87 bird. Just unplugged the light sockets from the lights and swapped in the other end.

The 83-86 front ends are vastly supuriour the 87-88's because you can put any 4 by 6 headlight in. No light output problems every again and you can buy new headlights at walmart.

Your fender, bumper and door trim may not line up using different year parts.
Title: 83-86 front nose on a 88
Post by: Beau on September 25, 2011, 11:27:49 PM
I'd love to put a 4 eye front on my Sport.
As Haystack mentioned, it'll will bolt up, but cosmetically there are minor differences.
Title: 83-86 front nose on a 88
Post by: EricCoolCats on September 25, 2011, 11:40:01 PM
Photos at the bottom of the page...
http://www.coolcats.net/fox/misc.html
Title: 83-86 front nose on a 88
Post by: vinnietbird on September 26, 2011, 08:28:27 AM
Really? I thought the '87/'88 Thunderbird front end is as good as it gets. Beautiful......just beautiful.
Title: 83-86 front nose on a 88
Post by: 1Bad88tbird on September 26, 2011, 09:08:59 AM
I have to agree with Vinnie.
Title: 83-86 front nose on a 88
Post by: Shadow on September 26, 2011, 03:03:10 PM
i used to think the same thing.. but the more i see people putting TC header panels on their cars, the more i like 4 eyed birds.. i love the look of the 87-88 header with the grill, but i'm sorry to say, the TC header will ruin an entire car for me, no matter how nice the rest of the car is
Title: 83-86 front nose on a 88
Post by: 50tbrd88 on September 26, 2011, 07:53:09 PM
Quote from: vinnietbird;368454
Really? I thought the '87/'88 Thunderbird front end is as good as it gets. Beautiful......just beautiful.

 
(http://searchengineland.com/figz/wp-content/seloads/2011/05/facebook_like_button_big.jpg)


(I do like the 4 eye's though...don't get me wrong)
Title: 83-86 front nose on a 88
Post by: Haystack on September 27, 2011, 03:40:03 AM
4X6 all the way. Half the reason I dislike the 87-88's is the headlights. When I first drove my crown vic at nigh, it was night and day.

Stock lights even polished I would consider to be border line dangerous. And I don't want to polish and disassemble my lights every year.
Title: 83-86 front nose on a 88
Post by: snooking99 on September 27, 2011, 06:51:32 AM
I guess its just personal preference. I love the 83-86 body style. To new they seem a bit small and sportier. I would have got one but they are so hard to find in good shape. I got such a good deal on my 88 I just couldn't pass it up. I wish I could swap the tail lights from a 83-86 but I know they won't fit.
Title: 83-86 front nose on a 88
Post by: 50tbrd88 on September 27, 2011, 11:54:02 AM
Quote from: Haystack;368518
4X6 all the way. Half the reason I dislike the 87-88's is the headlights. When I first drove my crown vic at nigh, it was night and day.

Stock lights even polished I would consider to be border line dangerous. And I don't want to polish and disassemble my lights every year.

 
Who needs to see at night?  lol.
Title: 83-86 front nose on a 88
Post by: thunderjet302 on September 27, 2011, 12:45:51 PM
Quote from: Haystack;368518
4X6 all the way. Half the reason I dislike the 87-88's is the headlights. When I first drove my crown vic at nigh, it was night and day.

Stock lights even polished I would consider to be border line dangerous. And I don't want to polish and disassemble my lights every year.


I can see fine when I drive mine at night. I think is has more to do with the condition of the reflectors than anything else. Mine are still fully chromed.
Title: 83-86 front nose on a 88
Post by: Haystack on September 28, 2011, 12:13:23 AM
Could be. I'm done messing with plastic lights though. I drove almost 35k a couple years ago in my 87 bird.

I had a 50 mile each way commute through the winter from 8am-4pm. And then drove the 50 miles home, cleaned up and showered and then drove 25 miles to deliver 100 miles worth of pizza a day, from 5:30pm to 2am. 6 days a week. There were several times I put 350+ miles a day in the car. I would have killed to have better lights.
Title: 83-86 front nose on a 88
Post by: 1BadBird on September 28, 2011, 07:30:08 AM
Look at Fordguy545's Bird in the "Track" section. It looks awesome with it's 88 body and a 4-eyed nose.
Title: 83-86 front nose on a 88
Post by: snooking99 on October 05, 2011, 08:44:05 AM
I got the front header panel but i cant find a decent 83-86 bumper cover. I went to New Ford Parts.com and orderd one and they sent me a email that its not availiable. Does anyone have one they want to sell or know where i can get one?
Title: 83-86 front nose on a 88
Post by: Haystack on October 05, 2011, 06:57:41 PM
I could check yards this weekend. Would cost a lot to ship though.
Title: 83-86 front nose on a 88
Post by: sarjxxx on October 05, 2011, 09:33:34 PM
There is one in my local yard but it is a TC so I think it's different?
Title: 83-86 front nose on a 88
Post by: 1Bad88tbird on October 05, 2011, 09:48:24 PM
I have one in my ad that cougrrr302 was going to get but shipping was $150-$200. Way to much!!
Title: 83-86 front nose on a 88
Post by: snooking99 on October 07, 2011, 08:31:06 AM
I don't mind paying 200.00 if its in good shape. Can you email me a pic?
Title: 83-86 front nose on a 88
Post by: stangman_1987 on October 07, 2011, 10:22:34 AM
I am also starting to like them more and more. I used to hate the 4 eyes (sorry guys), and only the 87-88 t-birds and 87-93 mustangs appealed to me.  Now I am starting to really consider doing something in the future about swapping. I doubt it though. The light DOES play a huge part of it. I just don't wanna ruin a Turbo Coupe.
Title: 83-86 front nose on a 88
Post by: 1Bad88tbird on October 08, 2011, 09:55:14 PM
I wrote to cougrrr302 to see if he's still interested or not. I'll give him a couple days then send you some pics. pm me your addy so I can send them. It might not be quite as much to send it to you, you might be closer. Actually check the first pic in my sale ad, it's there.
Title: 83-86 front nose on a 88
Post by: Shadow on October 13, 2011, 11:41:17 PM
Quote from: 1BadBird;368640
Look at Fordguy545's Bird in the "Track" section. It looks awesome with it's 88 body and a 4-eyed nose.

 
i did a little searching to find it.. it's in the user rides section.. here's a link with the best pics of the car. absolutely GORGEOUS!!!! i'll have 1 sport header panel with headlights and TC header with light for sale in the near future :giggle:

http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/showthread.php?29366-The-CP-autox-bird/page19
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