Not quite sure how member on here feel about them, if they general consensus doesn't like them, I apologize. I've had a 90 LS, mom had a 93 XR7 around the same time, and a friend also had a loaded 90 LX. All 3 were 3.8's, kind of a "duh" that both the 90's were, lol.
I've always wanted the SC version but those things are impossible to find locally.
Ive tried and tried to like that style........ I just cant. Not sure what it is either.
Oh yeah!!! Those things made insane torque! I wouldn't. I d one but they were so complicated.
Oh, yeah, Hp was nothing special from those but they made TONS of torque, even more with the 94-95's.
There were things I liked and things I hated about them. I thought the IRS was cool, I loved how all 89-90 LS's got the full digital cluster. (By far, the best layout ever in a T-Bird or Cougar IMO), hated the electric shoulder belts and heavy doors that would drop as they got older.
Mom's had 105K when she got it 9/01. It was Cayman Green with the Opal Grey cloth/leather combo, had the lumbar seats too, but the tube for the driver's seat was cut :\ she didn't even have it a month when the HG's blew, she was PISSED! Mine was a Blue Max with blue full leather seats, had 160K when I got it and was in VERY rough shape. Buddy's had 210K when he got it, and was in fair to good condition, much better than mine was. It was Currant Red in and out, also with full leather, believe his had every option you could get on a LX that year except for the moonroof.
I was just telling a friend of mine yesterday that I wouldn't mine having an MN12 as long as it was a 5.0 or SC. I simply cannot stand modular engines and the N/A 3.8 is a gutless turd.
Yeah, a few ppl told me that a cfi 5.0 wouldn't really "move" what ever it's in, then I said, a MN-12 with a N/A 3.8 is much worse! Actually, I think a 3.8 in a Taurus or Sable, especially a wagon, would be much welcomed.
IDK, maybe it's me, but seems like 91-93 V8's are the hardest to find, meaning Fox 5.0's and 94+ 4.6's are much more plentiful.
did they not make a 5.0 t-bird from 89-90?
No T-Bird or Cougar got the 5.0 V8 for 89 & 90, reason being, it didn't fit.
I just bought a 92 lx 5.0 good car there a bit wider that the fox cars and are comfortable
(http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e167/teal9550/92tbird_zps83973800.jpg) (http://s39.photobucket.com/user/teal9550/media/92tbird_zps83973800.jpg.html)
Corner lamps and keyless entry, must be pretty well equipped, any interior shots?
I like the option of a 5 speed with the SC models. The IRS and the wider track did make these cars handle pretty good but they just feel cheaper made to me more than a foxbody.
I've got a '97 Thunderbird.
1997 was a good year for the 4.6. They improved the valve seals so they would'nt smoke so bad.
(http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e167/teal9550/20130921_180934_zps0a31f3f2.jpg) (http://s39.photobucket.com/user/teal9550/media/20130921_180934_zps0a31f3f2.jpg.html)
(http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e167/teal9550/20130921_180913_zps6e05d791.jpg) (http://s39.photobucket.com/user/teal9550/media/20130921_180913_zps6e05d791.jpg.html)
(http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e167/teal9550/20130921_181020_zps8bdc8cad.jpg) (http://s39.photobucket.com/user/teal9550/media/20130921_181020_zps8bdc8cad.jpg.html)
(http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e167/teal9550/20130921_181059_zps98aef6ad.jpg) (http://s39.photobucket.com/user/teal9550/media/20130921_181059_zps98aef6ad.jpg.html) the damage
this car runs great and I only paid 500 for it a couple of seat covers, a corner light and a fender and she's good to go
It always looks weird to me seeing the T-Birds with little to no fake wood, the Cougars had it ALL over the place, lol. Hell of a deal, the 5.0 alone is worth that. Wow, that thing is loaded! No CD, full leather thought. No digital dash either, but from 91-93 that was an extremely rare option.
I thought they had bad intake gaskets? One nice thing about them, they did get about the same gas mileage as a 3.8.
I'm glad it didn't have the digital dash I've got it in my 87 and I like this better
Base or full? The 89-93 digital dash was very well laid out, I never cared for the 85-88 full digital, seems like they didn't have much room, and just crammed it together.
i'd love to get one, i'd do crazy stuff to it over here :P
The intake manifold itself (plastic) was redesigned, maybe by recall to have an aluminum crossover for the thermostat housing/cooling passage molded into the plastic manifold. The old manifolds would crack at the thermostat housing area due to heat.
The Ford 3.8's from '92-'02 or '03 had flawed designed head gaskets in them. They were covered under a recall to have correctly designed headgaskets installed (if the car was under a certain mileage or newer than a certain year).
Mine fell just outside of the years that were eligible, so I've had it at another member's shop getting a small block V-8 put in it :-)
I thought it was basically all 88+ ones, but I've heard the carb'ed & CFI ones had the problem too. I'm also hearing more and more instances where one or both heads crack as well.
anyone know the weight difference between the 2 cars an 87 & 92 lx 5.0s
The 92 weighs about 500 lbs. more.
It felt heavy my buddy was asking me which one I thought was quicker and I said they felt about the same the 92 has 50hp but 500 more lbs
Yeah the added weight cancels out the extra power. Plus, torque only went up 5 ft. lbs. which is practically nothing.
I may be alone here, but having 2 MN-12's, then driving a friend's 88 LS years ago, and now this 85, the MN-12's drove/rode much more sportier, Foxes seems to have a really floaty ride feel, almost like a 1st Gen Town Car.
I think I have ever only seen 3 of these: http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/cto/4032525178.html also, why I hate early style ABS systems.
I've had 3 MN12 cars....89SC auto back in 1995.... new and pretty nice car....beat the out of it....cost me an AOD....
93SC auto tripleblack in 2002....still pretty new was aa lot nicer to that car...heavy... Nice ride.
89XR7 manual in 2006...kinda tired... Had some exhaust and I added a CAI from eBay... Fun ride until my buddy wrecked it.
I like these cars for DD....just too heavy to really go to town with, IMHO...doesn't have the aftermarket mustang stuff the fox cars get. The Supercharged cars run pretty good. They have a decent following on http://www.sccoa.com. But like any older car....a well maintained car is all ways a bonus. I would never buy a problem child....its a lot cheaper to buy a clean one...considering the values on the 83-97 bird/cat...
Travis
If you like MN-12: http://forums.tccoa.com/index.php
I was lucky with mine it's a 2 owner and all of the records from day 1 were included oil changes done every 3k at the dealer