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General => User Rides => Topic started by: Beau on March 31, 2006, 11:40:36 PM

Title: The 1981 Thunderbird
Post by: Beau on March 31, 2006, 11:40:36 PM
here it is

the front:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v103/pooh587/Beausbird/81Tbirdfront.jpg)

left front-check out the rust:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v103/pooh587/Beausbird/81Tbirdfrontleft.jpg)

the rear:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v103/pooh587/Beausbird/81Tbirdrear.jpg)

right front:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v103/pooh587/Beausbird/81Tbirdfrontright.jpg)

gauge cluster-sorry for the glare:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v103/pooh587/Beausbird/81Tbirdgauges.jpg)

the dash:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v103/pooh587/Beausbird/81Tbirddash.jpg)

through the window:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v103/pooh587/Beausbird/81Tbirdinterior.jpg)

another of the interior:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v103/pooh587/Beausbird/81Tbirdinterior2.jpg)

I kinda like the interior, except for the red seat belts and dash ;)
I finally nailed him down on the price, if he can find the title, (and he DOES have it, just doesn't know where) I more than likely will own it.
I would have got some pics of the engine, but used up the film before I got to it.
Title: The 1981 Thunderbird
Post by: tbirdscott on April 01, 2006, 12:35:51 AM
 still has the hood ornament, what options doesnt it have? I see pw, pdl, ps, ac, tilt, od, "leather", cruise, interior lights, am/fm cassette or 8 track?, does it have illuminated entry? digital or buttstuffog clock? Looks like a smokers car :yuck: I had to use fast orange to get the tar off the interior of my 80. That fender rust is average for around here, check behind the rear wheels especially the passenger side for rust and the usuall place under the battery tray. Otherwise looks pretty good.
Title: The 1981 Thunderbird
Post by: Ifixyawata on April 01, 2006, 02:09:47 AM
Early 80's T-birds and Cougars are teh hawtness.  I remember seeing an '80 XR7 at the junkyard that was black with orange stripes and either red or orange seats, leather.  Digital dash and electronic 8-track!
Title: The 1981 Thunderbird
Post by: Beau on April 01, 2006, 02:39:17 AM
I remember someone (was it you) that had a pic of one similar on here once...
Looked perty bad-ass.
Title: The 1981 Thunderbird
Post by: Ifixyawata on April 01, 2006, 04:07:18 AM
I never got a pic of it.  I think Chuck W has one that he bought for like $200 and it had the orange Recaro's in it maybe?
Title: The 1981 Thunderbird
Post by: tbirdscott on April 01, 2006, 04:54:20 AM
$100 actually

http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/showpost.php?p=7576&postcount=21
Title: The 1981 Thunderbird
Post by: Beau on April 01, 2006, 05:23:55 AM
yeah, it was Chuck's, I remember those Recaros, lol

btw I didn't pay attention to whether or not it was cassette or 8 track, and the clock is buttstuffog
Title: The 1981 Thunderbird
Post by: fordman3 on April 01, 2006, 10:58:12 AM
hey guys,
back in maybe '85 or '86 my parents bought a used '81 town landau in very good condition.  it was a brick red with orange/red cloth interior.  i always thought it was a cool car even back then.  i can't remember much about it except it was very clean.  it had a very py aftermarket cassette deck in it that was almost worthless.  i can't remember if it had power locks and windows or not.  what i do remember was the poor 255 under the hood.  it was very wimpy.  i'm not sure if they even put 302's in those cars in '81.  for some reason, for one model year, the 255 was it.  i think even the '81 mustang gt got a 255.  i would love to still have the car 20 years later.  you really don't see the '80/'82 square-bodies anymore.  they make the '83/'86 four-eyes look downright plentiful.  i think they would make a great sleeper car.  anyway, nice find.  do her up right.

fordman3
Title: The 1981 Thunderbird
Post by: Chuck W on April 01, 2006, 08:22:12 PM
Yeah I still have mine.  It's still sitting in storage.....
Wish I had room here to work on it right now, but the '83 gets the heated space.
Title: The 1981 Thunderbird
Post by: Beau on April 01, 2006, 09:11:46 PM
Yeah, the '81 I'm probably goinmg to get for sure has a 302...:D
Title: The 1981 Thunderbird
Post by: Chuck W on April 01, 2006, 11:07:06 PM
The '80 XR-7 does as well...but that will be coming out as a matter of course....:hick:
Title: The 1981 Thunderbird
Post by: Beau on April 01, 2006, 11:33:13 PM
Makes me wonder what the geniuses at Ford were smoking when they decided to use that 255 v8 thing, instead of the 302, those coupla three years...
Were they trying to phase out the good ole 5.0?
Or was it simply because of the gas crunch, and OPEC making North America their little bitch?
Title: The 1981 Thunderbird
Post by: Chuck W on April 01, 2006, 11:50:12 PM
Quote from: FordTruckFreeek

Were they trying to phase out the good ole 5.0?
Or was it simply because of the gas crunch


Yes
Title: The 1981 Thunderbird
Post by: tbirdscott on April 02, 2006, 04:14:53 AM
Quote from: FordTruckFreeek
Makes me wonder what the geniuses at Ford were smoking when they decided to use that 255 v8 thing, instead of the 302, those coupla three years...
Were they trying to phase out the good ole 5.0?

heres some info on how and why (http://"http://ca.geocities.com/tbrd_guy/dismaltastic255.jpg")
Title: The 1981 Thunderbird
Post by: Beau on April 02, 2006, 04:39:14 AM
all that money, and time spent on engineering, wasted...hmmm.
Well, we all know now that on occasion Ford really dropped the ball, at least that time they didn't drop the 5.0 altogether.
I guess at the time, they must have thought that the oil hike was gonna last forever...if only they could see what today is like!
Title: The 1981 Thunderbird
Post by: tbirdscott on April 02, 2006, 04:51:41 AM
Quote from: FordTruckFreeek
Well, we all know now that on occasion Ford really dropped the ball

*coughprobecough* :D

I'll have to borrow a digital video camera this summer when I attempt to kill the 255 in my '80 I have a few things i'd like to try with it :evilgrin: honestly they are a reliable, daily driven, point A to point B engine but for the ammount of gas they suck you may aswell have a 302 and an extra 30 horses. I personally blame the 80-82's poor sales on the engines, if thay had offered a 351W option or a H.O. 302 I think they would have faired pretty well.
Title: The 1981 Thunderbird
Post by: Tbird232ci on April 02, 2006, 11:15:25 AM
Quote from: FordTruckFreeek

Were they trying to phase out the good ole 5.0?
Or was it simply because of the gas crunch, and OPEC making North America their little bitch?

Didnt you know Chuck took control of Ford for a few years?
Title: The 1981 Thunderbird
Post by: Beau on April 02, 2006, 02:38:25 PM
Quote from: Tbird232ci
Didnt you know Chuck took control of Ford for a few years?


:rollin:
Title: The 1981 Thunderbird
Post by: tbirdscott on April 25, 2006, 09:19:24 PM
Sooooo didja get it?
Title: The 1981 Thunderbird
Post by: Beau on April 25, 2006, 09:32:30 PM
LOL, it's actually a long story, after asking him way back then about how much he would take for it, and I got an answer, I havn't talked to him about it again...
He must think that: A. I think he's asking too much, or B. I don't want the thing.

Truth is, I do wanna buy it, I probably need to just ask him if he'll take 50 dollars a week outta my pay, and it sits till he's paid off, or some deal like that...what with gas being a shade under 3 bucks for a us gallon, not like I can afford a whole paycheck on a car that may or may not run...I need to get out there on a saturday, on my own time, and get it up to the shop, put a good battery in it, see what it'll do. (rumor has it the fuel pump may be bad)

Performance wise, what'll one of these feel like in regards to my 88 V6 car? Will it have more acceleration?

I do need to get another car, even if it is a V8, this truck is eating me alive for gas money...
And besides, how long have I been here on this forum, bothering y'all with questions about a V8 Thunderbird...and the other thing, it's white too, lmao

Anyway, in the next day or so, I'll see what comes up about it..

Far as performance goes for it, I have a factory Ford 4bbl aluminum intake for a 302...just need to pick up a smallish carb, I'd guess a 600-650 cfm would be plenty..?
Thanks for reminding me, lol :D
Title: The 1981 Thunderbird
Post by: CougarSE on April 26, 2006, 12:20:21 AM
Man for that engine you would need one of those 390cfm carbs ..
Title: The 1981 Thunderbird
Post by: thunderjet302 on April 26, 2006, 12:35:44 AM
There's a guy in my Thunderbird club who has a  mint '80 with a 302. I'll have to take a pic at our next show.
Title: The 1981 Thunderbird
Post by: tbirdscott on April 26, 2006, 01:30:44 AM
I'm pretty sure a 302 intake will not swap over to the 255, you could try one of those holley 2 barrel carbs though, wouldnt hurt.
Title: The 1981 Thunderbird
Post by: Funky Cricket on April 26, 2006, 12:13:05 PM
those 255's are good for one thing, the bell housing can be used with a 200 i6 if I remember correctly..mmm t5 swap.

( i could be wrong, but i think it was the 255 that was the same..hmmm)
Title: The 1981 Thunderbird
Post by: Chuck W on April 26, 2006, 02:11:03 PM
It depends on the 200....and the 302 bell pattern isn't that far off....4 out of the 6 holes are the same as the later 200 block (low starter)
Title: The 1981 Thunderbird
Post by: tbirdscott on April 26, 2006, 08:51:27 PM
255 and 302 bell housing bolt pattern are the same
Title: The 1981 Thunderbird
Post by: Beau on April 27, 2006, 02:00:40 AM
Quote from: tbirdscott
I'm pretty sure a 302 intake will not swap over to the 255, you could try one of those holley 2 barrel carbs though, wouldnt hurt.

Guess I shoulda clarified that it's a 302, not that 255..thing that the geniuses :flame: at Ford came up with.

Since the car has a 302 2 bbl, I figured I'd put my 4bbl intake and a carb on it. Also have a set of stock stang GT headers that'd go good on it, , might even have to come up with a set of E6s, too. Piss on it, is enough ever enough? ;)
Title: The 1981 Thunderbird
Post by: kingcars on April 27, 2006, 08:54:40 PM
What about E7s?  :D :evilgrin:
Title: The 1981 Thunderbird
Post by: thunderjet302 on April 28, 2006, 12:11:18 AM
What kinda pistons do the 80 standard 302 blocks have in 'em? Do they have valve cut out like the HO? If so intake, head, and cam time