It seems lately every time I fill up a High School kid comes up and asks me "Dude, what kind of car is that?" At first I thought it was strange but then I realized that these cars were out of production before most teens now were even born. What's cool is that they really like the body style...
Could the 83-88 birds/cats be the next 55-57 Chevy?
So does this ever happen to anyone else?
Yep. My little nephew has 4 years old and one time she said "how is your car called? its diferent from the others" I said "Its a Cougar" She replied "No, is Uncle´s car" and with her 4 years old, every time she looks a Cougar, she said "its like uncle´s car !"
Maybe ten years more and your statement would be correct.
When I drove my '88 daily, I'd hear comments like "hey look at that T-Bird"
I haven't noticed any comments from the younger crowd but then again I haven't really had the car out where I would normally get comments in over a year.
Everyone always laughs at me when I tell them these cars are going to be Barrett-Jackson machines in years to come, but I ignore them. The questions and comments I get about the car every once in a while are enough to convince me. You just don't get the same reactions out of the 89-97 t-birds as you do with ours. (Maybe because they're a dime a dozen and all look the same). Think about it, those who own 87-88's (Myself included) own a unique car whose production only includes two years.
Now that I think about it, I rarely ever see 87-88 T-birds or Cougars here in Tucson. (City is big, 1 million+ Population) I see more 83-86's, but even those I rarely see. I love my car, despite it's flaws, and would hang onto it anyway, but to be honest, I think if we keep these cars in half-way decent shape for 10 more years, we will be driving the next Chargers, Challengers, Firebirds, Barracudas, 440's, Etc. If we're all patient, the value will rise. Lets face it, you hang onto a car long enough, eventually it will become collectable, no matter how "Plastic" you think it is.
Hang onto these cars, even if you only have one. They're destined for fame. Maybe sooner than all of us tend to think.
That's my two cents on this.
I see 10 times the 87-88's than the 80-82's around here, then again I only see 3 or 4 80-82's lol
The value iof the 80-82's has been steadily going up fpr the last 4 years or so, the time is coming soon for all the fox cats/birds. i'll just be sitting back quietly waiting for mine to make me a millionaire:crazy:
I can't remember that far back, but maybe some of the...."wiser"...members can. If you went back chronologically to the same point in time that the Dodge Challengers/Plymouth Barracuda's were approaching 20 years old, did they carry the same value as today?
That's strange, because 3 Mcdonalds Drive thrus ago....
A kid at the window asked me. "Dude what model car is that?"
I said an 84 Cougar.
He said. "Looks good man!"
I of course said thank you.
The burger sucked, and I have since boycotted that Mcdonalds.
I was at a Checker Auto the other day trying to determine the extent of my fuel pump problems when I started to talking to the 3 guys working at the place. One of them asked my what kinda car I had and I said "87 Ford Thunderbird". Then another asked what kind of engine was in it. I said "302 V8, or 5 litre depending on who you ask". As soon as I said that, one of the guys said "Is that it out there!?" pointing to the car in the lot. I said "Yes", and he said "Cool car, how much do you want for it". I joked around a little bit more, and as I was leaving, the same guy looked at me and said "If you ever want to sell it, let me know and I'll make you an offer".
The whole incident really made me think about hanging onto the car a lot longer than I thought I was going to.
Well, it is prime time for the crushers for our cars. There are constantly fewer and fewer that look good/are in good conditions and have options. Only after the car is Rare do people realize what they really wanted to crush one day, rocks now!
The blue book on my 86 with the same options/miliage(Sorry cant spell) went from $100ish to about $500. At least I think I filled it out the same.
Travel to the South, Fox Birds/Cats are a dime a dozen. And people still ask me what my car was. I got a lot of stares when Darkthunder was in it's prime, and I got a lot of compliments from the Mustang crowd. But that is nothing compared to when I'm driving my buddies Stang. Someone is always asking what year it is followed by... "You wanna sell it?". Or I'm getting rev'd at... which never happened in Darkthunder... and it was loud. And I still couldn't get no play.
I'm not worried about my cars being "collectable" I could care less about that . I don't buy them as investments.
Anyway, I always get the "You don't see these around any more, at least not this nice" in regards to the '83. In fact just yesterday the guy who helped me push the car into the parking lot after the clutch cable broke was pouring over the car and commenting on it.
I haven't seen another clean Fox Tbird/Cougar around here in a long time. There have been a couple 4-eye Cougars driven by younger females that I have seen on the road in fair shape, but the rest have been beat to shiznit.
You say next 55-57 Chevy’s? I agree and I read in a magazine (I think Hot Rod)that the 79-93 fox stangs are the next closest thing to the 55-57 Chevy’s because over abundance of cars and many, many bone yard parts and now the aftermarket world. It just doesn’t make more sense the way they compared the two. Now I know I'm telling you about the mustang but my fellow foxtbirdcougar friends one day years from now at the car show after sharing the nice sights of the old fox mustang they will point at our fox T-Bird or Cougar and say that’s the other ford fox car and its even more rare then the mustang.
Nobody can tell what will be worth some money in the future. I mean, did anyone ever think that a Chevy Vega or Ford Maverick would be sought after? It seems that cars that were once cheap shiznitboxes become expensive shiznitboxes, while the ones you'd expect to be expensive don't get terribly so. Of course there are always exceptions, and muscle/pony cars are those exceptions - they are almost guaranteed to go up in value, even modern ones.
Case in point: My first car was a 78 Trans Am. I bought it for $600 in 1990. I sold it and bought an '80 Formula for $800. The Formula was nearly mint. Back in the early 90's those cars were just $800 cars that high school kids beat the hell out of. Now, 16 years later, just TRY to find a drivable 2nd-gen F-body for that much. If you can find one under $1500 it's a parts car.
I ended up selling the Formula and buying my first Fox Bird, an '85 base V6 model. I paid $1500 for it (this was circa 1993). Now, 13 years later, a base V6 'Bird in excellent condition might still pull $1500. That '80 Formula would go for about $8k. So the Firebird increased in value by a factor of ten, while the Thunderbird has pretty much stayed the same.
Of course, the Firebird has a five year head start on the Thunderbird (really, it has a 13 year head start, if you want to compare 70-81 Firebirds to 83-86 Thunderbirds), so the Thunderbird still has a chance of catching up some, but I highly doubt it'll ever achieve Firebird/Camaro/Mustang status.
One thing I've noticed with car values is that it seems the high volume "bottom feeders" seem to achieve greatness the most. I think this is largely because so many people were exposed to them - many families had them, many people learned to drive in them, many had them as their first car, many relied on them to take them to college, etc. People see those cars and they are brought back to younger, more trouble free times. That's why VW Beetles are so popular. It's why Corvairs are valuable. It's why Mustangs are valuable (the first Mustangs were, after all, economy cars). It's why Vegas, Mavericks, Monzas and Pintos are gaining value. And it is why I can say with a fair bit of certainty that the big collector cars from the 80's are gonna be...
...wait for it...
Chevettes. Yup, you heard me, the lowly Chevette. And I say this with a straight face. The lowly Chevette was a huge part of the American society throughout the late 70's and early 80's. Crude, ugly, slow, rough, but very simple and reliable - it had all the hallmarks of a basic trasportation device. Those hallmarks made it extremely popular, very prominent in the minds of many. They were the #1 "High school car" at the time I was driving my Firebirds, and a lot of those who drove them to high school (or rode in friends' cars) look back fondly on them and the memories that came with them.
Just like the 55-57 Chevy. Just like the 64.5-73 Mustang. Just like the Vega and Pinto. But more importantly, just like the Volkswagen Beetle. Mark my words, within ten years you'll see a surge in the popularity (and value) of Chevettes. And by association, several of the Chevette's compatriots will be popular as well: Omni's, Corrollas, Tercels, Escorts, 323's, etc.
I guess it can be summed up as such: Cars that were very popular when new were popular for a reason, and those reasons hold strong in people's memories. Even if you've ever owned a Chevette, you've seen one, and if you're my age, you've ridden in one if not owned one yourself. Just about every other car on the road was a better car, but those cars did not work their way into the phsyche of an entire generation the way the "common" cars did. Those "superior" cars are gone and forgotten. And as sad as it is to say it, our beloved Thunderbirds and Cougars are on that list. There just ain't enough people that even recognise these cars, much less have fond memories of them, to bring their values up much in the near term. In the long term, maybe 20 years from now, a person remembering their long-lost $500 "first car" T-Bird or Cougar (maybe even a member of this message board) may look back fondly and say "Ya know, I've really got to find one of those".
Unfortunately, if you're into these things for the investment, there simply ain't enough of those people out there. Just enjoy your car, mod the hell out of it, beat the hell out of it, and keep our little secret (the potential of these cars) to yourself :D
There was never any doubt in my mind, since the day the '83s came out, that these cars were head and shoulders above nearly everything else from the 1980s. Had they been given more power, they'd have probably achieved 'legendary' status right now, alongside the Mustang 5.0. But the stigma of the 'old person's car' and 'luxobarge' still carried through for some--including auto journalists--and I think that prejudice had a lot to do with why they never became more mainstream. I mean, it was obvious that people bought them, drove them, used them, moreso than their GM competitors at the time. Sales numbers were never an issue. Perception...that's an issue that still haunts us to this day.
Ford milked these cars, but not in the media--they milked them in the profit margins, which Ford desperately needed at the time. Sometimes I feel like they didn't push the cars enough back in the day. For example: why did we never get a Cougar matchbox car or Cougar 1:24 plastic model kit? There were so many other cars that, for one reason or another, were so undeserving of being made into a model...yet they were, and we weren't. So what's up with that? I'd also like to know why all 1980's Monte Carlos are revered because of the SS model, but why the base model Cougars and T-Birds--which were light years in quality, ride and performance vs. the base model GM competitors--never get respect. Why does it work for GM cars but not Fords?
It is this perception that I'm talking about, and like it or not, that starts with the media. There weren't lots of TV commercials for these cars--there were a handful. There weren't lots of magazine ads--there were one, maybe two a year. See, in today's market that just doesn't cut it, but back then nobody thought any differently, so they just kept on doing what they'd been doing for years. Trust me on this, I have amassed a pretty large collection of Cougar memorabilia from the 1980's (Karl also has a staggeringly fine collection). We didn't have much support from Ford in the advertising department. And I really feel that's why we've always been the underdogs in the Ford world. I hate to think of our cars as "also-rans"....while I do relish subtlety, it seems we could have been pushed more in the awareness department. Yeah, we won in sales, but the GM cars won in perception. And right now that's more important.
We need Foosed!!! ;)
Every once in a while when I pull into a parking lot somwhere, sombody asks me. " What year is that?" I say...an 88. Their like " clean" and i say thank-you. they then ask, " whats in it?" I say..absolutly nothing lol..V6, they jsut smile and tell me somthign about what kinda of car they used to have. And on a daily basis i get the heads turn w/ the flash of the wheels and the rumble of the exhaust. The ladies seem to like it too =:0)
This doesn't have to much to do with this topic, but yesterday I was up at 7-11 and a 87' T-bird pulled in about the same time as I did (I was in my new camaro) I couldn't stop staring at the T-bird, it was in awesome condition, and sounded pretty nice.
When I got in the store I figured I had to say something because he just watched me stare at his car. I asked him if he was on the forums, he said no but his ?cousin? might be. He bought it off of his cousin who used to drag it, he said he uses it as a daily driver, and its in really good condition.
That was pretty much all we said, and I told him to look us up. foxtbirdcougarforums.com. I dont think he'll show up. But as I left, he pulled out and left squealling the tires.
It's too bad the majority of Thunderbirds that were sold seem to be base model V6's as that's all I ever seem to see. People's beaters. I don't see very many Cougars around here though.
I don't know if I can necessarily see Thunderbirds and Cougars obtaining Mustang status, but I suppose it could happen? I never thought any of those big ugly 1950's barges could be desirable but they are. I guess after a car gets so old, it starts to become a novelty of sorts, and eventually it'll happen with most cars from the 80s (that weren't FWD boxes like most of them were)
I think another reason people don't know what the hell they're looking at is the fact that these cars don't even have the word "Ford" anywhere on 'em, and you have to be looking at the trunk to see the word "Thunderbird". JSure, we've got bird emblems all over the things, but how many people even know what that emblem is?
I've always wondered why these cars aren't "Fords" (or at least don't advertise that fact). I know Ford wasn't ashamed of the cars because they were selling well and were well received by the press. Could it be that Ford was so proud of the car they didn't want people to relate them to other Fords? Remember, these thinks were made back in the days of Escorts, EXP's, Tempazes, etc...
Rex LX: Most were indeed six-cyl grocery getters, but remember, most Mustangs were 4/6 cyl, most Camaros and Firebirds were 6 cyl, most Altimas, Camrys and Accords are 4-cyl, most 300's are 6-cyl, etc. Most car lines that have "base" and "performance" models are made up mostly of base models...
...Of course, it didn't help that in these particular cars, the V8 option wasn't much more powerful (on paper) than the V6, and the turbo cars were much more expensive.
After finally getting some good time in behind the wheel of my Tbird over the past few days, I'm just noticing how nice the car is the more I drive it. I actually look forward to driving it; it's the highlight of my travels. And I know that I'll like it even more once we get it into HO status. Over the past few months, I have actually seen quite a few compared to before; probably 2 or 3 a month. Some in nice shape, too.
And my dad originally bought the car because of this exact topic; it's going to go up in value. My parents had some nice cars for cheap in their day, like a blue 68 Mustang Fastback that they bought for $50, put a radiator in it, and drove home. And now they're mad that they ever got rid of it (along with many many other cars). So when we got rid of mom's 4.6L 94 Lincoln Mark VIII, they wanted another RWD V8 car. Seems that they are few and far between these days, cause it took them forever to come across the Tbird. Well anyways, (even though he didnt have to), dad told me to take good care of the car cause it will be worth something some day. Who knows what kind of status it will reach, but I do believe that they will rise up at some point. They marked the beginning of the return of truly American cars, and did a good job of it. Once people realize, that, prices will rise.
I think there's some truth in that. I never even knew these cars existed until I bought darkthunder. I knew the MN-12 Birds were around and the big 70s Birds (and the original) but the Fox Birds... no clue.
It amazes me that while no one knows exactly what an 80's Cat/Bird looks like they immediatly know that they are related.
I've had many looks in my car, just today I had a 16ish kid about break his neck doing a double take just to figure it out... I watched him in my mirror about fall off his bike.
Once while changing a battery back in the autozone days in a guys newer Maxima he asked me what car I drove.. I pointed to the Cougar and he was like "Oh really? I had a T-Bird the same year along time ago.." He walked over to my car and probably spent 5 minutes crawling around it. He kept telling me how he missed his tbird...
I get looked at alot while pumping gas. Sometimes they talk sometimes they just admire....
In this area I see a handful of foxes driving everyday... There about as common as seeing a Berreta.
I get that all the time!
"Man I used to have a T-Bird/Cougar"
and every single time without fail they add
"that was a good car"
and most of the time followed by "I miss that thing" or something of that sort.
I know the looks you speak of on the road. People trying to think it out. Trying to remember back the the glory days of our cars. I love it!
That glory day is returning, and our little T-Bird/Cougar Community is building all over the internet. Interest is coming back to these cars very quick! Just wait a few more years, and that may have an effect on value.
but....
Just own your ride, enjoy it, and maintain/mod the out of it! :evilgrin:
Actually besides the 1955 T-bird which had a Ford crest on each fender the MN-12 T-birds were the first to have a Ford badge on them. From 1956 to 1988 all Thunderbirds just had the word Thunderbird on them and a few Birds as emblems.
I don't know how much these cars will be worth but if other T-birds are an indication they won't be worth that much. The T-birds that command the most money are the 1955-66 models which people consider the "classic" Thunderbirds. The 429 cars of the late 60's and early 70's and the mid to late 70's luxo barges don't command that much. A nice '68 429 car for example can be had for about $8,000 vs. about $30,000 for a 62 "bullet" Bird in the same condition. Hell ford made about a million T-birds between 1977 and 1979 and the T-birds biggest sales year was 1977 with over 350,000 cars sold. These cars aren't worth that much either and a nice '77 can be had for about $5,000. I do however love my T-bird. I didn't buy it as an investment I bought it because I like it. I love the way the car rides and handels. For some reason out of all the cars I've driven I like it the best. There is just something about the car. I could be wrong about my value statement though. I know I get a lot of looks in the car. Every time I take it to a show people look at it and comment about how they used to own one and they wished they never got rid of it. So maybe people will want these cars in a few years or amybe not. Only time will tell. Don't bet on being able to live off the money from selling your T-bird though ;) .
Dont forget about the early civics aswell, not nearly as many sold but just as few left and fit in the same bracket. One thing I know is that if you find a nice, clean, low mile reliant or k-car convertible stash it away and wait 10 years, you wont regret it.
I love driving my turbo sprint, but in the same way I love romping through the bush with a dirt bike or quad, its manuverable, quick, small and a ton of fun But the t-bird is something else entirely, I started a thread in may/june about the looks you get in a thunderbird/couger, i've never gotten them in any other car... dammit I wana go cruising in the t-bird now.
For me I dont even care about monetary value. I think its way cool when someone will walk right past a new C6 vette to check out my 86 Bird. That's priceless!
Most people really are oblivious to these cars, but occasionally you see someone that truly knows. About 6 months ago, I was headed home in the 88 TC and saw a 4 eye TC heading the opposite direction coming my way. As we approached, I saw the male driver gesturing and pointing at my car and talking rapidly to the female passenger. She looked at my car with a "big deal" look on her face. As we passed each other, I almost burst out laughing thinking that if our positions were reversed, my wife would have had the same look on her face with me jabbering and pointing out the other car. ha ha LOL!:giggle:
I was at Advanced today and as I was getting in my car to leave, a guy came over and asked me if I owned the car (no, I was stealing it). I figured he was gonna ask me some questions or say something about it, but instead he starts telling me how he has an '87 and broke the mirror on it and wanted to know where was a good place to get a mirror? I told him to check ebay and he gave me that "Gee I never thought of that" look....:dunno:
Then he asked how many miles were on it, how much I liked it, etc...told me he'd had his since '87, and all that. Kind of an odd conversation really.
In my first 88 t-bird(stock v6) I got that atleast 3 times... Except it was usually a thumbs up from the guy as we drove past each other... not so much in the t-coupe tho... People seemed to be more impressed with the noise my engine made... but there really isnt anything i can say here that everyone else hasnt said 1000 times over...