Thinking about picking up an '82 and did (now with pics) November 03, 2009, 03:34:18 AM I know a guy who's selling an 82 tbird on the cheap. He bought it from an old lady who almost never drove it. The Good:It has well under 100K (50-something?) on it and little to no rust. The carb has been rebuiltThe Bad:Needs a radiator but I have a spare one I can install. The exhaust needs replaced. It has the 255 boat-anchor engine.I know the 255 is an underpowered pile of , but how is the reliability? I can deal with slow, but not with persistent breakdowns. It has the potential to either be a bone stock show car or a nice sleeper if I ever have the means to build it up. I am just looking for opinions. What do you guys think about the ugly and slow child of the thunderbirds? Quote Selected
Thinking about picking up an '82 and did (now with pics) Reply #1 – November 03, 2009, 05:44:52 AM the 255 crank is a lighter weight 302 crank, Lots of guys run them as a cheap light bottom end with high RPM's. The block will go before the crank will from what I have read. Quote Selected
Thinking about picking up an '82 and did (now with pics) Reply #2 – November 03, 2009, 01:46:55 PM I don't think the 255 has any unusual reliability issues, but it's a dog for sure.115hp and 194tq. :hick: Quote Selected
Thinking about picking up an '82 and did (now with pics) Reply #3 – November 03, 2009, 01:59:21 PM My wife's 4 banger Alero has more than that! Quote Selected
Thinking about picking up an '82 and did (now with pics) Reply #4 – November 03, 2009, 02:29:05 PM Hmm... So 300 bucks would be a good price to pay? Quote Selected
Thinking about picking up an '82 and did (now with pics) Reply #5 – November 03, 2009, 02:31:17 PM Quote from: amooset;297459Hmm... So 300 bucks would be a good price to pay?I don't think that sounds to bad. I never realized you lived so close to me. You're about 2 hrs away. Quote Selected
Thinking about picking up an '82 and did (now with pics) Reply #6 – November 03, 2009, 03:17:13 PM For 300, I'd buy it...course, I'd drop in an HO, T5, and call it done lolI say go for it...but I always did like the First Fox Birds.... Quote Selected
Thinking about picking up an '82 and did (now with pics) Reply #7 – November 03, 2009, 06:47:59 PM it runs and drives its worth it. worst case scenario it blows up on you when your dirt broke and wind up having to junk it or sell the shell for almost what you paid for it. if it aint your daily driver and just a funbox then you cant lose as i see it.its getting pretty hard to find cheap stuff that runs anymore from any time period. search around over at FEP about your 255ci. v8 questions. Quote Selected
Thinking about picking up an '82 and did (now with pics) Reply #8 – November 03, 2009, 07:15:08 PM It's a done deal. Picking it up next weekend. Pictures to come.*1000th post!* Quote Selected
Thinking about picking up an '82 and did (now with pics) Reply #9 – November 06, 2009, 12:36:32 AM As it turned out it has 95K, not 59K. For some reason I reversed the numbers in my head. Oh well, still pretty low mileage for a car older than I am. It idles smoothly, but does hesitate significantly on heavier acceleration. More work to do, as expected. Here are a couple of pictures. It was kind of dark and not too much room in the washbay so this is the best I could get for now. Quote Selected
Thinking about picking up an '82 and did (now with pics) Reply #10 – November 06, 2009, 02:39:10 AM Time to go fast... Quote Selected
Thinking about picking up an '82 and did (now with pics) Reply #11 – November 06, 2009, 12:08:11 PM I want a $300 fox.Nice score :D Quote Selected
Thinking about picking up an '82 and did (now with pics) Reply #12 – November 06, 2009, 11:27:59 PM That does look like an old lady's car, but in a very cool way. I don't care for the colors, I don't care for the style and I don't care for the motor. Put it all together and I love it! Like Lou said, nice score, congrats!! Quote Selected
Thinking about picking up an '82 and did (now with pics) Reply #13 – November 07, 2009, 11:55:37 AM Quote from: FLSTCI71;297883That does look like an old lady's car, but in a very cool way. I don't care for the colors, I don't care for the style and I don't care for the motor. Put it all together and I love it! Like Lou said, nice score, congrats!! LOL... that shouldn't make sense but it does, and I concur. :D Quote Selected
Thinking about picking up an '82 and did (now with pics) Reply #14 – November 07, 2009, 01:01:01 PM Looks nice, is it an AOD or C4? Quote Selected
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