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Topic: How rare is a 87 TC without rear window defroster ? (Read 3628 times) previous topic - next topic

How rare is a 87 TC without rear window defroster ?

Recently I was sping off all the old window tint on my black 87 TC with 67K miles and noticed that this particular car does not have a rear window defogger.

I have owned over 17 of the 87-88 TCs over the years and this is a first for me.

How odd is this ? I thought that the defroster was standard, but I guess not.
This car from the best I can tell only has 2 options...the auto trans and graphic equalizer stereo.


Oddly, I bought a 95 Mustang GT last december and it too does not have the rear window defogger.

Alan Mackin--Semi Professional Ford der
83 T-Bird 460
83 T-Bird Heritage 5.0
84 T-Bird 5.0
86 T-Bird Turbo Coupe NHRA Stocker & Super Stocker
87 T-Bird Turbo Coupe
88 Bronco II Drag truck 302
95 Mustang GT auto
2004 F-350 CC Dually V-10

How rare is a 87 TC without rear window defroster ?

Reply #1
I don't think it was std, but part of the 157A package that 99% of the TCs seem to have... Still even then, I believe it was possible to delete it for credit on another option, maybe the Graphic Eq??

I've only seen one TC that was minus the 157A package, had a radio with no tape and no power seat, unfortunately I can't remember if it had a RW defog...

 

How rare is a 87 TC without rear window defroster ?

Reply #2
Interesting.  That's really odd looking without the rear window defroster switch.
'88 'bird, 10.9:1 306 w/TFS top end, forged rods/pistons, T-5 swap & bunch of other stuff, 1-family owned, had it since ‘98, 5.0tbrd88 on Instagram and YouTube

How rare is a 87 TC without rear window defroster ?

Reply #3
Just one of those oddities.  My wife's 1996 V6 stang has PW,PL,AC,P Drivers seat, yada, yada, non tinted glass, and no rear window defogger.  Kinda strange considering it was a Florida car.
41 Dodge Luxury Liner Sedan
78 F-100 2wd flareside
84Turbo Coupe
84 Thunderbird Élan
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88 Turbo Coupe
88 Mustang GT
90 Stang LX 5.0 5spd
93 F-150 4x4 ext cab
96 Mustang GT
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06 Fusion SEL
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How rare is a 87 TC without rear window defroster ?

Reply #4
A lot of southern cars don't have rear window defrost. When looking for a new car for my Grandmother, who lives in Venice, FL, my father mentioned rear window defroster, and the salesman looked at him like he had green stuff coming out of his ears. Once he started looking around, her was surprised to see that most cars didn't have them.

Merry Christmas!
Bill
"as if 'religion' were something God invented, and not His statement to us of certain quite unalterable facts about His own nature." -C.S. Lewis

How rare is a 87 TC without rear window defroster ?

Reply #5
Hey your oil level is low!!!      It is a first for me, I kinda thought it was standard equipment. Learn something new everday.
...and there was light!

How rare is a 87 TC without rear window defroster ?

Reply #6
I think that's kinda rare. Then again I'm from up north where every car has a rear window defroster.

The 93 Buick Century I owned for a few years was a Texas car that had no rear window defroster. It sucked in the winter :hick:
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

How rare is a 87 TC without rear window defroster ?

Reply #7
We have had a lot of 87/88 TCs and I have never seen one without a rear window defroster. But, as you probably already know, rare does NOT equal desirable. The reason almost every TC has a defroster is because almost every person who buys a TC wants a defroster. In other words, don't use it as a selling point. lol.
1987 Turbo Coupe - Son's car
1987 Super Coupe - Son's project car
1934 Ford - My project car

How rare is a 87 TC without rear window defroster ?

Reply #8
my 84 doesnt have a defroster either, kinda sucks on the cold mornings in new york. But then again, i guess they didnt need them in hawaii.(where the car came from)

How rare is a 87 TC without rear window defroster ?

Reply #9
Quote from: FLSTCI71;304342
We have had a lot of 87/88 TCs and I have never seen one without a rear window defroster. But, as you probably already know, rare does NOT equal desirable. The reason almost every TC has a defroster is because almost every person who buys a TC wants a defroster. In other words, don't use it as a selling point. lol.


Understood...

However, I have no plans to sell the car. Actually it was a pleasant surprise to not have to se around the defrost wires. :D

Someone did not winterize the cooling system and now the block is cracked and leaking oil into the water jacket of the block below the # 2 spark plug.

Judging from what others have posted on here about southern cars not having RW defrosters, I would guess this car came from that area.



Alan Mackin--Semi Professional Ford der
83 T-Bird 460
83 T-Bird Heritage 5.0
84 T-Bird 5.0
86 T-Bird Turbo Coupe NHRA Stocker & Super Stocker
87 T-Bird Turbo Coupe
88 Bronco II Drag truck 302
95 Mustang GT auto
2004 F-350 CC Dually V-10

How rare is a 87 TC without rear window defroster ?

Reply #10
very nice bird!!!
and seat belt with no broke plastic:mad:

How rare is a 87 TC without rear window defroster ?

Reply #11
Quote from: 83-88T-Bird Guy;304401

Judging from what others have posted on here about southern cars not having RW defrosters, I would guess this car came from that area.

What's the DSO??? On the door jam data sticker...

Here ya go, for a '88 possibly applies to a '87, check out note at bottom... Sorry the scan isn't a bit better...


How rare is a 87 TC without rear window defroster ?

Reply #12
Thanks for scan !!

The numbers in the DSO block show:

F0057
R0051
46


????

Alan Mackin--Semi Professional Ford der
83 T-Bird 460
83 T-Bird Heritage 5.0
84 T-Bird 5.0
86 T-Bird Turbo Coupe NHRA Stocker & Super Stocker
87 T-Bird Turbo Coupe
88 Bronco II Drag truck 302
95 Mustang GT auto
2004 F-350 CC Dually V-10

How rare is a 87 TC without rear window defroster ?

Reply #13
The DSO(District Special Order) is 46 which is Indianapolis, assuming the special value program applied in '87 apparently the defogger was deleted for the EQ... I kinda expected to see a 24 which is the Jacksonville district...

BTW The car is not a special order, those have six digit DSO... The district and four digits, that are from what can tell, the sequence of special order... Or in other words, 460001 would be the first car delivered to the Indy district that was a special order... Special orders were pretty much gone by the '80s, exceptions were fleet vehicles... Back in the 60s/70s you could order about anything you wanted, like the charcoal gray paint on that Lincoln?? For a few $$ you could order your Torino, Mustang, etc with it...

Interestingly the '87 Shop Manual still shows 25 as the Richmond VA district(local) but I've never seen one, most all of the TCs I've had were Washington district 17(had a couple from other areas, daughters came from New York)... Same deal with the '93 & '07 Grand Marquis I own, DSO 17... Gotta feeling Richmond was adsorbed into other districts... I need to check my Lightning as it was originally sold in Richmond...

How rare is a 87 TC without rear window defroster ?

Reply #14
Thanks for the info.

This car came from the Indiana area in Aug. 2006. I bought it 8 months later.

I knew there wasn't anything special about the car, except that it had low miles.
Alan Mackin--Semi Professional Ford der
83 T-Bird 460
83 T-Bird Heritage 5.0
84 T-Bird 5.0
86 T-Bird Turbo Coupe NHRA Stocker & Super Stocker
87 T-Bird Turbo Coupe
88 Bronco II Drag truck 302
95 Mustang GT auto
2004 F-350 CC Dually V-10