how do you tell if a t-bird is a sport?

Topic: how do you tell if a t-bird is a sport? (Read 5272 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: how do you tell if a t-bird is a sport?

Reply #15 – October 02, 2005, 01:12:59 PM

Also 8.8" rear's not 7.5s.
Buddies sport had an 8.8"

Re: how do you tell if a t-bird is a sport?

Reply #16 – October 02, 2005, 05:32:55 PM

Quote

All '88 V8 Birds and Cougs had the quasi-duals (an exhaust system that I think is needlessly complicated - a y-pipe, a single center pipe, another y-pipe, two lers and two tailpipes

Not only complicated, but insanely overweight. Those stock lers are turds.

Re: how do you tell if a t-bird is a sport?

Reply #17 – October 02, 2005, 07:26:17 PM

Quote from: dominator

Also 8.8" rear's not 7.5s.
Buddies sport had an 8.8"

Nope. 7.5" only. The only T-Birds to get the 8.8 were TC's, and the only Cougars to get it was the '88 XR7

Re: how do you tell if a t-bird is a sport?

Reply #18 – October 02, 2005, 08:11:58 PM

Hmm that's interesting,my buddies sport did have an 8.8" with drums and it was a factory diff not a swapped in stang one.

Re: how do you tell if a t-bird is a sport?

Reply #19 – October 03, 2005, 12:20:14 AM

I know a guy that swears his '88 Sport has a 8.8.... I'v never verified it, but one of these days crawl under it to see(I have no doubt it still has the original rear).

Re: how do you tell if a t-bird is a sport?

Reply #20 – October 03, 2005, 08:11:03 AM

Knowing Ford I wouldn't be surprised if some 88 models had the 8.8 (probably toward the end of the model run), but AFAIK, officially, the 8.8 wasn't offered

Re: how do you tell if a t-bird is a sport?

Reply #21 – October 05, 2005, 01:10:40 PM

For a short period of time I had an '87 Sport for parts (of which some of you are the proud owners of, I think). It had the 5.0 SO (burned up, I think) with the full digital dash cluster and floor-shift AOD (man, why didn't I yank that out before it went to the crusher?), and non-TC seats with power recline. It had dual power seats, lighting package, autolamp, power antenna, digital climate control, Premium Sound w/ EQ, and keyless entry, also. This was a super-loaded car! Can't comment on the Trac-Lok rear, the data label in the door was entirely faded out, BUT this car had single exhaust, which I'm pretty sure was its factory setup. I think I remember it having the rear sway bar. I could kick myself for not being able to keep the car for future applications, but the local authorities let me know that it had to disappear from the backyard right away. It had a junk title, too (an interstate recovery), so it was never gonna see the road again. I yanked out everything I could in the short period of time I was given, and let the local s yard have the rest (yes, the floor-shift AOD and all). ARGGH! It even had a NICE set of American Racing 14"-ers with good rubber, but each wheel had a locking nut on it and of course there was no key. I tried everything to get them off, but I lost them, too. Those wheels were probably worth what I paid for the car by themselves. Oh well, live and learn. But single exhaust only on this car.

Fordman3

Re: how do you tell if a t-bird is a sport?

Reply #22 – October 05, 2005, 01:16:43 PM

I just remembered another oddity that I thought I'd share. The other day on Ebay I saw an '87 XR7 that the owner claimed had an 8.8 rear with quad shocks. He could have been wrong on his year model, but if not, doesn't this qualify as one of those rule-breakers?

Oh, and on the '87 Sport I had, I am also fairly sure it didn't have quad shocks, either. Was that car a ringer as well?

Fordman3

Re: how do you tell if a t-bird is a sport?

Reply #23 – October 05, 2005, 01:25:47 PM

Fordman3

My '87 Sport was as you describe single exaust and all(the fake one into two didn't appear till '88). Mine had a 7.5" T/L rear with 2.73 gear and quad shocks that was std. on the Sports.

Re: how do you tell if a t-bird is a sport?

Reply #24 – October 05, 2005, 02:24:31 PM

My '87 Sport had the 3.08 locking 7.5" that I swapped a 3.27 R&P out of a V6 'Bird into one day when I had to replace the axles. I also had quad shocks and a rear sway bar, and inside the car was a set of non-TC seats. Fordman - am I to assume that the seat covers you sold me came from that '87 Sport? I finally got around to putting them in the car a few weeks ago, after re-dying them. They look like new now :D

My current car (non-Sport) has a 2.73 open 7.5" without quad shocks, but it does have a pencil-sized rear sway bar and 10" rear brakes...

Re: how do you tell if a t-bird is a sport?

Reply #25 – October 05, 2005, 05:35:12 PM

ThunderChicken,
Yup, the seat covers you purchased came from the same car. Hey, if you can, send some pictures of the completed seats so I can see how they turned out. Thanks.

Fordman3

Re: how do you tell if a t-bird is a sport?

Reply #26 – October 05, 2005, 06:14:19 PM

Yeah, I'll have to post some soon. My camera's memory card packed it in and I can't justify buying a new one because SmartMedia cards are obsolete and expensive and the camera isn't worth the investment. I'll have to borrow my father's Sony.

Unfortunately, also because of the bad memory card I have no pics of the installation procedure. I had a helluva time finding hog ring pliers (could NOT find them locally and ended up getting some off eBay). Other than actually finding the pliers, though, the installation was fairly smooth. The only real problem I had was that the Sport drive's seat bottom cover was slightly narrower than my non-Sport, ex-consolette seat frame - or rather it was too narrow to stretch over the stub of consolette frame, so I had to cut it off flush - a big PITA, if you know how large that consolette bracket actually is...

Re: how do you tell if a t-bird is a sport?

Reply #27 – October 05, 2005, 11:29:27 PM

Chicken,
Hey, did I sell you the headrests, too? I can't seem to find them around here and someone is interested in them. I really don't remember if they were included in your package or not. I actually hope you bought them so I can be sure I haven't lost my mind. Please just let me know.

Oh, I was wondering if you could confirm/(un)confirm the '87 XR7 with the 8.8 w/ quads. It's probably still on Ebay under "1987 Cougar". That car may actually be worth something.

And, another well-known '87/'88 Cougar is on Ebay, also. I think his name is "289Cougar(?)". Anyway, there's a maroon '87/'88 Cougar with a black TC hood, TC snowflakes, and a 289/4-speed for sale on Ebay. I strongly prefer the '83-'86 Cougars (sorry), but I wouldn't mind owning that car. I think a well-built 289 is what I'd like to drop in my '83 LS someday. Just kinda a nostalgia thing. A 289 is just supposed to sit in a Mustang or Cougar. Or a Boss 302. Or a 428CJ. Or a ...... Sorry.

Fordman3

how do you tell if a t-bird is a sport?

Reply #28 – October 14, 2005, 11:21:22 PM

The LX's have a full digi-cluster as well right? I know mine is an LX and I have the full digi-cluster, but no duals, springs, sways, etc. etc.

how do you tell if a t-bird is a sport?

Reply #29 – April 01, 2006, 03:20:10 AM

Not to revive an old old thread, but the 87 Sport in the 'yard at work has the TC seats.
It also has the TC style door panels, and full console, but column shift, and base cluster.
I noticed the seats yesterday while I was looking for good grey visors, I'd have pulled the driver seat, if the back wasn't twisted like my TC one is.
I actually prefer the TC seats to the ones I have now, but I know they ain't as strong. These done some time in a 300 horse Capri, and it was romped on often, at least when I had it, it was.