I'm adding little pops of red to the interior of the car and am hoping to purchase the following:
- Red Center console lid - Red Door pulls - Red Armrests - Black D/S door pocket - Full (no rust please?) black door with power windows, operating locks and keyless entry pad. (The door skin on mine is rusting out badly along the lower edge, the vinyl finger from the lock cylinder to the rods is broken and I cannot seem to source another.)
DM me with price, please. (I'm much more active on the site now, checking in daily.)
I had purchased some of these things from another user but found there is a distinct difference in the door cards and geometry of the Turbocoupes versus non-turbo cars.
88TC, hard line sprung a leak right where the firewall and the crossmember meet. I don't imagine anyone makes pre-bent lines for these old shiznitboxes, but I figured I'd ask if anyone has a lead on who might. I've spent two afternoons looking around the googles and came up empty. Help?
Or if there's no help to be had, just the friendly pat on the shoulder a shake of the head will suffice.
So, I'm starting to get the itch for a 5 lug swap and while its some time off, I'm curious to pick everyone's brains on the topic of which final drive you all feel is best for these birds when mated to the 2.3t and the stock manual trans? Currently I'm stock with the 3.55(?) and the gears feel really short on the highway. I'm currently sitting above 3k at 70mph (I know it has a bit to do with a shorter tire) and would like to be closer to the 2k range but these are all keyboard warrior numbers and internal speculation. I don't want to lose too much of the sporty feel of the car, but I feel with the extra power a longer gear will be fine (and help load up the turbo anyways...)
What do you guys think? How do you feel about your ring gear swaps? Which do you prefer and why?
So with all the spliced garbage wiring hackjobs on my car, the rad fans and AC have been effectively rendered useless. The rad fans have been put on a switch in the meantime, but I would very much like to be able to use AC again and have the rad fans operate as normal. If someone is/has parting out an 88TC please contact me with a quote + shipping to 19709. Thank you!
Looking to buy oem t3 turbo from a four-eye TC, bigger injectors, PIMP ECU (and wideband?), stinger stock turbo location FMIC piping/intercooler, 3" single exit exhaust, etc. Radio replacement insert for gauges (wideband, oil pressure/temp) You get the idea...trying to make 300whp for a nice quick cruiser.
Also looking for good condition black or blue door panels and decent condition center console bits. Maybe eastwood fender roller?
Not interested in: suspension parts, wheels, tires.
Having an issue where the car gets power, but will not crank. Suspecting the starter as bridging the posts on the solenoid does not crank the vehicle. Battery tested okay (jump box also made no difference), car behaves as expected when clutch is both engaged and disengaged, as in it will not attempt to crank with the clutch out, but WILL attempt with the clutch depressed. I'm getting ~8 volts at the battery when it attempts to crank. I can hear the fuel pump priming, and the hydraulic pump working when the car gets power. Cluster lights work and dim when attempting to start (and do not when clutch is out). Again, I suspect the starter, but wanted to get y'alls opinion.
So I finally have some pictures and stuff to post about the car I purchased nearly a year ago. Found the car on FB marketplace after looking for another (newer) thunderbird when my 95 burst a brake line on the way home from Jersey. Looked in pretty decent shape and ran and drove for $1200. Now some of you I'm sure will say I paid too much for the car, but I've been wanting one of these TCs since I was 13 years old looking for my first car and I'd passed on purchasing one 4-5 times at this point. So I wasn't about to let this one go.
In hindsight, I paid too much for this car.
Tires were shot, turbo didnt spool properly, battery was dead, steering was dangerous and there were MANY questionable wiring jobs done on the car by previous owners. There is evidence of 4 seperate stereo systems in this car, nearly all of the console panels broken at the mounting tabs and the driver's door doesn't lock. Boy, do I have my work cut out for me. Since picking the car up, I've done some of the routine maintenance, and made a few modifications. Currently sitting on coilovers and 18x9" +30 BBS replicas. Really need to find a place that can make a new wiring harness for this thing because its 33 years have not been kind to it. Viper alarm system, shoddy DIY work, and the stereo situation makes this a true nightmare for tracing down wires and fixing shorts, eliminating old excess stuff and just figuring out what's connected to where it's supposed to be. Hoping I can pick some of y'alls brains on some stuff to fill in the gaps the Chilton's manual doesn't go over.
Current Mods:
Suspension: - MaxpeedingRods SN95 Coilover suspension - LMR Adjustable Rear Upper Control Arms - Ebay Fixed Tubular Rear Lower Control Arms - McBay Performance 1" Rear Coil Spacers - Maximum Motorsports Adjustable Front Camber Plates
So from what I've seen, most suggestions are in relation to the tilt wheel mechanism or the entire column coming loose from the dash panel, this is NOT the case with my bird. The wheel has play in it, but I've taken the column surround off and found that while it's not the steering column shaft that is loose, it is basically the entire blob of plastics and switches and wires and stuff that is attached to the central column that is moving. I've seen one mention of this (from 2008 with no replies) and was hoping someone has recently disassembled their column and could point me in the right direction. It is causing a short to ground situation and has a habit of disabling my AC, ride control and a few other things, not to mention it's incredible annoying driving with a floppy wheel.
