Fox T-Bird/Cougar Forums

General => General Fox T-Bird/Cougar Discussion => Topic started by: Pacerized on October 20, 2012, 03:29:39 PM

Title: Looking for rear spoiler for 1988 Cougar
Post by: Pacerized on October 20, 2012, 03:29:39 PM
I'm new to the forum, did a little searching and thought I'd just make a new post. My first new car was a black 1988 Cougar XR7, drove it for 9 years and 160k then sold it. It's always been my favorite car so when I came across one almost identical to it with only 72k I bought it this week. The car has only a few very minor issues before I'd consider it show ready and I don't even know if I ever want to get into car shows. Even the original paint is in great condition. I'll be parking this in my garage all winter working on details. The only difference between this car any my old Cougar is that it doesn't have a rear spoiler. I've searched for an OEM to no avail and I'd really like to go OEM if possible. Does anyone know of a place to find an OEM spoiler for an 87-88 Cougar? If not what would be my closest aftermarket option?
Any advise would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks: Charlie
Title: Looking for rear spoiler for 1988 Cougar
Post by: Loaded87IROC on October 20, 2012, 03:48:42 PM
I don't think there was a factory spoiler on any Cougar.  You will most likely have to go aftermarket.  BTW, welcome to the forums!
Title: Looking for rear spoiler for 1988 Cougar
Post by: hwy73 on October 20, 2012, 05:06:35 PM
1. Welcome
2.  Pictures
3.  Not factory installed but the dealers sold an accessory spolier that fit a coupla-three cars if I remember correctly. Someone  had posted a catalog picture of it mounted to - of all things - a Tempo I think.
Title: Looking for rear spoiler for 1988 Cougar
Post by: Pacerized on October 20, 2012, 05:51:45 PM
I bought my original Cougar off the lot with the Spoiler already installed. I assumed it was from the factory. I suppose it's possible that the dealer had it added. It would have been on the invoice but it's been so many years that I don't remember. I found a JSP 91103 that looks very close. http://www.bodykits.com/JSP/Spoilers/JSP-OEM-Spoiler-_-92104/575579/ (http://"http://www.bodykits.com/JSP/Spoilers/JSP-OEM-Spoiler-_-92104/575579/")
I wish I had a picture of my old car with the spoiler but I don't. The spoiler looked very close to the one in the link though. I have time to get this but I live in the mountains at 9200' so driving the cougar won't be possible for much longer. I'll install the spoiler myself but I'll have to have it painted and I'd love to get that done before it's too late. Any specific suggestions on brands would be appreciated, or if anyone knows of what the dealers where doing in 88 that would also be great. I'll try to get some pics up very soon. I just drove the car 900 miles home last night.

Also I know tires have came a long way. The old V rated tires sucked on wet pavement back in the 90's and they didn't last very long. I've noticed that some V rated tires are now rated as much as 85,000 miles. The car wasn't driven much and is due for tires due to their age. Does anyone have a suggestion for a really good wet traction speed rated tire in either H or V rating?
Title: Looking for rear spoiler for 1988 Cougar
Post by: daminc on October 20, 2012, 06:05:57 PM
Welcome...
yep, cougars never came with those from the factory
Title: Looking for rear spoiler for 1988 Cougar
Post by: 88turbo on October 20, 2012, 07:37:20 PM
some of us have some spare spoilers, if you have a picture of your old cougar or the spoiler that you are looking for someone might have one.  Thanks
Title: Looking for rear spoiler for 1988 Cougar
Post by: Pacerized on October 21, 2012, 11:27:28 PM
I'm going to attempt to paste a picture of my cougar, hopefully it will go through. If it doesn't post maybe someone could tell me how.
I really wish I knew the brand of the spoiler that dealers were installing back then but it may not be mfg. now anyway.
So far the JSP 92103 looks to be the only similar spoiler that I've found. It's 56.5" wide and 45" bolt to bolt. That's just a little bigger then I wanted but I don't think it would really hang over the edges of the quarter panels. 44" bolt to bolt for the post would be ideal but I think I can make 45" work. For the cost I think I might as well go new unless I found a better fit used. If the pic goes through you'll see that she's in very good shape, the interior is as well. The front bumper will need repainted but overall the original paint is still completely acceptable. I had to change the drivers side tie rod ends last night but that went fairly quickly. I have several other minor details that I'll get into during the winter and may look for some ideas if I can find them. Thanks for the advice to this point.
Title: 88 cougar
Post by: Pacerized on December 03, 2012, 10:47:37 AM
Just testing again to see if I can upload a picture. I found the spoiler that is closest to what my new Cougar had when I bought it and I'm having it painted now. If this works I'll upload the before and after pic.
Charlie
Title: Looking for rear spoiler for 1988 Cougar
Post by: Pacerized on December 03, 2012, 10:49:39 AM
Well at least that worked.
Title: Looking for rear spoiler for 1988 Cougar
Post by: blackcat85 on December 03, 2012, 05:51:01 PM
is it like the spoilers on the turbo coupe thunderbird 87-88 ?
Title: Looking for rear spoiler for 1988 Cougar
Post by: Pacerized on December 03, 2012, 11:32:58 PM
Quote from: blackcat85;403852
is it like the spoilers on the turbo coupe thunderbird 87-88 ?


I'm not sure as I can't find a picture of one, but I'd think it would be close.
This is the spoiler I'm using as shown on a Tbird. It's the closest thing I could find to what my original 88 Cougar had.
Title: Looking for rear spoiler for 1988 Cougar
Post by: vinnietbird on December 04, 2012, 06:46:51 AM
That's an MN-12 car (obviously). I have a few of those spoilers in my garage. They may be a little wide for our cars, but I'm not sure. If that's what you want, I'll sell one for $10 plus shipping charges.
Title: Looking for rear spoiler for 1988 Cougar
Post by: cougarman on December 04, 2012, 08:02:27 AM
Did it look anything like this?? This was a dealer installed package on my old Sport.
Title: Looking for rear spoiler for 1988 Cougar
Post by: Pacerized on December 04, 2012, 09:13:05 AM
Quote from: vinnietbird;403906
That's an MN-12 car (obviously). I have a few of those spoilers in my garage. They may be a little wide for our cars, but I'm not sure. If that's what you want, I'll sell one for $10 plus shipping charges.

Thanks, but I've already bought the JSP and it should be painted by now. It's 56.5" wide which is just inside the width of the trunk with the edges coming out just over the seams of the lid. It seems like a good fit and out of everything I could find produced today, it seemed like the only good fit.
Title: Looking for rear spoiler for 1988 Cougar
Post by: Pacerized on December 04, 2012, 09:28:26 AM
Quote from: cougarman;403907
Did it look anything like this?? This was a dealer installed package on my old Sport.

 

That spoiler looks a little smaller then what I think I had on my original Cougar. I tried hard to find what I thought it might have been but couldn't really find what I though was the exact spoiler. This JSP is the closer thing I could find but it's not exact. Someone sent me a link to this GST spoiler which is a company that's now out of business. It was installed in a special package on Cougars but it's a littler larger then what I had and I think I prefer the looks of the JSP.
Title: Looking for rear spoiler for 1988 Cougar
Post by: Chuck W on December 04, 2012, 12:22:17 PM
Quote from: blackcat85;403852
is it like the spoilers on the turbo coupe thunderbird 87-88 ?


No 83-88 Tbird or Cougar had a spoiler from the factory.  TC or otherwise.
Title: Looking for rear spoiler for 1988 Cougar
Post by: CatManDude on December 05, 2012, 06:21:07 PM
GST and Xenon sold body kits with matching spoilers available.  I have the same GST kit and spoiler shown on the red Cougar above.  The Xenon spoiler, if I remember, was a little closer to the turbo coupe spoiler in cougarman's pic.
Title: Looking for rear spoiler for 1988 Cougar
Post by: Pacerized on December 05, 2012, 07:45:34 PM
DJ might as well have scored for Portland as to pull up for a 3 in that situation.
Title: Looking for rear spoiler for 1988 Cougar
Post by: Pacerized on December 06, 2012, 09:16:36 AM
Quote from: CatManDude;404000
GST and Xenon sold body kits with matching spoilers available.  I have the same GST kit and spoiler shown on the red Cougar above.  The Xenon spoiler, if I remember, was a little closer to the turbo coupe spoiler in cougarman's pic.

I'd be interested in seeing one of the Xenon spoilers on a fox cougar. I searched online and found several references for the body kits going up to 86, nothing for 87-88 though and no pics. I know what I had on my original cougar wasn't a GST spoiler, I just wonder if it could have been the Xenon.
Title: Looking for rear spoiler for 1988 Cougar
Post by: Pacerized on January 22, 2013, 12:08:15 AM
I thought I'd update everyone. I decided to go with the new JSP spoiler. I could only find a couple of option still in production and the JSP was as close to the one I had on my first 88 cougar. I'll try to post a couple of pics in case someone has an interest in this spoiler in the future.
Title: Looking for rear spoiler for 1988 Cougar
Post by: Pacerized on January 22, 2013, 12:13:57 AM
1 more view.
It's just slightly larger then what I had before but it still fits within the width of the trunk and I like having the center post for support. No significant modifications were required just shaving a little off the center post to get a proper fit with the contour of the deck lid.
I like it anyway. I no some don't like a spoiler on our cars but to me it's sports car and doesn't look the way I want it to without the spoiler.
Title: Looking for rear spoiler for 1988 Cougar
Post by: 1Bad88tbird on January 22, 2013, 01:25:45 AM
Looks good. I used an A&A spoiler on mine. But I've had it for quite a few years now.
Title: Looking for rear spoiler for 1988 Cougar
Post by: fordguy545 on January 22, 2013, 05:51:49 PM
That looks really nice!  Thats the one I would have bought had it not had the center support being my cougar is an 86.  I ended up buying a truck cap spoiler on ebay, but it had too much arch and was too tall.  Just didnt look right.
Title: Looking for rear spoiler for 1988 Cougar
Post by: Beau on January 22, 2013, 06:24:56 PM
That does look really good. I'd not hesitate to put on my Fox..
Title: Looking for rear spoiler for 1988 Cougar
Post by: STANG8U on January 22, 2013, 06:31:03 PM
Looks good
Title: Looking for rear spoiler for 1988 Cougar
Post by: daminc on January 22, 2013, 08:45:05 PM
nice.... I thought that was my car for a sec..... lol