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Topic: Thunderbird Sport info wanted (Read 2567 times) previous topic - next topic

Thunderbird Sport info wanted

I saw this on the local Craigslist and was curious... I didn't think the "Sport" package came with the Turbo Coupe header panel and headlights. Is that factory? It looks like it is to me...

Also, would this be one of those rare cars with the true 5.0 HO engine?

Is there anything else that is special about the seemingly elusive "Thunderbird Sport" other than the 5.0 HO and the TC header panel? Didn't they have the Mustang GT spindles and 11" front brakes too?

Thanks for the info,
Drew

http://roanoke.craigslist.org/cto/5859645878.html

Thunderbird Sport info wanted

Reply #1 –
No. The Sport had a standard grille, just like the V6 cars. It also had the POS 10" brakes, and NO '87/'88 Tbird or Cougar was sold factory with an HO engine.

The Sports also had a 7.5 rear with Trac Loc (limited slip) rear with most but not all of those having the bigger ten inch drum brakes and also usually a sway bar and quad shocks. The 10" brakes can be be visually identified by their smooth drums as opposed to the finned 9" versions.

The 5.0 in the Sport and Cougar was the Standard Output or SO rated at 150 HP for '87 and 155 for '88 due to a true dual exhaust on the last year.

A cheap and popular upgrade is to source spindles, brake rotors, calipers, and hoses from a '87-'93 Stang 5.0 and upgrade the brakes. You'll also need a Weatherhead fitting for the passenger side to adapt the hose to the hard line. Alternatively, one can also 5 lug swap the fronts using any '94-'04 spindles, rotors, calipers and ball joints. The brakes on the '99 and up Stangs used the PBR calipers that are dual piston. Quite the upgrade...I had mine with those and they stopped the car much much better than stock.

One last bit, you can easily swap an HO into the car, you'll need the engine (or the HO specific parts, along with a corresponding EEC. The mass air engines will of course require their dedicated EEC, A9L or A9P...lots of detailed info with a quick search but the above is the basics. Do you have pics of this car for sale? Or a link?

:)
'98 Explorer 5.0
'20 Malibu (I know, Chevy, but, 35MPG. Let's go brandon, eh)

Thunderbird Sport info wanted

Reply #2 –
I know the stuff swaps easily, I was just a little surprised by the car in the ad. I didn't think too many came with the TC nose...  Its an interesting amalgamation of pieces and I was wondering if it was some different package as the car looks to be as it came from the factory.

Thunderbird Sport info wanted

Reply #3 –
Front end and trim has been swapped off a tc. The seats are blue whioe the rest of the interior looks gray to me. The steering wheel has also definitively been swapped. It probably is a sport since it has the buttstuffog guages, but really isnt that much different from a optioned v8 model car. Ive had I think 5 cars with the 7.5 and 10" brakes, one of them was a 87v6. It might have larger sway bars but thats pretty much it.
Quote from: jcassity
I honestly dont think you could exceed the cost of a new car buy installing new *stock* parts everywhere in your coug our tbird. Its just plain impossible. You could revamp the entire drivetrain/engine/suspenstion and still come out ahead.
Hooligans! 
1988 Crown Vic wagon. 120K California car. Wifes grocery getter. (junked)
1987 Ford Thunderbird LX. 5.0. s.o., sn-95 t-5 and an f-150 clutch. Driven daily and going strong.
1986 cougar.
lilsammywasapunkrocker@yahoo.com

Thunderbird Sport info wanted

Reply #4 –
Yeah...what Stacks said..if it's got the TC bits, it's been swapped onto the car.

Probably been wrecked, previous owner took the insurance money, bought the TC goods, and had them installed.
'98 Explorer 5.0
'20 Malibu (I know, Chevy, but, 35MPG. Let's go brandon, eh)

Thunderbird Sport info wanted

Reply #5 –
That car appears to have the stock trim on the sides, but the owner at some point has added the red stripe. The TC side moldings would have the "Turbo Coupe" emblem on the doors. All Sports came with the Turbo Coupe sway bars and all black trim and outer locks, also the floor shifter that is totally unique to the V-8 Thunderbirds and Cougars.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Thunderbird Sport info wanted

Reply #6 –
That paint ain't factory, the mirrors are the same color (but should be black if stock, though body color mirrors look better IMO), as is the "trim" on the bumper...it ought to be black with chrome stripe, not body color.

The wheels aren't stock on the Sport either....stock would've been the 14 inch 8 hole wheels, or steel wheels, less common.
'98 Explorer 5.0
'20 Malibu (I know, Chevy, but, 35MPG. Let's go brandon, eh)

Thunderbird Sport info wanted

Reply #7 –
I had an '88 Sport several years ago.  They basically had the standard LX body, standard output 5.0, and then the Turbo Coupe style interior ... center console, floor shift, bucket seats, buttstuffog gauges.  But yeah ... if it has Turbo Coupe body parts, then they came from another vehicle.
 

Thunderbird Sport info wanted

Reply #8 –
Thanks for the info, guys. A friend of mine was looking into buying the car, but unfortunately its a POS in person. There is a lot of weird misinformation about the Thunderbird Sport floating around on the internet, so I figured it would be best to ask the authorities.

Thanks,
Drew