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Topic: Opinions on A Sport (Read 3898 times) previous topic - next topic

Opinions on A Sport

http://olympic.craigslist.org/cto/1677573616.html

What would you do?

I went and looked at this car last year and the seller is describing it accurately.  I think he was asking around $2K at that time.  I want to say it has 150K or 170K miles.  Transmission and engine seemed fine but theres a noticeable clunk which may be U-Joints.  I don't recall any issue with the brakes.  No rust (which is not uncommon here), but one fender has some damage, and it needs paint and a windshield.  Dash pad and all upholstery needs to be replaced.

Is this car worth saving?  I've been looking for an '88 Sport with leather for a while, but even if I picked this up for next to nothing, I don't think it makes sense.  I don't mind putting more $ into a car than its worth, but I'm thinking I should be able to get a clean one for a lot less than the cost of restoring this one.:confused:
1990 Mark VII LSC
1990 Mark VII LSC SE
1969 Cougar 351W

Opinions on A Sport

Reply #1 –
I'd take it.All of the "bad" stuff is all easy fixes.The good stuff is all there.Nice looking car as well.Worth what they're asking (by looking at the pics).He'd probably take a little less.
'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..

Opinions on A Sport

Reply #2 –
For a sport , It don't look to bad. But it don't growl like a CAT.
Old Grey Cat to this.88 Cat, 5.0 HO, CW mounts, mass air, CI custom cam, afr165's, Tmoss worked cobra intake, BBK shorty's,off road h pipe, magnaflow ex. T-5,spec stage 2 clutch, 8.8 373 TC trac loc, che ajustables with bullits on the rear. 11" brakes up front. +

Opinions on A Sport

Reply #3 –
All that stuff seems minor, and it seems like a sharp car.  Even the leather looks pretty good.  Do you want to restore it or drive it?  I don't know about finding one for less. If its got wheels, and it moves under its own power, its typically worth $500+ now-a-days.
I Paid $300 for my cat but it needed a new engine, trans rebuild, front end rebuild, and front brakes. Not to mention the dash was cracked and the exhaust was gone.

But, thats just my $0.02.
My car is a gravity hybrid.  The gasoline engine gets me up the hills, and gravity gets me down.

Opinions on A Sport

Reply #4 –
I would make an offer and see what he says
Fox-less at the moment

Opinions on A Sport

Reply #5 –
I'd buy it.  Definitely make a lower offer though.
1986 Mercury Cougar - 2.3T/T5 swap, TC brakes and suspension and rearend, 3" exhaust, 255 lph fuel pump, Stinger BOV, Gillis MBC @ 18 psi
2003 Chevy Suburban Z71 - Daily driver
2015 Chevy Volt - Wife's daily driver

Opinions on A Sport

Reply #6 –
Quote from: Davemutt;318395
I've been looking for an '88 Sport with leather for a while...

That alone should help make up your mind. I've been saying it for a while now, but these cars are rapidly getting into the "buy one while you can" status. They are only going to get harder and harder to find...
2015 Mustang GT Premium - 5.0, 6-speed, Guard Green - too much awesome for one car

1988 5.0 Thunderbird :birdsmily: SOLD SEPT 11 2010: TC front clip/hood ♣ Body & paint completed Oct 2007 ♣ 3.55 TC rear end and front brakes ♣ TC interior ♣ CHE rear control arms (adjustable lowers) ♣ 2001 Bullitt springs ♣ Energy suspension poly busings ♣ Kenne Brown subframe connectors ♣ CWE engine mounts ♣ Thundercat sequential turn signals ♣ Explorer overhead console (temp/compass display) ♣ 2.25" off-road dual exhaust ♣ T-5 transmission swap completed Jan 2009 ♣

Opinions on A Sport

Reply #7 –
Thanks for all the input everyone.  I agree these cars are getting harder to find, and that's why I'm really thinking about this one even though it needs a lot.  I guess I want one to "restore" more than drive.  I'd want it to be nice, but it doesn't need to be 100% stock.

The interior looks OK in the pics, but it is all dried out as the car was previously in CA.  Every seat cover is badly torn and the dash is cracked.  Most of the stuff it needs is cosmetic but I start adding it up - upholstery, dash, windshield, paint, etc. If I have to get the seats done, I guess I might as well just get a cloth car with a good dash and windshield. 

Anyway, you guys have almost talked me into it...
1990 Mark VII LSC
1990 Mark VII LSC SE
1969 Cougar 351W

Opinions on A Sport

Reply #8 –
You really should buy that one.  All the  thats wrong with it is trivial at best.  Id fall over if i could find a car like that here in PA for that price.
41 Dodge Luxury Liner Sedan
78 F-100 2wd flareside
84Turbo Coupe
84 Thunderbird Élan
85 Thunderbird 3.8
88 Turbo Coupe
88 Mustang GT
90 Stang LX 5.0 5spd
93 F-150 4x4 ext cab
96 Mustang GT
98 Mustang GT
99 SVT Cobra
06 Fusion SEL
14 Fusion Sport

Opinions on A Sport

Reply #9 –
dont forget, a 5.0 car is the easiest to swap a ho into, and yeah thats pretty cheap anyway, if i didnt have 3 i'd get it lol...

Opinions on A Sport

Reply #10 –
It is defintely worth a save for sure, especially is the engine and tranny is running good. All the stuff you decribe is minor and that car sounds like it is in better mechanical shape than mine is in.

Don't sweat the interior. I am managing to restore mine and even modify it with different year and model parts and even a Mustang dash.

Opinions on A Sport

Reply #11 –
Save it. It's cheap and if I could find a rust free one for that much I'd be all over it. The only reason my 88 is rust free is that it spent it's first 14 years in California and hasn't seen but one Chicago winter before I bought it. Us rust belt guys would save that car in a heart beat.

If this is going to be a restoration/project then you have plenty of time to do it right. If it runs take your time and fix the interior, exterior, and then worry about mods to the engine and drive train.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Opinions on A Sport

Reply #12 –
Yeah that's a great find, depending on the miles.  I mean even if it had 150k miles I'd still get it.  How often do you find a sport with the gray leather?

Opinions on A Sport

Reply #13 –
Quote from: Davemutt;318429
The interior looks OK in the pics, but it is all dried out as the car was previously in CA.  Every seat cover is badly torn and the dash is cracked.  Most of the stuff it needs is cosmetic but I start adding it up - upholstery, dash, windshield, paint, etc. If I have to get the seats done, I guess I might as well just get a cloth car with a good dash and windshield.


Quote from: Davemutt;318395
I've been looking for an '88 Sport with leather for a while, but even if I picked this up for next to nothing, I don't think it makes sense.  I don't mind putting more $ into a car than its worth, but I'm thinking I should be able to get a clean one for a lot less than the cost of restoring this one.:confused:



You are correct.
"lol.. because not too many people care for that style of car"
[size=-2]Click on paw print \/[/size]

Opinions on A Sport

Reply #14 –
Quote from: xjeffs;318566
Yeah that's a great find, depending on the miles.  I mean even if it had 150k miles I'd still get it.  How often do you find a sport with the gray leather?


Missed the part about the cracked dash and torn leather.  A dash cap is about a $120 buy and you glue it to the dash.  The leather however is tough.  There are places that sell Mustang replacement leather for seats like ours, but it would be a few hundred.