what ford intended? what kind of cars do we have?

Topic: what ford intended? what kind of cars do we have? (Read 6307 times) previous topic - next topic

what ford intended? what kind of cars do we have?

April 30, 2013, 09:36:56 PM

Hey guys I was kind of wondering about wjat ford intended our birds and cats to be. I think ford classified these cars as luxury but I honestly do not think that these cars are primarily luxury. They have the fox body platform and are extremely upgradable and ford also attempted to make a sporty version (turbo coupe) which I think should have been a gt version of this car with atleast an H.O engine. I think the fox thunderbirds are more of muscle than anything else. They have the old taillights which represent how muscle cars are and they are beefy looking. But anyways I would like to know what you would classify these thunderbirds as if you made the desicion and what would you change about how ford made them?

what ford intended? what kind of cars do we have?

Reply #1 – April 30, 2013, 11:00:23 PM

A poor man's Lincoln. ..

what ford intended? what kind of cars do we have?

Reply #2 – April 30, 2013, 11:36:41 PM

Quote from: ThunderbirdSport302;414247

A poor man's Lincoln. ..

plus Juan......

what ford intended? what kind of cars do we have?

Reply #3 – May 01, 2013, 05:34:04 AM

Actually the TC was designed to whip the ASS of the BMW type cars. They wanted this as a design to make a car that had good performance and more room than said cars.

what ford intended? what kind of cars do we have?

Reply #4 – May 01, 2013, 07:27:45 AM

I would have given the Tbird sport and cougar xr7's a 5.0 HO and T5 with rear disc brakes and at least a 3.27 gear. I think it would have sold well and probably too well, cutting into "Mustang" territory.

The cougar started out as basically a Mustang in more "refined" body/interior.

what ford intended? what kind of cars do we have?

Reply #5 – May 01, 2013, 09:46:16 AM

I would think about the $28,000 Mark 7....that was a big profit leader from Ford at the time. The 5speed TC and auto Mark 7 preform similary stock..but high winding four banger or smooth V8 torque.

Travis

what ford intended? what kind of cars do we have?

Reply #6 – May 01, 2013, 11:32:00 AM

Quote from: mcb82gt;414268

I would have given the Tbird sport and cougar xr7's a 5.0 HO and T5 with rear disc brakes and at least a 3.27 gear. I think it would have sold well and probably too well, cutting into "Mustang" territory.

The cougar started out as basically a Mustang in more "refined" body/interior.

I have put the Mustang 5.0 HO engine with 1st stage cam and had the transmission rebuilt with a shift kit, poly through out the chassis, 15:1 rack and pinion new anti sway bars, and I couldn't be happier! The ride on a decent road is super smooth, control is awesome, turns incredibly flat. The fact that a lot of Fords Mustang parts are interchangeable makes this car "a wolf in sheep's clothing". Any car enthusiast would probable know that my car came with the might 150 hp 5.0 engine, but if they pull up next to me they can hear the duel exhaust and cam. If I wanted to, I could have put on a Mustang front clip as you probably know. The impression I get from most guys who pull up to me is that they really are bewildered! They just don't know what to make of it. Many seem to want to know what I have under the hood and will test me at a stop light, but when they see the bite matches the bark they (so far) have backed off (no body wants a ticket anyway). I still need to put aluminum heads and the Turbo Coupe rear axle (3.45 gears) on it. That will wake her up! I once stated on this forum that the best way to describe my car now is that it has "matured". The power suits the car, the handling is much smoother and with control. Seems like this car has come alive. I can say is Thank God Ford built Mustangs and put a fox body on my car! I haven't had this much fun since I was a kid! I have yet to have any bad or scary surprises. If there is any real surprises, it is the fact that I can spin the tires w/2.73 rear gears, but it REALLY pulls at mid range (actually scared me the first time). Sorry, for being so long winded. Thanks!

what ford intended? what kind of cars do we have?

Reply #7 – May 01, 2013, 12:56:48 PM

I believe they intended them to be mid-size luxury cars more than anything else. With the anemic 225hp 5.0 HO being the strongest motor ever installed into one, they obviously weren't trying to go for muscle, but rather a decently powered and comfortable cruiser, (not anywhere near as comfortable or smooth riding as the Full-Size, Full-Frame Ford's of the time, but I digress...)

Power output for the 5.0 HO may have been decent for the 80's, but today even the average V6 family sedan out there can easily put one to shame. The stock 2.3T in the TC/XR7 isn't any better, having to boost 15psi to reach 200hp. I own both motors (in different cars), and neither one in stock form is something for ford to be proud of.

So, in stock form, mid-size luxury car, fo sho.

what ford intended? what kind of cars do we have?

Reply #8 – May 01, 2013, 05:13:24 PM

I disagree. The 190-210 horsepower and 240 lb-ft those little 2.3 engines produced was quite something to be proud of for the day. Remember, these are iron block, iron head, 8-valve SOHC engines whose design dates back into the 70's (or even earlier) we're talking about here. The engine controls were primitive by today's standards but state-of-the-art back then. I can't think of any other manufacturer that was getting these power levels from 2.3 liters of displacement. They were producing power levels of engines more than twice their displacement.

The 302 is also an engine Ford should be (and most definitely is) proud of. Once again, you have to look at these engines with the era they were produced in mind. Of course 225 horses sounds paltry now (hell, the 3.5 V6 in my 8 year old Chrysler 300 tops it by almost 30, and the new naturally aspirated 3.6 and 3.7 engines from Chrysler, GM and Ford belt out another 80-100), but once again you have to keep technology in mind. The 5.0 HO engine had few equals back then. GM needed another 48 cubic inches to keep up (the L98 350 produced 225 horses in the 1987 Camaro).

Indeed the only thing Ford should be ashamed of with the 5.0 HO was not installing it in the fox T-Birds and Cougars. 130-155hp from a fuel injected V8 engine? Yeah, that's shameful, especially since production costs of the HO would have been near identical (the forged pistons in the HO being the only difference)...

As for the cars themselves, they were marketed as Personal Luxury Coupes. That's what the T-Bird was from 1958-1997, and the Cougar from 1974-1997. They were competing with the GM G-bodies and Chrysler LeBaron in our era.

you keep using this word, 'luxury'

Reply #9 – May 01, 2013, 06:52:41 PM

Beating the next guy, and doing it in style and comfort, is that not 'luxury'? As someone once observed, speed and luxury were synonymous until the Ford Flathead was introduced. That was the first time an inexpensive car was fast.

Tom is right, Ford's aspirational target with the TC was the BMW M6.

and...

Thunderchicken is right, Ford put a lot of time and effort into the technology that went in the turbo motors. They even used the EEC4 in their racing program.

what ford intended? what kind of cars do we have?

Reply #10 – May 01, 2013, 07:39:32 PM

I also believe that Nascar had alot of influence, for Ford to design these cars for the race track (Aero).These cars were some of the first aero cars, ford put on the market.
Anyone who followed Nascar in the 80's, knows what these cars did for the sport.

what ford intended? what kind of cars do we have?

Reply #11 – May 01, 2013, 08:34:45 PM

The 88 TC peaked out at 17 LBS BOOST (5 speeder) and for it's time it had 16" performance tires and wheels ABS brakes electronic suspension with high rate springs that were controlled by turning the steering wheel and boost pressures and torque shock design for axle twist out. (4 shocks in the rear) fog lights DISC brakes in all four corners and an electric booster for the brake system. Fog lights a 5 speeder and an octane selector and an 8.8 Posi rear and loads of electronic gizmoes. Likw a digital clock ETC and much more. It was MOTOR TRENDS CAR OF THE YEAR in1987. It was designed to beat the pants off the BMW type cars of its day and the car was a marvel of engineering from that time. I am very proud to have been a part of the 2.3 when it had a few issues that i corrected many years ago. I worked out some oiling issues in the early engines and i was shocked FORD used my design. Thanks

:burnout:

what ford intended? what kind of cars do we have?

Reply #12 – May 01, 2013, 09:13:41 PM

lol....a "posi"..

what ford intended? what kind of cars do we have?

Reply #13 – May 01, 2013, 10:04:16 PM

The Thunderbird (Turbocoupe) was intended to be the American equal to what the 6 series Bmw is now 2 door coupe that offers both comfort and performance, while the Mustang was like the M3. Thunderbird more refined,more room,more comfy ride.
If i could go back in time and change some things I would offer the H.O. 5.0 as an option in the Sports of 87' and 88' and also offer a a convertible model.

what ford intended? what kind of cars do we have?

Reply #14 – May 01, 2013, 10:21:54 PM

my 4 year old calls my thunderbird a race car. he kept pointing out how big the tires are today. (just threw on some 275/60/r15's on the back, and 235/65's up front).