88 ThunderCat project

This is how it started. I remembered seeing this car parked at a house in my neighborhood and I’ve been kicking around the idea of a car for the MT Gambler so I made contact and rode my bike to see it in person. 

It is dirty and missing a piece of trim around the driver side “turn light” thing but the body and paint look very nice. 

Picture of the interior through the dusty window shows a minty fresh interior.  

Where is the wear? Drivers seat looking good too. Still just peeking through the windows but the wheel and dash are nice also

The car looks nice (so far) below as well. Shot from drivers side looking forward at subframe. 

Well... I’m supposed to meet with an agent of the elderly gentleman who owns this Cat to do a deal tomorrow morning. 

I know these are kinda unloved, but this one may be too nice to Gambler with. A clean survivor is going to be really scarce in a few years, and, much like our Fiats, will become more appreciated.

Damn,  I’d be all over that for 300.  Looks like it will clean up really well.

In reply to TurnerX19 :

Oh for sure, after I saw it my gambler plan went right out of the window. 

Is this a V8 car?  Seems like for the money you can't lose.  Also I would totally Gambler that but I've never liked those cars.

In reply to pres589 (djronnebaum) :

5.slow v8 car. I’ve always wanted a sleeper also so maybe that is the new direction. 

I didn't realize they made a V8 car with 4 lug wheels. It's a deal V8 or not though, especially if it runs, or genuinely "ran when parked". 

Either way, I'd bring a jump pack or a running vehicle with jumper cables when you go see it just to be safe. 

Dude, you are scaring me in a berkeleying creeper Doppelganger sorta way. This is my 87 Tbird that I have not started a GRM thread about yet...

The interior on that XR7 appears stupid clean!

In reply to Crackers :

I will learn more about the car this morning. From my conversation with the neighbor it did run. It is a completely unfamiliar platform to me at this point. Fingers crossed. 

In reply to gumby :

Stop copying me. Haha. Nice Bird. Look forward to seeing more. 

Sign of the Cat...  Just what do you do with a car that is too nice to do bad things too?  I guess for starters, you sign up there.                                                                                                                                                                          

Brought it home this morning! After a quick brake check we flat towed without drama the .4 miles to my house. 

Battery not present so  I stuck in the Fiat battery and it cranked free but no start. Only had a few minutes to play around so no real troubleshooting yet. 

I was pleased to discover the missing trim piece in the trunk. 

The ignition cylinder does not turn all the way to the lock position so the key is currently stuck in it. Anybody have blue oval insights regarding this issue?   

GoLucky said:

Brought it home this morning! After a quick brake check we flat towed without drama the .4 miles to my house. 

Battery not present so  I stuck in the Fiat battery and it cranked free but no start. Only had a few minutes to play around so no real troubleshooting yet. 

I was pleased to discover the missing trim piece in the trunk. 

The ignition cylinder does not turn all the way to the lock position so the key is currently stuck in it. Anybody have blue oval insights regarding this issue?   

 

Pull the wheel back and forth, i test drove a mercury with that same issue. Its hooked to the steering wheel lock assembly

I am not personally familiar with the floor shift auto versions, but to cover the basics, make sure it is in park, and check the underside of the column for a release button. Manual trans cars had it and my column shift car had a hole in the trim but no button

Also, head over to http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/ and say "hey"

gumby said:

I am not personally familiar with the floor shift auto versions, but to cover the basics, make sure it is in park, and check the underside of the column for a release button. Manual trans cars had it and my column shift car had a hole in the trim but no button

 

Also, head over to http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/ and say "hey"

Actually it is old enough to have a release button, you are right

I was expecting a snowmobile when I clicked on this discussion.

Fun fact: I used to own Aerobird Motorsports, a small company that made restoration parts for 83-88 Thunderbirds and Cougars and have owned over 50 of them, mostly Turbo Coupes. 

Great buy on this one! You have a 5.0 "Standard Output" which has a different firing order than the Mustang 5.0 "High Output" among other changes, but it's totally buildable. Floor shift/bucket seat 5.0 cars are actually pretty rare. You'll have 10" front rotors and a 7.5" rear axle, so upgrading to fox-body 11" fronts and an 8.8" is a worthwhile upgrade, but you might want to jump right ahead to SN95 Mustang for 5-lug (plus the rear axle is the same width and has discs). 

All that being said, XR7's are getting rare, and that one is so clean and unmolested that you'd probably do really well to just clean it up and enjoy it and probably make a killing on selling it in the near future.

gumby said:

Dude, you are scaring me in a berkeleying creeper Doppelganger sorta way. This is my 87 Tbird that I have not started a GRM thread about yet...

 

The interior on that XR7 appears stupid clean!

Oh holy cone, I did not need to see that. I've stayed away from TBird crack for 12 years, but daaaaaammmmmnnn...

That thing looks MINT.

check and see if the button fir tge fuel pump tripped somehow. Bought a ranger CHEAP because of that once.

It also needs bullitt wheels. And tint. And more timing.

Javelin said:

Fun fact: I used to own Aerobird Motorsports, a small company that made restoration parts for 83-88 Thunderbirds and Cougars

Javelin said:

Oh holy cone, I did not need to see that. I've stayed away from TBird crack for 12 years, but daaaaaammmmmnnn...

Well, well, fancy seeing you here! You are likely more familiar with this version of me

Thanks GRM.  Found the button, I didn’t think to check the other side of the column! Weird that they made it a two hand job to remove the key. Nothing further to report yet   

The fuel pump cutoff switch is located in the trunk, on the rearmost panel where the taillights are. Small black box with a white or red button that you push to reset it. If you bump the car just right it will trip off and not let power to the fuel pump. Pump should prime when you turn the key to "on".

Ive almost bought a few cougars of this vintage a couple times.......watching with interest

Can anyone tell me what the logic of the key release feature? I am sure it was to save us from ourselves, but I am missing the point?

Pete

In reply to NOHOME :

I've also wondered,  had a lot of Fords with them and never understood it. 

And since everyone was doing it. Here's a couple of my old turbocoupes