Easy one. . . .Starquest. Still looks good today . . .
I'll take the Turbo Coupe. I really like the looks of the final grille-less nose ones, easier to find parts for (both stock or modified), and I haven't ridden in either but I would expect it to be a more comfortable long distance car.
I am a Ford guy, and I say StarQuest. How can you deny factory box flares?
IMO, Turbo Coupe should be matched up with the Monte Carlo SS, and the StarQuest should be up against the FC Turbo, Z31 Turbo, or Supra Turbo of that era.
I would likely go Starquest, but...a buddy has one and there is NO aftermarket for these things. The die-hards have found all sorts of stuff that work to get more power, but there is little to nothing for suspension upgrades
I have literally been offered one for free and declined
Cone_Junky wrote: I have literally been offered one for free and declined
Say what? Some one on this board turned down a free car!?!?
I've owned both. The Turbo Coupe was cool(ish). I got an 88 with the 5-speed and swapped the stock IHI for a 60-Trim T3. Fun after that. Still, it's a heavy beast.
Conquest was an 89 SHP. Drove it about 10 times before she went under the knife to get the 351-W SBF swap done. Never completed and had to get rid of it.
I miss and love and still lust after the StarQuest to this day. Turbo Poop as I used to call it, not so much.
My vote - StarQuest!!!
In reply to Cone_Junky:
How much work would a normal person want to do to the suspension on a 'quest? I assume there are some shocks available, like a KYB and maybe Koni has something? Bushings, are these available from Mitsu or are we carving out of Delrin or what's the situation there?
Only upgrades that I know of are the factory adjustable, which are rare to come by. And if you do come by them, they'll probably have to be rebuilt.
My buddy is the king of unfinished projects. I think he has 3 different suspension setups (including coilovers) from other vehicles that he intends to modify to work on his car.
He offered me his "spare" car after he told me of all his woes finding parts. Unlike him, I don't have a yard that is friendly to cars being on blocks out front. I already have my kids' college funds invested in my 240SX anyway
EDIT- I also forgot to mention the "free" Starion was a flatbody
Actually there's a decent aftermarket for performance goodies, and a nice coilover option as well. If you're really curious I could dig up some links, but for a quick review head over to starquest.com.
The factory adjustable rear struts are long gone, unfortunately.
pres589 wrote: How much work would a normal person want to do to the suspension on a 'quest?
Find me one of these "normal people". And if you manage that, I'll send you back to find one on this forum....
if this was 'quest v xr4ti it would be a LOT harder for me to decide. After seeing that merkur with the cossie escort hatchwing thing, I lust after one badly
In reply to ransom:
In this department I think I'm fairly normal, if a bit lazy; suspension rebuilt to factory specs would probably make me happy assuming there's nothing too untoward about the handling characteristics. I've never driven one of these cars so I don't know what to expect exactly.
Thunderbird. Forgetaboutit.
The 87-88 TC is a great looking car, and between dirt track 2.3 stuff and Fox body suspension stuff, you can do absolutely anything you want to it.
I have a bare, rust-free unibody for an 88 TC, and I keep saying that one day I'll do something with it. Someday, I'll find a parts car, and someone will call me on it.
Another vote for the 'Bird. Great aftermarket, cheap speed. And my dad had one when I was a kid.
I'm with Per on resenting these threads...
14 to 22 by my count (StarQuest winning), that's still pretty close, and not even a day old.
Might have to do a rematch with the XR4Ti...
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