Sleeper Project Anyone?

[Rreemo]

I happen to have an extra LQ4 that would go good with this.....

https://houston.craigslist.org/cto/6149437917.html

1986 Ford LTD Brougham 57K miles - $3500 (Splendora) hide this posting unhide
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[4bangen]

I remember when these where $500

[Rreemo]

I know...crazy isn't it? You damned near couldn't give one of those things away several years back....even grandma fresh like this one.

[BLAKE]

You still couldn't give me that turd.

[Baron Von Crowder]

I have a friend with one that has really low miles on it, stripper package with a 2.3, couldn't get 2k for it. I kinda want it and a 2.3t for a daily.

[BLAKE]

...a 2.3t for a daily.

LOL, only a good idea if you own your own tow truck.

[Baron Von Crowder]

LOL, only a good idea if you own your own tow truck.

You know, the SVO's had a bad connotation of reliability, but the thunderbirds didn't. Ever notice that?

[BLAKE]

You know, the SVO's had a bad connotation of reliability, but the thunderbirds didn't. Ever notice that?

I only knew one person back in the day with a Turbo Coupe. It was reliable, but it was also mostly stock, only a few years old and the owner was a Ford Tech. They're probably fine engines if you leave them alone but nobody ever leaves them alone.

[Baron Von Crowder]

I only knew one person back in the day with a Turbo Coupe. It was reliable, but it was also mostly stock, only a few years old and the owner was a Ford Tech. They're probably fine engines if you leave them alone but nobody ever leaves them alone.

My SVO was my only car for a while, and after fixing the coolant hose maze and the loose/lack of grounds, it was just as good as any other 20yo car should be.

[JC316]

You know, the SVO's had a bad connotation of reliability, but the thunderbirds didn't. Ever notice that?

Mostly because Mustang owners were idiots that cranked the boost up too far and blew them up?

I only knew one person back in the day with a Turbo Coupe. It was reliable, but it was also mostly stock, only a few years old and the owner was a Ford Tech. They're probably fine engines if you leave them alone but nobody ever leaves them alone.

My mom daily drove an 87 from 2012-2015. Bone stock and 100% reliable. Actually got 27mpg average.

[46Tbird]

You know, the SVO's had a bad connotation of reliability, but the thunderbirds didn't. Ever notice that?

I don't know where you got that idea, but yes the Thunderbirds sure did blow up, especially the '87-88s with that tiny IHI turbo. The '87-88s also had notoriously weird electrical problems and a horrible "programmable ride control" suspension.

The deal is that those '80s 2.3t cars were nearly maxed out stock. Anything you did to get the performance up would identify your next failure point. Fuel pump. Ignition. Vane meter. Injectors. Little T-5. 9" clutch. 7.5 rear end. All that shit is maxed out at around 250whp with a T3, and the IHI cars wouldn't make that without murdering the turbo.

Now if we're talking about the Ecoboost 2.3t, I could get a little more excited.

[Baron Von Crowder]

I don't know where you got that idea, but yes the Thunderbirds sure did blow up, especially the '87-88s with that tiny IHI turbo. The '87-88s also had notoriously weird electrical problems and a horrible "programmable ride control" suspension.

The deal is that those '80s 2.3t cars were nearly maxed out stock. Anything you did to get the performance up would identify your next failure point. Fuel pump. Ignition. Vane meter. Injectors. Little T-5. 9" clutch. 7.5 rear end. All that shit is maxed out at around 250whp with a T3, and the IHI cars wouldn't make that without murdering the turbo.

Now if we're talking about the Ecoboost 2.3t, I could get a little more excited.

connotation.

[BLAKE]

connotation.

.

[Chas_svo]

I don't know where you got that idea, but yes the Thunderbirds sure did blow up, especially the '87-88s with that tiny IHI turbo. The '87-88s also had notoriously weird electrical problems and a horrible "programmable ride control" suspension.

The deal is that those '80s 2.3t cars were nearly maxed out stock. Anything you did to get the performance up would identify your next failure point. Fuel pump. Ignition. Vane meter. Injectors. Little T-5. 9" clutch. 7.5 rear end. All that shit is maxed out at around 250whp with a T3, and the IHI cars wouldn't make that without murdering the turbo.

Now if we're talking about the Ecoboost 2.3t, I could get a little more excited.

I was surprised how much more the VAM, injectors, turbo, and computer could handle once passed the head limitation. Lots more misinformation than information on the 2.3T, both before and after the internet came along.

[46Tbird]

I was surprised how much more the VAM, injectors, turbo, and computer could handle once passed the head limitation. Lots more misinformation than information on the 2.3T, both before and after the internet came along.

I agree - as long as you're talking about 85.5 and 86 SVO stuff. The smaller, earlier parts just plain sucked.

My '80 hatch had the complete driveline from an '86 swapped in, which means it had the PE computer and bigger VAM and injectors and .48 AR T3. This car was a lot of fun, but damn if it wasn't broken all the time. At least it was easy to fix.