Thunderbird SC as a DD? Anyone ever have one?

[Project TNX]

I found a low mile garage kept 90 SC, it has 57,000 miles and is priced right. It looks like they can handle some miles, judging by the high amounts most for sale have. This would be as a DD, any mod would just to be to improve the intake and exhaust, I have the T for speed.

Anyone have some real world perceptions of them?

 

[8UWITH6]

My brother had 2 of them. A 90 Red automatic with lots of miles, which got totalled. His 2nd one was a White 92 with 29K miles on it. Gorgeous car! Fun to drive! Only issue he had is the car seemed to run warm, needed a radiator from sitting so much. Id just put a cooler thermostat in yours if you buy it to be safe, then proceed with your intake and exhaust mods. Nice cars, I say go for it.

 

[Project TNX]

My brother had 2 of them. A 90 Red automatic with lots of miles, which got totalled. His 2nd one was a White 92 with 29K miles on it. Gorgeous car! Fun to drive! Only issue he had is the car seemed to run warm, needed a radiator from sitting so much. Id just put a cooler thermostat in yours if you buy it to be safe, then proceed with your intake and exhaust mods. Nice cars, I say go for it.

Yeah, a supercharged 3.8 as the daily, a turbo 3.8 as the weekend, can't beat that. I really wish GM would offer the 3800SC in an AWD or RWD platform but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

I'm daily driving a 2000 Tracker and it's just tedious, I spend 3 hours on the road each day and it would be nice to actually enjoy the car I am in. I don;t want a payment, and the 2 cars I found in my price range (don't want a payment) are the 90 SC and a cherry 87 Mustang GT vert, but I'm nervous about a convertible daily driver.

 

[Sweet6]

I had an 89 SC w/5spd. Had pulley and mufflers. The car ran pretty strong. The boost was 10-12lbs depending on outside temperature. The only thing is those cars have so many gadgets that something is bound to break.

 

[2FAST4U]

I had an '89 SC 5 spd. that was my DD for a couple of years. I had no issues with it. I added a cone filter, cooler thermostat, and a supercharger pulley just for fun. The car had good power, plenty of room, decent MPG, and never stopped pulling on the top end. I traded it in when I thought that I needed a truck.

 

[Project TNX]

I had an 89 SC w/5spd. Had pulley and mufflers. The car ran pretty strong. The boost was 10-12lbs depending on outside temperature. The only thing is those cars have so many gadgets that something is bound to break.

That is my main concern really, this one is loaded, but looks really mint and it's in the color combo I want, white with burgandy leather.

I had an '89 SC 5 spd. that was my DD for a couple of years. I had no issues with it. I added a cone filter, cooler thermostat, and a supercharger pulley just for fun. The car had good power, plenty of room, decent MPG, and never stopped pulling on the top end. I traded it in when I thought that I needed a truck.

Could you hear the blower whine? I hope so, but I can't remember, I haven't rode in one since 92.

 

[vader87]

I drove this on for over 4 years. It was a 1989 5 speed with gray leather. Did a lot of EXPENSIVE upgrades but never could get out of the 14s. Was a blast to drive! Handled great. Only problem I had was with the radiator and they were nortorious for that problem. Over heated and blew a head gasket. Was very easy to fix. And yes you can hear the Super Charger!

Super Coupe Club of America and check out multimedia. Fastest car on that board is a 10.68. Thats why I drive a Buick!

 

[Project TNX]

I drove this on for over 4 years. It was a 1989 5 speed with gray leather. Did a lot of EXPENSIVE upgrades but never could get out of the 14s. Was a blast to drive! Handled great. Only problem I had was with the radiator and they were nortorious for that problem. Over heated and blew a head gasket. Was very easy to fix. And yes you can hear the Super Charger!

Very niice, I always loved the SC's cockpit and that's a pearl white one isn't it? I love the pearl white ones, but with the rarity it's hard to find a low mileage one, let alone one near me.

 

[vader87]

The pearl came out a little later. Mine was staight white. I lowered it, 97 Doors handles (no pic), painted the black stripps on the bumpers, took of the side door guards, white gauges, stereo, larger SC top, pulley, MAF, Throttle Body, headers, blah, blah, blah! I forget I lost a syncro. in third gear also. They were brass so they would always go out. I miss it!

 

[Project TNX]

The pearl came out a little later. Mine was staight white. I lowered it, 97 Doors handles (no pic), painted the black stripps on the bumpers, took of the side door guards, white gauges, stereo, larger SC top, pulley, MAF, Throttle Body, headers, blah, blah, blah! I forget I lost a syncro. in third gear also. They were brass so they would always go out. I miss it!

Room to wrench on? Hard to tell by most photo's I see, looks like it's doable, not fun, but doable.

 

[vader87]

Was a lot of room! To change the plugs you have to go in from underneath the car, or pull all the piping from the SC. No big deal. Has a small intercooler. I changed the top of the SC because the hole was about the size of a small egg. With the other top it opened it up a good bit. Really made a difference. Remember all this was done in 1994 and I was the 4th member of the club so there was no market for performance parts. Just about everything was custom built ! To weigh 4000 lbs., it still moved very well.

 

[Project TNX]

A guy was supposed to come by and buy my TT Stealth Tuesday, but I haven't heard from him since, and it's ticking me off because I had the title signed over and everything. On the other hand, if he doesn't come by, I'm gonna actually advertise it for twice the price that guy offered. He just came by to remove some garbage and asked if I sold it, I told him it was his for $1,000.00 and he wanted it. It's got 203,000 miles, an exhaust leak, clutch on it's last leg, and there is no way this guy knows what he is getting himself into, but that's on him and I warned him so my conscience will be clear regardless. The wife will kill me if I get another car before downlaoding it though.

 

[kh440]

I had a 95 SC/auto, black with grey leather and I miss that car to this day. Didn't have the raw power of the Buick, but was a blast to drive!

 

[DaJoker]

Buddy of mine had one years ago. Great car that never gave him any problems. Car ran really well and at 140 it felt like you were sitting on your sofa. His was bone stock with a 5spd and went low 15's. I say go for it, if the price is right, then if you don't like it you can sell it again and equal out or make money. Check Ebay and Autotrader to see what they go for now?

 

[Project TNX]

Buddy of mine had one years ago. Great car that never gave him any problems. Car ran really well and at 140 it felt like you were sitting on your sofa. His was bone stock with a 5spd and went low 15's. I say go for it, if the price is right, then if you don't like it you can sell it again and equal out or make money. Check Ebay and Autotrader to see what they go for now?

I found it on autotrader for $5,000, saw he listed it on Ebay for $4,900 and then lowered the buy it now to $4,100 in the last hour, the price wasn't met so I am going to try and get it done this week. If it doesn't happen, then I'll be fine, plenty of cars out there and I want way too many of them.

The guy is picking up my Stealth tomorrow too, and that will be nice.

 

[DaJoker]

Good luck and post up some pics if you get it!!!! Oh yeah there is a magazine called Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords that is doing a build up on a T-Bird SC rite now. I think it started in last months issue, which would probably on the stand now.

 

[GregInAtl]

I had a 90 SC 5 spd Anniversary edition. LOTS of fun. I bought it because TRs were too much for me then. I did have problems w/ Trannys (friggin brass syncro rings) I did chip, custom pulley (14-15 psi...and yes the belt would slip then some), CB exhaust, 17" TSW Hockenheim R wheels and eibachs. It was a real head turner back in 95.
If the tranny was more solid I'd kept it alot longer.
BTW 13.9 @ 100 MPH...late fall 1995.
Later stereo went in the car which it was real good for if you care about audio. 10" mid bass in the door...yes 10"...but I did cut, USD Wave Guide horns below the dash, and a single 15 in the trunk. 5 speaker mind blower.

 

[Project TNX]

The guy that was buying my Stealth stood me up for the 2nd time today.

 

[Bent6]

I had a Black 92 5-speed SC as my DD in college. Was a beautiful car in its day - good all around performance - handled well, accelerated well as long as you don't compare it to a TR, decent mileage. I also had a big stereo system in mine - great platform if you're into car audio! Only problem is mine gave me lots of small problems. Constantly warped brake rotors due to my heavy brake foot and the T-bird's hefty weight. Rotors were too small for the weight of the car. Problems with IRS busings. Broken hydraulic motor mount. Fuel pump went bad. By 120k, clutch was done. There weren't a whole lot of these cars so naturally, when a problem does come up you can't fix yourself, you will pay for it $$$$$. Be careful!

 

[Rodney87GN]

My buddy had an 89 SC w/5 speed. Really nice, plush car. At 130-140 it's quiet and stable. His had a custom exhaust, smaller blower pulley and K&N filter. He would pull away from stock LT1 F bods and TPI Vettes all the time on the highway. He got rid of it though because like everyone here said, it's $$$ to do repairs.

I think it would be a good daily driver if you don't race it much or go crazy with mods.