90 Ford T-Bird Super Coupe

[Pat Cook]

I have an opportunity to buy a 90 Ford T-Bird with supercharged 3.8 for cheap, like junk yard price, it runs but has a leaking water pump. Car fits into N or O but it is heavy like 3795 lbs in N or 3920 lbs in O.

They are fun to drive, feel pretty quick.
Has a 8.8 axle, but a IRS rear suspension, like a Corvette.
302 C4 will bolt to the engine.
What do y'all think?
Mark, Billy?

[Billy Nees]

I'd bring it home and play with it! If it doesn't work out, bring it back to the yard and get scrap for it. I don't know anybody who has played with one but it DOES have a blower on it. Gary Simpers races a 5.0 T-Bird in Stock so the IRS can be made to work. As I recall, they had some pretty serious head gasket problems and unlike a turbo car, you can't just crank up the boost(you have to use stock pulleys, not Stock pulleys) but I think it would be fun to play with. I wouldn't get serious with it to start. Just get it to a track and see what it does. If it shows some potential(and doesn't hurt itself) throw some Stocker tricks at it and see how it reacts. It may be a V6 and it may have a huffer on it and it may be a FFFFord but the pistons still go up and down under the valve covers and it doesn't know what it is.

[Bill Harris]

I think that is a Fox body platform and if so the IRS just bolts into attachment points used for the regular live axle version of the chassis. Since Corvettes are able to swap out their IRS for a live axle in stock it seems reasonable that you could do the same. It is very easy to get a fox chassis 8.8 rear housing, you will trip over several at almost any junkyard, and just bolt it in. The live axle is quite a bit lighter than the IRS and there are suspension parts galore for that configuration too.

[Pat Cook]

Yeah, I'm going to buy it. Haul it over to Vegas and abuse it. If it doesn't squirt the head gasket's....If it show's signs of anything, I think Cometic will build a set of gaskets for it.
The main thing is the price is right.

[Fireofficer5]

Its not a Fox body.
Its a MN-12.
Its a heavy car.
Go to sccoa.com for good information.

[rick lester]

Hey Pat, let me know when you go to Vegas to play. Text 352-942-8613

[Charlie A]

A friend of mine worked for Ford when those first came into the market. If I remember correctly there was a pretty common issue of broken crankshafts early on.

Might be a foggy memory.

Maybe this was the issue????? It's been a few years.

http://www.35thatr.org/Tips/HarmonicDamperBreak.htm

[Mark Yacavone]

Pat, It ought to run the index anyway with the right converter and gearing.
Beyond that, I don't know.
That thing has a nice looking cylinder head and a decent cam, but quite a bit of weight for a small motor.
Maybe a candidate for a hp reduction.
Let me know if I can help you with anything.

[rawhide]

Originally Posted by Charlie A

A friend of mine worked for Ford when those first came into the market. If I remember correctly there was a pretty common issue of broken crankshafts early on.

Might be a foggy memory.

Maybe this was the issue????? It's been a few years.

http://www.35thatr.org/Tips/HarmonicDamperBreak.htm

the early 1989 models had a cast iron crank but on 1-30-89 they changed them to forged steel. there must have been a problem because a car company will not spend a dollar they don't have to.
regards, Roland

[Charlie A]

Originally Posted by rawhide

the early 1989 models had a cast iron crank but on 1-30-89 they changed them to forged steel. there must have been a problem because a car company will not spend a dollar they don't have to.
regards, Roland

Yep.
Thanks for the clairification. I remembered it was early.

At least part of the memory is still there.