Frequent Piston Slap contributor Theodore writes:
I just put my 1992 Ford Thunderbird (V-6, stripper, ex-rental car) on craigslist, but I don’t know if I can really bring myself to part with it.
The automatic transmission is dying for the second time. Leaking badly, hesitates before going into gear, tries to downshift from fourth to third at 50-55mph, makes a weird sound that I can’t even describe except to say that it sounds like something is spinning way faster than it should. Its latest trick is a neat one: sometimes the whole front end will shudder while turning at low speed.
Is there any hope for the patient? Can the automatic be salvaged, or is a manual transplant possible? Practical? Sane?
And while I’m at it, here’s a Piston Slap “Nugget of Wisdom” for the B&B: Fords of that era equipped with automatic shoulder belts. When the motor eventually craps out, look in your owner’s manual, because Ford anticipated this failure and provided a backup that’s also a cheap fix. At the base of the B-pillar of my Thunderbird there is a little panel: behind that is the motor. The motor has a knob on the top. With some skinned knuckles, swearing, and shoving (carefully!) on the shoulder belt anchor, you can wind the anchor back to the locked position. Then you just pull the belt forward and slide under it when you get in and out of the car.
Sajeev replies:
You don’t know if you can bring yourself to part with a V6 Thunderbird? Seriously?
Regarding the transmission: many, many rebuilders can’t make freshened a Ford (or Mopar) transmission last longer than 2 years to save their lives. I don’t know why, but I reckon it has to do with training done on GM units. And a GM transmission this is not. If you are serious about this car, search the TCCOA forums and make friends with Blue Oval (i.e., Mustang) Pistonheads in your area: they’ll know a local shop that can actually fix a Ford transmission. Or bite the bullet and get a Ford or Jasper rebuilt unit.
Yes, there is hope for the patient. But you have to be nuts. Nuts like me, and my resto-modded 1988 Cougar XR-7. After thousands in rebuilding the suspension, brakes, steering, transmission, engine and new carpet and paint, the car is a head turner that will never leave my possession. You can do the same: plenty of Thunderbird Super Coupe/Lincoln Mark VIII parts are available for a healthy restomod on the MN-12 platform. Hell, just get a Mark VIII from Craigslist and do a complete sub frame swap, front and rear.
But I’d sell this one and find a Super Coupe in the same color. That’s much easier, cheaper and a far superior base to start with. Of course, I didn’t take my advice, so why should you?
The one car I regret pareting with the most was my 1991 Thunderbird LX V8. I miss that car dearly. Theodore, I feel your pain.
Your driving a car built in the heyday of profits first and engineering second. I would sell it and move on. Most domestics from that time period are junk. My 93 pickup is a fix or repair daily.
But if you insist, find a transmission from a 1998 or newer (if it will fit) since that is when ford redesigned the parts that go bad internally. Most repair shops are not going to replace all of the parts required to correct the problems with the pump and valve body because they are expensive.
Make sure your AAA membership is up to date.
I would wager that the T-bird is a eligeble for a CARS.gov discount coupon. So don’t dump it without checking that out.
jaydez, I had the ’89 with the disappointing 140 hp 3.8L V6 (no V8 that year, sadly). I got it in ’97 as a senior in high school, and the ThundaChicken quickly became the reigning donut king of the parking lot out behind the local movie theater. I had to trade it in when the automatic tranny refused to shift up from 2nd on the Southeast Distressway outside of Boston. This was shortly after a cracked brake master cylinder had made slowing down for merging traffic on Rt. 128 a thrilling roll of the dice rather than a boring sure-thing. Also, in the short time I had it that car went through no less than 3 rebuilt alternators. She may have been an overweight, underpowered heap, but I can’t say she was never, er, “exciting” to drive.
V6 T-Bird is not eligible for the Cash for Clunker. I had a lady ask me about that for her 1994 T-Bird and it unfortunately is not. It’s a shame. Since recycling this type of car is more than likely the best thing for society and the owner.
Dump the car. You can get plenty of older T-Birds with low miles for less than $2000. In our business the T-Bird, especially in head-gasket blowing V6 form, is considered to be one of the most unsellable cars from that era. Thirsty. Unreliable. Tranny and engine issues.
Maybe if Obama & Co. decide to increase the MPG’s to a 20 mpg your car may pick up some value. If you’re hellbent on keeping it, car-part.com may have a cheap tranny or two in your area. It should be fairly easy to install as well.
I’d sell… but keep it if you must.
I think this is a hopeless case.
Swapping in later components is difficult because the entire computer control system changed in 1995 (from OBD I to OBD II).
So0me of these Ford tranmission troubles can be fixed externally. The range selector switch affects the computer,and this can be changed fairly easily. Also, a bad ground in any of a number of places will affect tranmission operation.
But nothing fixes the engine.
Save you money and buy a later, V8 version of the same car. V8 jobs have a lot of upgraded components.
I like the MN12 cars, and their Lincoln derivative, the Mark VIII. But when they lose their karma, you might as well give up. That’s why I don’t have a Mark VIII any more.
Bob
Time to move on. Maybe you should buy this one: http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/cto/1234841167.html (I’m not an interested party and don’t know the car.)
Sajeev, I think you mean 1968 Cougar. Good year.
findude : Sajeev, I think you mean 1968 Cougar. Good year.
If I had a 1968 Cougar, all the stuff I did to it would not be nearly as crazy to most folks. The only thing crazier than doing up a 1988 Cougar is doing the same to a 1992 V6 Thunderbird.
Yikes, I just used Edmunds.com to get an idea of the market value of a base 1992 Thunderbird.
Trade-in: $50
Private Sale: $349
Dealer Retail: $848
Wow, talk about a Price Rollback. I wouldn’t spend another dime on the thing.
The only reason I’m even thinking about it is the sentimental value. I’ve had that car for eleven years. Bought it the day before I graduated high school and had it all through college and beyond. Plus I need a beater anyway.
The engine is good; it was rebuilt years ago when the head gasket let go, and she still gets 30mpg on the highway (EPA rating notwithstanding – and if it had any cash for clunkers value, I’d think real hard about buying a brand-new car.) But this is far from a pristine example; if you really wanted a nice MN12 T-Bird, this isn’t where you’d start. So it’s probably time to let it go. :-(
Sajeev, when do we get to hear more about that XR-7 and the others in your fleet?
Theodore : Sajeev, when do we get to hear more about that XR-7 and the others in your fleet?
When I can give them the historical context of a PN or BS retrospective. Maybe in a coupla more decades.
Or maybe when I hear you’re putting a new tranny in the Tbird and fixing that front end noise. (Good luck with that!)
Known universally on the shop floor as “Thunderturds”.
Love the graphic. I want the house, the dog and both of his cars!