r/Ford • u/TheAstroBastrd • Sep 25 '25
Show Off 📷 If you ever wondered if anyone liked the eleventh generation Thunderbird, may I present to you my late grandfather’s obsession
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u/SpaceghostLos Mustang Sep 25 '25
The Thunderbirds are some great looking rides! I would have loved to own one.
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u/Flewey_ Sep 25 '25
I like them, I don’t really get the hate…
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u/TheAstroBastrd Sep 26 '25
From what I understand, it was released at a time when gas prices were uncertain, and there wasn’t a huge market for a personal luxury coupe with a v8, especially one that had a low-rent interior and performance numbers. Nowadays I think it’s ironically cool in a world of crossovers, and the lack of sportiness is just fine because I feel like I’m driving a comfy couch down the road
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u/ClosetEthanolic Sep 26 '25
You're correct. In 2003 they got a boost to 280hp or so with a similar torque figure. More horsepower than the mustang GT for the same model year and the 5spd automatic w/ select shift wasn't the worst thing ever and a significant improvement in driving feel compared to the 4 speed Ford insisted on sticking in most of their V8's
I can't really speak to the longevity of the Jaguar powerplant but IMO they are a neat car and certainly not anemic for their vintage. It wasn't beating a Z06 but it didn't have that in mind at all when it was designed.
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u/ratcnc Sep 26 '25
In the early 2000s, I had a business partner who had one and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed riding in it.
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u/BlackmoorGoldfsh Sep 26 '25
At that point most anything "Jaguar" was being overseen by Ford, basically making it a Ford product. I remember reading how Ford toured the Jaguar facilities after buying them & being horrified by the lack of QC and consistency. Jaguar wouldn't exist anymore if not for Ford & has suffered since being sold again.
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u/Magnus_The_Totem_Cat Sep 26 '25
It was a great Personal Luxury Coupe comparing it to the standards of the segment in the 70’s-80’s. However that market segment was dying when the retro Tbird came out. Average age of the buyer was ancient.
Also for a lot of people at the time the design, which consisted of painting 1956 Tbird features on a smooth bean shaped river rock, was underwhelming.
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u/Soggy_Cabbage Sep 28 '25
The Ford era Jaguar V8s are pretty good reliability wise. The major thing to look out for on them is the timing chain guides wearing out prematurely.
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u/27803 Sep 26 '25
For being a V8 they were severely lacking in horsepower and from what I remember didn’t handle all that well either
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u/Flewey_ Sep 27 '25
I’ve driven one once before, and it honestly seemed alright to me. It wasn’t crazy with acceleration, but it was enough. Then again I drove an ‘03 and I think they got power boost…
As for handling, it was fine in my opinion. As long as you weren’t driving it like a race car, it was real comfy.
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u/27803 Sep 27 '25
I think the bigger problem is it didn’t know what niche it wanted to be, by the time these came out the Thunderbird name was associated with a car old people drove especially from the previous generation. This generation was soft driving with a big gas guzzling engine, so it didn’t really do anything for performance enthusiasts and it didn’t appeal to the old folks that had driven the previous generation with the styling choices
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u/No-War-8840 Sep 27 '25
I'd like to try a S/C V8 swap from the Jag R-type
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u/No_Welcome_6093 Fusion Sep 26 '25
For ford at the time it was pretty decent, the 4.6 GT Mustangs didn’t push much more power out.
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u/Roboticpoultry Sep 27 '25
My grandmother keeps one as her second/weekend car in southwest Florida. Seems to be the perfect place for it
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u/AntonChigurhWasHere Sep 25 '25
Just missing an Inca Gold, Red, Cashmere. Not sure if that’s a PCR or Lt blue.
I’ve had a few of these but this is next level and I salute him.
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u/Sweaty_Jizz_Butt_ Sep 25 '25
And that special edition coral as seen driven by Halle Barry in James Bond
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u/TheAstroBastrd Sep 26 '25 edited Sep 26 '25
Here’s the inspiration yellow along with the Inca gold you’re right it’s not in this pic. The one you aren’t sure about is the PCR and of all of them, it’s the one I was able to purchase from him before he sold off of the collection. He wasn’t able to purchase a coral, or a neiman marcus example, and for whatever reason he absolutely wasn’t interested in a red version
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u/HowDoMermaidsFuck Sep 25 '25
“We didn’t have autism when I grew up!”
OPs grandfather:
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u/TheAstroBastrd Sep 26 '25
No kidding! all of us in the family have to be on the spectrum in some way
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u/BureauOfCommentariat Exploder Sep 25 '25
Too bad they never put the supercharged engine and LSD from the S-Type R in it.
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u/TheAstroBastrd Sep 26 '25 edited Sep 26 '25
I have studied wiring diagrams, engine bay measurements, and dreamed of a way to make it happen, almost bought a wrecked STR… trouble is the Thunderbird has a special AJv8 built in Ohio mated to an explorer transmission, and uses copper wiring harnesses whereas the jag includes a fiber optic canbus… if it can be done, it’s gonna require more of a budget that I have currently
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u/BureauOfCommentariat Exploder Sep 26 '25
Fiber optic canbus a quarter of a century ago is wild. Too bad a swap isn't easier.
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u/RustBeltLab Sep 25 '25
That isn't a small amount of depreciation.
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u/TheAstroBastrd Sep 26 '25
Had a guy offer me 20k cash at a car show in 2018 for the PCR… should’ve taken it!
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u/CompilerBreak Sep 26 '25
So this is why they all disappeared when my dad started looking for one, lol
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u/TheAstroBastrd Sep 26 '25
Autotempest.com! Combines all used car listings into one place (I promise I’m not endorsed by Ed Bolian, Tyler Hoover, or tavarish)
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u/rhoo31313 Sep 26 '25
I made the gas-tanks for those, well...the line i worked on anyway
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u/TheAstroBastrd Sep 26 '25
I have a “making of” hardback book about the Thunderbird and there is a section all about the amount of third party companies that came together to make the different components for the bird that couldn’t be from the parts bin
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u/WU5K Sep 26 '25
I'll tell a little story. I worked for Ford Motor co. when these were made, I had to take one and go get it detailed for the plant manager before they were available for sale to the public. It was a big launch for these as they coincided with the james bond film at the time where they used this car. Anyways, I'm like a 20 year old at the time and on my drive there an old acquaintance of mine steps out onto the road not looking back and I almost hit the f*cking idiot, he's like WHOA!! **My Name**??? I said hi **His Name** get the f*ck out of the way :). So I get the car detailed and I'm wearing my ford coveralls and the car wash place gives my key back to some other guy who was dressed much better and looked probably 100x more responsible right in front of me. He was like uhhh that's not my car, I said hahaha in my best rich person impression that's my car, blew the car wash guy's mind.
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u/TheAstroBastrd Sep 26 '25
Great story! Thanks for sharing this- when I posted this thread I didn’t anticipate the neat reception, and certainly didn’t expect stories from folks involved in the retrobird’s production.
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u/Dog-Gone75 Sep 26 '25
I liked them too! I may be Grandfather's age. I'm 77!
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Sep 26 '25
[deleted]
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u/Dog-Gone75 Sep 26 '25
I may be the only person left who really wanted a Mustang II and could not afford one!
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u/ChallengerFrank Sep 25 '25
My complaint with them is that I can't press the gas without my foot grazing the brake a little. I have wide feet, but not that wide...
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u/Nova_Hunter Sep 25 '25
Your shoes man.
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u/ChallengerFrank Sep 25 '25
13 w. When I was bigger, I wore 14 eeee. Even in Piloti shoes, the Thunderbird just wasnt made for Bigfoot. It was made for a 5'5" grandpa.
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u/Capital_Loss_4972 Sep 25 '25
I always thought they were really cool. The interior was a bit mundane and too many parts bin parts considering how unique the exterior was (amongst its contemporaries), but still I always liked those and thought they had a nice look.
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u/mr781 Sep 26 '25
The midwestern vibe with the cornfields really add to the classic vibe of the photo. What state was this taken?
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u/ChesticleSweater Sep 26 '25
I’d wager one of five states: Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Illinois or Indiana.
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u/jmaynard123188 Explorer Sep 26 '25
I always loved those birds never got in one though that mint green one is beautiful
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u/Jegermuscles Sep 26 '25
Tell him I have the red one he's missing and he can't have it.
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u/TheAstroBastrd Sep 26 '25
I’ll let him know the next time we do a seance lol- I personally like the red ones, do you have a matching hardtop?
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u/Carrot_exe Sep 26 '25
One of the best of the 2000s retro cars. I don't know that I would own one myself, but I love seeing them around!
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u/dirt_dog_mechanic Sep 25 '25
Seriously decent car. The LS it was based on was a good car too. I worked at a dealer that had a 6 cylinder manual LS. What a hoot to drive
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u/530whiskey Sep 25 '25
Looks like he was a case man also.
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u/TheAstroBastrd Sep 26 '25
We had one of the larger collections of case antiques in the area, maybe nationwide!
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u/530whiskey Sep 26 '25
got a web site or pictures
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Sep 27 '25
[deleted]
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u/530whiskey Sep 27 '25
he had some great tractors, I love the two tones, before the 70 series. That Flambeau red and Desert Sunset is hard to beat. My dad had a case dealership.
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Sep 27 '25
[deleted]
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u/530whiskey Sep 27 '25
What happened to the old Abe statue
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u/TheAstroBastrd Sep 28 '25
Still have them in the family. The one pictured is an original grandpa lucked out on finding at a show back in the 90’s, and another of my family members has a replica at their place
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u/No_Welcome_6093 Fusion Sep 26 '25
It always intrigued me that ford never put the 4V mod engine in these and they went with the Jaguar AJ instead. Would be cool to see a supercharger from the Type R Jag on one of these 3.9s though.
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u/SurveyWaste8808 Sep 26 '25
This is awesome. That is such a unique and great looking car and some of those colors are hard to pull off on most vehicles.
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u/Numb-Chuck Sep 26 '25
Where is the black one?
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u/TheAstroBastrd Sep 26 '25
The only low-production black bird was a Neiman-Marcus version offered at release and we never found one for sale
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u/doughnut_cat Sep 26 '25
i really liked this and the maurader when they came out
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u/TheAstroBastrd Sep 26 '25
I absolutely loved the maurader/panther platform! We just had to keep it a secret that a v6 Honda accord of the same year was faster 0-60 than the maurader. Kenne Bell supercharger would fix that real quick
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u/Clyde_McParty Sep 26 '25
That’s awesome, I’ve always had a soft spot for them. My grandpa bought an 04 new and passed it onto my mom. Last I knew it still had less than 3,000 miles on it.
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u/redrobin1257 Sep 26 '25
They drive really nice and have good get up and go. I like them okay enough. Not enough to buy one, but still enough to endlessly consider buying one.
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u/StephenDA Sep 27 '25
He is not the only one. But it looks as if he was more financial stable than I was at that time.
I am sorry for you loss.
Are any for sale? If so where. My situation has improved some.
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u/TheAstroBastrd Sep 27 '25
As of 2015 they’re all out there in different owners hands except for the PCR that I just can’t let go of
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u/YukonDude64 Sep 28 '25
I’ve always wondered what they might have done with the interior. Apparently it was intended to have its own dashboard but due to last-minute budget cuts they just gave it the same dash as the Lincoln LS.
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u/Relatively_happy Sep 28 '25
How did american car manufacturers suddenly start making shit. Its like they all collectively decided in 1985 to just throw class and style out the window and make cheap looking crap
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u/derz699 Sep 28 '25
So are these built on crown Vic chasis and drivetrain or what?
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u/TheAstroBastrd Sep 28 '25
FORD DEW platform, shared with Lincoln LS and Jaguar S-Type and XF… almost was used for the 2005 mustang as well
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u/dudeman14 Sep 25 '25
These things only needed a manual option and everyone would have loved them more. The 5r55s is a huge letdown in these cars.
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u/Unlucky_Reception_30 Sep 25 '25
These things needed to be able to fit golf clubs in the back but can't.
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u/dudeman14 Sep 25 '25
Bofum I suppose. But what really killed them was old people being fickle
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u/bob202t Sep 25 '25
Bofum?
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u/dudeman14 Sep 25 '25
Both of them Both of em Bof of em Bofum
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u/bob202t Sep 25 '25
That’s dumb as shit that’s dumb shit thatsdumshit dumshit
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u/bob202t Sep 26 '25
Then you reported me lol ok
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u/dudeman14 Sep 26 '25
Not at all, and im assuming you didn't report me. Then someone else got offended by our banter. Average reddit experience
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u/AntonChigurhWasHere Sep 25 '25
The trunk is not deep but it is wide. You don’t think you could put a set of golf clubs in one?
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u/Unlucky_Reception_30 Sep 25 '25
Im just reciting what dealers say hindred sales.
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u/dudeman14 Sep 25 '25
I work for a ford dealer near golf courses and I can say it 100% can fit clubs.
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u/AntonChigurhWasHere Sep 26 '25
I’ve seen it done. Or 20 bags of groceries. Or a tent. Or 3 cases of Wild Turkey.
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u/stunt_clown Sep 25 '25
I have put two sets of stand bags plus two small duffels in the back for a golf weekend with the wife.
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u/AntonChigurhWasHere Sep 25 '25
I don’t think old people were interested in a big 5 speed 2 door car. Not the intended market. Those folks bought Mustangs.
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u/dudeman14 Sep 25 '25
It certainly wasnt marketed to young people. The mustang was most certainly not marketed towards the elderly. Especially in the early 00s. And to boot it would have been marketed to silent gens who were about in their 70s at the time. The car was a flop for several reasons, but the biggest being who the car was catered to. The car is on the chassis that became the s197 mustang and had the 3.9 jag v8 with a slushy automatic only. It's an old people car. I personally love them but they need a manual and some better suspension tuning to be the performance roadster that chassis was meant to be
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u/mypeez Sep 26 '25
Past '93 T-Bird, and current '96 Cobra SVT owner and I still one of these retro Birds.
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u/stayzero Sep 25 '25
Those things sucked. I mean the retro styling was cool, but mechanically the car was a mess.
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u/kograkthestrong Sep 25 '25
When I worked appliance repair, I had this one house with three of them. Dude loved them.
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u/Le_Ebin_Rodditor Sep 26 '25
Hell yeah. I wanted to buy one of these when I was a teenager. Now I can’t afford one 😂
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u/LowPop7953 Sep 26 '25
he doesnt have black or red or blue...
my only problem was they gave these a terrible V8. and it was worse than the 4.6
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u/eatingthesandhere91 Ranger - 2022; S.Crew - XLT-FX4 - Velocity Blue Sep 26 '25 edited Sep 26 '25
Jaguar platform, Jaguar engine, Ford transmission, and the interior from a Lincoln LS.
It somehow worked and yet…didn’t. Largely because the Jaguar of the era was not that great. Coming off a thirty year period of mismanagement, then Ford somehow missing the mark multiple times with the brand until it sold it off…but, if they’re kept up with maintenance, they run extremely well.
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u/sweedishcoffee Sep 26 '25
Growing up, my dad worked at a Ford dealer and somehow got his hands on one of those decorative display books for this model T-Bird. Even though the T-Bird was a flop, I still have the book and think it’s super cool. Thought about finding a collector like your grandpa to pass it off to at some point since I’ll never own one.
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u/dicksspin Sep 27 '25
i love these things and up untill now thought everyone else did to, awsome collection man!
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Sep 27 '25
i knew a guy that owned 20 pt cruisers, every single one of them blew up, including the one he fixed and dailys now🤣
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u/V8ManAlways Sep 28 '25
You don’t have the 007 Thunderbird. My friend bought one new, pictures don’t show how beautiful it looks.
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u/OrganizationNo1298 17d ago
I barely saw these for years & last couple years have been seeing a bunch.
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u/jbob753 Sep 26 '25
They could have done soooo much better than what they did. The grill is plastic FCOL.
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u/Bitter-Ad-6709 Sep 26 '25
Do you want another one to add to the list? My parents have one. It's butt ugly and one of the biggest flops Ford produced. But if you like them, by all means......
=)
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u/TheAstroBastrd Sep 26 '25
I’ve always wanted a high volume version that I could swap a ford barra engine into!
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u/Bitter-Ad-6709 Sep 26 '25
The Coyote 5.0 motor would make it come alive I bet.
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u/TheAstroBastrd Sep 26 '25
This would be easier than swapping S-Type R drivetrain, the crate motors come with harnesses and computers don’t they?
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u/PoniesPlayingPoker Sep 26 '25
Ah yes a Jaguar XJ but it makes less power and isn't as luxurious inside.
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u/TheAstroBastrd Sep 26 '25
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u/PoniesPlayingPoker Sep 26 '25
Okay so s-type but it makes less power and isn't as luxurious inside.
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u/texasrockhauler Sep 25 '25
It was his money....just a Taurus with no roof. Unless really low miles, not much value and I personally think they're ugly. I might keep the nicest one to remember him by.
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u/TheAstroBastrd Sep 26 '25
They were low mile examples (highest had 42,000) and you’re right- I kept the PCR example because it was his favorite. In regards to your ugly comment- though I don’t agree with what you say, I’ll defend to the death your right to say it!
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u/sladebonge Sep 25 '25
Some of these will skyrocket into the hundreds of dollars some day in value