My son's Turbo coupe project

RARE-ASC · Post by **RARE-ASC** » Thu May 15, 2008 4:03 am

My son Daniel is 13 and has a new project!! I had to fix up and pay for my first car and i guess if i spoiled him i could let him have have the choice of any car on my car lot but thats not a good value lesson for him and he seems to really be into doing this he actually said he needed to think it over for a day or so before we committed on getting car i personnally am a litte more of a impulse buyer in that respect. Anyway we recently purchased the rust free Georgia turbo coupe with just a hair over 100k drove the little gem home for 550 bucks. Daniel has already paid back 50 bucks on it to me! She cruised down the hwy at 75mph smooth so pleased with the staring point a very solid org adult owned 2 owner car. We are going to over the next 2+ years make this into one sweet ride. Here is the plan we have 2 mustang donor cars a 1992 lx 5.0 convertible thats where we will get the 5.0 fuel injected v8 for the engine swap second a 1989 mustang GT for the t5 5 speed swap! The car now has a good running engine and tranny but we rather do the 5.0 5 speed swap. Will keep you
updated on progress!

75coug · Post by **75coug** » Thu May 15, 2008 11:42 am

Very nice. Those Turbo Coupes were real lookers. And what a bargain!

What is the story the Grand Prix sitting behind the T-Bird?

n20capri · Post by **n20capri** » Thu May 15, 2008 12:56 pm

It's ashame to swap out that turbo 4. Do a build-up on that instead of the V-8.

RARE-ASC · Post by **RARE-ASC** » Thu May 15, 2008 11:36 pm

The Grand Prix is a 77 it is an all org cream puff with 33k it still had org tires on it when i got it i put the radial ta's on it! And reason i bought it was because i had one just like it in high school but this one over 20 years later is nicer than the one i had back in the day!

RARE-ASC · Post by **RARE-ASC** » Thu May 15, 2008 11:43 pm

n20capri wrote:It's ashame to swap out that turbo 4. Do a build-up on that instead of the V-8.

Yes that is the majority opinion over at www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com i had Daniel join over there for info and input on his bird they are pretty well dead set on turbo birds and building them up!

ckj · Post by **ckj** » Fri May 16, 2008 12:00 am

Nice find. My first car was an 84 mustang gt turbo I picked up with 88k miles, with basically the same 2.3L turbo. I tell you what, after a rebuild and a little turbo work that car was fast. I even had a few 1/4 mile races and surprised quite a few people.

1. A guy with the new 454SS Truck (exhaust, chip, etc), apparently was fast, lost to me in the 1/4 mile.

2. I beat a 383 mopar no sweat...

I loved the car, and wish I had something today with a "boost" light on the dash

There are a heck of a lot of advantages to having a 4banger turbo with more HP output than a V8, especially the reduced weight. I'd really have him think long and hard over the swap idea.

Post by **negusm** » Fri May 16, 2008 11:36 am

RARE-ASC wrote:
n20capri wrote:It's ashame to swap out that turbo 4. Do a build-up on that instead of the V-8.
Yes that is the majority opinion over at www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com i had Daniel join over there for info and input on his bird they are pretty well dead set on turbo birds and building them up!

Yeah, do some research on them. The turbo 4 is an eye opener as to what you can pull off with it with a quality build up. They can smoke a good number of v8 builds but you do have to know what you are doing.

It's hard for somebody to live down getting his big bad v8 spanked by a 4cyl!

-Mike

86capri62 · Post by **86capri62** » Sat May 17, 2008 1:12 pm

I agree with them, keep the turbo.

lightning95sc · Post by **lightning95sc** » Sat May 17, 2008 10:53 pm

I vote the turbo motor, too. Those cars are very well balanced with a turbo motor. Besides, the lack of excess weight, up front, will keep a new driver out of trouble that he might otherwise "plow" into with a 5.0 in the nose...literally.

Trade one of your donors for an '87-'88 Turbo Coupe w/manual trans. Use the disc brake rearend, the intercooler, and the computer. You'll be miles ahead of where you are now.

Just a suggestion:)

Chuck

86capriasc · Post by **86capriasc** » Sun May 18, 2008 1:14 am

Not only the weight savings but think of the gas mileage. I vote turbo-4 all the way.

If I could find a good turbo-4 I would put it in my 83 Capri RS.

Mike

RARE-ASC · Post by **RARE-ASC** » Mon May 19, 2008 2:37 am

Thanks for the good advice guys!

RARE-ASC · Post by **RARE-ASC** » Wed Jun 11, 2008 4:52 am

Slight change on the donor car!! We found some neat cars that i just bought! The first is a donor car for Daniels project bird it was almost like we called the USED CAR FACTORY and ordered the thing! A perfect parts car that will save him and me a ton it is a 1984 turbo coupe that already has every thing we need including the 5.0 swap car looks look a mustang factory installed engine under hood very nice job every thing is fabricated to a T 3.73 rear disk brakes cold a/c and lots more but a shame car has salvaged title due accident. The second is a just about mint 1986 Ford Thunderbird v6 with 69k! The third is a one owner 1965 Mustang rock solid yes i bought it from first owner ill tell the whole story later on how we got them but here is some photos to tide you over!

75coug · Post by **75coug** » Wed Jun 11, 2008 11:43 am

Very cool. I can't wait to hear the rest of the story. And I must say that I do so admire your line of work.

RARE-ASC · Post by **RARE-ASC** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:40 am

We got his car finished approx a year ago just wanted to up-date and show how it turned out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XodvAMEw ... el&list=UL

avmtdan · Post by **avmtdan** » Tue May 01, 2012 3:05 am

She's a beauty, but a true project is never "finished".

ascMcLaren Enthusiasts

My son's Turbo coupe project

My son's Turbo coupe project

Finished!