Pages

Tuesday, February 8, 2022

The Perils of a Turbo Coupe Fan in Serious Denial

1988 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe in black paint and original, used, worn condition.

I don’t want this car. Circumstances dictated my presence in a neighboring county, which yielded this 1988 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe. The circumstances brought me there again where I had no choice but to stop and find it behind a TV repair place. I mean they left it right there behind the store for me to drive two blocks off the main road to see. It couldn’t be avoided. 


Go jump in the creek, circumstance. If, that is your real name? I don’t want this car. This beautiful black T-Bird does not beckon and I shan’t concede to these desires. Wait, I didn’t mean “desire.” Remember? I don’t want this car.


Who then? It seems that a member of the Junkyard Life staff does indeed have a thing for these boosted SVO Coupes. Is it Jody? Yes, it would make sense. This is a rare, classy vehicle WITH a manual 5-speed shifter between the seats. That would have him written all over it. However, it is not Jody. Then, it must be Keith! Yeah, that guy loves turbos and would probably go for this! Truthfully, no. It isn’t Keith. He would love the turbo but would arrivederci when he counts the cylinders and they don’t add up to eight. Or even six. So who does that leave that wants a 1980’s Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe with power everything, other than the super fun shift-it-yourself option? Oh. I see. You think it is me?


Turbo Coupe emblem detail shot of emblem on door of 1988 Thunderbird.
Turbo Coupe emblem detail shot of emblem on door of 1988 Thunderbird. Run for your life! Just kidding.


Clues A quick Junkyard Life website search would probably sway you into THINKING it is me. Just because I have written three or more articles about these cars doesn’t mean anything. That could have been anybody, with my name, and great haircut. I admit this looks suspicious, but alas, no. I don’t want this car. This beautiful car. You can’t prove it!


Console with manual transmission in 1988 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe.
Console with manual transmission in 1988 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe.


Look it over This example rolled off the line finished in Ford’s gleaming, sinister black exterior with a 2.3 turbo and a five-speed (did I mention that?) making a low-rated 190 horsepower and boosted at 15 psi. The car offered an interesting alternative to the Fox body Mustang, who was also enjoying a turbo 2.3 option. All of this turbo fun courtesy of Ford’s SVO program. SVO built mean rides. Need a positive-traction rear end? Yes, you do. You got it. Rear sway bar? Goes without saying. Options? A plenty, to say the least. The dash would light up like Chicago at night and made you wonder—is there anyone cooler than you at that very moment. Can you hear Gary Numan’s earlier hit song “Cars” in your head, or is it just in mine? This Thunderbird moved with authority and confidently made you, MADE YOU, I say, go just a few more RPMs before the shift. Why? Because it could. Imagine what other drivers thought when they looked in the mirror and the indigenous Turbo Coupe hood scoops came into view. The mere sight of that hood threatened to take you to the woodshed for a spanking right there on the street. You just bought cool. 


Sleek body of a 1988 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe sitting at stop sign still looks fast.
Sleek body of a 1988 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe sitting at stop sign still looks fast.


Come to a stop occasionally with your 4-wheel disc brakes. The Mustang guys wanted them, but couldn’t have them. Some say the car would do 145 MPH on the top end. Others claimed it to exceed 150 MPH. Way too fast for a 4 cylinder. But you see…that was the idea. Some claim European inspiration, but it was all-American. Like apple pie and whatever that game is where people run in a triangle and throw things at each other. (Ron, get it together. Baseball diamond.)


It’s a good thing I don’t want this great example of a beautiful black Turbo Coupe. It appears to be in relatively good shape despite a missing driver's window. It seems to have been garage kept most of its life, however, I noticed clues that indicated it had been in that spot for a while. Another interesting note…it had a brand new tire on the rear while the other tires seemed to be melting down. Alabama had a recent cold snap, and that tends to rob pressure from our tires. It is a good thing that I don't want this Turbo Coupe for several reasons. While true that the Junkyard Life garages are full of other fun toys, I am not going to contact the business where it sits and inquire about my chances of obtaining it. I am not going to leave my contact information. I am not going to, because I already did.

Ron Kidd — Junkyard Life



The big Ford headlights were "the" look across the showroom in the late 1980s.
The big Ford headlights were "the" look across the showroom in the late 1980s.



Turbo Coupes looks faster than regular Thunderbirds because the beak was unadorned with chrome or a grill.
Turbo Coupes looks faster than regular Thunderbirds because the beak was unadorned with chrome and it had no grill. Air was pulled from under the bumper into the engine bay.



Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupes featured NACA scoops on the hood.
Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupes featured NACA scoops on the hood.



This one, spotted in a parking lot behind a building is missing the door glass on driver's side.
This one, spotted in a parking lot behind a building is missing the door glass on driver's side.



16-inch alloy wheels on Thunderbird. This one wears one new tire.
16-inch alloy wheels on Thunderbird. This one wears one new tire.



No leaks?
No leaks under here?


The alloy wheels on the 1988 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe looked sporty.
The alloy wheels on the 1988 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe looked sporty. 



Do you have a car story?
Send us details and we’re on the way!
  
Send emails to Jody Potter at junkyardbull@gmail.com
and Ron Kidd at 
kidd403.rk@gmail.com


2 comments:

finebammer said...

Just another ugly a SS ford.

Tommy Simmons said...

Had an SVO Mustang. Love these T Birds too.