[00463]

im looking at a couple different t-birds from '89 to '97 and was wondering if i could get any input as to which is the more reliable thunderbird. the super couupe with 5-speed manual trans or the 5.0 or 4.6 v8 with auto and also any input on which is faster acceleration wise and if soneone has engine specs like power output and all that fun stuff. im looking for stock so if i could get any answers based on stock that would be great. thanks for your help

 

[00463]

anything....?

 

[00463]

30 views and no one can say anything?...

 

[Canuck623]

First view for me.....hang on......The Super Coupe will be by far the fastest and quickest Bird you can buy.....It will also be the one with the highest maintenance costs and repair costs. Parts are scarce and very expensive when you do find them. The 5.0 Birds are very nice and there is a ton of go fast stuff out there for them. For me I love the look of the 97 4.6 Bird. Fast looking even when parked. There are also many performance parts available for the 4.6 but it will cost a bit more to make it as good a performer as the 5.0. I just like the look of the 97 for myself though. If money is no object and you want to go very fast and don't mind having your bird parked while you wait for some part to show up from some vendor on Evil bay go for the 3.8 SC Bird. The first time you hear that supercharger whine and it plants you in the seat you will be hooked. If you have even more money and want to go even faster I have a friend in Ontario, Canada that builds these beasts into fire breathing monsters. Let us know what you get.

 

[jonmark1985]

I have a 93 Thunderbird with the 5.0 HO. My family bought the car as a drug seized vehicle for $75 four or five years ago. I drove the car throughout college, then parked it when I moved. I am now driving the car again and forgot how much I loved it. The car gets amazing gas mileage and has been fairly reliable.

I accept that it was not nearly as fast as my 87' Mustang GT (convertible, modified 5.0, 5 speed). However it rides much better, is much more stable, and better suited for a tall guy like me. I also have grown out of the speed thing and would rather just have a car that drives great and it aggressive.

I don't like the idea of putting a supercharger on a 3.8 . Those engines already struggled with head gasket problems. The 4.6 is much to "new school" for my liking. I feel comfortable with the 5.0 .

I have several small block parts and plan on swapping valve covers to cast aluminum Mustang valve covers and the intake to a GT40 piece from an Explorer.

 

[00463]

thanks for the replies. i guess ill be looking for a 4.6 then mainly because no one sells the 5.0 around central jersey but the only real thing holding me back is the transmission. has anyone heard of anyone doing a trans swap from a mustang using the Thunderbird 4.6 will they bolt up since they are the same motor or would i be better off doing a whole motor/trans swap so that things will run smoother when it comes to the computers or if its just not worth the effort of going to manual with the v8 ill consider the SC and if anything major happens to the 3.8 (like a cracked block or blown SC head gaskets aren't too big a deal since I've already did them on my 94 3.8 lx bird) ill do a gt motor/trans swap into the SC Thunderbird

 

[Canuck623]

Personally I wouldn't put the money into a manual trans swap. I would put my money into a good performance AODE and really have a fast, smooth car. Automatics are becoming the way to go at the drag strip. 1/4 mile times are as good or better than a stick. You can build an automatic to handle far more HP than you will see with a 4.6.