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  1. #1
    FEP Power Member MY70GT's Avatar
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    Default Back in the Thunderbird game (Replacement for my 1983 Thunderbird flood car)

    Hey guys, as some of you may recall October 29th 2012 changed my world forever during Hurricane Sandy. Lost most everything, home, cars, sanity on and on. 3 Years later i am back home, settling in, and found a very nice replacement to my beloved 83 Bird. This is a very interesting car with a very interesting back story. I was recently in touch with the 84 year old original owner and this is the account of this cars history.

    Charlotte Motor Speedway
    Saturday, October 8, 1983
    Race 33 of the 1983 NASCAR Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series,
    event at Charlotte Motor speedway. The story is, 38 Thunderbirds of all model types were rushed off the line to be ready for promotional use for Ford execs and there spouses for the weekend. The idea was to show the cars off to enthusiasts. After the race, local dealerships were to absorb the cars and sell them off as used cars. My car in particular was sent around the track and supposedly burned up a alternator in the process. The towing genius then towed the car back to the local Ford dealer with the car in gear and destroyed the transmission. The car had less than 45 miles on it. The buyer of the car, a very nice southern gentleman paid $12k in cash and drove the car off the lot. I have the dealer invoice showing the car was sold USED with 45 miles on it. There was never a window sticker as the car was never serialized for retail sales, or ordered by customer or dealer. I am trying to verify that this was ordered by Ford Marketing as a promo or exec car. The odd story does not end with the ordering. The options list is very weird. For those that may not know the trim levels for Thunderbird for 1983, you could order a base model and add all kinds of options, a Heritage model, which was usually a very well equipped luxury model and the well known Turbo Coupe. This car is digital dash delete in favor of base model analog, no electric fuel door release, which i have never seen a Heritage without, and no power antenna, which is very odd too. In addition, a car with DSO 22 (North Carolina) is equipped with the only engine block heater from factory i have ever seen on any year Fox Bird. I will post some photos for you all, would love to hear the feedback.






















    From a proper photo shoot last week.
















    1983 Ford Thunderbird Heritage 5.0
    1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 5.0 (Traded)
    1989 Lincoln LSC 5.0 HO (Sold)
    2008 Saab 9-7x Aero 6.0 LS2 (1 of 555)
    2011 Ford Flex SEL (Family Hauler)

  2. #2
    FEP Power Member MY70GT's Avatar
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    Default

    Added to FB
    1983 Ford Thunderbird Heritage 5.0
    1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 5.0 (Traded)
    1989 Lincoln LSC 5.0 HO (Sold)
    2008 Saab 9-7x Aero 6.0 LS2 (1 of 555)
    2011 Ford Flex SEL (Family Hauler)

  3. #3
    FEP Member 83tb's Avatar
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    Default

    interior looks great in the car

  4. #4
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    F code 83 Heritage with 140 hp CFi and TFI/EECIV with AOD.

    2.73 axle ratio?

    Love these cars, how cool to get it from an 84 year old.

    is this what you would want in your driveway? Heck yeah!

  5. #5
    FEP Power Member MY70GT's Avatar
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    Default

    75k mile survivor too....


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    1983 Ford Thunderbird Heritage 5.0
    1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 5.0 (Traded)
    1989 Lincoln LSC 5.0 HO (Sold)
    2008 Saab 9-7x Aero 6.0 LS2 (1 of 555)
    2011 Ford Flex SEL (Family Hauler)

  6. #6
    FEP Power Member MY70GT's Avatar
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    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    1983 Ford Thunderbird Heritage 5.0
    1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 5.0 (Traded)
    1989 Lincoln LSC 5.0 HO (Sold)
    2008 Saab 9-7x Aero 6.0 LS2 (1 of 555)
    2011 Ford Flex SEL (Family Hauler)

  7. #7

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    Great looking 'Bird. I am a fan of all Thunderbirds, would love to have a clean example like that.
    Current:
    1966 Mustang Coupe 289 Auto
    2001 5.4 Expedition
    1996 4.9 Eddie Bauer F-150
    Past 4 eyes:
    1981 & 1982 Capri
    2 1986 Mustangs (both hatches one 4cyl & one conversion)
    1985 Crown Victoria wagon (ex Birmingham PD vehicle)

  8. #8
    FEP Power Member 4-barrel Mike's Avatar
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    Gorgeous car!

    Mike

  9. #9

    Default

    Wow!! That car is amazing. I love the interior, the shifter on the column, and the digital dash delete (that digital dash is nothing but trouble). What are your plans for it? If it was me I would throw some mesh wheels on it and call it a day. That car needs nothing else imo....although a Motorsport speedo would be cool (since you have the non-digital dash).

    Congratulations on the purchase, and amazing pictures btw. You're very talented.
    Cheers!

    Mike (TopGear85)



    Have:
    85 Saleen #73-GT,2R,TuTone,Cruise,Pos,5spd,Charcoal
    ***August 2015 ROTM Winner!***

    Had:
    79PC-San Jose #2890
    86GT-9L,TuTone,5spd,T-Tops,Sand Beige
    86GT-9L,TuTone,5spd,T-Tops,Charcoal
    90LX-Oxford Wht,5spd,Sunroof,5.0 Hatchback
    90GT-Oxford Wht,5spd

  10. #10
    FEP Power Member MY70GT's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TopGear85 View Post
    Wow!! That car is amazing. I love the interior, the shifter on the column, and the digital dash delete (that digital dash is nothing but trouble). What are your plans for it? If it was me I would throw some mesh wheels on it and call it a day. That car needs nothing else imo....although a Motorsport speedo would be cool (since you have the non-digital dash).

    Congratulations on the purchase, and amazing pictures btw. You're very talented.
    Thanks Mike, both for the kind words on the car and my photos. My plans for the car are very minor.......
    1. New exhaust, (duals)
    2. Larger black wall tires (225/60/15)
    3. Chrome the stock wheels, as i think the polycast design is actually cool looking, but way to bland for a white car.
    4. I might change the dash panels for black instead of the faux woodgrain, might look a tad sportier. I have a perfect one in my shed.
    1983 Ford Thunderbird Heritage 5.0
    1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 5.0 (Traded)
    1989 Lincoln LSC 5.0 HO (Sold)
    2008 Saab 9-7x Aero 6.0 LS2 (1 of 555)
    2011 Ford Flex SEL (Family Hauler)

  11. #11
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  12. #12
    FEP Power Member MY70GT's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ZephyrEFI View Post
    My eyes can never unsee that car now.... lol

    Its an amazing time capsule, but its atrocious looking in my opinion. Base car, continental trunk kit, v6, hideous carriage roof. The reason that car survived with such low miles, is the original owner was too embarrassed to take it out of the garage......
    1983 Ford Thunderbird Heritage 5.0
    1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 5.0 (Traded)
    1989 Lincoln LSC 5.0 HO (Sold)
    2008 Saab 9-7x Aero 6.0 LS2 (1 of 555)
    2011 Ford Flex SEL (Family Hauler)

  13. #13
    FEP Super Member mustangxtreme's Avatar
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    Welcome back and congrats on your new bird.
    Dave

    If common sense was common wouldn't it just be sense?

    1983 Capri L T top 5.0 efi aod
    1983 Capri RS Turbo
    1981 Black Magic 400 c6
    93 F-250 351 5sp 4x4

  14. #14
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MY70GT View Post
    My eyes can never unsee that car now.... lol

    Its an amazing time capsule, but its atrocious looking in my opinion. Base car, continental trunk kit, v6, hideous carriage roof. The reason that car survived with such low miles, is the original owner was too embarrassed to take it out of the garage......


    Yeow!

    The interchangability betweeen the S shell ( what the first version of the three related Cougar/BraveNew Bird/LSC) has so many interchangable bits. That Hash 7 back is most unfortunate, since the long wheelbase seventh generation Continental were far more than just Fox T birds and Mercury Cougar XR7s cast offs.


    And without further ado, here's the Heaven on the Hash 7 floor verses Brave Bird...S shell's with another 4.2" pumped into the wheelbase to make it a Bigger, Braver 'bird...





    Sorry to photoshop your pictures, MY70GT, but the S shell is the most special of the specialty Foxes...it was its own line, had differentiation, but that Tbird with the 'VII's trunk proves the common finger print. Dagnabbit!

  15. #15
    FEP Member mustang22's Avatar
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    Default

    Cool car. Congrats

  16. #16
    FEP Power Member MY70GT's Avatar
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    Thanks for the positive comments..... Brought the car in for a NY State inspection, had the AC repaired and upgraded to R134, blows icy cold, and fixed a broken smog tube under the car to the Air pump. Drives smoother and quieter now. I am thinking of keeping the Polycast wheels, going wider on the tires 225/60/14 and having them chromed for a really different vintage look. I just don't love 10 holes, phone dials or snow flakes on it, and i love my set of TRX's but tire cost makes them unrealistic.
    1983 Ford Thunderbird Heritage 5.0
    1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 5.0 (Traded)
    1989 Lincoln LSC 5.0 HO (Sold)
    2008 Saab 9-7x Aero 6.0 LS2 (1 of 555)
    2011 Ford Flex SEL (Family Hauler)

  17. #17
    FEP Power Member 83gtstang's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ZephyrEFI View Post
    It's almost as good as this one.

  18. #18
    FEP Power Member MY70GT's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 83gtstang View Post
    It's almost as good as this one.

    Yikes, i hope my Bird is better looking than that! LOL

    image
    Last edited by MY70GT; 08-25-2015 at 08:31 PM.
    1983 Ford Thunderbird Heritage 5.0
    1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 5.0 (Traded)
    1989 Lincoln LSC 5.0 HO (Sold)
    2008 Saab 9-7x Aero 6.0 LS2 (1 of 555)
    2011 Ford Flex SEL (Family Hauler)

  19. #19
    FEP Power Member MY70GT's Avatar
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    Swapped my dash panels for black today. I think it looks way better and sportier with the analog gauges.

    Before:



    After:

    1983 Ford Thunderbird Heritage 5.0
    1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 5.0 (Traded)
    1989 Lincoln LSC 5.0 HO (Sold)
    2008 Saab 9-7x Aero 6.0 LS2 (1 of 555)
    2011 Ford Flex SEL (Family Hauler)

  20. #20
    FEP Power Member 83gtstang's Avatar
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    I like them both, but the wood grain looks natural there. I do like the black, but now the steering wheel needs to be addressed, or at least the horn button to make it just right. Just my opinion.

  21. #21

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    Quote Originally Posted by 83gtstang View Post
    I do like the black, but now the steering wheel needs to be addressed, or at least the horn button to make it just right. Just my opinion.
    That same red wheel with a black center, and with a black grip-wrap on it.

    But don't mess with the wheel that's in there. Get another one to modify, and swap it on.
    '88 Mustang GT convertible, T5, 3.08:1 gears. 5.0 Explobra Jet: A9L Mass Air conversion, Fenderwell Mac cold air intake, 70mm MAF meter = 4.6 T-Bird/Cougar housing + '95 Mustang F2VF-12B579-A1A sensor, aftermarket 70mm throttle body and spacer, Explorer intakes, GT40P heads with Alex's Parts springs and drilled for thermactor, Crane F3ZE-6529-AB 1.7 "Cobra" roller rockers, Ford Racing P50 headers, Mac H-pipe, Magnaflow catback, Walbro 190 LPH fuel pump, UPR firewall adjuster and quadrant with Ford OEM cable, 3G conversion ('95 Mustang V6), Taurus fan, rolled on Rustoleum gloss white paint...
    Past Four Eyes: Red well optioned '82 GT 5.0, Black T-top '81 Capri Black Magic 3.3L 4 speed, Black T-top '84 Capri RS 5.0 5 speed.Over 200,000 miles driven in Four Eyes, and over 350,000 in Fox Body cars.

  22. #22
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    That's fine, but where is the voice syth?

    Quote Originally Posted by xctasy
    I saw an 80 Tbird vid,
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYl-gVCAyJ0

    but despite there being many videos of Chryslers and Datsun Maximas with the set up, no Thunderbirds got the 1984 Fox LTD voice alert.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYGYUtv18Gg

    The door is a jar, alert (the nation needed more lerts)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8SCGhc4AC0
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45fXHSwa0T0

    Now, lets see, I think I could scare the crap out of your dinner date, we'd grab a Nissan system and overdub it with...Vincent Price.....


    Wait, no way, does it have....trip minder? Nyet. Missin a few buttons.


    I still really, really like it tho'

  23. #23
    FEP Power Member MY70GT's Avatar
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    Agreed, i am on the lookout for a black horn center. They pop up on ebay from time to time.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    1983 Ford Thunderbird Heritage 5.0
    1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 5.0 (Traded)
    1989 Lincoln LSC 5.0 HO (Sold)
    2008 Saab 9-7x Aero 6.0 LS2 (1 of 555)
    2011 Ford Flex SEL (Family Hauler)

  24. #24
    FEP Power Member MY70GT's Avatar
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    83/84 Birds had the voice module as an option. My car has a standard clock, i might switch out my tripminder from my flood car if it tests ok. I am thinking of putting my auto dim mirror in also.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    1983 Ford Thunderbird Heritage 5.0
    1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 5.0 (Traded)
    1989 Lincoln LSC 5.0 HO (Sold)
    2008 Saab 9-7x Aero 6.0 LS2 (1 of 555)
    2011 Ford Flex SEL (Family Hauler)

  25. #25
    FEP Power Member MY70GT's Avatar
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    Salvaged from my flood car and repainted





    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    1983 Ford Thunderbird Heritage 5.0
    1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 5.0 (Traded)
    1989 Lincoln LSC 5.0 HO (Sold)
    2008 Saab 9-7x Aero 6.0 LS2 (1 of 555)
    2011 Ford Flex SEL (Family Hauler)

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