Pics of the door tag, buck tag, and emissions tag are in my gallery. If you click on them they will blow up real big.
Pics of the door tag, buck tag, and emissions tag are in my gallery. If you click on them they will blow up real big.
'79 Indy pace car T-top
'81 Cobra
'81 Cobra T-top
'82 Mustang GT T-top
'87 Corvette
'10 Mustang GT Convertible
'17 F250
'17 Landrover Discovery Sport
Damn...there it is, plain as day, 15A. Cobra and N/A 4 banger. O_o
But I think A is the same code for the turbo-4...
'79 Indy pace car T-top
'81 Cobra
'81 Cobra T-top
'82 Mustang GT T-top
'87 Corvette
'10 Mustang GT Convertible
'17 F250
'17 Landrover Discovery Sport
My '80 Cobra has a 2.3T and has a A engine code in the vin but a T code on the buck tag. My '80 service manual lists the T code as a 2.3L turbocharged.
02/81 = scheduled build date
1FA = FoMoCo, USA
B = manual seatbelts
P = passenger car
15 = three-door hatchback
A = 2.3L engine, non-turbocharged
3 = check digit
B = 1981 model year
F = Dearborn, MI assembly plant
181399 = unit number
3L 1C = Dark Blue Metallic exterior w/ Lower Tu-Tone Paint Treatment
15 = New York DSO
61R = three-door hatchback
TB = Wedgewood Blue interior w/ Recaro seating
7 = AM/FM stereo w/ cassette
F = 3.45:1 rear axle ratio w/ open differential
5 = five-speed manual transmission
V = D8BZ-5310-AS front coil springs
G = D9BZ-5560-L rear coil springs
MUSTANG = model
181399 = unit number
61R = three-door hatchback
A = 2.3L engine, non-turbocharged
066n = assembly line rotation number
3L = Dark Blue Metallic exterior
TT = Lower Tu-Tone Paint Treatment
DF = ?
ST = ?
LL = liftgate/rear hatchback louvers
08 = full-length, rear facing hood scoop
HB = heated back glass/rear defrost
S = speed/cruise control
CBR = Cobra option package
07 = full-length hood 'scoop'
V = light group
S = ?
B = Wedgewood Blue interior
Last edited by FoxChassis; 01-26-2011 at 08:41 AM.
So there it is again. Some sources show the "A" as turbo charged and some dont. However the emissions tag on the underside of the hood shows info for an N/A engine.
'79 Indy pace car T-top
'81 Cobra
'81 Cobra T-top
'82 Mustang GT T-top
'87 Corvette
'10 Mustang GT Convertible
'17 F250
'17 Landrover Discovery Sport
OK here is what I can find about engine codes:
1979:
4cyl = Y
4cyl turbo = W
1980:
4cyl= A
4cyl turbo = T
1981
4cyl = A
(no listing for a turbo engine code)
However some of the other books I have list "A" as the engine code for '80 and '81 whether or not it is an NA or turbo 4 cyl
'79 Indy pace car T-top
'81 Cobra
'81 Cobra T-top
'82 Mustang GT T-top
'87 Corvette
'10 Mustang GT Convertible
'17 F250
'17 Landrover Discovery Sport
From pg 42 of the Fox-Body Mustang Recognition Guide:
I was thinking pace cars on the W code and didn't consider they'd change year to year like that.It should be noted that showroom brochures and dealer information indicated continued availability of the venerable 2.3 liter turbocharged four. However, we could find no evidence of the engine actually being utilized in 1981. Periodicals of the time indicated the engine was discontinuted due to reliability issues.
I also heard that the turbo was eliminated for '81 but I'm almost positive that I've seen one.
I guess the base engine for the '81 Cobras was the 255 V8 although I never knew the NA 4cyl was optional. It makes me wonder if there are any sixes out there.
'79 Indy pace car T-top
'81 Cobra
'81 Cobra T-top
'82 Mustang GT T-top
'87 Corvette
'10 Mustang GT Convertible
'17 F250
'17 Landrover Discovery Sport
'81 Ford Mustang dealer sales brochure (dated 08/80):
http://foureyedpride.com/fep_bild/al...1m10_11?full=1
http://foureyedpride.com/fep_bild/album26/81m13?full=1
Standard engine was the 2.3T.
Now, when did the 2.3T became unavailable? Is there a revised sales brochure? Other factory literature? Does any of it show the Cobra Option package available with engines other than the 2.3T and the 4.2L?
The same book says the engine code for the turbo in 1980 was 'w' as well so maybe there's a mistake or two in it.
As far as I can tell, the fox recognition guide is wrong about W being the code for 2.3Ts in 1980. We have 7 1980 turbo cars in the registry, all have the engine code "A". As for 1981, I'm not sure.
Chris Lott
'81 Cobra T-Top - Black
'85 Dominator GT - Black, 24k miles
'85 Predator GT302R #150R - Light Regatta Blue
'85 Predator GT302 Convertible #119 - White w/blue stripes For Sale
'86 Texas DPS Mustang (Unit # unknown) - undergoing resto
There are mistakes in every book I have. People have pointed out plenty of mistakes in the Fox-Body Mustang Recognition Guide.
Canada continued the Turbo. The 81-82 brochures still listed it so I am pretty sure 81 would have it.
-Mike
Did the 81-82's (Canadian or otherwise) have the 'turbocharged' badge on the bezel above the dash?
I used to have an 80 Capri that was neutered to NA before I got it but it still had the badging.
With the trouble that people had with turbos when the cars were new, what are the chances that the dealer removed the turbo and sold it as N/A?
Chris Lott
'81 Cobra T-Top - Black
'85 Dominator GT - Black, 24k miles
'85 Predator GT302R #150R - Light Regatta Blue
'85 Predator GT302 Convertible #119 - White w/blue stripes For Sale
'86 Texas DPS Mustang (Unit # unknown) - undergoing resto
I have a turbo Fairmont , a turbo Capri and a M81 turbo mustang Mclaren all have (A) for the engine code.
Another note, check and see if it has a 8K tach, so far all the turbo cars I have seen have it.
Kendal
So what do I have here then? Everything when you are looking at the car points to an N/A engine originally. 6k tach, no turbocharged emblem, emissions sticker on the hood for an NA engine, it has an NA wiring harness under the hood (turbo ones look completely different). The radiator and shroud are just the basic stock 4cyl ones. I cant see someone going through the trouble of swapping something like that in. Everything under the hood looks completely stock. I just dont see this as a possible engine swap car...
Maybe if I can find the VIN stamping in the block and compare it to the car?
Also, what would the engine code be for just a standard 4cyl in '81 if not A?
'79 Indy pace car T-top
'81 Cobra
'81 Cobra T-top
'82 Mustang GT T-top
'87 Corvette
'10 Mustang GT Convertible
'17 F250
'17 Landrover Discovery Sport
Hmmmm... this is an interesting post: http://vb.foureyedpride.com/showpost...7&postcount=46
'79 Indy pace car T-top
'81 Cobra
'81 Cobra T-top
'82 Mustang GT T-top
'87 Corvette
'10 Mustang GT Convertible
'17 F250
'17 Landrover Discovery Sport
If you read the product fact book carefully for 1981....
http://www.ascmclarencoupe.com/Liter...Book%20010.jpg
Technically it does not rule out the 4cyl NA engine IF you get it with a standard transmission.
4cyl na w/automatic = unavailable with cobra
6cyl = unavailable w/cobra
8cyl = standard w/cobra
4cyl na w/standard = ????????????/
Also in the fact book, the 255 v8 requires the automatic transmission?
And the 4cyl Turbo engine was not even listed as an option????
-Mike
So if you wanted a stick shift Cobra....you HAD to get the 4cyl NA engine.
-Mike
Connect With Us