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1983 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe - Last 22 Years In Garage on 2040-cars

Year:1983 Mileage:76418 Color: Black /
 Charcoal
Location:

Saint Charles, Illinois, United States

Saint Charles, Illinois, United States
Transmission:5-speed manual
Engine:Turbocharged 2.3 litre 4
Vehicle Title:Clear
VIN: 1FABP46W1DH122371 Year: 1983
Exterior Color: Black
Make: Ford
Interior Color: Charcoal
Model: Thunderbird
Trim: Turbo Coupe
Warranty: As is
Drive Type: RWD
Options: Cassette Player
Mileage: 76,418
Safety Features: Driver Airbag
Sub Model: Turbo Coupe
Power Options: Cruise Control
Condition: UsedA vehicle is considered used if it has been registered and issued a title. Used vehicles have had at least one previous owner. The condition of the exterior, interior and engine can vary depending on the vehicle's history. See the seller's listing for full details and description of any imperfections.Seller Notes:"This car has been sitting in a garage for 22 years. It has not been started since 1991, when it ran well, but was parked after springing a coolant leak that I didn't get around to fixing. It suffered hail damage in 1986 that was repaired, but couple of dimples have reappeared. The engine was replaced at 53,146 miles with a factory remanufactured engine after the head gasket failed in the original. The tires are nearly 25 years old, and not safe to drive on."

This car was one of the first Turbo Coupes to be on the road.  The 1983 Thunderbird, with it's very aerodynamic body caught people's eyes.  Halfway into the model year, the Turbo Coupe grabbed their attention with it's turbo-charged motor, 5-speed manual transmission, and limited-slip differential.  All Thunderbirds were nice riding cars.  The Turbo Coupes were nice driving cars.

I bought this car new in Dallas, TX on May 26, 1983.  It is from the very first production run of Turbo Coupes.
Like most of those first Turbo Coupes, it sit and draw traffic into the dealer's showroom.  I blew the plan apart.  I was getting my car fixed when  the Turbo Coupe arrived in a shipment of new cars.  I asked for a test drive before they got it off the truck, and we took a very entertaining ride in the un-prepped bird.  I bought the car on the spot.  Unfortunately, the owner didn't take kindly to losing his traffic draw and fired the salesman.

I couldn't part with the T-bird when I bought my next car.   When it sprang a coolant leak, I parked up against the wall in my garage, meaning to fix it.  It sat there 22 years.  Now we need to move and I can't take it with me.

Warning: This car hasn't been started in 22 years. Please don't try to start it without taking the appropriate steps.

Notes:

I blew the head gasket after 56,000 miles. Instead of replacing the gasket, I replaced the engine with a factory rebuilt.
The car was in a hailstorm in 1996. The damage was repaired, but a couple of dimples reappeared.
The paint on the passenger side of the trunklid is damaged. The rest looks pretty good, especially for a 30 year old car.
The tires are nearly 25 years old. You will not want to try driving on them. 

Fun note: I tried the inflatable lumbar support on the passenger seat and it works.  Didn't try the driver's side.
It still has the original space-saver spare, but I don't know if it will hold air after all these years.
Car includes the original owner's manual.



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Toyota, Ford and Honda again top Consumer Reports Car-Brand Perception Survey

Fri, 01 Feb 2013

Consumer Reports has released its annual Car-Brand Perception Survey, and the list looks awfully familiar. The top six brands are identical to last year's results, with Toyota, Ford and Honda continuing to occupy the podium. All told, Toyota walked away with 133 points, putting it 15 ahead of second-place Ford. Honda jumped 26 points this year, narrowing Ford's lead to just four points in total.
Consumer Reports polls buyers from across the country on how they see multiple brands in seven categories, including quality, safety, value, performance, design/style, technology/innovation and environmentally friendly/green. Researchers then combine the findings to come up with the total brand score.
While value and performance remain important to buyers, CR found quality and safety are still on top when it comes to significance. Scion and Mitsubishi found themselves at the bottom of the pack with the worst score of all, tied at just six points. Ram, Fiat and Mini filled out the lowest five with scores of seven, eight and 10 points, respectively. You can read the full press release below for more information, or head over to the Consumer Reports site.

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Sat, May 16 2015

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Mon, Apr 7 2014

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