1989 Ford Thunderbird SC

Description

When the Thunderbird Super Coupe hit the showrooms, even Mustang guys started looking over their shoulders. And this 28,203 original mile 1989 Thunderbird SC represents the pinnacle of the breed, a car that combines luxury and muscle car performance, all complements of an over-achieving blown V6. Don't knock it until you've tried it!

The aero Thunderbirds were a love-it-or-hate-it proposition, but I, for one, always admired their smooth good looks. Not in-your-face like some performance cars, the Thunderbird was for someone who had outgrown his boy racer instincts but still wanted to turn tires into expensive smoke. This platinum silver T-Bird is subtle, but for those of you who know what it is, it's a very special find. The finish shines up beautifully and the later design is arguably the best of all, with slender headlights, a redesigned front fascia, and modest ground effects that gave the SC a far more substantial look. And for a car that just passed its 25th birthday, it's in really good shape, with clear lenses on the headlights, great black trim that hasn't been baked by the sun, and paint that looks far more expensive than the asking price would suggest. Obviously, this car has always been loved and treated as something special and never used as a daily driver. If you've always wanted one, this is the one to own!

The interior gets a bit more serious about performance as well. Many of the SCs were leather-lined, but if you like driving, you'll quickly realize that the grippy gray fabric is the better choice for curvy roads. The Super Coupe got heavily bolstered power buckets for driver and passenger, and they definitely work to hold you in place. Furthermore, the upholstery looks virtually new with almost no signs of wear, even on the high-traffic side bolsters. Beautiful matching gray carpets and door panels look similarly fresh, again suggesting that this car has been cherished, not simply owned. Everything was standard on the SC, including power windows and locks, A/C, cruise control, and a tilt steering column, and a full array of gauges keep an eye on all the engine's vitals. There's also a decent-sounding premium sound system with CD player, and the 'Bird has a positively giant trunk compared to its Mustang cousins.

The supercharged 3.8 liter V6 delivered V8 grunt that out-performed even the vaunted 5.0 with 315 pounds of torque. This one, however, has an upgraded supercharger with an overdrive pulley, so there's a bit more boost on tap and with the Roots blower, you've got full boost before you can get your foot on the floor. There's an upgraded cam inside, a cold air intake, roller rockers, and a set of custom headers, which all surely add up to a significant power boost over stock and this car definitely feels very fast, even by contemporary standards. Paired with a slick-shifting AOD 4-speed automatic overdrive transmission, the SC is a peerless high-speed cruiser and a formidable car on twisty roads, where the athletic all-independent suspension can really go to work. Add in 4-wheel disc brakes, fat sway bars, and a burbling dual exhaust system, and suddenly this car makes a 5.0 Mustang look pretty basic. Late-model Mustang wheels (factory rims also available) look right and carry fresh 235/55/17 Pirelli performance radials.

Complete with all the original parts to take it back to stock, this is a rare find. For you Ford performance guys who grew up in the '80s and early '90s, you know this is a special car. Everyone else, take notice, because this big blown 'Bird is the biggest performance bang for the buck in our showroom. Call now!