1983 Ford Thunderbird | Retro Review

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  • Опубликовано: 14 июн 2024
  • The '83 T-Bird changed the rules of what a modern American car should look like, and readied the world for the Taurus a few years later.
    Show 218 | Original Airdate 03-15-1983
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Комментарии • 326

  • @dodgeguyz
    @dodgeguyz Месяц назад +87

    This car looked so futuristic at the time. Still has nice lines today!

    • @michaelhungate7506
      @michaelhungate7506 29 дней назад +6

      It sure did. I remember my History teacher had his brand new 83 TBird. It was sharp and the first hint at thier aerodynamic look of the Taurus for 86. Aircraft style door seals, the look was perfect.

    • @nolimitsnuttbusts4u
      @nolimitsnuttbusts4u 29 дней назад +4

      ​@@michaelhungate7506 Those aircraft style door seals were a big deal for Ford Lincoln-Mercury. Most vehicles adopted that later on.

    • @KenanTurkiye
      @KenanTurkiye 28 дней назад +3

      This and ones like these were the design epitome of what a 'car' was, remember all the diecast toys, they were almost like this.
      This boxy design needs to make a comeback, you rock 83 Thunderbird!

    • @KenanTurkiye
      @KenanTurkiye 28 дней назад +4

      ....and yes I would go back to the 80's if I could. : )

    • @nolimitsnuttbusts4u
      @nolimitsnuttbusts4u 27 дней назад +2

      @@KenanTurkiye I really like the 2nd generation of this body style too

  • @matthewjones12181
    @matthewjones12181 29 дней назад +25

    There is a kid in our town who has an 83 Thunderbird that his Dad bought new. His end goal is to completely restore it. It's a cool looking car still.

  • @TJDST4
    @TJDST4 Месяц назад +47

    John Davis, *I'm* glad *you're* with us.

    • @adamn7516
      @adamn7516 26 дней назад +1

      Yup his voice as been in my ears since I was 15 years old back in the mid 80's. He has followed us Gen X'rs from our teen years all the way into our middle age and beyond. Amazing that over 40 years later he is still not only with us but still doing the same thing.

  • @landyachtfan79
    @landyachtfan79 29 дней назад +22

    It's hard to believe that such a beautiful & clean design is now 41 years old!!!!! Still looks just as modern today as it did back then.

    • @patrickmcgoldrick8234
      @patrickmcgoldrick8234 21 день назад +1

      I agree,the Cougars roof rear styling in my opinion didn't do that car any favors,I think the cougar could have been a good looking car if they would have used the Thunderbirds roof.I think Ford made a good move with the styling of the T-Bird,it was bold and with a look that was far from common at the time.

    • @JK-dp3lp
      @JK-dp3lp 6 дней назад +1

      As much as I like the TBird I dislike the Cougar, the rear roof and windows are awful.

  • @stankymcgee6742
    @stankymcgee6742 29 дней назад +55

    I bought an '83 5.0L car with 93K last May for $500. It's my summer daily-driver. Quiet, powerful-enough, and comfy. The CFI still functions flawlessly, AC works, and the AOD transmission is perfect.
    Great car!

    • @johnnysalazar5399
      @johnnysalazar5399 29 дней назад +17

      A this point, we're better off with older cars, these new cars are expensive crap that break down after 3 months. I have a 95 buick roadmaster lt1 and it's powerful and comfy and the ac is icy cold 🥶 😎

    • @jamesedmonds9946
      @jamesedmonds9946 26 дней назад +1

      Bought a 84 cougar in 94 for 900 that had custom rims that costed like 2k at the time. Drove it for 3 years till I totaled it. It was about time for a new car anyways cause I never changed the oil. Sold the car for like 250 for scrap and the rims for 500... rinse and repeat. I had never paid over 2k for a vehicle except in the n past 10 years. But always wished I would of kept the first car I ever bought and just drove it all my life. Miss that 71 dodge dart with no brakes I paid 300 for in 93... that drove... bought a 2019 Hyundai for 22k in 2019. It got vandalized and costed 9k to fix. Then three months later the motor was knocking. Got rid of it and just bought an old Ford truck for 3k and still going after 5 years...

    • @hankwilliams-hx9ww
      @hankwilliams-hx9ww 22 дня назад +1

      Just be prepared to do things like fuel lines or the tank, and the catalytic converters. All the rubber trim on the car as well. When you take a car that is 40 something years old with only 90,000 mi on it and then you start driving it daily it's going to start having problems. Maybe not at first but eventually. Just be prepared to put a few more Grand into it.

    • @jamesedmonds9946
      @jamesedmonds9946 22 дня назад

      @hankwilliams-hx9ww my next car will be older. I'm tired of newer vehicles and expensive hard to solve problems. I'd take any old car I used to have over these newer ones and regret treating them as disposable.

    • @johnnysalazar5399
      @johnnysalazar5399 22 дня назад

      @hankwilliams-hx9ww the thing with most older cars is that they are more easier to fix than the newer cars and parts are cheaper

  • @jralphroman
    @jralphroman Месяц назад +55

    Growing up in New York I can tell you this was the vehicle of choice for any Bronx pimp

  • @matthewhirsch2306
    @matthewhirsch2306 Месяц назад +44

    My dad's uncle still has his 83 Thunderbird in the garage. It's hardly been driven since he bought it brand new & still has the original tires.

    • @KartKing4ever
      @KartKing4ever 29 дней назад +2

      Of all of the cars to save like that, doing that with one of these was definitely a waste.

    • @matthewhirsch2306
      @matthewhirsch2306 29 дней назад +1

      ​@KartKing4ever I could probably at least somewhat agree. I think it's been about give or take around several years since my great uncle drove the car. Yet he hasn't really considered selling it off still. If the car ain't used in some years it can be still an interest to someone who wants to buy it & get some work done being restored & etc.

    • @joemcdonough7509
      @joemcdonough7509 29 дней назад +3

      You should reach out to Doug Demuro! He'd want to drive that and make a video.

    • @matthewhirsch2306
      @matthewhirsch2306 29 дней назад

      @@joemcdonough7509 as I mentioned, the car belongs to my great uncle. At this point he's probably going to leave it to his sons if not one of them. Besides I won't hold my breath he would have even a small amount of consideration to sell the car.

    • @milfordcivic6755
      @milfordcivic6755 29 дней назад

      Why live vicariously through your father's relatives?

  • @compu85
    @compu85 29 дней назад +20

    I always liked the studio glamour shot sequences of the early episodes.

  • @thethomasj1795
    @thethomasj1795 28 дней назад +10

    These cars were everywhere. The Turbo Coupe with the manual tranny was the best version of this car. It handled amazing. I had the 86' LSC and it is still a top 5 favorite of mine all these years later.

  • @user-sk1eh3pg6j
    @user-sk1eh3pg6j Месяц назад +42

    Some people call this car ugly. They have never taken a look at GM, Chrysler or foreign automaker's 1983 lineup apparently. And stop crying about the power. None of you were around when it was new. Those who bought it new had no complaints. Torque trumps horsepower. Small wheels, lightweight body & an extra gear in the transmission means it doesn't need alot of power especially when speed limits were 55mph.

    • @akshonclip
      @akshonclip 29 дней назад +3

      Exactly. You look at the 83/84 Chrysler K cars and the difference is night and day.

    • @anthonyrowland9072
      @anthonyrowland9072 29 дней назад +3

      @@akshonclipPeople love the GM G-bodies but I always thought they looked corny. The new Thunderbird looked like a modern car, not a 70s holdover.

    • @nolimitsnuttbusts4u
      @nolimitsnuttbusts4u 29 дней назад +2

      ​@@anthonyrowland9072The G bodies were decent but they don't look proportionately correct. They're too short. Ford Lincoln-Mercury stretched the Thunderbird, Cougar and Mark VII properly.

    • @randallbates9020
      @randallbates9020 28 дней назад +2

      Hmmm I was around when this was new, 19 in fact. We as motorheads laughed at first but a speed shop had 2 and they geared the rear end better and put a small cam in with polished and ported heads and dual exhaust... Quite impressive I must say. Heck my 1983 GT Mustang with its tremec 5 speed is still a joy to drive to this very day although as I am about to be 60 I don't push the envelope like I used to... Lol... Keep those insurance rates down.

    • @user-sk1eh3pg6j
      @user-sk1eh3pg6j 28 дней назад

      @@randallbates9020 With a body that can be taken apart and put back together tightly with a screwdriver and 130hp on tap insurance was definitely cheap on these lol. I remember asking my insurance carrier a long time ago why is my insurance on my Taurus GL cheap and so expensive on my Taurus SHO. Same body basically. They said the horsepower difference. Idek want to know how high insurance is on new cars today.

  • @michaelfolino8414
    @michaelfolino8414 29 дней назад +10

    My mother bought a brand new1985 Turbo Coupe 5 speed and loved it so much she kept it until 1996. All I remember is that is was amazing on gas and my friends loved riding in it on the rare occasion she'd pick me up after school.

    • @justme307
      @justme307 29 дней назад +3

      The early turbo coupes without intercooler were reasonably quick cars, mid-8 to 60 and mid-16 in the 1/4-mile were nothing to sneeze at back then.

    • @thethomasj1795
      @thethomasj1795 28 дней назад

      @@justme307 Those cars had a lot of boost!

  • @2Kriss2Kross
    @2Kriss2Kross Месяц назад +30

    What a radical car for ‘83, especially compared to the dowdy previous gen which looked like a 70’s T-Bird that was left in the dryer for too long. A lot of people credit the Taurus for Ford US’s Aero revamp but this was 3 years ahead of that. Would love to have one of these or its Mercury or Lincoln cousin.

    • @nolimitsnuttbusts4u
      @nolimitsnuttbusts4u 29 дней назад +3

      Tbird/Cougar & Tempo/Topaz set the stage for Taurus/Sable to bring us modern day aerodynamics as we know it.

    • @indianasunsets5738
      @indianasunsets5738 29 дней назад +1

      Agreed. The T-Bird was the first real aero design out the gate in that era.

    • @donaldwilson2620
      @donaldwilson2620 29 дней назад +2

      I would also credit the European Ford Sierra for the aero trend as well. It was sold as the Merkur XR4TI in the U.S.

    • @nolimitsnuttbusts4u
      @nolimitsnuttbusts4u 29 дней назад

      @@donaldwilson2620 Right, but not in 1983 in US.

    • @anthonyrowland9072
      @anthonyrowland9072 29 дней назад +2

      We weren't a Ford family but they killed it with the thunderbird and the taurus in the 80s.

  • @bluemax2491
    @bluemax2491 29 дней назад +6

    Have always loved this body style! It was cutting edge for Ford. Loved watching Motor Week as well!

  • @stevenlang918
    @stevenlang918 Месяц назад +8

    My parents have one exactly the same color, same wheels except I believe it was called heritage, fully equipped

  • @blairbrown4812
    @blairbrown4812 Месяц назад +8

    0:10
    This was probably around the time that we start to see the John Davis that we know and love today.

    • @adamn7516
      @adamn7516 26 дней назад

      Yup the show started in 1981 I believe and the show and Jon as host still with us 43 years later. And Pat Goss as well until he passed 2 years ago.

  • @bln3576
    @bln3576 8 дней назад

    I have an 84 T-Bird. 5.0 loaded, digital dash, power rear antenna, LED headlights and no rust anywhere. 17,000 miles. A real head turner today and fun to drive.

  • @SP84Fanatic
    @SP84Fanatic 29 дней назад +4

    This model was quite the dramatic improvement over the 1980-82 Thunderbird. Its styling was unique and modern, yet it still carried heritage cues from previous models. Also, it helped pave the way for more aerodynamic cars in the U.S. over the next several years.

  • @kevinbarry71
    @kevinbarry71 Месяц назад +111

    Thank goodness it had an ashtray in the back; you wouldn't want your kids ashing their cigarettes on the carpet

    • @kruzininla
      @kruzininla Месяц назад +9

      Lol

    • @blairbrown4812
      @blairbrown4812 Месяц назад +18

      Mock if you must, but with marijuana sales on the rise and on the verge of becoming more mainstream, I'm confident that the ashtray is due 4 a comeback

    • @user-sk1eh3pg6j
      @user-sk1eh3pg6j Месяц назад +16

      This was back when adults rode in backseat.

    • @akshonclip
      @akshonclip 29 дней назад +6

      @@blairbrown4812That’s like saying car manufacturers should install beer holders. Ffs 🤦‍♂️

    • @robertsmith1768
      @robertsmith1768 29 дней назад +9

      @@akshonclipthat’s not a bad idea.

  • @georgeprotopapadakis4752
    @georgeprotopapadakis4752 28 дней назад +2

    My mom bought a brand new one in ‘84 and my grandma drove it for a while when I was a kid. Still remember those heavy ass doors lol

  • @Real-CB-News
    @Real-CB-News Месяц назад +9

    I loved mine! Only thing this car was missing was a proper 5.0L under the hood. The TBI 5.0 was weak sauce. Overall, this was a very nice auto, and great on the highway

    • @RobertSmith-le8wp
      @RobertSmith-le8wp 29 дней назад +4

      Perhaps not fast but still a great engine. To be honest I’ll take the weak understressed engine. I have a 1994 F150 with the 5.0 and it’s got 320,000 and still going strong, whereas my Dads 2012 King Ranch blew the engine at 95,000 despite him babying it and changed the oil at 4,000 miles. It actually cracked 4 pistons. He specifically got that over the 3.5 ecoboost because people told him it would be more reliable

    • @Real-CB-News
      @Real-CB-News 29 дней назад +4

      @@RobertSmith-le8wp
      Copy that. The 302 is practically bulletproof and totally reliable. Ford missed the market by not offering a H.O. Mustang 5.0L version of that engine in the T-bird in a higher trim level.
      My only other gripe with the car was the rims (just like the T-bird in the video) were difficult to keep clean because brake dust accumulated in the tiny nooks and crannies. Some 16" alloy Mustang rims would alleviate that tho

    • @nolimitsnuttbusts4u
      @nolimitsnuttbusts4u 29 дней назад +3

      Nobody complained about it back then and if you ordered one new you wouldn't complain either.

  • @user-li7mk1qo1k
    @user-li7mk1qo1k Месяц назад +17

    The worlds fastest racecar. Bill Elliott really helped NASCAR expand with his exploits in the Coors T-Bird

    • @Real-CB-News
      @Real-CB-News 29 дней назад +9

      Bob Glidden did well with his T-bird in Pro Stock in the early '80s

    • @GoonSquadLifeMember
      @GoonSquadLifeMember 29 дней назад +2

      "Awesome Bill from Dawsonville!" (Georgia).

    • @tmklunk
      @tmklunk 29 дней назад

      Just think how fast it would be with a real race car driver!

    • @robertauvil5451
      @robertauvil5451 28 дней назад

      G

  • @arnesahlen2704
    @arnesahlen2704 5 дней назад

    I had and loved a (bought used) base-level 1980 Thunderbird, but I remember the amazement with this new design's début. Together the two eras symbolized past and future.

  • @williammaceri8244
    @williammaceri8244 29 дней назад +1

    I've been a Ford man since 1966 when my oldest brother brought home a new Mustang, maybe even before that. I had this thing for big Country Squire and Colony Park wagons, and ever since I was old enough to notice cars, at 5 years old I have loved the styling of the 1959 model year Fords. Both sedans and wagons, the 59 Fords have been in my top 5 all-time favorites. Depending on what I happen to be into, my top 5 is kinda fluid, but it always includes the 59s, oh, and the 1969 Mach Is. I actually owned one for over 35 years and I wish I still had it. I love everything about the 69 Mach I. Sometimes I would just sit and stare at it, from every angle, and that includes the interior too. Then there's the Thunderbirds. There are things I love about every generation. I owned a 1970, a 2 door fastback, 428 4 barrel carburetor that could only get 8 mpg, with a tail wind. From it's Bunkie beak,it's ultra cool taillights with sequential turn indicators and it's fantastic interior, in my opinion the best word to describe it is gorgeous, but not a good car to own during the 1973 oil crisis. At the time, I still had the Mach I, needless to say I spent way too much time in gas lines. I also love the 74 through 76 "glamor birds. They are the same car as the Lincoln Mark IVs.Yes they are huge, but very beautiful. In 1984 I came very close to buying a 84 TurboCoupe, but at the time I was an IBM Customer Engineer which was a field position and my territory was West Los Angeles, one of the most heaviest and traffic areas in L.A. and the TurboCoupe only came with a manual transmission. That would not be a good fit for a car with a clutch so I went with an 84 Mustang with an automatic transmission. It was a black on black hatchback, and it had a 4.6 V8. I drove the wheels off of that little Stang, it turned out to be a good territory car. Today I'm retired and I have a 2008 Explorer, 4.0 V6. My first car that isn't a V8 and I love it. It's my second Explorer, my first was a 97 Eddie Bauer with the 5.0 V8. It was black with medium prerrie leather interior. It had the 15 inch chrome factory wheels. I had all the gold Eddie Bauer trim painted black and it was always the best looking Explorer around. I got compliments about how it looked and the great sounding exhaust of the 5.0. I loved that Explorer. It was very reliable and comfortable, it had every available option including ATC. It had over 200,000 trouble free miles on it when it was jacked from in front of my house and I never saw it again. So, after reading this article on the 83 Thunderbird, I definitely felt a stirring. Maybe I should try to find one. Thanks for a great review!,

  • @pmafterdark
    @pmafterdark 29 дней назад +3

    Love these 80's retro reviews.

  • @rickreid81
    @rickreid81 29 дней назад +2

    My family had one one these this the V8. What an amazing & fun car it was.

  • @smithraymond09029
    @smithraymond09029 27 дней назад +1

    My neighbor across the street still daily drives her 1984 T-bird.

  • @DRH-dr8fw
    @DRH-dr8fw 23 дня назад

    I owned 3 Turbo Coupes, '83, '86 and '87...all were great cars! I especially liked the '87 with 195 HP intercooled turbo. Put over 225K miles on it with no major issues and would've gone further but got rear-ended one day. I loved these cars!

  • @mega-hb4re
    @mega-hb4re 21 день назад +2

    Beautiful car, specially the sport model with the 5.0 engine

  • @Underappreciatedclassics
    @Underappreciatedclassics 29 дней назад +5

    These are getting so rare!

    • @thewiseguy3529
      @thewiseguy3529 29 дней назад +1

      They've been rare, since about 1990

    • @624radicalham
      @624radicalham 27 дней назад

      Junkyards were full of them in 1990

  • @robertdiehl9003
    @robertdiehl9003 29 дней назад +1

    Top class car back in the day. Beautiful styling with new inovations especially the 84 Cougar digital dash. Solidly built.

  • @Porsche996driver
    @Porsche996driver 25 дней назад

    This new Thunderbird was quite a big deal in 1983! They borrowed a bit of the 635 design and 3 engine choices including a Turbo 4! And that suspension was really tight like a Mustang. This car carried Ford in a new technical and design direction until the ‘90s! Thanks John! ✨

  • @cowboydiecastracing
    @cowboydiecastracing 25 дней назад

    Wow! Nice time capsule! Love the retro review videos! Great job!

  • @thunderray1987
    @thunderray1987 22 дня назад

    Absolutely beautiful Thunderbird! I love the '83-'88 Aero Birds as much as the '80-'82 boxy Birds.

  • @TheEasyeman
    @TheEasyeman 29 дней назад +2

    I had an 83 or 85 5.0 in teal green. Great car

  • @averytulak
    @averytulak 29 дней назад

    Such a sweet ride!
    I swear every single time I see one of these pop up. I watch it right away. The retro soundtrack!!

  • @mumwifeteacher
    @mumwifeteacher 29 дней назад +1

    10 years ahead of its time. Ford was very innovative in the 80”s.

  • @john_barnett
    @john_barnett 29 дней назад +1

    6:03 I love the ABS built into the chassis instead of a separate unit

  • @lukasfoster7515
    @lukasfoster7515 29 дней назад +2

    My grandparents had two of these. One gold and one white.

  • @michaelsimko7694
    @michaelsimko7694 21 день назад

    My favorite generation of the Thunderbird. Those Aerobirds were a big step forward in the auto industry and are said to have been the prime vehicle that led to the successful Taurus/Sable.

  • @philarob80
    @philarob80 29 дней назад +1

    The test driver in the slalom test was definitely throwing his ENTIRE body into those turns

  • @ChrisSmith-hx8km
    @ChrisSmith-hx8km 23 дня назад

    Many of the features touted as revolutionary on the 86 Taurus were found here first. A great reminder of that. Doors integrated with roof design and aerodynamic styling.

  • @johnmoosey8173
    @johnmoosey8173 21 день назад

    Loved that T bird generation....the 80s were the best

  • @rocknewtonfilsterwilly7364
    @rocknewtonfilsterwilly7364 29 дней назад +1

    I loved my 86 turbo coupe. That 4 cylinder would smoke many v8 chevys. Lowest rear end gear ratio of any production car at the time, might still be for all i know. This body style still holds the track record at Talladega set in 1987 by Bill Elliott.

  • @daviddaniel387
    @daviddaniel387 20 дней назад +1

    I remember Valine driving one on Knots landing

  • @TrailBlazerSS502
    @TrailBlazerSS502 29 дней назад +2

    It ate up the NASCAR circuit within its debut; look what it did for Stroker Ace.

  • @denniswoodbury8599
    @denniswoodbury8599 29 дней назад

    That's the most aggressive slalom testing I've ever seen from Motor Week and that T-Bird really held its own.

  • @djp1234
    @djp1234 29 дней назад +1

    This guy has been reviewing cars longer than I've been alive.

  • @jackjohnson7396
    @jackjohnson7396 29 дней назад

    Had one with the eight for a few months where I worked at the time. Liked it no issues, cool car back then....

  • @dbddecosta
    @dbddecosta Месяц назад +6

    Whys it always winter in MD in the 80s?

    • @MachtNixPasstSo
      @MachtNixPasstSo 27 дней назад

      These were the days before climate change was invented.

    • @624radicalham
      @624radicalham 27 дней назад

      Global Warming. Climate Change ...

  • @oi32df
    @oi32df 29 дней назад +1

    The 87 -88 is the best looking one with their grill less facia and flush windows & headlight

  • @user-yc2oz8kc5k
    @user-yc2oz8kc5k 9 дней назад

    I remember how sensational these cars looked back in the day. Can't believe that was more than 40 years ago today.

  • @markaruski
    @markaruski 29 дней назад +1

    Oh spread your wings and fly again sweet sweet Ford Thunderbird

  • @joebrito2066
    @joebrito2066 15 дней назад

    This car looked futuristic back in the 80s.

  • @Douglas-up2vh
    @Douglas-up2vh 29 дней назад +1

    I was born in 1962. Owned 34 .vehicles. Many Fords. 4 crown vics. Had a 1988 Thunderbird 5.0 and 1987 Mercury Cougar. They were beautiful cars and rode like a dream. God I miss the old days so much. Love this RUclips series. Thank you so much for the memories.

    • @transparentcourts6748
      @transparentcourts6748 29 дней назад

      My father had a year old Thunerbird every year from 1959 to 1982. ( He represented a Ford dealer who ordered a new black, fully loaded one and he got his old one ) He didn't like the '83 and switched to Porsche.

    • @armandodimarzio1136
      @armandodimarzio1136 29 дней назад

      You miss being young

  • @billp5656
    @billp5656 23 дня назад

    This body style allowed Bill Elliott to set an all time qualifying speed over 212mph

  • @rushbroussard5399
    @rushbroussard5399 29 дней назад +6

    Ford Needs To Bring Back The Thunderbird Not The Thunderbird Retro Roadster But The Thunderbird Look From 1983

    • @bluemax2491
      @bluemax2491 29 дней назад +4

      Agreed! But they won't now because it's all about butt ugly SUV's & Crossovers!

    • @rushbroussard5399
      @rushbroussard5399 29 дней назад

      @bluemax2491 Ford Needs To Bring Back The Thunderbird Because The Mustang Is Getting Dominated By The Chevrolet Camaro And The Chevrolet Corvette And It Is Because Of Suv And Crossover It Is Because Of Suv's And Truck's

    • @moejr1974
      @moejr1974 29 дней назад

      @@rushbroussard5399 Mustang is outselling the Camaro

    • @rushbroussard5399
      @rushbroussard5399 29 дней назад

      @moejr1974 The Mustang Is Outselling The Camaro But The Corvette Is Outselling The Mustang And That Is Why Ford Needs To Bring Back The Thunderbird When Ford Has Introduced The Thunderbird It Has Outselled The Corvette And Sense Then Ford Has Dominated Chevrolet

    • @nolimitsnuttbusts4u
      @nolimitsnuttbusts4u 29 дней назад

      Just because the Mustang outsells the Camaro doesn't mean it's better. Mustang has always outsold Camaro but it wasn't always better. Mustangs are for female drivers Camaros are for men. Tell me I'm wrong? Lmao

  • @danwake4431
    @danwake4431 27 дней назад

    i had two 84 cougars, one with the V6 and one with the 302 V8. Very comfortable however the footwells were quite narrow. I then had a 94 and it was much more comfortable and roomy inside than the 84s. Still, I really loved the era of 2 door personal luxury coupes, since i also had 2 Cutlass Supremes, an 84 and an 87. I miss that era.

  • @AwesomeEricD
    @AwesomeEricD 22 дня назад

    I still want one

  • @anthonysaturno8265
    @anthonysaturno8265 28 дней назад

    A beautiful car!!

  • @samueldeandrade9058
    @samueldeandrade9058 18 дней назад

    Bela máquina até hoje sou aqui do Brasil abraços

  • @joec1774
    @joec1774 29 дней назад +2

    Well designed car, especially for the era. Except, I suppose, for that rear-wheel hop. Honestly 21 MPG overall for this performance (relative to the day and age of course), seems pretty decent. Sticker price in 2024 dollars also feels reasonable at $42,000.

    • @nolimitsnuttbusts4u
      @nolimitsnuttbusts4u 29 дней назад

      It got stellar mpg because it can only burn so much fuel at 130hp. High torque low rpm does wonders for mpg. That's a concept people can't seem to grasp today. Everything is all about horsepower and 0 to 60 smh lol

  • @mychemicalbromance97
    @mychemicalbromance97 29 дней назад

    my grandma had one and STILL swears it was the best car she ever had

  • @chadkimmel8957
    @chadkimmel8957 29 дней назад +1

    My first car.

  • @passing_through777
    @passing_through777 28 дней назад

    One of my favorites. To bad the test track wasn't wet .

  • @mikeyspeeds1056
    @mikeyspeeds1056 24 дня назад

    I had the 83 with the V6. Gutless off the line but it did cruise the freeway well.

  • @TapTapBlipBlip
    @TapTapBlipBlip 29 дней назад

    My mom had a '68 Cougar. I wanted a Cougar when I became of age, but that model had a hard ending.

  • @williammurray1341
    @williammurray1341 29 дней назад

    Almost bought one in 1984. However the best deal was 3 years at 11 percent.

  • @Andyface79
    @Andyface79 29 дней назад

    The one luxury coupe that got updated for the 80s and sold well (along with the Cougar.)

  • @johnnorvaisas
    @johnnorvaisas 18 дней назад

    I liked these cars

  • @povertyspec9651
    @povertyspec9651 3 дня назад

    So nice of Ford to include a fuel gauge.

  • @gonepostal9101
    @gonepostal9101 29 дней назад +1

    “Not much chrome here”. Full length chrome body strip continues around front and rear bumpers, chrome grill, chrome window surrounds. Lolol

  • @mumwifeteacher
    @mumwifeteacher 29 дней назад

    Laterally the cyber truck of 1983. Better early review then the Hagerty cyber truck review.

  • @cabaneencac5168
    @cabaneencac5168 29 дней назад +1

    3:00 ''doors curve nicely into the roof'' Especially effective so that a bank of snow falls on your seat cause you just wanted your snow brush which is inside,

    • @nolimitsnuttbusts4u
      @nolimitsnuttbusts4u 29 дней назад

      Use a broom 🧹

    • @cabaneencac5168
      @cabaneencac5168 28 дней назад

      @@nolimitsnuttbusts4u ...also in the car

    • @nolimitsnuttbusts4u
      @nolimitsnuttbusts4u 28 дней назад

      @@cabaneencac5168 talking about the one in your house lol

    • @cabaneencac5168
      @cabaneencac5168 28 дней назад

      @@nolimitsnuttbusts4u only have a hoover in the house

    • @nolimitsnuttbusts4u
      @nolimitsnuttbusts4u 27 дней назад

      @@cabaneencac5168 Ya know, I never thought of it before but I bet that vacuum cleaner would work in a pinch? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 I'm going to try it this winter just for 💩's and giggles 🤣

  • @bryanwashington9511
    @bryanwashington9511 29 дней назад +1

    The Thunderbird was one of my favorite cars from Ford, sadly it met its fate in 2005

    • @milfordcivic6755
      @milfordcivic6755 29 дней назад

      After 97, it was nothing more than a toy nobody wanted.

    • @nolimitsnuttbusts4u
      @nolimitsnuttbusts4u 29 дней назад

      The last one wasn't a Thunderbird. It, and the Lincoln LS, were Jaguars that nobody asked for.

  • @IVR02
    @IVR02 29 дней назад

    It's interesting that this T-bird's styling is something of a predecessor to what would eventually come with the Taurus. Gotta say, the later versions with the flush headlights look a lot better.
    Also, dig the void set for showing off the interior. I think MW should go back to presenting cars that way. Forget parking the car in a field, how does it look when parked in the void??

    • @624radicalham
      @624radicalham 27 дней назад

      I'm betting the void set was filmed by Ford and given to them.

  • @LRGDuran
    @LRGDuran 27 дней назад

    Ford also sold a leather members only jacket with a thunderbird logo.

  • @johnnyvegas2067
    @johnnyvegas2067 29 дней назад

    I had a 1984 and loved it. 3.8 V6 would go forever. I traded mine with at least 170,000 miles!
    Not bad for a ford LOL

    • @sapphir8
      @sapphir8 26 дней назад

      For an 80’s American car, that’s a lot of mileage.

  • @Alan-lv9rw
    @Alan-lv9rw 22 дня назад

    I’d buy it if it was available today.

  • @MultiParasite
    @MultiParasite 29 дней назад +1

    6:20 What is happening to the rear wheels?

    • @nolimitsnuttbusts4u
      @nolimitsnuttbusts4u 29 дней назад +4

      Are you serious? It's called wheel lockup. It's called hard braking. No anti lock brakes.

  • @michaelbloom5342
    @michaelbloom5342 27 дней назад

    That car was so damned good looking. And it absolutely *dominated* NASCAR. So much so, NASCAR hobbled them half way through the season. Chevy was still using boxy Monte Carlos, and simply couldn't keep up. And we can't have that, now can we?

  • @bobnomura2068
    @bobnomura2068 29 дней назад

    Amazing what 40 years does to MPG and performance....

    • @624radicalham
      @624radicalham 27 дней назад

      It got stellar mpg because it can only burn so much fuel at 130hp. High torque low rpm does wonders for mpg. That's a concept people can't seem to grasp today. Everything is all about horsepower and 0 to 60

  • @AndresSalazarAutos
    @AndresSalazarAutos 29 дней назад +1

    Damn 130hp from a 5.0 V8... oh how things have changed

    • @justme307
      @justme307 29 дней назад

      That was an improvement over the 4.2L V-8 that put out 115 HP.

    • @nolimitsnuttbusts4u
      @nolimitsnuttbusts4u 29 дней назад

      That 130hp 302 will outlast anything they got today. And it doesn't have to rev to 5,000rpm to get going neither. You won't find a small block today that gets 21mpg with MotorWeek's lead footed test drivers lol.

  • @nolimitsnuttbusts4u
    @nolimitsnuttbusts4u 29 дней назад +8

    I like how they explained it didn't need a lot of horsepower to cruise at 55mph when it showed the wind tunnel. Try telling that to the clowns we have out here today that think everything has to have 100,000 horsepower. I think we need to go back to 55mph speed limits and put a cap on horsepower. Insurance is nearly unaffordable now because everyone drives too fast too recklessly.

    • @pmafterdark
      @pmafterdark 29 дней назад +2

      Don't want to go back to a 55MPH speed limit, but I agree that the horsepower in most cars now is more than anyone would ever need.

    • @moejr1974
      @moejr1974 29 дней назад +2

      I agree about the HP cap

    • @nolimitsnuttbusts4u
      @nolimitsnuttbusts4u 29 дней назад +2

      I'd hate the 55mph max, but too many people like hit each other in excess of 90mph. Like these people don't understand the faster you go when you hit something the more likely it is to be fatal. If 55max is what it takes to reduce fatal crashes innocent people didn't ask to be involved in and lowers my insurance rates then I'll accept it. Reluctantly lol.

    • @nolimitsnuttbusts4u
      @nolimitsnuttbusts4u 29 дней назад +3

      @@moejr1974 Yeah, it makes the engine less reliable. The most reliable engines don't have a lot of horsepower. Like the old TBI 350 GM V8 with 185-200hp is more reliable than the LT1 with 260hp. The old Ford 5.4 with 235hp is more reliable than the later 260hp & 300hp 5.4 V8s. The old 7.3 PowerStroke with 250hp is more reliable than the 325hp 6.0 PowerStroke. The old 245hp Dodge 360 Magnum V8 is more reliable than the newer 345-395hp 5.7 Hemi V8s.

    • @randallbates9020
      @randallbates9020 28 дней назад

      Hey I live in the southwest and BS to 55 mph, it's already a very long way to everywhere but at 55 you would need a friggin motel room for the night... Lol... Responsible driving is in the hands of the operator, speed limits being lower is not gonna stop the idiots driving their massive fake pickup trucks at 90 mph, common sense left the building somewhere around 2005.

  • @autoguy57
    @autoguy57 22 дня назад

    This was a typical 80’s car, no thought put into the end user, it was what Ford told the public what they wanted. Of course the push for cleaner exhausts and additional crash standards didn’t help the situation at all.

  • @user-xb5zs2gr4h
    @user-xb5zs2gr4h 29 дней назад

    ❤😂😢😮😅😅😅😊😊😊😊 I wish I could find a T bird like that, there’s not many out there

  • @ouch1011
    @ouch1011 22 дня назад

    The front end diving and rear end lifting a foot into the air when braking isn't because the rear end is "light" its because of the prehistoric suspension design. There is no consideration for anti-lift/dive, so the torque of the brakes causes the rear end to lift. You see the same thing when they brake torque it before launching. Modern suspension is lightyears better in this regard.

  • @thomash2806
    @thomash2806 29 дней назад +1

    That’s so funny. 130hp is what a 1-litre churns out these days…

  • @KenanTurkiye
    @KenanTurkiye 28 дней назад

    3:36 ''....tron like grid.....'' : )

  • @Red84GT
    @Red84GT 27 дней назад

    I had an '84 Thunderbird turbo coupe briefly back in 2011. I shouldn't have sold it..

  • @anthonyrowland9072
    @anthonyrowland9072 29 дней назад +1

    That transmission is murdering that ET. It still trapped 83mph but ran 18.3...

    • @nolimitsnuttbusts4u
      @nolimitsnuttbusts4u 29 дней назад +1

      Dude....it's a four speed in an era we're 3 speeds were highly popular. It has 130hp and a 💩 ton of torque. The torque is what pushed it down the track. And it got 21mpg during their testing. From a large small block with a power sapping accessory drive system + belt driven cooling fan. That said, the performance was excellent. You wanna go faster try its big brother that wears a tux, Lincoln Mark VII LSC with the Hight Output 302. Now that baby will FLY!

    • @anthonyrowland9072
      @anthonyrowland9072 29 дней назад

      @@nolimitsnuttbusts4uMy old 2bbl 307 truck only trapped 77 but it ran a 17.7 lol

  • @elilevine2410
    @elilevine2410 29 дней назад

    Give it up for wood tone interior , and the synth jams . Competent simple car ...

  • @davidbaron6647
    @davidbaron6647 29 дней назад

    Oldie 😊

  • @pdennis93
    @pdennis93 25 дней назад

    Where an I get one with missles behind the grille. IYKYK

  • @gmugrumbach
    @gmugrumbach 21 день назад

    130hp V8 in 1983! Yikes! Emissions regulations castrated these machines! Amazing style for the time.

  • @MichaelPruitt-mg3sj
    @MichaelPruitt-mg3sj 24 дня назад

    Sister had one the v8 leaked oil every where on it stayed in shop. Paint was fair at best,it was that wine color like promo , after a year it really wouldn't Polish up clear was gone. Just saying.

  • @bmstylee
    @bmstylee 29 дней назад

    I wouldn't mind one of these for a Coyote swap and a 6 speed.

    • @nolimitsnuttbusts4u
      @nolimitsnuttbusts4u 29 дней назад +1

      Keep the Coyote. Take the 6 speed. Add the High Output 302 from Lincoln Mark VII and that Bird will show its feathers and spread its wings past 60 in atleast 7secs vs 10.8 lol. And it'll be dead reliable too.

    • @bmstylee
      @bmstylee 29 дней назад

      @@nolimitsnuttbusts4u it's 2024 why would I want an engine from 1983? The Coyote is just as reliable and has significantly more power and a much larger aftermarket

    • @nolimitsnuttbusts4u
      @nolimitsnuttbusts4u 29 дней назад +1

      @@bmstylee Didn't say get a motor from 1983. Said get a High Output 302, that meant get the most powerful one. That's 225hp/300tq with a 6 speed. You'd be surprised what the extra gears do for acceleration without having to go crazy with power. Try it. A coyote ain't 💩. They're overengineered and unreliable. Every time you turn around something breaks on that mfr. Not everything is about power. Keep it original just add the best original H.O. engine for that model line.

  • @JarmelSingsKaraoke
    @JarmelSingsKaraoke 29 дней назад

    👏👏

  • @MarkMeadows90
    @MarkMeadows90 29 дней назад +1

    6:19 That 140 ft sign looked like it fainted lol

    • @justme307
      @justme307 29 дней назад

      As if it thought it would get plowed into.

    • @MarkMeadows90
      @MarkMeadows90 29 дней назад

      @@justme307 right right lol

  • @Alan-lv9rw
    @Alan-lv9rw 22 дня назад

    Not a bad looking car.

  • @NHRA_FREAK
    @NHRA_FREAK 24 дня назад

    My grandparents had this as the Mercury Cougar. It was a decent car.