Considering buying a 90 Tbird SC

A

Andie53

Registered User
Hello all,

I have been considering buying a 1990 Thunderbird Super Coupe with approximately 131,000 miles on it. The car seems to be in very good condition both mechanically and cosmetically (for the most part). I have very limited knowledge of these cars in terms of reliability, durability and value. This car would be more of a weekend driver and perhaps entering car shows, etc. Please let me know what a "reasonable" price would be for a car that is 34 year old. It is a 2 owner car and has been garage kept for most of it's life (at least over the past 28 years). Any thoughts, suggestions or input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much.

Andie
 
Pictures are always helpful!

Maybe $10k depending on condition and service history.

but maybe less if the seller is motivated.

Theres a lot to know about keeping these cars running.

Hope it works out I’ve always liked them.

Biggest problem is keeping good fuel in them. Todays gas is trash!
 
It has been well cared for by this owner for the past 28 years. Good service records kept. Hasn't been driven much in the past 2 years. Runs good now but idles a bit rough. Thanks for your feedback.
 
1) Rusty rockers....Check from under the car as the ground/fx cover the rockers
2) Suspension overhaul if it still on the original components...OEM and Tokico replacement shocks are no longer available
3) ABS system.....make sure its in working order as replacement parts are obsolete. Some have swapped to conventional brakes
4) Motor mounts if they're still original
5) Head gaskets....if they haven't been replaced be prepared to do them in the near future. Check for excessive white smoke from the exhaust.

A rough idle could be anything from a vacuum leak to just needing a tune up to a bad head gasket.

With that mileage the car's probably not worth much more than $2500.
 
This is all excellent information. I had wondered if replacement parts would be difficult to get. What can a person do if OEM or aftermarket parts are not available? I suppose I'd have to try junk yards or find a donor car of some sort. Not a likely option for me. Interesting assessment of $2,500 value. I've had numerous folks suggest a value somewhere between $7,500 and $15,000. But honestly, I have no idea what the true value is. I really appreciate your feedback. I will definitely look into all these issues before making a decision. Last question, do you currently own one of these cars? Thanks again.
 
The problem in my area (Ontario Canada) is that when scrap prices were high , the yards crushed anything over 10-15 years old. I've heard the same thing happened in southern U.S. ? A friend used to go a few times a winter & bring back salt free pick-up cabs & boxes, but most places have slim picking's now. I was lucky last year, someone at a local yard that knew I had a few got a 93 S/C in & called me to see if I wanted anything before the crushed it.
 
For $7500 - $15k you should be able to find a car with 30k - 50k miles but keep in mind that you still check for all that I previously mentioned. Everyone thinks they're worth a lot because of the "rarity" but in reality they're not. Especially now that replacement parts becoming scarcer and scarcer. The only place to get a new crank sensor is from Bill at super coupe performance and that's if he has them in stock, otherwise you're waiting until he does another run of them. Also, you need to be mechanically inclined to own an sc or have deep pockets as having a dealer or shop work on them can get expensive quickly.

Yes, I have a 91 with 52k miles. https://www.sccoa.com/forums/threads/finally.142858/#post-1132882

About 15 years ago the u pull it closest to me would have a plethora of tbirds with a few sc's even now and then, but now both are nonexistent in there.
 
Great feedback from the folks here on this site. I'm not mechanically inclined but I do have a longtime friend who is a certified mechanic and would trust him to do whatever work is needed. My bigger concern is probably going to be the lack of replacement parts. The owner has great records and always kept the car in good shape. Based on what folks have suggested above I may go in with an offer of $5,000 and see what the response from the seller is. Thoughts?
 
Andie53 said:
Great feedback from the folks here on this site. I'm not mechanically inclined but I do have a longtime friend who is a certified mechanic and would trust him to do whatever work is needed. My bigger concern is probably going to be the lack of replacement parts. The owner has great records and always kept the car in good shape. Based on what folks have suggested above I may go in with an offer of $5,000 and see what the response from the seller is. Thoughts?
Click to expand...
99GSXR750 gave very good and accurate points of potential cost to run one of these cars , anyone suggesting 10K + with those kind of miles is probably either trying to sell theirs now or in the future , or don't care much about spending your money .
The lack of aftermarket support for new parts like the crank sensor and availability of good used parts is top of the list ... sounds like you are in the " I really want this " price range " ... if the head gaskets have not been done , count on that one ...$$$$ , on the ABS , if yours fails it could be parked for extended periods or go to an ABS delete set up .
If you are willing to pay the 5G then at least get him to fix the idle issue , its telling you something , if he will not that is telling you more.. ... if that something is a head gasket repair would you still be willing to pay the 5 grand.
 
Andie53 said:
Finally got a few pictures uploaded.
Click to expand...
If that is original paint it looks in great shape .... I would still factor in the many costs to run one of these cars , but if the underside is rust free and the interior is in as good shape , and you are willing to put some cash into it then this one could be a great candidate for purchase .
 
It does look good considering the age and mileage, even so I think 5k is still a little much. Is it lowered? I can't tell because of the sideways pics.
 
No, it's not lowered. It really has been very well taken care of. There is not much chance he will take less than $5K. I've driven the car a couple of times, and it runs great. The idle was a little rough but fresh gas and maybe some injector cleaner may help that. I will also put a new tune up on it. The car is just too good to pass up from all the research I've done. And the owner was extremely meticulous with his record keeping. I'll post some more pictures once I become the new owner. Thanks for your feedback.
 
Andie53 said:
Hello all,

I have been considering buying a 1990 Thunderbird Super Coupe with approximately 131,000 miles on it. The car seems to be in very good condition both mechanically and cosmetically (for the most part). I have very limited knowledge of these cars in terms of reliability, durability and value. This car would be more of a weekend driver and perhaps entering car shows, etc. Please let me know what a "reasonable" price would be for a car that is 34 year old. It is a 2 owner car and has been garage kept for most of it's life (at least over the past 28 years). Any thoughts, suggestions or input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much.

Andie
Click to expand...
I have a 95 SC, bought new, 44000KM's all original, never winter driven , always inside, might consider selling.
 
Sounds very interesting. Can you post some pics? Also let me know where you live and what you're asking price is. I live in North Carolina. Thanks.
 
Andie, I have PM'd you before about mine. I am going to post it online for $14,500 but am willing to take $12,500 from a club member. Located in AZ.

90 5spd Oxford White, black interior and after my cruise this past weekend, have now 84K miles. Everything is original and working but needs a new a/c compressor.
 
Okay folks, I've decided to pull the trigger on the purchase of this 1990 Super Coupe. The car really is in pristine condition and the owner kept meticulous records for 28 years on every detail on repairs and replacement of parts. After some negotiating it looks like we will close the deal at $4,500 which I believe is a good investment. I plan to drain the existing fuel from the gas tank and put in some fresh premium gas along with some injector cleaner. Will also put a new tune up on it and make sure all belts, hoses etc. are in perfect condition. After that I would like to replace the top dash pad as it is cracked. I also want to put new seat covers on it with leather and replace the drive motor on the driver's power seat. It should be a fun project and can't wait to take it to shows. Want to thank everyone who has responded to my posts. You all have been a great help. Don't hesitate to reach out to me with more info or suggestions. Thanks again. Mike
 
Congrat's on your purchase, but the dash does not have a "top pad" its the whole dash. Involves removing center console & steering column as well. I think flat rate used to be 18 hours, but that was with plastic & fasteners that were 3-5 years old-not 34. If you are in that far, do the heater core & A/C evaporator.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top