Today I spotted an 88 turbo t-bird on Craigslist. 140k on the clock with some minor problems. For the most part, the car looks its age (from the pics) with the paint being dull and the interior being somewhat worn, but I am told the engine and transmission are good and the body straight. The seller wants $1000 OBO which is a bit high I think but I'm sure I can talk the guy down a couple hundred. I am gonna try to go by tomorrow and check it out to see what shape the car is in and put my scanner on it to see if there are any problems that may not be so apparent.

The transmission is automatic but I know a guy who has an older SVO with a 5-speed he might be willing to give up. If I am not mistaken, the early 80s turbo 2.3s have larger turbos that spool up a bit slower but put out much more boost.

I'm gonna keep my fingers crossed on this one as it seems like a fun toy. Any one know about these or have experience with this engine/trans? Any pointers and tips would be great.

What a gem that car is. I think the 87-88 turbo coupes were one of the greatest cars.

would be funny if you pulled the drivetrain and put it in a ranger

Well I checked out the car but its a no go. I was told it was running and drivable with a straight body. This car was anything but that. Rust had eaten through most of the front end, there was no exhaust, the engine wouldn't turn over at first and the transmission was bone dry. There was some welding done to the frame and the car had obvious bondo spots on the passenger side that wasn't done well or smoothed out.

Gonna keep looking for something that will make a nice toy.

been done i have a friend that did and he loves it.