I've got a car crush

"Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero" (sampsonite24) 02/29/2016 at 09:19 • Filed to: None

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Watching this video has made me want to find one of these thunderbirds. Then get a license plate that says “are go”

KatzManDu > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero 02/29/2016 at 09:25

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http://oppositelock.kinja.com/i-just-had-the…

Your boy, BJR > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero 02/29/2016 at 09:29

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Berang > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero 02/29/2016 at 09:40

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A classmate in highschool had one of these, and it was possibly the worst car at our school. Even when I bought a $400 Le Car, that couldn’t out-crap the thunderbird turbo. I’m sure it was nice when it was new, but the materials didn’t age well, and the turbo didn’t turbo much either.

KatzManDu > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero 02/29/2016 at 09:45

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http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/cto/5441681282…

MultiplaOrgasms > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero 02/29/2016 at 09:49

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Yo dawg, I heard you like overhangs...

V8Demon - Prefers Autos for drag racing. Fite me! > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero 02/29/2016 at 09:52

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One of the best resources for these cars: www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com

Shameless pic of mine for the heck of it.

I’m partial to the V8s myself. The creature comforts of a fox Thunderbird or Cougar were years ahead of the curve. Auto dim, auto lamps, electronic climate control, and dual power 6 way seats in cars that are about 30 years old. In my opinion these were/are a more rewarding rewardingcar to drive when compared to the MN-12 platform that succeeded it.

Milky > MultiplaOrgasms 02/29/2016 at 10:00

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How did they get that front overhang so wrong on a RWD platform?

Birddog > V8Demon - Prefers Autos for drag racing. Fite me! 02/29/2016 at 10:04

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Damn son! That’s sexy right there!

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > Your boy, BJR 02/29/2016 at 10:13

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Romans song is a parody of this

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero 02/29/2016 at 11:00

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MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero 02/29/2016 at 11:04

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Just saw a V6 cougar on craigslist the other day for 600 1250 bucks. It was in decent shape too, for a $ 600 1250 car you could put whatever motor you want in it.

http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/cto/544070…

CobraJoe > Milky 02/29/2016 at 11:04

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Center of percussion.

Wheels on the corners means that the entire car will pitch and roll everytime you hit a bump. Bring the wheels in a bit, and the body will deflect upwards more than pitching, or you know, actually use the suspension as it’s intended.

That’s part of the reason why 70's cars with their massive overhangs were so good at ironing out all the bumps in the road.

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 02/29/2016 at 11:36

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God lord those pictures are awful lol

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 02/29/2016 at 11:37

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Wait then what was the thunderbirds catchphrase. I swear they had a catchphrase too

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 02/29/2016 at 11:38

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Just looked it up. Thunderbirds used the “are go” first haha

Milky > CobraJoe 02/29/2016 at 11:46

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Does that just mean if there is a bunch of weight on the outside of the wheels it keep the car more stable/settled?

That just sounds like understeer to me.

CobraJoe > Milky 02/29/2016 at 12:03

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What? That’s some very non-linear thinking....

The Center of percussion as it applies to cars has only to do with ride comfort over bumps. Yes, it helps the ride because of the extra mass beyond the wheels. It will have very little affect on how the car feels while cornering, and it will have very little affect on how the car handles.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero 02/29/2016 at 12:05

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yeah terrible, but at least he says he has the 2 hood plates and the interior is in nice shape.

Milky > CobraJoe 02/29/2016 at 12:20

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“Extra mass beyond the wheels” when referring to a foxbody’s front overhang means (to me at least) you’re also talking about engine/wheel center line.

Yea that looks like a lot of mass hanging out front for a RWD platform.

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero 02/29/2016 at 13:07

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I kept trying to find someone say that in the YouTube comments.

CobraJoe > Milky 02/29/2016 at 13:20

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Few things:

1: The engine is roughly about 65-70% behind the front wheels, which is on par for almost every RWD car built up until then. (The Fox thunderbird and Fox Mustang have nearly identical engine bays, the Tbird merely has a bit more empty space in front of the radiator.)

2: The engine on the new mustang is still roughly about 65-70% behind the front wheels.

3: Where the engine is has only a small amount to influence handling, the suspension has a LOT more influence on understeer/oversteer than the location of the engine in a front engine RWD car.

Milky > CobraJoe 02/29/2016 at 14:31

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First off, sorry I should have said “How did they get that front overhang so shitty looking on a RWD platform?” I was speaking visually.

1 - I didn’t say it was bad for its time, but you judge percentages weird.

(ignore the lines, best photo I could find)

2 - great for the new Mustang

3 - engines still weigh a lot, there is definitely a reason every almost every great handling car is “mid-engined”.

CobraJoe > Milky 02/29/2016 at 15:17

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Don’t forget, we are currently in an era where wheels on the corners are the expected location. The Foxbody platform was introduced 38 years ago, back when wheels located near the center of percussion was the expected location. Don’t forget about that when you judge it’s appearances.

(This was the last Tbird before the Fox replaced it. I has overhangs to blot out a sidewalk, but the ride is so amazingly smooth)

Take a look at that photo you have, the strut towers are lined up about exactly centered with the intake, and the intake is centered on the top of the engine. What you don’t see is that the struts are angled toward the rear of the car by a noticable amount. It’s possible I overestimated at 65%, but more than half of the engine’s weight is behind the front wheels.

The 2016 Mustang has been very positively reviewed about its handling, that’s a pretty good example of my statement that the suspension matters much more than the engine location.

You are correct that many cars designed to give great handling have the engine between the axles (It is the ideal location), but that is only a suggestion, not a rule.

The NA Miata has the engine right over the front wheels, as did the BRZ, 944, M3s, M5s, CTS-V... It’s actually not easy to find a car with rear seats and the engine tucked behind the front wheels. Plus then there are AWD cars like almost every Subaru and the early Quattro that stick the entire engine ahead of the front wheels, and the Evo that sticks the entire engine and transmission ahead of the front wheels. Every single one of those cars could not achieve the ideal location for the engine, but managed to make a great handling car anyways.

jovimon7 > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero 02/29/2016 at 16:56

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I had one of those, sold it to get a Thunderbird SC.