Drive Fast Not Loud review: '95 Thunderbird LX

"Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To" (murdersofa) 02/29/2016 at 11:47 • Filed to: drive fast not loud, fast not loud, review, thunderbird, ford

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Hi everyone, introducing a new thing today! Well, a couple things rather. The “Fast Not Loud” network currently consists of a YouTube channel in which I interview car owners and then review their car (Drive Fast Not Loud), and a long-form multi-author blog (Live Fast Not Loud) that consists of build logs, reviews, ramblings, and sporadic nonsense contributed to by several midwestern-US oppositelock members. The name, if you were wondering, is a tongue-in-cheek jab at putting a loud exhaust system onto an otherwise slow/stock car, not that I’d ever do something like that. Everything is currently low-budget (I’ll get a mic soon) and very much a work in progress but we look forward to getting feedback from viewers and readers!

We are in the process of authoring some articles for it, but you can find the main site at !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 02/29/2016 at 11:53

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If you make it up toward KC, you can review either my Dodge Dynasty or my Mazda 3... Take your pick. :D

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully 02/29/2016 at 11:55

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I’ve been wanting to go to a KC cars and coffee meet, actually. I might take you up on that sometime.

DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 02/29/2016 at 11:56

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I won’t be able to make the March one, because I’ll be in Alabama officiating my sister’s wedding, but April, I’ll probably show. I’ll be the weird guy with the glorified K-car.

Brian, The Life of > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 02/29/2016 at 11:58

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My first brand new car was a ‘94 LX with the V8. Such a great freeway flyer that handled very well. I LOL’d when I saw the aftermarket cupholder ... the silly afterthought cup holders under the armrest were probably the dumbest thing about the car.

04sneaky - Boxers. Blowers. Bikes. And bitches. > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 02/29/2016 at 12:02

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So what if my car is loud and fast, will you not review it?

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > 04sneaky - Boxers. Blowers. Bikes. And bitches. 02/29/2016 at 12:05

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We will, but you’ll be mocked relentlessly unless it’s fast enough to offset the loud. The joke with the title mostly applies to extraordinarily loud coffee cans on D-series Hondas. A Camaro SS with the exhaust valves all the way open gets a pass.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Brian, The Life of 02/29/2016 at 12:08

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With the aftermarket coilovers it really is a handling champion considering its weight and wheelbase.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully 02/29/2016 at 12:08

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Will you be coming to any autocrosses in Yoder?

BeaterGT > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 02/29/2016 at 12:18

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Drive loud and fast!

Urambo Tauro > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 02/29/2016 at 12:27

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Fast Not Loud

Obnoxious cars are overrated. And the Thunderbird can be a great example to prove this with.

While I wouldn’t exactly consider the car “sleeper” material, it certainly seems to get overlooked a lot. The MN12 hits a real sweet spot between the ever-popular Mustang and the ubiquitous Panther, while being overshadowed by both. But despite this, it has a lot in common with them and there are several upgrades that can be done subtly and fairly easily.

You can lower it, and no one will bat an eye because no one remembers what the stock height is supposed to look like. You can add power without needing a taller hood. You can, as the owner in the video described, swap the rear end gear, another invisible mod. Of course, you can make it obnoxious if you tried, but why bother?

04sneaky - Boxers. Blowers. Bikes. And bitches. > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 02/29/2016 at 12:28

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Hopefully a 200mph Cobra falls in that territory too...

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > 04sneaky - Boxers. Blowers. Bikes. And bitches. 02/29/2016 at 12:35

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Haha, it certainly would

DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 02/29/2016 at 13:43

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I’m thinking about going down for one or two, later in the summer.

Flies With Thunderbirds > Urambo Tauro 02/29/2016 at 13:54

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Completely agree with your assesment, nobody expects a thunderbird to be fast (if they can even recognise one) so the goal is to make this one as fast as reasonably possible while maintaining the “grandpa car” looks.

Urambo Tauro > Flies With Thunderbirds 02/29/2016 at 14:02

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It doesn’t even look like a “grandpa car” to me. In fact, the MN12 was the most aerodynamic of all Thunderbirds, before or after. If the Thunderbird was ever to be revived as a Corvette competitor (as it originally was), the MN12 styling would be an excellent starting point.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 02/29/2016 at 15:00

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I’m conflicted about the MN12 T-Birds. On one hand, they are very cheap and very modifiable, but on the other they come with a massive whiff of “old person” and they need a lot of cosmetic work to get rid of that.

Even a 2dr Civic looks more exciting and sporty than that top image.

I'm looking for a second car, and the Thunderbird fits all my criteria, but I'm having trouble pulling the trigger.

Flies With Thunderbirds > Urambo Tauro 02/29/2016 at 15:39

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have you read my thunderbird article?

Flies With Thunderbirds > Urambo Tauro 02/29/2016 at 15:40

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I guess the way I see my car is that it is very dated, very 90's, and very unassuming. which is perfect for my goals.

Urambo Tauro > Flies With Thunderbirds 02/29/2016 at 16:07

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Which article; this one ? Waitaminute ; that’s your “Thunderturd” in the video, isn’t it?

In that case, i think it’s the color more than anything that contributes to it looking like a “grandpa car”. Champagne is not flattering.

Flies With Thunderbirds > Urambo Tauro 02/29/2016 at 20:42

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I was talking about my rankings post. But yes, that’s my car.

Urambo Tauro > Flies With Thunderbirds 02/29/2016 at 22:37

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Oh, that one! Ok, yeah; I saw that. You put the MN12 pretty far down the list. I think it deserves more credit, but to each his own...

Have you check out the TCCoA forum yet?

Flies With Thunderbirds > Urambo Tauro 02/29/2016 at 23:14

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I’m a member of TCCoA $25 annual membership fee to help support the forum and remove adds, felt worthwhile to me.

Urambo Tauro > Flies With Thunderbirds 02/29/2016 at 23:21

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I’m not on there as often as I used to be since passing on my ‘96 to its next owner. Great forum though. Really dedicated and knowledgeable bunch there.

Stef Schrader > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 03/28/2016 at 21:39

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Oh wow! Somehow I missed this (February can eat my shorts). Love the new site. Would read just for Rolland’s take on everything alone, lulz.

Dumb question: is there a Twitter feed somewhere to follow? Yeah, yeah, never Tweet, that, but that’s my #1 source of news to read on the toilet.

Flies With Thunderbirds > Stef Schrader 03/28/2016 at 21:59

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Yes! @FastNotLoud on twitter!

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Stef Schrader 03/28/2016 at 22:00

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We’re still getting stuff off the ground. There should be a link to our twitter page above the logo on the site (assuming the chances actually took hold, ahem) which gets any new articles auto-posted to it.

Your boy, BJR > Stef Schrader 03/28/2016 at 22:05

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I’ll be tweeting my NYIAS experience, as well as a full write up on why FNL endorses Ted Cruze. Make car blogging great again.