what to look for when buyign a 93 sc

[wantanmtxsc]

hey guys im new to the forum and pretty new to thunderbirds. Iv always loved them and the SC has always had my attention;my dad used to own a 93 Thunderbird, lx? i think it was. Anyway im going to look at a 93 super coupe soon and im wondering what I should look for and how much I should pay for it. I hope its manny but I know those are rare so its probably an auto. Im going to call tonight about it and get miles and that kinda stuff. Are there any problems I should look for such as the blower needing to be rebuilt at a certain mileage or any recalls or known problems with them?

 

[007_SuperCoupe]

Hope you get a good SC if you're looking for one.

The manual trannies aren't as rare as you think until you get to the '94-'95 SCs. Actually in '89-'91 most were manuals. However, if you plan on mods in the future, an auto can be just as much fun.

If you're looking at a '93 you want to ensure that it is in good working order. Pay a few bucks and have it checked out by a mechanic. Have them do a chemical test on the coolant which will tell you if the head gaskets are starting to go...this is very common on the SC. Given about 80k-100k miles, the blower will probably need to be rebuilt. It's not a big deal and if you have access to a press, you can do it yourself. You can also look at upgrading to a '94-'95 supercharger, and "S" port, or a Magnum Powers MPX. All three will require the inlet plenum (that piece between the throttle body and the back of the supercharger). I listed them in order of price AND performance. Right now I've got a supercharger off a '95 SC that I rebuilt and ported out. I'm looking to upgrade to an M112 from the stock M90 in the future.

If you end up looking at any SC's before '93 ('89-'92) you want to watch for any brake issues. Those years used the Teves II system which had an accumulator instead of a master cylinder. The accumulator will go bad if it hasn't already been replaced and will just require a new one. It's a relatively easy fix and costs about $110 to do. A lot better than purchasing the entire brake assembly which can run you in excess of $600. Let me know if you have any questions. I've been around SCs for several years now. You can take a look at mine linked in my signature below for details.