1988 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe

Ford ended the legendary Thunderbird nameplate a while ago, having come full-circle with a retro version at the start of the new millennium. Every generation had some appeal, and a lot of people were puzzled and saddened to seed it go. It's like if McDonald's got rid of their Big Mac suddenly one day for no good reason.

Speaking of fast-food, this is a fast ruiser that would totally be rad to go to the drive through with. In 1983, Ford launched an all-new, totally redesigned Thunderbird that finally erased any memories of the bloated barges of the Malaise 70s. The new car was handsome, well-proportioned and perhaps most importantly very aerodynamic, with a drag coefficient of just 0.35.

It mercifully shared the rear-wheel drive Fox platform with the Mustang of the era. This meant a balanced chassis, decent handling and a real shot at taking on the European competition.

In 1987, Ford gave the Thunderbird a refresh which ditched the awful sealed-beam headlights in favor of flush units, shrinked the grille and tweaked the taillights. The thing I really like about this generation Thunderbird is that it aesthetically offers something Europe still couldn't replicate, a mix of muscle and modernity.

There were a bunch of engine options, too. You could get a V6, V8, or a special turbocharged 4-cylinder engine like this one.

Of all the engines, I'd want the turbo 4. The V6 wasn't like today's powerful 6-cylinders and had to move a relatively large and heavy car. The V8 made the car too fuel thirsty and irrelevant, as the similar and better appointed Lincoln Mark VII was essentially the same car. But the 4-cylinder turbo offered everything: decent fuel economy and gobs of power. Ford knew they had a hit and gave the engine a air-to-air intercooler from the SVO Mustang that boosted output to an impressive 190 horsepower.

Other features included 4-wheel disc brakes Automatic Ride Control, functional hood scoops for the intercooler and 16-inch "snowflake" alloy wheels.

These are new classic American muscle cars. The 80s were a mixed decade for the US auto industry, as they had to stave off serious competition from Europe and Japan, but cars like this show they still had interesting things to say. '88 was the best year for the Turbo Coupe, and the last year for this entire generation.

The seller says this example has over 120k miles, and although they say it isn't perfect, it looks clean and well kept enough. The seller also says they have a bunch of spare parts.

Available here on craigslist for $3,000.

1988 Sterling 825 SL

The Sterling was one of the more bizarre automotive marriages in history: the British company Rover and none other than Honda of Japan.

On paper, it seemed like a great idea. The tasteful styling flair of British design with the efficiency and driver-oriented dynamics of Honda engineering. But perhaps the first sign of trouble was the name. Rover had so little success in North America that they decided to name this car the Sterling, so as to appear as an entirely new brand when it was in fact not.

Despite the international heritage, it wasn't enough of either, or perhaps too much of both. The exterior design was decidedly bland but passable, but the interior build quality was poor. Electrical problems arose. The body rusted (in typical British car fashion).

Since the engine was the same as in some Acuras, which were better looking and way better built, the Sterling was pointless. Sales plummeted, and even when some problems were rectified, it was too late. Besides, the late 80s Eurobox market was already flooded with vastly superior options.

All that said, they make dainty little second hand cars. Usually all the bugs have been worked out by now, the interior seats are super cozy and the Honda engine means reliability and cheap parts.

Available here on ebay.

1988 Saab 9000 Turbo

Coming from the pre-GM glory days of Saab is this early 9000 Turbo. The 9000 was one of the best cars Saab ever offered. While it shared a platform with Alfa Romeo and Lancia, the body was a totally new design by none other than the legendary Giugiaro. You can easily identify his trademark clean planes, crisp lines and sharp angles, especially in the brilliant glass-canopied rear hatchback.

This one is supplemented by what looks like a factory body kit from the era which added front, side and rear skirts, as well as plastic trim around the rear plate that mimicked the taillights but has since unfortunately sun faded (replacements are out there or it could easily be matched with the body or matte black). It's certainly lesser seen and rather interesting, giving this 9000 a alternate look to stand out from the other scraggly survivors left out there.

Inside occupants are made to feel like Swedish royalty, with enormous leather seats, headrests you can actually rest your head on and clear, thoughtful switches, buttons and gauges.

Underneath the hood is Saab's venerable 16-valve 4-cylinder turbocharged engine. Unfortunately it's mated to an automatic transmission. A stick will make it feel lively and even fun, an auto not so much and they weren't very reliable, either.

It would be neat to swap in a 5-speed and give it an eighties racing livery like the one below. The ground effects would have been the hardest parts to source, so with that out of the way just leaves a talented and well-planned paint job, new tires, different rims and lowered suspension. The seller says this has no rust, so it's a great piece to start with.

Available here on craigslist for $3,995.

1st in the US: 1988 Fiat Tipo 1.6L

It's quite a claim the seller is making, but it could be true. This is the first Fiat Tipo for sale in the US I've seen, anyways.

Fiat is to Europe what General Motors or Ford is the US: a huge automaker that builds cars for everybody. Most of the time that means affordable, frugal front-wheel drive compact cars that get you from point A to point B. In 2013, Fiat was the second largest automaker in Europe. They've made a lot of great contributions to automobile history. Lately, they've been selling the retro-styled 500 here. It's an okay car, but barely represents the best of Fiat.

With the Tipo however, Fiat wasn't interested in retro style and instead forged ahead with a fresh new start. The Tipo debuted in 1988 featuring an array of 4-cylinder gas and diesel engines, front-wheel drive, a galvanized body to protect against corrosion, and an all-new chassis that was shared with a bunch of other cars.

The styling was courtesy of one of my favorite designers of all time, the great Ercole Spada. It is a pure, simple and undiluted exercise in straight lines and angles. In true Italian Fashion, this lovely example looks even more sweet with bright red paint and Borbet alloys.

Underneath the hood is a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder naturally aspirated engine. It only produced under 100 horsepower, but these engines weren't subject to performance-hindering emissions requirements that a US import would have been at the time, and coupled with the stick shift, may very well feel lively.

Inside is a pretty cool interior, notable for it's digital display and comfortable cloth seating. The photos aren't great, but from what is visible, things look tidy and in good shape. The seller says it has 87,500 kilometers on the clock which is only about 54k miles. They say everything is working and it has zero rust.

Now for the tricky part: paperwork. The seller says this Italian came here by way of Germany, so they have a German title (which, other than a novelty item I'm pretty sure is useless in the US), port clearance paperwork (sounds important) and a Rhode Island certificate in lieu of title because the state does not issues titles for cars older than 10 years. That is perhaps the most vital part and should allow anyone to register the car and get an actual title in any of the other 49 states (except for California, where it all have to undergo smog, but the seller does says it has a factory catalytic converter).

I guess the only question left is why. Why would someone go through the trouble of importing this vehicle only to sell it?

Regardless, this Fiat is a neat alternative to an early 90s VW Golf or Acura Integra. It will certainly be the only one on the block, and it seems to have been well-kept, too. It needs a new owner who will keep it just as clean and un-modified.

Available here on ebay with zero bidders starting at $8k and a $12k Buy It Now.

1988 Alfa Romeo Milano Verde 3.0

The Milano is one of the great lost rear-wheel drive sedans, able to compete with the best from Mercedes-Benz and BMW at the time. Unfortunately, it wasn't nearly as popular and very few remain, at least here in the states. What do remain are usually rusted out basket cases. Fortunately, COTC has come across this remarkable survivor for your inspection.

Otherwise known as the '75' outside of North America, it debuted in 1985 with a bold new body by Ermanno Cressoni. The shape is a masterpiece of modernity: all hard angles, sharp creases and stark planes. The only round shapes are the wheels, logo emblems and the gas cap. I particularly like the rhombus headlights, which give it a moody, downbeat face.

The rear ends with a high, short boot - something automakers are only recently bringing back, but it's important to note the Milano/75 helped establish the trend. These look good in any color, but black is especially handsome, taking nothing away and giving it even stealthier vibes. The alloys seem to have come from the 164, and suit this just fine.

Inside is just as mod, with the center console basically a stack of rectangular boxes. Some people hate this kind of design. I absolutely love it. I like machines to look like machines, not potpourri. Lack of airbags complete the stark, bare-bones industrial look. The aftermarket steering wheel is ok, but I'd source a genuine three-spoke Milano wheel.

Underneath the hood is perhaps the best part. There were only two engine sizes available in the US: a 2.5 and 3.0-liter V6. This is the larger V6, and it's mated to a stick shift as a bonus for performance fiends.

These cars were almost perfectly balanced from front to rear, accomplished using a transaxle with the gearbox in the rear connected to the rear differential and a torsion bar suspension up front and de Dion tubes with shock absorbers in the rear. The 3.0-liter also had a limited slip differential.

This particular survivor has a claimed 103k miles on the clock and a clean title. The seller lists a host of new parts, but doesn't mention how many owners, any accidents or, perhaps most important with a vintage Alfa, RUST. I'd check for all those things and giver 'er a healthy test drive. This is a very cool car and a wonderful alternative to an E30 or W124. Parts are hard to come by and these are not known for reliability, but if you're an Alfa fan you already know all that. This thing is all about cruising with that sweet Italian engine note.

Available here on craigslist for $4,500.

4,822-Mile 1988 Merkur XR4Ti

There's a running joke here on COTC about absurdly low mileage cars. Why are they always boring econoboxes? Well, this super-low-mileager is slightly more unusual this time around.

The story of Merkur and the XR4Ti is a convoluted and mostly unpleasant one. Basically, Ford Motor Co. had been running an entirely different show in Europe, selling cars that were smaller, sleeker and more fuel efficient. Europeans may have a tradition of better made cars that do admittedly meet slightly different demands, but that in no way means Americans should want anything less. That's exactly what Ford did though. They often gave us less.

Of course, the plan inevitably backfired, as most corner cutting does. In a bittersweet case of 'free enterprise' and 'competition', Americans did finally get better products - from rivals across the Atlantic and Pacific. Add in a fuel crisis or two and Detroit's Big Three were in Big Trouble. If only they had just sold us the cars they had given Europe that whole time, things may have been entirely different.

Not totally tone-deaf though, Ford thought they'd start to bring over some European models based on the Sierra and Scorpio. But instead of just calling it a Ford, they gave it a name the press instantly mocked and consumers mispronounced, prompting Ford's people to conduct spelling sessions at press releases. Note to marketing boardrooms everywhere: don't sell something you can't pronounce easily.

The shame is, botched rollout aside, the cars themselves weren't half bad. The XR4Ti was based on the Sierra and featured a futuristic aerodynamic body, hatchback rear door, turbocharged 4-cylinder power and rear-wheel drive. It wasn't a jet rocket but it offered similar performance to entry level Japanese sports cars of the time. It had no major flaws, and have held up well over time. The XR4Ti was in no way a bad car.

But the damage was already done. Production halted in 1989 with just over 42k examples produced and the brand dissolved, relegated to yet another bizarre chapter in eighties auto history.

The people that did end up with these cars took a liking to them. You could say the Merkur has since developed a cult following. But I have never seen one with this low mileage. Is it for real? The odometer only has 5 digits. The interior and exterior look pretty good, but the undercarriage shows surface rust and wear. The seller says he believes it is accurate.

If you missed the whole Merkur story this could be a rare opportunity to start fresh with a like-new one.

Available here on ebay.

JDM in the US: 1988 Toyota Celica Convertible

Now that every auto year of the 80s is exempt from the federal government's 25-year and older rule on importing used cars, all sorts of quirky new classics have been flooding in. One huge market in the making are Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) cars in the US. These were cars made for Japan and were either never imported here or were imported with changes ranging from subtle to major.

The Celia of course made it to North America and was very popular. But this is a JDM right-hand drive version. It's an odd choice of car to be worth the hassle of importing but it's definitely fascinating to see.

For one, I can't remember the last time I saw this era Celia, much less the convertible. These were among the first front-wheel drive Celica, and for what they scarified in glorious ability to drift they gained in better styling and greater efficiency.

It helps this one is in black-on-black, never a bad combo. The smoked indicators and amber-cornered taillights are tell-tale JDM-spec. Overall, the body looks remarkably clean, straight and free of dents and dings.

Underneath the hood is a 2.0-liter 16-valve 4-cylinder engine. It won't set your hair on fire, but it will get you to where you need to go, and without emptying the gas tank, too.

The seller says they brought this over in July 2013. They say everything is working except the cruise control and there is no rust. The also think the paint could be original.

The right-hand drive will take some getting used to (as will the Japanese waveband radio!) but this seems to be a neat little car in unusually good shape. It will be a hit at the JDM shows.

Available here on ebay with bidding starting at $5k and a Buy It Now of $7,200.

1988 Volkswagen LT45 Diesel Firetruck

Somebody call der firetruck!

This Volkwagen was imported from Holland where it served as an airport crash tender, spraying foam wherever there were flames.

The LT was the largest light commercial van VW produced from 1975-2006. Unlike the beloved Type 2 van, the LT had the engine in the front, like most vans today. It was available with either rear or all-wheel drive, four or six cylinders, and gas or diesel engines.

This particular exam is equipped with 2wd and a Volvo 6-cyl. diesel engine mated to a 5-speed manual transmission.

The car is now in Florida, that haven for easily titling imported vehicles. Thankfully, the seller seems to have a good reputation and currently possess a clear FL title in hand to go with this vehicle.

Mechanically, they say it has only about 4,800 kilometers which equals about only 3,000 miles on the odometer.

Cosmetically, they say the tiny tires are in good shape and the interior is clean but the front windshield is busted and there is exterior rust. They also say the haven't tested the actual firefighting equipment and assume it is not working.

This is a quirky little truck but with that low mileage it definitely deserves a good long life in caring hands. It could be converted to a flat bed and the engine to biofuel to make it even more efficient and useful.

Available here on ebay.

1988 Subaru Loyale RX Turbo AWD

If I asked you how much a car with four doors, all-wheel drive and a turbocharged engine would cost, what would you say? $40k? $50k? $60k? Probably some fancy Audi, right? Wrong! It's a $4,500 1988 Subaru.

Back in the 80s, Japanese manufacturers were eager to attract new buyers with all sorts of cutting edge technology and drivetrain combinations. Isuzu was bold back then. They made compact cars with all sorts of unique goodies. One example was this Loyale RX.

The Loyale was known as the Leone around the world and lasted from 1984-1994. In the US it was known as the DL and Loyale. These were normally quite sedate front-wheel drive four banger cars. But the "RX" trim took things to a whole new level with Subaru's patented all-wheel drive system, a turbocharged engine and a manual transmission. Suddenly, the small size and relatively light weight transformed the car into this sporty, grippy all-weather people carrying machine.

The styling giddily hints at the specialness of this thing with the all-white look popular in that era, front and rear spoiler, ground effects, red accents and "TURBO" text cooly placed on the trunk.

Everything looks amazingly well-preserved too, including the interior and dashboard. The seats are half-vinyl, half-cloth. The instrument cluster is simple, no-nonsense and driver-oriented. Also cool is the full time 4wd display in between gauges in the instrument cluster.

The seller is well-known in internet circles for their low-mileage "new" classic cars that they somehow acquire. I admit, they've got an eye for it. And while they sometimes price the cars ridiculously high, they want just $4,500 for this one. Granted, the milage is at 186k, but at that price you don't feel too bad if something goes wrong. Which if the cosmetic condition is any indicator of the mechanicals, is unlikely. Parts should be plentiful and cheap and repairs easy, anyways.

This was a high watermark for Subaru and cars in general. They offered a lot with clean styling and compact dimensions.

Available here on ebay.

In the US: 1988 BMW 325ix Wagon

Oh winter! How you punish me with your freezing temperatures, relentless snow and overly sanded and salted roads. But how you give me reason to buy cars that would make the winter so much more bearble - at least when driving.

The E30 station wagon was never officially offered in North America, and only a handful have made their way here since through private importation. While Mercedes-Benz wagons are legendary, BMW variants are less so. They were never offered in diesels, and weren't introduced until the late 80s, so they never developed a cult following. But that doesn't mean they aren't as cool.

The E30 wagon is particularly neat because the E30 chassis is arguably one of the best BMW cars of all time. It's about the size of a Honda Civic, but with superior design and engineering.

This particular example is the first year they starting making the wagon body style, and it's utterly brilliant. The roof is extended and the rear slopes perfectly into the same taillights as sedan, coupe and convertible had. It also has a rear wiper.

As a cherry on top, this one is also equipped with BMW's first all-wheel drive system, simply denoted by the "x" in 325ix. BMW did not advertise this system as much as Audi did with Quattro and Mercedes with 4Matic, so it disappeared after the E30 and did not return until nearly a decade later with the E46 "xi" (of which I am a very happy owner). As an additional bonus, this one has a stick shift for those rally enthusiasts.

The U.S. government prohibits the private importation of vehicles newer than 25 years old for road use, but this puppy just turned 25 this year, so it should be here legally. The seller says it is exempt from DOT and EPA exempt, and can be registered as a classic vehicle.

Cosmetically, it seems to be wearing ugly aftermarket rims, but otherwise looks fine. The front black plastic spoiler is missing, a common flaw on these as they are usually taken out by road debris or parking blocks, and should be easy to replace.

Mechanically, the seller says it's a 1-owner vehicle with full maintenance, everything working, and no needs.

If this thing checks out with no rust and a clear title, you've got one really cool car for a bargain price.

Available here on ebay in New York for $6,999.

JDM Snow Days: 1988 Toyota Land Cruiser LX

Although my E46 325xi is performing sufficiently in inclement weather (as it did this fine slushy winter morning), there are occasional moments when I wish I had something with even more traction like this Land Cruiser that was never officially offered in North America, but is here now.

The Land Cruiser is up there with the Land Rover Defender 90 and Mercedes-Benz Galendenwagen as classic off-road vehicles of the 20th century. They are not only extremely capable, but as aesthetic masterpieces of form over function, they are stylish, too. I have no doubt the Land Cruiser is considered by some to be the best.

The J70 Land Cruiser replaced the legendary J40 series in 1984 and is still in production to this day. This is the short wheelbase model with a removable fiberglass top. These are extremely rugged and heavy cars, weighing about 2 tons to keep them planted to the ground. Body plates were made 1mm thicker than the J40 for extra strength.

Underneath the hood is a 4-cylinder diesel engine mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. The seller says the engine should be good for 500k miles before a rebuild, which could very well be true given Toyota's build quality from this era. They also say it gets about 21-25 miles per gallon and is fun to drive even at high speeds.

 

Cosmetically, the seller says the underside of the vehicle was rust-proofed. They say the rocker panels were also replaced. There are some lingering spots of surface rust around the doors and windshield, however. They also say a carfax report regarding rear accident damage may be from having the rockers replaced and rear bumper being powder coated, and they have checked for dents and bondo and found none. Inside, occupants meet a no-nonsense, hyper-utilitarian interior of square angles and hard grey plastics. The seller says it has been treated with a wax/clay bar, and the carpets and seats have been shampooed and cleaned.

This is an extremely rare vehicle that seems to have had attentive ownership to date. The seller says it was brought here from Japan 100% legally by Outback Imports and they have a title and registration in hand. They say it now has about 86k miles, and could be ready for many more, despite the minor cosmetic flaws.

Available here on ebay in Kent, Washington with bidding starting at $14,600 but no takers so far and a Buy-It-Now of $15,950.

Under $10k: 1988 Citroen CX 22 TRS

The CX replaced the legendary DS in 1974, and nearly 1.2 million units were sold until 1991. Citroen hasn't sold a vehicle here since 1974, which is a shame since they've come out with a handful of cool designs since then. So it's notable when privately imported examples do pop up.

In keeping with the DS and in true quirky French fashion, the CX features unusual styling cues and progressive engineering. It was available as a 5-door fastback, 5-door station wagon, or extended wheelbase limousine. This is the desirable fastback, which looks the best of the bunch.

I love how this was Citroen's largest car and flagship vehicle, and yet it's four cylinders, front-wheel drive and cloth seats. Were they out of touch, or a step ahead of the curve? Probably a little bit of both. Simplistic drive layout aside, these had innovative features such as hydro-pneumatic self-leveling suspension that helped the car glide over even the worst road surfaces, speed-adjustable power steering and a single-spoke steering wheel with all controls positioned on stalks reachable by the driver without taking their hands off the wheel.

The body was designed by Robert Opron who was responsible for a couple other Citroen and Renault designs and he keeps the tradition with the CX while also forging ahead into the future. It's more plain and modern than the DS, but that suits the car's hyper-techno-utilitarian nature just fine. The covered rear wheels help aerodynamics and these look even better with full-space spoke-less alloys (or plastic covers?). The large block single-unit headlights and clean, simple panels were a revelation in 1974 and still look fresh today. Note the parts-bin side mirrors which were also used on Aston Martin for quite a while.

The seller says this has the 2200cc 4-cylinder engine mated to a 5-speed manual transmission, and has 98 kilometers on the clock, which is only about 60k miles. They say it's never been in an accident and still wears its original white paint. The also say it's got "all books and extra manuals" and a Texas title. These were never sold here, although a few independent companies brought them in under lax importation rules during the grey market heyday of the 80s. It's unclear how this got here, but a clear title helps matters.

Overall, it looks like a decent example of a rare car. This has either daily driver potential or weekend-only cruiser.

Available here on craigslist in Dallas, Texas for just $7,250.

Another One: $650 Project 1988 Isuzu Impulse

A reader has sent me another Impulse! This time it's a project that has seen better days. Still, its got that roughed up look thats kinda-dumpy, kinda-cool looking, at least if it were parked under neon lights in a rainstorm. Thanks to Jerry H. for this submission!

For those not in the know, the 1980-1990 ('83 onward in the U.S.) Impulse is a collector classic in the making, if it gets saved from oblivion. Haggerty Insurance has rated them extinct as of two years ago. But the Impulse has all the credentials for a New Modern Classic - two-doors, designer body, rear-wheel drive, sport-oriented engineering, international pedigree.

Styling was courtesy of Giugiaro and is another fine example of his brilliant design philosophy, a dominant force of style for most of the second half of the 20th century. Isuzu handled the engineering. The suspension was courtesy of Lotus (earning the car a plate that boasts "Handling by Lotus").

The seller of this example doesn't say whether it's the coveted turbocharged version, but do mention it has the 2.0-liter 4-cylidner engine under the hood geared to a 5-speed manual transmission.

They say the car runs "real good", but it needs clutch work. They also say the body is nice...so who knows what this really needs. The photos clearly show a scar with poor and uneven paint, no stereo or a/c controls and a big dent in the rear hatch gate. But a quick test drive and carfax will flesh out the rest of the story, at least the mechanical and ownership side.

Other than that, for $650 you get one hell of rare ride. There's plenty of room in that price to use it as a daily driver, then restore it later.

Please somebody treat it nice.

Available here on craigslist in Indianapolis, Indiana for just $650.