“There’s no replacement for displacement,” the saying goes. But we all know that isn’t true; there are lots of ways to make a car go faster that don’t involve increasing the engine size. Forcing more air into an engine is a time-honored approach that both of today’s competitors use. They just pressurize the incoming air in different ways.
Yesterday was a weird one, I know, but I wanted to write about both of those vehicles, and neither of them fit with anything else. That’s the way it goes sometimes. More of you wanted to play with an old fire truck than finish someone else’s project, and the big red Chevy took a pretty decisive win over the half-ute-converted Beetle. I loved some of the suggestions for what to do with the fire truck too, especially the idea of converting it into a giant BBQ smoker. Once it fought fires; now it encapsulates them and uses them for good. It’s perfect.
But I think that if I were choosing one for myself, I’d take the Beetle ute. I’ve always been curious about the Smyth kits, and this one has the hard part (the cutting) already done, and the leftover metal pieces already disposed of. Putting it together might be kind of fun.
You all understand the difference between turbochargers and superchargers, right? Just in case, I’ll go over it really quickly: A turbocharger uses the engine’s exhaust gas pressure to spin a turbine. The other end of that turbine pulls fresh air into the intake side of the engine. A supercharger, on the other hand, is a mechanical air pump that does the same thing, but is driven by a belt running from the engine’s crankshaft. In both cases, the engine is force-feeding itself more air, which creates more power. One of today’s cars came from the factory with a turbocharger, which has been replaced by an even bigger turbocharger, and the other came with a supercharger, and has had its head gaskets replaced. Let’s check them out.
1988 Toyota Supra Turbo – $6,100
Engine/drivetrain: Turbocharged 3.0-liter DOHC inline 6, five-speed manual, RWD
Location: Westland, MI
Odometer reading: 134,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well, needs a few things
The Toyota Supra started out as not much more than a Celica with a six-cylinder engine and a nose job, but by the time this third generation came around, it had evolved into a full-fledged grand touring coupe, with a roomy interior and elegant styling. The inline six remained, but now it was offered with an optional turbocharger. For many second and third owners, even the turbocharged engine wasn’t enough, and they turned to the aftermarket to create some truly audacious power numbers – but in the process lost the elegance and good manners. This appears to be such a car.
The Supra Turbo’s engine – 7M-GTE in Toyota-speak – is a 3.0 liter twin-cam unit making 231 horsepower in stock form. That was a serious number in the late ’80s, but of course it’s minivan horsepower now. This car’s engine has gone a bit beyond that. There’s a laundry list of high-performance parts in the ad, along with a claim of 500 horsepower. Take that number with a grain of salt, of course, but suffice it to say this isn’t a slow car. It does have a power steering leak that needs addressing, and it sounds like it could use higher-flow fuel injectors to really take advantage of the other go-fast parts, but the seller says it drives well as it is.
The Supra was a really nice car inside when it was new; I had a neighbor who owned one, and I got to ride in it a couple of times. This Supra is nothing like that car, unfortunately. The comfy seats have been replaced with racing seats and harnesses, most of the trim is removed (but included, thankfully), and it has a bunch of add-on gauges and an absolute travesty of a steering wheel. If this is your scene, more power to you, I guess, but I would much rather see a stock Supra interior.
It’s in reasonable shape outside, but not great. The paint is pretty bad on the hood, it’s missing some trim, and there are a couple of small rust spots. It has aftermarket wheels, but those are unavoidable on a car like this. The original wheels would have looked better, but they probably went to the recycler long ago. It still has that perfectly-proportioned wedge shape, though. I’m not sure Toyota ever sold a better body design than this.
1991 Ford Thunderbird Super Coupe – $4,000
Engine/drivetrain: Supercharged 3.8-liter OHV V6, five-speed manual, RWD
Location: Jackson, MI
Odometer reading: 140,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
Ford’s Thunderbird more or less created the personal luxury coupe category. For years, it just kept getting bigger and fancier, never a high-performance car, but never really slow, either. Like so many other cars, it reached its nadir in the late 1970s and early ’80s, first as a giant baroque monster and then as the most forgettable version of Ford’s Fox platform. In 1983, Ford abandoned the opera windows and hidden headlights and brought the Thunderbird into the modern era with a sleek new body design, though still based on the Fox platform. Then in 1989, a whole new Thunderbird appeared, with classy styling and independent suspension all around, and an available supercharger.
Ford’s 3.8-liter Essex V6 already had a reputation for weak head gaskets, and unfortunately, the supercharger only made things worse. I have heard a lot of stories of head gasket failures, and warped heads, on Thunderbird Super Coupes. This one has recently had its heads resurfaced and its head gaskets replaced, along with a bunch of other work, and it’s now ready to roll. Super Coupes are also hard on their automatic transmissions, but you’ll have no such worries here: this one is a five-speed stick.
Like the Turbo Coupe before it, the Super Coupe has a much sportier character inside than your typical old-person-oriented Thunderbird. It has big bolsters on the seats to hold you in place around corners, and a blessed lack of fake woodgrain. This one is in pretty good shape, but it looks like the radio is missing, judging by the wires hanging out of the dash. Also, I should point out that the first few years of this era Thunderbird came with motorized seat belts. Sorry.
The photos in this ad aren’t great, but from what I can see, this looks like a really original Super Coupe, with all its ground effects and original wheels intact. It has a few flaws, but nothing out of the ordinary for a well-kept 140,000 mile car. The seller helpfully includes a couple of under-car photos, and it looks really clean under there. No rust worries here.
Two-door coupes are getting hard to find these days, unless you want a Mustang, but when these two were built they were very much in demand. Both of these cars were available in lesser variants, but these are the ones everyone wanted back then. Now, thanks to time and depreciation, they’re way more within reach. Which one is more your style?
I thought this was an easy one, but after seeing the pics and reading through, I’m team T-Bird. I thought these were cool back in the day, and it seems like my initial concern (3.8 Fords came standard with blown head gaskets) has been addressed.
I do like the gen of Supra, I feel really bad for that one. If it were bone stock it would’ve been an easy win.
I like the redesigned dash better than this, and the motorized mice are a pain, but I’m still team Thunderbird.
Yeah, 94+ is def the way to go with the MN12 cars.
Supra just because it could be flipped for a profit to a teenager or 20 something with their well offs parents money. I would go turbo coupe over super coupe for half the money.
Clean nearly stock T-bird FTW
I absolutely love 2nd and 3rd gen Supras, but that one is just too roached to use as a starting point plus, good luck ever getting that mess through smog in CA. The T-bird has some potential so I picked that.
Thunderbird for me. Looks to be unmolested.
And when I look at that Supra, I see a fart-can exhaust and the intake-side of the turbo with no piping or air filter. And in seeing that, I assume other bad decisions were made when the owner “built” (molested) it. Why else would they be selling just 2500 miles after doing their build if it was properly done?
Nah… the Supra owner fucked up the vehicle and now they are dumping it. I would give them $3000 for it because I know a lot of things would have to be redone and un-fucked.
But instead of that, I’d rather have the $4000 Thunderbird that was simply repaired and just needs a few things like a new stereo.
My 9th grade science teacher had a SuperCoupe like this, also with a 5 speed, and he only had one arm. He claimed he was left-handed because “it’s the only hand he has left” and he still bought the manual, props.
A real American hero.
I prefer to hoon something that won’t be terribly missed. As someone else said, I’d likely dial the Supra back a bit, then drive it like I stole it. Already isn’t that pretty, so I won’t worry about gravel chips & bramble pinstripes.
Almost a nostalgia vote for the SC in honor of a recently departed HS friend—but he knew me and would rather I beat on something I could than baby something in his memory.
I wanted to vote for the Supra, but it’s probably pretty beat. The T-bird is a lot of car for the money, and probably better cared for.
This was so easy…Supra! I’ll put some TURBO decals on the side then have a ton of fun cruising in it. No thanks to the Fix Or Repair Daily/
Found On Road Dead T-Bird especially that generation
In general I would take the Supra, but in this specific case it’s the Thunderchicken for me.
Of course it’s true that there is no replacement for displacement. Because anything you can bolt on or do to a 1.0 liter engine to make more horsepower, you can bolt on or do to a bigger engine and make even more horsepower.
#getoffmylawn
If both original, then the Supra easy. But that’s obviously not the case. Too bad as those Supras in near original form are getting some serious money these days and were really great for their time. I have never driven one of those SC’s but remember thinking that they looked nice. The head gasket issue would get old but enjoy it until that happens.
Anyone else having their browser freeze up on this site? It seems to happen a lot.
For me, pages are often pretty slow to load, but I don’t think I’ve experienced any outright freezes where I have to kill the tab. (Win11PC/MS Edge)
Always the least ruined one. So Thunderbird today 🙂
Toyota guy here since 1977.
That example is an automatic NFW for me, at any cost.
Easy vote for the Bird today.
Wouldn’t mind being Bill Elliott for a day or two, depending on gas prices and the reaction from law enforcement locally. YMMV of course.
This generation Thunderbird is one of my least favorite cars of all time. I can’t say why but I have disliked these since they were new. Still, I had to vote for it over the Supra. The Supra looks like it would have been nice before the current owner touched it inappropriately, though. I can’t imagine spending so much time and effort to make something worse.
if that Thunderbird were closer/easier parking here in NYC I’d be all over it, hopefully its not too rusty, I always love this gen!
T-Bird ALL THE WAY ALL THE TIME.
Toyota vs Ford I choose Toyota 9 out of 10 times. The hooning of the owner plus the expectation of me paying for the privilege of having to finish it or return it to its original quality is a hard no.
I’d spend more on the Supra, and dial back the boost/performance down to something more reasonable like 350. Will probably require a smaller turbo to make this better, but I Can sell the existing one off to finance that effort.
I’d then go through the interior and clean everything up and make it a more comfortable place to live, those seats will go in their place I’d put a set of Corbeau RRX seats, and these would really tie the place together.
Those wheels need to go, I’d probably go with TE’s in a more reasonable diameter and offset, then give the exterior a refresh. Finally some fresh audio, probably get a Dolphin head unit for the vibes.
This is my favorite generation of Supra, so it’s awfully tough to vote against it. This one, however, is a total fright pig. Thunderbird FTW today, it’s a pretty decent fun car for the money.
You picked the T-Bird because the Supra is clapped-out with questionable mods.
I picked the T-Bird because I always loved this generation of Thunderbird.
We are not the same.
I prefer the Turbo Coupe generation over the Super Coupe, and if this had been that it would have swayed my voted.
The Turbo Coupe was a sick generation as well, but I think these Super Coupes cleaned up the looks a little. Really like both.
Kind of a neither day for me but that’s not how the game is played.
I’ll take the largely stock Thunderbird but would rather have the prior generation Turbo Coupe.
100% do not trust whoever that Supra owner is with something as simple as a McDonald’s order
I really wanted to pick the Supra, but good golly has it been ravaged with poor taste and questionable mods. Super Coupe it is!
Same!
Same!
same
Back story…Freshman year in college my dorm-mate had a brand new 88-89 turbo Supra that he would have to drive back to NJ every weekend. Turns out his folks were not rich, he was transporting drugs and cash…
Now for the cars, I would LOOOOVE that Supra if was just a little less f-ed up. But as it stands, I would rather deal with a stock Thunderbird.
pharmacy student lol
Recreational pharmaceuticals we would say