Turbo Mystery

ShwaSixCobra":3shpvx03 said:

Marti actually just basically wasted my money, the report didn't tell me anything useful that I didn't already know. Yes I know it came with a sunroof, thats on my bucktag. Come to think of it, I knew everything they told me, and most of it on the report is just flat out wrong. Hopefully my emmi dealer invoice clears a lot of it up.

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Wrong from what, how the car is or what you perceive it to be?

None of this should matter anyway; either you dig the car or you don't. Mardi says radio delete, right? Ever think it was and MAYBE someone swapped a complete dash in with a radio and a bunch of other things too? The car obviously once belonged to someone who didn't have a problem with adding "options" that car never came with. The chances are greater that mardi is right than is wrong. If that makes you feel different about the car, then maybe the car isn't for you.

None of this should matter unless all you plan to do is sit in the car, listen to the radio and watch time pass.

If you don't get it running, that's all you'll be able to do with it.

That thing wouldn't have been in my driveway more than thirty seconds before it got hit with a hot battery after a quick oil, fuel, water check.

Does it matter ? No, perhaps not. It's just confusing as fuck from a building it up standpoint. As I need to know what the fuck a turbo dash is doing in there, because the turbo light works - which means it's wired to something. The wiring harness for the 2.3L Turbo is very different than the 3.3L Non Turbo - The wiring diagram is much different for that matter. From my carproof report - this car has not been driven or registered for 24 of the 35 years it's been around.

So in order to preserve historical legacy so far I have collected the original owners manual , carpet, front bumper, rear tail light, original paint etc - My point is , it's hard enough to find parts for a mustang that's an early fox, and not just a GT or a "5.0", and I'm trying to keep it as close to the original factory vision as possible - thus I need to know exactly what's in the car, and why.

The marti report is wrong, it's not an opinion, it's just wrong. They can say I had french labels all they wanted, but that doesn't put french labels on my car - nor are there any, anywhere , nor any evidence of any ever being there.

So is it possible, that someone completely swapped out the dash and wiring and all the assorted parts.. yes, but why ? The car has never been in an accident(car proof) and the rest of the interior is stock as shit. Not to mention they replaced it with a dash that simply doesnt exist.

Go find me a fox mustang that has the cig lighter and digital clock in the dash panel - not in the console, but in the dash panel. Along with the AM/Fm casette AND premium sound ( I have the amp under my radio and fancy speakers in the trunk area)

I also have blacked out door frames, window frames, drip mouldings etc - which didn't come stock on the 2dr or 3dr in 81. I have a literal list of options that were not standard, but which are very clearly stock in the car. The whole damn thing is just one giant mystery, and so far all you guys have done is bash it for not being a cobra (Which really who gives a fucking shit)

My car has an inline six, and is a ford six, so If I shouldn't be here - just say so and save the hate for someone else.

Woah now, cool your jets. Noone has bashed your car, no one has said anything ILL or mean or mean spirited to you, about you, near you or about your car. You think you have something super rare, so rare it doesnt actually exist more than likely, and you have been asking about it. Everyone, except for yourself, Marti included, says that your car has been modded, tweaked on, swapped, changed etc in the past and you are arguing that it hasnt been. I get it, there are some ODD things going on with that car, but unless you bought it from the factory that way or can find some kind of proof that Ford made Mothra/Cobra/Turbo/Nonturbo/3.3/radiodeletewithradioadded cars, then its the same story as every modded Fox thats come and gone. Ive said it before and Ill say it again, NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT!!!! ITS A COOL CAR, IF YOU LOVE IT, KEEP LOVING IT!!!

Also, if it makes you happy and your so certain that its not a previous owner modded car and that Ford did all that to the car, then keep searching and dig up the truth. Have fun with it, enjoy the hunt and if you come to find out that the answers are not out there, even with the amazing internet and all the info if holds, then chock it up to an unsolved mystery and go back to enjoying the car for what it is. Personally, I WISH that the last couple Fox's Ive had were modded so professionally by the previous owner that I swore to the Lord above that Ford did the work at the factory. No such luck for me

Dont get pissy if we dont all agree with you. This isnt the kinda place for insulting or hateful posts and its also not the place to get upset when someone doesnt answer the way you want. Good luck with your car, hope you find what your looking for.

Matt

"Unregistered" DOESN'T mean un driven, unmodified or hasn't changed hands God knows how many times and nobody did anything to it. I've sen cars change hand ten times without any paperwork and each time the previous owner left their "mark". Yeah, I don't have anti lock but the light works....as obviously it has the low brake fluid warning light socket in that hole; "wiring" has nothing to do with it......and wiring can be changed to include non factory items...

If you even opened up a dash you would know that.

Have you ever stopped to consider; that if you are unable to identify a power steering pump, that possibly....maybe you may not have the level of knowledge to properly identify non factory modification? I'm not trying to be mean; I'm just saying you need to realize you don't have a personal base line to make an experienced opinion from.

I think it's pretty safe to say you have carte blanche with a '81 6 cylinder fox body Mustang. The only way you could hurt the "collector" value is if you cut it into pieces. Put it back together however you want.

I hate to say this, but I've seen "that car" ten thousand times in the last 35 years. In my experience I can easily see where some kid would change out a dash light for one that says "turbo".

Who would do such a thing?

The same kinda guy who runs "MUSTANG" down BOTH sides of the hood and puts Mothra stickers on it too.

Your car has, what I'll call in this case; the "Enthusiast" Package. Some previous owner was obviously very enthusiastic about it and put their own "touches" on it. (Makes me wonder where the curb feelers are and the double "Euro" wipers are.)

If you choose to believe nobody modified one of the most modded cars in automotive history over the course of 35 years, then by all means go ahead. "Belief" is a very powerful thing; enough so to make folks fly planes into buildings; but that doesn't make it right or "correct".

If you're interested in making it actually run and drive, I can help you; otherwise I don't know what else to say.

Best wishes.

ShwaSixCobra":14vl1reu said:

Not to mention they replaced it with a dash that simply doesnt exist.

Go find me a fox mustang that has the cig lighter and digital clock in the dash panel - not in the console, but in the dash panel. Along with the AM/Fm casette AND premium sound ( I have the amp under my radio and fancy speakers in the trunk area)

I also have blacked out door frames, window frames, drip mouldings etc - which didn't come stock on the 2dr or 3dr in 81. I have a literal list of options that were not standard, but which are very clearly stock in the car..

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Just took another look at your dash. Clock looks aftermarket, like something from JC Whitney as I once remember selling an aftermarket clock like that at Chief's in the late 80's. It's also too close to the lighter for it to be factory installed. A designer/engineer wouldn't have butted them up that close. Cigarette lighters are easily added into dashes and sold over the counter too. They are both in the area due to limited space behind the face plate which is why whoever installed them has them so close. That being said, It may be a factory unit as well but not factory installed due to the spacing.

Radio and EQ didn't come on the car and most likely aftermarket as the radio should have a black face plate and ford never hung EQ's under the dash ( but millions of individuals did). Chances are your speaker are aftermarket too. I wouldn't be surprised if they were Craig or Sparkomatic. The black out trim and jams didn't become popular till a few years later and there was a spray paint marketed especially for that. I see nothing out of the ordinary for a 35 year old mustang other than maybe the lack of curb feelers, "Baby on Board" and a cold air intake.

The hubcaps look like Chrysler but I could be wrong and the console looks like it's out of another car as it should be the same color as everything else. The car isn't heavily modified but it has definitely been altered from it's factory appointments.

Then again, with only 42 years experience in the automotive parts and repair industries; I could be dead wrong. The first thing I learned as an automotive professional was; I don't know, nor have I seen; "everything"....despite what I believed at the time.

No one is bashing your car because it isn't a cobra. All we are saying is there is a very strong possibility that your assessment of the car's original form may be incorrect.