Build idea: realistic SVT TBird.

[Wile E. Coyote]

As the title states, I have the idea build a a One:None 96-97 SVT TBird. Not a clone of the concept, but a realistic idea of what could have been released. After the penny pinchers got a hold of it, after all the board meetings on how it can't be faster or better than the mustang, ect. I want us here on the forum to brain storm what it most likely would have been.


*Render of a 96 SC concept, but you get the idea*


What wheels would it have had? Brakes? Would it have stayed an auto only, been offered as a manual, or manual only? Seats? Body kit? Badging? Would it have had left over SC/sport stuff thrown at it, or would it have used existing mustang cobra parts? Would parts be brought over from the mark 8, like the aluminum rear components? Would it have been a 4V like the mustang or would they have kept the 2V with the SVO blower prototype as what was used on the blue 95 mule?


Obviously, I'm thinking of modifying my Gold 96 a little further to suit this. The Cobra R wheels and the fact my insurance calls it an "LXSVT" kinda set it off for me. As it sits, it's an NPI with PI cams and an SVO blower. It has sport brakes and SC sway bars, with a black interior using parts from a 90 LX.

 

[XR7-4.6]

The Blower only hit that car after the program was cancelled, the powertrain was in its intention to be basically that of the 96-98 Cobra Mustangs.

Wheels were 100% going to be Cobra R style, Ford even sold them in the Ford racing catalog for years and several people have a set(they’re only 7” wide though which is pretty wimpy). Anything else cosmetic is up to speculation. I’d wager based on the Cobra Mustangs it probably would have had both unique front bumper covers(ala SVE) and rear and possibly ground effects and a rear lip spooner based on the yellow rendering if that was based on insider info.

Interior I’d absolutely bet it would have used SC seats. The first gen SVT Lightning even used the bolsters from them and Ford always made an effort to keep them exclusive and limited in these cars given the 30th cougars were the only way to get them after the 95 SC. They probably would have had different patterns but we’ll never know.


Either way I don’t think there is one right way or wrong way to do it, but I do guarantee it wouldn’t have had 93 Cobra fanblade wheels

 

[Zep5.0]

I'd probably put SC ground effects across then graft an SC rear bumpers lower portion on the bottom of a 96/97 bumper. On the front I'd do the same, but with a 96 cobra lower. The other option for ground effects of the era are from the SHO. I think the bumpers would be hideous. That front end is something only a mother could love.

 

[Little Ice-Cable]

In my eyes you have to go with the cobra r style wheels, and put SC ground effects.

 

[Little Ice-Cable]

I don't know how deep you want to go but the bumper on the SVT bird is different

In my opinion it looks like they took a thunderbird bumper and then took a bottom of a 95ish explorer bumper and combined them.

 

[Wile E. Coyote]

The Blower only hit that car after the program was cancelled, the powertrain was in its intention to be basically that of the 96-98 Cobra Mustangs.

Wheels were 100% going to be Cobra R style, Ford even sold them in the Ford racing catalog for years and several people have a set(they’re only 7” wide though which is pretty wimpy). Anything else cosmetic is up to speculation. I’d wager based on the Cobra Mustangs it probably would have had both unique front bumper covers(ala SVE) and rear and possibly ground effects and a rear lip spooner based on the yellow rendering if that was based on insider info.

Interior I’d absolutely bet it would have used SC seats. The first gen SVT Lightning even used the bolsters from them and Ford always made an effort to keep them exclusive and limited in these cars given the 30th cougars were the only way to get them after the 95 SC. They probably would have had different patterns but we’ll never know.


Either way I don’t think there is one right way or wrong way to do it, but I do guarantee it wouldn’t have had 93 Cobra fanblade wheels

The fanblades are part of the render, not my design. But given the recent eBay find, there may have been a chance of one of the models getting them.

My fronts are original Ford catalog Cobra Rs, so I have that going for me.

So the yellow drawing is actually a good base? And I knew the red one with the blower only had it installed after the program was shut down. But I know there is a blue 95 that was used as a mule for the SVO, so it might have been a consideration.

 

[XR7-4.6]

The fanblades are part of the render, not my design. But given the recent eBay find, there may have been a chance of one of the models getting them.

My fronts are original Ford catalog Cobra Rs, so I have that going for me.

So the yellow drawing is actually a good base? And I knew the red one with the blower only had it installed after the program was shut down. But I know there is a blue 95 that was used as a mule for the SVO, so it might have been a consideration.

I don't know if he rendering is truly a good base or not BUT it was the published one, and I assume it had some insider info in its presentation. It's flawed in that it has 94-95 style headlights for a start.

As far as the fanblade wheels I'm fairly certain in my opinion that those were destined for the stillborn AWD SCs, a 1989 part number does not jive with a SVT package for 1996 which was all in in the Cobra R style 5 spoke at the time, especially with Ford blowing their proverbial wad with them already for the 93 Cobra AND the 15" miniaturization of them in 93-95 LX form(and the chrome 97 ones). Very cool wheel, but there's NO chance the SVT would have got them. It would have been the (front) wheels you have

 

[White Lincoln]

That front end is something only a mother could love.
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WHAT IS THAT HIDIOUS CAR? it has FOUR DOORS!!!! YUCK!

 

[KevinVarnes]

Part of me wants to think Ford would have done it right with Cobra brakes, but the realist in me says they would have just stuck with Sport brakes. SuperCoupes got the same lame brakes as a four wheel disc n/a V6 car so no reason to think they would have done anything special for this car.

SuperCoupe springs and sway bars with the ARC shocks (yeah, I know, but it did work well when it worked). Stock rear suspension pieces.

I think 5 speed manual transmission and automatic are definitely options.

I've only seen one 96/97 with the SC ground effects and the 96/97 side cladding just makes it look not good to me. In that blue concept picture above they cheat the rocker panels and give it subtle ground effects that look pretty good if you could figure out a way to make them work. No badging, but I do like something with the indented letters in the front and/or rear bumpers. No foglights. The ones on the 94/95 are useless and just for looks. I get sick of every single car on the road running with their foglights on all the time.

Gotta have SuperCoupe seats. I don't even mind if it is the later small bolster seats. Hand parking brake in the console. 145mph Taurus speedometer. SVT logo in the airbag. Fold down rear seat available with leather or cloth.

I like the idea of the SVO supercharger on the 4.6 2V to carry on the SuperCoupe theme. No fancy 4v stuff for this car. The original SuperCoupe was "just" a blower on a 3.8 V6. This will be fine with "just" a blower on a 4.6 2V.

Cobra R wheels all the way. Just the 17x7 size. Nothing huge.

All that said, I think you build it to be the best car it can be while still being a relatively stock appearing street car. That means full interior, streetable suspension, awesome brakes, torquey engine, etc. I think you have most of that there already.

 

[Grog6]

If I were going to build it, I'd do a blower,manual trans, sc seats and rear bumper cover, and possibly the sc ground effects. Bilsteins in the front , konis in the back. But that's just me.

 

[dDUBb]

took a bottom of a 95ish explorer bumper and combined them.

I can assure you that is not the case.

So the yellow drawing is actually a good base?

Before the internet existed .. magazines would hire artists to draw concept vehicles so they could write an article. It wasn't from an official Ford press release.

I knew the red one with the blower only had it installed after the program was shut down.

Closest you'll get to a SVT clone.
The SVE is what would have been the SVT ( 4V NA ).
The fact that John Coletti ( head of SVT ) drove the 4V SC version makes it more of a non-official SVT.

I would consider a SVE clone to be a NA 4V and SVT clone to be the SC 4V even if that's not how it would have been made - it doesn't matter; call it how you see it.

But I know there is a blue 95 that was used as a mule for the SVO, so it might have been a consideration.

In regards to the wheels - not a chance. I'm more along with Matt's speculation about the AWD being a possible candidate; but never a consideration for anything SVT related.

SVO was renamed SVT in 1993 .. so at the time that vehicle was developed as a potential 96 Super Coupe. The SVE was chosen in favor of that project.

 

[Grog6]

WHAT IS THAT HIDIOUS CAR? it has FOUR DOORS!!!! YUCK!

That is a contour, lol.

 

[XR7-4.6]

Part of me wants to think Ford would have done it right with Cobra brakes, but the realist in me says they would have just stuck with Sport brakes. SuperCoupes got the same lame brakes as a four wheel disc n/a V6 car so no reason to think they would have done anything special for this car.

SuperCoupe springs and sway bars with the ARC shocks (yeah, I know, but it did work well when it worked). Stock rear suspension pieces.

I think 5 speed manual transmission and automatic are definitely options.

I've only seen one 96/97 with the SC ground effects and the 96/97 side cladding just makes it look not good to me. In that blue concept picture above they cheat the rocker panels and give it subtle ground effects that look pretty good if you could figure out a way to make them work. No badging, but I do like something with the indented letters in the front and/or rear bumpers. No foglights. The ones on the 94/95 are useless and just for looks. I get sick of every single car on the road running with their foglights on all the time.

Gotta have SuperCoupe seats. I don't even mind if it is the later small bolster seats. Hand parking brake in the console. 145mph Taurus speedometer. SVT logo in the airbag. Fold down rear seat available with leather or cloth.

I like the idea of the SVO supercharger on the 4.6 2V to carry on the SuperCoupe theme. No fancy 4v stuff for this car. The original SuperCoupe was "just" a blower on a 3.8 V6. This will be fine with "just" a blower on a 4.6 2V.

Cobra R wheels all the way. Just the 17x7 size. Nothing huge.

All that said, I think you build it to be the best car it can be while still being a relatively stock appearing street car. That means full interior, streetable suspension, awesome brakes, torquey engine, etc. I think you have most of that there already.

The SVE had 13" Cobra brakes in front at least, so I tend to believe that would've been part of the package as all it requires is a different rotor bolt pattern( but NOT hub center) and the passenger brake line would have needed to be made a little smaller, both of which would have been simple to mass produce variants of.


The SVO was developed independently as what could have been the 96 SC, getting rid of the 3.8 basis, so that would be its own unique what if

 

[KevinVarnes]

Fair enough. I don't know a whole lot of details about the red concept car. I do know Ford though. If they could have saved $5 using the Sport brakes they would have. These cars just scream for Cobra brakes at minimum.

I think Ford would have considered the 4V engine in anything remotely sporty (everyone just sees the Lincoln Mark VIII as grandpa mobiles even though they are awesome) to be too much of a threat to the Mustang Cobra so I think they would have stuck with the 2V for us.

 

[XR7-4.6]

Fair enough. I don't know a whole lot of details about the red concept car. I do know Ford though. If they could have saved $5 using the Sport brakes they would have. These cars just scream for Cobra brakes at minimum.

I think Ford would have considered the 4V engine in anything remotely sporty (everyone just sees the Lincoln Mark VIII as grandpa mobiles even though they are awesome) to be too much of a threat to the Mustang Cobra so I think they would have stuck with the 2V for us.

I don't disagree with what Ford management would have liked, but Id also say that's exactly why it never happened. SVE developed the car they felt would be the best fit for SVT and Ford management after reviewing the potential costs went "nope!!!"

 

[KevinVarnes]

Right, I'm just going by this parameter from the original post which I think adds a unique twist. It isn't necessarily what is awesome or what they should have done, but what they would have done.

Not a clone of the concept, but a realistic idea of what could have been released. After the penny pinchers got a hold of it, after all the board meetings on how it can't be faster or better than the mustang, ect.

 

[dDUBb]

Ford management after reviewing the potential costs went "nope!!!"

I think there's a lot more behind the story .. they shut down the entire factory mid production year 1997 and we still don't really know why.

 

[Wile E. Coyote]

Again, the idea is what it could have been if people, I guess, were willing to negotiate. SVT had a vision, Fords Accountants and board members said no. So, if SVT had negotiated with the big wigs and been able to build it, what could it have been. Obviously they don't want it to outshine their precious stang.

In my opinion, itd be a mark 8 drivetrain, same power rating as the mark to not compete with the stang, with SC seats and sport suspension. Badging would be a normal cursive Thunderbird with the LX removed and SVT in its place. I don't think they would have bothered with the bumpers or side clading, since they had started using parts from the Taurus to cut costs.

 

[MadMikeyL]

I would agree with the MarkVIII drivetrain, since that was already engineered and emission certified in basically the same chassis. I would obviously hope for a manual trans option, which I think would have wound up being an M5R2 since between the 4.6 F150 and the SC, they already had all the parts in the bin to make it work. I do think something would have to have been done to the body to distinguish it from the LX. Either ground effects, or different bumpers, or maybe different side cladding, but something to distinguish it. I think the SHO 150mph cluster would have been used. 94/95 SC seats and console, and complete SC suspension including ARC.

 

[XR7-4.6]

Again, the idea is what it could have been if people, I guess, were willing to negotiate. SVT had a vision, Fords Accountants and board members said no. So, if SVT had negotiated with the big wigs and been able to build it, what could it have been. Obviously they don't want it to outshine their precious stang.

In my opinion, itd be a mark 8 drivetrain, same power rating as the mark to not compete with the stang, with SC seats and sport suspension. Badging would be a normal cursive Thunderbird with the LX removed and SVT in its place. I don't think they would have bothered with the bumpers or side clading, since they had started using parts from the Taurus to cut costs.

I think you’re trying to will the easiest route into existence through cope lol

I’m just looking at this from the vantage of the SVT Mustangs, SVT Lightning and SVT Contour all of the same period, the common thread between all of them is unique bodywork. There’s zero reason I’d think they’d use the italic Thunderbird emblem, I’d bet they’d either delete it and place a SVT there alone, or maybe emboss the Thunderbird name in the bumper cover if it was a unique mold, SVTs tended to clean up the badging rather than clutter them

 

[Wile E. Coyote]

I think you’re trying to will the easiest route into existence through cope lol

I’m just looking at this from the vantage of the SVT Mustangs, SVT Lightning and SVT Contour all of the same period, the common thread between all of them is unique bodywork. There’s zero reason I’d think they’d use the italic Thunderbird emblem, I’d bet they’d either delete it and place a SVT there alone, or maybe emboss the Thunderbird name in the bumper cover if it was a unique mold, SVTs tended to clean up the badging rather than clutter them

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Fair enough. Let's consider the styling then.
I like the idea of it having THUNDERBIRD embossed on the rear bumper, but the "trim" indent would have to be altered or deleted towards the rear then, and still be on the sides to match the cladding.
Front bumper, I guess something like @dDUBb did on his 96. Subtle, but certainly different.

 

[XR7-4.6]

Other thing worth pondering is whether the SVE fog light treatment was what they actually would have went with or if it was a placeholder exercise. Reason being with the exception of the Gen 1 lightning they used round fog lights in everything else they made