1987 LX T-Top worth buying?

Should I buy it?

  • Yes!

    Votes: 2 18.2%
  • No!

    Votes: 9 81.8%
  • Not sure

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    11

Trickflo

New Member
Jul 28, 2020
5
-2
1
Denver
Hi all I found a pretty clean 1987 LX hatchback T-top for sale has 149k miles on it I don’t see any rust. It is all original wheels and all only thing that’s been done is a cold air intake nothing else. It’s got newer brakes and tires all round. Everything works as should.

Said I can grab it for $6,000 as he has it up for 7k. It has some clear coat peeling, don’t see any body damage. Noticed no headliner.

It says it has a rebuilt title he said it always said that on there. It does almost look like the front bumper & hood are a different shade of red compared to the fenders. like it’s a faded red off a different car that had more time under the sun. Could be lighting idk.
Also if you look at the last picture in this post a front view of the engine with the hood open on the passenger side it appears to have a Gap and a bolt missing in the middle on the passenger side where the fender bolts down & further up does it look crunched a little? or is it just me?
What do you guys think about the title being rebuilt?

He doesn’t drive it in the rain and said he can’t remember if it leaked in the car wash. I looked at the seats see no stains to see water damage. And see no signs of water up by the t top areas. He is selling it cause he doesn’t use it and it sits cause he’s in college.

I have not seen it in person yet he’s two hours away. I just zoomed in on the photos.

question is. Is it worth buying I heard all these T-tops leak searching on the internet and see replacement glass is expensive and hard to get if anything happened. Also reading doors are the same as a Convertible how ever the glass is 2 inches shorter & you cant buy door glass for a T-Top. I know the T-Tops are very rare to find.

My plans are to maybe put a top end kit on it and get around 350-400 crank horsepower on it. I know t-top is weaker so would need sub-frame connectors to stiffen it up.
I am looking for a fox I miss mine I sold 12 years ago when I was 21. I had a clean 90 lx notch and a clean 90 GT hatch I was stupid & sold.
What are your thoughts?
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Pass side inner apron is definitely mangled up. Looks like before and after the shock tower. My guess is that’s the reason for the rebuilt title. It’s obviously been repainted as well. Who knows what other danage would be there if the nose was pulled off.

speedo cluster has been changed out to the later 140mph unit, so take the mileage with a grain of salt.

That crunched pass side is a huge turn off. T-top cars are in demand but that damage looks pretty bad. Even the firewall looks damaged at the hood hinge area
 
I voted no: Here is my explanation.

I grew up with IROC all the guys in the family had one and I cut my teeth in one. Everyone of them has T-Tops.

When you remove the glass its a PITA unless you have nothing in the back or leave them at home. Cons in both aspects.

Take them with you, can't carry anything because you don't want to put it on top of the glass.
Leave them at home, can't lock the car and if you live in a area that the weather changes, well you are screwed.

Stereo was actually the main issue with us. Subs take up the room in the back where you would have placed the glass and if you put them on top of the subs you can break them from the vibration if you have enough of an Amplifier pushing them. My brother shattered one of his this way.

MY stereo issue was that I could not keep the bass at the normal level when raining because the damn thing would vibrate that glass (IN PLACE) so much that it would rain inside of the car.


Other than that.. Great car
 
I had a T-Top 85 GT. Thought I would love it....I didn't. It became a pain taking the top on and off and it rattled and leaked. I personally would never buy a rebuilt / salvaged titled car. Ever. No exceptions. Everyone will have their opinion on rebuilt/salvage titles but understand it can affect resale value and some insurance companies won't insure a rebuilt titled car.

Chris
 
I voted no: Here is my explanation.

I grew up with IROC all the guys in the family had one and I cut my teeth in one. Everyone of them has T-Tops.

When you remove the glass its a PITA unless you have nothing in the back or leave them at home. Cons in both aspects.

Take them with you, can't carry anything because you don't want to put it on top of the glass.
Leave them at home, can't lock the car and if you live in a area that the weather changes, well you are screwed.

Stereo was actually the main issue with us. Subs take up the room in the back where you would have placed the glass and if you put them on top of the subs you can break them from the vibration if you have enough of an Amplifier pushing them. My brother shattered one of his this way.

Same issue with sunroof cars, but in practice it really isn't an issue at all. My hatch is empty 99% of the time (stock radio too, so no sub), so I just store the glass there, but most of the time, I just leave the panel at home in my garage and go out for my cruise. Depending on the stretch of weather (late spring/early fall) the glass will be out permanently and i just leave it on a shelf at home for 2-3 weeks since i would be popping it in/out all the time otherwise.

But your points are valid, just it just depends ultimately on use.
 
If these fox bodies ever become as collectible as the first gens, that title will cost you thousands. There are just too many questions with this one. The speedo, the shifter, the fact that the carpet looks changed and all of the sheet metal in the passenger side engine bay.

You can find better at that price.
 
I would do $3K on that car, maybe $4 depending on the inperson inspection. That's only if the firewall isn't wrinkled up in that corner. if it is, that's going to quickly move me into parts donor pricing range.

First thing i'd do is pull the nose off, but new aprons, get it on a frame machine, and get it all welded back up together straight with clean panels.


$6-7K? No way. Not with that damage. To be honest, if the sheet metal damage underneath is bad and the firewall is messed up, that car should be a donor swap into a clean roller. Mechanicals can be swapped and fixed, but you really should start with a good, straight body as a foundation for your build.
 
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I know the T-top cars are rare but I don't see the hype on them, that just me though. The right side apron and fire wall damage is definitely a concern. It take a pretty hard hit to damage a firewall. Cars with firewall damage are no Bueno in my book. There are better cars out there for that kind of price.
 
Salvage/rebuilt title cars are a pain in the ass to sell down the road when you're done with it, and no matter how in love with it you are right now, that day will come.

On top of that, $6000 will buy much nicer foxes in most of the country, see this thread for a whole host of examples: https://www.stangnet.com/mustang-forums/threads/7k-fox-challenge.913818/

Throw in the obvious frame/apron damage indications in the pictures and what you're looking at is a massive project, a money pit, and a pain to sell later on. That car would be a hard pass for me at $3500, at $6000-7000 the seller is out of his mind, but he'll probably get it from someone who doesn't know any better or do their due diligence first.
 
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I would do $3K on that car, maybe $4 depending on the inperson inspection. That's only if the firewall isn't wrinkled up in that corner. if it is, that's going to quickly move me into parts donor pricing range.

First thing i'd do is pull the nose off, but new aprons, get it on a frame machine, and get it all welded back up together straight with clean panels.


$6-7K? No way. Not with that damage. To be honest, if the sheet metal damage underneath is bad and the firewall is messed up, that car should be a donor swap into a clean roller. Mechanicals can be swapped and fixed, but you really should start with a good, straight body as a foundation for your build.


This is almost [exactly] my thoughts. Only difference is that $3k would be my tip-top dollar on that car that has obviously been used to rear-end a solid object.
 
This is almost [exactly] my thoughts. Only difference is that $3k would be my tip-top dollar on that car that has obviously been used to rear-end a solid object.


I'm adding the northeast factor into my thinking. Fox-bodies here in the northeast can probably pull in another $1-2K just due to the fact that so many rotted out years ago and very few clean ones are left. It's crazy but guys will drive to the south, buy a clean fox, and then come here and flip it and make $1-2K profit even after their expenses.
 
I'm adding the northeast factor into my thinking. Fox-bodies here in the northeast can probably pull in another $1-2K just due to the fact that so many rotted out years ago and very few clean ones are left. It's crazy but guys will drive to the south, buy a clean fox, and then come here and flip it and make $1-2K profit even after their expenses.
I suspect a 'flipper' car.
 
Okay all thanks for the replies i will defiantly pass. upon further looking at the photos i have come to a conclusion that this thing has hit something head on on the passenger side corner. Reasons i come to this conclusion is

the passenger side is crunched, the fender isnt all the way bolted down with a gap on that side. also if you look the fender has like no gap between the fender and the bumper its pushed as close together as it can telling me its crunched maybe like 1/4" which is why the fender wont lay flat cause it doesnt have enough space between the bumper and door of the car to fit..
if you look at the driver side picture looking from the back to front. the door & fenders don't match up and stick out with a gap and its not straight where the door meets the front fender .telling me that the whole nose of the car from the firewall forwards has been pushed towards the passenger side.

i thought the dash looked weird but didn't know it been changed. i noticed the carpet i was thinking it was just coming up.

Sad part is he has someone that will pay him $6,500 for it in 2 weeks. I was only told i could get it 6k if i get it by next week.

I am not only looking at Foxbodies im also considering a 1994-1997 1.8L Mazda Miata MX-5 & Turboing it. power to weight ratio it only needs 247 crank horsepower which is doable with the stock engine just a direct bolt on. to keep up with the new 5.0 coyote mustang gt & will handle better than a stang. it all depends what I find out there.
 
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Why would you take 6k now and not wait for 6.5 in two weeks? Old trick. I'm sure he is a 'flipper ' now.
and I have bad news about the miata, turbo or not, it ain't keep'n up with a coyote. JMO though.
 
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I have bad news about the miata, turbo or not, it ain't keep'n up with a coyote. JMO though.

Think about the below Info. These are Stock numbers @CRANK Horsepower
---------Model-----------------Weight----------Stock Specs------- Stock Power to Weight Ratio
2011 Mustang GT ----- 3,605 lbs ----- 411hp/390tq ---------- 0.114 hp/lb
1990 Mustang LX ----- 2,980 lbs ----- 225hp/300tq ---------- 0.076 hp/lb
1990 Miata MX-5 ----- 2,182 lbs ----- 116hp/100tq ---------- 0.053 hp/lb

Theory is: if a car has the same power to weight ratios it should be around the same in performance.
So How much horsepower at the @CRANK does a 87-93 Foxbody 5.0L & 90-93 Miata MX-5 1.6L need to be at the same Power to weight Ratio as the 2011 Mustang GT 5.0 sitting at a 0.114 hp/lb power to weight ratio?

1990 Mustang LX ----- 2,980 lbs ----- 340hp ---------- 0.114 hp/lb
1990 Miata MX-5 ----- 2,182 lbs ----- 248hp ---------- 0.114 hp/lb

So the foxbodies only need 340 crank hp & Miata MX-5 only need 248hp to have the same power to weight ratio as the newer 2011 Mustang GT 5.0 cause they are lighter


Another thing about miata. they all have forged cranks from factory & handle more power than you can even get in the engine cause its just to small to reach them power levels. the pistons can handle 450hp before they need changed. Nobody has ever broken a block from too much power on a miata onlything thats made them go boom are the rods but put in forged and good to go.The only thing you need to change for 250hp miata for a 1994+ is the rods the rest of the parts can handle that power on stock everything. So you can buy a $4,000 miata buy a pre-tuned bolt on plug and play turbo kit from flyin miata no tuning needed as its pre-tuned for $4,200 which is safe for stock engine and gives you 200hp to the wheels ( i dont know the crank rated power ) which you still have room to turn up the boost on if you want cause the engine can take all the power you can give it. basically the engine parts with exception of the rods are built so well that they can handle more power than the engine is even capable of due to its small size 1.6-1.8L








It's very easy to calculate a power-to-weight ratio. Simply divide the power output of a vehicle by its weight. For example, if you have a car that weights 2000 pounds and has 250 hp, the PWR will be as follows:
250 / 2000 = 0.125 hp for every pound of car.
https://goodcalculators.com/power-to-weight-ratio-calculator/
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