My 30 Year Old Supercoupe is Broken Again!? Time for New Upgrades!

[@18000rpm]

Nice ride! I had a base Thunderbird in 1991 and lusted over the SC.

[@PowershiftFactory]

It must have been really nice to see these brand new back in the early 90s! Is there anything in particular you wanted to know about the SC or anything interesting maybe you remember from the advertising back then?

[@philipstewart4474]

I once owned a’95 V8 LX, Beige Fully Loaded with aftermarket Hypertech Chip, SC Exhaust, KnN cold air filter, and Undrdrive Pullies. I miss her dearly, especially when I see one cruising around, but I was glad to have had one for like 10 years.

[@ShadowTheSC]

I got one for 1800 bucks, 80k mile motor with 220k miles. It still hauls ass and handles amazing.

[@PowershiftFactory]

Nice good deal, take good care of it these cars wont be around for cheap long, they're starting to appreciate as a collectors car now a days! But sometimes keeping them going can be a real struggle.

[@brock4991]

Nice repair work and great video work. Good to see the old bird still being taken care of and enjoyed.

[@PowershiftFactory]

Thanks! She rips alot harder than when she was stock but boy all the bushings are not liking the extra power! I got a few more upgrades up my sleeve though!

[@amannamesolo]

I always wanted a 85-97 TBird. Those cars was nice.

[@PowershiftFactory]

Thanks!

[@williamcardell9396]

Thank you so much for your response, about a year ago I did find NOS Rears the Motor craft boxes were so weathered could hardly read shocks perfect

[@dauntlessVsix]

Great job on the video. It's nice to see more quality Thunderbird content. My 96 is somehow still on its original bushings. Thankfully I've also got a set of old stock parts waiting for when the factory ones finally fail.

[@PowershiftFactory]

Thanks for the comment, im hlad you enjoyed it! I'm still quite an amateur, but getting better each time and hoping to keep more content coming!

[@HaNg_ALL_ThE_tRaItOrS_hiGh]

I took a 95 and 93 sc cloned the interior and 95 sc cloned the exterior. Then 5.0 ho, 5 speed swapped it. Then turbocharged it with an On3 fox kit and built all my own hot and cold side and air bagged it. Absolutely worth every penny! The looks it gets and how fast it is is nuts!

[@PowershiftFactory]

I love that! I've very much thought about doing the same thing to another non-supercoupe to make a drift car,, i have a spare SC bodykit, clutch pedal assembly, and m5r2 trans! But considering i already have 4 cars i cant add another!

[@abbateh]

Nice work. Good to see you keeping yours nice. In the 90’s had an 89 ,white, 5 speed, grey leather. Eibachs 17” OZ Monte Carlo’s with 245’s all around, resonator delete with dynomax cat back. Smaller pulley, super chips chip. Really liked that car. Get nostalgic for another one but the cost and hassle to get one nice again is too much.

[@PowershiftFactory]

Thanks! I hope it brought back some memories, these cars can be a pain but when they working well they really are wonderful cars!

[@andersonflynn3237]

Great video. thanks for sharing and giving your insight. Btw, beautiful scenery. Lol! Thanks, again.

[@PowershiftFactory]

Thanks for the comment glad that you enjoyed the video! It was fun to make that footage and edit it

[@oogalaboogala8408]

Nice! 3 weeks ago i bought a 96 with the 4.6 v8 m90 supercharger comp cams and springs meth injection kit and more super fun car

[@PowershiftFactory]

Nice! That must have the old FRPP supercharger kit? I've seen them used on a few early Saleen S281s with the 4.6L Its the same supercharger as the Supercoupe but put upside down with a special intake manifold, you haven't had that car long yet but if you dyno it I'd be curious what it puts down!

[@oogalaboogala8408]

@@PowershiftFactory oh ok i didnt know about those mine has an allen engineering kit it and my buddy has a dyno and let me use it when i got back it put down 382hp-490ft lbs of torque at 6000rms on 8lbs of boost pretty crazy considering i got it for $2800 and only had to replace a wheel bearing

[@PowershiftFactory]

@@oogalaboogala8408 that's pretty impressive for a 4.6L SOHC right up there with Terminator Cobra numbers!

[@jeffbrown3963]

My son had an 89 super coupe and i hated working on that. Looking back, compared to todays cars, it really wasnt all that bad. He really misses it.

[@PowershiftFactory]

The biggest thing I learned was if something looked like it was in the way you need to remove it, there are little short cuts to be had and the faster and easier route is just more disassembly! Honestly the aftermarket charge piping just helps sooo much in making this easier! But for top end work you gotta take take the wiper assembly out for sure!

[@CharlesWood-u7v]

Nice SC! Very cool cars!

[@PowershiftFactory]

Thanks! They are becoming alot more rare to see these days, i cant remember the last time I've seen one in the wild that wasn't mine.

[@rickcunningham5581]

I was wondering were you got the Tokio shocks? Also the alternator was a new one or rebuilt? I got a place that rebuilds them.

[@PowershiftFactory]

I ordered them from Super coupe performance several years ago as one of the last runs that Bill got of them from Tokiko. I used a rebuilt alternator it took me a bit to find new brushes to repair the OEM alternator but I have since done that so I have a spare rebuilt one now as well.

[@VortexTheGreat69]

That’s awesome I’m going to get the ford focus RS and keep it for ever also I have a ford focus sedan titanium it’s very nice for just a very reliable car just a bit small

[@williamcardell9396]

Were did you get updated front struts. May 15th 2024 Thanks

[@PowershiftFactory]

Unfortunately I got those many years ago and kept them in storage for quite some time and only recently installed them, they are no longer in production. I want to work on building a drop in Bilstein inserts kit for the front for folks to buy in the future but I'm still working on the design.

[@michaelpalermo6408]

I have a 95 Cougar and was wondering if you have any suggestions for removing the bottom strut shock bolt without destroying the bushing on the strut arm?

[@PowershiftFactory]

Im not sure I'm fully following. You shouldn't encounter and issue with the shock to lower control arm bushing. If you're talking about the strut rod bushing, the rear one, strut rod to lower control arm bushing is really no problem it should come free easily, the front strut rod to frame bushing is another matter since the sleeve is going to be stuck together, there is no great solution for that bushing (this is the one i replaced) other than pry it apart which will likely damage something. The easiest way to deal with the suspension on these is remove the brakes and just comit to taking it fully apart, the way everything locks together its pretty difficult to service components individually, something is inevitably always in your way. If you damaged anything with the cast iron lower control arm they are surprisingly cheap $30 or so on rockauto.com. Hope this helps but let me know if you have any more questions happy to help if i can!

[@andrewe4277]

Can you tell me where you got your replacement shocks? I own a 1990 Super Coupe.

[@PowershiftFactory]

I had ordered them from SupercoupePerformance.com several years ago i don't believe you can get them anymore...

[@Turshin]

Hows that alternator working out for you? Ive had to change out multiple ones from advanced and autozone and just got fed up and upgraded it.

[@PowershiftFactory]

So far its been completely solid, i got an AC Delco remanufctured one hoping it would equal the original OEM quality. Off camera I did replace the brushes in the oem alternator and kept it as a spare so we'll see if i have any issues and need to swap again!

[@TheBirdsNest93]

What’s your camera set up? Great quality

[@PowershiftFactory]

Thanks! I have 3 GoPro Hero 9's, 1 GoPro 11, and 1 more GoPro 11 Mini. I'm sure you've noticed but the biggest challenge is getting clean audio of the car driving, for talking/narration I've got a Rode Wireless Go II Mic setup which is a fantastic piece of kit to have.

[@TheBirdsNest93]

@@PowershiftFactory I’m rockin the old iPhone and Hero 2 setup. I Gotta catch up haha

[@javierjavier7291]

I have a 93 sc with front driver strut seems to not go into normal mode stuck in firm but the actuator does click back and forth also where to get new replacements

[@PowershiftFactory]

Do you have a ride control error code? Ive heard sometimes the shaft in the shocks can get stuck from debris over the years you can try taking tge actuator off and try lubricating the shaft it turns. As far as replacement parts sadly unless someone stashed some shocks somewhere there's nothing... non ARC performance options are slim I know '99-'04 cobra rear shocks are bolt in but front options are non existent without getting custom.

[@javierjavier7291]

@@PowershiftFactory yes I get the 4 flashes I have already done what you are saying. Just that one stuck on firm

[@mjhprojects321]

I need to find new front shocks for my SC but i cannot find a repacment that will fir a SC and insted a base model what would you recommend

[@PowershiftFactory]

There are no options available that will retain the Automatic Ride Control, outside of that the standard Tokiko Blue shocks are also discontinued. So for performance options only thing you can buy off the shelf is the QA1 coil over option that supercoupe performance sells. But i have heard of folks cutting up monroe shock and putting in a 3000GT bilstein insert but quite a bit of custom work needed there. 99-04 cobra rear shocks are direct bolt on for our rear shocks though!

[@mjhprojects321]

@@PowershiftFactory I don’t care about the auto ride control I need new shocks at the same ride height

[@PowershiftFactory]

@@mjhprojects321 there are definitely some stock replacement options for non ride control, but its a pretty weak offering nothing that would be a performance or sport shock. Monroe, and Gabriel. Rockauto.com seems to have 2 motorcraft replacement shocks left AM588G

[@tjb7723]

I read the 3.8s are prone to headgasket failure like this 1990 I’m eying

[@PowershiftFactory]

Are you looking at a supercoupe or a normal 3.8L? The supercoupe has special SC specific cylinder heads with better coolant passage to prevent it. But i have heard the stock gaskets were not up to snuff. Im pushing about 17 psi of boost Ive never had head gasket issues but I've heard once you replace with aftermarket ones they generally dont fail again.

[@frontlinesport]

@@PowershiftFactory I heard many problems about the HG but this is the first I'm hearing about the SC specific cylinder head which is cool to hear. Any other differences between the base 3.8L and the SC internally?

[@PowershiftFactory]

Quite a few, the SC has a special block casting, special heads, forged crankshaft, hotter camshafts, magnesium valve cover. Obviously the supercharger accessory drive and intake manifold are unique as well but thats more obvious. The heads are stamped with SC on the corner by the valve cover, the block has SC cast into it. One of the crank journals is under sized on the SC so an NA crankshaft couldn't be installed by mistake. The head gaskets are still a problem but mu understanding was the gasket it self was poor and once changed its unlikely to happen again.

[@HaNg_ALL_ThE_tRaItOrS_hiGh]

Use Arp studs.

[@rickcunningham5581]

Open up the exhaust system and use good grade of premium gas. If one does blow make sure to use are head studs and high quality head gaskets. Super coupe performance has the goods.

[@Turshin]

Can you please tell your editor to stop jumping from different perspectives so much. Kind of gave a headache. Nice content though.

[@PowershiftFactory]

Thanks for the feedback! I actually am the editor myself but will definitely keep your feedback in mind for future videos for sure still trying to find my groove at this!

[@Turshin]

@PowershiftFactory no doubt. Im doing some big upgrades to my SC this spring. Maybe we can link up for a review on your channel.

[@PowershiftFactory]

Are you out of the Northwest?

[@Turshin]

@@PowershiftFactory nope. Midwest. Detroit Michigan.