Gbody Vs Fox body T-bird/cougar???

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Lazarus

Greasemonkey
Dec 18, 2015
191
18
18
Monongahela Pa
Well since my roof was rotted through on my 86 Cutty she went to be parted out. Since then Ive gotten a 83 cougar. Mint condition 70,000 miles for $1000 not $12000 a g body sells for.

Now not throwing stones looking for actual scientific data. Who did it better

Weight 83 cutlass 3435
83 cougar 3164

Engines 307 140 hp 240 ftlb 5.0 carb
302 130 hp 240 ftlb 5.0 cfi inj

0-60 Cougar 10.2 17.6 quarter
0-60 Cutlass 12.0 19.2 quarter

Cougar msrp 11952.00
Cutty msrp 9175.00

Cutlass interchangeable engines 307 350 454

Cougar fox body platform shares most mustang aftermarket. Also interchangeable. 302 351 460

Why weren't these compared in further detail. Just think its funny they are almost exactly the same. I owned both. They handle almost exactly the same. The ride is identical. Brakeing are both terriable. Only positive ive seen is the cougar interior seems more 90s than 70s. Super comfortable buckets. Stereo both suck. Does have a nice center console that can be used as a cup holder. Just wondering why the Gbody claims the title of best front engine rear drive 80s muscle car? And the ford mercury are almost forgotten? Not throwing stones just wondering. :worthless:
 

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Yav8

Master Mechanic
Aug 19, 2014
275
114
43
Manitowoc wis.
Well since my roof was rotted through on my 86 Cutty she went to be parted out. Since then Ive gotten a 83 cougar. Mint condition 70,000 miles for $1000 not $12000 a g body sells for.

Now not throwing stones looking for actual scientific data. Who did it better

Weight 83 cutlass 3435
83 cougar 3164

Engines 307 140 hp 240 ftlb 5.0 carb
302 130 hp 240 ftlb 5.0 cfi inj

0-60 Cougar 10.2 17.6 quarter
0-60 Cutlass 12.0 19.2 quarter

Cougar msrp 11952.00
Cutty msrp 9175.00

Cutlass interchangeable engines 307 350 454

Cougar fox body platform shares most mustang aftermarket. Also interchangeable. 302 351 460

Why weren't these compared in further detail. Just think its funny they are almost exactly the same. I owned both. They handle almost exactly the same. The ride is identical. Brakeing are both terriable. Only positive ive seen is the cougar interior seems more 90s than 70s. Super comfortable buckets. Stereo both suck. Does have a nice center console that can be used as a cup holder. Just wondering why the Gbody claims the title of best front engine rear drive 80s muscle car? And the ford mercury are almost forgotten? Not throwing stones just wondering. :worthless:
And both will take a SBC. Something like a 383 stroker or a nice 406. I have done 2 mustangs and both had simple 350s with a cam and vortec heads. Both ran low 12s.
 

Ribbedroof

Comic Book Super Hero
Supporting Member
Jan 4, 2009
4,861
6,888
113
Wellston, OK
Cougar styling is a ZERO, T-bird was at least decent looking, especially the turbo cars
 
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pontiacgp

blank
Mar 31, 2006
29,270
20,391
113
Kitchener, Ontario
The Cougar is nothing like the G body, The G body is a full frame car, the Cougar is a unibody with macphersion strut front suspension, if you want to know why the cougar is lighter they are 3" shorter and their wheel base is 4" shorter. Come back in 6 months and let me know how you like it.
 
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Lazarus

Greasemonkey
Dec 18, 2015
191
18
18
Monongahela Pa
Like I said not knocking. Ok ok after 6 months I still have reverse.......to the 200r4 guys thats the "R" makes the tires turn clockwise......ok ok lol yea over looked the full body on frame argument most of the fox body guys used braces after 400 hp. Eh for get about it. Just a mere observatory statement. Guessing It goes back to our dads and brand loyalty. And if you were to build a small block ford dragster of course a rustang is lighter than the T bird and Couger. Just thought as a lifetimer GM guy there was absolutely no difference in performance or handling in this car. $1000 bucks is a $1000 bucks though.
 

Local Hero

G-Body Guru
Nov 24, 2016
729
1,916
93
Northcoast, Cleveland, Ohio
I own both and really don't think they can be compared any further than the statistics that Lazarus posted above in the beginning of this thread. I require totally different outcomes from each.

BTW, I'm not a fan of the Fox Cougars since the rear window treatment looks like a refrigerator fell on the back of the roof.

I bought the 88 Bird because I fell in love with the styling of the Aero-Birds especially the last two years 87-88 with the pointed nose and the little kick-up on the trunk (to help on the big NASCAR tracks) and the three dot taillights. I love that even for a unibody construction, it feels tight, handles decent, is quiet inside, the seats are super comfy, the EFI 5.0 and the AOD trans and highway gear in the rear would allow high 20s MPG on a longer trip. I bought this car with the intention of just using it as a daily driver. It was my ONLY car the first year I had it. It was three years old. Then I switched jobs and didn't want to tear it up on a longer downtown commute everyday. So I started buying beaters and the nicer the beaters got the more the Bird became a "saver car." I've now had it over 28 years and it has 93,000 miles on it. It's a true survivor and is almost all original except the battery and tires hoses and belt.

The 86 Grand Prix was purchased before the Bird because at the time I couldn't afford the Bird. It, too, was three years old when I got it. The pillows seats felt comfy but not sporty like the bird. The carbed 305 was less responsive than the EFI 5.0. Even though both interiors have a lot of plastic the Bird felt like it wrapped around you more. The GP door glass seals to the roof where the Bird has full frames around the glass. It keep out wind noise better. It didn't really matter that the GP had a full frame or not.

When the Birds got redesigned in 1989, I didn't like the styling. I waited another year for the 87-88s prices to come down and put the GP up for sale. I tried getting what I paid for it the previous year minus what I put into it fixing all the little gremlins that the previous owner failed to disclose. Nobody bit so I decided to just drive it. As luck would have it, within a year, I got T-Boned in the driver's A-pillar area by a carload of drunk kids. It totally destroyed the whole car by blowing out all the windows, buckling the roof, ripping the rear axle out of the frame and moving the steering column to almost the middle of the dash all while putting me in the hospital.

I think their insurance company was nervous that I'd sue or something because they paid me over $1K more than I couldn't sell the car for. With that money, I went and bought the Bird.

It would be a horrible stretch to try to compare the Bird to my Wagon either. It was built with parts I had laying around for the sole intention of bombing around with the kids to their sporting events, trips to Home Depot or Lowe's and anywhere our Golden Retriever needs to go. I don't care that it's loud and obnoxious, the window seals leak, the cargo area interior panels rattle, and the AC system was long gone when I bought it.

This pic of the Bird was shot over 25 years ago and it still looks exactly the same.

T-Bird Front.jpg
 
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Turbo Zach

Comic Book Super Hero
Sep 8, 2015
2,534
5,874
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50130
My senior year in high school my dad bought me a car. I had my choice between a 88 Cougar or a 87 LS Monte. I chose the Cougar. The Cougar had a high output 302, cd player, and looked a lot newer than the Monte. I really liked that car, but kind of regret not buying the Monte. I like the Monte styling better now that the Cougar. Both cool cars in my opinion. The Thunderbird and the Cougar both got those dumb rubber coated rims in a four bolt! Mine had a hard life, because of me and eventually blew a head gasket. That was the end of that car.
 

Wedonthaveit

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Apr 16, 2019
31
103
33
SI, NY
Well since my roof was rotted through on my 86 Cutty she went to be parted out. Since then Ive gotten a 83 cougar. Mint condition 70,000 miles for $1000 not $12000 a g body sells for.

Now not throwing stones looking for actual scientific data. Who did it better

Weight 83 cutlass 3435
83 cougar 3164

Engines 307 140 hp 240 ftlb 5.0 carb
302 130 hp 240 ftlb 5.0 cfi inj

0-60 Cougar 10.2 17.6 quarter
0-60 Cutlass 12.0 19.2 quarter

Cougar msrp 11952.00
Cutty msrp 9175.00

Cutlass interchangeable engines 307 350 454

Cougar fox body platform shares most mustang aftermarket. Also interchangeable. 302 351 460

Why weren't these compared in further detail. Just think its funny they are almost exactly the same. I owned both. They handle almost exactly the same. The ride is identical. Brakeing are both terriable. Only positive ive seen is the cougar interior seems more 90s than 70s. Super comfortable buckets. Stereo both suck. Does have a nice center console that can be used as a cup holder. Just wondering why the Gbody claims the title of best front engine rear drive 80s muscle car? And the ford mercury are almost forgotten? Not throwing stones just wondering. :worthless:


Nice find. Good luck. That Cougar is just like a Mustang. All the Fox body parts will fit the Cougar. The rear, the trans, motor, brakes, etc... can all be upgraded easily. A lot of it all bolt on/ bolt together kind of work.
One of my other cars is a 93 Mustang. Done a lot of work on that and others. Very easy.
 
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lilbowtie

Comic Book Super Hero
Jan 7, 2006
3,460
3,965
113
Canton Mi
It's all about individual taste. Don't know where you get $12,000 for a G body - like you I picked up an 81 monte for $1200.00. I also own an 84 Mustang. Between the two I prefer the G body for comfort and handling. As Pontiacgp brought up - two different chassis.

2016-08-14 00.57.39.jpg


IMG_5051.JPG
 
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