The T9 change had to do with the changeover from loose needle bearings at the front of the countershaft to a caged bearing. There was probably a change in the part that caps off the end of the countershaft too (inside the bellhousing area). It's been several years since I've rebuilt a T9. I'm planning on building several of them over the winter, so I guess I'll be re-educated soon.
By the way, I have some documentation from Ford that states that moonroofs were standard in 1988. Of course, this perhaps conflicts with the window sticker that Mike has (unless the "standard" thing to do was add a moonroof to the options list of all XRs). Nevertheless, '88+ solid roof cars are hella rare compared to pre-'88 cars.
Grayson wrote:
By the way, I have some documentation from Ford that states that moonroofs were standard in 1988. Of course, this perhaps conflicts with the window sticker that Mike has (unless the "standard" thing to do was add a moonroof to the options list of all XRs).
Window sticker as well as both 88 and 89 dealer brochures here show the moonroof as "optional equipment".
Grayson wrote:Nevertheless, '88+ solid roof cars are hella rare compared to pre-'88 cars.
Without a doubt, I've only personally seen 2 in real life.
in 87.5 they also offered mono red... as a option...
85 and 86 had a wiper fin..
-Rooster..
1985 Merkur XR4Ti "New plan"
1986 Merkur XR4Ti Stock, Low miles unmodded will be that way 4ever
1989 Merkur Scorpio white and Tan "Casper" Daily Driven
Added cladding trim offered in Black, Silver to 88
Added Trim switched from White to Light Gray to unkown
Moved Revised exhaust manifold (E6) to 1987MY
Mike: Nether of my 85's have the plastic bath-tub around the gas tank, and one of them is a 60k mile original that sat in the impound yard from 91 to 2005. My 87 and 88 both have this feature. Does anyone with an 85/86 have the full plastic cover around the fuel tank?
Bob in NJ
85 White XR / 85 Nimbus Gray XR / 88 White XR Automagic! / 89 Black Scorpio
I've never personally seen a factory mono-red 87. ALL of the 87 brochures I have here show mono white and mono black cars as available later in the year.
grondie wrote:
Mike: Nether of my 85's have the plastic bath-tub around the gas tank, and one of them is a 60k mile original that sat in the impound yard from 91 to 2005. My 87 and 88 both have this feature. Does anyone with an 85/86 have the full plastic cover around the fuel tank?
Odd. I'm pretty sure they all had them, but you can never say for certian what an early 85 might have and might not have...
