There are quite a few interchanging parts between your Cougar and other Ford cars. When searching for any of these parts, we suggest finding a vehicle around the same model year as yours, and preferably a Cougar or Thunderbird, just to be safe.
| STOCK PART |
INTERCHANGES WITH: |
| Undercarriage / Mechanical |
| Radiator |
All Fox cars; **manual and automatic versions are different from each other; minor modifications may be needed to fit |
| Wheels |
Any Fox 4-lug (4 1/4" bolt circle); **cars with 11" rotors must use at least a 15" wheel and 16" mini-spare |
| Brake Rotors/front |
10" (Stock, 4-lug) - Thunderbird (exc. Turbo Coupe), Fairmont/Granada/Zephyr, LTD/Marquis, 4-cylinder Mustang
11" (4-lug) - 1987-88 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, 1987-93 Mustang 5.0
11" (5-lug) - Lincoln Mark VII, 1994-up Mustang GT |
| Brake Calipers/front |
10" rotors - Fairmont/Zephyr, LTD/Marquis, 4-cylinder Mustang
11" rotors - Mustang 5.0, Thunderbird Turbo Coupe |
| Front Spindles |
10" rotors - Thunderbird, 4-cylinder Mustang
11" rotors - Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, Mustang 5.0 |
| Brake Drums/rear |
9" drums (finned edges) - Mustang (all), Thunderbird (except 1987-88 Turbo Coupe)
10" drums (smooth edges) - Thunderbird/Cougar with 8.8" rear, or 7.5" rear with heavy duty suspension/towing package |
| Brake Rotors/rear disc |
Thunderbird Turbo Coupe (10" vented, 4-lug) |
| Upper Control Arms/rear |
Thunderbird & Turbo Coupe |
| Lower Control Arms/rear |
All Fox cars with spring suspensions (excluding Mark VII/Continental). Minor length differences between 1983-86 and 1987-88 cars; usually does not affect performance or fit. |
| Rear Springs |
Thunderbird (except Turbo Coupe); check code on door tag for exact matches. |
| Rear Sway Bar |
Thunderbird & Turbo Coupe, Mustang 5.0 |
| Front Sway Bar |
Thunderbird, 4-cylinder Mustang (smaller diameter); Turbo Coupe, Mustang 5.0 (larger diameter). |
| Front A-Arms |
1983-86: Thunderbird, Fox Mustang & SVO
1987-88: 1994-98 Mustang, RWD Lincoln Continental, Thunderbird (all)
|
| Front Springs |
Thunderbird; **motor-specific (V6 springs for V6, etc.); check code on door tag for exact matches. Possibly 1994-up Mustang springs. |
| Shocks & Struts |
Thunderbird (except Turbo Coupe); **83-86 are slightly different from 87-88 due to valving; no noticable difference in performance. Turbo Coupe struts are factory adjustable units and only work on 11" brake spindles. Mustang struts are shorter but generally fit and work acceptibly. |
| Steering Rack |
20:1 Ratio: 1983-86 Thunderbird/Cougar, 1979-93 4-cylinder Mustang
15:1 Ratio: 1984-88 Turbo Coupe/XR-7, 1987-88 Thunderbird/Cougar, 1987-93 Mustang 5.0, 1984-92 Mark VII
***look for the "15:1" ink stamp on the housing |
| Rear Axle |
Thunderbird , Mustang (7.5" 1983-mid '85 Cougars only) ; optional 8.8" on some Thunderbirds and Cougars
**Mustang 8.8" will work (about 3/4" per side narrower); Mark VII 8.8" will work (about 3/4" per side longer and 5-lug) |
| Fuel Tank |
20.6 or 22.1 gallon capacity (check owner's manual): Thunderbird, Continental
18.1 gallon capacity: 1984-86 Turbo-4 cylinder XR7, 1983-88 Turbo Coupe |
| Power Window Motor |
1983-88 - Thunderbird, Cougar; Mark VII (check), some other Ford vehicles. There are 2 different types and they do not interchange, but any motor that resembles the one from your car will work. |
| Power Door Lock Solenoid |
Thunderbird / Cougar 1983-88 (discontinued new)
Lincoln Mark VII - p/n FOLY-63218A42-A (Thanks to Gordon). Most any Ford door lock solenoid body can be used; swap in your actuating rod. |
| Exterior |
| Hood |
1983-88 Thunderbird/Cougar
**1987-88 Turbo Coupe hood will fit 1983-88 cars; check for hood scoop clearance in engine compartment first. |
| Windshield |
1983-88 Thunderbird/Cougar (possibly Mark VII but not confirmed) |
| Windshield Wiper Cowl Plate |
1983-88 Thunderbird/Cougar, 1984-92 Mark VII |
| Front Header Panel |
1983-86 Cougar; ** 1987-88 Cougars use specific header panel and headlight assemblies. Thunderbird units can be used on Cougars if desired, and vice-versa. Switching between 1983-86 and 1987-88 cars results in misalignment of moldings. |
| Headlamps (1987-88 Cougar only) |
1988-94 Lincoln Continental (FWD) |
| Grille |
1983-84 Cougar ("waterfall" type)
1985-86 (Mercedes-type)
1987-88 ("waterfall" with emblem in center)
**all 1983-86 Cougar grilles are interchangable; 1987-88 grilles are specific |
| Front Fenders |
1983-86 Thunderbird/Cougar; 1987-88 Thunderbird/Cougar. Switching between 1983-86 and 1987-88 cars results in misalignment of moldings. |
| Front Bumpers |
1983-86 Thunderbird/Cougar; 1984-86 XR-7 (and Cougar) can use 1984-86 Turbo Coupe front bumper w/foglight cutouts
**1987-88 Cougars use specific front bumpers and are different from Thunderbirds. |
| Factory Marchal 750 Series Fog Lights |
1984-86 Turbo Coupe, XR-7, 1984-86 Mustang GT, 1986-88 Escort GT/Lynx XR3; some 1986-90 Ford Rangers
***can also be found on mid-'80's Jeep Cherokees, AMC Eagle, Renault, Buick Shyhawk |
| Small Side Window Glass |
1983-86 Cougar; **1987-88 Cougars use specific side glass |
| Rear Window Glass |
1983-86 Cougar; **1987-88 Cougars use specific rear glass |
| Rear Bumpers |
1983-86: Thunderbird/Cougar
1987-88: Thunderbird/Cougar |
| Rear Taillights |
1983-84 Cougar (3-louver type; backup light in center)
1985-86 (flat-type/smoked)
1987-88 (flat type)
**1983-84 Cougar taillights are specific; 1985-86 are specific; 1987-88 are specific. However, the 1985-86 style CAN be used in the 1983-84 cars, but heavy modifications to the metal mounting panel are necessary, and the wiring harness from a 1985-86 MUST be used. |
| Door Handles and Locks |
All Fox cars with chrome metal handles, plus Escort/Lynx 2-door pre-1990; Tempo/Topaz 2-door all
**1987-93 Mustangs use flimsy plastic handles and should be avoided if possible; 1979-86 are metal. |
| Doors |
1983-86 Thunderbird/Cougar
1987-88 Thunderbirds/Cougar
Switching between 1983-86 and 1987-88 cars results in misalignment of moldings and glass trim. |
| Door Window Glass |
1983-86 Thunderbird/Cougar (w/o vent windows)
1983-86 Thunderbird/Cougar (w/vent windows): 1983-86 Thunderbird/Cougar and Mark VII glass ONLY
1987-88 Thunderbird/Cougar use specific flush glass. |
| Outside Rearview Mirrors |
1983-86 Thunderbird/Cougar
1987-88 Thunderbird/Cougar have removable wind splitters which required a new mirror mold. These will retrofit to 1983-86 cars, but 1983-86 mirrors will not allow the wind splitters to attach.
**NOTE: All base and Cougar LS mirrors have chrome housings; all Thunderbirds, 1984-87 XR7's, and Turbo Coupes have flat black housings; all 1988 XR7's have body-color housings. |
| Interior |
| Door Panels |
1983-88 Thunderbird/Cougar
**1987-88 Thunderbird/Cougar panels can be used on 1983-86 cars with minor modifications, and vice-versa. Also, Thunderbird patterns different slightly from Cougar in some model years. |
| Front Seats |
All Fox cars, plus 1984-92 Tempo/Topaz , pre-1990 Escort & GT/Lynx & XR3 |
| Rear Seat |
1983-88 Thunderbird/Cougar, 1984-92 Mark VII |
| Carpeting |
1983-88 Thunderbird/Cougar (can use 1984-92 Mark VII if cut down) |
| Headliner |
1983-86 Thunderbird/Cougar; **1987-88 Thunderbird/Cougars use specific molded headliner |
| Factory Sunroof Glass |
All Fox cars with factory sunroof, including Thunderbird/Cougar, Mark VII, Mustang |
| Power Moonroof Glass |
1987-88: Thunderbird/Cougar, Mark VII |
| Console & Lid |
1983-84 Thunderbird/Cougar; 1985-88 Thunderbird/Cougar without consolette
**1987-88 Turbo Coupes and XR-7s use a shorter factory console than 1983-86 (rear section deleted for flat ashtray) |
| Consolette |
1985-88 Thunderbird/Cougar (w/padded armrest) **Consolette is welded onto driver's seat frame and cannot be separated without cutting; armrest can be replaced separately. |
| Steering Wheel |
1983-88 Thunderbird/Cougar; 1984-88 Turbo Coupe and XR-7; 1979-89 Mustang; 1979-86 Capri; and any Fox chassis car with round steering column. Make sure that if you have cruise control buttons on your wheel that the replacement wheel also has them or else you will lost the cruise control function. |
| Instrument Cluster |
1983-84 base analog- Thunderbird/Cougar (specific)
1983-84 electronic - Thunderbird/Cougar (specific)
1983-84 XR7 turbo - Thunderbird/Cougar (specific)
1985-88 base (digital speedometer, analog fuel & temp gauges, warning lights for amp and oil) - Thunderbird/Cougar
1985-88 full digital - Thunderbird/Cougar
1985-88 analog (7000 rpm tach/4-cylinder) - Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, 1985-86 XR7
1987-88 analog (6000 rpm tach/V8 models ONLY) - Thunderbird Sport V8, 1987 (optional) and 1988 (standard) XR7
**For 1985-88 cars with base or full electronic cluster, analog cluster can be retrofitted, but major rewiring of cluster harnesses is required. Click here for more instrument cluster information. |
