Awd Ford Tempo
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Awd Ford Tempo
short story:
My best friend's a chevy man and I am a diehard ford man. Anyway when he was in the 8th grade he made a huge book of Ford Ads from the 70s' to the mid 90s' just for fun which amazes me since he is a chevy guy. Anyway he gave it to me as a present today and I was thumbing through it I saw a ford ad for a AWD TEMPO. I was in shock. Did anyone have this car or know anything about it? I just thought it was interesting. Looks like 92 bodystlye.
My best friend's a chevy man and I am a diehard ford man. Anyway when he was in the 8th grade he made a huge book of Ford Ads from the 70s' to the mid 90s' just for fun which amazes me since he is a chevy guy. Anyway he gave it to me as a present today and I was thumbing through it I saw a ford ad for a AWD TEMPO. I was in shock. Did anyone have this car or know anything about it? I just thought it was interesting. Looks like 92 bodystlye.
Posting Guru
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From: Wichita, KS
I had a neighbor who had one of those. I thought he was making it up until I saw the thing....had a squarish differential on the rear axle and a driveshaft. Normal front-wheel-drive transaxle, and I don't remember if it had FWD/AWD select or not. Drove it once but it's been a long time back. It did not sit any higher than a normal Tempo and at first glance you'd never notice it. Was a two-door, and while I don't remember the year, '92 would have been about right.
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From: Bayonne NJ
Post Fiend
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From: Eastern WA
A former coworker of mine had one; it was an 89 or 90 and he bought it new. Pontiac also had an AWD car in the very late 80's and/or early 90's. I'm pretty sure it was the Bonneville. Like the Tempo, the AWD was dropped due to lack of sales.
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Tampa Bay, FL USA
The AWD Tempo was considered the top-of-the-line model, and was offered for sale at the same time as the AWD Camrys and Pontiac 6000s. You used to see them in my neck of the woods (I wonder why...), but I've NEVER seen a 2-door AWD Tempo- mikebon08, that was one RARE car your neighbor had!
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From: Isanti, MN
My sister used to have an old '89 FWD Mercury Topaz. I remember hearing something about the AWD models having a penchant for blowing the tranny out before 100,000 miles, and that replacement AWD trannies were impossible to find.
I do remember the manual for her Topaz, that explained the AWD option...there was a little selecter switch near the dome light (or was it the map lights?) that went from FWD to AWD.
I do remember the manual for her Topaz, that explained the AWD option...there was a little selecter switch near the dome light (or was it the map lights?) that went from FWD to AWD.
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From: Wichita, KS
I've never seen another AWD Tempo, 2-dr or 4. Of course I can't say I've ever gone looking for one either, and it didn't look any different so you wouldn't notice it unless you looked under it. After reading JoeBlow's link and thinking a little more about it, it couldn't have been a '92. I moved in across the street from him in Nov '90 and he'd had it for a while already. I'm pretty sure he had bought it new though, it was pretty clean. He was an older guy and didn't drive much.
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Joined: May 2004
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From: Melbourne, Aus
According to the link that JoeBlow provided:
The Electronic Part Time Four Wheel Drive was introduced in 87, and deleted as an option on the 2 door in 88, so that would make it VERY rare.
I am sure it would have been a fireball too...
88hp, and extra weight of AWD...
The Electronic Part Time Four Wheel Drive was introduced in 87, and deleted as an option on the 2 door in 88, so that would make it VERY rare.
I am sure it would have been a fireball too...
88hp, and extra weight of AWD...
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From: Wichita, KS
It was a real hotrod. Compared favorably with my slant-six-powered Power Wagon at the time. But he never drove over 45mph anyway 
.
He bought it because he made regular trips from the small SE KS town where we lived at the time to the VA hospital here in Wichita, about 180 miles, and wanted the AWD for wintertime.
.He bought it because he made regular trips from the small SE KS town where we lived at the time to the VA hospital here in Wichita, about 180 miles, and wanted the AWD for wintertime.
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WOW! I never knew that existed! If only Ford knew back then what AWD in cars would become, and had kept it, they would own the market. Hands-down. O well, live and learn.
Link to the '87 2-door AWD: http://www.automart.com/vehicledetai...mpo/seattle/wa
Link to the '87 2-door AWD: http://www.automart.com/vehicledetai...mpo/seattle/wa
Last edited by CTford; Jun 4, 2005 at 09:39 PM.