1989 Ford Thunderbird vs. 1978 Toyota Century
To start off, 1989 Ford Thunderbird is newer by 11 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1978 Toyota Century. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1978 Toyota Century would be higher. At 3,791 cc (6 cylinders), 1989 Ford Thunderbird is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1978 Toyota Century (167 HP @ 5200 RPM) has 29 more horse power than 1989 Ford Thunderbird. (138 HP @ 3800 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1978 Toyota Century should accelerate faster than 1989 Ford Thunderbird. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1978 Toyota Century weights approximately 191 kg more than 1989 Ford Thunderbird. So despite on having greater horse power, its additional weight may have an impact towards its acceleration in comparison.
Both vehicles are rear wheel drive (RWD) - it offers better handling in dry conditions; in addition, if you are looking to drift, both vehicles do the job better than front wheel drive vehicles. With that said, do keep in mind that many other factors such as speed and the wear on your tires can also have significant impact on traction and control. Let's talk about torque, 1989 Ford Thunderbird (291 Nm @ 2400 RPM) has 21 more torque (in Nm) than 1978 Toyota Century. (270 Nm @ 4400 RPM). This means 1989 Ford Thunderbird will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1978 Toyota Century.
Compare all specifications:
| 1989 Ford Thunderbird | 1978 Toyota Century | |
| Make | Ford | Toyota |
| Model | Thunderbird | Century |
| Year Released | 1989 | 1978 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 3791 cc | 3376 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 138 HP | 167 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3800 RPM | 5200 RPM |
| Torque | 291 Nm | 270 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2400 RPM | 4400 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1614 kg | 1805 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5050 mm | 4990 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1850 mm | 1900 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1350 mm | 1470 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2880 mm | 2870 mm |
