Super Snoot: Is This 1997 Ford Thunderbird With That “Bumper” Even Legal?

In its stock form, the 10th-generation Ford Thunderbird can actually be a bit of an unassuming but interesting car. This version, though interesting, is the very opposite of subtle.

Powered by Ford‘s 4.6-liter single-overhead-cam modular V8, it made 205 hp (208 PS/153 kW) and 265 lb-ft (359 Nm) of torque when new. What the less keen-eyed viewer of these pictures might not have noticed, though, is that this one has had some pretty extensive work done on its engine.

The engine appears to have had two turbochargers bolted to it and flowing straight to cherry-bomb-style mufflers and exhaust pipes that outlet alarmingly close to the front windows. Hope you don’t want the wind in your hair then. It also has a weird cow-catcher-style bumper that is quite the look. However, it seems like it would pose a danger to other motorists and pedestrians, which makes us wonder if it’s even legal.

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Ford did use forced induction with the Thunderbird, making a supercharged version with its own special bumper, dubbed the Super Coupe. They chose to enhance their 3.8-liter V6, instead of the V8, though, and the model made 230 hp (233 PS/170 kW). Ford also tried to make a supercharged version of the 4.6-liter V8, though it never made it past the prototype stage. That model, known as the Thunderbird SVE, used a double-overhead-cam supercharged version of the engine, which made 350 hp (355 PS/261 kW).

All of which is to say that this version, with nostril-like intakes and its weird bumper, is not without precedent and I think it should, therefore, be referred to as the Super Snoot. The engine is also capable of churning out some performance and, thanks to some forged rods and pistons, it might not explode.

Indeed, the seller says it’s “scary fast” and could be turned “INTO A DRAG CAR VERY EASILY!!!” They do not, however, say how much power it is currently making.

For sale in Seal Rock, Oregon, the seller appears to be having some trouble shifting it, asking people not to “post hate speeches on it!” They also asked for $5,000 in the text and $4,000 in the title, suggesting that a reassessment of its worth has been necessary. Whether or not it’s worth four grand to you remains to be seen, but the Super Snoot could be an interesting car for the right buyer.