As a NASCAR fan myself, I have to ask a tough question: Does NASCAR sell cars anymore? After all, the Camaro has been out of production for a year, but it’s still out on track, badged as a Chevrolet. As many like to point out, you can’t find a rear-wheel-drive Camry on the showroom floor, but I think that’s all irrelevant, because if your favorite driver wheels a Mustang every week, that might send you out to the Ford dealer to buy a new F-150 instead. Regardless of whether or not the “race on Sunday, sell on Monday” ethos still applies, it sure did back in 1996, when a “NASCAR-loving grandmother” bought this T-Bird. I know that I had a Mark Martin sticker on the back of my ’87 T-Bird back in ’96, so I can relate to this hot-rodding grandma. Barn Finds reader Mitchell G. found this 74,000-mile ‘Bird languishing on craigslist in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, with an asking price of $7,800.

Grandma certainly checked the right powertrain option in her new T-Bird, the 4.6-liter “Modular” V8, which produced 205 horsepower in Thunderbird trim. The Super Coupe with its supercharged 3.8 was discontinued for 1996, leaving only the LX model to represent Ford’s personal luxury coupe, which was rapidly going out of style. Sales were down to 85,029 (they had been 120,320 just two years earlier). The standard 3.8 was uprated to 145 horsepower (from 140) for 1996, but the V8 was still the better choice by far. My dad bought a black ’94 (very similar to this car) new, and he chose the 3.8. All I can say is that he regretted not stepping up the 4.6.

The later MN-12 Thunderbirds with their redesigned for 1994 interiors were great long-trip cars, with air conditioning, power windows, power driver’s seat, and a smooth, quiet ride. The interior pictures of this one are all taken at interesting angles, but there are enough to get the general idea. It seems like a well-maintained original, but this sticker on the door jamb for “John Kennedy Collision Center” may tell tales out of school. At least the seller can provide a CARFAX report.

As reasonably clean as it is, this T-Bird is sending some mixed messages: It has big, chrome dual exhaust tips and a rear spoiler, yet it wears whitewall tires and mudflaps. We can’t necessarily blame Grandma for that; after all, it’s 29 years later and she might not be responsible. You could always turn those whitewalls in and enjoy the rumble of the 4.6, and maybe you can find an old Mark Martin sticker on eBay and put in the back window so all your competition out on the freeway knows your allegiance. Yes, it’s hard to keep a NASCAR fan down, but the seller might have to bring the price down to sell it; it’s been on craigslist for at least 23 days. What’s a good price for this T-Bird, race fans?