1989 LaForza 5.0 Liter luxury SUV Pininfarina 50k miles Ford engine Italian body

1989 Other Makes LaForza 5.0 Additional Info:

This vehicle is a 1989 LaForza 5.0 Liter. If you are not familiar with the LaForza, it's one of the first luxury SUV's, from before luxury SUV's were a thing. The bodies were built in Italy by Pininfarina (in the same factory that produced some Ferrari bodies) and shipped to the US, where they were fitted with a Ford 5.0 Liter "Windsor" V8 and a snazzy leather and wood interior. These originally sold for around $50,000 in 1989 - adjusted for inflation, that's about $95,000.

I had always wanted one of these since I was a kid and read about them in a magazine when they were new. I saw this one on eBay a couple years ago and impulse-bought it. I really don't have the time and expertise to work on it, and I also need to replace the van that I use for my eBay business. If you've wanted something that's rare and turns heads, and have the time and knowledge to fix the issues that this has, this is the vehicle for you. Every time I've gotten gas with this thing, someone has asked what it is.

It has the same Ford 5.0 V8 that's used in a variety of Ford trucks. It has 4wd and an automatic transmission, working A/C, power windows, power locks, a working sunroof, and a newer Pioneer CD player (although I accidentally broke off the end of an aux cable in the aux jack). It runs and drives. It has a clean Maryland title and is currently registered. In the 2 years I've owned it, I've driven it less than 1000 miles. It has 2 new tires, a new battery, and a new set of outer tie rods.

It does have a few issues:

• Electrical issues - when I bought this vehicle, the headlights didn't come on. It was diagnosed as a short in the wiring and fixed. Unfortunately, I had to jump it after not driving it for a while, and it evidently shorted it out again. The headlights and power locks don't currently work.
• Body - there is a dent on the front driver's side quarter panel. There are some other minor blemishes in the paint. One of the wheels is missing a center cap.
• Interior - there is a rip in the passenger seat, and other dirt and wear. Headliner is sagging.
• Steering is very stiff, especially at startup