# Can't get to the battery in my Thunderbird **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [May 10, 2019, 1:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-get-to-the-battery-in-my-thunderbird/140060 "2019-05-10T01:53:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Teresablileylaw\_151781](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Teresablileylaw\_151781](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Teresablileylaw_151781)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2019, 6:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-get-to-the-battery-in-my-thunderbird/140060/101 "2019-05-23T18:12:21Z")
If you spend enough money, you can always buy a faster car. Dusters were $2500 new in 1974. The equivalent of about $13,500 now. The modern Mustang GT starts at over $35,000 base, and top end well over $60,000 - It is a great example, of comparing apples to oranges - it isn’t even close to being comparable to a 70’s era run of the mill car like the Duster. $60K now is equivalent to $10k in 1974 - the most expensive American made car in 1974 was a Lincoln Continental Mark V at $9200 - even the Cadillac El Dorado convertible was only $8200 WITH the optional 8-track, and both were heavily discounted from list due to the gasoline crisis. No one ever claimed there aren’t faster cars available, then and now - my point was the average car these days is no fun compared to the average car in years past. Even the old 1988 Chevy Cavalier that I had in college could dust my 2018 Equinox of today (but not hubby’s Cadillac CTS 4) - you get what you pay for. ---
**Author:** ![Teresablileylaw\_151781](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Teresablileylaw\_151781](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Teresablileylaw_151781)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2019, 6:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-get-to-the-battery-in-my-thunderbird/140060/102 "2019-05-23T18:15:24Z")
Amen! I want to be comfortable and feel like I wouldn’t be going faster if I was pedaling it! These little birdcages on wheels are no fun for anyone. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2019, 6:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-get-to-the-battery-in-my-thunderbird/140060/103 "2019-05-23T18:16:11Z")
> [@Teresablileylaw\_151781](#): > > 1988 Chevy Cavalier that I had in college could dust my 2018 Equinox ??? They’re both at about 8.8 seconds 0-60. Which engine did you have in your Duster? ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2019, 6:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-get-to-the-battery-in-my-thunderbird/140060/104 "2019-05-23T18:25:51Z")
From what I can tell, a '74 Duster with the 360 would do 0-60 in about 8.2 seconds, not that much faster than your Equinox. It FELT a lot faster, with wheel spin, noise, all that. About 1% of all '74 Dusters came with the 360, all others were quite a bit slower. 8.2 seconds is common these days, many 4 cylinder cars will do better than that. ---
**Author:** ![Teresablileylaw\_151781](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Teresablileylaw\_151781](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Teresablileylaw_151781)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2019, 7:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-get-to-the-battery-in-my-thunderbird/140060/105 "2019-05-23T19:34:47Z")
Maybe - but the Equinox would have to restart the engine first, and if that thing can do 0-60 in 18 seconds, much less 8.2, I would be very surprised. Yes, mine was the 360, four barrel carb and dual exhaust - but I didn’t burn rubber except by accident. I had to pay for tires. [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-get-to-the-battery-in-my-thunderbird/140060.md?page=5)