heres a quick list of stuff to look for when buying an fc, the hardest thing to fix is the body, than the interior, then the mechanicals

1. accident damage: there should be rock gaurd (orange peely stuff) around the bottom of the car, except for the plastic bumpers. the texture should be consistant all the way around. open the hood, at the front and rear of the fenders where they bolt to the car, it should have a little sealer under the paint, if the sealer is broken than the fenders been off. now look at where the bumper cover bolts to the body, in front of the radiator overflow tank. the sheet metal supports should be straight, if not the hood will sit over the bumper.

also on the 86-88's there is a rubber strip between the bumper and the body, look for paint overspray. on the rear of the car, look at the spare tire well, it should be black, if its not the car has been repainted. inspect the sunroof panel for rust.

2. interior: it should be clean, it is very common for the red to fade to a greenish brown and for some of the small plastic parts to be broken. is the carpet stained? seats torn?

3. mechanical stuff:

1. check the heater controls, make sure they work

2. do the warning lights work?

3. does the clock flicker, or not work at all?

4. do the wipers work?

5. headlights?

6. do the windows go up and down?

7. go look at the motor, is it clean dirty?

8. under the car is it wet with oil?

9. open the radiator cap, is it nasty and rusty? or clean?

10. are the coolant hoses crunchy? swollen?

11. start the car, does it have exhaust leaks?

12. if the car is cold start it, and rev it to 4-5k rpms, does it shoot out a huge cloud of smoke?

13. go for a drive, the brakes should stop straight, and they shouldnt make any noises

theres more but i'm lazy