"The good far outweighs the bad": 1988 XR-7 couldn't pass it up... October 17, 2011, 06:56:05 PM So here it is. The original ad:5.0 decked and bored .030 over10:1 TFS Forged PistonsTFS track heat upper and lower manifoldsTFS twisted wedge aluminum headsTFS cam .499/5101.6 roller rockers24# injectors, calibrated mass air sensor70mm Edelbrock Throttle BodyMAC headers, H pipe and Borla lers (has a real nice rumble)Tremec 3550, Powergrip clutch, custom driveshaftEaton Posi with Moser axles and Motive 3.73 gearsMaximum Motorsports caster and camber plates, poly bushings etc etc.All the XR7 accesories work including the power lumbar, mirrors, locks, etc. AC has been converted to R134a and does work but is a little low on freon.All of that is definitely true. Apart from a couple not huge splits in the upper part of the dash, the interior is mint. Original floormats, just about perfect. Somehow, the doors close with no rattle/bouncing/anything. SOMEHOW, the car drives like my friend's mom's brand new Fusion. Same as the doors, over the bumps there's nothing. Nothing. The exhaust is held down tight too. I was shocked on the test drive. That Tremec is mint, clutch slips in the powerband at WOT, can't really see how fast it is yet, but in due time. :D The bellhousing is wet and he claimed the rear main was bad. Whatever it is, it'll be taken care of and the clutch cleaned up if its still good, which it sure seems that way. If not, replaced. Whole motor will come out, for that aaaaaaand...........that's because it's got front frame rail rot right at the towers. BUT WAIT!!!! It's not as bad as the red car. Unlike it, the rails down bulge on the bottom, and just generally look so much better except on the inside. The one picture shows it, though not that well. Once the time comes, I'll see if I can get away with just hacking it open and fishplating that side. Not concerned with perfect factory looks here like the red car. The guy definitely didn't know, it's hard to see in this particular engine bay, but of course I found it and almost didn't buy it. But I couldn't let it go, the tightness of the car so far beyond what I thought these were even capable of astonished me, as with just the whole package. $3150 was the deal. 6 Rockford speakers, he took his subwoofer tube but left the amp and 6 CD changer. No wiring cob jobs anywhere. Even the inner console and opera lights work! :eek: So yeah, definitely worth fixing the rot because that's all there is. He bought it from his friend who bought it from "the kid that built it". The last two combined but 5000ish miles on it. And used it as a show car basically. Has 103k. So whoever owned it originally was really nice to it apparently. And that kid obviously had done or did quality work to it. That surprises me the most. Sad as it is to say that a lot of people just wham-bam a "hot rod" together.It's at my friend's house for now, stopped up to take the pics. Quote Selected
"The good far outweighs the bad": 1988 XR-7 couldn't pass it up... Reply #1 – October 17, 2011, 06:57:01 PM The rest. Quote Selected
"The good far outweighs the bad": 1988 XR-7 couldn't pass it up... Reply #2 – October 17, 2011, 06:58:12 PM Looks good!!! Quote Selected
"The good far outweighs the bad": 1988 XR-7 couldn't pass it up... Reply #3 – October 17, 2011, 07:07:28 PM at 3150, you just bought all the go-fast goodies at a discounted price and got a near mint car free :p lol again, not a cat fan anymore, but i would have jumped on it as quickly as you did and kept it intact, because of the excessive cleanliness of the body.. nice score indeed Quote Selected
"The good far outweighs the bad": 1988 XR-7 couldn't pass it up... Reply #4 – October 17, 2011, 07:45:07 PM That's a nice looking Cat with power to back up the good looks. Nice score man. Quote Selected
"The good far outweighs the bad": 1988 XR-7 couldn't pass it up... Reply #5 – October 17, 2011, 07:48:24 PM , thats a stunner. Quote Selected
"The good far outweighs the bad": 1988 XR-7 couldn't pass it up... Reply #6 – October 17, 2011, 08:30:11 PM Yep, great looking car. Congrats on the purchase. Ugly shifter, but I love the rest of it a LOT. Very nice . Quote Selected
"The good far outweighs the bad": 1988 XR-7 couldn't pass it up... Reply #7 – October 17, 2011, 09:34:42 PM Thanks everyone. I agree vin, the shifter is random looking and the boot is very off-the-beaten-path. Just cause you're unique does not mean you're useful LOL. But it is in good shape, from his pictures I thought it was a stock boot all chewed up and faded. The shifter itself definitely belongs in a car where the seats are above the trans tunnel. Which is sad, it doesn't look right but because of its length and angle you don't have to reach at all to change gears, really convenient. Guess I'll see what I value more-- form, or function. If I can get some of both, that would be best. Quote Selected
"The good far outweighs the bad": 1988 XR-7 couldn't pass it up... Reply #8 – October 17, 2011, 10:11:58 PM Nice car Pauly...... looks very familiar though..... You only live once Quote Selected
"The good far outweighs the bad": 1988 XR-7 couldn't pass it up... Reply #9 – October 18, 2011, 12:26:43 AM Very nice!! Quote Selected
"The good far outweighs the bad": 1988 XR-7 couldn't pass it up... Reply #10 – October 18, 2011, 01:31:54 AM Looks like a very nice score! Nice pick up to say the least. Quote Selected
"The good far outweighs the bad": 1988 XR-7 couldn't pass it up... Reply #11 – October 18, 2011, 08:20:05 AM Wow! Very nice indeed. I love black Cougars. Quote Selected
"The good far outweighs the bad": 1988 XR-7 couldn't pass it up... Reply #12 – October 18, 2011, 10:59:02 PM Very nice, that was well worth it. Quote Selected
"The good far outweighs the bad": 1988 XR-7 couldn't pass it up... Reply #13 – October 20, 2011, 08:29:04 AM Quote from: Old cave dude in Indiana JonesYou have chosen... wisely.It reminds me of Nick's old '87. Nice purchase. Quote Selected
"The good far outweighs the bad": 1988 XR-7 couldn't pass it up... Reply #14 – October 20, 2011, 02:28:55 PM Nice score :). It looks easy enough to fix the little strut tower issue.When do you find time to drive all these Cougars? I barely have time to drive the T-bird. I think I've put 700 miles on it since April. Quote Selected