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Topics - Chuck W

48
Lounge / Why must I be tempted?
I've missed the '80 XR-7 since I sold it to a buddy of mine.

Visions of a dream unfulfilled and all that lot. 

Now the past week, an 80-82 Tbird has appeared in the neighborhood here by work.  A little rough around the edges, but I'm certain if I were to walk up with cash, it would be mine.
It's black with what looks to be a red interior (which would match the red vinyl 1/2 roof).

Must...resist...do..not...need...4th...car....


I miss my Box Fox :(
50
T-Bird/Cougar Parts & Cars FOR SALE / SN-95 Front Control arms (used)
I have a set of 96+ front control arms  (minus ball joints) available.

They are good for someone with an 87-88 car looking to refinish a set to swap out with what they have.

As mentioned, they are without ball joints.  The rust in the spring cup in the pic is just surface stuff.

PIC

$20 plus shipping
51
T-Bird/Cougar Parts & Cars FOR SALE / 11.5" MN-12 rotors and calipers (will work on SN-95 spindles)
I have a set of the 11.5" front rotors and calipers from the Mk8's and the '97 Tbird w/ the Sport package, but they can work on the SN-95 spindles.

They've been sitting in my garage for a few years.  They came from a low mileage '97 Tbird.  As said, they've been sitting in the garage for a few years, so the rotors are rusted, but showed no wear ridges on them.

As far as I remember, they are a bolt-on (minor) upgrade for MN-12's Tbirds/Cougars. 

I grabbed them at the time because they were an upgrade over the 11" GT/V6 stuff I had before I got the Cobra stuff.  I had them mounted on the SN-95 spindles, but never drove them (got the Cobra stuff before the car was on the road).  The rotors have been drilled for the 5x4.5" bolt pattern.

So, they are a minor upgrade for someone looking for brakes for their Sn-95 5-lug swap if they don't have the Cobra or the nicer 11" PBR stuff.

I'm asking $50 plus shipping (I can ship them for about $20-22 in the US).

Chuck
cwarren@indy.net
53
T-Bird/Cougar Parts & Cars WANTED / WTB-SN-95 rear caliper bracket
Anyone have a spare bracket that the slider pins are in good shape?

I have one that has a slider pin that is now one with the bracket and it's slowing me down on doing the Cobra rear brake swap on the Tbird.

Since all the SN-95 rear calipers are the same, the brackets are too, so V6, GT, etc, it doesn't matter.

Thanks

Chuck
cwarren@indy.net
54
Electrical Tech / Interior light issues
OK, well I haven't had time to dig into it, but I noticed and odd issue with the interior lights on the '83 the last couple days I was driving it.

I walked back into the garage a couple hours after I had parked it and noticed the lights on the rear of the center console were still on.  These normally just come on when the door opens IIRC.
I opened the door and they got brighter and when I depressed the switch in the door jam, they just got dimmer and did not go out. Hrmm...

Messing with the light switch, when I turned it to "ON" for the interior lights, the front floor lights come on and off, but the dome light did not, and it was working before.  The switch had no effect on the rear console lights. 

I haven't checked the dome light to see if it has power or not and whether the bulb is just bad or if it's something deeper.

For now I just unplugged the console lights until I get a chance to mess with it, but I want to try and sort it out. 

I don't have any other odd electrical issues, so it may just be isolated to the lighting circuit(s).  Bad switch perhaps? Does the power for the console lights run through the light switch, or is it separate?  Like I said, I haven't had time to dig into it yet, but just seeing if anyone has had a similar issue.
55
T-Bird/Cougar Parts & Cars FOR SALE / FS: 1980 Cougar XR-7 - $800
Well, I really don’t want to do this, but it looks like it’s time for the ’80 to go away.  I need to pare down the fleet and the projects. 

I’m going to try and sell it whole first, even though I don’t think it’s very likely that will happen.

Anyway, the details:

1980 Cougar XR-7 with the Sports Group Package. This included Recaro seats and a center console.

Drivetrain:
-302 V8 engine w/ 2bbl carb.  Pretty much stock and untouched.  Recent tune-up.  I did change the air cleaner top to allow the use of the 83-85 CFI air filter.  The originals are unobtanium.
-Custom cat back 2-1/2” single exhaust.
-SROD (AL case) 4 spd overdrive manual trans
-Steeda clutch quadrant
-7.5” rear axle with 3.45 gears and a Trac-Loc from an ’84 SVO
-90A 3G alternator
-A/C intact and will work with a recharge
-New fuel pump


Suspension:
-94-95 Cobra wheels (17x8”) front and rear.  There are a couple blems on the wheels and the tires are old, especially the rears.
Front
-Refurbished stock control arms with SN-95 ball joints and poly bushings
-94-95 Mustang spindles
-33mm front sway bar with poly bushings
-FMS C-Kit springs
-99+ Mustang struts
-My Gen 1.5 Caster plates (later became the KB Caster Plus)
-15:1 steering rack with poly bushings.
Rear
-Stock LCA’s
-Custom HD upper arms with poly bushings
-KYB shocks
-SN-95 convertible springs
-24mm sway bar

Brakes:
-’84 Cougar Booster
-1” bore MC
-All new hardlines front to rear
-Wilwood Adj proportioning valve
Front
-C4 Vette PBR calipers with 12” rotors.
-Braided stainless steel hoses.
Rear
-SVO rear brakes (11.5”)
-Braided stainless lines

Interior:
-   Will come with one of two sets of Recaro seats.  Either the stockers that need recovering or another set (tan) with netted headrests.  They need recovering as well, but only to make them look “pretty”.  They are not broken down/torn like the originals. (the seats in the interior pic are not included with the car)
-   New carpet
-   83-84TC cluster.  The tach is not hooked up as I had two people say they were going to build me a converter from the 4cly to the 8, but they never came through.  I also have the original as well.
-   Headliner backer board is not installed in the car.  Needs recovered.
-   ’84 TC steering column and steering wheel.
-   Modified center console for manual shifter.


The car was getting driven once or twice a week in decent weather and ran ok, but there are a couple issues.  First, the carb needs rebuilt.  The car sat for a while and I never did anything to it.  Second, it has a leaking freeze plug on the pass side.  It started that pretty much right after I got it running and I have just kept the water level up and haven’t had an issue.  The carb makes it a little hard to start if it’s been sitting for a couple days but once running it idles very well and drive with only the slightest of surging while at cruise.
To fix the freeze plug, the engine would need to be yanked out of the car to get to it.

These two problems aside, the cars runs and drives down the road well.  It's not a speed demon by any means (130hp...WOOHOO!!) All the lights work (save for the turn signal indicators in the dash) as do the windows. 
The biggest issue with the car is that it needs body work.  The core is fine and the underside is pretty solid.  I cleaned up around the windshield and had it professionally reinstalled.  The only “issue” on the core of the car is a rust hole over the driver door that is hidden behind the weatherstripping.  Could be fixed without much issue though.  The doors, hood and trunk need to be replaced or some serious metal work due to rust.  I do have a replacement passenger door from a Tbird, but no driver one at the moment. 

Aside from the rear lower control arms, I have taken care of the suspension and brakes on the car and if someone wanted to swap in a different drivetrain and deal with the body work it wouldn’t be too bad.  I just don’t have the space and time right now to mess with it and do with it what I want to.  I hate to let it go though, and if I had decent free storage, I’d just tuck it away and hold onto it.  Honestly, if the ’83 wasn’t as “done” as it is now with bodywork, etc…I’d be getting rid of it and building this car up. 

Anyway, down to the money bits.
I know I’m not going to get too much out of it, but it would either be a good solid start for someone else, or be worth some of the parts that are on it.

As it sits right now, I’d like to get [COLOR="Red"]$800[/COLOR] out of it.

Now if I could get [COLOR="Red"]$1,000[/COLOR] for it, I would rebuild the carb, fix the freeze plug and replace the valve seals (smokes a little on start…).  After that you’d have a car that with a couple new rear tires could be driven daily with no issues. The only original parts aside from the body and interior trim are the engine and the driveshaft.  Everything else has been replaced with new or newer/refurbished parts.

If it doesn’t sell whole, I will most likely part it out and it will cease to be, but please DO NOT clog up with thread with “dibs” on parts you want.  I will list them if/when it comes to that in another thread.

I have been going back and forth on this for a couple weeks now and have decided to go ahead and do this.

Chuck
cwarren@indy.net





56
T-Bird/Cougar Parts & Cars FOR SALE / Misc 4-eye Interior and Exterior Parts
I appear to have acspoogeulated a lot of these over the years.  I may even have another '84 XR-7 in storage. Prices below do not include shipping (Unless otherwise noted).


Item 1 - '84 XR-7 Dash Fascia (Qty: 2)
In good shape.  No cracks and chrome and emblem in good shape. 
[COLOR="Red"]$20 ea[/COLOR]

Item 2 - [COLOR="Red"]SOLD[/COLOR]



Item 3 - '83-84 TC Dash Fascia

[COLOR="Red"]SOLD[/COLOR]

Item 4 - '83-84 Cougar Dash Fascia
Really nice shape.  No cracks, chrome good.
[COLOR="Red"]$20[/COLOR]



Item - 8 - '84-86 Amber Bumper Lenses
Good shape.  Can remove from brackets if desired.
[COLOR="Red"]$15/set --PENDING[/COLOR]





Thanks for looking.
Chuck
cwarren@indy.net <---- Best/preferred contact.
57
Lounge / Well I sold the VW and bought something else...
This...



It's an '85 Volvo 244 Turbo. It has the 2.1L intercooled turbo 4 with a manual trans. 

The VW was just too small and the drive wheels were on the wrong end.  I have been thinking about one of these for a while, but was kind of waiting.  The deal fell together with buying this car and selling my VW though all to easily.  Both this car and my buyer were in Chicago.  So I drove the VW up and the Volvo back this past Sat, and made out on the deal.

It needs some work (but so did my VW) but will make a good driver once I take care of a few things and have some fun with it.  The tiny wheels/tires aside, these are pretty well-balanced platforms with 4-wheels disks, a 5-link rear end stock.

And it's turboed....:evilgrin:
58
T-Bird/Cougar Parts & Cars WANTED / WTB-Stock T-5 shift handle
Well I know I have some someplace in the garage, but of course I can't find it.
The Pro 5.0 handle is a bit short, so I'm going to swap back to a stock handle since I don't feel like stretching my arms.

Let me know.
59
Lounge / Chomping at the bit for spring...
OK, I just can't take much more of this extended winter...

I want to drive my '80 and '83!

The '80 has taken one drive since Nov-Dec and the '83 was driven to it's storage on NY'd Day (dodging snow falls) and hasn't seen the light of day since.

Sometime in the next couple weeks I'm going to get the new tires mounted for the '83 and perhaps it may come home by the beginning of April.  The '80 is just waiting for the weather to stabilize (ie no more snows) before it will start to see semi-regular driving duty.

:hick:
60
Vendor's Section / Tbird/Cougar SFC Crossbraces
Ok, as discussed in this thread HERE I am offering preformed SFC crossbraces that can be added to your main tubes to improve the strength and rigidity of the SFC installation in your 83-88 Tbird or Cougar.

You will get 1 driver and 1 pass side crossbrace. 

Pricing is $23/shipped in the US.

I can ship to Canada, but you are looking at $7-12 more in shipping (1st Class-Priority).

To order, you need to send me an email (cwarren@indy.net) with your shipping info.

Payments can be by Paypal (the above email) or MO (will reply with address if you need it).

I will hold off on ordering for about a week just to get a better idea of how many I actually need to order.