I figure I'm way overdue for a progress report so, here goes:
Got the second cat the first week of October, the premise being that it would give me something to drive while I worked on the first one. The impression I got was that it was all in good shape so I could get right to work on the other. This was not the case. :(
During the drive back from Chi-town the brakes failed. Let me tell you, it ain't fun driving a car with bad brakes. It took 20 gallons of gas and 5 pints of brake fluid to get home, but I made it without hitting anything. The next morning I took it to the shop next door to our office to get the brakes fixed, but when the mechanic went to drive it into the shop it started, moved 30 feet, died and wouldn't start again. One fuel pump relay and they got it going again. But the power steering pump was groaning like my last girlfriend after one of my bad jokes.
Once on the rack it was obvious that there were some leaks. Brake fluid was pouring out of the right rear brake and PS fluid was pouring out of the steering rack. Now I don't do things half assed and Tom learned the hard way I don't like replacing parts on just one side or replacing only what is absolutely necessary. So, when he found the bad wheel cylinder he called me and asked how far I wanted to go. I replied change EVERYTHING. So, it got new wheel cylinders, shoes, drums and spring kit on both sides. Stops great now.
So, what about the rack? Well, I had been getting parts to do a complete rebuild on the other cat and had originally planned to have that done before Cat Jam. But as it came down to crunch time I realised I could get the front rebuilt but then I wasn't going to have the cash to make it to CJ. So I put it off for a few weeks. Then the offer for the second cat came and I had to jump on it. That meant putting off the work on the front end again. So now I'm sitting with one cat the NEEDS the parts I want to put in the other. It got them. New 15:1 rack, all new tie rod ends, ball joints, bushings and sway bar links. Not only did it stop the PS leak but ed if it didn't tighten up the steering something fierce.
Now it's going into Firestone this afternoon for new tires and an alignment. Nothing fancy on the tires, just something that will do well in the snow.
So, the first cat is feeling a little neglected, but I promised her that by spring she would have new suspension and brakes at both ends. She seems to be accepting that, but let me know she was disappointed. The battery went completely dead last week. I replaced it but it seems the DVD player has a security feature. Apparently when the power is cut to the unit you need a password to get it going again. As this was in the car when I got it and I didn't even get a manual for it, I have no idea what the password is. So now I'm waiting for word from ARS to see how to resolve this.
I have never been one to give names to cars, but I'm finding now that it's a good idea when you own two nearly identical cars:
Ring ring
Me: Hello?
Friend: Hey, what you doin'?
Me: Working on the cat.
Friend: Which one?
Me: The XR-7.
Friend: Which one?
Me: The '88.
Friend: Which one?
Me: The white one.
Friend: Which one?
Me: The one with the red interior.
Friend: Which one?
:rolleyes: :beatyoass:
So, heretofore they shall be known as Eliminator and CatNap. You can figure that out right?
I'll try to update more often so you guys don't have to spend a whole day reading again. ;)
Did you try 0000 for the password? That always works on the tv.
Also I've found it not good to give cars names. Everyone I've named I've totalled... Hum.
Anyway! I have a rack & pinion in my autozone warranty file too :D
And when are we gonna meet up! I want some burritos or Hooters.
All ya gots ta do is call. :D
Some of us have two cats, some of us have been looking, and looking...
I'm very jealous, and patient.
patience truly is key. i was looking for another catbird for a little over a year untill the sport fell into my lap. went from thinking i'd never find a second fox, to having a VERY nice bird for a very good price. it may seem like its never gonna come your way, but it will. all good things in time
Yours looks oddly familiar. :D
And some of us have 2 T-birds.......all though one is a MN-12...........and a 3.8 :flame:
An old pic... RIP 1996, totaled in the Florida rain.
That's pretty cool & funny.
Hey, doesn't one have a tail and a skirt (ground effects), and the other does not?
At least I can tell mine by color. 3-86's, and when I drop or put one on the road, I have to go chek the vin. I'm gonna have the vin numbers in my head on em' soon.
I need to come up and look at the pair one day. Not b4 christmas though.
Solved: Brain unit hiding under the backseat had a reset switch. Once I found it all was well again.
You pick a day and I'll make it.
Ok, I'm cussin' again. Driving Catnap home from work on Sat. night in the rain, got half a mile from home and the wipers went up and stayed there. Connecting arm came off the motor.:mad:
Wiper problem fixed. Apparently mice made a nest out of insulation where the connecting arm meets the wiper motor. It bound up on the moter and popped the arm off. Cleaned all out, reattached the arm and left some sawdust for the mice to nest in. Cedar saw dust. I thought the cedar aroma would be nice and homey for them. :D
Cedar doesn't really scare them away. All it does is provide them with a respitory infection. It's true they don't like it though but they will live with it. (at least that's what the pet store people told me)
Do you want a kitten?
There's nothing more annoying than a coughing mouse.
Just Eliminated one more problem on Eliminator. The payments. :D
All mine now and the bank can't take it away.
Woohoo!!!!
:cougarsmily: Very cool indeed.
Catnap is now for sale. Nothing wrong with it but I'm buying CougarCragar's '86 and don't have room or budget for three cats. Front end rebuilt, new tires, rear brakes new, front brakes good, engine strong and not burning oil. Needs a tune up, though.
PM me if you're serious.
wow, just read up on this whole thread. you and i have a lot in common but i have to tell ya, per our conversation, i could not agree more still to this day.
do you have pics of the the skin,, you know,,
I can get some to send you if you like. Gonna try to get a bunch of pics today.
If you were smart, youd be best off to get that 88 coug posted in F/S located in texas. That car is showroom imho.
Working out details to pick up Zack's '86 tomorrow. So, for a while I'll be the proud owner of three, that's right, count 'em, three Cougar XR-7s. :D
I LOVE MY NEW KITTY!!!!
She's so much fun to drive. :D
Thanks, Zack!
Glad you're happy, dude. I hope to see it this summer.
Congrats to the both of you. :cougarsmily:
Amd now I'm back to two. :(
But Catnap is in the capable hands of an evil mastermind with a diabolical plan. I have no doubt he's already got the hood off and most of the bolts out to pull the mill. :welder:
I can't wait to see what he does with it. :D
The '86 is now officially mine. Titled and new tags (TRBOCAT). Also had to get Eliminator's tags renewed today and renew my drivers licence. I can't believe I just spent $240 at the DMV.
Working on a color scheme for it now. Thinking Graphite metalic for the body and Carbon Fiber for the scoops and window trim.
Just worked out a deal for a new Xenon ground effects kit for TurboCat. Hopefully when the weather clears I can get the body cleaned up, patched up and painted. I'm pretty set on Graphite Metalic for the paint, monochrome.
And I'm debating the possibility of doing the hood scoops and window trim in carbonfiber. That will lead to carbon fiber dash and butcher block trim and a carbon fiber shift .
I'm prob'ly going to leave the side trim off but I do want to make some pieces to round the bumpers into the body at the ends.
And I have just about everything ready, finally, to get Eliminator into the shop for the suspension and brake upgrades. Then hopefully get some bodywork taken care of and get a new engine in it before Catjam.
For the past few weeks Turbokitty has been sounding more and more like an old John Deere than than a turbo 2.3. I figured it was the exhaust manifold gasket leaking. I was right. The gasket was completely blown out at the #1 cyl. port and most of the others had some streaks of carbon around them. The reason? None of the manifold bolts were actually tight.
Got a new gasket installed and it sounds much better and boost was coming up a lot better. At least it was til I got on it coming out of a clover leaf and the boost blew the hose off the intercooler. I got that back on and tight but now it seems to be low on boost. Only getting about 10 lbs out of it. So I supect it may have torn one of the intake hoses. I'll get them both replaced and see what happens.
Got the GFX kit for Turbokitty this week, and I'm checking out a body man who says he can patch up the body and prime it for painting for around $400.
Also got a new set of seats, Raven & Smoke leather front and back, in a little better shape than Turbokitty has now. The new back seat is actually going to get dyed black and will go into Eliminator.
Eliminator is going into the shop this week to have the front end rebuilt. that should solve some issues it's been having lately.
And I'm working on buying a house, with a 2 1/2 car garage. That'll give me a better place to work on both cars and hopefully have them both looking halfway decent for CatJam.
Martin, Good luck on your new House bid and your 2 Kitty's seem to be coming together at the right time for you also. Sweet :headbang:& :cool:
Wow. U bin bizy!!! :cougarsmily:
what? no pics?
Come to CatJam and see them in person. ;)
i saw eliminator. she looks gooood.
but, if you put up pics, we don't have to see you. :hick:
does seeing THEM imply you are bringing both cars?
That is the plan. My son will be driving Turbokitty up. :)
Cool. Maybe we can caravan. I will most likely trailer the 88' up. I will never drive one of these cars past a couple hours again if I can help it. Just never know when something may act up.......again. I'm also getting VERY sick of putting money into em' just to have something else needing fixed.
Things have been pretty hectic and stressful the past 5 months. My attemt to buy a house failed. Mostly because the loan officer at the bank my realtor recomended decided it was more imprortant to go to the beach than actually do her job.
My last plan to get Eliminator in for front end work went south when the mechanic decided to close up shop. Since then I have made several attempts to get her into other shops for the work but have yet to find a place that will do what I want without charging me more than a grand.
Even made a couple of attempts to do it myself with the help of friends but the mysterious became unreachable when it came time to actually do the work. (Thanks Claude)
This week I got a couple race car mechanics to do the work at their shop for the low-low price of $400. They got it all stripped down and halfway back together in just a couple nights of working on it.
Unfortunately they disappeared two days ago and I haven't heard from either of them since. The suspension is in place though the new ASB end links are not in, and the brake calipers are still not on it. Dissapointing would be a mild understatement. But I haven't paid them yet, so they're bound to come looking for money sooner or later.
If all else fails I can clamp of the brake hoses and limp it up to Firestone for the completion.
So what all is it it getting? New everything. Only parts I saved are the A-arms. Koni Rallysport springs. Koni Rallysport struts (adjustable) all new ball joints, steering rack. tie rod ends, Energy Suspension bushings and ASB end links, '88 TC spindles, and discs with new bearings, calipers, pads and braded hoses.
When it's all back together it should sit 1.5" lower in the front. It will also corner much better and stop quicker as well.
Next project (hopefully startin around the end of october) is a TC rear end, Che control arms, Koni shocks and springs and all new bushings and brakes.
For you pic ws; here's some shots from after the tear-down and where she stands now.
HOLY shiznit!!!! This kitty is agile now!
Can't wait to get the rear suspension, brakes and SFC/jackingrails done. (next project)
Right now I'm considering buying a TC parts car that will supply me with a good 8.8 with 10" discs, as well as the pedal ass'y for my 5spd convo and maybe some interior parts.
Moving forward and loving it!
Got Eliminator aligned yesterday then promptly took her for a 45mi. drive to a job interview. Enjoyed the drive. Got the job.
She doesn't ride quite as harsh as I expected, considering the front springs are 100 lb/in stiffer than stock. You can, however, tell the ass end is still up in the air.
Took a couple 30mph cloverleafs at a little over 50, very stable and almost no body roll. Brakes are considerably better as well but now the fronts are of course locking up well before the rear.
Before/After pics/
It looks great,but it's time to get new wheels.The body kit looks really good on the car.I'm sure this has been asked,but,are those Stang pieces,and if so,how did you get them to fit?
White Ponies....
Looks good! I want to lower mine but god knows when that will happen
Not Stang pieces. That's the Stouffer GST kit, made for the '87-88 Cougars. It's fiberglass and the nose piece has some damage that will be repaired sometime soon. I was thinking of reinforcing it by making a splitter piece to go under it out of 1/2" plywood, with anther layer inside the bottom lip. Then make some steel braces to go from the bottom lip to the frame. I'm a little worried now that another half inch down and an inch out will make driveways impossibly impassable. It's exactly 6" from the ground now and with the length of the overhang I had to be very careful about things like that even before I lowered it.
I mat have to settle for bonding a piece of 3/4" plywood inside the lip and barces from there.
The turbines will stay for now. Though I Am going to have the rears widened 2" and mount 295x50s on them. Down the road it will get a 5 lug conversion and some better wheels, prob'ly 17x9 all the way around and tires to match.
Nice to see it all coming along. Car looks good.
What's new with the '86?
Been serving DD duty for a months without a problem and getting great gas mileage. I have a GFX kit for it and I'm hoping with the profit sharing money I'm about to get I can get the bodywork and painting done.
Glad to hear it. I expect to see it at Cat Jam '09.