Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Project Pun Intended (Read 2486 times) previous topic - next topic

Project Pun Intended

WTF is wrong with me?...

Im 98% done with my 83 Tbird and Im already jumping into the next project. My GF of almost 4 yrs has been saying she is ready to get a new car and we spent a couple weekends out looking at rides for her but I guess Im just to picky because everything she found I shot down as overpriced,total garbage or I just didn't like. Just joking with her I told her she should just let me build her a new car and to my surprise she was open to the idea!
 Well lucky for me I didn't have to look hard or far to find the perfect car. Last year a buddy brought me his beautiful car to strip and convert into a nasty sleeper. Plans changed after I stripped the car of all its drivetrain,suspension,wiring and he decided to go a different direction. This left me with a beautiful empty shell of a car sitting in my backyard while he decided what to do with it. Well we talked and struck a deal and now this will become my GF new daily ride. Its a 85 XR7 that is MINT. The interior looks like the day it was build. No rust anywhere,power everything and straight as an arrow. This is a pic from before he brought it to my place.


So this is where the project name comes from. My 47 yr old cougar driving a 32 yr old Cougar...see what I did there? lol

Here is the car as it sits today.




 So its a real XR7 2.3t auto car but now all of that is gone now so I put the call out to all my buddies that I was in need a complete drivetrain and harness. Not what I planned but the best offer I got turned out to be the best I think. I bought a 90 LSC 5.0,aod,harness and ecm with 80k on them for $275. So it wont be going back to a turbo car but I think this is my best bet to keep her happy so I don't have to deal with all the teething pains of driving a 2.3t car daily.....and trust me nobody knows more about that than myself!

So stay tuned for a sweet resurrection of a cool little ride!
Brian R.
88 2.3t Ranger
83 TC  gt40p motor,Vortech,TFS1 cam,long tubes,MS PnP,T5,8.8,17x9 Cobra 17s

Project Pun Intended

Reply #1 –
Nice!
1986 Mercury Cougar - 2.3T/T5 swap, TC brakes and suspension and rearend, 3" exhaust, 255 lph fuel pump, Stinger BOV, Gillis MBC @ 18 psi
2003 Chevy Suburban Z71 - Daily driver
2015 Chevy Volt - Wife's daily driver

Project Pun Intended

Reply #2 –
Sweet!!!!  Looks like my '86 before I got it painted.
1986 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Turbo-charged 5-speed.
Owned 22 years.

Project Pun Intended

Reply #3 –
Sweet!
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo - '85 Marquis LTS - '86 LTD Wagon

Project Pun Intended

Reply #4 –
V8 for the win !

Project Pun Intended

Reply #5 –
Nice!!

But, the LSC harness is intertwined with the ABS and air suspension system, you'd be wayyyy ahead sourcing a '86 Bird/Coug EFI harness...

Project Pun Intended

Reply #6 –
Nice.

Going to need a shorter driveshaft as the Mark VII AOD is longer than the Mustang/Thunderbird/Cougar AOD.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Project Pun Intended

Reply #7 –
Your ride looks great!

Project Pun Intended

Reply #8 –
Keep us posted. You've got a perfect starting platform.
84 COUGAR/90 HO, 1.7RRs, performer RPM,700DP, equal length shorties, stainless EXH ,T-5,Hurst pro-billet, KC clutch, 8.8/ 4.10s, line-lok, bla ,bla, bla.
71 COMET/289,351w heads, 12.5 TRWs, 750DP, Liberty TL, 9"/6.00s, 11.9x @112 , bla,bla,bla.

Never shoot your mouth off, unless your brain is loaded! ....I may get older, but I'll never grow up!....If you're not laughing, you're not living!  :laughing:

Project Pun Intended

Reply #9 –
-Hate to see that happen to it, but hey, congrats on a super nice car. That car bounced around 4-sale on other forums and Ebay about 3-4 yrs ago, b4 i bought my '86 TC. I checked it out and it was as nice as you say.  Hated the auto, but did like the car. couldnt come together and it kinda fell off the radar. I know you will enjoy!
-'87 turbo coupe with only 740 ORIGINAL miles.... :dunce:
-'86 turbo coupe, 5sp. Cali Car.......:cool:

Project Pun Intended

Reply #10 –
Trust me I would have left it all original if that's the state I got it in. I cant justify rebuilding a stock 2.3t and a C3 for the kind of money it would take to make it 100% trouble free for Lisa. Now a 5.0 and aod I feel the reward vs investment is worth it much more. I can rebuild the whole 302 for what a new replacement t3 turbo would cost me. And I don't see using a non overdrive trans as the best idea either.
Brian R.
88 2.3t Ranger
83 TC  gt40p motor,Vortech,TFS1 cam,long tubes,MS PnP,T5,8.8,17x9 Cobra 17s

Project Pun Intended

Reply #11 –
Quote from: deathbypsi;459811
Trust me I would have left it all original if that's the state I got it in. I cant justify rebuilding a stock 2.3t and a C3 for the kind of money it would take to make it 100% trouble free for Lisa. Now a 5.0 and aod I feel the reward vs investment is worth it much more. I can rebuild the whole 302 for what a new replacement t3 turbo would cost me. And I don't see using a non overdrive trans as the best idea either.

I agree. My black bird is getting to the point of rebuilding the 2.3 & transmission or do a 5.8/aod swap.


86' T/C 4.6L DOHC
16' Chebby Cruze 1.4L Turbo
17’ Peterbilt 389 600hp 1850ftlb Trq 18spd

[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

“Heavy Metal Mistress”
[/COLOR][/SIZE]