Brand new member - looking for advice on an upcoming purchase.

Topic: Brand new member - looking for advice on an upcoming purchase. (Read 12422 times) previous topic - next topic

Brand new member - looking for advice on an upcoming purchase.

September 17, 2017, 03:45:26 PM

First off, allow me to introduce myself. I'm Tim, and I build a LOT of different cars for people. To give you an idea, I just built a 400 HP Dodge pickup for a guy, and I built a sweet Chrysler Conquest for another guy. I'm not trying to impress anyone, or come off as an egotist....just letting you know, I'm pretty handy with a wrench!

Point is, after building cars for other folks, I've decided that it's time I built something cool for me. After searching for about 6 months, I found Eric's Cool Cats website, and said, you know what....a Thunderbird or a Cougar is an outstanding idea. I've worked on a lot of Mustangs, and a few Aero Birds, but never owned one of either for myself.

So, after more searching, I have an appointment next weekend to check out a very very clean 1987 Mercury Cougar XR7. I specifically picked this car, as it has the foundation for what I intend to do, which is a HO conversion with dual exhaust, and a manual transmission swap.

So, here's the million dollar question, or rather, several of them. This car has 135,000 miles on it, and doesn't appear to have been driven in winter.

1. I know to look at the torque boxes - what else should I be scoping out while I am under the car? Where do these typically begin rusting?

2. I know to check the TV cable bushing on the throttle arm - anything else notable with the transmission apart from your regular AOD concerns that I should watch for?

3. This is a factory power sunroof car - what should I be looking for there?

4. I understand the '87 has a 7.5" axle....I'll presume this is true of the V8 cars?

5. Anything notable on these cars for just outright falling apart?

I have been lurking here as non-registered for about the last week, and going through the forum pages, page by page, and reading everything I can find. One thing I cannot really find.....what are these cars typically valued at for a clean and nice V8 model with the kind of mileage that the car I am looking at has?

Folks, I look forward to talking with you, and I hope this car winds up being a winner, because it really looks sharp, and it's a one owner car.

Thanks again, and a pleasure to be here!

Tim

Brand new member - looking for advice on an upcoming purchase.

Reply #1 – September 17, 2017, 04:46:33 PM

1. Gas tank hangers, quarters above well, front shock towers, rocker caps in the front wells.

2. Been a long time since I've had an AOD, someone else will know better

3. The drain hoses need to be clear, depending where it's been they can clog. Seals are available from sunroof doctor

4. Everything but the 87-88TC has some flavor of 7.5" some with trac-loc

5. Nothing outright, some will drop the door glass but it's a simple repair.

Brand new member - looking for advice on an upcoming purchase.

Reply #2 – September 17, 2017, 04:50:21 PM

Quote from: Sancho;462753

1. Gas tank hangers, quarters above well, front shock towers, rocker caps in the front wells.

2. Been a long time since I've had an AOD, someone else will know better

3. The drain hoses need to be clear, depending where it's been they can clog. Seals are available from sunroof doctor

4. Everything but the 87-88TC has some flavor of 7.5" some with trac-loc

5. Nothing outright, some will drop the door glass but it's a simple repair.

Thanks, Sancho! Excellent to know!

Tim

Brand new member - looking for advice on an upcoming purchase.

Reply #3 – September 17, 2017, 07:13:11 PM

Value is tough, I see cars from 2-5k in that range. It's really depends on the local market.

I hope she works out, they're nice cars. Quite a bit more spacious over a mustang or a conquest.

Brand new member - looking for advice on an upcoming purchase.

Reply #4 – September 17, 2017, 07:37:24 PM

Cool, cool, that's also good to know! Let's see if I can do this.....

Here's a picture of the car I'm considering.

Brand new member - looking for advice on an upcoming purchase.

Reply #5 – September 17, 2017, 07:40:34 PM

Was it the maroon/grey 87 on KC craigslist?

If so, it had been offered several times. My brother contacted the owner, and there was mention of needing an engine rebuild early in its life for a lower end knock or noise, he decided not to do it. Seemed strange, and he bowed out. Mention of some small amount of rust. Pics looked really good though. Good luck and let us know what you find out.

Edit, I just saw you posted the pics.

Brand new member - looking for advice on an upcoming purchase.

Reply #6 – September 17, 2017, 07:47:23 PM

Quote from: mcb82gt;462757

Was it the maroon/grey 87 on KC craigslist?

If so, it had been offered several times. My brother contacted the owner, and there was mention of needing an engine rebuild early in its life for a lower end knock or noise, he decided not to do it. Seemed strange, and he bowed out. Pics looked really good though. Good luck and let us know what you find out.

Edit, I just saw you posted the pics.

Mike,

Yes, we may be talking about the same car. I'll have to take particular notice of that when I go to look at it. The car now has 135K on it, so I will definitely take my stethoscope and a few other goodies.

Tim

Brand new member - looking for advice on an upcoming purchase.

Reply #7 – September 17, 2017, 08:10:11 PM

Honestly about the only part that is hard to find are motor mounts, 5.0's are around every corner of you look hard enough. That's a sharp looking cougar.

Brand new member - looking for advice on an upcoming purchase.

Reply #8 – September 17, 2017, 11:41:49 PM

To elaborate on the strut tower rust, if you lift the hood and look at the strut, follow you eyes down the inside of the strut tower and then rearward. That is the area the rust starts out and gets to be the worst. Also the back of the tower and 'frame rail'. The rear quarters will get rust like any older car. The door bottoms are also a bad spot that rust. I had one that literally had no structure in the bottom of the door. The paint and everything was nice and shiny on the outside, but the door skin would wiggly if you shut the door or kicked it.

The motor mount isolators aren't hard to find at all, but the plates that bolt to the engine sometimes crack. We had a member who made badass mounts, but he stopped due to life events and doesn't have the time unfortunately. Most mechanical items for these cars are easy to find. The vehicle specific stuff can be tough. Lights are a prime example of that.

Brand new member - looking for advice on an upcoming purchase.

Reply #9 – September 17, 2017, 11:59:35 PM

Welcome! I lived in Wichita for quite a while (currently live in Ohio) but I still have a house there.

Brand new member - looking for advice on an upcoming purchase.

Reply #10 – September 18, 2017, 10:25:48 AM

Door window channel runs are no longer made so take that into consideration. You can find the dew wipes, door seals, and trunk seal but not the runs.

Brand new member - looking for advice on an upcoming purchase.

Reply #11 – September 18, 2017, 05:49:58 PM

The biggest thing is strut tower rust, torque box rust, and rocker rust. Anything bad costs $$$$ to fix, especially the strut towers. The strut towers aren't hard to repair but the engine has to come out most of the time to do it correctly.

Brand new member - looking for advice on an upcoming purchase.

Reply #12 – September 18, 2017, 07:06:34 PM

Gentlemen, thank you for all of the tips!

I go to look at the car this weekend. Hopefully, it checks out good. If not, the search continues on, because I'm really thinking for what I am trying to accomplish, the Fox Thunderbird or Cougar is really where I want to be. I am also looking at Lincoln Mark VII's, but I think those can be a bit more tempermental, and I typically see those with pretty roasty interiors. I also understand a T5 swap in one of those is a little trickier...something about the hole in the floor not being quite in the right spot?

Tim

Brand new member - looking for advice on an upcoming purchase.

Reply #13 – September 18, 2017, 07:27:48 PM

Mark VIIs are fine. I used to own one. The air suspension gets a bad rap but, really, it's stupid easy to fix. Heck replacing all the air springs and compressor is easier and often just as cheap as a coil spring swap. I would keep the air suspension in the Mark VII. Now the Teves II ABS system no. I'd ditch that if I planned on keeping the car. New parts are pretty much made of unobtainium now. Convert it to regular vacuum assist with a booster and master cylinder from a SVO Mustang (same brakes all around) and and adjustable prop valve or SVO Mustang/87-88 Turbo Coupe prop valve and you're good to go.

Mark VII T5 swap: http://www.lincolnsonline.com/tech/00140.html

Brand new member - looking for advice on an upcoming purchase.

Reply #14 – September 18, 2017, 08:55:35 PM

Gentlemen, let me ask you another question.....

How many of you daily drive your cars? I'd likely put upwards of 80 miles A DAY on this car when I drive it to work and back. Pretty reliable for the most part?

Tim