I just picked up my Lincoln Mark VII rear brake cables and it got me to thinking - if I were to ever sell this car, how would the next owner keep the thing on the road? What I mean is, I've done so much customizing and mixing and matching of parts the poor guy would never be able to walk into an auto parts store and just buy what he needed. For example, parts customized or nipped out of other vehicles that could cause somebody down the road problems, just in the brake system, include:
- Turbo Coupe front rotors, calipers, spindles, springs, etc (I'm sorry, sir, but these are the only brake pads the computer shows for a V8 Bird. I don't know why yours are different)
- TC rear end (Sorry, sir, we don't list rear rotors for a V8 Bird. We only list 9 or 10" drums)
- '93 Cobra M/C (Sir, I don't know why your brakes are still mushy even after selling you two master cylinders for your V8 Bird, and I don't know why you only had two brake lines in your old M/C instead of the three that the part listed for your car has)
- '90 Lincoln Mark VII brake cables in back with custom brackets and stock V8 Bird cables up front (I don't know why these cables are different, sir - we only show for with or without rear disc brakes, and neither listing fits your car)
...And that's just the brakes. The electrical would be a whole different kettle of fish, as my ignition switch, headlights, fog lights, tail lights and stereo system are not wired anywhere near stock. The power door lock actuators were replaced with a completely different setup. The overhead console is from a '94 Explorer, but the outside temp sensor is from a '99 GMC Jimmy. The tripminder is from an '83 Marquis, the instrument cluster from an '87 Turbo Coupe. The alternator is 95 5.0 Mustang spec. I've added power lumbar, lighted vanity mirrors and rear lighting (which is switched with the key so I can't forget those rear lights are on). And of course, there's the remote starter/keyless entry/alarm system.
Seriously, I would not want to buy a car like this, as troubleshooting and buying parts would be a nightmare. And my car is actually close to stock, compared to what some of you guys have done...
HAHA that was a good read. i think personally the guy would be alright with my car, totally stock except for the HO conversion. though in that case if he happened to be a little mechanical "i need a throttle body gasket" or something "i dont know why its too small sir!!!! :D
Just imagine my TC...
"I have no idea why it stalls after boost"
"Those holes in your rotors might be dangerous"
"The only wheels listed for this car are 4 lug cobra R's"
"The car has no power untill that turbo kicks in, i need a V8"
"I wrapped the car around a tree because the turbo lagged"
theres a cure for that, dont sell the car!
just do the right thing and point them here. its a great point though. maybe a logbook should be used or something of the sort
A build sheet, listing all the odd pieces and what they came off of.
Rear End = 91 mustang
Rear Brakes = 84 Mark VII
Front spindles = 91 Mustang
Front Brakes = 91 mustang
Front Rotors = 84 Mark VII (must modify hub for rims to fit)
They need brake Pads they simply ask for "pads for a 91 Mustang V8"
And just stick it in the glove box. I've done swaps several times and thats what I have always done.
Buick 231 V6 5 speed in a Triumph TR7
Pontiac 318 Aluminum V8 (63 Tempest) in a Triumph TR7 Convert
351W from a Torino in a 53 ford PU
Adding this site Address would be a BIG plus, everybody has Internet these days and most on here are failure with your car.
the build sheet is a great idea even if your not selling your car what happens the day you really cant remeber what you did or what car that part is off of???. you just get lost in your own mods. thinking of the new. you tend to forget about the old and been on for a few years mods
If I were ever to sell my car... I'd lose money.
Hehehehe... :hick:
Well it LOOKS like a stock 88 TC, I don't know WHERE the A/C went! Or why the passenger inner fender is banged in. Or why it's so loud!
Parts of my car that are still STOCK:
rear control arms (not for long, I just have to install the CHE's)
wheels
rotors
body/paint
seats
driveshaft
headlights
EVERYTHING else is aftermarket, modified, or from another car. Heck, the passenger fender and door are from an 87 TC and the header panel, front bumper, and hood are from a yet a 3rd different TC :hick:
Not one piece of my drive train is anywhere near original to my yellow 86'. It was a V-6 and 3 speed auto column shifter. Now it's all aftermarket on top, and the bottom is bored .30 with extensions, mustang 5-speed, with a Lincoln 8.8 rear and 5 lug rims all around.
Imagine having to take 5.8fastcats car to a mechanic....... "I don't know, you figure it out, your the mechanic."
It's actually not that bad... I've had to replace a few things since I bought Johns car and it's all pretty self explanitory. His car was pretty well documented on his cardomain site and I asked a zillion questions before I bought it and saved all the e-mails so I pretty much know what I've got....
Although, now that I think of it, I do dread ever having to troubleshoot the security system. I'll probably have to e-mail him to get more info on that.
As far as selling... My 86? No way! My 87? If the right offer came along... maybe. (or if my wife forced me to choose one or the other... the 87's gone, heheh.)
Well my turbo Ranger was bought by someone who was pretty clueless it turned out...so who knows what he did. I gave him a alot of info....but it didn't appear to sink in.
Oh well. It was sold and listed as a very modded vehicle.
Hell, it's worse when you buy a car from some hack and try and figure out how they worked on the car with their head stuck up their ass.
My '88 wouldn't be bad if I sold it to a Mustang guy. None of them seem to know the difference between a Cougar 5.0 and Mustang 5.0 so he'd just be putting Mustang parts on it anyway. However if I left it as an original SO 5.0, he'd be screwed and probably not understand why the car doesn't run right when he puts all his Mustang speed parts on.
Everything is stock except for the motor and exhaust.
I could see the guy at Autozone now...
Sir, an '88 cougar is not a mass air car
customer, yes it is, come out and look at it.
I keep a mod list with part numbers and have almost every piece of paper for every non-stock part I've put on the car. I even have the cylinder head install sheet from TFS that has the suggested spark plugs to use and what not.
Unless deparate, I would not sell this car to someone who didn't know what they were talking about. Even then, I would give them as much info as possible and HOPE they knew well enough to use it.
I'd never sell mine, but I think the finnicky clutch & throttle would be enough that nobody'd want my car. Hell I've been driving the thing for 3 years and I still stall it on occasion. The clutch feels like an on/off switch most of the time and the throttle is pretty touchy.
Oh my goodness...I don't even know where I would begin...maybe just point them to my site and say, "Good luck!" ;)
Hey yeah my Mustang was like that. Some dumbass got up in the dash and you had to have the interior lights turned on for the instrument cluster lights to work :dunce:
Later the instrument cluster lights stopped working completely.
Well, yeah - your car was an odd one from day one ("No, sir, we don't have a listing for rear quarter windows for an '86 Cougar convertible. Our computer doesn't even
SHOW an '86 Cougar convertible.").
Try buying a clutch for an 88 cougar. ;)
Claude wins :hick:
Until Chuck gets the crossflow I6 in the 83...
Or John gets the LS1 into his 88...
My car wouldnt be too bad right now with just the HO conversion. But it's not like it's going anywhere anyway :)
Mine will never go anywhere. Theres no performance mods, yet. Once I get to that theyd be clueless. As for those who have posted...haha I wish people good luck who buy custom cars in the first place, most have no clue.
"rear CV shaft for an 87 TC? nope, nuthin in my computer."
the kid i sold my bird to didnt have it too bad because he works at the parts store and has handled most of the parts that were put on it. if i were to ever sell my 77 f250 i can just emajine. no sir we cant get injectors for a 77. then there is the completely custom wiring harness in the dash. and i havent even gotten to building the new engine yet. my 71 had the engine switched before i got it, its kinda fun trying to figgure out what parts are from the truck and what are from the engine.