I was in another city today while making sales calls.
In an effort to learn some of the side streets near downtown, I ended up driving through a low-income residential area.
There, parked in front of a garage, was a black '86 Cougar XR-7. I pulled to the curb and took a look at the car.
It's a 5-speed.
The body seems to be fine - original paint with red pin stripe. The car still has its Marchal fog lights and body trim. It's optioned with keyless entry, but no vent windows or cornering lamps.
All four wheels were mismatched and three of the tires were not only flat, but the bead had been separated. I assume it has been sitting for several years. I would venture to say the head gasket or turbo bit the dust.
I would love to try and save this car, but I didn't feel right in that neighborhood. There was the obligatory 3rd generation Camaro RS sitting on cinder blocks right next door, along with some other assorted .
I was expecting to hear, "Ain't fer sale! Git off my land!", but nobody came out.
Oh well... It's always the rare machines that are ridden hard and put away wet.
:burnout: cougarcragar- When in dought always search out the source and be thankful that there was no big dog to chase you off. lol :cougarsmily: :cougarsmily:
What town was this?
New Martinsville, WV - right on the Ohio River. It should be about 2.5-3 hours from where you are.
You're right. I was able to get a good look at the car and boogie out of there with no ill effects. There were, however, a few cats loafing around the XR-7. I paid them no mind.
:)
No pictures??
Go back get the VIN and do a car fax. Maybe you can find some info to help to find the owner. Never know you may get lucky. My 85 XR7 I found sitting at a shop. The customer was gonna have it hauled off to pay the shop. So I paid the $100 and got the car. Still working on the title. I do have a bill of sale from the owner and 2 witnesses. So just need to find them to give them a chance to get it to me or off the the local court house.
Well, here she is. Note the 1st-generation Tempaz wheels and optional driver's side window delete.
what a shame...
such a waste.....I want it.
Looks decent, but looks can be deceiving. That car is sitting on grass, which would rot the underside out in no time. Combine that with water that would come in that missing window, which would rot the floor out from the top down, and I'd bet the frame/floor of that thing is cheese.
Try to convince yourself of that, Zach, and you won't feel so bad for not rescuing it :hick:
Almost looks like old RX-7 wheels on the back.
well now, that's a project car for sure.....good luck to who ever gets it. might be a good donor car for parts... maybe????
I find it interesting that it doesn't have a charcoal lower half.
Yeah, Carm. I bet the frame is pretty cheesy. If it was a sunroof car, I would make a valiant effort to get my hands on it, but it's just too abused.
Still, it kills me to see a turbo 2.3 Coug' with a joystick rot in some redneck's yard.
Wonder hows the motor and trans, theres a notch near me that motor would go SWEET in....
New Martinsville is only about 40 min. from me. Trust me, you might be able to score that car for a case of beer!!:D
Thank you for saving a car still worth saving.........looks good hope you get all the paper work for it.
Score it for like $100 and part it out.....youd make up the money in no time....
its too rare to s,, nor part out espesially when we have hardly any factory setup examples here on the board. Ill bet that one is nearly stock under the hood.
It could certainly be all stock. From what I remember, the interior was all original - including the shift .
I'm not saving it; I just wanted to show it to everyone here.
I don't have the time or money to restore this car.
Ha, I thought most of New Martinsville was low income housing ;)
Zach do you know where in town that car is exactly? I used to go out there a bit (it's 40 minutes from my dad's house), I know a bit of it but not most of the back streets along the river.
Yeah, you have a PM.