As most of you have probably noticed, I've been lurking around the forum for about a half a year or so. I hope no one minded, i just wanted to check it out a while before i actively joined in.
So here it goes. I've owned my 87 cougar since about 89 and stored it away for the last 7 years. I've been remodeling our 2nd house in that time, and pushing off restoring my cat. now the time has come, only to find out that its been rusting away to nothing in my garage
here's some pictures of what i have left after all that waiting.
Keep in mind I live in Buffalo NY. "THE SALT CAPITOL OF THE WORLD"
Its probably the only city where the blacktop is still white in early june.
http://www.daminc.myjalbum.net/ (http://"http://www.daminc.myjalbum.net/")
I know there was some rust before, but I didn't expect that.
Apparently my garage floor isn't sealed and soaks up water like a sponge. I may as well been parked it on the wet grass for 7 years.
So now, what to do.
I know i can fix it (as bad as it is) but the sight of the floor sucked the wind out of my sails.
The only reason I have to fix it would be that there's a lot of memories in that car.
My other plan is to find another project car. this time with no rust on it. and then go from there. I can always swap my interior. its almost in perfect condition.
I hope I didn't carry on to much for a first post
That really sucks man, and welcome!
Wow. That is alot of rust. It's more fun to drive then to work on. I suggest finding a good body and using that for parts. For 300 dollars you could get a decent car with a blown motor.
Also I like the website. That's some fancy stuff. Good job on it.
welcome! i sure am glad i live in the south!
Thanks for the welcome
My baby was totally rust free in 98 when I repainted it and undercoated every fall. you can still see the paint and undercoating. unfortunately its now stuck to the rust on my floor of my garage as of this weekend
Rust never sleeps. Mine is worse, but I did do as blu84302 said, and if your rear quarters are bad, I'd suggest the same.
Welcome aboard.I agree with Sleeper,I'm glad I live down south.We don't ever see rust.Come down here,grab a replacement car,and start swapping everything over.
WOW I was convinced here in the good ol' "Capital Region" (Im so sick of hearing that sung in commercials.....ugh) they salted the worst. White roads in JUNE? I mean ours stay white maybe until April, maybe halfway through at worst, but thats rare.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do! Sorry to hear your baby is hurtin' like that.
That sucks! fix her or get another. I found that on my 88 that had the rust preventive stuff from the dealer that it was rusted out while my 84 that doesn't have the treatment it almost rust free.
I'm going to be inclined to say find a donor shell.
As sad as it is, that one is toast.
Welcome to the site.
:) Welcome and your website is very cool "lots of pics" just remeber that there are always other cougars on this forum for sale. lol :cougarsmily
Wow, that is alot of fixin to do. But I have seen worse be fixed so get to it! Enjoy the info this board has to offer!
Brian
Hello:D
Chicago salts pretty bad too. The roads are white till April and the big rains wash it away. That is why I bought my T-bird form California.
Your Cougar is pretty rusty but itcan be fixed. It will cost a lot of $$$ but it can be done. The question is do you really want that particular car or would you rather start with a rust free one and swap stuff over?
I agree 100% with thunderjet. There's a point of dimishing returns. Do you want to spend $5K fixing up a $2K car? My numbers may be off some, but you get the idea. The only thing you can't put a price on is emotion. If it's that important to you to have THAT car, then by all means fix it. Otherwise, bring one back from the south to work on.
Man I didn’t now salt was that bad up there some times I guess I’m naive to that fact I live in long island and just assumed it was worse by us since where near the salc00cher.
Yea I guess there is salt in the lakes and I know that’s were most of your precipitation is.
It would be nice if you could save that car w/all the time you own her and the memories but it would probably be a lot easier to buy another and part her for its good stuff interior pretty easy to swap and tuff to find a good one so don’t get rid of her yet. And if your going to redo a car go w/the 302.(big upgrade). Nice pic set-up a like that
Can’t believe it took you this long to post gotta tell you I love this website. a lot of good info and before I found it I thought I was buy my self till I found out there’s others out there w/there taste of cars. I also swear on motor tech here every now and then I go to stang sites and cause stangs are me-to cars everyone has one so the advice isn’t so good unless you now where its coming from
Thanks everyone for your welcome.
I'm still going to take my time and weigh the pro's and cons
of fixing v/s getting another car.
either way I plan on a 351 so i would probably tear apart either car to beef up the frame and re-weld any joints that i can find
as for my old car. the repair would only cost the price of sheet metal. i can bend up anything i need for replacement panels and rockers. in may be stronger with the new metal. i noticed the sheet metal is very thin on an 87 88 cars
I think i'm going to try to blast some of the rust off of the frame this weekend if i have time and see what i end up with i'll add more pics as i go along
jerry
btw.. will mustang floor pans work at least on the front
I still think you'll be much further ahead if you just find another donor shell.
Yep, looks like the grasshoppers had a feast on that undercarriage. Looks like a good parts car though. Yeah, you can save it. It'll take a lot of time, a lot of effort, some cussing, and a ton of money, but it's not a totally lost cause. Just a lot easier and cheaper to find a better shell.
You been lurking here how long? And you still didn't bring chips? I'm disappointed. ;)
Welcome to the boards. Learn, teach and entertain. Post often, post smart or post funny. You can try all three but no one else around here can pull off the hat trick on a regular basis. I suggest you pick one style and stick with it. :D
sorry, i got hungry while lurking.
i had them. honest
Alright, I forgive you. But you'll have to make it up at CatJam next year.
When I joined I had several varieties of chips on hand. No one asked so I ate them myself. Gained 5lbs. I'd hate to see someone else have to go though that. ;)
I don't think my car will make it to the next catjam
its kinda flintstone like at the moment.
on the up side i don't have to spring for an air conditioning recharge
and its now got a built in garbage shute
Anyone remember this rust bucket of a car? LOL
So it's been a year since I took some pics, and got a crazy idea in my head to fix my car. I got to say, it doesn't seem like a year. I had planned to do a quick fix and get her on the road again, but you know how that goes. One thing leads to another, and pretty soon you realize that you just replaced most of your car. LOL
Anyway, I just thought I would mark this day as the official "Evolution" anniversary. and the start of the rebirth of my car.
If your new to the group, or if you want to take a ride down memory lane.
http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/showthread.php?t=17304 (http://"http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/showthread.php?t=17304")
So, your probably wondering where I've been, and why now updates?
To make a long story short, The rest of the project hinged on putting in more driveway for parking. I added about a 20 x 50 area for parking
I accumulated to many vehicles this year. LOL
so the driveway is in and now I can pull my car out and paint the garage floor before winter. I'm not going that route ever again. I can also pull the parts and motor out of the parts bird, without it sinking in the mud. So I should be back to working on the car this Saturday.
Oh yea, and I needed a rest from the car too. It's been a whole year of working on it. LOL
Glad to be part of the group.
Jerry
No one saw this coming... Look at all the post and look where you are. Its insane what you have done.
I never asked for a reply to my recommendation, so I will consider your progress as an official "In your face!" :D Congrats on the last year and good luck for the next!!
If you were a really hot chick,and you were right here in front of me,I'd hug you (the wife wouldn't allow anything else.LOL).BUT,since you're not a hot chick,and you're way up north,no hugs for you.Love the work on the Cat,though.
Jerry, It's a pleasure to look at the way your (Cougar) has been slowly getting put back together...plus with all of your photo's of that hard work you've put into you can always go back and reflect on the outcome as a reward to yourself. Way to go and Congrats !! :D
You are definitely the man Jerry!
I think I may celebrate this weekend by welding the quarter panel on the car.
and for those who like to see pics.........
I did this all by hand. I can park 2 cars, side by side next to the garage.
(http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee79/daminc/Stuff%20I%20dont%20know%20where%20to%20put/IMG_4448.jpg)
Not sure if anyone remembers what my car used to look like.
Here's the before.
I know I couldn't remember. LOL
(http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee79/daminc/cougar%20before/IMG_2819.jpg)
Ok happy anniversary! now get some work done lol.
:laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
Gladly, working on my car is like a vacation compared to what I have to do all week long.
Look for an update this weekend. :D
I forgot how bad it DIDNT look from the outside. LOL. There was so much more than met the eye.
yea, I didn't think I would be replacing as much as I did.
My car was ''really'' rusted.