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General => User Rides => Topic started by: MY83T on February 27, 2014, 08:56:37 PM

Title: My "official" 1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Thread UPDATED 3/30/14
Post by: MY83T on February 27, 2014, 08:56:37 PM
A thread has to begin somewhere, so i took these today, and will post plenty more asap.

(http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg169/my70gt/DSC_0154a-1.jpg) (http://s248.photobucket.com/user/my70gt/media/DSC_0154a-1.jpg.html)(http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg169/my70gt/DSC_0159a.jpg) (http://s248.photobucket.com/user/my70gt/media/DSC_0159a.jpg.html)(http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg169/my70gt/DSC_0163a.jpg) (http://s248.photobucket.com/user/my70gt/media/DSC_0163a.jpg.html)
Title: My "official" 1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Thread UPDATED 3/30/14
Post by: vinnietbird on February 27, 2014, 09:08:22 PM
Great looking car. Any changes coming, or keeping it stock?
Title: My "official" 1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Thread UPDATED 3/30/14
Post by: MY83T on February 27, 2014, 09:28:13 PM
Quote from: vinnietbird;429721
Great looking car. Any changes coming, or keeping it stock?

Vin, you know me, i can't hack up a clean un-modded low mileage car.  That said, maybe some tasteful dual exhaust set up, a few minor under hood tweaks not noticeable to the eye.  It needs so little to look near perfect on the interior.  All the usual trouble spots look great, so i need a few trim pieces to mint her up.  A very good cleaning is needed too, its been so cold i can't muster the courage to venture outdoors right now.
Title: My "official" 1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Thread UPDATED 3/30/14
Post by: EricCoolCats on February 27, 2014, 10:06:00 PM
Looks great. Congrats!
Title: My "official" 1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Thread UPDATED 3/30/14
Post by: thunderjet302 on February 27, 2014, 10:29:41 PM
Looks really good.

Why no antique plates?
Title: My "official" 1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Thread UPDATED 3/30/14
Post by: cougarcragar on February 28, 2014, 02:38:37 AM
I've always wanted an '87 XR-7. Very nice choice.
Title: My "official" 1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Thread UPDATED 3/30/14
Post by: MY83T on February 28, 2014, 02:41:30 AM
Quote from: EricCoolCats;429723
Looks great. Congrats!
Thanks Eric!

Quote from: thunderjet302;429724
Looks really good.
I agree!  Thanks for the kind comments....

Why no antique plates?
Cause i am daily driving it....


Quote from: cougarcragar;429749
I've always wanted an '87 XR-7. Very nice choice.

Me too, now i finally have one!
Title: My "official" 1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Thread UPDATED 3/30/14
Post by: turbotrav on February 28, 2014, 08:48:01 AM
You know whats funny....those pictures almost look like 1987 Mercury Cougar promo stuff....Kinda cool if you ask me.

Travis
Title: My "official" 1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Thread UPDATED 3/30/14
Post by: fasfzr1 on March 01, 2014, 03:13:24 PM
WOW can't bring yourself to do mods but its a DD car with low miles?
Title: My "official" 1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Thread UPDATED 3/30/14
Post by: MY83T on March 02, 2014, 06:09:01 AM
Quote from: fasfzr1;429857
WOW can't bring yourself to do mods but its a DD car with low miles?

Well, i can best explain it this way:
1. I can't afford a 2nd car payment right now. I have a late model Flex as a reliable family hauler.
2. I can't afford a hobby car either right now.
3. This will be very lightly driven locally when i am in a jam for a 2nd car.
4. Hopefully this is a short term situation, and this will ultimately become a pure hobby car.
5. My reason for no mods is twofold, A: i can't afford mods of any kind right now even if i wanted to.  B: The car is so clean and straight, that i value the originality. 
6. For the 2k price tag, i could find nothing this clean or nice or fun to drive for the money. 

All this being said, i have no issue with others modding cars, i would even like a project car down the road that i could go nuts with custom stuff on it.  These are becoming very rare cars in original stock form, and i like the idea of preserving well kept versions for the future.
Title: My "official" 1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Thread UPDATED 3/30/14
Post by: turbotrav on March 02, 2014, 09:42:45 AM
You have the rest of the cars life to mod it....neat car.

Travis
Title: My "official" 1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Thread UPDATED 3/30/14
Post by: fasfzr1 on March 02, 2014, 10:45:56 PM
Yep that explains it but it is such a clean car I like it alot
Title: My "official" 1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Thread UPDATED 3/30/14
Post by: MY83T on March 02, 2014, 11:49:52 PM
Quote from: fasfzr1;429936
Yep that explains it but it is such a clean car I like it alot

Thanks for the kind words.......your cat is a beauty as well.....enjoy her.
Title: My "official" 1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Thread UPDATED 3/30/14
Post by: V8Demon on March 03, 2014, 11:30:21 AM
Quote from: thunderjet302;429724
Why no antique plates?

Antique/Collector car plates are more trouble than they are worth in NY unless it's STRICTLY a show car and sees about 500 miles a year.  Even then, I wouldn't do it on anything under 45-50 years old....
Title: My "official" 1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Thread UPDATED 3/30/14
Post by: turbotrav on March 03, 2014, 01:05:05 PM
Quote from: MY83T;429940
Thanks for the kind words.......your cat is a beauty as well.....enjoy her.

Thanks,

My children will bury me in it....LOL

Travis
Title: My "official" 1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Thread UPDATED 3/30/14
Post by: thunderjet302 on March 05, 2014, 03:31:43 PM
Quote from: V8Demon;429957
Antique/Collector car plates are more trouble than they are worth in NY unless it's STRICTLY a show car and sees about 500 miles a year.  Even then, I wouldn't do it on anything under 45-50 years old....

Ah it's a bit different in Illinois. As long as I'm driving it to a show, exhibition, service station, or for repairs it's fine. There are no mileage restrictions. I don't use the car as a daily driver so I don't mind the "restrictions" as they are exactly what I use the car for.
Title: My "official" 1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Thread UPDATED 3/30/14
Post by: thunderjet302 on March 05, 2014, 03:33:46 PM
Question: is the striping under the molding tape or painted on? I saw an 87 XR7 in the junk yard (really, really beat to death) that had painted on stripes just below the molding. I thought the factory stripes were tape but I could be wrong.
Title: My "official" 1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Thread UPDATED 3/30/14
Post by: MY83T on March 05, 2014, 05:06:42 PM
Thats a really good question..
Title: My "official" 1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Thread UPDATED 3/30/14
Post by: MY83T on March 06, 2014, 05:58:08 AM
was a busy lad tonight, froze my ass off, but needed more pics for you guys.....

(http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg169/my70gt/DSC_0713a.jpg) (http://s248.photobucket.com/user/my70gt/media/DSC_0713a.jpg.html)(http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg169/my70gt/DSC_0719a.jpg) (http://s248.photobucket.com/user/my70gt/media/DSC_0719a.jpg.html)(http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg169/my70gt/DSC_0723a.jpg) (http://s248.photobucket.com/user/my70gt/media/DSC_0723a.jpg.html)
(http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg169/my70gt/DSC_0724a.jpg) (http://s248.photobucket.com/user/my70gt/media/DSC_0724a.jpg.html)
Title: My "official" 1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Thread UPDATED 3/30/14
Post by: MY83T on March 08, 2014, 11:32:44 PM
Busy night tonight because it was a balmy 50 degrees tonight and i was restless.......i totally ripped out the non-working disaster of a car alarm under the hood, which felt really good, i can't quite explain the emotion on that one.  I then totally detailed the inside of the car down to the little pebble crustaceans that formed in the ridges of the gas and brake pedals.  Came out really nice, i have to of course wait til dawn to shoot some interior pics for you all.  Trunk is completely done also.  Engine bay is getting attacked next.  Exterior, first really warm day i compound the hell out of it and then well see what we really have here.  I did finally find one small trouble spot on the passenger side of the inside trunk.  Some water has been getting in there for awhile, as there is a very small rotted piece on the reverse side of the drain channel. i will try and get some pics of that too. I ripped out the power antenna rod as well tonight as the wobbling and fact that it was stuck in the up position and still not getting a signal, i just ripped the sucker out. the motor is fine, just needs a new mast if thats possible.  For now i listen to my iPhone with a cassette adaptor anyway, so tunes are no problem.  I like the lines of the car with the antenna down also.  Nothing major to repair, and still no complaints on this car.
Title: My "official" 1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Thread UPDATED 3/30/14
Post by: MY83T on March 09, 2014, 06:27:11 PM
As promised, the interior pics detailed......and the POS alarm that i tore out........
(http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg169/my70gt/DSC_0736.jpg) (http://s248.photobucket.com/user/my70gt/media/DSC_0736.jpg.html)




(http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg169/my70gt/DSC_0727.jpg) (http://s248.photobucket.com/user/my70gt/media/DSC_0727.jpg.html)
(http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg169/my70gt/DSC_0728.jpg) (http://s248.photobucket.com/user/my70gt/media/DSC_0728.jpg.html)
(http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg169/my70gt/DSC_0729.jpg) (http://s248.photobucket.com/user/my70gt/media/DSC_0729.jpg.html)
(http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg169/my70gt/DSC_0731.jpg) (http://s248.photobucket.com/user/my70gt/media/DSC_0731.jpg.html)
(http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg169/my70gt/DSC_0732.jpg) (http://s248.photobucket.com/user/my70gt/media/DSC_0732.jpg.html)
(http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg169/my70gt/DSC_0733.jpg) (http://s248.photobucket.com/user/my70gt/media/DSC_0733.jpg.html)
(http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg169/my70gt/DSC_0820-1.jpg) (http://s248.photobucket.com/user/my70gt/media/DSC_0820-1.jpg.html)
(http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg169/my70gt/DSC_0819.jpg) (http://s248.photobucket.com/user/my70gt/media/DSC_0819.jpg.html)
(http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg169/my70gt/DSC_0818.jpg) (http://s248.photobucket.com/user/my70gt/media/DSC_0818.jpg.html)
(http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg169/my70gt/DSC_0817.jpg) (http://s248.photobucket.com/user/my70gt/media/DSC_0817.jpg.html)
(http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg169/my70gt/DSC_0816.jpg) (http://s248.photobucket.com/user/my70gt/media/DSC_0816.jpg.html)
(http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg169/my70gt/DSC_0815.jpg) (http://s248.photobucket.com/user/my70gt/media/DSC_0815.jpg.html)
(http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg169/my70gt/DSC_0814.jpg) (http://s248.photobucket.com/user/my70gt/media/DSC_0814.jpg.html)
(http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg169/my70gt/DSC_0812.jpg) (http://s248.photobucket.com/user/my70gt/media/DSC_0812.jpg.html)
(http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg169/my70gt/DSC_0811.jpg) (http://s248.photobucket.com/user/my70gt/media/DSC_0811.jpg.html)
(http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg169/my70gt/DSC_0810.jpg) (http://s248.photobucket.com/user/my70gt/media/DSC_0810.jpg.html)
(http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg169/my70gt/DSC_0808.jpg) (http://s248.photobucket.com/user/my70gt/media/DSC_0808.jpg.html)
Title: My "official" 1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Thread UPDATED 3/30/14
Post by: thunderjet302 on March 11, 2014, 12:24:41 PM
Looks good.

What leather conditioner do you use? I use the stuff from Meguiars and the seats in my Thunderbird never look that shiny. They are soft but they don't glow like that.
Title: My "official" 1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Thread UPDATED 3/30/14
Post by: MY83T on March 14, 2014, 10:55:59 PM
Its a spray on Mequires all in one cleaner/conditioner.  I just wanted to do a quickie clean up. First gorgeous day, do it from top to bottom.
Title: My "official" 1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Thread UPDATED 3/30/14
Post by: STANG8U on March 14, 2014, 11:03:16 PM
Wow

Looking great !!


And I hate aftermarket alarms everything seems to always get hacked up
Title: My "official" 1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Thread UPDATED 3/30/14
Post by: MY83T on March 14, 2014, 11:25:18 PM
Quote from: STANG8U;430580
Wow

Looking great !!


And I hate aftermarket alarms everything seems to always get hacked up


I felt so good after ripping all of that out.......
Title: My "official" 1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Thread UPDATED 3/30/14
Post by: Haystack on March 15, 2014, 12:26:13 AM
My tbird had the same one. as far as I can figure all it did was set off the alarm everytime you jumpstarted it. every wire splice was done under the colum which got in the way when I swapped in the 5 speed. I just ripped the box out and clipped the horn off. I plan to clean it up this summer
Title: My "official" 1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Thread UPDATED 3/30/14
Post by: MY83T on March 15, 2014, 12:31:50 AM
Quote from: Haystack;430582
My tbird had the same one. as far as I can figure all it did was set off the alarm everytime you jumpstarted it. every wire splice was done under the colum which got in the way when I swapped in the 5 speed. I just ripped the box out and clipped the horn off. I plan to clean it up this summer
I actually just ripped the whole thing out in less than 10 minutes.  I started at the siren, and worked my way forward.......
Title: My "official" 1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Thread UPDATED 3/30/14
Post by: MY83T on March 15, 2014, 12:34:40 AM
Oh, and the useful function of those alarms, were to go off at 4AM for no apparent reason, g off your neighbors, and actually getting ignored by the time your car actually got around to being broken into.
Title: My "official" 1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Thread UPDATED 3/30/14
Post by: CougrrrFiveO on March 15, 2014, 02:42:45 PM
Very nice! Looks great!
Title: My "official" 1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Thread UPDATED 3/30/14
Post by: MY83T on March 30, 2014, 07:26:06 PM
A few new ones today.......


(http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg169/my70gt/DSC_4119a.jpg) (http://s248.photobucket.com/user/my70gt/media/DSC_4119a.jpg.html)
(http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg169/my70gt/DSC_4125a.jpg) (http://s248.photobucket.com/user/my70gt/media/DSC_4125a.jpg.html)
(http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg169/my70gt/DSC_4124a.jpg) (http://s248.photobucket.com/user/my70gt/media/DSC_4124a.jpg.html)
(http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg169/my70gt/DSC_4123a.jpg) (http://s248.photobucket.com/user/my70gt/media/DSC_4123a.jpg.html)
Title: My "official" 1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Thread UPDATED 3/30/14
Post by: Davemutt on April 04, 2014, 04:58:12 PM
Nice Cougar!

That same alarm was in my Mark VII when I got it.  The guy that sold those things in the '80s must have retired nicely!

I replaced the antenna mast on my car with an ebay unit and it works fine, but it drops down too far when closed.  I think I'd look for a correct used part if I had to do it again.
Title: My "official" 1987 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Thread UPDATED 3/30/14
Post by: MY83T on April 14, 2014, 12:31:47 AM
Very busy Saturday and i accomplished the following updates:

1. Replaced my non working Power Antenna (tore my arms up good doing it, but did it and works flawlessly)

2. Replaced my broken hood release. Readjusted the hood catch, and it works so well, i can't even believe it.  barely a tug and pop, up it goes and the bracket keeps the handle snug to the panel now.

3. Replaced my broken front seat belt receivers with super clean used ones.  Had to paint the drivers as i needed blue, and that was grey.  Looks really good i have to say.

4. Replaced my lower dash panel under the steering wheel, as the 2 doughnut holes from the ejection seat toggle switch buttons for the super py alarm install were driving me nuts.

5. Added my missing hood light.

6. popped in the EQ, so i don't have a empty slot in the dash, just have to figure out what i need and am missing amp/head unit wise to make it functional.

So EQ aside which i am adding, every factory installed option/item is installed/working at this time.

Tipping my hat to Ed, (Kafer79) for sourcing so much of my missing stuff.