The '80 XR-7...

Topic: The '80 XR-7... (Read 39776 times) previous topic - next topic

The '80 XR-7...

Reply #15 – August 14, 2006, 09:56:26 PM

Quote from: Chuck W

Well I do have plenty of projects, but that's just the way I like it.

How many projects do you have on the go? i've got 7-8 automotive projects goin right now.

The '80 XR-7...

Reply #16 – August 14, 2006, 10:18:05 PM

OK, well I made a little trip over to look at the car a little closer and get a couple pics.

Here's a pic of the rust around the window. The window needs to be resealed, so I figure removal, rust repair and reinstallation should cover that.

The front. The hood has the nice dent and underneath has some rust. Repairable, or just replaceable.

Aside from the hood and the window, the rest of the car pretty much looks like this with a couple small rust spots here and there

Interior shots. Headliner and carpet are shot. The rest is ok. Front seats are marginal, but are Recaros and salvagable for certain.

Driver door skin rusted at bottom (looks good from the outside). I actually have another door for one side of the car. Can find another if needed.

Powerplant...*yawn*

It runs ok, needs tank drained though. Old gas. The trans is puking fluid from somewhere I think (FIOD). Not critical.

Underneath is pretty solid.

Now "why?" you ask? Well here's what is in my head. One of the 4-eyes needs to go away. The two at the bottom of the pile are this car and the '80 Zephyr Z-7. As bad as some spots look on this car, the Z-7 really isn't much better now and especially so after the hail storm. It's also a sunroof car...and you guessed it...rust...worse than the stuff around the window on the XR-7. Both cars would clean up about the same at this point. The interiors, when cleaned would be about the same. The Z-7 carpet is trashed but hiding under floor mats right now and the headliner is pooped from the leaks around the sunroof. I'll have to spend a little cash on carpet for the XR-7.

Anyway, the forming plan is this. First, get the XR-7 back to the house and get the windshield out and the rust fixed. If not fixable, then off it goes. In that time I can also sort the gas issue out and try and see what's leaking in the trans. If those things all sort out well (I can deal with the 5.0 for a short time if need be, but rest assured it will not stay in the car

) Then what I will do is probably swap all the suspension stuff from the Z-7 onto this car (5-lug, PBR brakes, springs, etc) as well as the exhaust. I need the K-member and block(200 I6) from the Z-7 for the X-Flow conversion for the '83 Tbird. Then I will get rid of the Z-7, and have the XR-7 prepped for driver duties.

I wanted the Z-7 last year, but it's appeal is failing...which must be partly due to the Mustang-esque interior...I just HATE it.
Also, the XR-7 is just plain funky, esp with the "bittersweet" interior.

This is what's hatching in my head now. It may not be the XR-7 that dies, but the Z-7 instead, or at least get's sold off as a roller to someone.

The '80 XR-7...

Reply #17 – August 14, 2006, 10:27:07 PM

I only see one page.

BTW, that York compressor is gigantic!

The '80 XR-7...

Reply #18 – August 14, 2006, 10:45:19 PM

Quote from: JeremyB

I only see one page.

BTW, that York compressor is gigantic!

I take it you mean the AC compressor? It still works. Was kicking on the last time I ran the car, but needed a recharge.

The '80 XR-7...

Reply #19 – August 14, 2006, 10:57:21 PM

Plan looks good to me (but i'm biased :p) If you need anything from the red interior let me know as i'll just be tossing mine once its out, I know its quite a way to ship but parts are hard to find. I almost had a bumper grille for you too but I showed up a day late and found the 80 cougar biried up to the quarter pbuttstuffs in a ravine under 3 70's cadillacs and a mazda

I may be able to salvage the rear bumper cover for myself but the rest is toast.

And be glad you have the dismal 302 in yours, I have the pathetic 255's in both of mine

The '80 XR-7...

Reply #20 – August 14, 2006, 11:05:04 PM

Well this interior isn't red...it's "bittersweet"...which has an orange tint to it. I had dug up a red dash pad...and it clashed pretty bad.

The '80 XR-7...

Reply #21 – August 14, 2006, 11:12:33 PM

Ahhh, either way if you do keep it and need anything lmk

The '80 XR-7...

Reply #22 – August 15, 2006, 06:52:21 PM

Scott, can you check dimension for me (since I don't have the car sitting here). Can you measure from the vertical part of the floorpan just in front of the rear seat base forward to oh, say the front of the door opening? I know it's kind of random, but I'm looking to see if some 83-84 carpet I have would work in the interim.

The '80 XR-7...

Reply #23 – August 16, 2006, 08:43:38 AM

Well, the more I ponder this, the more I think the XR-7 will stay around and the Z-7 will go away.
I just like this ugly beast so much more. As long as the stuff around the windshield isn't terminal, the rest will be fine.

The '80 XR-7...

Reply #24 – August 17, 2006, 11:46:12 AM

That's a Cougar XR-7 with factory Recaros and a totally retro color combo. Ya gotta keep it if you can afford it.

The '80 XR-7...

Reply #25 – August 17, 2006, 01:20:54 PM

Quote from: pro-five-oh

That's a Cougar XR-7 with factory Recaros and a totally retro color combo. Ya gotta keep it if you can afford it.

Well it is starting to win out. After I get the 84TC home this weekend I'm going to get the '80 to the house and get into the windshield and the leaky trans and drain the tank. I think the sandblaster will make quick work of the rust issue. I don't want the 5.0/auto combo, but if I can stop the hemorrage for now I'll drive it with that until I get the engine that was going into the Z-7 ready.

The plan is to get down to 4 cars and perhaps only have to store one elsewhere (mainly to keep it undercover), but will save me $50/month on the storage.

The '80 XR-7...

Reply #26 – August 17, 2006, 03:51:45 PM

If the rust isn't worse than what you see, this one really deserves to benefit from your handiwork, Chuck. This is the box-Cat that will blow 'em all away. Hell, I'd even keep the stock interior/exterior colors! :)

The '80 XR-7...

Reply #27 – August 17, 2006, 05:52:21 PM

Well the interior color would stay. Not certain about the white on the exterior though.

The '80 XR-7...

Reply #28 – August 18, 2006, 11:32:31 AM

Yeah, either go gunmetal gray outside or redo the two-tone with something more 70s.

The '80 XR-7...

Reply #29 – August 18, 2006, 11:37:42 AM

A gunmetal grey was actually on my list of ideas as a replacement for the white.