Barn find... but not really

[Rice_slayer]

So I have known about this car for SEVERAL years, and have tried to get it off my Uncle with no luck. Since I'm a tech. now, he asked me if I want to try and get it running again, and of course I said yes, but I have to be allowed to drive it when fixed . I won't be able to start looking into it until spring but since I went out to the farm today, I took a few snaps of it. It has been literally sitting in the same spot for 15 YEARS, yes, 15. Car is a 1971 Mercury Cougar XR7, has a 351 cleveland in it with a C4, mild cam, he ran mid 14s with it back in the mid 90s on street tires with it. Apparently, it has a spun bearing, but I have never heard the car run. So my plan is to pull the engine and inspect. I'm trying to convince him to let me build a mild 351w for it, but it will take a bit lol. Anyways, here's the pics. Sorry for bad quality, taken with my crackberry with very bad lighting because the door is stuck closed because of the snow.

 

[MustangChris]

15 years? at that point you have to start worrying that your pistons rusted to the cylinder walls.. .... or that any exposed bearigns have rusted... ..

etc.e tc. etc. it'll be a fun project, for sure!

 

[Rice_slayer]

Exactly why we are pushing it to their shop out there (they have a MASSIVE shop with a pit and engine lift above it) on the farm, pulling the engine, and I will tear it down in the city at my house to check everything out. The paint/interior are in amazing condition, just need a LOT of TLC to get the dust/crime/cat poop off, and to make sure no mice have made it their home .

 

[MustangChris]

yea, nothing sucks more than a mouse-nest in the middle of a dash-harness *puke*

 

[Steven]

Give me a hot battery, a piece of 80 gritt sand paper, and a small gas can and I'll have it running in 15 minutes. The worst part, is I'm telling the truth. If it's locked up, marvel mystery oil in the cylinders, let it sit for a day, take a breaker bar and start to work it. Took our 70 chevelle that had been sitting since 84' and had it running 30 minutes after we got it. Didn't run half bad either.

 

[NERD]

Very Nice.

 

[Rice_slayer]

Give me a hot battery, a piece of 80 gritt sand paper, and a small gas can and I'll have it running in 15 minutes. The worst part, is I'm telling the truth. If it's locked up, marvel mystery oil in the cylinders, let it sit for a day, take a breaker bar and start to work it. Took our 70 chevelle that had been sitting since 84' and had it running 30 minutes after we got it. Didn't run half bad either.

My dad says pouring gas down the carb and swapping my spare battery in should get it started. I know almost absolutely nothing about carbs as I grew up and modded with fuel injection, so it will be interesting. I personally hope the engine is seized cause I want to put a windsor in it, but it's his car, I'm just doing the work. Me, my brother, my cousins and his brother can't get him to sell it lol.

 

[MustangChris]

carbs are easier than they look. lol. no worries.

as for getting it running in 30 minutes, i'd never put a car like that through a torture test of trying to start it in 30 mins. if it was an el camino, go for it...

but id try and turn it over by hand. if it turned over id throw a battery in it. if the lights turn on and the electronics seem to function okay, id replace every fluid in it, plus the belts. finally, i would try and push it to ensure the brakes hadnt rusted to the drums/rotors. if all that went okay, then i would attempt to start it.

 

[vermilion]

i opt to remain cleveland. 1. its already there. 2. the cylinder walls may not be that bad. 3. bearings are still easy to get. With a cleveland it should had a C6 or FMX trans. if it has a true C4 then it may be a 400M. those are sexy in torque.

 

[CC'S95GT]

While your reading up about the carb. You should look into timing the points too?Definately keep the cleveland! and keep it numbers matching

 

[US Soldier(stang 98)]

i cant wait ti read more about this later on in the new year. good luck bro this is going to be an awesome project

 

[framda]

Stick with the Cleveland, they can make sick power!

 

[Slykin]

Clevelands FTW.

 

[duh09]

CLEAN IT UP! MOAR PICS! FIX IT!

I love old cars. I would love to find a clean 71-73 Mustang Mach 1 to daily. Big enough for everything, lots of room under the hood, old enough to be simple to work, blah blah blah.

 

[Rice_slayer]

I think they actually swapped the 351C in, and I'm about 90% postive it has a C4, that's what my dad said. I honestly can't wait until spring either, I love the 71-73 mustang/cougars because in my eyes, they were the only Mustangs I'd consider a "Muscle car" as they were a big car with a big effing engine lol. I can also guarentee it needs new tires, probably dry rotted too...

 

[Slykin]

Don't forget the 66 Galaxie with the 390. My neighbor has one that he swapped a 429 into.. if he'd ever get the trans running it'd probably really haul some tail. Big car too.

 

[Rice_slayer]

I'm talking the Mustang/Cougar, they were "small" pony cars, then these bigger ones came lol. I also talked with my dad about it, it DOES have a C6, not C4 like I thought, original 351c block but was originally a 2bbl, and now has a 4bbl and bigger heads. Also has a Crane cam of some sort and of course the B&M shifter. Also has 4.10 gears, which without overdrive, I'm assuming would be stupid loud at highway speeds as it has dumps.

 

[Slykin]

That's good he already has the 4bbl/heads on there. Pretty sure the 2bbl and corresponding heads weren't that great. The 4bbl heads are the real powerhouses.. though they better be considering how huge they are.