About Guitar74

Guitar74

Thankfully, I am just about at that place where I will no longer need to buy parts as the car was pretty much done when I got it. It has just been the fiddly parts that I have had to get. I am still scouring Ebay for that rear bumper but doubt I will get another score like I did when I got the tail light slats for $42. Time and patience will tell.

Guitar74

I can see the market segment they are targeting. That being said, I will just keep a stash back when I finally DO have to replace the straight 6 in my '95 so I don't have to resort to a truck that's really not a truck. I didn't get the L6 for economy. I got it for longevity and towing power. It has both. Economy is for my wife's Fiesta which I use for the commute most days. If I were in the market for a small truck, I would gladly buy something that was equipped like the original Ranger. I had one. It was a great little truck. Durable, peppy for the engine it had (2.9 V6 5ps 3.73 gears which I am sure helped with the grunt), and fun (4wd). I don't see any of those things, with the exception of possibly fun, but......With fwd and a cvt transmission, I am betting it is nowhere NEAR the fun I had in my 4wd v6 Ranger, with nowhere near the durability (perimeter frame, ibeam front suspension). I keep trying to find things to like about it, and then I find out about more of the design and it just turns me off. It's almost like this is designed for the segment that my segment makes fun of. I could really see my younger brother going for this. He already wears glasses with no prescription, skinny jeans, and has that Japanese cartoon haircut. Don't get me wrong, I love the guy, I just don't quite understand him...or his glasses.

Guitar74

I would have to see the actual design, but I have NEVER been a fan of CVT transmissions. They have never really proven themselves reliable. Of course at the loads this will likely carry, it probably wouldn't be an issue. I think a manual trans and an automatic (real auto not the dual clutch things they seem to be putting in everything) would be a great option.

Guitar74

They are still available if you get the Ford XL.

Guitar74

I just priced it, you can still get a full size Ford in Xl trim without all of the bells and whistles for around $28k (standard cab short bed).

Guitar74

Point taken.

Guitar74

Update: I received a return email from the new Mustangs Unlimited a.k.a. Top Flight Automotive. While they do not have a big comprehensive list of Cougar specific parts, they have all of the same accounts with the repro companies and stated that they are more than happy to do special orders, so all is not lost. They also stated that they are in the process of trying to see what sticks, what does or doesn't sell, etc., to make sure that they don't take the name the way it sort of went previously in the end with the original company which is understandable. I know the original owner had gotten sick, and the people he put in place in his stead just ran it into the ground.

Guitar74

Yeah, I had to do a 2" drop in the rear to get rid of that stance in my '95. Felt like I was constantly driving down hill.

Guitar74

Yeah. That is CRAZY!!!! But....as long as there are guys willing to spend that kind of money, they will gladly keep charging astronomical prices. I just looked at what an XL costs to order, and even THAT is above the inflation rate by 5K.

Guitar74

Even though I have an auto behind my straight 6, I couldn't agree more. A manual should still be standard, or a lower cost option versus the 20 cagillion forward speed slushbox autos they have now. If your torque curve on a stock engine is so poor that you need THAT many forward gears to keep it in the power band, you need to rethink your engine design. That is ESPECIALLY true with the v8s. They should have a broad enough torque curve to not need anything more than 4 forward with an overdrive top gear being the 4th. I mean the older chevy 5.0s and 5.7s as well as the Ford v8s made little more than 200 horse if they were lucky in the 80s and pulled along just fine with an overdrive auto or 5 speed manual.

Guitar74

The new Ranger is bigger than my full size '95 short bed.

Guitar74

I know I kind of slagged the Maverick, but.....There is a market for it. I couldn't agree more with you on full size truck prices, and to a certain degree, mid size truck prices. They are ridiculous. Of course, you can get something like a single cab Ford XL for a reasonable cost, but finding one on a lot is another story. The other side of it is that vehicles are priced based on the median income in whatever area they happen to be in. The other thing is that as long as people are willing to pay a ridiculous price for something, it will remain ridiculously priced. Example: My brother in law got a Ram Rebel for what was a good price maybe three yrs ago ($42,000). What does he do? He sees my nephew's Rebel that has the air lift suspension and decides to buy it for $55K which is considered a good price around here. Of course it's loaded with an h.u.d., the eco torque thing (which I tried to explain to him would NOT give him any better of a holeshot over his previous Rebel due to the due to the added weight-10lbs=1hp), and whatever else is completely unnecessary for a TRUCK!!!!!!!!

Guitar74

There is still a market for single cab pickups. Otherwise the XL models wouldn't still have them as an option. It's that the "pickup fad" came along in the 90s along with astronomical prices that ended up taking a truck from one of the cheapest vehicles you could buy because it was considered and equipped to be utilitarian, to one of the most "expensive" vehicles you could buy because the "urban cowboy" crowd had to have all the bells and whistles on their rides to impress the young ladies at the "line dancing bars" with a truck that would NEVER be used as a truck.

Guitar74

A co-worker showed me one, and then I tuned him out when I heard "front wheel drive". No thanks, I'll keep my '95 F150 XL which sold for $14k brand new. This is for the Metropolitan who might use it as a truck twice a year. This is more like the old 4 cyl Ranger but without all of the things that gave it the toughness to use like a truck. I foresee this being the new soccer mom ride of choice.

Guitar74

Or, like the municipality I work for, completely disregard it and then cry poor mouth before extorting even more money from the taxpayers (everything that's wrong in Washington is likely just as wrong in your own back yard). I showed our director how much money was getting wasted on contracting auto repairs out to a dealership versus letting the four qualified techs they have do the work, and got met with a blank stare, answered with even MORE waste in the form of farming things out, and justified by telling me that "we're not in the business of making money" when I told her that saving money was just as good as making it.

Guitar74

There is NPD, but like I said, they just don't seem to have it quite together for some reason. WCCC is mainly who I go through at this point. It used to be Mustangs Unlimited, and the West Coast for the REALLY hard to find specific stuff. They are getting more competitive with their pricing. They are also "Cougar guys" so if you have a question that only an experienced Cougar restorer/owner can answer, they should be your first stop on that front. Their used stuff is graded correctly. It's just that Unlimited had some really great prices on repops that NPD just can't seem to match. So yep, I do a lot of business with Don over at West Coast.

Guitar74

So most of us guys in the Mustang/1st Gen Cougar segment of the hobby know that last year, Mustangs Unlimited closed their doors. I hated that because their selection was pretty good, they had Cougar specific stuff at a reasonable cost, and while good, NPD isn't really cutting the mustard for me. So last night, I found out that Top Flight Automotive, or the conglomerate that owns them, bought the Mustangs Unlimited name. I got kind of excited until I pulled up their site. It was then that I found they have nowhere near the selection of Cougar specific parts that Mustangs Unlimited did. I was less than impressed with that segment of M.U. that they took over. However, it DOES appear that they have a pretty good selection of 1st Gen Mustang stuff. Although, it is probably no better or worse than any other Mustang supplier.

Guitar74

I enjoyed the Peugeot and Citroen ads most of all. It's the idea of an ad with a sense of humor about the product it is trying to pimp to everyone that is just great.

Guitar74

A lot of people didn't like them. I thought they looked fine. What I didn't like was that they actually lost horsepower from the 5.0. Then to add insult to injury the first 4.6 2v engines would fall on their faces where the 5.0 was sill pulling hard. Then when you compare the horsepower numbers of said 4.6 to the LT1 and then the LS1 in the Camaros, it just made them unappealing. My brother in law had a '97. The most embarrassed I ever saw ANY Mustang owner was him when my father in law in his 97 Sedan Deville with the Northstar eat the 'stang for breakfast, lunch, dinner, desert, and fart out Donnie's pride during the 2-3 shift. If they would have ran like they looked, I think they would have had something.

Guitar74

They were 400 lbs heavier in fastback trim which would have put them at about the same as the 70s era Camaros. My Stepdad's '71 351 Cobra Jet Mach 1 would haul a$%. As a matter of fact, it would blow his '70 Boss 302 off the road. I drove both. The '71 would kill it hands down. As far as Eleanors go, this is the only one for me. The '67 in the Nick Cage movie with all of the fiberglass addons and that repulsive hood scoop looks like a submarine with a screen door.

Guitar74

My brother in law had one as did a friend of mine in high school. Lag was not a problem in either. I think people were just used to the low end grunt of the 5.0 and comparing the two was like apples to lasagna.

Guitar74

With the rarity of the GT350 being coupled to it being a 2.3 turbo car, I would try and leave as much of the factory stuff as possible and make it more of a reference car for those who either collect, or restore one off Mustangs like this one. Bushings, sure, but only if they are showing extreme wear. I would see if the factory paint could be "restored" (wet sanded, buffed) instead of a respray. This is kind of a rare piece. The only mid 80s 'Stang that's more rare than this? The 84 commemorative Boss my wife had. Before anyone says they didn't exist, she still has the window sticker, the sales paperwork, and the Georgia Lemon Law order for the Ford dealership in Conyers, GA to install a/c because they charged her for it on the sales slip.

Guitar74

I tried to watch this over-produced garbage. Over-produced, too much foreshadowing, overly dramatic. These are ALL things that add up to unscientific crap made by a person that LOVES to hear himself talk. And as for using a pellet gun to test a motorcycle helmet's impact resistance, the ground isn't coming at you at 1750 f.p.s. Nor is it the diameter of a pea. This guy is an idiot who is misleading millions with non-information disguised as tests. I should have known better when I saw the stylized pseudo "Transformers" insignia that I was in for it.

Guitar74

We have non ethanol gas at the Shell down the road from work here in Conyers, GA. I fill the old cars and the Harley here, or at the BP that is close to home which also sells non ethanol.

Guitar74

You weren't kidding when you said you had some Fox Bodies! I love it. I miss my '88 Tbird.

Guitar74

Ah, the Ford water pump debacle even exist on British v6 cars. It's no better on a 400 Cleveland. It will make you want to stab a loved one in the neck, and then buy a Chevy.

Guitar74

There is a mustang parts house here locally that does this. I did the math on their mark up and figured out very quickly that they don't have a wholesale parts supplier. They are just doing the same thing I can do and upcharging for their trouble. I am surprised they are still in business.

Guitar74

Nylon rope. I have used it for everything from tying down cargo, to using it to hold up valves while doing valve springs and valve seals. Eat your heart out, Charlie Bronson (Boondock Saints reference. sorry.)!!!!!

Guitar74

And now sir, you have found the use for the one I bought years ago. I owned it for almost a decade until, like you, I needed a good square cut on a piece of exhaust. Purchase justified!!!

Guitar74

Oh yeah. The curved one is great for pulling hoses.

Guitar74

I would say yes and no to the Windsor being irrelevant. A little outdated by today's standards? Sure. Capable of blowing a coyote equipped 'stang away? Absolutely.

Guitar74

I agree with Sajeev on this one. I wouldn't go too heavy on the aftermarket stuff with your 2.3 turbo for a couple of reasons. This first one being that the GT350 edition is rare enough as it is. The second is that it is sometimes harder to undo some things than you might think. For my money, I would keep it as true to original as possible and just enjoy it for what it is. But, in the end, it's your car so do what YOU think will give you the best enjoyment.

Guitar74

Agreed. Although I DID get my butt kicked this weekend by my dishwasher (replaced everything BUT the wash pump, a discontinued part, only to find that it was the wash pump).

Guitar74

Long live the can gun! Used one to repaint the bumper on my '95 f150 (that and high temp silver paint-real close match to the factory silver) with fantastic results.

Guitar74

Me too. I think the auto parts store guy probably heard base model Cougar and immediately went for the small one.

Guitar74

So I FINALLY replaced the battery on the Cougar (had to put tires on the wife's commuter, new battery in my truck, AND.....A rear master cylinder on my Harley). It was when I pulled the old battery and found it to be a group 58 (never really paid attention to the size as it was new when I got the car), which was more than a little smaller than the tray. So, I decided to do a little research and came up with the following: The base model cars came with a group 22 (which is close in size to the 58 that was in it), with a Group 24 as an upgrade. The group 24 came standard in small block cars with a/c. And the big block cars either came with a group 27 (which also makes sense as you could get a 427, or 428 depending on the date of the build when you ordered a GT-E), or it was available as an upgrade to the cars that came with the group 24 battery (there is a little conflicting info on that one as like with everything else on the internet everyone chimes in until the real resto guy who has the real info shuts everyone down with accurate information). Needless to say, I got the group 24 which fit the tray (mine is also a base model small block car with a/c so there is that). I just thought it might be helpful to people who want the correct size, strength for their classic Cougar. Here are the measurements: Group 22F-9 1/2"l x 6 7/8"w x 8 5/16"h Group 24F- 10 3/4"l x 6 3/4"w x 9"h Group 27F- 12 5/8"l x 6 3/4"w x 9"h These are subject to a plus/minus due to manufacturers, but it will get you in the ball park if you find that the battery in your car does NOT fill the tray, as well as what your car came with providing the tray hasn't been replaced with a different size. Also, the "f" would notate a reverse polarity of the FoMoCo requirements which would also sometimes be notated by an "R" as in Group 24R, instead of 24F.

Guitar74

Now THAT'S what I call thrashing it!

Guitar74

I still like mowing through the gears. The only thing is that here in Metro Atlanta, it can make a stick just get cumbersome. I'll stick with my built auto, mild convertor, and my inner justification telling me "Shifting that auto on the floor is the same thing. Right?" 😁

Guitar74

A low 13 second from a standing start car isn't slow (unless you're comparing it to a 11 second car). The times that factory cars are supposed to be getting nowadays is a tad inflated, AND.......done by a professional driver. I GUARANTEE that low 13 sec. notchback would give a late model Coyote 'Stang a good run with a good driver and traction.

Guitar74

A lot of us in the States referred to the first gen as Valiant Barracudas as well as A-Body 'Cudas. I know I did so that they wouldn't get confused with the later E-Body Barracudas from 1970 on.

Guitar74

A Chrysler 300 would be a great example of full size performance. As would a big block Galaxie, Marauder, Impala, etc. My pick would be a Biscayne with big block power. And THAT'S coming from a Ford guy.

Guitar74

"Thank a veteran for your freedom"-Well put. Many a young man paid the price with either his life, limb, blood, friend, or sometimes sanity so that we as a free people could complain about living in a republic so free that people often risk their lives to come and be a part of.

Guitar74

I hope everyone has a fun and safe Memorial Day. And let's not forget what the observance of this holiday is about.

Guitar74

The Z3 is a fun car. I can understand why she would miss that one.

Guitar74

The Cyclone came in on trade one year after she started, so it would have come in on trade in '72. A postman had bought it for his wife and it scared her (would hate to see how a Cobra Jet 429 would have been for her), so they traded it in on a more docile LTD. Mom got the car for Dad, but it quickly became hers and he was relegated to the Comet. Funny thing is, just six yrs. ago, right after Dad got the Cougar painted, he took it to this little restaurant that's just across the state line and this older gentleman walked up and they started talking cars. He starts telling Dad about this '71 Cyclone GT he got from Shepherd Lincoln/Mercury for his wife that they traded back in a year later because it was too much for her. Small world.

Guitar74

Great time capsule of your build. I agree with Sajeev, that is a nice clean install, willow tree and gravel floor or not. That is also one beautiful tribute car. I love those milestones. Things like running in a cam or a fresh engine for the first time. Mine isn't running in the cam necessarily. These days it's cutting open the oil filter after the break in and finding no glitter.

Guitar74

I remember seeing Grandpa do exactly that on his '66 which prompted me asking and him giving me pretty much the same explanation you just did.

Guitar74

The dual stick on hood scoops that are likely used by "the Lund guy". It's even better when I see them unpainted on something like a PT Cruiser, or my brother in law's Tahoe. I swear my brother in law is the real living breathing version of Woody Harrelson's character on Zombie Land down to painting a number 3 on everything he drives (ok he's never actually done that, but I really could picture him doing it).

Guitar74

Oh, no. The whole mid 80s and late 70s car on 20+" wheels is somewhat popular around here too. I find it funny that they choose to throw suspension geometry out the window, are probably losing somewhere between 5 and 20 horse in unsprung weight, and unless they gear down to compensate for the added diameter of the tires, have a TURD as far as acceleration goes.

Guitar74

My Mom's cool cars were a 1971 Comet GT (Yellow with the black stripes 302 which also happened to be her first new car at her first office job at a Mercury Lincoln dealership when she was fresh out of college), 1971 Cyclone GT (429 Thunderjet, C6, Traction Lok), and for the time, her '86 T/A.