restoring supercoupes

[decipha]

I love my supercoupes, I currently own 2x 90 5spds in terrible condition. My goal when I purchased these vehicles were to restore them to 100% stock condition. In doing so I've hit many dead ends. Trying to find parts that are no longer made, people charging outrageous prices for inferior parts, etc...

As much as it annoys me to see people part out these beautiful cars, I often get overwhelmed by the asking price of parts. I feel that with these cars being a dieing breed we need to stick together and help each other out. I have clearly seen thats just not the case.

For example:

i searched long and hard for a clutch hydraulic line for my 5spd swap. After about 2 months and hundreds of private messages. I purchased a clutch hydraulic line from a member on this forum, lowest he was willing to accept was $65 shipped. Being that I needed it or else my car wasn't going to move, I sent the money. The next week I recieved the line and all seemed to be well. I noticed that the collar was missing but didn't think much of it. I figured I could just pick it up from my local parts store. Well couldn't find it local, even went to the dealership and they didn't carry it. Anyway, after months of searching for the collar I finally located one. It was badly damaged but still managed to work. I purchased it along with a rear brake caliper and a used accumulator ball for $90 and when it came in the mail I couldn't wait to get out to the car to install the hydraulic line. Well, I was very dissapointed when it wouldn't fit. The coupled end of the hydraulic line was missing where it plugs into the slave cylinder. Although I was very depressed I knew that I had to locate another. At that time rockauto now carried the hydraulic line made by centric. I ordered the BRAND NEW line for $49 shipped to my house with a 5% discount. Came with the collar and worked perfect. Also, the used accumulator ball was also bad and the brake caliper is sticking. Thats $155 wasted on inferior parts that I had to literally throw in the garbage.

that just goes to show how people are outrageous on prices which leads me to think twice about restoring my supercoupes. I feel that if people keep doing as they are that the supercoupe will die out altogether completely due to overpricing by members here. If its going to cost me thousands of dollars to fix the many problems with my supercoupes I'd probably be better off sending them to the scrap yard and buying something else. I'd really hate to do that but thats what it looks like its coming down to. I believe im not alone here, I've seen many people in the for sale section get discouraged from purchasing parts due to the price. All in all, I thought this forum was primarily made to unite and help out our fellow supercoupers. As much as I hate to say it, its clear thats just not so.

/borderline sc's owner

[neverfastenough]

Been there, If possible, I buy new or reman no matter the cost. I had a bad caliper, napa got me a complete one for 90bux, even had ford stamped on it. My accumlator I got from prior remaned, forget the cost. I've bought used parts and did the whole ebay deal too. Everytime I got screwed, unless it was a sccoa member, Ive never had a prob with anyone on here. It all adds up like you said 50 for a bad used part then 100 for a new...shoulda just went new. I dont know about hydraulic lines and their avalibiltiy but it helps to see it in person if its used. Also when you buy something off someones parts car, they naturally throw in some money for their time spent taking it off.

Corey

[Tim Groth]

I understand your flustration, however these aren't cheap cars and most of us knew this or shortly found out after purchasing. It takes money to own a SC is the bottom line. Most of us have our own parts cars for the sake that its CHEAPER to buy an entire car than to buy random individual pieces... I don't beleive the community as a whole is out to gouge another memeber trying to salvage an SC...on a number of occassions I've had memebers go out of their way to assist me.

I will say this on parting a car, for I'm currently doing it, and have done it previously...its not easy work. Most of the parts I sell I feel as though I sell at a fair price and actually make very little money off the parts themselves. I never factor in the time it takes for me to remove a part, or the costs for the tape, the box, the packing materials...which them in themselves are pricey. I guess if I were a real stickler I could factor in gas/time etc.

Guess all I'm saying is it depends on the shoe you're wearing. Sometimes you're getting a deal even when you don't realize you are.

-Tim

[KMT]

I'd like to thank the individuals that take the time & trouble to keep (used) parts in the pipe (gougers excluded, of course). Everyone appreciates a great deal, but if you need parts you should be prepared to pay for them. Those parts have to come from somewhere since the factories that made them originally have long since moved on.

The SC benefits from several years of similar donor cars, but the day will come when even these will start to dry up. I've owned good cars that didn't have large original production numbers. I witnessed vendors going to junk yards in other states with chop saws, cutting into car bodies just to get after the higher priced and sought after items that would line their pockets. Harnesses, body panels, trim panels, unique fasteners and vehicle specific items were all sacrificed just so a few parts that sold for big money could be taken away.

The people that keep parts cars on hand, cluttering their own homes and garages and then take the time to run around for packaging, etc., are a big help when it comes to keeping other SCs on the road and they deserve credit for their concern and money for their trouble.

[txsc]

My advise to those intent on restoring/preserving a Super Coupe (indeed any car), is to spend more money up front, and buy the lowest-mileage, most original, best condition SC they can afford. Indeed, come up with more money to buy a better car than you could normally afford if your budget doesn't provide for a pristine car. Right now, you can buy a VERY NICE SC for around $5K, depending on year. Cars with less than 50K miles that haven't been modified or beaten. That have lived indoors all their lives, and been well maintained.

Say one buys a $2K SC and tries to restore/drive/modify it. How long does it take to spend the additional $3K in repairs and restoration? Not long. And the likely needed parts are going to be the rare, expensive items that everyone else is looking for.

The best way to restore an SC is to not restore it at all. Get a nearly perfect one, perform minor repairs/detailing and preserve it. This is exactly what I did. I bought a 40K mile, one (lady) owner car that came with every scrap of paperwork since it left Lorain (internal Ford shipping manifest, Bill of Sale, window sticker, and every receipt and maintenance record, including oil changes and wiper blades). While what I paid would likely cause many members to gasp, point and laugh, etc., I ended up with essentially an NOS Super Coupe that has required exactly "zero" expenditure, beyond replacing a few maintenance items with assembly-plant-correct NOS parts. Purely discresionary spending, just to perfect things. EVERYTHING works exactly as it did when new, and it's a real kick to drive, on the rare occasion that I choose to do so. Regardless of many's opinions, my car WILL appreciate in value; the rate is the only unknown. But, since I'm in it purely for the hobby and pleasure, it really isn't important to me how much/fast. I'm in this because I love the car, and wish to own as perfect an example as I can. The (largely unachievable) goal is to own the best one in captivity.

For those who say "That's fine if you have the money/space/time to do that, but what about if you want to drive your SC", my advise is the same. Start with an excellent car, maintain it, and drive. I had an 89 automatic driver that I put over 30K miles on without any significant problems. But, it was a nice, low-mileage, well maintained car. Basic maintenance, and the odd preventative task to keep it going. Reliable as an anvil. I sold it to a member here, and he's still enjoying it. If you're going to drive it, I'd order a brand-new accumulator ball, BHJ balancer, and a few other mission-critical parts, and take care of that right up front. Avoid the inevitable failure/breakdown. I performed a pre-emptive H/G replacement when my driver reached 100K miles. I spent about $800 to avoid a much more expensive, ill-timed, catastrophic failure. The car gave me no indication that it needed the H/G change, and the internal evidence confirmed that it was fine. But, I bought fairly cheap peace of mind, and had fun doing the job while not under duress.

My advise; Start with a nice car, and keep it that way. These cars are reliable if you don't start with an already-dead horse, and perform the needed maintenance.

JD

[superdadsc]

I know what you mean. I have been lied to about parts, condition of said parts so the seller could make a buck. Live and learn, I am not trying to whineI am just stating a fact. It is what it is and like the case you pointed out it pays to do due diligence when it comes to parts and services.

By the way, a member just quoted me 95 bucks for a shifter knob. It is nice but 95, is that a fair price? :confused: Stephen

[DamonSlowpokeBaumann]

I think the idea is saving an SC from the crusher..A low mile SC has a way to go before it gets there.

I give props to anyone that keeps a car alive out of love...I just hate seeing perfectly good cars being parted due to a blown motor or something of that nature

[txsc]

I think the idea is saving an SC from the crusher..A low mile SC has a way to go before it gets there.

I give props to anyone that keeps a car alive out of love...I just hate seeing perfectly good cars being parted due to a blown motor or something of that nature

I agree that anyone who is willing to undertake a major restoration project on one of these cars deserves a lot of credit. But, going in, they should realize that it is going to take a considerable amount of money, time and parts hunting; mostly money.

For me, the idea is purely cost/benefit. Why wrap up $10K+ to achive a result that isn't as good as a car you can buy for $5K? I've passed on a great number of "fair" or "decent" SC's because they just weren't good enough. The ideal situation is to grab them up and stash them in a building until such time is they are worth the expenditure of time/money. But, that's a whole other level of cost.

JD

[txsc]

...By the way, a member just quoted me 95 bucks for a shifter knob. It is nice but 95, is that a fair price? :confused: Stephen

You can buy an NOS knob for $125.00.

[whiplash15]

I have to agree that buying parts from eBay is a crapshoot, and not quite as bad from a SCCoA member. I bought my first SC (a 90) in 91 after owning a 88 Turbocoupe. I had transitioned over from Mopar products. The TC had a 5spd, and I preferred an auto so I swapped it for the 90. I never had any kind of expensive problem with that 90. Since that time I have owned 2 MK7's, 11MK8's. I still have a 98 Mk8 Collectors Edition. In the same time frame I also owned a total of 6 SC's. Let me tell you, if you think owning an SC is an expensive deal. buy just one Mark VIII, I believe they made fewer Marks than SC'c, and if you just say "T-Birds", thats a whole different world. There are 6 years of Marks comparred to 7 years of SC and 8 or 9 years of T-Bird. The lists of interchangable parts is frightening. Restoring a dieing breed is an expensive undertaking.

[kenewagner]

I beleive if one is going to restore one of these cars they should look look for a mint low milage car. It will save headaches and money in the long run. I bought mine for 2K and I have had to rebuild pratically everything. It made me a lot smarter mechanical wise on the car but pocket poor.So in hind sight I wish I had bought a low milage car mint car even if my plan wasnt to restore it. As for over priced parts I know they are out there but I just say no thanks and keep looking. Most of my transactions have been SCCoA members and have been good experences

Ken

[fturner]

Honestly, you name one older car out there that would be cheap to restore? I don't even think a Fox body mustang would be cheap to restore anymore.

Frit

[the-big-e]

Finding the correct parts for these cars is only gonna get harder and harder as the years go by.....

Sometimes the shipping costs more than the part....:(

When I am quoting a price for a part, I also have to factor in my time to remove the part, box it up, and get to UPS, USPS, or whomever the buyer requests to have their part delivered to them....

I wouldn't recommend buying used accumulators to anyone....

I have tried 10 used ones that I have picke up over the years and every single one wouldn't work.....:rolleyes:

[steelman]

Your right its not cheap to restore these cars, I am currently restoring an already very very good 89 XR-7.Its something thats done out of love for the car, I have owned my car since new and its been stored for the last 11 years in a garage and its very very hard finding new parts, I am not crazy about used parts but as I am finding in some cases it just cant be avoided.

[TbirdSCFan]

I have 3 SCs, 2 of which are DDs and the 3rd is a MD. ;) I spend about as much as I see necessary to repair/restore all them, on my own time schedule of course, and still its far less than what I would spend on new car payments. None of them will ever be of show quality, but they will be in very good condition when I'm done with the R&R. Spreading the time/mileage out over the 3 keeps the wear+tear to about a 3rd on any one of them. :D
As for parts prices; if anything... the critical parts are cheaper than ever.

[Mike8675309]

please note, if folks keep paying the high prices for substandard parts, they will keep getting substandard parts for high prices.

I can't believe people sell used accumulators. I would never buy one unless it was free, and I'd never sell one. They simply don't last over time, so unless you just bought a new one and didn't need it, I'm not gonna buy it. Others shouldn't either.