Picked up my XR7 yesterday! Sorry this very long winded but some of you might appreciate it. Otherwise, just check out the pics.
So a quick background on me; the old man picked up his new 1990 LS when I was 8 years old. His first new car ever and he loved that car more than life. No one else rode in it and he wiped his feet every time he got in it. Fast forward 7 years, he bought a left over 1996 XR7 4.6 (still has it) and to my dismay the LS went to my sister. Well a year later I got my license and was left to fend for myself. I found myself a 1991 LS 5.0. I drove it through college and it was a great trouble free car. Fell asleep at the wheel one night and that was the end of that Cougar.
I always wanted one of the XR7 SC’s and can remember staring at the 1990 sales brochure my father kept on file. At one point when I was in college the old man bought a non running black 1990 XR7 in hopes we would restore it together but that never happened and to bone yard it went (sorry). Fast forward 12 years. I’m settled, house, wife, two car garage, money, yada yada yada. So I keep my eyes out and I finally find this XR7 on craigslist. It looks legit but I hadn’t gained approval yet so I complimented the gentleman and moved on. He says he already has buyers lined up anyhow – oh well, next time.
3 months later, still thinking about this car, and what a rare find, I cross my fingers and hope that craigslist email conduit is still active. I email him back asking for his buyers contact info. To my delight he decided not to sell the car – he couldn’t, not to those guys anyways. So he and I start a dialogue and two months later I’m making the 3 hour drive to meet him and look at it. I’m pumped, I have cash in hand just in case. Well, it’s everything he said it was, but alas, he is having severe separation issues and can’t sell it there and then. He says, let’s talk in the spring. OK. I’m not letting it go though. I keep after him and two months later after some back and forth we settle on a price and so here I am – it’s in my garage and my smile is effectively connecting my ears.
So without further adieu, the vitals;
1989 Red XR7 5 speed. She has grey cloth, no moon roof, no JBL, keyless entry, auto dimming mirror, auto head lights, systems monitor etc… 15,526 original miles. Some of you may remember this car being advertised on here a couple times. Still on original good years. She’s been a garage queen, never seen snow and maybe rain a couple times. 1 owner car, now 2. I made the 3 hour drive home yesterday without fanfare. Radio won’t turn on so I listened to the engine the whole time.
Initial observations;
She drives smooth and tight. And damn, the power, this makes my 91 LS 5.0 seem silly. I had forgotten what a great ride they are after driving trucks and jeeps for the last 10 years. Again, radio won’t turn on, have to look into this over the winter. The AC is not working so that’ll be getting fixed over the winter as well (if I want my wife to ride in it). She pulled 11 PSI @ 4500 RPM @ 90 mph in 3rd. Thats the most boost she has. There is a slight shimmy on the highway but that’s to be expected on the original rubber – they are probably not safe anyways. What a feeling breaking the ~~~ loose @ 25 mph! The 5.0 couldn’t break it loose with a tail wind! A little wheel hop but it is what it is. ABS and firm ride seem to work fine. Slight whine from the fuel pump… Drivers side bolster and lumbar are not working – they make a click on “inflate” but there’s no movement. Lastly, there might be a slight coolant leak but I haven’t gone looking for it yet.
Plans;
Well, I love the “survivor” status this cat carries so the plans are minimal. I am looking at some minor bolt on mods all in the interest of preserving the head gaskets. I know if they end up going it loses some originality and it will be game-on at that point. Neither my wallet or wife will like me very much.
I won’t do anything that will permanently alter the car and I will not get into the engine at 15k miles. I have a ken wagner DIC that will go on if I don’t have to alter/cut/modify anything – if not, somebody here will get a new DIC at discount. I plan on removing the air silencer and replacing the filter with a K&N. The exhaust – this one tears at me but I feel it needs attending to. I was looking at just the Magnaflow down pipes and cats and a magnoflow resonator into the stock system but then I was looking at the mufflers which are a little tired. All the pipes look great but if I’m replacing every other component I would probably just splurge on the Mandrel Bends dual 2.25 system as well. Here is where I think about picking a 92+ tank and installing a new fuel pump as well. I don’t know though.
Wheels and tires. There is something cool about having the original rubber still but maybe I’m being a little ridiculous. I also love the stock seven spokes. Part of me wants to preserve the original wheels and tires and part of me says who cares? If I did preserve them I’m thinking some Cobra R’s or Bullets but I always thought the larger wheels looked funny at stock ride height. I can’t find a pic of a stock red XR7 with some nice +1 or +2 wheels to decide and I suck at photo crop. Any pics out there would be appreciated.
I guess that’s about it for now. That was way too much and I apologize but it’s been bottled up in me since 1990 and I had to get it out. I look forward to your comments/thoughts/suggestions ideas and to hopefully meet some of you at some point.
Cheers – Ben.
A little trouble uploading pics so go here.
So a quick background on me; the old man picked up his new 1990 LS when I was 8 years old. His first new car ever and he loved that car more than life. No one else rode in it and he wiped his feet every time he got in it. Fast forward 7 years, he bought a left over 1996 XR7 4.6 (still has it) and to my dismay the LS went to my sister. Well a year later I got my license and was left to fend for myself. I found myself a 1991 LS 5.0. I drove it through college and it was a great trouble free car. Fell asleep at the wheel one night and that was the end of that Cougar.
I always wanted one of the XR7 SC’s and can remember staring at the 1990 sales brochure my father kept on file. At one point when I was in college the old man bought a non running black 1990 XR7 in hopes we would restore it together but that never happened and to bone yard it went (sorry). Fast forward 12 years. I’m settled, house, wife, two car garage, money, yada yada yada. So I keep my eyes out and I finally find this XR7 on craigslist. It looks legit but I hadn’t gained approval yet so I complimented the gentleman and moved on. He says he already has buyers lined up anyhow – oh well, next time.
3 months later, still thinking about this car, and what a rare find, I cross my fingers and hope that craigslist email conduit is still active. I email him back asking for his buyers contact info. To my delight he decided not to sell the car – he couldn’t, not to those guys anyways. So he and I start a dialogue and two months later I’m making the 3 hour drive to meet him and look at it. I’m pumped, I have cash in hand just in case. Well, it’s everything he said it was, but alas, he is having severe separation issues and can’t sell it there and then. He says, let’s talk in the spring. OK. I’m not letting it go though. I keep after him and two months later after some back and forth we settle on a price and so here I am – it’s in my garage and my smile is effectively connecting my ears.
So without further adieu, the vitals;
1989 Red XR7 5 speed. She has grey cloth, no moon roof, no JBL, keyless entry, auto dimming mirror, auto head lights, systems monitor etc… 15,526 original miles. Some of you may remember this car being advertised on here a couple times. Still on original good years. She’s been a garage queen, never seen snow and maybe rain a couple times. 1 owner car, now 2. I made the 3 hour drive home yesterday without fanfare. Radio won’t turn on so I listened to the engine the whole time.
Initial observations;
She drives smooth and tight. And damn, the power, this makes my 91 LS 5.0 seem silly. I had forgotten what a great ride they are after driving trucks and jeeps for the last 10 years. Again, radio won’t turn on, have to look into this over the winter. The AC is not working so that’ll be getting fixed over the winter as well (if I want my wife to ride in it). She pulled 11 PSI @ 4500 RPM @ 90 mph in 3rd. Thats the most boost she has. There is a slight shimmy on the highway but that’s to be expected on the original rubber – they are probably not safe anyways. What a feeling breaking the ~~~ loose @ 25 mph! The 5.0 couldn’t break it loose with a tail wind! A little wheel hop but it is what it is. ABS and firm ride seem to work fine. Slight whine from the fuel pump… Drivers side bolster and lumbar are not working – they make a click on “inflate” but there’s no movement. Lastly, there might be a slight coolant leak but I haven’t gone looking for it yet.
Plans;
Well, I love the “survivor” status this cat carries so the plans are minimal. I am looking at some minor bolt on mods all in the interest of preserving the head gaskets. I know if they end up going it loses some originality and it will be game-on at that point. Neither my wallet or wife will like me very much.
I won’t do anything that will permanently alter the car and I will not get into the engine at 15k miles. I have a ken wagner DIC that will go on if I don’t have to alter/cut/modify anything – if not, somebody here will get a new DIC at discount. I plan on removing the air silencer and replacing the filter with a K&N. The exhaust – this one tears at me but I feel it needs attending to. I was looking at just the Magnaflow down pipes and cats and a magnoflow resonator into the stock system but then I was looking at the mufflers which are a little tired. All the pipes look great but if I’m replacing every other component I would probably just splurge on the Mandrel Bends dual 2.25 system as well. Here is where I think about picking a 92+ tank and installing a new fuel pump as well. I don’t know though.
Wheels and tires. There is something cool about having the original rubber still but maybe I’m being a little ridiculous. I also love the stock seven spokes. Part of me wants to preserve the original wheels and tires and part of me says who cares? If I did preserve them I’m thinking some Cobra R’s or Bullets but I always thought the larger wheels looked funny at stock ride height. I can’t find a pic of a stock red XR7 with some nice +1 or +2 wheels to decide and I suck at photo crop. Any pics out there would be appreciated.
I guess that’s about it for now. That was way too much and I apologize but it’s been bottled up in me since 1990 and I had to get it out. I look forward to your comments/thoughts/suggestions ideas and to hopefully meet some of you at some point.
Cheers – Ben.
A little trouble uploading pics so go here.
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