RR's '99 coupe EX-L

[CDsDontBurn]

Here is mine in her current state. As you can see, she needs lots of help and only a paint job is what will help her be her best. Add to that, the front seats are just completely shot and need to be either reupholstered or replaced. As far as aesthetics go, that's it really. I'd like some 11G Civic sport wheels, but that's a nicety, not a necessity. Those three things and my 6GA will be winning car shows. Oh, and getting the same body kit you have would be the cherry on top, lol. Otherwise, here she is in her - depreciated - glory...









She is living up to her name, Dirty Girl, as she hasn't gotten a bath in some time. She has also been doing more sitting than running lately because of Gold Bird (seen in some of the pictures). She has some issues, and she'll likely do more sitting than driving because of those issues, but she's still here.

I'd love to dump some serious coin into all 3 of my cars, with both Dirty Bird and Dirty Girl getting the most attention from me if that were a possibility.

 

[RedRyder]

^I don't see any rust? So it's got that going for you. But yeah that clearcoat looks like it's failed everywhere. It may not need repainted, potentially just sanded and re-cleared. And it would then look minty.

Could do seat covers on the front seats until you save up for reupholstering. Or maybe you could find better seats in a scrapyard.

I get the 'sitting because of issues' part. Mine sat for nearly 2 years because of that.

I always liked those T-birds. There is a pretty decent looking silver one in my neighborhood I see drive by sometimes. I had a '94 Taurus GL with the 3.8L which was such a big heavy V6 to only make 190hp haha. But as my 2nd car I liked it and took good care of it.

 

[CDsDontBurn]

No, no rust as she's a California girl

Clear coat can be reapplied by itself? That's news to me. On the seats, I found a clean 6GA at the scrapyard a couple years ago. It wasn't crashed or anything, it was complete. I imagine it was there because of a failed AT. Anyway, the seats were 9/10 condition. Same color as mine. I wanted them so bad but I didn't have the cash at the time to grab them. I was so bummed out.

To have mine running right, she needs a new J-Pipe, catalytic converter, both O2 sensors, flange at exhaust pipe to catalytic converter welded, and lastly, an EGR valve.

I've priced all this out, and it's going to run me about $1,100 with the two most expensive parts being the catalytic converter and the J-Pipe.

I wonder if your local T-Bird is on the T-Bird forums or FB group, lol. We'll never know I guess.

Yeah, the 3.8 was always the bane of Ford's existence and why all it has the reputation it has, lol. And the earlier iterations of the 3.8 are pretty weak sauce only putting out 145HP, so yours doing 190HP must have been one of the much later versions of the 3.8 engine.

 

[RedRyder]

Nice. So pathetic we haven't come up with a better way to clear our roads here in the winter. Drives me nuts.

Check out this clearcoat fixing vid:


I replaced my catalytic converter once, I found a OEM spec bolt on one (didn't want the weld type) and iirc it was from Magnaflow and way cheaper than OEM. o2 sensors and EGR valve are pretty inexpensive.

I am not sure where the owner lives but if I ever happen to see it around and remember, I'll try to get a pic for ya.

Yea I wish I had gotten an SHO instead. That 3.2 made more power, and manual would have been cool. But at the time I had no money hah.

 

[CDsDontBurn]

Great video!

Gives me the courage to do it myself.....after I've finished my White T-Bird, lol.

 

[RedRyder]

I've decided I am going to try tackling some of my clearcoat areas. Hey, can't make it look worse right?

 

[CDsDontBurn]

Seriously, how much more broken can something that's already broken be?

 

[ThatDesiKid]

Got the car back after getting the power steering high pressure line replaced (leaking), power steering pump replaced (leaking & grinding noise), & while I was at it I got the clutch fluid bled & fresh fluid put in.

I pulled off the bulb plugs for the rear sidemarkers & used a needlenose pliers to squeeze the contact prongs together to grip the connector tighter on the new LED sidemarker harness. Installed them & they work great. I think they modernize the car a little, but now the front lighting looks outdated. However, I have a fix for that coming as I am going to update the lighting on the front of the car too.

Pics of sidemarkers illuminated. Nice crisp straight line.

View attachment 882520251022_170338 by C B, on Flickr

View attachment 882620251022_170346 by C B, on Flickr

What power steering pump did you go with? My CLS power steering pump moans/squeaks a little at start up and goes away after while. I was looking at OEM pumps but they're all $1000

 

[RedRyder]

^$1000? Dang, from where?

The shop ordered the parts from WORLDPAC, so whatever OE supplier made those parts for Honda were what they installed on my car. When I picked the car up I asked them what brand the line & pump were and I think I wrote it down on the invoice. I can't remember off the top of my head, can check though.

Not 100% sure, but the pump may be the same between J series motors...would have to cross reference.

 

[CDsDontBurn]

1 rack for a PS pump on a car where the newest cars are 23yrs old. Yeah, no thanks.

I'm with Red on this though, @ThatDesiKid , the PS pumps might just be the same for the J30 and J32A1.