$20,000 XC GXL to do up or not - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

xcgxl78 · 10-16-2003, 02:56

hi all

i am in a bit of a dilemma the XA GT i was looking at is not for sale (see the "how much for an XA GT" thread) another option i was thinking of was to spend $15,000-$20,000 on my XC and run a later model 5 litre fuel injected motor and gearbox/diff
upgrade the brakes with 4 spot calipers bigger cross drilled discs and then have the suspension redone to get a nice comfotable ride/good handling combination
i want to try and get my falcon handling stopping and driving like a 2000-2003 falcon v8

where my dilemma comes from,is the fact that if i spend the money i will 1.have a car that is beutiful to drive and gets great fuel mileage
2.have heaps of grunt even in standard form
3.have heaps of character
4.i wont have to worry about a GT being stolen or damaged

the cons will be (and it is a big one)
1.no matter what i do and spend on it it wil still be an XC GXL ford (not that,that is a bad thing)

could i please have some ideas and opinions on wether spending that sort of money is a waste or not

i know people on this here board are biased towards Fords but could i please have opinions positive or negative without any bias

thanks Mark

xr6wgn · 10-16-2003, 03:36

My first car was a 302 manual GXL and I really miss that car some times. IMO the XC was so much nicer than the XB and with the Black cord interior far more comfortable.

I think you could do some good things with a GXL using some modern gear, Yes you will still have a XC GXL at the end but I agree with everything you say - it will have plenty of character and grunt/stopping power. You will still have to worry about it being stolen but hey that's what you get with something that is different. I was actually thinking about doing it with my XD ESP but I've decided to make it original instead.

Good luck with the project

Paul B
XR6WGN

EBXR · 10-16-2003, 05:31

It's a hobby - who honestly worries about how much mods cost. If that was an issue, then we would all be driving stock cars. 20k sounds like a lot, but you can loose that on a new car over a couple of years.

If it's what you really want, then go for it.

XW PHIL · 10-16-2003, 15:58

Lets face it, it depends how much of a GT nut you really are. Just having a really nice looking car that you've put time, money, sweat and tears into would make you just as proud to drive as a GT. Is it the name GT that sounds good and is that really why you're looking at buying one. If you build the GXL when people come to speak to you about it at least you can honestly say, with pride, I built it and made it my own!

xbcoupe · 10-16-2003, 16:52

Having owned a beautiful fully optioned XC GXL at one time, I feel qualified to comment. They truly are a great car. One of the advantages of going for a GXL over a GT is that you won't be undermining its value by customising it to the way you want it. It was for this reason that I bought an XB Fairmont GS coupe rather than the GT coupe. In my humble opinion, if you're going to spend the money on an original GT, that's the way it should stay - ORIGINAL.
And as for worrying about spending $20k on an XC GXL, think about how far $20k will go on a recent model falcon. Then ask yourself which you'd rather drive. I know that personally, any time that I've seen a tidy GXL on the road it has really grabbed my attention. They look really unique.
I say go for the GXL.

Fordy · 10-16-2003, 19:15

Spend the money and do the GXL, at the end of the day your car will be unique and and it will be built the way you want it to be.

Just one thing though $20k doesnt go far when doing up cars especially if you plan to get it stopping and handling like a 2000+ Falcon. So do your homework and get everything priced before you start.

Good luck with it and make sure you keep us informed.

xcgxl78 · 10-17-2003, 01:34

thanks for the help fellas

you guys have just made the decision easier to go with the GXL
the bank manager said today that if i decide to go through with it, that depending what my house is valued at, that i will have no problems getting the cash, the next hurdle will be my insurance company

i was talking to my mechanic today and he said that the job will be big but can be done quite easily

so i have a lot of thinking to do over the weekend, thanks again

i will keep you informed as to how it goes

xacoupe · 10-17-2003, 01:43

one thing.. IMO do not go with an injected 5 litre .. I see it as a downgrade. They came with a cleveland and should keep it.
A warm 351 will go extremely well and if your right foot is able to control itself ( a laughable concept but still ... ) the fuel usage will be OK.

Sounds like a great project !!

gsw · 10-17-2003, 02:04

fuel inject the clevo and get some of those new heads for it, i agree with xa coupe on the 5 litre been a downgrade. Another option is to go for a BA 5.4 engine, that probably would eat into your budget though unless you could find one on a wreaked car.

One other thing, if you ever plan on selling the car after all the work done on it you will never make your money back. If you plan on keeping it go for it.

xcgxl78 · 10-17-2003, 02:57

i was thinking of injecting the clevo and running a mild cam, but then when i drive my brother inlaws 95 V8 fairlane man oh man the throttle response,power and fuel economy is staggering
but then as you said xacoupe clevos are good motors

....and gsw mate if i spend this amount of money on the GXL it will be mine for life