Coupe Arse Graft

3701 Views 21 Replies 9 Participants Last post by superbird302, Mar 3, 2006

CJR09

Discussion Starter · Jan 25, 2006

Well.... finally work has started on restoring the coupes rear end back to the factory XA tail lights etc - not without a couple of setbacks though.

It looks like I will be unable to save the rear tail light panel, theres going to be too much work to refabricate the existing + it is quite badly rusted in a couple of spots - will be cheaper to replace.

Also upon closer inspection once bumper etc had been removed it became quite apparent that it has been in some sort of left rear collision which has never been repaired properly - subsequently this in combination with a leaking rear window and having the battery in the boot earthed in the same area has created a bit of a mess. As the fuel filler was going to be replaced also (had been changed to flap type) the decision was made to replace complete rear quarter :fraz: saving the worry of getting things spot on and in the right place.

Other than that I think/hope everything else will go accordingly - there have been a couple of other minor details that my panel beater picked up on straight away that he will be fixing up of which I had never noticed!!

Thank god he has had plenty of experience with other coupes!!!

Any feedback welcome - any other aspects I should be wary of? Please feel free to place your opinion.

Cheers, Cheyne :hy:

1 - 20 of 22 Posts

RPO-083

· #2 · Jan 25, 2006

Certainly an interesting look with the XD taillights....

I wouldn't have a clue what you plans are (other than the rear), but the mixture of white and blue makes me think a Superbird replica would be a nice look....??

grey_esp

· #3 · Jan 25, 2006

The eighties were sad time when it comes to what guys did to some very nice cars.

I dont know what they were smoking when they cut the back off your coupe to fit XD lights. People even throw XD lights away to fit XE or XF lights. Should be nice when you get it back to the way it is supposed to look.

CJR09

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jan 25, 2006

RPO-083 said:
I wouldn't have a clue what you plans are (other than the rear), but the mixture of white and blue makes me think a Superbird replica would be a nice look....??

Funny you should mention that..........

Engine : Y, Trans: B, Paint: 3, Trim: W, other options:88, 03, 05, 32, 39, 68, 84

Date of Retail: May 1973

Everything pretty much going back to stock factory body/interior - with a couple of customisations here and there

riest:

RPO-083

· #5 · Jan 26, 2006

CJR09 said:
Funny you should mention that..........

Engine : Y, Trans: B, Paint: 3, Trim: W, other options:88, 03, 05, 32, 39, 68, 84

Date of Retail: May 1973

Everything pretty much going back to stock factory body/interior - with a couple of customisations here and there riest:

Close......

Pity it didn't have the GS option (48). Did you get the rear louvre when you bought it?

I like the look of an XA in white, should be great when it's finished. Best of luck.

CJR09

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jan 26, 2006

RPO-083 said:
Close......

Pity it didn't have the GS option (48). Did you get the rear louvre when you bought it?

I like the look of an XA in white, should be great when it's finished. Best of luck.

Yeah it did come with louvres but the factory ones were long gone - the ones on it when i bought it were aunger type - and guess what?? - they blew off in the wind!

- Superbirds were'nt GS optioned

Should look the part when complete though, I cant wait!! Still got a coupla bits to sort namely the louvres - havent been able to source them anywhere.

RPO-083

· #7 · Jan 26, 2006

CJR09 said:
- Superbirds were'nt GS optioned

I'm not an expert on 'birds, but I thought they were.....

I'm trying to convince myself to buy one at the moment, if I do then I might be able to offer "First Hand" information..!!

CJR09

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jan 26, 2006

RPO-083 said:
I'm not an expert on 'birds, but I thought they were.....

I'm trying to convince myself to buy one at the moment, if I do then I might be able to offer "First Hand" information..!!

Nah they didnt get option 48 like the Goss's and Cobra's - it basically comes down to a combination of a few things - obviously the paint, it will have secondary colour in a few places only - build date in combination with the louvre option - fully instrumented dash ie GT/GS but std steering wheel, little things like that.

There seems to be bugger all of them around, I'm pretty sure mine may be the only one in NZ - but in saying that there will be a few that have been resprayed just like mine had been - still there is only 13 or so on the data base that SUPERBIRD302 was helping get together that they have been working on for a few years.

RPO-083

· #9 · Jan 26, 2006

CJR09 said:
Nah they didnt get option 48 like the Goss's and Cobra's - it basically comes down to a combination of a few things - obviously the paint, it will have secondary colour in a few places only - build date in combination with the louvre option - fully instrumented dash ie GT/GS but std steering wheel, little things like that.

There seems to be bugger all of them around, I'm pretty sure mine may be the only one in NZ - but in saying that there will be a few that have been resprayed just like mine had been - still there is only 13 or so on the data base that SUPERBIRD302 was helping get together that they have been working on for a few years.

Fair enough...... I agree with what you said about them being resprayed in the past. Some people just didn't know class when they saw it.......

xb351coupe

· #10 · Jan 26, 2006

good luck with the repairs.....I must say those tails tights are just plain BAD....however looks like they went to some great effort to fit them.

CJR09

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jan 27, 2006

Some more pics........ it is a scary sight

I dont like seeing it this way but it has to be done for the greater good of the car :whoaa:

From these pics you can clearly see the damage and subsequent mess in the left rear corner - other than that though generally speaking shes in pretty good nick.

Its going to be a two week wait on the tail light panel so while we're waiting on that the car will be trucked to the blaster where the boot, around the doors, rear window, roof line etc will be blasted as well as the new guards.

I opted to grab a few other items while i was shopping - couldnt help myself, mainly interior items window winders, gaskets, caps, console kit etc + new hood lining - I really cant be F'd taking the rear window out again to do that!!

351cid

· #12 · Jan 27, 2006

WOW that would be a bit scary seeing your pride and joy stripped bare like that.

should tidy up your speaker holes while it is apart.

CJR09

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jan 28, 2006

351cid said:
should tidy up your speaker holes while it is apart.

Yeah was looking at doing that, got no idea what it is supposed to look like though - are the holes on the outside (where they've been butchered) supposed to be identical to that one in the middle??

Anyone got any pics?

Road runner

· #14 · Jan 29, 2006

CJR09 said:
Yeah was looking at doing that, got no idea what it is supposed to look like though - are the holes on the outside (where they've been butchered) supposed to be identical to that one in the middle??

Anyone got any pics?

Here's a link to one...

Coupe shelf holes

You might want to look into them also if a new RW is needed. I dont know how picky they are in New Zealand but over here testers have been failing cars with butchered holes for speakers supposedly due to weakening the structural integrity of the car.

351cid

· #15 · Jan 29, 2006

even just a tidy up with a jig saw and a file while you can get at the shelf.
if it was finished off neatly most would not pay attention to it.

XAlent

· #16 · Jan 29, 2006

Some more pics........ it is a scary sight

Sure scared me, had shivers going up my spine!
Hope it all works out. :hy:

CJR09

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jan 29, 2006

Road runner said:
Here's a link to one...

You might want to look into them also if a new RW is needed. I dont know how picky they are in New Zealand but over here testers have been failing cars with butchered holes for speakers supposedly due to weakening the structural integrity of the car.

Thanks for that Road Runner - think i'll try and get my beatr to make something up get them looking origional, dunno what what sort of speakers they had in there coz my 7x10's only JUST fitted in. I'll just use mdf tray with some packers to suit so i dont have to cut anything more.......

As for RW, i dont think it is really an issue here - Ive been going to the same place for a coupla yrs and he's never said anything bout it before, he did make me take the GT spotties off first time up, reakoned they were too flimsy and moved too much - even though they used factory brkts. I do remember my mates cortina many years ago though, it was failed for holes been too big - so we welded some 1" square section in, that showed 'em

riest: definately wont be doing that though!

superbird302

· #18 · Jan 29, 2006

Sounds like you may have a superbird there.....May 73 build, option 84 rear louvre. PM me if you want more details on how to id one

CJR09

Discussion Starter · #19 · Jan 30, 2006

superbird302 said:
PM me if you want more details on how to id one

:shh: You losing your memory Superbird302....... didnt we go through that months ago :smlwink:

xagt_coupe

· #20 · Feb 2, 2006

Check my websites in my signature, I have replaced mine too. Been there done that!!

I know that 'person' at Tonka Shop in Sydney has had a few for sale every now and again, but u better sit down for his price. The guy I got mine off had 2 good ones, I bought one and he may still have the other. Give me a PM if u are interested an I will shoot him off an e-mail to see if he still has it, and wants to sell it.

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