[siwren]

Howdy,

Thought I might show you the XB I picked up the princely sum of $1900 last week. Its a bit slow (couldn't pull the skin of rice pudding) compared to the V8 Vx Calais I had as a work car, but i've got grand plans.
Currently powered by the original 240000km 6 cylinder, c4 and 2.96 diff, it has an immaculate interior, an old style MOMO steering wheel and an alright stereo containing a Pioneer CD Player, 6 channel amp, Polk Audio 6x9's and twin 10" JBL Subs.
Outside the car is dead straight, never been stacked but has been bitten badly by cancer in the front guards and lower front doors.

Plans: Repair rust and respray in original colour. Transfer running gear from ZF fairlane (someone wanna buy it after i done?) 351c, C4 and 2.75 Lsd.
Clean up the engine bay, add twin exhausts and install POWER STEERING!
Get suspension fixed up and lowered more.
Then add some decent front speakers and change head unit, get the drivers seat re-trimmed and fix centre console lid.

Hopefully I can get all this done over the next month.

I'll put up pictures of the interior and engine/boot soon, and I'll add pictures of the the rebuild.

Let me know what you think

Simon

 

[EBXR]

Looks pretty tidy. I presume that roof is painted!

 

[JG33PY]

good stuff there, siwren, hope your engine goes in nicely. love the xb's.

 

[all4ford]

looks great, love that model!

 

[Chad_XF]

nice, good buy!
Is there any reason you or respraying the original colour? less work? like the colour? or going for the sleeper look?
IMO I reakon its worth the bit extra to paint inside the doors and go for a whole new colour that will really stand out, just a thought
hope everything goes well 4 u.

 

[siwren]

No the roof isn't painted, its vinyl and in good nick too. It even has these brass coat-of-arms thingies on the C pillar. (any one know what they are?)

Yes, I would like a different colour, maybe light metallic silver/blue, but I don't really want to spend a fortune and even though you can get the inside of the doors and under boot and bonnet painted, the engine bay will still be the aqua colour unless theres another way of painting it without removing all the things under there. I wanted to change the engine first just incase I damaged the new paint and was going to give the engine a quick clean up and spray cause I can buy the original colour already in a can. I quess I could paint the bay black.

I wouldn't mind an orginal looking sleeper. One day i'll have 350+hp

What do you guys reckon?

 

[XWJG34]

Nice ride mate... looks like someone threw on a vynil roof and some Fairlane or XLE Cortina pillar badges to make it look classier, since it's a 500.

I'd leave it as is... just get rid of those mags mate! Freshen her up... add some nice running gear and your off! : )

 

[montyv8]

i think someone told me once that the "coat of arms thingy" was a dealer add-on. as far as i know they never came from the factory with them. i once had an XD with a vinyl roof(!) and it had the same badges.
if i had your car, i'd lose the rubber/plastic side mouldings(makes the car look fatter), swap the fuel cap and surround for a gt/gs cap, lose the mud flaps, keep it the same colour(hey, like you said, its easier lol) tint the windows as dark as possible, and drop the beast on its guts. these are usually the first things i do when i pick up an XA/B/C. that and rip out the six and drop in a clevo. yeah, i go through a few...hehe. currently driving an XB ute, low as, GT grille, bonnet.15x8 globes....
anyways.. you've got taste man, its a sweet car with a shitload of potential. if you've got any Q's regarding the conversion, just ask.
cheers, phil

 

[galaxy xr8]

Nice mate,but you will probably be eating your word's when you say"you don't want to spend a fortune", that's what we all say in the begining, but the''only a clean up ''(what we all say) turn's into a resto in the end, good luck with it.

 

[siwren]

I sure the envitable will happen, but I'm going to try and spread it out of the next few years. This is the fourth car I've owned and the last three cost and lost me heaps, though I wish I still had the EF. Moved on to company cars and bikes.
I want to try and keep the costs down so I can afford a trip overseas and a Kawasaki ZX6R. Hopefully all can be done by the end of the year.

The car will most probably stay the same colour, and the wheels will stay the like they are until I can afford some CSA Malibu's. I want to keep the car looking classic with lots of chrome & style.

That said: Should the chrome plastic strips that run the length of the car at hip height stay or go?
Like Phil (Montyv8), let me know what you reckon.

And how low can I go?? At the moment if i turn into a driveway that has a bit of a rise the tires hit the guards and damage the chrome strips which I wish to keep.

Hey, XWJG34 whats wrong with the jelly bean mags? Their classic. Unless the majority thinks otherwise.

I just took some extra pictures of the engine bay and interior so that once its mostly finish I can show the before and after pics.

Simon

 

[Yellow Fire]

Very nice car. Personally I'd lose the side protection strips & mudflaps though.

 

[davway]

GT bonnet and twin headlights also would look the part.

 

[siwren]

I've been thinking about removing the side strips since it appears the only doors I can get hold of don't have the fitting holes.
Don't know about the GT bonnet. Where can I get one from and how much is it going to cost me?

 

[XWJG34]

Hey, XWJG34 whats wrong with the jelly bean mags? Their classic. Unless the majority thinks otherwise. Simon

Just a personal preference mate.. aftermarket 70's rims don't do the car justice. A set of genuine 12 slots with centre caps and dress rims will look awesome, XBGT style!! Either that or some current style rims. Simmon FR's will look damn hot on your XB. Even though a lot of my mates cars all have FRs on them.

In the end it's up to you mate.. after all it is YOUR car : )

 

[siwren]

I'm not a fan of 12 slotters, maybe the ones off the phase 3 or those 5 spoke bathurst style wheels.

How about these rims? I'd say that most 17" FR Simmons would be more expensive than these speedy wheels.

 

[galaxy xr8]

I'm not a fan of 12 slotters, maybe the ones off the phase 3 or those 5 spoke bathurst style wheels.

How about these rims? I'd that most 17" FR Simmons would be more expensive than these speedy wheels.

That's the way mate go for Bathurst Globes or the 5 slotter's cant go wrong with them.

 

[XA_GT_351]

Leave the wheels! There Magnums. They suit the car as there from the 70's also. (aunger/cheviot also had a similar style)

Theres an article about these wheels in the current issue of AMC page 74,

I have a set of these on my XA and IMO they look great. Just get some nice chrome centre caps and they will look right at home.

I would lower the car to GT hight, Take the protection pack strips off (but leave the overiders) Take the viynel off the roof, Maybe Fit GT bonnet and grill.

 

[siwren]

I spoke to the smash repairer friend on Saturday and got semi good news.
Long and short of it is that it will cost aroung $2500 to fix up everything including parts and get the whole lot resprayed same colour.
Still deciding whether it worth it but since I intend to keep the car for sometime I think it will happen.

The side strips (protection pack strips???) will be going but the vinyl roof is staying for the moment. Aparently its a bastard to get off because it leaves a sticky mess thats time consuming to get off.

XA_GT_351, by overriders do you mean the chrome strips around the wheel arches?
Also, how low can I go? I would love to go heaps lower but when turning into driveways with the wheels turned hard and either going faster than snail pace or with people in the car the tyres hit the wheel arch and are slowly wrecking the chrome strips.
Is there anything I can do or will I just have to take it easy?
Oh, and the wheels are made by ROH.

I need a few bits and pieces for the body work and have posted them in the parts section. Heres the post http://www.fordforums.com/showthread.php?p=627871
SO, if you can help out please let me know.

 

[XA_GT_351]

No not the chrome strips, I'm talking about the bumper overiders (They look good) leave them

About the lowering: I had the same problem with mine, I had 9 1/2 wide rims on the back and 265 tyres and 2 mates in the back, Everytime we hit a bump the tyres would scrub on the chrome wheel arch moulds (wrecked 2 good rear tyre's) After that happend i fitted some 245s.

Look under your guard and you will probbaly see that the wheel arch mould does not fit flush with the steel on the edge (where the tyres are rubbing) take the wheel off and grind it so the edge is level with the wheel arch. (Do this on both sides) It worked for me.

PS: What size rear rims and tyres are on it?

 

[siwren]

I haven't looked at the wheel arch strips very closely, all I know is that the they have been pulled down by the tyres and now rub. They don't appear to cutting into the tyre thankfully.
On an EF I had 17x8 with 245 tyres and in two driveways did some nasty damage to the Eagle f1's. Obviously something to avoid.

The wheels would be 14x7 i'd say and the tyres are 215's which are not even close to 245's. Makes me wonder what'll happen if I lower it more

Are these ROH wheels dime a dozen or fairly rare? My ones are in perfect nick and I'd consider selling em when i upgrade. Are they worth anything?
I had a set of ROH wheels like the ones on Moffats XY race car and I sold them for heaps

Anyone else got some ideas of what should be done exterior wise before I get it painted?

Simon