77 Cougar Wagon, interested?

Is anyone interested in a 77 Cougar Wagon?

The car has some body damage (left side) but runs great otherwise. The rest of the body is solid and it has about 70k miles.

If interested, email me at bennyfits2002@yahoo.com.

Look at the photos in my gallery. I even included pics of the damage. Most of it can be repaired but it needs a new fender (thank God for cheap LTD II's).

Asking $2500.

 

Oh, how I wish this ad had been up in February! Exactly what I was looking for. I compromised and got a 78 Thunderbird.

Why get rid of the old girl? The starter is readily available, brand new with a lifetime warranty, for roughly $150. The starter solenoid is a whole hot $11 including sales tax, and also readily available. About the only difficult part to find is the capacitor in the charging system. i get around that by putting in a 140 amp Power Master. Works a treat. With upgrades, these cars can also match a Toyota Prius for fuel economy on the highway.

Honestly, I would LOVE the wagon. Just don't have anywhere at the moment to put her.

 

I'd like to hear what these upgrades would be to make a 4500lb brick get 40-50mpg.

 

How much, iam not to far away from you.

 

Even tuned, and in my case on propane.....my 87 brick doesn't do that and it's cheeeeeep to drive.

Pics, we need pics. show the car, the left side damage. How much are you asking?.....................................

 

You had this on here long ago. With the same previous seller pic. Don't you have NEW pix by now??

 

Turns out, I may just have a place to put her whilst I do the upgrades and repairs. Fist, I have to get the 79 Thunderbird gone, hopefully in the next couple of weeks. How much are you asking for the Cougar? Then I have to figure out how to get there and get it, but that is doable.

Michael.

 

There is nothing arcane about the process. You simply have to pick and choose carefully between factory and after market parts. The first is to start with a 5.8l (351 cid) engine; preferably a Windsor, but the modified will work, too. Take out the FMX or C-6, and substitute a heavy duty mechanical AOD from an F250/350. For a driver, keep the factory exhaust manifolds, but for4 optimal mileage, substitute a set of ceramic coated Hooker headers. Either way, high flow cats, 'X' cross over and dual FlowMaster DeltaFlow stainless mufflers on 2 1/4 inch pipes. Swap out the factory intake and 2bbl carb for an Edelbrock Performer intake and 4bbl square bore 600 cfm carb. You are now right in around 45 miles to the Imperial gallon. To improve from there, put in the Performer fuel injection instead of the carb. Port and polish the heads, or even better, get the Edelbrock Performer heads. Swap in the torquiest cam Comp Cams has available. An MSD ignition to fire it all. Set the timing so that you have the right amount of knock. These old Ford engines NEED a little knock to run right. It says that right in the owner's manual for the 89 Grand marquis, and that knock sensor is calibrated to allow for that. Ideally, use a vacuum gauge to set the timing. Not only is the car incredibly good on gas, but you will gain between 50 and 60 horse (better than 30%) for easier driving. For tires, choose something like the Pirelli P6, and run at the tire's maximum pressure. My 78 Thunderbird with the 351M, FMX transmission, and exhaust upgrade, but none of the other mods (yet) is doing 500 miles to a tank on the highway. Nothing succeeds like success!

 

Larger Imperial gallon, ok that makes more sense!!!!

 

Not really. That is still 36mpg. Not that I don't believe he's had some success, but if those mods were that good I would be getting that in my '91 Crown Vic.

Also, again not to punch holes in the story, but a 1978 Thunderbird has a 21 gallon (US) gas tank. 500 miles on 21 gallons is just under 24mpg. Pretty decent, but I don't think Guinness will be calling anytime soon.

 

I have to agree, getting better milage is one thing, but a 70's thirsty V8 Ford just isn't going to get 40-50 mpg....unless your ideling in neutral rolling down hill

I have yet to figure out the millage I get on my propane Buick, it's the cheapest thing I drive and it's fully tuned. I have owned many 70's Ford V8's of the windsor and modified, I just can't see this kind of millage happening in a Ford brick.

 

Sorry folks. I wanted to get some pics sooner. I'll get some pics in between rain storms and working, hopefully within two days.

I am asking $2,000 for it.

 

That is what my UNMODIFIED 1978 Thunderbird is doing with the original 351M and 3 speed FMX transmission present and accounted for! The upgrades are to follow. All that has been done so far is the complete exhaust system upgrade.

Unless your 91 Crown Vic has a 351W, you have a 3.05:1 axle ratio standard, and the 3.55:1 with the performance ratio. The 351 equipped cars had a 2.24:1 standard and a 2.73:1 as the performance option. the Thunderbird is running a 2.49:1. Clean up the breathing, both in and out, and there is a significant improvement. Add the overdrive, and the revs drop to roughly 1,600 on the highway, which is just below the torque peak.

One other note, the fuel injected 302 with o/d, performance axle ratio or no, does not get the economy of the 351 on the highway. I've had both, modified as well as stock. Both engines, completely stock, return the same city mileage, roughly 270 miles a tank. The tank in the Crown is a 70 litre, vs. the 80 in the base Thunderbird.

 

If you are legitimately getting 24mpg with a 1978 T-Bird with a 351M and 3 speed trans then I tip my hat to you.

Yes my Crown Vic is a 351. The standard rear end ratio for the 351 cars was the 2.73:1. The 302's got 3.08:1. I believe the lowest numerical ratio available that year was a 2.56:1, but I have never seen or even heard of a car with that rear end. With the VV carb (which is actually really good on gas when working properly), AOD, and 2.73 rear end (which is the dumbest pairing in the world since it couldn't hold OD going up the slightest incline) I was lucky to get 20-21mpg on the highway. I then changed the heads to D0 heads, Performer RPM intake and Holley 650 carb. With that setup I was lucky to get 18-19mpg highway. I later swapped out the ridiculous 2.73 rear end for a 3.55TL. Around town mileage improved maybe 1-2mpg and highway mileage suffered maybe 1-2mpg.

My findings seem to be pretty consistent with other 351 Crown Vic owners so I was not surprised by my mileage.

 

According to the Ford sales brochure, the standard rear end on a 351 equipped Grand Marquis was a 2.24. I have seen 1, in scrap yard. It donated its engine and transmission to my brother's 1979 Ford Thunderbird. My 89 Grand Marquis, 351,TT III package, had the 2.73 and dual exhaust. i bought it new. I KNOW what kit had and what it did. You are correct, when they worked the VV was great. Keeping them working, however, is impossible. Question, is your Holley a split bore or a square bore? With mileage like that, I'm betting the jetting is off and it is likely a split bore. The Ford does really well with the Edelbrock Performer 600 cfm square bore, rejetted for the engine, with the high torque metering rods. Both very easy to do. My guess is that, like most people tuning a Ford, you have the timing retarded too fr to eliminate all signs of knock. These engines NEED some knock. The factory knock sensor was calibrated to allow for it. The owner's manual warns that the engine will knock lightly under load. This is normal. When you ditch the VV, switch the ignition control module to the 2 connector unit, and eliminate the barometric pressure sensor. It does help. My 89 did Toledo, Ohio to Atlanta, Georgia on one tank, in the middle of winter through a snow storm. They do get mileage if set up correctly.

My 78 Thunderbird does 500 miles on a single fill up, and that is with the factory intake and carb. It needs to be set up to take advantage of the new exhaust system, yet. I figure that by the time I'm done, I'll be about 1,000 miles on a tank.

One important detail, here, guys. What tires are you running, and at what pressure? I used to run BFGoodrich Comp T/A HR-4s in the summer. Then Pirelli P3000s. Both at 44 psi, size 225/70R15. Notice, both are H speed rated. The 78 is getting a set of Pirelli P-6, size 225/60R16 100H, which will be run at their max pressure of 45 psi. Works a treat. Really helps the fuel economy. In the winter, I run a set of Nokian Haakapilliitta winters, size 215/70R15 98T, also at their max pressure of 44 psi. Nothing stopped the old girl, not even 3 feet of snow across the driveway.