[1967onroids]

I have a 1967 standard cougar that's completely restored. 4 year old paint,500hp 408 stroker, 4speed trans, 9" 4.11's,new chrome with all the goodies ect. "see my gallery". and i recently purchased a 1969 xr7 convertible that needs to be completely restored. i was thinking about taking the the engine, trans, and rear end out of the 67 and put it in the 69"basically everything i can". then trade the 1967 to the body shop for a show car black paint job on the 1969. do you think this will be worth it? and will the whole drivetrain from the 1967 be compatible with the 1969. leafsprings, clutch pedals ect?

i need some opinions what would you do?

 

[woodsnake]

The clutch pedal is a different style/length from the 67 to a 69. The rest of it all should work. Try and get a stated value agreement for the swap if you go that route, I.E., the 67 body is worth "x" amount of dollars, and then the shop will perform an itemized service to equal that value.

 

[Local Hero]

\i need some opinions what would you do?

Since you asked.... I think it's a bad idea. Why dismantle a "1967 standard cougar that's completely restored with 4 year old paint"? While all your running gear would swap, I think you're better off keeping the 67 together and selling it as is and use the money toward the 69 'Vert. Unless you're really tight with the body shop owner, I can't see him agreeing to the acceptance of a 67 shell in place of a "show car" paint job.

 

[Smith Brother]

Amen to selling the car FIRST. Cash talks, trades are seldom fair to the one wanting to trade, and in this case that's YOU........

I wish you well.

Dale in Indy

 

[jshcobra]

Although I agree that you are most likely going to come out further ahead and with less risk by selling the 67, but your idea does raise a good question. Unless the car is rare or otherwise unique, little (if any) of the sweat equity that was put into a restoration is recovered in the sale. Certainly, the new parts that were put into the restoration have depreciated. That leaves just the "base" price of the car plus desirability to establish its value. I'd say look at ebay and other sales info and see what cars like your 67 are bringing in the market place. Then price out the cost of the paint job you want for your 69. If the paint job will cost as much or more than the market value of your 67, then parting it out may not be such a bad deal after all. Rather than trading the shell for the paint job, however, I'd advise getting a bill of sale signed by the shop owner for the 67 shell along with a standard estimate for the paint job showing the same price as appears on the bill of sale.

 

[Bricklyn]

Im not too sure on what your trying to do here.
1. you have a completed 67
2. you have a 69 vert body that needs a ton of work.
3. you want to scrap the 67 mod it over to the 69
4. then sell the 67 body to cover the paint job on the 69?
Is that it?

Heres my .02
1. keep the 67 - it runs and looks good.
2. keep the 69 and work on it when you can - as you have cash put it into it.
3. if #1 or 2 doesnt work for you sell #1 and put the cash into the 69.

Why you would want to scrap instead of sell the 67 in the first place makes me wonder.

 

[1967onroids]

Since you asked.... I think it's a bad idea. Why dismantle a "1967 standard cougar that's completely restored with 4 year old paint"? While all your running gear would swap, I think you're better off keeping the 67 together and selling it as is and use the money toward the 69 'Vert. Unless you're really tight with the body shop owner, I can't see him agreeing to the acceptance of a 67 shell in place of a "show car" paint job.

well i already talked to the guy who painted my 1967 and he has already agreed to take the 1967 shell in exchange for the paint job "he charged me 5,000 to paint my 1967 cat and did a great job". im just trying to weigh the pro's and con's of doing this swap. i love the power in the 1967 and the engine has less than 1500 miles and over 13,000 in parts and labor. i know i will not have the same budget for th 1969 thats why i was considering the swap. i was thinking if i swithced all that stuff over it will have more value in the 1969 than the 1967 am i wrong? and if i sold the 67 i dont think i can build the same drivetrain plus paint for the 1969 with the money from a sale what do you guys think?

 

[jcbingcougar]

i was thinking if i swithced all that stuff over it will have more value in the 1969 than the 1967 am i wrong?

So are you considering this swap because you want to sell the 69 once completed? If not, the value question is irrelevant. You'll be left with a shell that isn't worth much and a modified convertible with an incomplete restoration.

If this is a hobby for you, not a business and you can't afford both, build the car you want without regard to final sales value of one over the other. In general, a convertible will usually hold its value better than a hardtop but once you start modifying it, you better hope you find someone that shares your vision or you'll never recoup your investment.

 

[Local Hero]

well i already talked to the guy who painted my 1967 and he has already agreed to take the 1967 shell in exchange for the paint job "he charged me 5,000 to paint my 1967 cat and did a great job". im just trying to weigh the pro's and con's of doing this swap. i love the power in the 1967 and the engine has less than 1500 miles and over 13,000 in parts and labor. i know i will not have the same budget for th 1969 thats why i was considering the swap. i was thinking if i swithced all that stuff over it will have more value in the 1969 than the 1967 am i wrong? and if i sold the 67 i dont think i can build the same drivetrain plus paint for the 1969 with the money from a sale what do you guys think?

Well it sounds to me like your mind is made up. Maybe you didn't need to ask the question in the first place.

So are you considering this swap because you want to sell the 69 once completed? If not, the value question is irrelevant. You'll be left with a shell that isn't worth much and a modified convertible with an incomplete restoration.

If this is a hobby for you, not a business and you can't afford both, build the car you want without regard to final sales value of one over the other. In general, a convertible will usually hold its value better than a hardtop but once you start modifying it, you better hope you find someone that shares your vision or you'll never recoup your investment.

Jeff's right! Yes, the 'vert might hold it's value better if both cars were in similar condition. Once you go and start modifying, all bets are off. But you're planning to kill the 67 in order to build the 'Vert. From the pictures I saw, that 'Vert needs WAY more than just a running gear swap and a paint job.

But it sounds like you're gonna do what you want anyway.

 

[1967onroids]

Thats exactly what i want to do. the only reason i wanted to scrap the 1967 instead of selling it is.#1 i have no engine and trans for the 1969 and i would have to to get a whole new engine, drive train, paint, plus labor. that would bring me we over what i can get for the 1967 unless i can find someone to buy it for 15,000. #2 i have a body shop willing to complete the paint job on the 1969 vert with three coats of black and six coats of clear +bodywork if i give them the 1967 shell. being that 1967 standard cougars are still easy to come buy i thought this would be smart. but now after viewing theese comments im thinking about just going stock number's matching on the 69 vert and keeping my 1967

Im not too sure on what your trying to do here.
1. you have a completed 67
2. you have a 69 vert body that needs a ton of work.
3. you want to scrap the 67 mod it over to the 69
4. then sell the 67 body to cover the paint job on the 69?
Is that it?

Heres my .02
1. keep the 67 - it runs and looks good.
2. keep the 69 and work on it when you can - as you have cash put it into it.
3. if #1 or 2 doesnt work for you sell #1 and put the cash into the 69.

Why you would want to scrap instead of sell the 67 in the first place makes me wonder.

 

[jk69cat]

like mark said, that needs more than that . i thought mine was cleaner that it was until i started taking it apart. you need to disassmble it and find out what you have 1st . before you make any plans

 

[1967onroids]

the 1969 is already disassmbled i have all the body parts and interior parts plus a whole bunch of extras fenders doors grill assembly ect.."nothing is new" the body work is almost complete inside and out just some minor rust on the quarters. i thought all i would need after the swap was to restore the top. interior and chrome and be finished

like mark said, that needs more than that . i thought mine was cleaner that it was until i started taking it apart. you need to disassmble it and find out what you have 1st . before you make any plans

 

[jk69cat]

all the way down to a shell? thats how far i am talking.

 

[1967onroids]

not sure about all the way to the shell but it looks like the person i got the car from spent allot of time on the body work already. the cat has no rust beside minor rust on the quarter panels. its been in the garage the whole time. it looks like they stripped it all the way down removed all the rust then reinstalled the front fender's ect. it looks like the spent alot of time on the bodywork and aligning the fenders door's and trunk "the body is real straight" . floor plan ,trunk , and engine bay has no rust or bondo. the pictures looks shabby but its stripped to the bare metal and all dents and cancer have been removed the body is very straight minus the minor rust on the rear quarters and minor surface rust.

 

[jk69cat]

for example, mine was an oregon car. other than the aged paint, everything rubber and all the seamsealer was destroyed, including the under dash seams

 

[shercomike]

Did you get a cash price from the bodyshop to have the convertible painted and if so how much? I would have to say with the way the economy is, sometimes a little horse trading can be worthwhile. If you decide to go ahead were you planning to pull the 67 apart before the 69 is painted or after? Just curious?

 

[67Catmando]

I have seen your car on the street. I don't think you are going to get your asking price and recoup your drive-train expenses IMHO. I would get a set of tips and have your guy paint them to match so you could offer potential buyers either look. I think the chrome tips might drive a lot buyers away. If you love the running gear and not the body style make the swap with your paint guy. I don't think you will get that kind of paint money for the 67 in roller condition. I have a preference to the 67. I would keep and enjoy the 500 horse and keep building the 67 to handle it. You are pretty far along to go back to square one.

 

[1967onroids]

thanks guys! i have decided to leave the 1967 intact and take on the new project with a better gas mileage engine combo.... I was thinking about putting a 4.6 into the 1969 vert and "supercharging it or turbo later" does anyone know any threads on the net where i can see what is needed to complete a conversion like this? will it even fit in the engine bay and what transmission would i need"automatics only"?

 

[jk69cat]

if your going that route , find a wrecked supercharged 2001-2004 mustang cobra, with a mod motor your looking either a stick , t56 or a 4r70w automatic, you will have to do a custom front end to remove the shock towers, like a mustang 2 setup

 

[68PUMA]

I was thinking about putting a 4.6 into the 1969 vert and "supercharging it or turbo later" does anyone know any threads on the net where i can see what is needed to complete a conversion like this? will it even fit in the engine bay and what transmission would i need"automatics only"?

Here's a thread, where a 4.6 is being installed in a '68: www.mercurycougar.net/forums/showthread.php?53426-4.6-dohc-T70-1968-Cougar-project . John