I want to know how hard it is to install a XR-7 dash in a standerd cougar? I have a good XR-7 dash. I want the stock look with guages to monitor my motor and a tach thats why I want to install the XR-7 dash. I have been told it can be accomplished with my standerd wire harness, but Johns cougars says I must have the XR-7 harness for both under dash and engine compartment? Sory to offend all you original fans with this swap but the car has already been slightly altered with 2000 ranger purple paint, a 69 351 winsor 4 bbl and an eliminator scoop. If it makes you feel better id never modify it with anything that i cant put back to stock. thanks for all your help
XR-7 dash in a standered car
1 - 9 of 9 Posts
Joined
·
110 Posts
Full Of Bananas
To be blunt, whoever said you could use your standard harness with an XR-7 dash is full of bananas. The problem is that the harnesses are completely different, as are the connections on the instrument panel printed circuit boards. I suppose you could make the standard harness work by spending a lot of time splicing, modifying connectors and running parallel wires, but why do that when it would take a lot less effort (and probably money) to install the correct harness with color codes that match the factory schematics?
One additional point: John Bauman and I may have had our differences over the years, but the man knows classic Cougars and has more experience with them than most of us put together. So if he told me I needed to stuff bananas in my gas tank to make my Cat run right, I would go right out and look for the guy who told you to use your standard harness with an XR-7 instrument panel. Hopefully, he could get me a good price on a year's supply.
Keep on Cattin'!
Steve
To be blunt, whoever said you could use your standard harness with an XR-7 dash is full of bananas. The problem is that the harnesses are completely different, as are the connections on the instrument panel printed circuit boards. I suppose you could make the standard harness work by spending a lot of time splicing, modifying connectors and running parallel wires, but why do that when it would take a lot less effort (and probably money) to install the correct harness with color codes that match the factory schematics?
One additional point: John Bauman and I may have had our differences over the years, but the man knows classic Cougars and has more experience with them than most of us put together. So if he told me I needed to stuff bananas in my gas tank to make my Cat run right, I would go right out and look for the guy who told you to use your standard harness with an XR-7 instrument panel. Hopefully, he could get me a good price on a year's supply.
Keep on Cattin'!
Steve
Joined
·
2,048 Posts
Purplecat,
You've nothing to apologize to anyone about. It's your cat, do what you want with it!
Heck, I'd be apologizing all day long if I listed the "incorrect" stuff on my car... Like...70 XR7 Door panels on my 69 XR7, No Vinyl top, Chrysler paint...Monster tach on my steering column...blah blah blah... I could go on for an hour...
You've nothing to apologize to anyone about. It's your cat, do what you want with it!
Heck, I'd be apologizing all day long if I listed the "incorrect" stuff on my car... Like...70 XR7 Door panels on my 69 XR7, No Vinyl top, Chrysler paint...Monster tach on my steering column...blah blah blah... I could go on for an hour...
Joined
·
110 Posts
Chrysler Paint???
I agree with Logan 100%. It's your car, you ought to be able to enjoy it any way you choose. The only time I would suggest staying with factory original is in the case of something fairly rare, like a GT-E or Boss Elim.
However, Logan, I'm afraid Chrysler paint on a Cougar goes beyond acceptable limits of good taste. For that, you might just owe us all an apology!
Keep on Cattin'!
Steve
I agree with Logan 100%. It's your car, you ought to be able to enjoy it any way you choose. The only time I would suggest staying with factory original is in the case of something fairly rare, like a GT-E or Boss Elim.
However, Logan, I'm afraid Chrysler paint on a Cougar goes beyond acceptable limits of good taste. For that, you might just owe us all an apology!
Keep on Cattin'!
Steve
Joined
·
2,048 Posts
Re: Chrysler Paint???
I usually leave out the Chrysler part and just say, "Yep. It's red." heheheh
I was going to do that nifty looking Ford/Merc Laser red w/pearl, but when I saw the price tag I screamed in shock and went searching for something that could be shot in a single stage but still had the same sort of hue to it... Ended up being 1998 Chrysler Radiant Fire Red... Off the Durango's and other chrysler sport 'utes...Cattin said:However, Logan, I'm afraid Chrysler paint on a Cougar goes beyond acceptable limits of good taste. For that, you might just owe us all an apology!
I usually leave out the Chrysler part and just say, "Yep. It's red." heheheh
Joined
·
1,832 Posts
Logan, I'm with you on this one, no opologies needed. Chrysler has some of the best shades of colors in the last few years for sure. Just say its Dupont, PPG or what ever red. Its not really a Ford color if you dont go to the Mercury dealer and buy it, is it? I just went back and looked at the post on the listing for 70 colors and there are not many I'd pick if I were doing it from scratch. They all liked some bad colors in the late 60's and 70's. Remember the orange or green shag carpets? I just about bought a 69 AMX awhile ago but couldnt stomach the Bittersweet orange. I am old enough to rember most of the colors back then and I didnt care for most of them then. Funny I dont like Fords teal on my Escort very well now.mm
Joined
·
5,470 Posts
Lime frost green?
Hey!
Quit picking on my poor '66 Comet. I bought it from a little old lady (well, old couple). Her mother had bought the car new in '66 and when she passed away, the daughter took it. Yes, it is that nasty '60s frost green color I call Grandma Frost Green.
OK, think of a Grandma Frost Green 4-door '66 Comet Caliente, with body colored wheels and little bitty hubcaps. This car still has decimal-numeric tires on it ( 6.45-14). This tire size system predates the C78-14 and most definately the P185/75/14. The spare is still the original Firestone bias skinny too! Still has the glass bottle clipped to the inner fender with Ford's 'All-purpose Fluid'. The paper label is still intact!
I will be 'butchering' this gennie car to put on a dual master cylinder braking system, along with front spindles and disc brakes from a Granada. Also, since the original wheels will not fit disc brakes, I have a another set of 14x6 steel wheels to put on it that will, but also painted body color and still with the baby hubcaps. A set of radials will do wonders to the handling and ride too. These modifications I will be doing are more for safety than anything else.
Whatcha think?
Hey!
Quit picking on my poor '66 Comet. I bought it from a little old lady (well, old couple). Her mother had bought the car new in '66 and when she passed away, the daughter took it. Yes, it is that nasty '60s frost green color I call Grandma Frost Green.
OK, think of a Grandma Frost Green 4-door '66 Comet Caliente, with body colored wheels and little bitty hubcaps. This car still has decimal-numeric tires on it ( 6.45-14). This tire size system predates the C78-14 and most definately the P185/75/14. The spare is still the original Firestone bias skinny too! Still has the glass bottle clipped to the inner fender with Ford's 'All-purpose Fluid'. The paper label is still intact!
I will be 'butchering' this gennie car to put on a dual master cylinder braking system, along with front spindles and disc brakes from a Granada. Also, since the original wheels will not fit disc brakes, I have a another set of 14x6 steel wheels to put on it that will, but also painted body color and still with the baby hubcaps. A set of radials will do wonders to the handling and ride too. These modifications I will be doing are more for safety than anything else.
Whatcha think?
Joined
·
110 Posts
Never mind the safety stuff, just paint it a different color! Do you people realize that (according to Kevin Marti's book) one out of every seven Cougars produced between 1967 and 1969 was painted Lime Frost Ugly? My theory is that Ford got a heck of a deal on Army paint left over from WWII.
Keep on Cattin'!
Steve
Keep on Cattin'!
Steve
1 - 9 of 9 Posts
Join the discussion
Join now to ask and comment!