[97 30th]

I'm going to take a page out of XR7-4.6's (Matt) book and put all of my updates here from now on. As some of you know I got my seats recovered http://forums.tccoa.com/showthread.php?t=142106 well this weekend I finally got to start putting some of it together I got the back seat and my Cougar correct repainted side panels with the opera lights in we'll see how long the paint holds up





I found some almost perfect non burned lenses so I put leds in them to keep them from burning. These are the ones I used



I also got my aerodynamic :tongue: fuel door on.




Tonight I got the front seats together and installed.








I put my set of N.O.S. wheels and new tires on a couple of weeks ago and finally refinished my center caps and got them on this weekend also :headbang:



That's it for tonight. Trying to decide what I'm going to do next fix my minor rocker rust or get my other drivers door painted and installed.

 

[97CatMan]

I'm going to take a page out of XR7-4.6's (Matt) book and put all of my updates here from now on. As some of you know I got my seats recovered http://forums.tccoa.com/showthread.php?t=142106 well this weekend I finally got to start putting some of it together I got the back seat and my Cougar correct repainted side panels with the opera lights in we'll see how long the paint holds up





I found some almost perfect non burned lenses so I put leds in them to keep them from burning. These are the ones I used



I also got my aerodynamic :tongue: fuel door on.




Tonight I got the front seats together and installed.








I put my set of N.O.S. wheels and new tires on a couple of weeks ago and finally refinished my center caps and got them on this weekend also :headbang:



That's it for tonight. Trying to decide what I'm going to do next fix my minor rocker rust or get my other drivers door painted and installed.

Interesting. I didn't know you had a Wixom car. Looking good there! What did you use for paint on the Center Caps? I'd like to see the fold down folded flat. And I so have door courtesy lamp envy.

That have a sunroof?

 

[1995 cougar xr7]

What led bulb is that you using for the opera lights. I couldn't find anything like that when I was wanting to change my bulbs

 

[97 30th]

I used PPG DAU 75 I've used it before on a motorcycle that I restored. Once I got the caps on I was thrilled with how they turned out. I had taken them to get clear powdercoated but the guy wouldn't do it for fear of out gassing of the aluminum when they were put in the oven. I think maybe this was the better choice.

 

[97 30th]

What led bulb is that you using for the opera lights. I couldn't find anything like that when I was wanting to change my bulbs

Pinball is my other hobby and there are alot of leds aval from the pinball suppliers. These are the ones I got

http://shop.cointaker.com/category.sc?categoryId=8

About mid way down the page.
I used the warm whites. I think they look great with the tan int. I did order some natural whites from another supplier and I may try those to see how they look. I also ordered some of these for my door lights I will be adding and my under dash lights.

http://www.cometpinball.com/product-p/5smdflash.htm

I got warm and natural and will see which I like better. Mike

 

[97 30th]

Interesting. I didn't know you had a Wixom car. Looking good there! What did you use for paint on the Center Caps? I'd like to see the fold down folded flat. And I so have door courtesy lamp envy.

That have a sunroof?

I'll get a pic with the seat flat tomorrow. No sunroof if it did I wouldn't have gotten it. My sons first bird (95) had one and my head would rub on the lower headliner (I'm 6'3)

 

[XR7-4.6]

The ultimate 30th anniversary. Kinda surprising given Mercury brought back so many parts bin no longer available options for that package(dual power SC front seats, autodimming mirror) they didn't bring the folddown or armrest/opera light sail panels back for it too. Cougars look so empty without them.

You use SEM for the paint? I'm greatly hoping it holds up as well for my own color change

 

[97 30th]

Interesting. I didn't know you had a Wixom car. Looking good there! What did you use for paint on the Center Caps? I'd like to see the fold down folded flat. And I so have door courtesy lamp envy.

Here's the pic of the seat folded down.

 

[97 30th]

The ultimate 30th anniversary. Kinda surprising given Mercury brought back so many parts bin no longer available options for that package(dual power SC front seats, autodimming mirror) they didn't bring the folddown or armrest/opera light sail panels back for it too. Cougars look so empty without them.

You use SEM for the paint? I'm greatly hoping it holds up as well for my own color change

I used PPG DBI. It's worked well for me in the past . I haven't used it on such a high wear piece before however so we'll see how it holds up

 

[97CatMan]

I used PPG DBI. It's worked well for me in the past . I haven't used it on such a high wear piece before however so we'll see how it holds up

Wear? People ride back there ;D.

In Cleveland they ride in the trunk.

Thanks for the pic. Looks useful. My DD is also the family truckster so something like that would be awful handy. But not so handy I'm going to seek one out then pay to have it recovered. Knowing me I'd find one then find the matching car to put it in.

But yeah I'd say you kinda raised the bar here.

Is your Aero gas cap from a earlier year with the remote release? Did you install that too. Kinda neat. I like it. Subtle.

The rear reading lamps look nice. But do they provide anything other than some overall illumination? They don't look positioned to do much other than that. If there was something with a switch that would fit there that it would seem more useful (to me) I've only owned the 1997s so I'm used to the vast expanse back there. To me it's "normal"

Would I be correct in assuming that the door lamps would illuminate the passenger foot well when the door are shut and the domes were on or the courtesy lamps were fading out? That would be nice.

 

[97 30th]

Wear? People ride back there ;D.

In Cleveland they ride in the trunk.

Thanks for the pic. Looks useful. My DD is also the family truckster so something like that would be awful handy. But not so handy I'm going to seek one out then pay to have it recovered. Knowing me I'd find one then find the matching car to put it in.

But yeah I'd say you kinda raised the bar here.

Is your Aero gas cap from a earlier year with the remote release? Did you install that too. Kinda neat. I like it. Subtle.


Yes I got it out of an earlier car and installed it. I didn't care for the finger hold hanging out.

The rear reading lamps look nice. But do they provide anything other than some overall illumination? They don't look positioned to do much other than that. If there was something with a switch that would fit there that it would seem more useful (to me) I've only owned the 1997s so I'm used to the vast expanse back there. To me it's "normal"


It's more overall lighting than anything else.



Would I be correct in assuming that the door lamps would illuminate the passenger foot well when the door are shut and the domes were on or the courtesy lamps were fading out? That would be nice.

The Courtesy lamps are tied in with the dome,front foot well and opera's so they all are off and on together

 

[97 30th]

As far as the "wear" I do have somebody back there once a week when I drive for lunch. I meant more because the front seatbelts being used regularly and just being around a door opening

 

[97CatMan]

The Courtesy lamps are tied in with the dome,front foot well and opera's so they all are off and on together

Figured that. How did you wire them in. Use a 95 door harness and rear wiring loom? Or are the unused connectors part of the existing 1997 harness.

If it looks like it's starting the wear let me know. I'll have a extra set of LPT panels when the cars done being stripped.

I like the fuel door. I assume that's a year or two earlier? Did you install the remote? If so where's that at? Console? I might do that mod. On the DTR cars that would pretty much cause the fuel door to disappear.

Your car got me thinking. No moon roof. Most of the Lorain AE Cougars seem to have them. Not all but I'd put the number at about 75-80%. Just a little lower than the amount of V6 AE cars I've seen. Seeing a JL code 30th without a sunroof or V8 is the exception rather than the rule. I know Wixom was installing Moon Roofs on MK8's. Where they also doing them on the Thunderbird and Cougars? I assume so. I'm a little fascinated by the differences between the two plants. EG no DTR cars from Wixom. As far as I can tell they just didn't have the capability to spray the color. The MK8 could be had in the Bright Torador Red not dark. And that was a MN10 exclusive. As far as I can tell. At one time there was talk of a 30th Anniversary Cougar Registry but that never got off the ground as far as I know. These were the last of the "big" Cats and some of the best. Just pondering out loud. Not meant to hijack the thread.

Regarding Matts question. He's the interior Guru so I'm probably wrong but I'd guess the the reason they didn't do the courtesy light package was that it would have required parts that where already obsoleted from production. The rear wiring harness. Rear trim panels and lights punched out and color coded in a one year color that those where never offered in. Courtesy lamps and door lenses that where no longer in production. Door harnesses. I suspect this would have been insanely expensive to do for the relative small production run of the cars. Or ate severely into the stock of existing service parts that they were probably not planning on replenishing. It certainly could have been done. But I suspect it would have dramatically added to the cost of the 30th AE package. And that package was a STEAL price wise at around 4xx.00. Just the sport suspension and seats where probably more than that. Merc probably lost a lot of potential profit on these cars. I'm not saying they lost money but at 400.00 some bucks for the sport suspension. The big brakes. The sport seats. The custom upholstery and floor mats and badges I'd be surprised if there was any profit to be made from the package at that price.

It's good to see someone preserving and tastefully upgrading one of these. I can't wait to see the motor and driveline upgrades

 

[97CatMan]

The ultimate 30th anniversary. Kinda surprising given Mercury brought back so many parts bin no longer available options for that package(dual power SC front seats, autodimming mirror) they didn't bring the folddown or armrest/opera light sail panels back for it too. Cougars look so empty without them.

You use SEM for the paint? I'm greatly hoping it holds up as well for my own color change

I think these were slightly different than the actual SC seats and based more on the MK8 but I may be wrong. While I was admiring Brandon's new upholstery he pointed out that beside the giant head rests the SC seats also had slightly larger side bolsters and that side bolsters had gotten slightly smaller over the years. It's also quite possible they were using up some excess inventory here or had some purchasing contracts to honor with who ever was supplying the sport seats.

Fords done this before. Perfect example was the mid year 1979 limited edition Ranchero that got the leather 60/40 seats, door panels and hand stitched leather dash pads that were left over Thunderbird diamond jubilee or heritage edition parts. Along with random power antennas. Ford was just cleaning out the parts bins.

Who made these seats? Lear or some one else?

 

[97 30th]

Figured that. How did you wire them in. Use a 95 door harness and rear wiring loom? Or are the unused connectors part of the existing 1997 harness.

If it looks like it's starting the wear let me know. I'll have a extra set of LPT panels when the cars done being stripped.

I like the fuel door. I assume that's a year or two earlier? Did you install the remote? If so where's that at? Console? I might do that mod. On the DTR cars that would pretty much cause the fuel door to disappear.

At this point in Ford's/Mercury's production they put almost no extra connectors that weren't used in the harnesses. I ran a power and ground up to the under dash light on each side and also installed the conn for the door lights at the same point and have the earlier door harnesses .I used existing ground points in the kick panels and hooked the power wire to the black/lt blue wire off the socket. Yes I"ll put the fuel door release button in the console in the earlier factory location. I haven't gotten to the point of taking the console apart yet. I'll have to run a wire for that also, I'm going to tie that into the trunk release. I just have to open the trunk to pull the emergency release until I get the wiring done.

 

[XR7-4.6]

I think these were slightly different than the actual SC seats and based more on the MK8 but I may be wrong. While I was admiring Brandon's new upholstery he pointed out that beside the giant head rests the SC seats also had slightly larger side bolsters and that side bolsters had gotten slightly smaller over the years. It's also quite possible they were using up some excess inventory here or had some purchasing contracts to honor with who ever was supplying the sport seats.

Fords done this before. Perfect example was the mid year 1979 limited edition Ranchero that got the leather 60/40 seats, door panels and hand stitched leather dash pads that were left over Thunderbird diamond jubilee or heritage edition parts. Along with random power antennas. Ford was just cleaning out the parts bins.

Who made these seats? Lear or some one else?

Only the 89 had the giant headrests, they got smaller from 90-93 and slightly smaller again in 94-95. Bolsters same thing, huge in 89-90, smaller in 91-93 and smallest in 94/5, which is what the 30th seats are based on. Mark VIII seats aren't even close.

 

[theterminator93]

I'm curious now. I didn't think ANY MN12s were assembled at Wixom and that all were assembled in Lorain. I know all the FN10s were assembled at Wixom.

What's the 11th digit in the VIN (the second one before the six digit sequence number)? H is Lorain and Y is Wixom.

 

[XR7-4.6]

From aerocats/coolcats.net

Shifted Production
A brief workers strike at the Lorain, OH factory in the 1997 model year delayed production of the Cougar and Thunderbird, and this forced Ford to move production to the Wixom, MI assembly plant, home of all Lincolns including the Cougar's cousin, the Mark VIII. This impromptu move also affected production of the 30th Anniversary package. The 11th character in the VIN number of Wixom-built Cougars is W, while all Lorain cars have an H. At this time it is unknown how many Cougars were built at Wixom in 1997.

 

[theterminator93]

Learn something new every day.

 

[97 30th]

Mines an H