[Metallicaman0258]

This my be posted in the wrong place, and if so I'll be happy to move it.

I have a 1997 Light Denim Blue low rent LX with a willow green interior. According to the dealership brochure, this was not an option available for my car. Do I have a unique build? I've looked everywhere on this car and I know the paint is the original color and I can't see a dealer swapping out an interior for a customer. Honestly in the beginning I didn't like the color combo but it has grown on me. I'm going to pull the build sheet out of the trunk when I get home and see what I can find out about this interesting tidbit I just uncovered.

If y'all have any info, comment below

 

[Trunk Monkey]

In 1997 as production was winding down left over parts were thrown together into whatever car rolled down the line. This probably explains your odd color combination. Could you post some pix? I'd like to see this unique car.

 

[MadMikeyL]

Are you sure the interior is green, and not just a faded blue? It might be worth getting a Marti report on the car to see exactly what it was built with.

 

[Metallicaman0258]

These are the only decent pictures I have as of now. It's dark on the east coast so I can't take any pics right now. The interior picture doesn't do it justice. I did a 1998 Cobra mustang brake/hub swap that's why there's 2 styles of wheels. I haven't done the rears yet, I have the matches to both sets of wheels. I was running the 5 spokes on my 06 P71 Crown Vic. The operators side of the car suffered a hot and poor bodywork done decades ago so I don't have any good pics of that.

Tye lighting in my apartment isn't great. I had the seats out and pulled the fabric off and machine washed it and haven't put the upper cushion back together yet. My shirt is grey, the blanket the arm rest is on is close to the blue that those cars had.

I looked for the build sheet in the trunk and I didn't see it. Doesn't mean it's not there, I didn't take the whole carpet out, just the passenger wheel side.

If you want to see more of it look up HillbillyHeckert on TikTok. I've posted a lot about it there.

What is a Marti report?

 

[racecougar]

What does the door jamb tag state? That does not look green to me.

 

[Metallicaman0258]

What does the door jamb tag state? That does not look green to me.

My camera does not do it any justice. Trust me, it's green. I'll try my better camera and see if that makes a difference tomorrow.

The mystery deepens, the car is obviously a blue metallic, the tag claims D8 - Alpine Green. Whoever painted this thing did a whole assed color change because it's blue everywhere, even underneath. There's a small paint chip on the hood that has green in it though. Idk what's going on now. Interior says AG, don't know how that decodes.

 

[XR7-4.6]

That isnt denim blue paint, that's Arctic Green. It might not be in the brochure as it was late availability. It is a rare color though, but not uncommon with green interiior

The mystery deepens, the car is obviously a blue metallic, the tag claims D8 - Alpine Green. Whoever painted this thing did a whole assed color change because it's blue everywhere, even underneath. There's a small paint chip on the hood that has green in it though. Idk what's going on now. Interior says AG, don't know how that decodes.

D8 - Arctic Green
SR- Alpine Green
K1- Denim Blue

 

[Metallicaman0258]

That isnt denim blue paint, that's Artic Green. It might not be in the brochure as it was late availability. It is a rare color though, but not uncommon with green interiior

I just posted the VIN tag with that discovery. It looks blue to me, so I thought it was blue. So arctic green is just like a sky blue mint green hybrid? Arctic green was available according to the 97 brochure and with willow green interior.

How rare is the Arctic green and green interior combo? How many have you seen because I have never seen it before I found mine

 

[XR7-4.6]

I just posted the VIN tag with that discovery. It looks blue to me, so I thought it was blue. So arctic green is just like a sky blue mint green hybrid? Arctic green was available according to the 97 brochure and with willow green interior.

How rare is the Arctic green and green interior combo? How many have you seen because I have never seen it before I found mine

Funny enough it looks way more green than blue to me but everybody's eyes are different, I love that color on 97s.

I don't know the numbers, that's something a Marti report might answer(if he goes up to 97) but the handful of Arctic Green Tbirds and Cougars I've stumbled across all actually had green interiors. The combo isnt uncommon so much as the color itself, that color couldnt make up more than 1% of production based on my observations

Looks like the original wheels are Chrome fanblades too, that's more significant of a combo than the interior!

 

[Metallicaman0258]

Funny enough it looks way more green than blue to me but everybody's eyes are different, I love that color on 97s.

I don't know the numbers, that's something a Marti report might answer(if he goes up to 97) but the handful of Arctic Green Tbirds and Cougars I've stumbled across all actually had green interiors. The combo isnt uncommon so much as the color itself, that color couldnt make up more than 1% of production based on my observations

Looks like the original wheels are Chrome fanblades too, that's more significant of a combo than the interior!

Thank you so much for the info! I hate the chrome fans, I'm not gonna lie. The 5 spokes I think look so much better. I will be offering the chromes for sale in the spring once I finish the brake upgrade. I have a mk8 rear subframe assembly I'm rehabbing with Cobra brakes and MN12 spring perches. The subframe itself is rotten but it has a low mileage 8.8, nice control arms, spindles etc I'm going to swap over to my car. I have a 7.5 steel LCA disk brake setup right now.

 

[XR7-4.6]

Thank you so much for the info! I hate the chrome fans, I'm not gonna lie. The 5 spokes I think look so much better. I will be offering the chromes for sale in the spring once I finish the brake upgrade. I have a mk8 rear subframe assembly I'm rehabbing with Cobra brakes and MN12 spring perches. The subframe itself is rotten but it has a low mileage 8.8, nice control arms, spindles etc I'm going to swap over to my car. I have a 7.5 steel LCA disk brake setup right now.

Is that a V6 car too? That definitely is an odd combination, the V6, the factory wing and chrome fanblades plus the arctic green on green is definitely a candidate for one of one territory.

I’d do the same thing though, hell my Cougar had the rare white leather seats but I changed the whole interior color to black anyway. Chrome fanblades are cool for their relative rarity but not worth the limited tire selection and braking capacity these cars so benefit from with upgrades.

 

[Metallicaman0258]

Is that a V6 car too? That definitely is an odd combination, the V6, the factory wing and chrome fanblades plus the arctic green on green is definitely a candidate for one of one territory.

I’d do the same thing though, hell my Cougar had the rare white leather seats but I changed the whole interior color to black anyway. Chrome fanblades are cool for their relative rarity but not worth the limited tire selection and braking capacity these cars so benefit from with upgrades.

V6, 7.5, Arctic green, willow, fan blades, factory wing w/integrated LED 3rd, no interior 3rd. Pw, pd, ps, pb, pm, am/fm/cassette, manual HVAC (working AC!), manual lights, base wheel and shifter (not leather wrapped), power driver but manual passenger seat. That's all the options I can think of. As far as I can tell everything is as it was new save for the body kit. It's also missing the front cover for the kit. Does anyone know what make/model/manufacturer for the kit?

 

[XR7-4.6]

Looks like Duraflex

1996-1997 Ford Thunderbird Mercury Cougar Duraflex Racer Body Kit - 4 Piece

1996-1997 Ford Thunderbird Mercury Cougar Duraflex Racer Body Kit - 4 Piece

gr1performance.com

 

[Metallicaman0258]

Looks like Duraflex

Sure does. That bumper is fugly. I'll stick with my stocker lol

 

[racecougar]

My camera does not do it any justice. Trust me, it's green. I'll try my better camera and see if that makes a difference tomorrow.
View attachment 52127

That is indeed the code for Willow Green interior. I guess the camera/computer just doesn't portray it well.

 

[Shlamden]

Looks like the same color combo as my car. I could never decide on if I thought it was blue or green.

 

[Grog6]

Green is one of those rough colors; the ambient light,i.e. sunlight or streetlight, makes a huge difference.

 

[Metallicaman0258]

It really does. In the pics I shared it looks green but at night it looks ice blue under the moon or street light

 

[1997ThunderbirdLXV6]

I really like that color combination. Any car with interior and exterior in matching tones looks kind of cool to me.

I'm impressed you washed all the cloth. I did that with my driver seat only (by hand). After that, I was so over it, I just used fabric cleaner on the remaining seats; they weren't anywhere nearly as dirty either.

 

[Metallicaman0258]

The disassembly and washing wasn't bad. It's been over a month and my back seat is still not reassembled or installed. Hog rings can go somewhere. Modern upholstery is so much easier to deal with. Plus I get the added bonus of race car mode. Check out my TikTok @HillbillyHeckert for the current journey on the refresh of the car. I haven't done anything to it for a couple weeks because I've been pounding in the overtime at work but it's coming along