• Welcome to the Contour Enthusiasts Group, the best resource for the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique.

    You can register to join the community.

SVT #4953 (re)Build Thread

2

281Thunder

Veteran CEG'er
Joined
Feb 27, 2007
Messages
618
Location
Inwood, WV
So after much deliberating, and through a few threads here already, I've decided to save this SVT rather than pull parts and scrap the body. I bought it with the intentions of having a project, and well, that's what it'll be. The rust isn't as bad as I originally perceived it to be, but that will be objective #1, to get the body solid again, and at least get it patched up right. One fixed, the car won't be seeing winters anymore, and rarely, if at all, rain. I'd like to build this car to be a fun street car that can still look good at a cruise-in, as well as have fun in an autocross, or Summit Point raceway near me.

I figured I'd start a build thread to track all the work being done to the car, as well as look for some help if needed along the way. The car needs a lot of bodywork which is different territory for me, so I may be looking for advice there.

So the can has never had any sorts of care taken of it, as the body is rough, engine is leaking from every crevice, suspension is completely shot, and the whole car is filthy dirty. Now, for a few pics to show what I found from day 1...(I had already removed the side skirt at this point)



Big dent in the front...


Driver Rocker...


Mismatch wheel...more on that below...


Bunch of extra stuff that was in the car...


I was originally told the matching wheel was just bent, but closer inspection shows it to be cracker. Not sure if this is fixable...


Trunk rust...


More rust...



Passenger rocker...


I'll be updating the post with more pics as I take them, and of work as I do it. As well, no doubt, of the additional problems I find with the car.

More pics to be found here: http://s20.photobucket.com/user/281Thunder/library/csvt4953
 
Ah i recognize that car now because of the scoundrels, That was Andy W.s car way back when i think.

Rust sucks.
 
Cryin' shame you have to start with such a pile of junk, my dead SVT is pristine by comparison
one owner low miles never driven by a nutcase perfect body heck it's an Arizona car not a speck of rust
guess I should deal with the spun rod bearing and document it like you guys ?
 
Beans said:
Ah i recognize that car now because of the scoundrels, That was Andy W.s car way back when i think.

Rust sucks.
Click to expand...

I dont think Scoundrels were dual drilled. Probably a Cobra knock off from a B manufacture.

OP, You have a lot of work ahead. Good luck.
 
They are indeed Superior Scoundrels. I remembered them from way back in my Tbird days years ago and liking them.

Who is this Andy W? I'd like to try to go back and trace some of the history of things that have been on this car. There are some things that don't make sense.

I've got the car pretty much completely stripped down. Interior is completely out except the dash. Engine will be ready to pull by week's end. Trunklid, side skirts, bumpers, fenders, etc all removed. I'll be cleaning the car and going through everything on the build up. I have started on the trunk rust, and I think it's actually better than I originally thought. I'm planning to replace everything on the car with new, aftermarket, custom, or refreshed parts. More pics to follow in the coming days.
 
Jeff Good luck on the build let me know what parts you are looking for hopefully I have some goodies in stock
 
Few new pics to add. Spent most of the past few days working on tearing the engine bay down. Found a few other things that are further proof why some people shouldn't be allowed to own a vehicle.

This is how I found the driver side mount. Yes, two of the three bolts are completely gone. The mount bracket has pulled away from the frame slightly. Probably just replace this completely.


I don't remember what, but I guess something used to ground here. Does anyone know what used to connect here? Rather than unbolt the ground strap, they simply cut the wire.


This is the hotwire that runs from the battery to the starter. As you can see, most of the insulation is gone in places.


Just a few other random shots. This is the condition of the front sway bar end links. This particular one is the driver side, passenger is even worse. Front sway bar has about 1" of horizontal movement in it.


Current shot of the interior. All the metal in here is solid. One good thing I guess...
 
Haven't had much opportunities to work lately, been busy with first one thing then another. Been spending most of the time tearing the engine bay down so it can be cleaned and painted as well. Have been working in the trunk on rust though. This is what I've been able to clean/cut so far...

Before, for reference:


And progress so far. A lot of the brown coloring is dust from me using a wire brush to clean it up. Still got a bit more cutting and brushing to do, and a few small metal pieces to weld in over the holes, but it's coming along.
 
Hmm, ok. The way things currently sit, the ground on the fender (under where the intake sits), went to the bellhousing bolt near the water pump. I had another ground on a different bellhousing bolt that went....to the negative side of the battery...I think that's how it was...?
 
The factory battery group runs from the battery to a bell housing bolt. One small ground runs from the bolt w/bracket in the middle of the bell housing (O2 sensor wire attaches to bracket) to the fender. The other small ground goes from the battery to the fender also iirc.
 
Thanks for the info...big help in getting this thing sorted out. It did have the ground from the battery to the fender...actually goes on one of the battery tray bolts I think.
 
I've decided today that I don't have it in me to save this car. I was cutting away some of the rotten rocker panels, and on the passenger side by the rear door, everything beyond the rocker panel is rusted through. I can actually reach through the rocker panel into the rear wheel well, and almost into the interior. If it's that bad there, I'm just leary of what I can't see.

Going to be stripping the car and parting it out.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top