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

    You can register to join the community.

what should i do?

D

devanmc

Guest
i like others opinions on what i should do to my car so here goes. i have a 99 se zetec, it is an atx but im keeping it. it has some worn paint and needs a new door and front drivers side fender for sure. that will eventually get repainted the original color as it is the only thing im sure i want to keep.

Heres some pics any ideas?

P8030009.jpg


P8020005.jpg


if you would like more pictures just ask. if i should have posted this somewhere else tell me that too.
 
Well that depends on how much you like to tinker. My 95 came very plane, and I added many options including power windows. That alone required me to change out the body wiring harness which meant gutting most of the interior. However when I put it back together it not only had the windows done, but leather seats w/ fold down rear too. I also prepped it for the power antenna, fog lights and added the tilt steering wheel. That was about 7 hrs work, not including getting the stuff together of course. It has many other things done too, but you get the idea.

To me these cars are very easy to tinker with and most of the changes one would like to make are more or less plug n play, or bolt on.

Your pics indicate some minor bolt on stuff to get it looking good. I got rid of the stealies and put on some stock Delta style 14" alloys. That alone makes one heck of a change in the handling.

If you plan to keep the car (my wife really likes her 95 Z/ATX) and like to tinker then make a plan and get started. I'd take my time and check the JY's for just the right color of fender and door then do a swap. That would let me put off the paint until I got all the other stuff done I wanted to.

My 2 Cents,
AF
 
If you're not sure just do the minimal stuff to get it fixed. Used fenders are real cheap at the junk yards but finding the right color will be hard to do.

After that I'd just keep it real clean and do regular maintenance and it should last a long time.
 
I'd get some decent, inexpensive rims (maybe some stockers off an SVT/Focus or something?) and pick up some fog lights at a junkyard and do the fog light mod :cool:. Can't forget to upgrade the audio as well. Nice HU, speakers, and maybe amp and subs :laugh:.
 
The headlights are brand new(2weeks old, they were the pair on ebay that are around 130), they are very nice came with bulbs they kinda stick out on the side but not very noticable, and the brakes(rear). I do have a full after market sound in their, it was a birthday gift. A pioneer DEH-P6900ub HU and boston acoustic s85 5x7s in the front and some cheapo pioneers in the back. Im getting cerwin vegas to put in the front then moving the boston's to the back.

I got my safety stuff coming once the guy(reebs) gets his stuff in line(out of the car), and a fender too. Im putting in all new heater hoses, a cooling system flush and a new pcv valve this week. After that im doing an intake and exhaust.

Where can i find those 14" rims?
 
Last edited:
Good luck doing those heater hoses...LOL! And check out what njk1 did with his intake in the Zetec Performance section. It was really cheap! And when you decide to do this, I recommend completely cleaning the engine bay. You know, just make it look really nice :).
 
oh yeah the hoses will be fun.

as for intake, i did see that and its very nice. But i think im going to have fun with the module (lego style) air intake kit they have at auto zone, wont be much different really.

I will be getting some engine degreaser soon too, cant wait to see it. ill post pics of the work as its done.
 
pick up some fog lights at a junkyard and do the fog light mod :cool:.


I found the mod but how to i actually wire up the fog lights? The mod how to only has instructions for the wiring under the dash. i Need to know where the wiring under the hood and bumper goes.
 
One day I had too much time on my hands, and what I did was to go to the JY and find a car that had the FG's. Then remove the wiring for them starting at the front pass to the under hood fuse box all the way inside the vehicle. When I get them installed it will be pretty much a like a factory install.

The easy way would be to get the lights,connectors, fuse, relay, and headlight switch. Then just run new wires.

I admit I got a bit carried away opening connectors and removing / installing contacts, etc, but that is the way I chose to do it.

Then the really easy way is go aftermarket, a lot of folks seem to use Pilot's available at Walmart for around $29. This way you don't need to do the FG mod. ;)
 
sounds like ill be heading to a junkyard next week. i got a list going now.

will i also need the head light switch? form the car that had fog lights
 
sounds like ill be heading to a junkyard next week. i got a list going now.

will i also need the head light switch? form the car that had fog lights

Yes, and you can tell it because it is orange. A smart fellow can make it work even for after market lights, a switch is a switch, is a switch ... :laugh:
 
so if i get all the wiring and the fuses and the switch, is that all i need and will it basically plug into all the factory spots and then work?
 
Bacially yes, BUT if the wires are not in the connectors then you have to add the pins. That is why when getting the wires as I did I opened up the harnesses and follow them from the pass side FG all the way inside and took all the associated connectors. Then I removed the proper pins and inserted them into my connectors. Even took the fuse holder and power supply out of the under hood fuse/relay box and inserted it in mine so I could plug in a fuse. It gets power from a tap wire off the front mega fuse battery connection. Did the FG mod as part of my install. Replaced the headlight sw added the FG indicator light, and FG relay. It was just recreating the factory install. A bit of work but I got the results I wanted, and anyway I had a bad horn wire that needed fixing too.
 
Last edited:
as long as finding all the parts and installation is just plug in to the empty spots, i should be fine. adding electrical work scares me. i will only add options that are just blank or replace a section of a wire. all the wiring of the fog light mod kinda scared me
 
finishing up with replacing cooling system hoses and flushes today
 
Back
Top