MudPuppy's Eagles

[jim]

Our vinyl was bad on one only one front fender.  We couldn't match it so we did the entire side.  I told my wife people could see only one side at a time so it didn't matter if the sides didn't match but that didn't go over to well.  We did the entire car.  She did almost all the work.  It was a major undertaking.

[MudPuppy]

Whelp, looks as though the '81 is best as a parts car . The rockers are pretty bad as I suspected before pulling off the plastics but it is a lot more noticeable now. Looking at the car from a standing view, it looks pretty good... but when looking at an Eagle that old adage that your mother always told you -"Don't judge a book by its cover." always applies. And this car is one of those. The floor boards are pretty far gone, the only part of the rockers that aren't gone or rusted out are the exterior pieces below the doors, everything is coated in thick amounts of rust on the undercarriage, shock towers have some rust (1 has a bit more than the other), a lot of the metal components under the hood are heavy with rust... most of this I seen before I bought it. Was mainly buying it as a cheap parts car in the first place for the '82 but had hopes in the back of my head for more (don't we all).  Everything I need for the '82 is here in the '81.... window glass, interior plastics, head liner, seats, bumpers, chrome trim, exterior plastics, etc. - most of which would be too expensive to ship from somewhere else let alone the initial costs. So it's not a total loss.

I plan to switch the '82 over to the automatic trans and AWD from the '81 as well at some point too. The '82 will be getting the full Sport treatment as well.

[Prafeston]

Well it's a bummer you can't save this one, but it sounds like it's going to be the perfect parts car for you!

[WoodenBirdOfPrey]

I plan to switch the '82 over to the automatic trans and AWD from the '81 as well at some point too. The '82 will be getting the full Sport treatment as well.

That's one I never heard before, seems like you're moving in the wrong direction.  I wish that my wagon was a 5 speed.  Even a 4 speed.  Just give me a clutch and a stick and i'll be a happier man for it. (especially since i'm selling the only manual transmission car I have left) 

And why would you actually want to switch over to the non-selectable transfer case?  If you want it in 4 wheel all the time you can just let the switch in 4 wheel.  Personally, I think all time 4wd just puts more wear and tear on all the components, and isn't beneficial through most driving.

But to each their own, i'm not criticizing you, just curious of the reasoning behind it.

[MudPuppy]

I plan to switch the '82 over to the automatic trans and AWD from the '81 as well at some point too. The '82 will be getting the full Sport treatment as well.

And why would you actually want to switch over to the non-selectable transfer case?  If you want it in 4 wheel all the time you can just let the switch in 4 wheel.  Personally, I think all time 4wd just puts more wear and tear on all the components, and isn't beneficial through most driving.

But to each their own, i'm not criticizing you, just curious of the reasoning behind it.

Well there really isn't much reasoning behind it. Mainly just because that is what the creator Roy Lunn had in mind when he developed the Eagle. IIRC his intentions was for all of the Eagles to be AWD like they were in the beginning. And the idea of less vacuum lines is always a plus lol.

I may just keep the T5 in the '82, I haven't really made up my mind yet. All that stuff will be in the future, so I have some time to think it over more. I have had quite a few manual cars and have loved them (though most of them had at least V6's in em). But driving in stop and go traffic with a manual can become mundane.

[WoodenBirdOfPrey]

In my theory (this is some country boy theory) half the fun is getting stuck!  Then I can flick the switch and get back out of the mess I managed to get myself into.  In 4 wheel all the time, by the time I get it stuck it's buried and i'll need another 4x4 to drag me out of it.  Plus getting out of the car to hook up the tow line means dragging mud back into the car and making a mess out of it.

[MudPuppy]

In my theory (this is some country boy theory) half the fun is getting stuck!  Then I can flick the switch and get back out of the mess I managed to get myself into.  In 4 wheel all the time, by the time I get it stuck it's buried and i'll need another 4x4 to drag me out of it.  Plus getting out of the car to hook up the tow line means dragging mud back into the car and making a mess out of it.

That is a pretty good point.
I have time to think it over and who knows what will change/happen in between now and then.
I have enough to occupy me for awhile with the floor board rust and all of the interior switching... plus winter coming and no where (warm) to work on it.

[shanebo]

thats one fine fleet you got there.....That black wagon is just plain georgeous!! those alloys look smokin hot on it too!!

[shanebo]

Either way its still a great looking wagon.