What to check when looking at an Eagle

[Nightpath]

Howdy all,

Might be looking at another Eagle in the next few days. I'm a tad rusty as to where to look for problem areas in them (body/frame wise). I'm pretty familiar with what I should be listening to in the engine.

But lets treat this as a person new to Eagles. What would you make sure to look at before plunking down the cash? This is what I can think of quickly offhand :

Frame :
- the unibody archetecture lends itself to rot. Check the whole frame and sub-bodies for any rot

Body
- rocker panels rot out beneath the plastic covers
- at the firewall check for any rot, at the same time lift the carpets inside and look for rot going directly into the frame (unibody)
- as with any vehicle, lift the carpets up at the edges inside by the doors. Rot accumulates here and can be masked by rocker panels
- shock mounts / engine mounts

Engine
- the old 4.2L / 4.0L are hard as heck to kill. But in saying that, the 6th cylinder is usually starved of oil, listen for any odd sounds in each cylinder (use a hockey stick or broom handle, place on engine at each cylnder and put your ear up to it)
- oil leaks around the valve cover are normal, but cracked valve covers aren't. These also come loose.
-

Interior
- dashes crack in the heat, plastic trim becomes brittle
- headliner will sag - an upholsterer can repair for relatively cheap

[Draekon]

There is a write up in the Eaglepedia with some good tips of what to looks for

http://amceaglesden.com/guide/index.php?title=Eagle_Buying_Tips