Mav's Lifted 1985 Eagle Wagon Limited/Sport Stroker - Picture Heavy! - 04/09/10

[MudPuppy]

Wow Mav, do you have your hands full or what? And then you find rust, that sucks!
But I am sure you'll figure it out and it'll work out for ya. Hang in there and don't start ripping the hair out.

[Mavericke]

Well Chantel... I don't have any hair anyways, LOL!

Yep in over my head for sure... I've decided to end work on the "White Castle Queen"... there's just too much rust for me to deal with right now. After looking at it compared to the other two Wagons out back (that I also deemed unfixable)... the Queen makes them look like light work. So... I'm pulling the 84 limited into the garage. I'm currently stripping the interior of the Queen, then I'm slipping the doors back on her and hauling out to the barn.

I've already pulled the limited out and it's sitting out front... I'll have it in the shop tonight.

[IowaEagle]

Looks to be a parts car Chas.

[milliard431]

yah, A 1980 parts car at that, pardon me as I wipe away that drool.

[Mavericke]

That's really too bad... I really wanted to have an 80 model.. I don't care which model... just wanted one of the first Eagles. I really had my hopes up on this one.. but the good news is that now I know my limits and exactly what to look for when buying an Eagle with potential rust issues. I had a pretty good idea, but I never looked this one over too well - it was free, lol!

Now I know... and from the looks of it, the good news is that the two wagons in the back are prime candidates for restoration. The Limited is at the very least. We have her out in front of the garage... still stripping parts from the 80 right now. Most of the interior is out... all the trim is off. The really cool roof rack is off. The sad news is that after doing all of this... I now know that my Brown Eagle... the "Millenium Eagle" is beyond repair unless I weld in a completely new frame.... which is exactly what I will do. That was my first car - I'll never get rid of her.

Hey, at the very least... I got a really good 1980 engine out of the whole ordeal with the original metal valve cover. I just wish the White Castle trip had a little bit better ending is all.

I'll keep you all posted. I'm taking plenty of pics.

[amc78concord]

Aw man!  Well maybe someday when become a pro at fixing rust, you can get her back on the road.  I sure would, '80 is my favorite year for Eagle, and I like the 'white on woodgrain' look, thats friggin sweeeeet.

[Mavericke]

I don't think there is a way to fix some of the spots unles you literaly cut them out of another 80 wagon... and then you might as well just keep the one you're cutting up, LOL!

The frame is pretty solid... but the unibody is just totally gone... with the rust I can plainly see... Im REALLY afraid to start sanding her down for paint, LOL!!!!! My red SX4 (now orange) had no rust when I started... when I got that top layer of paint off and all the trim off... there was alot of body rust... I imagine most of our Eagles are like that and we just don't know it. You'd be suprised how durable paint is if it's kept up on... so if your body is rotting from the inside and your paint looks good... you may be rotting and not knowing it. Typical on rockers. Any slight bubble in the paint is a good way to spot it...

gah, that just sounds really negative, lol... just bummed that I gotta scrap her and pull in another one. At least I have that option I guess. I just know that half of my week is burned up and I haven't even dropped my engine in yet...

wouldn't be me if I wasn't cuttin' close, huh Doug? LOL!

[amc78concord]

It still stinks that you have to scrap her... 

[ScottD961]

That does stink Mav, but this car will yield good parts for your other projects , right ?

[83Eagle!]

Sucks about the '80 Wagon. At least she'll have someparts for others.  I am curious to see the 84Limited.  I am not recalling it from previous posts of yours.  What's the weather forecast looking like out there for this weekend?  Just curious. 

[Mavericke]

Yeah, it sucks... but everything happens for a reason.

We have it almost totally stripped (minus drive train). Good news for you though Brandon... assuming the headliner is good in the Limited... we successfuly salvaged the headliner in the 80 and you can have it. It's not perfect, but it'll deff hold a new cover.

I've posted the limited before... but not sure where... I'll be posting more soon, but here are the only ones I have right now...

[eagle87]

maybe you could offer the 80 to someone on here with more time to restore it, just a thought since theres so much documentation behind the car.

[Mavericke]

Well then... I'll make it official... anyone that wants her can have her.

I have gutted the interior already... and I will slowly be stripping everything off of her. So if anyone wants it - let me know now.

[Smitch]

What kind of shape are the bumper ends in?

[Mavericke]

Bumper ends are good, except one, and it's still presentable... I'm keeping them though :/

More pics...

I just had to show these... First off, we were kinda proud to finally have a garage door opener... took us most of the day, but it works! lol! The second picture is my new rok space. This was all full of boxes and furniture just two days ago... it's been crazy, but now I finally have most of my workspace. Of course, this is only temporary until I get the barn set up. And lasty, here are all my service manuals and stuff... the big red one in the middle is my hardback 1980 TSM, its pretty cool. Suprisingly though I'm enjoying reading the blue Chilton's the most.