Project lil' Eagle

[mach1mustang351]

The reason for the name is because of how we refer to my eagles at home.  I call it the SX4 to differentiate from the wagon.  My finance has taken to calling them Big Eagle and Lil' Eagle.  Today I went to work on more assessment of what I am getting myself into and progress in making a reliable snow car before the white stuff flies in a couple months. 


Here is the rig as I got it


Someone came up with a creative way of getting to the rocker arms easily...  I also have the engine cut loose... I just need the cherry picker to pull it out


I went to work on the brakes and front end... I also gave a close look inside the wheel wells.  The metal looks solid other than some surface rust that needs to be treated.


Got both knuckles off and stripped for new wheel bearings, pads, calipers rotors etc.


This is the pile of dust dirt rust etc that fell down as I moved, scraped etc.

I have a replacement engine lined up and also a 5 speed trans to replace the 4 speed.  I hope to pick that up in the next few weeks.  In the mean time I have ordered all the pieces I need to do brakes, bearings shocks and diff services. 

I still need to assess the rocker rust situation.  I am willing to put up with a lot on the rust damage because I am very anti-crushing when it comes to Eagles.  I will have to put in the work but it looks isolated to the rockers.  I will pose pics as I dig in. 

[mach1mustang351]

Today was day two of hard work on the SX4.  I pulled off the plastic on the drivers side to assess the rust situation. 


The rear of the corner is the worst of it.


That is in fact the back side of the carpet... probably not good to be able to see it from the underside of the car...




Here is a decent depiction of how long it has been sitting.  The relatively shiny part was cleaned off using a bit of water and a rag.  I think if it were washed and waxed most of the finish would come back.

Tomorrow I hope to check out the other side of the car and possibly get the interior out to make the rust repair less of a fire hazard.

[Prafeston]

Wait... is it green? I thought it was Blue all this time! haha

[mach1mustang351]

Wait... is it green? I thought it was Blue all this time! haha

Go figure right??  My neighbor came to the garage to talk to me last night while I was working on it and he thought it was black.  The trim pieces are blue. 

[shaggimo]

Love the green they used on these,    I thought it was dark gray, lol.

[Prafeston]

Yeah, I thought it was a lighter blue on a darker blue. I can see the green now...even in the dirty pictures.

[mach1mustang351]

Went outside today to work on lil' eagle for a little while.  After several hours I ended up stripping the plastic off the passenger side to assess the rust situation.  All in all it is worse than I thought.  Still not a deal breaker, but it is still worse.  The passenger side I thought would be the better of the two but no luck.


Here is the rust on the outer rocker.  The inner is also eaten up



The rear portion is the worst. 


I also got the trans and transfer case out.  Tomorrow I hope to get the engine out and the interior so I can work on rust repairs... Fun Fun Fun

[rollguy]

I hope you take some hints prom Priya and her project.  It seems that just about the time she got hers finished, yours started.  Now we all have a new build thread to watch!

[priya]

Wait... is it green? I thought it was Blue all this time! haha

I thought it was blue to.  Looks blue in the first picture and could be either in the second and green in the third.

[max98059]

wow thats a big job. so do u have all the parts u r looking for.

[mach1mustang351]

wow thats a big job. so do u have all the parts u r looking for.

I have the drive train stuff handled.  I have been looking at my options on sheet metal and thinking on it.  I'm leaning toward a "off road" style tubed rocker.  I will still do some sheet metal work use the factory plastic exterior pieces. 

I was looking into ordering replacement outer rockers but with shipping to AK it gets a little out of line.  The steel yard I go to is closed through the long weekend so I have some time to think on it.   

[mach1mustang351]

Well here is the progress for today. 



Engine coming out



Proof the engine made it out of the vehicle




This is why the engine is no good.  I don't know how it happened.  I got the car this way.  They must have been hot rodding it with out oil in it. 



One more to prove the color of the car

[Prafeston]

Looks like you got a little shine still in that paint! That engine is ridiculous!

[maddog]

wow that is a big hole.

[rollguy]

Proof the engine made it out of the vehicle

Also proof that a rod made it's way out of the block!