Author Topic: Bobcat in a Barn (Read 1073 times)

Cobra Commander · « **on:** January 22, 2012, 11:03:57 PM »

Hello. I just started working on my Bobcat and figured I'd share my project.

My first car was a 1978 Mercury Bobcat Runabout I bought from an old lady after her husband passed with 41,000 miles for $825 dollars in 1998. By 2001 I was on the 2nd transmission, 2nd rearend, and I overheated the engine so I pushed it into my old man's barn where it hasn't moved since. I've recently came to a point in my life where I can finally do something with the car. I'm just replacing the engine with another naturally aspirated power plant out of an '86 Mustang so I can focus on other areas on the vehicle.

Here are some pictures back when I still drove it:

Fast forward to this weekend where I pulled the tarp off the car and yanked it out of the barn. Paint is a little damaged, rust has started in a few areas down low, and the suspension is shot.

Today I cleaned the paint back up and vacuumed the mice skeletons out of the interior.

This week I'll get the old motor out and see where that takes me.

joebob · « **Reply #1 on:** January 22, 2012, 11:30:00 PM »

Those seats look so bright they look like candy. Is it as good as it looks?

dga57 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 22, 2012, 11:44:12 PM »

Your Bobcat certainly looks like a great foundation for whateve project you want to make of it! Why couldn't we all have something that nice sitting in a barn somewhere?
Dwayne

Srt · « **Reply #3 on:** January 23, 2012, 03:14:27 AM »

good looking car! it is definitely RED

RSM · « **Reply #4 on:** January 23, 2012, 07:52:46 AM »

Definitely RED is an understatement lol.

Cobra Commander · « **Reply #5 on:** January 23, 2012, 08:18:28 AM »

Quote from: joebob on January 22, 2012, 11:30:00 PM

Is it as good as it looks?

No. The paint below that molding is rough, the driver's rear quarter is bent up from when I blew a tire, and there are a lot of big defects in the paint throughout the car. But It could be worse I guess.

I'm not sure where to start on this suspension. Obviously it needs shocks all around, but those leafs are shot also. Does anyone make reasonably priced leaf springs for the Pinto?

75bobcatv6 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 23, 2012, 11:04:15 AM »

talk to fred Morgan, hes the pinto parts guy on here for used parts. New i wouldnt have anyone to recommend. lol it is a very nice car tho from the pics.

bbobcat75 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 23, 2012, 03:06:26 PM »

man that is one RED bobcat!!! red everything, looks like a red version of my 75 orange bobcat hatch, 38,000miles with a v6!!!

if you are looking for other odds and ends let me know!! car looks great!!!

80_2.3_ESS · « **Reply #8 on:** January 24, 2012, 08:56:12 AM »

Well, it definitely looks like a really nice car in the pics.

Would be a great project to work on. Looks like a really solid base.

Cobra Commander · « **Reply #9 on:** January 25, 2012, 09:11:11 AM »

Cobra Commander · « **Reply #10 on:** January 25, 2012, 09:11:51 AM »

r4pinto · « **Reply #11 on:** January 27, 2012, 11:29:07 AM »

Nice work! I guess it is really easy to yank an engine out of a Pinto. Are you gonna rebuild this one or just replace it?

Cobra Commander · « **Reply #12 on:** January 27, 2012, 01:15:43 PM »

All I'm doing is swapping the oil pan, oil pickup, distributor, and axuillary shaft, then replacing any leaky gaskets and calling it good. Oh, I'll probably toss in a Ranger roller cam and get a cheap header. Nothing crazy, obviously. Keeping it cheap.

Tomorrow I'm towing the car down to the local car wash and powerwashing off all the oil within the engine compartment. I'd like to keep the paint original in there, but I'll have to touch up the passenger side where a battery exploded. Then I'll start painting up the new engine so it "looks" nice.

blupinto · « **Reply #13 on:** January 27, 2012, 08:21:28 PM »

WOW! What a difference TLC makes! Your Bobcat is beautiful! That interior is so red and delicious I need sunglasses to look at it! May your 'Cat give you years of joy and compliments.

Cobra Commander · « **Reply #14 on:** February 01, 2012, 10:06:51 AM »

No real updates. I tore down the old engine and robbed the distributor, auxiliary shaft, oil pan and oil pickup. Also received my new engine this weekend. That's about it.

blupinto · « **Reply #15 on:** February 01, 2012, 06:32:38 PM »

What an adorable co-pilot!

Cobra Commander · « **Reply #16 on:** February 10, 2012, 11:05:52 PM »

Stripped down the pan, valve cover, timing cover, and intake.

Painted

Unbolted the accessories.

Painted the block.

That's it for now. This weekend I'll be doing all of the gaskets, roller cam, and start bolting stuff onto the block.

Cobra Commander · « **Reply #17 on:** February 11, 2012, 10:49:05 PM »

Pulled the slider cam out.

Installed the Bobcats auxiliary shaft, inner timing cover, and a new timing belt.

Installed a roller cam and new springs.

Installed the Bobcat's distributor, then mocked the intake up.

Not quite ready for the carburetor yet, but close.

dave1987 · « **Reply #18 on:** February 12, 2012, 12:16:26 AM »

Love it!

Scott Hamilton · « **Reply #19 on:** March 01, 2012, 11:01:41 PM »

This is a real nice build- good stuff!

r4pinto · « **Reply #20 on:** March 17, 2012, 06:33:29 PM »

Nice job on painting up those parts man... Any update on the car?

Cobra Commander · « **Reply #21 on:** May 02, 2012, 11:53:55 AM »

It's been a while since I've updated. Progress is minimal since I have little free time.

First off, here is the old and new engine side by side.

Got the car outside and hooked a chain up to it so I could tow her down to the car wash and powerwash the engine compartment in hopes of salvaging the paint.

Yeah, that didn't work out so well.

So I said screw it and started grinding.

Meanwhile, discovered the problem on the old engine. Haha

Back to the engine compartment.

Threw the new engine in.

And that's pretty much where I'm sitting right now.

mrskydog · « **Reply #22 on:** May 02, 2012, 12:08:17 PM »

Nice Job!! I like the time to detail it all out you took. Looks Great!

popbumper · « **Reply #23 on:** May 02, 2012, 09:36:19 PM »

Having done what you did, I can certainlly appreciate the time/effort/labor/love that went into redoing your motor and engine compartment. It's a lot to do, but the results are definitely worth it. Work well done, congrats!!
Chris

Cobra Commander · « **Reply #24 on:** May 03, 2012, 08:58:06 AM »

I cut a lot of corners, and now that the engine is in the car I wish I would have been more detailed. It isn't as nice in person. Oh well, neither is the rest of the car I guess.

Cobra Commander · « **Reply #25 on:** May 04, 2012, 03:26:11 PM »

Does anyone know where to get cheaper leaf springs?

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Landrum-Pinto-Mini-Stock-Leaf-Springs,3563.html

And why do I have a feeling these don't fit for crap......
http://www.jcwhitney.com/1974-1980-ford-pinto/replacement-leaf-springs-for-cars/p2005965d654y1974-1980j1.jcwx?year=1978

http://www.jcwhitney.com/replacement-leaf-springs-for-cars/p2005965.jcwx?filterid=d1579y1978j1

Cobra Commander · « **Reply #26 on:** May 17, 2012, 09:57:12 AM »

Small update. Exhaust is on, everything is bolted up, accessories are on, pretty much everything is ready except the rear suspension and carburetor. Got the battery hooked up and all the lights seem to work except the cluster for some reason. Oh well.

Also got my vintage plates on, which are era correct.

Cobra Commander · « **Reply #27 on:** **Today** at 08:23:24 AM »

Installed Speedway Mini-Stock Pinto leaf springs and a pair of new shocks lastnight. Busted some bolts off, but other then that everything bolted up good. I also tried draining the tank, but only a small amount came out. Tomorrow I'm going to crank on it and see if it starts. That's pretty much all that's left.

Old vs new

They were shot

New springs on, painted black.

Back on the ground for the first time.

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Author Topic: Bobcat in a Barn (Read 1073 times)