Looking at getting a project car. Wanted a public opinion.

[Styyles]

I have grown up with Aussie Fords my whole life and my Dad used to be a Ford specialist for a while so I have a good knowledge in Fords. If something goes wrong, I usually have a general idea of what is happening and how bad the issue is and if I can fix it or not. I'm 17 and do have a job so I'm wanting to spend a maximum $1000au on the car itself. I just want to buy a stock, then work my way up from there.

The two models of Fords I'm looking at are the XFs and the XEs. Like I said I have a little bit of general knowledge on Fords and have grown up with them so I would like to stick to what I know. Although the only Fords I've worked with though have been EAs EFs ELs and BAs so I don't have any experience with the older models.

I'm just wondering if the XFs and XEs are a good choice of project car, and if so which model would be better to go with or whether it will gain more value over time if I keep it. I'm willing to spend a fair bit of money and time on this car once I have it bought as I am a genuine car lover. I'm thinking I would prefer a Fairlane but if I can't get my hands on one I'll try get a Fairmont Ghia..

If there is a better Ford model of that era to work on it would be helpful to know and also I don't know whether I want a Ute of Sedan. So which one would gain more value?

[TUFED6]

XE for sure. Silver ESP replica with gold centered snowflakes.

The only thing I don't like about X-series is the steering box setup which just isn't as good as a rack.

[Styyles]

Surely there is some way to change the steering box setup though wouldnt there?

[Kenaz]

XE for sure. Silver ESP replica with gold centered snowflakes.

This!

[Styyles]

I can't find a picture of what you actually mean so if one of you would be able to upload a picture of it that would be appreciated!

Also I'm curious on what a car of that size would cost to have a respray in two pack or pearl or glitter, including engine bay and rust and most likely a few dings in it as well considering it is an xf and i'll be buying fully stock so i cant expect it to be perfect.

[Dansedgli]

Glitter?

[Styyles]

Like what you see on speed boats a lot now. I've seen a couple of cars with it now and it doesn't look to bad. Its just a pearl paint with a glitter reflection

[Styyles]

http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_ima ... _large.jpg
Thats an example.

[sexyr6]

XE for sure. Silver ESP replica with gold centered snowflakes.

This!

[Styyles]

How much am I looking to get one of them in decent condition with about 100,00 or less on the clock?

[Devo]

too much for an esp in decent condition, in fact finding an xe in decent condition for less than $1000 isnt even likely.. you can probably find an xf that will suit your price range and be in good condition, but for an $1000 xe it will be a little worse for wear!

[71GLIF]

Dunno if you mentioned it but you aint said if you wanna six or 8. XEs came out with 351c so if you are gonna go the 8, there's no need to muck around with engineerin if you want to do it legit. Or if you like the XF style but want a 8 then you can buy an XE and swap some XF panels over and then you have a perfect XF replica. also XFs look hawt when done up and there are SFA all XFs getting around with a 8 in them.

[Customxg]

I recon an xf with a zl fairlane front I'm doing an xg with a zl fairlane front with the xc gt bonnet flutes grafted into the bonnet looks great

[Styyles]

I think I'm gonna go with the 6 because I want to use this as my main car. I'm off my P's in about 18 months which will be about the time that I will be beginning to get somewhere with the car. The thing is though, that will be the time I'm in uni so I'll be on tight budget and running an 8 isn't exactly the cheapest option. I know the cars last. I remember my pop having one and driving it into the ground. It had 650k on the clock by the time he bought a new car, and it was still going. I think I've decided on the XF for two reasons, one being that they seem to be cheaper in price and also there is just something about them that catches my eye a lot more than the xes especially after seeing cliffs xf that is pretty much all over the internet. I'd post a picture but new to this and not quite sure on how to aha :/
Also I think I'm wanting to buy with the either turbo in it, or already prepped for turbo. So long as I don't have to pay to get the turbo completely setup when I buy the car because I know how expensive that can be to get done. I'm expecting that my budget will have to rise a fair bit in order to get one turbo ready but as long as it saves me money in the long run. I have no clue how hard it is to find one of such though.. :/ How hard would it be to get my hands on one and how much am I looking to get a half decent one?

[Dansedgli]

Have you thought about joining AFF?

Plenty of people over there happy to answer these kinds of questions.

[Sunboost]

There's a few reasonably priced XE's with freaky low km's on CarSales pretty much all the time. Check it out there.

Surprised you like XE's and you didn't know what an ESP was

[Styyles]

I'm only just new to the older models.. I've never really started looking into them until just now.. I've spent more of my time around models more from the 90s than anything else.
When it comes to old car I really only know about Holdens :/ HKs HQs HJs so on.
But they my just be the sliggghhtest bit out of my budget, which is why I've started looking at the older fords now. And beginning to fall in love with them. Plus you really don't see many done up old Fords like you would see some of the earlier model commodores and what not. I want something that isn't really common. So i've just got into looking at these. And my Dad straight away said go for the 80s and it just went from there.

[nstg8a]

easiest way to get a turbo xf...

Spotted HappyPhoenix at the Pooraka Caltex/Maccas on Friday night.....

.......Also see this ripper of an XF for sale in Loby everyday (in the auto works opposite bridgestone)............Not bad if you have a cool 15g to spend on an XF





Probably been there about 6 weeks now I reckon

[Styyles]

Would be cheaper to get it fitted after purchase plus i wanna build the car up myself. To teach me everything about it. No point loving a car if you don't know it.

[Dansedgli]

Nah your dreaming.

You wont build a car like that for under $15k.

[Styyles]

I just found this on carsales and am thinking that it is extremely well priced for its condition:
http://www.carsales.com.au/all-cars/pri ... f&trecs=41
It's pretty much everything I want, so I'm thinking this would be a better idea of budget.

My dad is telling me that if I went out to where I used to live Mildura, Victoria. I would most likely be able to find an old xf at a farm around there as they were used a hell of a lot for in mildura back in the day purely because the only car yard that was there at the time was a ford dealership. And a lot of people dont know the true value of these cars especially when they are out country. So if i made a cheap offer they'd most likely be happy to take it if i was lucky enough to find one. I know a hell of a lot of people there and a hell of a lot of farmers, so before i start jumping straight onto cars online and what not im thinking im going to ask around for a bit and see what i can find.

[Styyles]

I know that but I'm wanting to build the car myself. I was just curious to see how hard it is to get a turbo fitted xf. Instead of buying a fully rebuilt car. I would prefer buy a stock, spend 3-4k to get it turbo fitted and then work up from there. I know its going to be a costly job. But I have money sitting in the bank specifically for this and I wanna build it up with my Dad so it's 100% me

[SNR]

Why pay $2000 for an XF GL when you can pay $900 for an EB Ghia?

[Styyles]

I prefer the older Falcons. EB really isn't the look I'm after.

[nstg8a]

Why pay $2000 for an XF GL when you can pay $900 for an EB Ghia?

two very different styles of car... its like the apples vs oranges thing.

xf is really the last of the big square falcons, always a favourite of mine.

but having said that, no stock xf gl is worth 2k. not yet anyway. any more than a grand and it would have to be museum quality. theyre worth nothing. i paid $500 for my manual spack, had (ugly) mags, decent stereo, e series seats, no rust at all. even xf ghias arent worth a knob of goat shit. yet.

[Dansedgli]

I paid $700 for a manual XF GL 5 years ago.

They are buckets of shit.

[SNR]

I really don't see the appeal with XF's - they are shaped like a brick, couldn't do a U turn on a five lane highway and have a shit looking dash.

EA-D's will start going up in value and down in numbers very soon I think - they aren't around at the wreckers down here any more, and as such less and less of those on the road will get fixed, instead going to scrap. Get a good EB/D ghia now while they are cheap as fark, hell even get a spare for parts in ten years time if you want a project that "might" increase in value (who would have predicted that XE/XF's would start getting more valuable??)

[Styyles]

Yeh I just read a few posts about them then. They don't have the best rep.
I've been noticing a couple of s packs around though. Whats the go with them? Are they a decent run?

[nstg8a]

I paid $700 for a manual XF GL 5 years ago.

They are buckets of shit.

and they havent increased in value or got any better to drive...

stock carby 4.1 is lucky to have 100kw at the flywheel. efi one 120ish. then if its auto you loose most of it through the slushbox.

[SNR]

EA CFI's were 120kw at the flywheel. **** that.

[Styyles]

Still wanting to know what exactly the S Pack is???
What are the types of XFs you can get, and which is best??

[nstg8a]

Still wanting to know what exactly the S Pack is???
What are the types of XFs you can get, and which is best??

s pack was the 'sporty' model, basically a gl with stickers, and some red pin striping. a lot were manuals, some had 4w discs, some were efi depending on year.

gl was the povo spec model

xf fairmont is like a gl with nicer interior

fairmont ghia is imo, the best of the lot, they got substantially improved interior, basically identical to the fairlanes/ltd of the era.

still slugs but.

no V8 option, but the xf was the highest selling falcon ever.

[Dansedgli]

Use google!!

[Sunboost]

So much seriousness but still a massive feeling of troll.

[Styyles]

Why would I troll this if I was going to troll...
I came here knowing that I would find ford enthusiasts that could answer my specific questions. Instead of searching for half an hour for each and every question on some random forum linked from google. I legitimately want to get good at this and have a good car that I have built myself so then I can start posting pictures up of what I'm doing and I can be one of the people on here that knows their fords.

[InfernalTyrant]

If you were a troll, you'd be a shitty one. Anyway, good luck with whatever you do. My old man sold his XD a couple of year ago for a grand, was in good condition. Probably would've been perfect for you.
So how old are you? Getting the impression that you're younger, which is great.

[Dansedgli]

He says he is 17 and has a job.

[InfernalTyrant]

Must've missed that.

[NUT347]

"I've been around fords most of my life"

"what's an S Pac?"

[Styyles]

I also said i have extremely little experience with the older models.