Your Coupe – Before And After

[gtxb67]

welcome to the “your coupe – before and after” thread
we would like you to post pics of your coupe from when purchased to when finished. it is not a projects thread (of which there is already a very successful one on ford forums). there are a lot of coupes out there that are finished or have had so little done to them, that a project thread would be of no use.
we would like up to ten jpegs briefly showing your coupes journey. for those with publisher, photo-shop etc. skills, feel free to put multiple photos in one jpeg.
please put all jpegs in the first post and then we can have the chit-chat, compliments, criticism etc. afterwards.

[gtxb67]

on june 3rd 1987 i became the proud owner of a mushroom beige 1973 xb fairmont coupe. it was standard in every way. slowly a rear spoiler appeared, followed by mag wheels and even a pk plate on the windows (it was nelson piquet’s third championship year). the bonnet hump was something i wanted on the gs bonnet, but decided against it – for fear of cutting a hole in the bonnet


in 1988 it went in for it’s first lot of panel beating, which included fixing a dint in the passenger door, some rust repairs in the front quard and at the very back of the boot (where the tail light panel meets the boot). the honey comb panel area was removed – also the channels were filled in. i had to redo the filler above the left tail light, because the panel beater did not get it smooth enough. he managed to put rust in that area and also through the use of a porous under coat, he skillfully put in rust that had never been there – the seams where the tail light panel joins the boot, under the ¼ panels/above the bumper bar. it took many hours and applications of sanding and using kitten neutra rust to finally fix it. he was told the car would not be painted for 18 months and the paint he used, had to be non porous. he assured me that was the case. being young and stupid, i believed him. the rust repair on the guard has not come back since though. the pic in the bottom right hand corner is the worst this coupe has ever looked


in april 1990 the guards and bonnet came off in preparation for painting. having lived on a dirt road for the first 18 months of ownership, rust had appeared in the right front guard. it was full of mud about 10-12 cms high. that is why until september 2007 (for echuca) the panels that go in behind the front wheels had not been refitted. i was making sure the front guards would be cleaned regularly. a mate made the support panel for the lower guard and a rare spares replacement panel was used. the holes were drilled for the brake ducts and it was almost on it’s way. the last pic is a reminder to use goggles, when using anything that may be dangerous to the eyes. kitten neutra rust can do horrible things to eyes (my fault for not using goggles). this pic was hard to take, as i had to physically hold the eye open and it would shut almost instantly. now the coupe looks two slightly different colours. it is brighter out of the left eye, than the right.
at this time my mate welded in a new piece below the left front guard. it had not gone at that point, but was on it’s way. this piece was redone in around 2002


the first photo is the first time red pepper had been on the car and the second is within minutes of fitting the gs bonnet. pretty boring really, but it was significant to me at the time


in getting painted, it was a budget job but they were not too bad. they painted straight over the beige where possible and fitted the front guard repair panel and did some minor rust repairs in the sills and removed the rivets for the sill trims


within 3 weeks of getting it back on the road, someone reversed into it. it went off to the fourth panel beater who removed some rust above the right tail light. it came back 3 weeks later. 4 panel beaters and not one used twice.
it then went to brian from autostyle bodyworks in seaford and he was the only one who touched it from 1991 through to 2002. he did a great job over that time and kept it looking great.
in 2007 tas from palace automotive in moorabbin took over the panel duties and it has never looked better. tas and brian always had a difficult time with the coupe. they have only ever been allowed to make the best of what is there. it has never been taken back to metal, only ever maintained – and virtually all of the mushroom biege is still under the red (except the bonnet of course)


i made a console in 2007 to house the stereo and heater controls. i got sick off the xa-xb problem of the stereo not fitting the dash, so when the time was right a landau dash went in. the console has a fuse box in it with all the aftermarket wiring going through it. all other switches are housed in the console too


this is the interior (almost) then and now. unfortunately i did not get photos with the standard radio, steering wheel and unmolested kick panels. it had a gs dash for many years, but i like the look of the landau one now. tas from palace supplied it, filled in some unwanted holes, painted, fitted and fitted the tacho


it took a long time to find this coupe (we looked at more than 30 coupes over 3 months and this was the only one worthy of a test drive). most we did not even knock on the door. it was worth the effort though, because it has been a dream. hardly any problems with either rust or the mechanical side
the weird/sad thing is although most were heaps back then, 21 years down the track there would be many people falling over themselves to buy the ones we did not even look at - and they would probably cost 15,000+ in the condition that we considered rubbish

[MEANXBCOUPE]

Sound good, see what photos I can find.

[fatasslandau]

engine bay and motor not long after purchase 15yrs ago. Engine bay and motor today

[gtxb67]

Originally Posted by fatasslandau

engine bay and motor not long after purchase 15yrs ago. Engine bay and motor today

looks great colin - it look good back then but now - wow!

[Bearman]

Originally Posted by gtxb67

the last pic is a reminder to use goggles, when using anything that may be dangerous to the eyes. kitten neutra rust can do horrible things to eyes (my fault for not using goggles). this pic was hard to take, as i had to physically hold the eye open and it would shut almost instantly. now the coupe looks two slightly different colours. it is brighter out of the left eye, than the right.

And I just thought you'd had a few too many ales!!

Excellent thread Gary, I'll have to see if the panel shop took any shots of mine but the before and after pics are nearly identical, not the evolution your beast is!!

Cheers.

[Bearman]

Originally Posted by fatasslandau

engine bay and motor not long after purchase 15yrs ago. Engine bay and motor today

I wish mine looked like that!!

[Auslandau]

Bought mine about 6 years or so ago. Found it in the trading post and was endowed with a 'slight' rust problem. The reason I bought it? It was untouched and original having all badges and chrome. It was also Statosphere Grey which is fairly rare. It took me a good few years of serious looking to find the Landau I would be happy with on a limited budget!




Took about 4 years of stuffing around and being ripped by unscrupulous people and me not knowing any better, finally had it completed by the end of '06. Car has always been registered, thats why its still have the black and whites. There is still a bit to do, mainly with the interior but at the moment just trying to enjoy it as much as I can!



Engine specs:
What started as a fairly standard rebuild, ended up being a stroked 383, 3V 218 CHI heads, 830DP, C6, 3.7 9 inch at around 600HP. What I like about the combination is that it still is quite a cruisy car, BUT stick your boot in and it will move fairly briskly!!!!





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[apolloxbgt]

You guys suck :P ,I miss my coupe.
Some nice pics so far,keep em coming.

[fatasslandau]

what a fantastic job auslandau.you have built one of the best landaus i have ever seen

[Auslandau]

Originally Posted by fatasslandau

what a fantastic job auslandau.you have built one of the best landaus i have ever seen

e THANKS!!! BUT one day I want to see both lined up at the drags ...... that will be a sight to make grown men cry! Well me at least!



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[MEANXBCOUPE]

600HP is brisk.....
Thats like saying, Colins landau has "a slight traction problem" :

[Tony xa]

Auslandau its great to see how far the car has come and its also great to hear how and why you brought this particular car .
Most of the time when I see a great looking car its hard to think its been anything but what it is now but 9 times out of 10 these cars have been brought back to life after nearly been dead for ever .
Without us great old cars would disapear for good

[fullysik.com]

[fatasslandau]

playing with cars can be awkward. pics of doing a repair .I now have a very nice garage no more carports with dirt floors

[montyv8]

love the safety boots :hihi:

[Uncle Raggy]

Originally Posted by fatasslandau

playing with cars can be awkward. pics of doing a repair .I now have a very nice garage no more carports with dirt floors

Looks like my shed! Except I have concrete

[MEANXBCOUPE]

Originally Posted by uncleraggy

Looks like my shed! Except I have concrete

Dont feel sorry for him, you should see his new garage.
PS ask why they are repairing the car :sm_headba

[fatasslandau]

Originally Posted by MEANXBCOUPE

Dont feel sorry for him, you should see his new garage.
PS ask why they are repairing the car :sm_headba

now now gaz no need to bore people with that. :evil3:

[Uncle Raggy]

Originally Posted by MEANXBCOUPE

Dont feel sorry for him, you should see his new garage. PS ask why they are repairing the car

OK Col, what did you hit? And how far sideways were you when you hit?

Originally Posted by fatasslandau

now now gaz no need to bore people with that. :evil3:

Oh no please, bore us all you like! We want pics, we want pics, we want pics........ :

[fatasslandau]

Originally Posted by uncleraggy

OK Col, what did you hit? And how far sideways were you when you hit?



Oh no please, bore us all you like! We want pics, we want pics, we want pics........ :

answer to your questions no1- a 40kph speed sign no2- back wheels slightly over 40kph 40kph zones are bloody dangerous!

[MEANXBCOUPE]

Originally Posted by fatasslandau

answer to your questions no1- a 40kph speed sign no2- back wheels slightly over 40kph 40kph zones are bloody dangerous!

"slightly"

[fatasslandau]

Originally Posted by MEANXBCOUPE

"slightly"

the speed of the wheels were not the problem .That bloody sign was

[Uncle Raggy]

Originally Posted by fatasslandau

answer to your questions no1- a 40kph speed sign no2- back wheels slightly over 40kph 40kph zones are bloody dangerous!

When you say the back wheels were 'slightly over' 40, did you leave the '1' off the front :

[XA_GT351]

Coupes, how i miss them

Before:

Before:

Before:

Before:

After:

[Geez Louise]

Ouch! What did that??

[THE4RD]

What a shame...

[XA_GT351]

Originally Posted by Geez Louise

Ouch! What did that??

2am Pill popping semi driver on the hume.

[XBCoupeNZ]

OMG .... I think I would have ended up being charged with assault if it had been my car (not promoting violence though)

[Bearman]

Originally Posted by XA_GT351

2am Pill popping semi driver on the hume.

Bloody Hell!! Hope no-one got hurt. Hope the coupe murdering truckie got his come-uppance. That would be just awful seeing your pride and joy end up like that. I feel for ya!!