96 Eddie Bauer 5.0 Log

[410Fortune]

yeah...... getting your hands on some complete 5.0 downpipes can be very interesting
Those little cat converters can be worth up to $135 each, and yards/wreckers will not sell used cats, so the downpipes rarely get saved.
You are going to need a private seller or get really lucky and find somebody doing a conversion that does not need them.

It is not uncommon for me to buy an entire 5.0 truck to get the cats and down pipes just FYI

 

[RandomNerd2000]

yeah...... getting your hands on some complete 5.0 downpipes can be very interesting
Those little cat converters can be worth up to $135 each, and yards/wreckers will not sell used cats, so the downpipes rarely get saved.
You are going to need a private seller or get really lucky and find somebody doing a conversion that does not need them.

It is not uncommon for me to buy an entire 5.0 truck to get the cats and down pipes just FYI

Yeah, they're getting hard to come by here, people chop them down for Mustangs and just cut the trucks up. I'd found several who bought motors but had already cut the down pipes. I may just drop the $400 into that OEM exhaust and drive the three hours to get it. Haven't decided yet. As sure as I did that I'd land another truck I feel sure.

 

[CDW6212R]

I need a set of cat pipes to try a last time to diagnose my 98 Mercury. I may get to it if I can build an exhaust for my black 98. I've either got clogged cats, or burned valves in my Mercury, I haven't touched it in over 18 months.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

Yeah, what makes this sad is the same guy I got this truck towing junk cars for is supposed to have a line on a 99 V8 with like 400K miles and a blown trans that's complete, and he says the guy disappeared. I could use a second set even really outside of the set for this truck. Guess before it's over I'll make the three hour drive and get that set.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

So new update. Found a line into another set of downpipes off a 2001. Guy said the truck is extremely rusty but if there's enough left to repair into a useable state, when he calls me it'll be $80 well spent. I've undertaken the cosmetics too while we wait, turns out the only light on the entire car to have good bulbs in it was the passenger park lamp, every other light needed at least one bulb, and most were leaking or busted. The good news is the front clip is intact, I replaced a park light, four bulbs, two headlight bulbs, and the grille. Hood shocks too. The interior is it's own gross disaster but I'll get it clean and sorted.

I do admit it's going to clean up to look decent, it's not the cleanest second gen I've ever had but sat 143K I'd about be tempted to get it good and clean and paint it. I sat it on a set of 15x8 gloss black wheels and 31" tall tires, that did a lot for it, even for me, considering my main attraction was the V8 under the hood.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

So I’ve been busy but I’ve gotten progress made. Every light on the entire car works and it barely leaks anything at all. I have a question though for those who have parts on here.

Anybody got a set of battery cables for a 96 5.0 with the OEM ends on them in good shape? This car has been “repaired” until the cables are nubby and before I go to the local yard I hate, I figured I’d ask here first. I know they come in a harness style setup going to the alternator and a connection near the fuse box and such.

 

[CDW6212R]

The battery cables include the AC compressor wiring and a connector along the fender behind the battery, not sure what that is for. I installed the one spare I had onto my Lincoln, a good fit. I looked many times for new cables, but never found anything new, or good used. I wish someone posted about something else that would work well too.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

Yeah I'm hoping the 96 I'm looking at for a parts donor has good OEM ends. It apparently was a ride and drive truck and the shop it's at fudged the water pump install. It's AWD and a pretty good looker but all I get is a bill of sale. It's supposed to have good cats and all on it, so it'll be well enjoyed for parts for mine. I debated dropping the AWD setup into my 96 and then doing a 4WD conversion. I've come to really like this Eddie B and want to see it fixed and fixed properly.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

So I found the battery cables...in a 97 with a 201K mile engine. They're also hooked to the engine that I'm pulling for $150 with the harness and PCM. Truck doesn't run but is a rot bucket so I'll have another V8 for a various project. It's a early 97 best I can tell so should be GT40s. Motor looks really good so I'm happy as can be even though I don't have anything to do with it yet.

The parts truck I gave up on, the guy is so slow to respond, I feel sure I'll get it eventually.

 

[CDW6212R]

Good find, all of those are worth the price for many parts. I still haven't gotten around to local places here, I need the late 97 wiring, and a pair of GT40 heads. I have a friend with an old 95 Cobra engine I can get the heads from, but those are a little more valuable for a restoration. I'd rather use Explorer heads, I just need them short term to build headers for, and make a blower setup.

Keep hunting, the parts are still out there in most places.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

Yeah I was amazed to find an early 97. Here they’re nonexistent. I’m going to start pulling it tomorrow, if it quits raining. I haven’t got any immediate plans for it but I have almost no 96 V8 parts so I’m glad to have it coming.

My 96 is the first V8 96 I’ve seen around here in near a year, which is why I’m so bent on restoring it. My parts selection I’ve gotten to where I rarely sell from, I had found a harness for you but someone cut it all to pieces getting the heads. Sad day.

 

[CDW6212R]

Yep, that's the downside of the JY's, some people break more than they remove. I hate seeing busted door panels from nice cars, where they went after a window motor or other small part. This Winter looks like a cold one so far.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

Yeah I’d found a beautiful set of Limited door panels in mint condition for my 01 Eddie Bauer, went back the next day to get them and someone had busted all four speaker grilles out and broke the wood on one. That was so disappointing. I didn’t need them but they sure were pretty

 

[CDW6212R]

Yeah I’d found a beautiful set of Limited door panels in mint condition for my 01 Eddie Bauer, went back the next day to get them and someone had busted all four speaker grilles out and broke the wood on one. That was so disappointing. I didn’t need them but they sure were pretty

That hurts. It's been over a year since I went hunting, I need to go see how things are again.

I have my 99 Limited door panels in my Mountaineer, and I found three NOS panels years back, plus one decent one to go with the others. So later I will have the original panels from my 99, as spares, and they are dark grey. My others are all medium grey(98's), so I won't need these, if they would work for you. The front top of each front panel is faded like typically now. The side glass has no UV protection, so that front part is fading on all of them.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

Yeah my originals in my 01 Eddie Bauer aren't faded because the windows have been tinted since near new, it shows inside of it too, outside of a small seat hole on the drivers side it's perfect. The panels down here I see in good shape pretty often, I'll eventually put Limited panels in my 01. It's got the tan interior. The Limited did too, if they hadn't broke the fronts I'd have dropped the money for the woodgrain, it was beautiful. I did get the radio trim even though the cigar lighter was gone because all the clips are good. It's on the desk here with me.

I've had reasonable luck with a magic eraser sometimes bringing the panels back, mileage varies though.