TCCoA Forums banner

removing chrome wheel well lips

2K views 14 replies 9 participants last post by  Eric420 
#1 ·
I have a 95 xr7 LE with the tan half rag top and the chrome over the wheel wells, I am missing one of the chrome lips on the front driver side so instead of ordering a set of new ones , I figured I would take them off. Does anyone see any issues I might have in doing this? I plan to just grind of the rivets on the bottom. I think it looks nicer with out them and gives it more of a "mean" look. Any ideas or comments would be apreciated. Thanks, Jon
 
#2 ·
I have removed one of mine to see if was covering any damage, but I didn't have enough time to take them all off, so I pop riveted it back on until I can either take off the wheel and drill the pop rivets, or use my dremel and cut the heads off the pop rivets.

Only thing I am worried about is damage under one of them (and covered with the wheel well trim) or that the paint will be different color (mine is pearl, and I could see it being a different color with 9 years less sun exposure). I will be removing mine soon though, oddly enough the same time I do that I am adding them to my 2000 Grand Marquis, but that is a different style car, and I have dinged wheel well lips to cover too.
 
#3 ·
So today I took them off and it looks a lot nicer I gotta say. I found one minor rust spot on the pass side front in the fender well so I used my angle grinder to bring it down to fresh metal and I will be painting it tomorrow. here are some before and afters
[/IMG]
[/IMG]
[/IMG]
[/IMG]
 
#4 ·
Well, with the Bostonian style top, the stock wheels, white walls, and that passenger mirror, I would have left them on.

I would paint the holes from the rivets too, I did that for the mud flaps I removed, one of the mounting points was into the metal lip.

They look okay on my car, but they don't fit the style I am hoping for once I get to do some appearance style upgrades.


 
#5 ·
Well the mirror is being replaced on monday night, so it will look better. 1 of them was missing and another was dented so I figured this would look better. I also plan to go with cobra r style rims in the some what near future, and as for the tires I am losing the white walls asap.
 
#7 ·
With the Bostonian style top I think I'd have left them on but it still looks good & will look even better I think with the Cobra R's.
 
#8 ·
thewishkah said:
I think it looks nicer with out them and gives it more of a "mean" look. Any ideas or comments would be apreciated. Thanks, Jon
Well being as your missing one of them and another one is dented sure go ahead and take them off - i never liked them anyway - but don't delude yourself that granpa's south florida retirement limited edition cougar looks meaner without them. It still looks like an old folks car, just different that's all. :tongue:

I appreciate you want ot put some nice rims and rubber on it but with that old mans roof on it is it even worth it? imo these vinyl clad cougars never look good when muscled up or blinged out. It just looks weird.
 
#9 ·
ehh for a free car how could I argue esp with only 62k on the clock. I agree I don't really like the top but I still want to try and make it look nicer I had thought of taking the top off and sanding/grinding it down to bare metal filling in any holes and then taking it in for paint but that would cost more then the car is worth so I have to see what I end up doing with the car.

oh and I also plan to lose the luggage rack on the trunk but I think I may be better off just swapping out the lids from another cat.
 
#10 ·
Southpaw said:
Well being as your missing one of them and another one is dented sure go ahead and take them off - i never liked them anyway - but don't delude yourself that granpa's south florida retirement limited edition cougar looks meaner without them. It still looks like an old folks car, just different that's all. :tongue:

I appreciate you want ot put some nice rims and rubber on it but with that old mans roof on it is it even worth it? imo these vinyl clad cougars never look good when muscled up or blinged out. It just looks weird.

i disagree, i think it looks better with the top on.

I dont care too much for the cougars without the top. I dont think it looks like a old persons car, i think it looks pretty tight.

at least the top adds some style to it. The regular cougars are what looks like a old persons car.
 
#12 ·
wheels are 5x4.25, NOT the same as the factory or aftermarket Cobra Rs for Mustangs, HOWEVER there are Cobra Rs available in our bolt pattern and better back spacing. Finding them Cheap, that is another thing. You might also be able to find some SVT 17x7 Cobra R wheels, FRPP no longer makes them, and most places are out of stock, but you might find some used or someone might have them. Someone here recently scored a set. 7 inch is too narrow for me, but for my 89 where I want passenger style tires and not UHP or HP tires, it would be better. A 235/55/17 would look good on them.

For a free car, do what you can to get it looking the best for as little money as you can. If the wheel well lip moulding is missing and damaged, take them off, I wouldn't try anything with the top, it isn't something I would buy (I passed up a 91 Cougar with a 5.0 but had the bostonian top when I bought my 89 with the 3.8, a soft top doesn't suite the car, like it does an 80s Crown Vic/Grand Marquis for example).
 
#15 ·
My Cougar has the Landau roof on it and it's one of the things i like about it..... It makes the rear three windows smaller. I also have vertical "coach lights" on the sides that i dig:D. I'd post pics but I can't.....or something.:confused:

There's a link in my sig though.....

Eric

Oh yeah.....Got the V8 too.....:D
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top