Stripping a parts car

Hi all - Just a quick question - I have a 1987 Ford Taurus, 6 cylinder
3.0 L. About six months ago a bought another car to work on for fun,
a 1993 Ford Taurus, also 6 cylinder 3.0 L. I haven't had the time to
do any work on it, and now I'm moving. My new place I only have room
for one car and since at this point I'd only be using it for spare
parts for the car I drive (the 1987), I want to strip the good parts
and junk it. Despite being newer it has over 300K miles on it (the 87
only has about 100K) and the body is in about the same condition as
the 1987. I just need to know what would be worthwhile to strip from
it.
(Please respond to the group)
Thanks, Dave

wrote:
> Hi all - Just a quick question - I have a 1987 Ford Taurus, 6 cylinder
> 3.0 L. About six months ago a bought another car to work on for fun,
> a 1993 Ford Taurus, also 6 cylinder 3.0 L. I haven't had the time to
> do any work on it, and now I'm moving. My new place I only have room
> for one car and since at this point I'd only be using it for spare
> parts for the car I drive (the 1987), I want to strip the good parts
> and junk it. Despite being newer it has over 300K miles on it (the 87
> only has about 100K) and the body is in about the same condition as
> the 1987. I just need to know what would be worthwhile to strip from
> it.

Headlights, taillights, plastic reflectors and lenses. Power window/seat
switches. Real (non-donut) spare tire.

Junkyard may not like taking a car that doesn't have that stuff, but might
if the window glass is all good.

--
Dec. 6 (Bloomberg) -- Government officials and activists flying to Bali,
Indonesia, for the United Nations meeting on climate change will cause
as much pollution as 20,000 cars in a year.

clifto wrote:
> wrote:
>
>>Hi all - Just a quick question - I have a 1987 Ford Taurus, 6 cylinder
>>3.0 L. About six months ago a bought another car to work on for fun,
>>a 1993 Ford Taurus, also 6 cylinder 3.0 L. I haven't had the time to
>>do any work on it, and now I'm moving. My new place I only have room
>>for one car and since at this point I'd only be using it for spare
>>parts for the car I drive (the 1987), I want to strip the good parts
>>and junk it. Despite being newer it has over 300K miles on it (the 87
>>only has about 100K) and the body is in about the same condition as
>>the 1987. I just need to know what would be worthwhile to strip from
>>it.
>
>
> Headlights, taillights, plastic reflectors and lenses. Power window/seat
> switches. Real (non-donut) spare tire.
>
> Junkyard may not like taking a car that doesn't have that stuff, but might
> if the window glass is all good.
>

I'm curious about the sanity of someone who buys a Taurus to work on
"for fun."

Sorry, I can't say what usually fails on a Taurus save for the
transmixer. That seems to be the common one.

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

Nate Nagel wrote:
>
> I'm curious about the sanity of someone who buys a Taurus to work on
> "for fun."
>
> Sorry, I can't say what usually fails on a Taurus save for the
> transmixer. That seems to be the common one.
>

Depends on the year & model. They had a lot of trans problems up until
about 2000, IIRC. There were some issues with the OHC 3.0L engine but
the old pushrod version is pretty reliable. The last 4 or 5 years
they're decent, if uninspiring, transportation. Since they don't hold
their value very well you can get a decent one for cheap. If you just
want something to get to work & back, they're not bad...definitely not a
944 but they do the job.

I wouldn't say they're particularly fun to work on, tho, but I guess
it's all relative. And I don't know how many parts the OP can use on his
87 from the 93...

M.M. wrote:
> Nate Nagel wrote:
>
>>
>> I'm curious about the sanity of someone who buys a Taurus to work on
>> "for fun."
>>
>> Sorry, I can't say what usually fails on a Taurus save for the
>> transmixer. That seems to be the common one.
>>
>
> Depends on the year & model. They had a lot of trans problems up until
> about 2000, IIRC. There were some issues with the OHC 3.0L engine but
> the old pushrod version is pretty reliable. The last 4 or 5 years
> they're decent, if uninspiring, transportation. Since they don't hold
> their value very well you can get a decent one for cheap. If you just
> want something to get to work & back, they're not bad...definitely not a
> 944 but they do the job.

Heh... anyone that buys a 944 to work on for fun needs his head examined
as well. Drive, yes. Work on... well, they actually are pretty
serviceable, but clutch and timing belt replacements are a #$^%$^%& pain
in the !@#$%. Fortunately it's not like those are normal maintenance
items. Oh, wait a minute...

nate

(rather be driving than wrenching...)

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

wrote:
> Hi all - Just a quick question - I have a 1987 Ford Taurus, 6 cylinder
> 3.0 L. About six months ago a bought another car to work on for fun,
> a 1993 Ford Taurus, also 6 cylinder 3.0 L. I haven't had the time to
> do any work on it, and now I'm moving. My new place I only have room
> for one car and since at this point I'd only be using it for spare
> parts for the car I drive (the 1987), I want to strip the good parts
> and junk it. Despite being newer it has over 300K miles on it (the 87
> only has about 100K) and the body is in about the same condition as
> the 1987. I just need to know what would be worthwhile to strip from
> it.
> (Please respond to the group)
> Thanks, Dave

If your stripping parts for the 93, your choices are limited.
The alternator won't fit. The starter is different.
The trannie is a AXOD and not a AXode. The headlight lens are not
the same. The tires and wheels will fit. some interior parts might
fit. The dash is different. THe computer is different.

So, it all depends on what kind of parts you need.

(take my word for it, i have stripped many taurus for my 93)

Parts for gen2 that are always on my hit list:

Headlight lens (always get cloudy or leak and go bad)
motor mounts ( i finally bought solid aftermarket ones)
tires, wheels, rotors, calipers
alternator
radiator (just changed one i bought new to one of my cores)
TFI module.
CCRM module
1/2 shafts


WHat i need now:

rear bumper and tail light (rear ended last week)
front bumper (previous wife incident)
Back door mech. (door won't open from inside)
rack ( nasty job, been avoiding it)
IP lights, ( another 1/2 day project i have been avoiding)

My 93 is like a cat, its on its 8th life......
It takes hits and keeps on ticking. (200K +)


Bob

Leave the car at your old address and forget it. You will thank me
years from now because you won't still be lugging around parts from
this car that never seem to be what you need. I still have stuff from
my 1954 Ford and a 1953 Plymouth, but not much and in those days a lot
of parts were swapable. Now it's a differant ball game. Many parts
will not swap ffrom one year to the very next. The best way to store
used parts is on the car but many don't have room or local laws won't
allow keeping junk. OK, if there are any good tires, good, as in much
tread left, keep some or all of the tires. Then you have the problem
how to get it out of the yard. A lot of junk collectors will not be
sending a flat bed to get it so find out. Tell them you want the
tires, whatever, it's turning into more of a head ache than it's
worth. Believe me.

disston

On Jan 2, 5:41*pm, wrote:
> Hi all - Just a quick question - I have a 1987 Ford Taurus, 6 cylinder
> 3.0 L. *About six months ago a bought another car to work on for fun,
> a 1993 Ford Taurus, also 6 cylinder 3.0 L. *I haven't had the time to
> do any work on it, and now I'm moving. *My new place I only have room
> for one car and since at this point I'd only be using it for spare
> parts for the car I drive (the 1987), I want to strip the good parts
> and junk it. *Despite being newer it has over 300K miles on it (the 87
> only has about 100K) and the body is in about the same condition as
> the 1987. *I just need to know what would be worthwhile to strip from
> it.
> (Please respond to the group)
> Thanks, Dave

I guess my first question is what do you plan on doing with the parts
once they are stripped.

Are the stripped parts to be used as substitutes on your 1987? If so
you should check which parts can be swapped.

Or are you planning to sell them on Ebay. If you are planning on
selling them you might want to look into whether there is much demand
for parts from a 1993 Taurus and what prices they bring.

I don't know much about Taurus cars, but my sense is that you do not
have a gold mine in resales here. If it were me I would probably call
the junk yard and have them tow it. Or sell it complete on Craigslist
as a parts car.

wrote:
> Hi all - Just a quick question - I have a 1987 Ford Taurus, 6 cylinder
> 3.0 L. About six months ago a bought another car to work on for fun,
> a 1993 Ford Taurus, also 6 cylinder 3.0 L. I haven't had the time to
> do any work on it, and now I'm moving. My new place I only have room
> for one car and since at this point I'd only be using it for spare
> parts for the car I drive (the 1987), I want to strip the good parts
> and junk it. Despite being newer it has over 300K miles on it (the 87
> only has about 100K) and the body is in about the same condition as
> the 1987. I just need to know what would be worthwhile to strip from
> it.
> (Please respond to the group)
> Thanks, Dave

Depends.

Are you looking to sell the parts off it? If so, find a junkyard price
list and sell the expensive parts.
Are you looking to stock the most commonly failed parts?
Are you looking for the weird stuff that's dealer only and you can't
find at parts places?

If it was my car I was stripping to shred, I'd save the
electronics/electrical - power window motors, taillights, computer, etc.
I'd then find out the stuff that commonly fails on Tauruses and keep
that. Unless I needed the motor and trans I'd probably sell it with it
or separately. I wouldn't bother keeping the glass - side glass is
cheap, front and rear glass is almost impossible to get out without
busting it, and a pain to store. I also wouldn't bother with stuff like
brake linings and tie rod ends, but I would consider the drums and
steering rack.

It all depends on how much crap you want lying around. I have a dirt
track Camaro and the collection of spare/blowed up motors,
transmissions, rear ends, spindles, etc... takes up a whole shed. I
have an 80 Trans Am that was purchased as a project car that's been
cannibalized for parts for the race car. OTOH, my old Jimmy got parted
out for about a year before giving away what was left. But, I have a
big yard, a tall fence, and live in an area that's tolerant of project cars.

Ray

Ray

Hi - Thanks for the advice so far.
I'd be stripping the parts to have around for my 87 Taurus. The
transmission came to mind first, since the one on my 87 doesn't sound
that great and the 93 has one that was remanufactured by ford and
sounds really fine when shifting. But as someone mentioned it's a
different type.
Even so it's not a huge deal as the 93 cost me about $125, though I'd
like to salvage anything worthwhile.