Thanks for everything NATO, goodbye TC :(

Well guys, the time has come...
As a few of you have read -- I finally ran the old beast into the ground a few weeks ago. At 283K+ I blew something, maybe just an HG, but after the 15mi limp home with the dipstick (along with a significant amount of oil) blown out who knows what other damage I did.

Just found out a week ago the wife's expecting and we really needed an econo 4 door for my 50 mi commute, and to drive on trips when we don't need the space or towing of the SUV.
Coincidentally, I stayed FORD - 2000 Contour 2.0L, good condition - about 100k and got it cheap.

The good news on the TC is I found a local performance Ford business that's interested in my TC. Midwest Mustang - check them out at midwestmustang.net - they have a TON of Fords and often have a TC or two for parts.

At the JY I figure I'd be lucky to get $150 but MWM agreed to $250 and is going to pick it up at my house The kicker is they plan to rebuild it! I'm going to try to get an update now and then and see if they go through with it.

Thanks for everyone's help getting my car as far as I did. Pete D and Jeff K's advice has been invaluable over the past few years. If it wasn't for Pete's encouragement to go through with the 5 spd swap (while learning everything on the fly) I would have ditched it 5 yrs ago when the auto died.

I frequent a lot of automotive related forums and the group of enthusiasts at NATO make up the most helpful, thorough and technically precise discussion forum I've ever read.

As the availability of well kept TC's decreases, and the price for one increases I suspect my odds of re-entering the TC world are slim, but I've learned to never say never

Good luck with everything and congratulations on the two new additions, baby and car. You know where to find us so don't stay away.

It sucks that the car is going out like that (wish I lived closer). Though, good luck.

Originally posted by Liquid_force:
The good news on the TC is I found a local performance Ford business that's interested in my TC. Midwest Mustang - check them out at midwestmustang.net - they have a TON of Fords and often have a TC or two for parts.

It's a good thing when the car goes to a good home. I was happy when the people who came to buy the one I sold were a Greenleaf employee and his father the F-16 engineer, both serious Fox-body enthusiasts, who knew what I was talking about when I said "It's got the 3.55 8.8, but I kept the drums, and used the 88TC axles, so I had to use raised hat drums from an '83" and "the LA3 is hardwired for premium, but I took out the BCS bypass since I wasn't sure who would be doing the test drives." They were looking for a dependable Fox body for another family member, and that is what they got. Fate was smiling on that car when I bought it and brought it back to where it should be, and again when I sold it to those folks.

...the group of enthusiasts at NATO make up the most helpful, thorough and technically precise discussion forum I've ever read.

Agreed. That is one reason I keep my TC links active. Looking at the logs, they are viewed at least daily. Keeping the links active is the least I can do to return the favors I received over the past seven years.

Cue the trumpets...

http://natomessageboard.com/uploads/00000317/bird1.jpg [url]
http://natomessageboard.com/uploads/00000317/bird2.jpg [url]
http://natomessageboard.com/uploads/00000317/bird3.jpg [url]
http://natomessageboard.com/uploads/00000317/bird4.jpg [url]
http://natomessageboard.com/uploads/00000317/bird5.jpg [url]

It's no TC, at least it's a Ford.
http://natomessageboard.com/uploads/00000317/ctour.jpg [url]

Man is that sad.

Originally posted by Pete D:
Man is that sad.

Yep, can almost see it in the last picture, the loooong last stare as your baby is hauled away..

Give it a few months,you will be driving by Midwest Mustang and stalking the car.As for the Contour,it's like light beer,no taste,but it works.