1988 Merkur - worth parting out??

[Pheadrus]

Hi Everyone
I'm new to the forum and Merkur's in general. I'm here because I was offered a 1988 XR4 for the cost of getting it towed to my place. About $200. I haven't had a chance to see the car because I just got the call about it today.

It's suppose to be a V6 model and not the normal North America turbo 4. The car is in Canada and my understanding was the US and Canada Merkur's got the turbo 4 cars. Could this be a XR4i imported from Europe?

Is the car worth bringing home? Withour seeing it, I'm assuming it won't be worth restoring and would likely part it out to help other Merkur owners. The issue is I'm up in Canada so I'm not sure the parts would be worth the cost of shipping to the US. Any advice on whether to bring it home? If I don't, it will get crushed.
Thanks.

[John Brennan]

Firstly, welcome aboard. That is an interesting story, for sure, and there are some quick ways to tell what you have. Aside from the six, does the car have a gas door which covers the gas cap, or just a depression on the side of the quarter panel with a three-lobed, exposed gas cap? Also, do the front and rear bumpers stick out a lot and have big, thick, crash bars mounted on shock absorbers behind them, or relatively less-protruding bumpers without? Any pix you could post would be very helpful, of course; pix need to be hosted by a site like Photobucket, unless you become a member here, which... I hope you fall in love with the car, and do.
Cheers...

Also, we have some terrific Canadian members here-- what part of Canada are you in?

[DPDISXR4Ti]

Get some pics, especially of the engine bay. If it truly is a Euro factory V6 car, it will be worth something to a North American audience, either as a whole or parted. If you aren't really committed to the car, the best bet might be selling it to someone as a whole car. Does it run? It's always easier to sell a running car, even if it's running poorly.

[DAReese]

This is something we should know as MCA members, but the XR4i only lasted from 1983 to 1985. After that, it was the XR4X4. There was an XR4 in Argentina from 86 to the early 90s, probably where the stamps for the Euro XR4i ended up after the MkII Sierra came out. It is a mix of Euro and North American parts.

[DPDISXR4Ti]

This is something we should know as MCA members, but the XR4i only lasted from 1983 to 1985.

Good point. My guess is that in the end, this car will be one of three things....

1) Plain-jane XR4Ti that is mistakenly indicated as having a V6
2) A Merkur Scorpio with a stock V6
3) A XR4Ti with a V6 swap of some sort

#3 is the long-shot pick.

[Pheadrus]

Thanks for the responses guys. I'm up in northern Ontario about 30 minutes from the MN border.

At this point, I have little info to share. A good friend of mine is a principle at a local high school and a gentleman has been bugging him to take the car as a project for the kids to fix up. The guy owned it since new and wants to see it fixed up instead of scrapped.

Unfortunately the school has 14 projects waiting to be worked on and they have no room for it. My friend knows I love and restore classic cars and asked if I wanted it. He doesn't know alot about cars but he said it was told it was a non turbo car with the V6 but also called it a XR4. So it maybe a Scorpio like memebers have suggested.

I'm in the midst of building a garage before the snow flies so it may take a week or so to get eyes on it. But when I do, I'll get pics and details for you guys. I joined here because I was hoping someone here might want it. I hate seeing cool and unique cars going to the crusher when their is someone who would love the car or at least us it parts to save others if it's too far gone. Being up in northern Ontario, cars usually get destroyed by rust so the body maybe shot if he drove it in the winter.

As soon as I have more info, I'll post it here for you guys.
Thanks, Steve.

[Pheadrus]

There is also a 1973 Capri with a turbocharged V6 for sale locally as well.

[John Brennan]

How many doors does the car have?

[Pheadrus]

I haven't been able to see the car yet.

[Matt01]

Im next door in quebec, if it is a euro import car definitely get it, I could potentially be a buyer as well.