Pics of our progess.

NickW · Post by **NickW** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 7:02 pm

Wow, they are an odd little thing..but we will be covering them in our car for rust, animal and road noise reasons.

Got some more work done today, but none worth busting the camera out. Started to work heavily on the foot rests and up behind the lower dash.

Post by **Ed Lijewski** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 8:07 pm

Colin wrote:Seems perfectly plausible... have you seen the e-coat painting process in action, Ed?

No; and I'll stand corrected if someone can point to [any] expert opinion (rather than blather here) that points to that explanation. [

]

YMMV

Edit: Oh, And please offer a theory for why more than one "louver" [that's what they certainly look like] is needed in that "for drainage" explanation?

Post by **DPDISXR4Ti** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 8:51 pm

Ed Lijewski wrote:Edit: Oh, And please offer a theory for why more than one "louver" [that's what they certainly look like] is needed in that "for drainage" explanation?

I'll readily admit that my/DG's GUESS (yes, that's precisely what I called it), doesn't fully hold up, given the location and quantity of holes in the body. It doesn't fully make sense to me either, but it's the best guess I've heard to date.

Your statement however was delivered as fact, something which I believe I have irrefutably dismissed as being incorrect (aka, lame and indefensible).

A guess doesn't require a defense so much as something stated as fact.

Back to you Eddie...

Colin · Post by **Colin** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 1:31 am

Ed Lijewski wrote:
Colin wrote:Seems perfectly plausible... have you seen the e-coat painting process in action, Ed?
No; and I'll stand corrected if someone can point to [any] expert opinion (rather than blather here) that points to that explanation. [ ]

Here's a general summary of the e-coat process.

I've seen numerous videos of vehicle shells going through the electrodeposition coating tank and ALL of them (as far as I can remember) have entered with the nose down and exited with the nose high in the air, which doesn't really help the drain theory.

Maybe the designer just had some stanky feet.

Colin

fastmaul · Post by **fastmaul** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 1:41 am

Part of the crumple zone.

Post by **DPDISXR4Ti** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 1:46 am

fastmaul wrote:Part of the crumple zone.

Don't laugh - That's actually been seriously suggested before.

I can just see the ad copy....

The Merkur XR4Ti has a European-inspired "in-cabin crumple zone".

Colin · Post by **Colin** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 2:16 am

NickW · Post by **NickW** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 4:08 am

Being that they are all covered heavily with tar, they might have been put there to allow for the tar to spread/lay evening. Instead of forming weird shapes the tar would simply fill in the cracks. Just thought of it..probably not even close to right and I can think of reasons why.

Post by **DPDISXR4Ti** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 11:49 am

NickW wrote:Being that they are all covered heavily with tar, they might have been put there to allow for the tar to spread/lay evening. Instead of forming weird shapes the tar would simply fill in the cracks.

Sorry, can't buy that one. The largest grouping of louvers is in the forward footwells, where it's pretty close to dead flat.

We need to find someone on the inside at Ford who was involved with the engineering of this body.

MerkXRTurbo · Post by **MerkXRTurbo** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 11:53 am

DPDISXR4Ti wrote:We need to find someone on the inside at Ford who was involved with the engineering of this body.

Which brings up an interesting point. We know alot about the who/what/when about the design of the engine, but I have never heard anything about the design of the body.

Post by **Ed Lijewski** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 4:03 pm

Yeah! I want to strangle the one who designed the two "cowl-lets" on either side of the windshield with the vulnerable edge sticking up. Bet she didn't think to consider winter and ice scraper use.

And while I'm at it, lemme at the team that shaped the XR body: Fuh uh uh butt ugh ly

Comin' AND goin'

[Side view ain't bad.]

And those exposed seat belt rails Ferchrissakes, man/woman

And the weak taillight gaskets that dry up when exposed to sunlight

Go ahead, add to this list. wink:

YMMV

Post by **Ed Lijewski** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 4:14 pm

Colin wrote:
Ed Lijewski wrote:
Colin wrote:Seems perfectly plausible... have you seen the e-coat painting process in action, Ed?
No; and I'll stand corrected if someone can point to [any] expert opinion (rather than blather here) that points to that explanation. [ ]
Here's a general summary of the e-coat process.

I've seen numerous videos of vehicle shells going through the electrodeposition coating tank and ALL of them (as far as I can remember) have entered with the nose down and exited with the nose high in the air, which doesn't really help the drain theory.

Maybe the designer just had some stanky feet.

Colin

Some current Karmann info: http://www.karmann.com/__C1256DF700512B ... 82fe5.html

YMMV

Post by **John Brennan** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 10:54 pm

You've got to be kidding about the sliding seat belt rails-- that's one little gem of design I have always admired. Lets people get in and out of the back seat SO much more easily!

Post by **DPDISXR4Ti** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 11:13 pm

John Brennan wrote:You've got to be kidding about the sliding seat belt rails-- that's one little gem of design I have always admired. Lets people get in and out of the back seat SO much more easily!

Exactly! And if you don't like it, or you've "converted" the car to "2-passenger only" status, just convert to the Scorpio belt assembly!

turbofan · Post by **turbofan** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 11:56 pm

the XR is a nice looking car. it's extremely unique, and when it's lowered and stuff, it looks really cool from the front. it looks like a badger, low and mean

i really like it.

so, eddie, i will defend the designer. the car is neat. maybe ugly stock, but pretty much EVERYTHING was ugly stock in the 80's.