2redrovers

Here ya go bear, this what you had in mind?

Haven't heard of anyone trying but when you look at the parts, they are very similar to look at. Might not be correct dimensions but it could be worth the gamble for 140 bucks.

With a nice high end interior job and it's a stylish cruiser in the topless galaxy vibe.

Hmmmmmmmm and who be this wizard of metals ye speak of?

Not sure they're wide enough

Hehe bear I've been waiting for someone to mention p76 again. Seems like everything you try to change up the xc shape, ends up in Leyland country. I saw it after the first headlight change and didn't go away with the second. I've been changing up cars for a long time, only now I do it knowing roughly what's on the inside and what it would take to make it work. The style of the blue xd/e might be a little clunky, but that was commonplace at the time. It's kinda like ford used the gt40 idea to make a peoples sedan into a Ferrari eater.

How's this one? Take this monster... Mate it up to a transaxle so it's mid mount and cram it in this...

When you drill out the welds, take it slow and easy, only go through the layer you are removing and keep the drill speed down. You want it to spin fast enough to see it cut the chips of steel away but slow enough that it doesn't overheat the bit. Will last longer as they are a pain to sharpen without the right grinding tool. When you clean it up to go back in, spray the overlapping edges with either zinc primer or epoxy. Line up the panel, then clean the spot where you need to weld for good conductivity. I usually weld with the wire feed a little lower than normal to get a slightly hotter weld with a bit less build up to clean.

I tried to get this one the right sizes. From best guess, this could possibly work as they two are very close width-wise. 2008 range rover sport (ford owned)

Thanks Steve. I'm sure I could make this stuff work better if I could come up with a way to take relative measurements. I can make things fit and look visually correct but that doesn't mean they are correct to real dimensions.

Bear, with those lights in the bar you'd end up with something like a Lincoln When I said modern, I was trying to find a reasonably new (10yrs ish or newer maybe) model that might be able to adapt to the general bodylines of the xc and end up with sort of a retro-mod look. Not sure about this one but these are 05 Lincoln navigator lights and a few mods to help blend them in. Not really sure what the side profile would look like yet but the lights would be deeply recessed.

Suggestions for modern head/tail lights from any ford or Ford owned make that could work with the original xc shapes?

Piece of cake, even have change left over

I'm not certain as I have no measurements to verify but I tried the qtr window because I thought it may allow you to use rear door glass from a wagon in the front door. I don't know if you need to do that or if front glass would still work. In all honesty, if you're building this car as I've drawn it, you can afford to make glass for it. If you want to build it let me know and I'll make it happen

I made up two versions of this one, with and without qtr glass. In the pic the back dogleg is a little iffy on the bodylines but this would be addressed in steel as construction went along. If you can imagine the back door welded up, I think it makes a nice hardtop too.

That second corty is the one I like and is similar to what the xc would look like when I put some of the details back on it.

Close although in my head I've used only xc panels to create what I've tried to show. There is a version with a pillar that I like and I'll pop it up at some point. Probably would get a factory door handle on front door.

I was using the 4 door version of that model for clues along the way because they made a pillarless one.

Glad I've kept it in the 70s. When it starts looking like a prius let me know, probably means I've gone too far then

Here's tonight's photochopping. Ute tail lights will return, this is just where I'm at so far. Have to rejig the lights and do a better job on the wheel arch, probably change up the wheels and stance next too.

Yeah it crossed my mind when I wrote that last post. Never entered my head as I drew it up but the higher rear deck is definitely similar.

I know that's the impression you get from that quick mock up, but the real thing would only use the lights and the rest would be sedan/coupe styled. Not necessarily recognised as previously an xc but at the same time it wouldn't look like a ute bum tacked on. At least I hope that's what would come out of it.

I'm leaning towards a custom bumper front and rear. A lot of half formed ideas in my head but nothing defined falling out yet.

I'd love to do a Volks rod. This is the kind of idea I had in my head if I used ute tail lights. Clearly not a finished pic, I'm still learning how to make it do what I want it to.

It's all food for thought mate, keeps us all dreaming.