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    Rusted frame!!

    The title pretty much says it all! I started pulling the 255 out of the LTD today. I jacked up the car and put it on jack stands. Then I crawled under it to drop the trany pan. That's when I saw the passenger side frame rail is 75% rusted away right at the trany X-member mount area. The mount and inner wall are solid but the bottom, outside and top are rotted away. :cuss: This is just what I need! :pissed: Atleast all the floors are solid.

    So now I have two choices; repair this frame or pick up another car for the frame. I haven't had any luck finding a frame in any of the local salvage yards.

    If I do a frame swap do I need to find a frame off another 2dr? What difference is there in a 4door or wagon frame?

    #2
    I think a 4dr frame will work....

    I do know the wheelbase is the same...
    1983 Grand Marquis 2Dr Sedan "Mercules"
    Tremec TKO conversion, hydraulic clutch, HURST equipped!

    Comment


      #3
      is it just the one area of the frame that is badly rusted? or is the whole frame bad? i have repaired the area you describe on my 84 vic.........it held up.......i have seen a few rusted in that area........anyway good luck with your project
      scott

      1986 lincoln towncar signature series. 5.0 HO with thumper performance ported e7 heads, 1.7 roller rockers, warm air intake, 65mm throttle body, 1/2" intake spacer, ported intakes, 3.73 rear with trac lock, 98-02 front brake conversion, 92-97 rear disc conversion, 1" rear swaybar, 1 3/16" front swaybar, 16" wheels and tires, loud ass stereo system, badass cb, best time to date 15.94 at 87 mph. lots of mods in the works 221.8 rwhp 278 rwt
      2006 Lincoln Town Car Signature. Stock for now
      1989 Ford F-250 4x4 much much more to come, sefi converted so far.
      1986 Toyota pickup with LSC wheels and 225/60/16 tires.
      2008 Hyundai Elantra future Revcon toad
      1987 TriBurner and 1986 Alaska stokers keeping me warm. (and some pesky oil heat)

      please be patient, rebuilding an empire!

      Comment


        #4
        if you replace rather than repair,

        the 4dr frames and the 2dr frames are indeed identical. the wagons have slight differences but still are not far off. mainly mounts for exhaust hangers

        but as long as you find a 4dr with a good frame you're good. when the bodys off the frame, that would be good to get some new body mounts on there
        Save a seal, club a liberal.

        Comment


          #5
          Mine had 0% rust, to bad it's a little box now.

          Comment


            #6
            Well I checked the frame front to back. All of it has surface rust but the only rusted thru areas are the one I mentioned and at the last body mount on the rear of the frame on the passenger side.

            Now it looks like to repair this thing right I'm going to have to pull the body. And if I'm pulling the body whatever frame I use is getting painted with POR15 so I don't have to go thru this crap again.

            I guess I'll keep looking for a frame and if I can't find one I'll repair mine.

            So much for this being a simple and quick project.

            Comment


              #7
              the wagons bumper mounts are differnt, so farms are the same, but you would be better off getting one from a 4dr.

              1981 Mercury Marquis Brougham 2-Door 302/ 5-speed -special blend (GMGT)
              1987 Lincoln Mark VII 5-speed (Errand runner)
              1989 Mercury Grand Marquis (Base Runner)
              2007 Lincoln Town Car Signature Limited (Hustlyn)
              2011 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor (Down with O.P.P)

              Comment


                #8
                I found a $100 GM 4dr with a good running 5.0L EFI. It's 300 miles away but otherwise it looks like a great deal.

                Comment


                  #9
                  so this means new frame?

                  1981 Mercury Marquis Brougham 2-Door 302/ 5-speed -special blend (GMGT)
                  1987 Lincoln Mark VII 5-speed (Errand runner)
                  1989 Mercury Grand Marquis (Base Runner)
                  2007 Lincoln Town Car Signature Limited (Hustlyn)
                  2011 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor (Down with O.P.P)

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Nope The jackass changed his mind on selling the car for $100. I sold the LTD and bought a driveable 2.3L powered 86 Mustang. It'll make a nice new home for my 351W. More info on why I went this way is in my other post http://www.grandmarq.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2188

                    I picked up this Mustang for $300. It needs some body work and paint but the unibody is rock solid and pretty much everything works on it. So it was just a better choice for my 351W swap.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Yay, another high performance Mustang....
                      '89 Ford LTD Crown Vic - '92 Ford F-150 Custom -
                      '95 Ford Bronco XL -

                      sigpic :rebel:

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Yeah, get a mark VII. My upgrades may be slow. New home needs a fixing. GHEY!

                        I dig mustangs though. Best product to put gofast parts in if you want to go fast. Nothing better than starting out with the lightest car of the group.

                        I'll take any other foxbody over one most likely.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Hey Boxman donate your 2dr to me and I'll be more then happy to drop my 351W in it! If someone wants to sponsor me I'll build any Ford they want me too! Hell I'll swap my 351W into a Fiesta if someone wants to foot the bill! When I decided to retire my camper I wanted to find a Fairmont. And I was really wanting to find a wagon! I like sleepers. I looked for a fairmont in my area for 3 months. The only one I could find was a rusted out 4 door for $850! So while I was looking I found the LTD 2dr. I was hoping it would work out but it was just in worse shape then I was hoping. Like I said in my other post I don't need another project that will need a complete restoration/build up. I wanted something that I can just do an engine/trany swap on and go. I was looking for something that is solid, driveable and cheap. It could have been just about any Ford product. This Mustang just happened to fit the bill.

                          460 I've got a Mark VII. I'm going to pick it up this sunday. But it's suppose to be pretty rotted out. I'm just going to strip it out and send the rest to the crusher. I'm hoping I can use the rear diff and front brakes on my Mustang. I like all the fox chassis cars. Like I said I was really looking for a Fairmont. But I would have taken a 81-82 Granada or Cougar or the Little LTD or Marquis. But the Stang was priced right and it is what I need for the swap.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Respect.

                            I'll take pictures of what I need if you're still willing to sell the parts.

                            If they're a resonable price.

                            Drivers side tail light. Mines cracked. I could get one off ebay, but I'd rather not deal with it unless necessary. Some small trim peices as well.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Yea just let me know all the parts you need and if they are good on my MkVII I'll sell them cheap. I'm only keeping the parts I can use in my Stang. The others will be sold or tossed. So if there are parts you can use I'm more then happy to sell them to you.

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