88 Colony Park

[mbood82]

Howdy everyone. My names Matt. I had to buy a daily driver because I was dumb and did this to my Jeep:

http://www.umit.maine.edu/~matthew.bodwell/000CF3B3-80000018/S1FCC03C7.-1/DSCF0052.JPG

So, I picked up an '88 Mercury Grand Marquis Colony Park wagon. Complete with wooden sides. It's in reasonable shape for the year and location, not really worth fixing up to much though. Gets me around though and as such, I'm interested in puttin a little bit of time and effort into it. So far I've done:
Exploder wheels with 245/60R15 tires (improved handling a tad)
freer flowing exhaust and conical intake

http://www.umit.maine.edu/~matthew.bodwell/S1F36B2C7.-1/merc%20rimzzz%20003%20Small.jpg

http://www.umit.maine.edu/~matthew.bodwell/S1F36B2F2.-1/merc%20rimzzz%20002%20Small.jpg

http://www.umit.maine.edu/~matthew.bodwell/S1F36B2E6.-1/merc%20rimzzz%20001%20Small.jpg

I'd like to replace the shocks, springs and sway bars if I can find some options cheap just to improve handling a little bit.. beyond that, I'm hopin to just keep up with whatever repairs until I get out of college.

[texasvic]

Welcome to GMN!

[mbood82]

Welcome to GMN!

thanks. :beer:

and nice AV!

[Paul_]

welcome to GMN! those wheels are slick.

wagons have ton of potential too. i wish i still had one :(

[mbood82]

welcome to GMN! those wheels are slick.

wagons have ton of potential too. i wish i still had one :(

I got a pretty decent deal on em.. 40 bucks for the set. just no center caps... :-(

the wagon is definintally handy, i've moved alot of people already..... and with the true dual exhaust and 3.55 LSD rear end, it goes okay for a Marquis.

[Paul_]

the only thing i didn't like about wagons was that the area where the spare tire sits rusts and rots if its not maintained. and i wish ford had made the carpet stationary somehow. granted the carpet is easier to clean but the floor panels get scratched to shit. damnit, i want another wagon

[mbood82]

the only thing i didn't like about wagons was that the area where the spare tire sits rusts and rots if its not maintained. and i wish ford had made the carpet stationary somehow. granted the carpet is easier to clean but the floor panels get scratched to shit. damnit, i want another wagon

yup, that's one of the many spots of rust on my pile. i had been planning on going through and fixing the body up but then took a look at the frame. it was pretty sad... at that point I figured I'd fix the frame up enough to get it through inspection the next year or two and then get rid of it.

i just stopped using that carpet in the rear, it's already scratched up and since I load dumb things like engines and transmissions in the back anyways, there isn't much point in keeping the carpet in.

[Paul_]

if you don't mind me asking where in where in maine are you? i live in nh

[mbood82]

if you don't mind me asking where in where in maine are you? i live in nh

milford, the other side of the river from the University of Maine.

what are of NH?

[Paul_]

i live in the boonies of milton. if i go into town theres a bridge that takes me to lebanon

[mbood82]

i live in the boonies of milton. if i go into town theres a bridge that takes me to lebanon

yup, no idea where that is. mapquest says you are almost in mass though. must be fun!

someday I want to move closer to civilization then here... once I'm out of school I should be able to do that. just gotta convince the wife that living more then an hour away from her parents is an okay thing... :thumbsup:

[85crownHPP]

welcome!

any close up pics of the wheels/tires? I wanna to see how that tire size looks.

The easy #1 sway bar upgrade is to go for a 1" police rear bar from a junkyard. They are golden.

[mbood82]

welcome!

any close up pics of the wheels/tires? I wanna to see how that tire size looks.

The easy #1 sway bar upgrade is to go for a 1" police rear bar from a junkyard. They are golden.

I don't believe I have anything closer up of the wheel tire size except maybe a burnout video (it's a night though and hard to really tell the tires...) I can try to get some tomorrow though if you want.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say the chances of the sway bars from a newer (98+ I think) won't fit the older ones I have, right? The local junkyards here only seem to have the newer vehicles. I know where there is an old campus cop car sittin in the junkyard though, waitin to be taken apart. It's just that newer style though...

[85crownHPP]

negative... 91 + TC's and 92 + CV/GM have the never style bars with ball joint link pins on both. Unless you can weld the brackets in the rear, or give yourself a big brake upgrade, count them out.

[mbood82]

negative... 91 + TC's and 92 + CV/GM have the never style bars with ball joint link pins on both. Unless you can weld the brackets in the rear, or give yourself a big brake upgrade, count them out.

well, I actually have access to a welder and a guy who can run it much better then I can, so if it doesn't take too much I actually could make use of it then...

[texasvic]

and nice AV!

Thanks!

[85crownHPP]

yah??? if i remember right, to me it looked like you could cut the mouting brakets for the rear off a donor car pretty clean. Id take your welder friend to the junkyard with you and see if he's up to it :banana:

[mbood82]

yah??? if i remember right, to me it looked like you could cut the mouting brakets for the rear off a donor car pretty clean. Id take your welder friend to the junkyard with you and see if he's up to it :banana:

i'm sure he'd be game if I could get the brackets off clean. the bigger problem is the getting em off... i have a grinder but the vehicle is in the middle of a u-pull-it yard. could be more work then it's worth... i'll look into it though.

thanks again.

[Grand Marquis GT]

Sweet waggin, looks slick with those wheels!

And welcome to GMN!

[Blaze86Vic]

Welcome aboard!!!

[mbood82]

welcome!

any close up pics of the wheels/tires? I wanna to see how that tire size looks.

The easy #1 sway bar upgrade is to go for a 1" police rear bar from a junkyard. They are golden.

Got some pictures today:

http://www.umit.maine.edu/~matthew.bodwell/S2103C3C4.-1/merc%20wheels%20fit%20001%20Small.jpg

http://www.umit.maine.edu/~matthew.bodwell/S2103C3B8.-1/merc%20wheels%20fit%20003%20Small.jpg

http://www.umit.maine.edu/~matthew.bodwell/S2103C3C0.-1/merc%20wheels%20fit%20004%20Small.jpg

http://www.umit.maine.edu/~matthew.bodwell/S2103C3D5.-1/merc%20wheels%20fit%20002%20Small.jpg

The front wheels are turned almost as far as they will go... i didn't have anyone to hold the wheel the last quarter turn. Never had a rubbing problem though, probably related to the offset of the Exploder rims.

Was that what you were looking for fitment wise?

[85crownHPP]

I just wanted to see how the height compares to the width... I was thinking about 245 or 255 60 or 65 size tires... I would run something like that if I came across some wider 15" wheels. Id prefer some 16" explorer or lincoln wheels though :drool:

[mbood82]

I just wanted to see how the height compares to the width... I was thinking about 245 or 255 60 or 65 size tires... I would run something like that if I came across some wider 15" wheels. Id prefer some 16" explorer or lincoln wheels though :drool:

I don't think I'd go any taller, at least in the front. I'm pretty happy with the overall height. I'd prefer a 16" rim to get a little less sidewall but for the price I'm not gonna complain...

[mrltd]

Nice car! I had the same wheels on my 87 sedan. I polished them and they look great. The centercaps are like 20 bucks from ford each..

85CrownLX, I've still got my exploder wheels!

[N A]

:welcome: to the forums!!!

[mbood82]

Well, after I had to sell the Colony Park a few years ago I'm back in a Panther platform.

'06 Crown Victoria LX
http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee209/mbood82/Crown%20Victoria/CrownVic001.jpg
http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee209/mbood82/Crown%20Victoria/CrownVic002.jpg

Already lookin for exhaust options.

[1987cp]

Nice! :2up:

I didn't post in your exhaust thread because I don't know much about the year to year differences of whale-bodies, but it seems guys have been having fair success in salvaging junkyard exhaust systems for the newer cars because they're actually made of a low grade of stainless - apparently they still get ugly, but don't rust through like aluminized does. You probably already knew that, though. :crazy:

[grandpaslincoln]

Wow this is an old thread lol

Welcome back!

[Lincolnmania]

welcome back!
nice vic!

[87gtVIC]

perty. welcome back!