Bringing the '83 out of retirement...maybe

[NitroNic]

In 2005 I bought a 1996 Impala SS, and since I lived with my parents at the time, was in college, and didn't have much income, I put the old grand marquis into storage. 5 years later, it's still there, somehow with pressure still in all the tires.

Anyway, I've grown up a little, graduated college, got a grown-up job, grown-up income, a wife, and last but not least, a house with a GARAGE!!!!

So, as much fun as the Impala has been (no flaming please), I really miss the old mercury. It's been in the family since 1985 (parents bought it a month before I was born... first car I ever rode in).

Enough of the sentimental BS... I want to bring it out of retirement. It's 60 miles away, so I have to get it here first. That'll be a project in itself. But once I do, I need a cheklist to get it driveable again since it hasn't moved under it's own power in at least 3.5 of it's 5 years in storage (I went back every once in a while and drove it around the parking lot). Here's what I have thought of so far:

-Change Fluids: engine oil, coolant (and thermostat), power steering, brake fluid (and bleed the whole system), wiper fluid. I'd like opinions on wheather or not I should flush the transmission fluid.
-Replace coolant hoses
-Replace leaky or brittle vacume hoses
-New Battery
-New Tires
-Check Brake Pads/rotors/shoes/drums and see if any need replacing or resurfacing
-Search and destroy any muddobber nests
-Wiper Blades
-Check Muffler Bearings (HAHAHAHAH!)
-Insurance
-Tag (it's been black tagged ever since storing it)
-Replace any burned out lamps
-Test power brake booster
-Test turn signal switch/horn switch/brake light switch/hazard switch, headlamp/highbeam switch


Also, I wasn't smart enough back then to put any thing in the fuel to keep it from gumming up... suggestions on what do to about that?

Just want to get the thing driving reliably, then I'll probably sell the Chevy so I can have some spare cash and maybe actually turn it into a project again :-D

Anyway I'm sure I'm leaving some things off the checklist so chime in when you think of something.

Thanks!

Nic

EDIT:
For what it's worth, I think it had about 148,000 miles when I put it into hibernation.

[91grandmarquis]

Might want to just do the tranny fluid anyway, as it won't hurt it. Im not seeing a whole bunch you left out... although Im sure others will. If it sat that long maybe rear end fluid change as well?

Bearings

Damn those things are expensive too.

[Lincolnmania]

belts and hoses and fresh coolant

[Heather]

You know... My LTD had sat longer than that when I bought it. The lawyer for the estate sale had it towed to a garage and told them to change ANYTHING and EVERYTHING out that they could before starting it again.... Hoses, fluids, filters everything that lot rot can kill.

Then, go to a gas station and fill it up all the way. Run that tank of gas with some seafoam added all the way thru. Then fill up again and run that 1/2 way out... Fill again. (I did this after I got the LTD on the advice of my mechanic and several other car people. Got rid of the old gas and helped clean things up a bit. Runs great, and no longer smells badly of rotted gas.) I may be wrong on this, but it did work for me.

One thing they forgot to change out though... WATER PUMP. On my first drive with Handsome, it blew up (smelly nasty scary screeching blew up)! Change that out. I mean it. Just to be on the safe side.

Oh, and check for any fuel leaks as well.

[johnunit]

check thoroughly for rust. Sure it might have been rust-free when you put it away, but if there was ANY damp where you parked it, you never know. At the very least get under there and check brake and fuel lines.


Also:

[NitroNic]

Heather.... thanks. I think I changed the water pump within a year of it being stored...but those are cheap and plentiful so I'll check it anyway.

check thoroughly for rust. Sure it might have been rust-free when you put it away, but if there was ANY damp where you parked it, you never know. At the very least get under there and check brake and fuel lines.

Yeah, I planned to check the brake lines and probably replace the hoses anyway. Didn't think about fuel lines. I almost wonder if it would be best to siphon that old fuel out as much as I can and put fresh fuel in.

So do you want me to post pictures of the rust or do you want pictures of the Merc and the Chevy?

[87gtVIC]

pics of rust on the merc

[Pirate]

Look out for squirrels. The little bastards can be everywhere, and are dangerous. An old lady here let a Lincoln sit for three years, and when she went in to start it again, she was mauled by a nest of grey squirrels hidden in the glove box...dozens of them were in there.

[Smokestacklightnin]

inspect front wheel bearings and races. Sometimes if they sit too long they can start pitting, if anything repack them