1987cp's new '81 LTD 2-door

[Dave84]

i've always used armorall but i here it can dry out the vynel and make it crack faster, dont know how tru that is....

[marquisman]

for the exterior vinyl yes, never had a prob with armoral inside the car...the muguiars shine and luster is good shit

[Grand Marquis GT]

Aerospace 303.

Oh yeah, so when my crank window stuffs and clear lenses going to be ready?

[Nathan in MI]

Verrrrrry interesting pictures in the album, there...(seems as if you may have added yet another degree of complexity to the whole Duraspark mystery...)

Where do the wires from that computer go? That looks an awful lot like the computer made to control the VV carburetor. Here's my theory--that may have originally been a VV-equipped car, which would explain the presence of the computer, but it was replaced with a Holley 2 bbl at some point, which would explain the fact that the carb on there is a reman, not the original. Thing is, though, I would think if it had the computerized carb, it would have had the 3-plug DS box...then again, maybe this is just another goofy Ford thing. lol

[1987cp]

I just checked out your Picasa web album. I am not too familiar with other box Panthers, but I would say it has a variety of unique attributes. The coolant/washer fluid box is especially odd. Do you have a head unit for the car yet?

Well, I have two factory digital units, one with cassette and one without, but I don't know if they'll plug in easily. I have a Jensen with a tape deck that eats tapes (guessing the tensioner is broken), and a 1979 8-track stereo that fades on and off.

It would be nice to have some swing-up armrests added onto those seats. I thought about it with my own buckets, but would it look too conversion van-ish?

On the vinyl top, I would think something with UV protectant in it that still allows the vinyl to breath would be good. What that is, I don't know. Is the car getting a garage spot?

Dunno about armrests. I noticed recently that some Mercedes models came with an armrest affixed to the driver's seat, as does my mother-in-law's Aerio. Hopefully the new car will be sharing a garage spot with the wagon and the Cavalier can move into the garage more or less full-time.

i use muguiers vinyl cleaner and restorer for cleaning then their vinyl protectant, some guys talk about eagle one nano vinyl cleaner and protectant.

Okay, cool, I think Meguiars is what I have in the garage. I'll check later.

Aerospace 303.

Is that something you use in the Air Force to protect rubber bits on the planes?

Oh yeah, so when my crank window stuffs and clear lenses going to be ready?

Um .. um..... :looks around furtively: ..... uh, remember what I said about the guy really, really, really being interested in the turn signal lenses? And he was sort of helping me out by having the remainder of the car go to some use ........

[Archangel]

Okay, cool, I think Meguiars is what I have in the garage. I'll check later.

That, or the Mother's spray, don't remember which I used on my roof, tis a bright red bottle tho, so I'm thinking Mother's. Works real nice, after a trip to PA and back in the middle of summer with 80+ temperatures and a decent torrential pour through half a state my roof was still nice and shiney.

[88Vic]

Are you gonna take off the muffler and put up a vid of the exhaust before you remove the 255?

[P72Ford]

Aerospace 303.

Oh yeah, so when my crank window stuffs and clear lenses going to be ready?

I've heard of TC 303 for marine apps, and that is good stuff. Is Aerospace 303 the same thing, but with a little different twist?

Michael, you can get TC 303 at boat dealerships, or marinas. That is good stuff; I've used it on my brother's boat before.

[Dave84]

I just checked out your Picasa web album. I am not too familiar with other box Panthers, but I would say it has a variety of unique attributes. The coolant/washer fluid box is especially odd. Do you have a head unit for the car yet?

the coolent bottle in my 80 is the same as his also,

I also have the 3 plug duraspark box, but no computer, and the 3rd plug goes to some vaccume controld thing,, hmm

[1987cp]

the coolent bottle in my 80 is the same as his also,

I also have the 3 plug duraspark box, but no computer, and the 3rd plug goes to some vaccume controld thing,, hmm

Sounds somewhat like the one I left on the '79. Per discussion in the "New vs. Old Duraspark" thread, it seems to be a barometric pressure sensor for altering spark advance at high altitudes.

[torquelover]

Well, I have two factory digital units, one with cassette and one without, but I don't know if they'll plug in easily. I have a Jensen with a tape deck that eats tapes (guessing the tensioner is broken), and a 1979 8-track stereo that fades on and off.

Next time you're out here, I have something that will get you out of the 70's and 80's and at least into the 90's, unless you want to go retro. If you like semi-retro, I have found a tape under my Mark VIII's armrest for you. It's Madonna...

[1987cp]

Uh oh..........

[gabegt90]

for the exterior vinyl yes, never had a prob with armoral inside the car...the muguiars shine and luster is good shit

so your are saying armoral can cracked the vinal?

[marquisman]

well its cuz armourall is too water and dont have enough oils in it to take the punishment of the weather.

[1987cp]

Hm... well, turns out I couldn't find the Black Magic or the Meguiar's ... I wiped it down with silicone lubricant for the time being, but I'll have to make sure to get some real vinyl protectant on it in the near future.

Also did a quick check of functions underhood .... turns out there does appear to be a fast-idle cam function, even though I can't locate the item itself, and the cap and rotor were NASTY! Probably a miracle it ran at all with that the way it was. I cleaned up the rotor and installed a good cap I had, along with a better battery and positive battery cable, and it seems a bit happier now. Possibly even good enough to trundle around town a bit until the engine swap takes place. I also took it around the block a couple more times and came to a couple of conclusions: 1) the TV rod is adjusted quite loose, and 2) the bench seat really isn't growing on me in any great hurry. I think I just might be swapping it out for my Mustang seats when the opportunity allows, and probably for now install the '79 vinyls in the Merc.