LTDMan's '87 Ford LTD Crown Victoria LX (The Blue Beast) *DUW*

[Mercury93]

Wow, man. This is absolutley amazing! I can't wait to see the finished car. Keep it up!

[86VickyLX]

look good! at the last pic you posted...I am kinda loves the vent windows on the front doors. I wish that vent windows on my '91 GM.

It can be done. How bad do you want them?


It's great to see all that work being done on the once all blue vic. Is that powerglide AOD still in there mang?

[LTDMan83]

Thanks Guys.

You can swap in the Vent Window & Glass into the 1-piece glass door frame, it isn't too involved, it does involve drilling a few new holes in the door frame though. I like vent windows for their Functionality in a daily driver, I just think that the 1-Piece Glass front windows make the entire car look & flow much smoother across it's sides. That's just my opinion and preference, so no need for anyone to take offense to that, if you do happen to like vent windows.

The '87 Marquis I'm picking up next week, has the front vent windows, and I will be keeping them, as I want that functionality in my DD vehicle.

It's great to see all that work being done on the once all blue vic. Is that powerglide AOD still in there mang?

Yea, the PG AOD is still in there. I'm gonna be swapping in the Rebuilt AOD from my parts car soon. I rebuilt that AOD myself a few years ago, under the close supervision of my father, who is pretty much a master tech at rebuilding damn near every Auto Tranny in existence, so I know it will be good to go for a long time to come. Shifts like a dream as well.

[Jason_GMQ91]

It can be done. How bad do you want them?

because remind me of my old '87 GM have them.

[Tiggie]

Dang makes me miss the old thing! Still lookin good mang.

The Powerglide AOD lives on! That tranny wouldn't die but it sure made it hell on the bearings in the old '82 motor.

[LTDMan83]

Thanks Ben.

The PG AOD is indeed one tough nut to crack, I beat on it pretty hard and it didn't phase it whatsoever. I even neutral dropped it twice, didn't skip a beat.
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As for the project progress:

I have a helluva lot of work still left to do, before I can even re-install the front clip. My goal is to have all the Rust Repair/Restoration done on the front sections of the car/body parts, and the complete Front Clip re-installed by at least March or April, so that my engine bay can be protected from the harsh southern sun, during the summer.

My Por15 kits are supposed to be here this week, so after I receive them the train will continue rollin on, for this project.

[over2tonsofFun]

So what are your plans for it. resto or ????? If you are not going full resto I would dress the seams on the frame. to give it a smooth look.

Tim

[LTDMan83]

This project is a full Resto-Mod, as I am doing a stock restoration for the most part, but am also modifying things along the way, correcting factory error's etc.

I was previously considering smoothing out all the visible seams on the frame and underbody, as some of them significantly detract from the cleanliness of the undercarriage in some areas. I'm gonna be laying down a Matte Black finish coat on the Undercarriage, so I most likely will be going for it, as I want to build a total show-worthy box.

Being with how rarely these cars are ever touched by anyone, especially on this level, the car will be unique, and should stand out amongst the other classics at every show it attends.

[Lincolnmania]

get that body smoothed out

[LTDMan83]

Yessir, I definitely will!

I still have alot of resto, and other work to do, before I'll be at that stage of the project though. Once I do get started on it, for the most part I'm gonna be metal working the panels smooth, rather than using body filler. I also have quite abit of old trim holes I have to Weld shut, from all the trim I've removed, as well.

[LTDMan83]

Rust Repair/Proofing Update

Kind of a boring update, I know, as I'm still doing Rust Repair/Proofing, but the point of all this is to show the Detail I'm going into on this project. I'm trying to create a work of art, that will outlast me and my own lifespan. If ALL the rust isn't eliminated now it will only cause problems in the future, and the end result will be that the car will not last, even through my lifetime. I've spent insane amounts of time doing all the Mounting Points for everything (aka Rusting Points), and the inner structure of the fenders. Lots of work into this area of the project, and I had so many pics there was no way I could show them all, so these are just a few to help get the idea of what I have been doing to the LTD Showcar Project over the past month, and the 1st class treatment this Lucky Bastard of a Box is receiving, and will continue to receive until it is done.

On a side, but related note: This box really is a true bastard though, as it fights me, and shits on me, every single step of the way. It's almost like it doesn't want to be restored and rebuilt, or maybe it wanted to not be changed at all from factory original. Tough shit though, as nothing I will ever own will stay stock for long, I hate the incredible boringness of a stock car.

I definitely can't say that this car is my baby, yet, as it has seriously pissed me off several times, and done some things that defy logic just to screw me over, and it really hasn't done anything for me yet but take my Time & Money. So yea, the car and myself have a Love/Hate relationship at this point, lol. Problems and Obstacles in my way just make me that much more determined to succeed though, so tis all good. Still, I must admit that the Massive amount of work I have ahead of me on this car is a little daunting to take on. That has never stopped me before though...



Now, on with the Pics...


Every mounting point shown in the pics was also done on the opposite side of the car.

Bottom mounting point for the Fenders (DS). Excess Por15 around the outer edges will be sanded off, once I get to the finishing stages of the car. As you can see from the look of the frame, she has alot of surface rust forming, and I have alot of work ahead of me. Luckily it is only surface rust, and the inside of the frame is clean/rust-free under all the dust it is coated with.




Top mounting point (DS).




Firewall mounting point (PS).




Core Support top mounting point (PS).




Firewall Inner mounting tab (DS).




Bottom Inner part of the Fenders. I did every mounting point on the inside of the Fenders as well, but these points on the bottom rear of the fenders, were by far the most time-consuming. It is a Major rust-point in boxes though, as the inside always fills up with Leaves/Debris/Dirt between the outer skin and inner structure, which traps moisture and causes Rust to form. These fenders were packed full of moist Tree Debris, which I had to remove before I got started, luckily no rust though. The moral of the story is: Don't park your box under a tree, Boxes and Trees don't get along very well.




Just when I thought I was almost done, and could put the Fenders/Liners back on soon, I find more Hidden Rust. Under the lip of the edge of the Cowl, on both the DS & PS. I am now far from done, again, but I'm glad that I found this now instead of later. Looks pretty damn nasty with all the old body caulk spread around haphazardly, which is what caused this to happen in the first place.








and the Rust Repair/Proofing train rolls on...

[ÆJackacks]

I love how bright and shiny the rust spots come out,

What do you guys do when there is rust like inside the frame?

[86VickyLX]

I love how bright and shiny the rust spots come out,

What do you guys do when there is rust like inside the frame?

Cut it out and weld a new piece in.

[LTDMan83]

I love how bright and shiny the rust spots come out,

What do you guys do when there is rust like inside the frame?

That's Por15 for ya. It really is some excellent stuff. It actually will only stay shiny like that for about 2-3 weeks once it is outside though, as UV rays cause it to oxidize pretty fast.

For rust inside of the frame I usually use a Steel Cable which is Frayed at one end, and I stick the other end into a drill. I then go in through an existing frame access hole, or drill a new access hole, to get the frayed end of the cable to the rust area, then turning on the drill which beats and scratches most of the rust away. The area can then be Etched and Coated with Por15 through the access hole.

[Grand Marquis GT]

Nice werk!