Neums' 1986 Chicago PD project

[neums]

The bumpers haven't been rechromed yet. They may look OK in the pictures, but in person they look like they were on a 25 year old car that sat outside its whole life (which it is). They really bother me, but I don't want to send them out for plating now and miss events with the car. Probably around November I will send them out.
I got the door guards off of a 1989 Crown Vic in a wrecking yard. I used a razor blade to remove them. When I got home, I peeled off the remaining stickum. They were white, but kind of yellowish from age, so I sprayed them with white SEM Vinyl Dye. I attached them to my car with some 3M double stick tape made for attaching car trim.

[1987cp]

Impressive that you were able to reuse rubber side-bumper trim. I'd figure the chrome-with-rubber-insert stuff would be a huge benefit in that regard.

[neums]

I want the car to be as true to 1986 Chicago cars as possible. That is why I changed the rubber strips to the cheaper kind. It is also why I put in the dash guages, rubber floor, and why the seats will be vinyl split benches. The only thing I'm keeping which wasn't in Chicago cars is the trunk carpeting. I was told that Chicago cars came without the trunk liners, but I put so much stuff in there that I think I will keep the liner.

[neums]

A few pictures from the Chicagoland Emergency Vehicle Show last weekend. I didn't get everything done that I wanted, just ran out of time, but it came out OK.

Parade on Friday night. 1990 Chicago Caprice behind me.


One big dissapointment, while I was away eating lunch, somebody put a big scratch in my brand new driver's door belt molding. Too deep to polish out, so I'll need to buy an $80 replacement. Probably somebody wearing a ring or watch leaned in to look inside my car or maybe some kid with a toy. I hate having to redo things before I even finish everything.

[marquisman]

looks awsome! but, it does suck that someone scratched your car

[1987cp]

It does look great.

Amusingly, I had another of the rare specimens show some interest in my car yesterday, in the Lowe's parking lot.

"Hey! What's that got in it? A 440?"

"No, it's a Ford."

"Oh! Is that one of the old Police Interceptors?"

"Yep."

[neums]

Here is my "temporary" solution to my seat problem. I got these very nice condition cloth seats from a wrecking yard for $50 (actually $48, I pocketed the $2 in change I found on the floor while removing them in the wrecking yard). I still plan to recover my vinyl seats because that is what the CPD used, but this will free up some money this fall to rechrome my bumpers. In my opinion, they look much better than the sun bleached red seats that were in the car or the dried & torn vinyl replacements I found.


Also found a perfect pair of those "twisty" plastic sleaves for the front seatbelts. (those things which are always broken)

[hemihotrod402]

any updates?

[neums]

I removed and disassembed the bumpers last weekend. They will be rechromed next month. One stubburn bolt holding a bumper pad gave me problems; skinned knuckles and a lot of elbow grease got it off though. I found a pair of NOS taillight assemblies that I'll install when it gets warmer. Thats about it though.

[P72Ford]

This is a great looking car, neums. Your caliber of work is commendable.

[neums]

Finally a weekend warm enough to work in the garage. My bumpers were sent off to be replated a few weeks ago and should be ready any day now. This morning I worked on the inner bumper supports. Hit the rust spots with a wire brush and then a die-grinder, then painted everything with Rustoleum.



Did the same to the license plate holder, but used an aluminum colored Rustoleum, then a few coats of satin clear.


Here are some of the NOS parts I collected over the Winter. Included are 4 bumper guards, cornering lenses, a right side view mirror, a dash molding, and a left tail light assembly. Couldn't find a right side tail light assembly, but I did find a new lens and backup light. I'll probably have to get the old one rechromed.


These are NOS emblems. A Ford oval for the trunk lid, and some shields for the B-pillers. The shields are new, but didn't have the red inserts. A couple of board members helped me with the inserts (thanks again).

[87gtVIC]

Nice shiny parts!

[1987cp]

Good find on that p/s mirror!

[79lincolnlover]

When do the car shows start in your area?

[neums]

First show in two weeks. Its usually cold, raining, or both though.