1990 country squire resto/lowrider in UK

[grandwagon]

looking good as always Andy, cant wait to see this one hit completion!!!!!I'll be waiting and drooooooooooooooooling!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[gadget73]

Very nice work. That tweak in the metal under the mirror, I think they all have that after a while. People hit the mirror or use it to pull the door shut and it just bends the door skin. CRanking down on the screws will also distort the metal. Not very thick there as you're well aware. I like the fix on the door frames too, its a lot of work to fix all of the factory defects in fit/finish.

[1990LTD]

was there any rot in the drivers door jamb between the hinges? i haven't seen one that didn't rust there for whatever reason.

[johnunit]

I agree that most of those mirrors have noticeable tweaking under them. The mirror just has so much leverage on that poor little piece of doorskin.


Those door gaps are looking good. The doors didn't come close to filling the opening to beging with.

[andyfanshawe]

was there any rot in the drivers door jamb between the hinges? i haven't seen one that didn't rust there for whatever reason.

Hi.
If you mean in the A post, there is rust there, but I haven't got that far forward yet. I'm going to finish welding the door first then remove it and the fender and start chopping the post to pieces! May have to remove the screen for this one.

Andy.

[andyfanshawe]

Not getting much time on this recently, but decided to try a different approach to welding up the door handle gap with MIG. Rather than risk the inevitable distortion I'm going to spot weld this time.

Here's the card template and the exact steel panel spot welded in place.



Zero distortion this time.

Andy.

[1987cp]

Without the filler panel being flanged, are you going to use lead to get the surface level?

[1980c10]

Long hair duraglass will do it without cracking. Ive done several of mine like that. Panel bond will also do the trick as a base to lay mud over without cracking issues.

[andyfanshawe]

I'm going to blame my Lincoln Mark 8 for the lack of progress I love that car, but have to crack on with this wagon.

I left it welding up the door handle and lock and decided to spot weld it instead to prevent any distortion whatsoever. But I couldn't get to the right hand side of the lock to spotweld, so i was a bit naughty and cut an access hole in the side :hairraise:



Don't worry I'll weld it up after so no one will know!! Apart from the millions on here that is.

Heres the reason for the hole





I promise to do a lot more updates, honest! Oh, just remembered,....out of the blue (well ebay), I spotted a rare beast, a 1985 country squire that is being broken up for spares! Here in the UK!
So I am taking delivery of the engine and box, all the glass, all the weatherstrips on tops of the doors, all door seals and numerous other bits that would be impossible to find otherwise on this side of the pond!

So, question....are the engine block and the heads and ancillaries the same on the 1985 as in my 1990? And the trans?

I know mine is multipoint fuel injection but this one is not..


1985 engine



Mine (taken when I bought it)


Andy.

[sly]

heads are different. (dunno how different, but they are) Heads are the same 86-91. Trans is weaker (but can be fixed with some hard part upgrades). some 88 transmissions are the better ones, but 89-91 are the ones to have.

everything will bolt on though... so if your bottom end takes a dump, you can swap the accessories and intake and all over to the other engine and it'll work.

[gadget73]

actually those 85 heads may be a very marginal upgrade from the 1990 parts. They will interchange, though they are not identical. 85 motor, well, in stock form its flat tappet. The 1990 is roller lifter. The thing is, some 1985 engines are roller-compatible so you may be able to stab a later cam in there if you drill and tap the bosses under the intake manifold to accept the lifter retainer. Or maybe it won't have them, and you're stuck with a flat tappet cam.

[packman]

Perhaps contact somebody on Corral.net who lives on the other side of the pond (Atlantic Ocean) who is selling their junk? Then convert to a roller cam? Your situation is unique; I would have no idea how to build something over there.



Packman

[andyfanshawe]

Hi again all!
How busy can life get?!! A Lincoln Mark 8 to restore as well as a country squire, oh and a full time job, a family, 2 parents in their nineties and...........

Anyway, time to get on with the crown vic I think. But I need more space (don't we all).

This has arrived in the shape of a 30 year old wooden 8' by 6' shed! Yes I could build an extension to the garage, but this shed is free :woot:

It was my Wife's dads shed for 20 years, then he unfortunately died (God rest his soul, poor guy), his Wife then moved into a smaller house and the shed got dismantled and moved to a relatives garden where it stayed for about 3 years laid flat on the garden!
Then it got moved to an allotment where it stayed for about 3 years.
The allotment owner gave it up due to ill health and I took charge of the shed.

Here is the poor thing in the allotment awaiting dismantling and transportation



Here's myself and my lovely Wife enjoying a moment while demolition takes place



and my young 9 year old son looking on



Here it is in our garden awaiting resto...



the shed has now been completely restored by myself and my Wife over the last 2 weeks and hopefully will be assembled this weekend. I'll tell you what, its simpler restoring a shed than a car! For a shed thats as old as this there wasn't much rot really. The roofing felt had been partially replaced by black poly sheeting but the water has taken its toll of the 2 roof panels and the bottom corners of the walls and floor. But its has all been replaced with good stuff and thoroughly waterproofed. Here's to another 30 years!

Here's the door restored and painted in my garage!



The reason for the shed is so I can take a door in one a time and work on it in peace and have a bit more space.

This door for example that is now hanging from the roof of my garage will be the first in!

All welding has been done on the door now so it just needs a bit of panel beating and prepping and priming.







Here's hoping for a good weekend so I can get this shed up and weatherproofed :uk:

Andy.

[sly]

good luck with getting a dry day. Britain is notorious for being wet this time of year.

[johnunit]

Shed for free? Nice.