1990 country squire resto/lowrider in UK

[andyfanshawe]

Then they all left me on my own - even my Wife!
So up it went on my own!

Took about 2 hours to carefully get it into place. Nobody told me two of the washers in the new poly mounts wouldn't go through the holes! So a slight mod was needed.







Heres a few photos of the frame all bolted in! 6 months of hard work to get to this stage!















Andy.

[1990LTD]

Great evil Jesus, that looks great. I really really look forward to the next installment!



PS - Why this car, anyway? What is it about a big, not terribly popular or powerful station wagon from across the pond that is making you do this? Probably the same thing that keeps us driving ours, but it seems like an odd choice - The same with the Camaro. I love both Camaros and boxy wagons so I'm not questioning your choices


This is going to look amazing when it's finished if you keep going like this. Bone stock except for the big wheels, right?

[marquisman]

bloody hell! lol the things you gadda do to get the project done lol good work man

[andyfanshawe]

PS - Why this car, anyway? What is it about a big, not terribly popular or powerful station wagon from across the pond that is making you do this? Probably the same thing that keeps us driving ours, but it seems like an odd choice - The same with the Camaro. I love both Camaros and boxy wagons so I'm not questioning your choices


This is going to look amazing when it's finished if you keep going like this. Bone stock except for the big wheels, right?

Not completely bone stock. No door handles or locks, reprofiled rear quarter panel. Redesigned rear inner wheel arches, redesigned front and rear lights, redesigned bumpers, digital air suspension. Running gear stock though.

Why this car?
Good question.
Part of the reason is to build a car that nobody (or not many) have done before. They are quite rare in the UK so a customised one will be almost unique. I can take it to car shows and pull our caravan with it.
I can "play" with it to my hearts content and try out loads of things.
It is big enough to carry most things with ease and my kids love it!!

It has a strange attraction that I can't explain! My Wife says it is another mid life crisis!

Keep watchin'!



Andy.

[P72Ford]

So when are you going to paint the floor pans?

What color is the car going to be?

Keeping the wood grain?

And I have to say, that this project is nothing short of bizarre! The amount of work is madness, and I love it!

We had my Dad's '99 P71 apart about this far (we clipped the body); but we didn't have the frame powdercoated red (although my Dad would have done that!). We painted it with single stage PPG gloss black.

[andyfanshawe]

So when are you going to paint the floor pans?

What color is the car going to be?

Keeping the wood grain?

And I have to say, that this project is nothing short of bizarre! The amount of work is madness, and I love it!

We had my Dad's '99 P71 apart about this far (we clipped the body); but we didn't have the frame powdercoated red (although my Dad would have done that!). We painted it with single stage PPG gloss black.

Hi P72Ford.
The floor pans will be painted during the summer when it is back mobile again. No rust there except for the rear cargo area floor. That needs cutting and patching but I can do that at my leisure once it is rolling again.

We are not sure of the colour yet. The top will be black with limo tint glass and all chrome black. Don't know bottom half yet. may be red to match the frame. May even be silver or an electric blue.

Wood grain will disappear.

Andy.

[P72Ford]

Hi P72Ford.
The floor pans will be painted during the summer when it is back mobile again. No rust there except for the rear cargo area floor. That needs cutting and patching but I can do that at my leisure once it is rolling again.

We are not sure of the colour yet. The top will be black with limo tint glass and all chrome black. Don't know bottom half yet. may be red to match the frame. May even be silver or an electric blue.

Wood grain will disappear.

Andy.

Sounds good!

[hemihotrod402]

I like the idea of the red paint going with the black top. IMO, it would look killer with these wheels:

http://www.coyswheel.com/coys.html

Shipping would probably be a bitch for you (being in the UK lol) but they would look killer and they go up to 22" (the right size you would looking for)

[johnunit]

Looking good.

Great lateral thinking with the body mount washers being notched. My dumb ass would have probably cut a hole in the body somewhere to get it in.

[andyfanshawe]

Thanks guys.

Little progress made in last few days due to...how shall I put it.......interesting challenges at work. Thats all I've got to say about that.

Anyway, time to complete the front suspension so I can get this car back on its feet.

Heres the LCA's with all new bushes and ball joints pushed in





Now, a long time ago (well, last october), I spotted that the drop link bushes holes in the LCA's were elongated, so its now time to sort them out.

Here's one of them.


Cut a copper plate out and clamped it to the bottom to stop any excess weld buildup





Then weld it up



and grind/file it back



The quick ones amongst you may have spotted something strange about the above photos!

Andy.

[andyfanshawe]

Painting time.





Leave them to dry for a few days and its onto the upper arms.

Heres the shaft kit and bushes



Heres the drawback in powder coating-scraping it off!



Shaft painted silver, and the upper control arm securing nuts while I have the silver paint out

before


after




New ball joints bolted in and we are done,







Andy.

[andyfanshawe]

I like the idea of the red paint going with the black top. IMO, it would look killer with these wheels:

http://www.coyswheel.com/coys.html

Shipping would probably be a bitch for you (being in the UK lol) but they would look killer and they go up to 22" (the right size you would looking for)

Those wheels look seriously good! May look into that.
Sod the shipping

Andy.

[Grand_Marquis_LSS]

Good god that thing is going to be awsome, I love how that frame looks. Wicked simply wicked

[andyfanshawe]

Good god that thing is going to be awsome, I love how that frame looks. Wicked simply wicked

Thanks Grand_Marquis_LSS

Okay, my job is clear now. Get the front and rear suspension in so I can get this car on its feet and get the trans and engine in. But I can't get the front springs in because there isnt enough weight there without the engine and gearbox in.
So, I can either make a spring compressor or have some fun and fit airbags to the front temporarily and have a play with the ride height and still be able to get the car on its feet with the bags in and pumped up!
More importantly I can get measurements for the shockwaves to be ordered and made up.

Heres the suspension temporarily in



Here are the airbags I just happen to have lying around from another project!



Here's the airbag installed.



I now need to plumb them in and its onto the rear axle.

Andy.

[351-lincoln]

looks GREAT! you have very good attention to detail. might i suggest a 2600lb bag? lower lift pressures and smooth rides. might be a must for a car thats well over 4100lbs.