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Flush the Front Bumper? 87 TC. Push it in a few inches?

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    Flush the Front Bumper? 87 TC. Push it in a few inches?

    Looking at the nose of my car I was thinking that I could make the front bumper more flush with the grill and headlights by moving it back a few inches. Underneath I see the bumper reinforcement and what appear to be mounts that are collapsable. Everything appears to be clear of obstruction. Can anybody shed some light on this before i try it? It looks like I could literally pound the bumper mounts in with a mallet, some heat and some WD40.

    This shows the amount of overhang currently.

    This shows the distance from the center to the grill. I would section the bottom of the grill to recess the bumper if necessary.

    Another Bumper to grill clearance photo.

    Looks like the bumper mounts are collapsable.

    This shows that if the bumper (far right) was pushed in towards the left of the photo, it would have plenty of room.

    If I need to trim these back I will.
    87' Lincoln Town Car Stars + Stripes. Explorer GT40P, Anderson B31 Cam, Shorty Headers, FRPP 1.6 Rockers, A9L, Sn95 T5 Trans, 3:55 Limited Slip, GNX Rear Springs, LSC Turbines, 1.5 wheelspacers, Full Custom Dual 2.5/Flowmasters, 00 P71 Airtube, 19lb calibrated Maf, Summit Alum Radiator, King Cobra Clutch, Short throw Shfter, Energy Susp Trans Mount,
    Mods to come: Big Brake/Poly Front Swap, PI Front Swaybar, Addco 650 Rear Swaybar, Boxed Upper Rear Control Arms, 351/Alum Heads, FRPP Valve Covers,

    #2
    Bumper shocks (thing you want to heat and beat on) are there for a reason.....to give during a collision so you don't feel as much of the brunt.

    But yeah. you have to loosen the pinch nuts on them and see how much more they move back.
    ~David~

    My 1987 Crown Victoria Coupe: The Brown Blob
    My 2004 Mercedes Benz E320:The Benz

    Originally posted by ootdega
    My life is a long series of "nevermind" and "I guess not."

    Originally posted by DerekTheGreat
    But, that's just coming from me, this site's biggest pessimist. Best of luck

    Originally posted by gadget73
    my car starts and it has AC. Yours doesn't start and it has no AC. Seems obvious to me.




    Comment


      #3
      Pinch nuts huhh? Wonder where those are?
      87' Lincoln Town Car Stars + Stripes. Explorer GT40P, Anderson B31 Cam, Shorty Headers, FRPP 1.6 Rockers, A9L, Sn95 T5 Trans, 3:55 Limited Slip, GNX Rear Springs, LSC Turbines, 1.5 wheelspacers, Full Custom Dual 2.5/Flowmasters, 00 P71 Airtube, 19lb calibrated Maf, Summit Alum Radiator, King Cobra Clutch, Short throw Shfter, Energy Susp Trans Mount,
      Mods to come: Big Brake/Poly Front Swap, PI Front Swaybar, Addco 650 Rear Swaybar, Boxed Upper Rear Control Arms, 351/Alum Heads, FRPP Valve Covers,

      Comment


        #4
        There are around the front of the frame there....loosen those to relieve tension on those bumper shocks. They bolt through the side of the frame.
        ~David~

        My 1987 Crown Victoria Coupe: The Brown Blob
        My 2004 Mercedes Benz E320:The Benz

        Originally posted by ootdega
        My life is a long series of "nevermind" and "I guess not."

        Originally posted by DerekTheGreat
        But, that's just coming from me, this site's biggest pessimist. Best of luck

        Originally posted by gadget73
        my car starts and it has AC. Yours doesn't start and it has no AC. Seems obvious to me.




        Comment


          #5
          Towncar bumper shocks weld into the front end of the frame if I'm not mistaken. I think the Ford ones bolt in or something. Pounding the bumper in would probably not keep it in permanantly, either that or it would just destroy the shock and it would move around. Better to modify the front of the frame to move the mounts back a few inches or modify the inner bumper where those mounts actually connect, though modding the bumper support to be thinner would also involve weakening it somewhat. If you're very careful about how you modify the inner support, it wouldn't weaken it much though. I'm thinking a square cut through it for the flange, then a new piece fabricated to tie across where you cut it and provide a new flange mount point thats recessed from the rest of the support. Limited how much movement is possible with that since you have to account for bolt heads and such to clear the back side of the front bumper.
          86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
          5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

          91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

          1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

          Originally posted by phayzer5
          I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

          Comment


            #6
            Maybe the bigger question is: Why bother?? Estectics? With the way folks drive I would want all the cushion I could get! Not trying to read anyone's mind but it is probably not worth the effort and may cause more grief than it is worth.


            "Hope and dignity are two things NO ONE can take away from you - you have to relinquish them on your own" Miamibob

            "NEVER trade your passion for glory"!! Sal "the Bard" (Dear Old Dad!)

            "Cars are for driving - PERIOD! I DON'T TEXT, TWEET OR TWERK!!!!"

            Comment


              #7
              There is a large bolt upstream from the bumper shocks. I think the bumpershocks are collapsable as well. I believe they can be compressed and or chopped/sectioned and welded back. It would tuck the bumper up under a little. That's all. Make it look a little less like a 28 foot limo and a little more like a crown vic. We'll see when I get the front lowered a few inches. Then I'll re assess the bumper.
              87' Lincoln Town Car Stars + Stripes. Explorer GT40P, Anderson B31 Cam, Shorty Headers, FRPP 1.6 Rockers, A9L, Sn95 T5 Trans, 3:55 Limited Slip, GNX Rear Springs, LSC Turbines, 1.5 wheelspacers, Full Custom Dual 2.5/Flowmasters, 00 P71 Airtube, 19lb calibrated Maf, Summit Alum Radiator, King Cobra Clutch, Short throw Shfter, Energy Susp Trans Mount,
              Mods to come: Big Brake/Poly Front Swap, PI Front Swaybar, Addco 650 Rear Swaybar, Boxed Upper Rear Control Arms, 351/Alum Heads, FRPP Valve Covers,

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by 87stars_stripes View Post
                Make it look a little less like a 28 foot limo and a little more like a crown vic.

                why on earth would you want to make it look like one of those? Thats the cheaper cut.
                86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                Originally posted by phayzer5
                I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

                Comment


                  #9
                  Should of bought a Crown Vic then. Pushing the bumper in two inches isn't going to make the car look any shorter.
                  Pebbles-1968 Ford F250
                  Pile of Junk! An Electronics Project Site (To get wet by)<---Clicky! NEW STUFF!!!!

                  Comment


                    #10
                    No, I love my Lincoln. I'm just attempting to improve appearance. Prob wouldn't look right anyway.
                    87' Lincoln Town Car Stars + Stripes. Explorer GT40P, Anderson B31 Cam, Shorty Headers, FRPP 1.6 Rockers, A9L, Sn95 T5 Trans, 3:55 Limited Slip, GNX Rear Springs, LSC Turbines, 1.5 wheelspacers, Full Custom Dual 2.5/Flowmasters, 00 P71 Airtube, 19lb calibrated Maf, Summit Alum Radiator, King Cobra Clutch, Short throw Shfter, Energy Susp Trans Mount,
                    Mods to come: Big Brake/Poly Front Swap, PI Front Swaybar, Addco 650 Rear Swaybar, Boxed Upper Rear Control Arms, 351/Alum Heads, FRPP Valve Covers,

                    Comment


                      #11
                      I for one would replace the bumper with the bigger better one off an 80 to 84. Those were stronger and protected the fenders if you hit the corner. I hated the narrow bumpers on my 88 and because they were cut off on the corners I had to replace the fenders and header multiple times. The earlier bumpers are so much better.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Why are you crashing into stuff so much?

                        My bumper on my car actually sticks out too far as well (compared to my friends '83). I'm guessing the shock spacing is set different on the 88-91 compared to the 87 and down. So I can just loosen those bolts and the frame and slide it back a little?
                        Last edited by slack; 06-17-2014, 10:21 AM.

                        '78 LTD | '87 Grand Marquis | '89 Crown Vic (RIP) | '91 Grand Marquis (RIP) | '94 Town Car (RIP) | '97 Town Car (RIP)

                        Comment


                          #13
                          You could try it. Chances are you would have better luck removing the bumper and pounding in each side one at a time. Unlikely for both to willingly slid further back after all of these years.
                          ~David~

                          My 1987 Crown Victoria Coupe: The Brown Blob
                          My 2004 Mercedes Benz E320:The Benz

                          Originally posted by ootdega
                          My life is a long series of "nevermind" and "I guess not."

                          Originally posted by DerekTheGreat
                          But, that's just coming from me, this site's biggest pessimist. Best of luck

                          Originally posted by gadget73
                          my car starts and it has AC. Yours doesn't start and it has no AC. Seems obvious to me.




                          Comment


                            #14
                            plus, they will slide back out eventually unless you weld them in place. It would be better to remove the stock style shock mounts and create a spacer bar or just compress the stock mounts and weld them together.

                            Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
                            rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)

                            Originally posted by gadget73
                            ... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.

                            Originally posted by dmccaig
                            Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by atlantic3000 View Post
                              I for one would replace the bumper with the bigger better one off an 80 to 84. Those were stronger and protected the fenders if you hit the corner. I hated the narrow bumpers on my 88 and because they were cut off on the corners I had to replace the fenders and header multiple times. The earlier bumpers are so much better.
                              better fix is to stop crashing into things. Those calf catcher bumpers on the early ones don't add much extra protection honestly. You might guard the front ditch light a little more, but thats about it. Personally I hate those big bumpers. Looks like someone f'd up on a metric to standard conversion and made the things a foot too wide by accident.
                              86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                              5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                              91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                              1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                              Originally posted by phayzer5
                              I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

                              Comment

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