My 1987 Two Door Crown Victoria AKA THE BROWN BLOB

[pantera77]

Am I the only one who doesn't get this steam shit?

Steam powered things are actually cool, unlike panthers.

[DerekTheGreat]

Am I the only one who doesn't get this steam shit?

Steam powered things are actually cool, unlike panthers.

I don't really get it but I think it means something along the lines of "the calm before the storm." Steam engines take a long time to actually get going but once they do, profit? Panthers aren't cool? So says the guy who just bought & spent weeks buffing up his '89 Town Car, refurbed the JBL system and then took it to a show. Yeah, I could see myself doing the same thing to a car I thought wasn't cool too.

[Salty Dog]

Really like the seat belt buckles. Nice "Classic" touch

[87gtVIC]

So do you like the new sway bar feel?

Jay, I have not driven the vehicle yet with the new setup.

Car is currently in the backyard because I need to address a couple of things. The oil pressure gauge needs to be sorted out. The oil PSI gauge for years was jumpy/unreliable.

Planning on welding in place elevator bolts to use as studs for the new sub/amp to mount to and its a bit easier if the car is in the confines of the backyard to do this type of work. Changing out the oil and installing the secondary air damn and splash shield at that time too. Sport wheels will get installed as well.

Shiny

Some parts more than others.....You make one part look good then others just look plain awful.

Aye, now our swaybars are like the same. Dope bro. I got lucky and didn't need to use a pry bar, though I could see how that might be needed.

Your dad seems like quite the stern character, I do appreciate the father-son bonding time on the side of an interstate. Best place to have heart to heart conversations about fuel consumption.

God it's so funny hearing your car idle in the video, since it literally sounds just like mine. I love it.

Dad seen on the road and waited for me to catch up. He was just concerned with how the car was running/working.

Its a great idle sound.

Really like the seat belt buckles. Nice "Classic" touch

Thank you.

[gadget73]

Am I the only one who doesn't get this steam shit?
.

No, you aren't. I figure it must be a part of the two door weirdo club or something.

[His Royal Ghostliness]

Panthers aren't cool? So says the guy who just bought & spent weeks buffing up his '89 Town Car, refurbed the JBL system and then took it to a show. Yeah, I could see myself doing the same thing to a car I thought wasn't cool too.

Hey I don't think my beater truck is cool either, but that doesn't stop me from constantly upgrading it and at least trying to keep the interior clean enough that it kinda looks like it never gets used. Comfort and functionality and presentable looks do not cool make, not by a long shot.

No, you aren't.

+1, would be interesting to see it explained tho.

[sly]

Some parts more than others.....You make one part look good then others just look plain awful.

Nah. More shiny is more better. The fact that it makes other parts look dull isn't as much a problem because they were already dull. Progress is progress unless it's in Congress.

[87gtVIC]

Worked 20 hours yesterday (Song Writers Hall of Fame) so I took today off as I had OT already. Only got to bed at 4am and outside at 9am the first order of business was the amp/sub install.

I wired/soldered up some power and grounds and mated those to the harness of trigger wire and RCA’s I already had prepped. After that was done it was time to mount the amp. To do so I purchased elevator bolts. They are basically a SUPER flat carriage bolt used for elevators? because they allow for tight clearances.

I drilled out the mounting positions in the amp to ¼ so the stud could fit though and then went with a 16/64 bit to allow the square shank to counter sink into the mounting feet. I then welded them in place in the trunk:



The amps rear mounts are slotted and the front ones are not. This is for ease of installation, plus the passengers side rear speaker is REALLY close to everything so I could not lay it over a stud...slots are your friends.

I sprayed some cheapie paint over everything to keep the rust down on that bare metal.

While the paint was drying I installed some nice brass right angle 3/8 barb by ¼ MPT fittings into the catch can as I was appalled by the quality of the nylon connections.



I also swapped on my LX Sport wheels:



Then went and laid the carpet over the studs and poked them through:



It is at this point that I would show you the final product but alas, I forgot to take any pictures……

Also changed out the oil….. Shimmery metallic city. Going to go 1000K now with conventional oil still and see whats up.


STill waiting to check my other oil pressure gauge to see where my problems are, waiting to install another oil catch can in line between the oil fill neck and throttle body. Also looking to get the tune even better. Warm idle is still lean and WOT is richer then it needs to be. Other than that I need to "tune" the amp/sub and go cruising.

[gadget73]

First oil change? If so, not super surprising to get some metal in there. If you don't get more next oil change, I'd call it square. First change on mine had some shimmer to it. First two on the VW motor I rebuilt shined, the first one was after the cam break-in and it looked like I'd mixed antiseize in there. It was really scary looking.

[tjc78]

Surprised guy just didn't mount the amp to the back of seat next to the spare tire. That is what I did on my box years ago and actually even in my 04. Super clean as always, just a question.

[87gtVIC]

First oil change? If so, not super surprising to get some metal in there. If you don't get more next oil change, I'd call it square. First change on mine had some shimmer to it. First two on the VW motor I rebuilt shined, the first one was after the cam break-in and it looked like I'd mixed antiseize in there. It was really scary looking.

Yes. First oil change with new motor at 500+ miles. It looked like a silver anti-seize compound but runny.

Surprised guy just didn't mount the amp to the back of seat next to the spare tire. That is what I did on my box years ago and actually even in my 04. Super clean as always, just a question.

That "guy" would be me. I mounted all amps and subs in this car. The current 4 channel amplifier for the speakers and the new powered infinity basslink subwoofer are all too large to mount to the back of the seat.





She bumps the bum good enough for me. The 6x9’s on the rear deck just couldn’t produce the bass I wanted to hear. This new guy fills everything in nicely. The sub comes with a bass knob that I may mount to get a bit more bass on demand. For now though I am extremely satisfied.


Gad, that green wire is annoying me near the passengers side trunk hinge. That is the trigger wire for the trunk muncher running from the trigger down t the motor. I have to fix that! Added to the never ending list.

[87gtVIC]

Cruised around this morning and found a neato photo op position.

I took a bunch of photos so here are just a few of my favorites and I put everything else into a short video.



















And here is the video:







Noticed that the oil dipstick would blow out an inch or so after some high speed highway romps. Damn. Excessive crankcase pressure. Compression is fine, pcv and screen all good. I believe it is the stainless steel scrubbing pad I crammed in the valve cover oil fill tube. I installed that to prevent oil from entering the throttle body because the valve cover has no oil baffles but it seems as if it may be causing more issues then solutions. I have since purchased another oil catch can and plan to plumb that in line and remove the scrubbing pad. Hopefully this will solve my issues. Now I have to determine where to mount this one. I will probably end up making a custom bracket and hang it near the egr delete plate.

[Bobcat]

I would still expect to see a little metal on the second change, but you shouldn't see a whole shit ton.


Looks better with the sport wheels.

Any more information on the sub itself? I'm curious since I'd like to do something similar. I'd like a couple 8" subs or maybe one 10".

[87gtVIC]

This is one single 10". This will NOT provide crazy bass. I would recommend a stand alone amp and sub for something like that.

This is what I have in installed above: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_108BASS...-BassLink.html




I got this as it fits my bill of just filling in the system....rounding it out one might say. Again this will not blow your windows out with bass at all.



Also if anyone is wondering I have a 16" mini spare in the trunk. This powered sub will likely NOT fit in place with a full size spare.

[tjc78]

I guess I didn't read the thread properly. I thought the studs you put in were for an amp not the sub. Came out great.

Not sure how "you" autocorrected to "guy" damn phones.

I can't decide which wheels look better the HPPs or the Sports. Nice having choices.

[sly]

I prefer the HPPs myself, but the fans look good too.

[87gtVIC]

I guess I didn't read the thread properly. I thought the studs you put in were for an amp not the sub. Came out great.

Not sure how "you" autocorrected to "guy" damn phones.

I can't decide which wheels look better the HPPs or the Sports. Nice having choices.

Well it sorta is for both. Its a powered subwoofer. Sub and amp in one.

I figured the "guy" was an auto correct fail as you are very respective on the boards.

I prefer the HPPs myself, but the fans look good too.

I want more choices!

[pantera77]

I Panthers aren't cool? So says the guy who just bought & spent weeks buffing up his '89 Town Car, refurbed the JBL system and then took it to a show. Yeah, I could see myself doing the same thing to a car I thought wasn't cool too.

I'm a masochist.

[DerekTheGreat]

I'm a masochist.

LoL. Alright then. Whats the deal with the T-bird in your signature? Looks like a nice car.

David, whats the deal with the tiger in the trunk? That's a Pontiac GTO thing...

[87gtVIC]

The tiger was around well before I was. It stays.