LTDMan's '87 Mercury Grand Marquis LS (Big Red) *DUW*

[87gtVIC]

I think there were two kinds of vent windows. My old '84 had a large round opening mechanism that you had to turn with the palm of your hand. A friend of mine had a later car (can't remember what year) which had a clip and a swing-out hinge. I thought his made more sense than mine, but an old-fashioned window crank would have been better than both. I agree that the vent windows do nothing for appearance, but they were nice to have for ventilation, especially when it was raining and you didn't want to roll down a window.

Yep there were two as you described. I believe somewhere around '85 they made the crossover from the spinney circle thing on the door panel to the hooked handle on on the actual window.

[packman]

LTDMan83: Do you remember what size socket or wrench those fender braces took? I'm going to the JY tomorrow morning to look for those pieces and also weatherstrip samples. Thanks


Packman

[LTDMan83]

LTDMan83: Do you remember what size socket or wrench those fender braces took? I'm going to the JY tomorrow morning to look for those pieces and also weatherstrip samples. Thanks


Packman

8mm

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Since the thread has been bumped, I might as well update.


I'm still busting ass on Big Red.

I just got the smooth Rear Bumper swapped over the other day, it originally came from an '79 Marquis anyway. Absolute droolage hung on big red. I got the 1-piece front door glass pulled from the LTD, and installed on the PS of Big Red yesterday, I'm gonna finish up the DS today. Has been a lot of work, but it is worth it for the smooth look, and the elimination of the only leak points into my Interior which were the vent windows.

The merc is an absolute pleasure to work on, and doesn't fight me in anything that I do to it. Everything just always works and goes perfectly on this thing. I've never had a car like this. I'm in love, lol.

[87gtVIC]

My car hates me. lol

[packman]

Thanks, I actually used a 7mm socket to pull it off of the Country Squire. Gonna need some pics of Big Red with the one-piece windows and smooth rear bumper.



Packman

[Jason_GMQ91]

Since your MarkVI has the exact same frame as the Town Car does, I would think that the braces should bolt right on, on both sides.

Hey, I did checked under my Lincoln and theres does have Frame Braces already!!

[LTDMan83]

Hey, I did checked under my Lincoln and theres does have Frame Braces already!!

I figured it probably would since it is the same as the TC.

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UPDATE:

The Slicktop Conversion is coming along great. The constant rain has prevented me from working on it for the majority of the past month, but I have been getting in work on it anytime I can. Sucks not having a Garage to work in!

I had the day off today, and we had a nice day here as well, so I have been working on it all day long. I just stopped working for the day a few minutes ago. I am covered in Evercoat Rage dust, and pretty wore out, but she is almost done!

I also failed to mention before that I am doing this mostly by hand, just to see how much work it really is.

[LTDMan83]

Just wanted to say that I took Big Red out tonight for a ride, did a couple of high speed runs, and she hauls some serious ass now. After all I have done for her, the car is now surprisingly quick. Out on the highway, I buried the Marquis speedo so far that it came all the way around and was pointing back at the 0 mark, lol. I need the Mustang Governor, and 3.55 Gears/Trac-Loc installed next. I will be running her on a Dyno soon as well, I predict that she should be around 190 RWHP, at least.

Oh yea, the slicktop conversion is done. My life has been seriously busy for me lately, and I haven't had any time to take pics of the car. Not sure when I will have the time again, as things are pretty hectic right now.

[packman]

In this economy it's probably a good thing for it to be hectic (in a good way; work wise); unless I misinterpreted what you meant and it is a bad type of hectic. Anyways, I'm glad that Big Red is shaping up to be a boulevard bruiser.



Packman

[87gtVIC]

great to hear. Sounds like a real joy ride.

[LTDMan83]

Welp, since all my pics are gone now, and I can't really edit them back in, I guess this will be my last post in this thread.

The merc is still doing great. It ate it's second TFI Module this past week, which is kind of annoying, but I bought and installed a new one today, and she is back up and running damn strong again. Left a good 100ft long peg-leg burnout mark in the road in front of my house today.

She is currently undergoing some major body mods, and will be for the next year or so, depending on how much free time I have to work on her. I've been thinking alot lately, and as much as I hate to do it, I am gonna have to do away with her stock color. The allure of a Gloss Black Box Merc w/ Red Interior is just too much to pass up. So she will be fully repainted in High Gloss Black including the jambs, when the time comes.

[MrMarquis]

Why not continue with new pictures of the progress? You do awesome work mang and I've enjoyed following the evolution.

[LTDMan83]

Thanks, I appreciate that. I don't have much free time as of late, having to work both my Full-Time regular job, and spending most of my evenings working in my own Bodyshop. I work 15-16 hours total most days, with only about an hour of break time each day. So, needless to say I don't have alot of time to work on my cars, let alone maintain a RR Thread for them. I am very Anti-Attention Whore as well, so having a RR thread like this and continuously whoring out 100's of pics of every detail, of every resto, install, or mod, of everything in and about my car, kind of goes against what I stand for. I still take alot of pics of things, but I don't think I will ever share them with anyone on the same level as what I did before, nothing against anyone here, but it just isn't me. I will start a new thread eventually, and share some of the major things that I have done to her, and will be doing in the future.