My 1987 Mercury Colony Park

[TecNickal]

I found a potentially interesting looking car on Craigslist about 100 miles away

So buzzed down there in the red SHO on Sunday.

1987 Mercury Colony Park (looks like an LS based on the options it has). 1- owner car. 1 year in PA, rest of the time in South Carolina. Lived at the same residence and never moved away from the area (same title!). Guessing it left when Hurricane Hugo showed up since he's had only 1 car since he moved down here.

Owner had put quite a bit of work into it. But the car had gone from running to not running. His wife had had a stroke, and didn't have time for a car that wasn't running. His mechanic whom was his brother in law had pelvic cancer the past year died a few days back. Not a good time. He's 88, WW2 Navy vet. As car was getting towed away he teared up a bit too...even called to make sure it got back to my place OK.

At the moment it has a huge battery drain and it won't fire up. But it cranks so it ain't locked up! Diagnosis was done last night, and finished last night! Another 5.0/AOD combo with a good TV grommet (bonus!) Glove box latch is broken so had to pry into the box.

Intention is to resell this car once it's fixed up and up to my standards as being safe for the road (and can legally pass safety inspection in another state).
Mileage....
Body - 306,000 miles
Motor - Jasper motor installed at 260K, so 50-60K on it.
Trans - Original to the car (owner doesn't recall doing work to it).

Plan for car is to make it safe to drive, and all functions that came with the car... are functional.

GOt the vehicle running last night...Electrical issue has been fixed. It had a bad ground. THat's it.

Not something I'm interested in having in the fleet though. I was looking the car over after work for an hour - I don't like the colors at all personally. But the body is amazing condition. I still can't find any rust on the body! Since I like these cars, I'll make sure it gets the royal treatment before it is officially up for sale.

At the moment, car wise it needs....
-New battery cables
-Vacuum line replacement under intake
-1 door lock actuator
-Driver door master switch
-Full grease job on all 5 window tracks (yes rear tail gate window works, but sloooooowly)
-1 Colony Park Badge
-1 low beam headlight

I'll throw a plate on it and take it down the road after work to see how it shifts. If 4 gears all work, then I really don't see why this car would be in need of much.

Here's some quick shots...

[sly]

needs front license plate bracket.

[TecNickal]

Ha, yea...that is missing in action. Doubt I'll ever find one. The yards usually have 88 and newer cars. Never seen an 87 or older.

[turbo2256b]

Well guess its not worth buying it now wont be able to negoate the price now that its running wont be worth a 17hr trip and over night stay.

[sly]

those brackets show up from time to time... someone on here may actually have one stashed away too.

[TecNickal]

I'm not understanding? Were you wanting to buy the car? Or?

Once I finish the issues so it's safe to drive and it's generally clean and all, I'm not going to ask stupid money for it. Not like the paint color scheme is super desirable.

I'll watch for a bracket - thanks sly!

[turbo2256b]

Yea I was

[TecNickal]

Yea I was

Once it's fixed, you want to talk on it? There's still plenty of room for improvement on it. For a GrandMarq member, as long as I break even $ wise I'm fine.

[Georges86]

I'd say its more woth the drive for a running cleaned up wagon!

Plus it'd be cool to keep it in the gmq family

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 4

[gadget73]

Desert Sand with woodgrain it looks like. Fairly common, and extremely bland color combo. Looks solid though, so thats good.

[turbo2256b]

Wood grain was removed and painted. My self not interested in making possibly a 400.00 trip.

[TecNickal]

The whole car has been repainted. Originally was some kind of sand beige color with grain. All of that is gone. Door jambs and all have been painted some kind of 70s green single stage paint with a root beer brown metallic clear inside the metal trim lines.

Took the car for a quick drive around the block last night. Shifts into all 4 gears. It rides smoother than my 91. Hard to say if one wagon feels faster than the other. The 91 has true duals, this one does not. Once I get it plated and drive it, I'll get a better idea. Surprised to note this car has dual power front seats.

[TecNickal]

Ok at the moment I have every door panel removed. 3 were rotted/molded from no shield between door panel and inner door skin. Junkyard plastic from an 88/89 -91 will fix this.
Scored 4 like new door panels with mint armrests at Pull A Part for $100. Cheaper than having them redone. Bonus, junkyard panels have map pockets. Armrests are in infinitely better shape. The driver door one was TOAST. The others were worn/dryed up.

Next...power windows, power locks, and tailgate functionality.
-After LIBERAL use of WD-40, PB Blaster and 3M Dry Silicone, I got the rear window adjusted and moving. Moves smooth and quiet now.
-ALso got the rear tailgate lock/latch fixed and adjusted. Now when you lock the rear hatch, the striker actually holds it locked. Gota wrap the upper catch/striker in multiple wraps of electrical tape since the bushing has long since disappeared. Works beautifully now. Both switches that control the window work.
-Again, use of 3M dry silicone (not regular silicone, keeps them from gumming up with dirt) on 3 of the 4 window tracks, and regulator track got them all moving at warp speed.
-All 4 door lock actuators refused to move by hand when I checked them off the car. Got only 1 of them to move by hand after soaking the thing in penetrating fluid. So both front doors (dormans) and the rear passenger door (NOS Ford one) have new actuators . Also have new latch clips since all 3 snapped or were already broken by prior hacker mechanic. One latch clip survived.
-Have the driver rear window that refuses to move. Hold switch, slam door. nada (tried holding switch from driver door and rear driver door...same result. Tried different spare window switches, nada. So gota do some diagnosis on that.

Lights/Other interior
-Replaced both front cornering light bulbs, they were burned out.
-Replaced both license plate light bulbs, they were burned out.
-Have a few interior light bulbs left to replace for the doors and in the overhead light, as well as one behind the fuel gauge of the cluster
-Just need to vacuum/scrub down dirty interior and install replacement door panels/armrests.

Underhood...
-Took off upper intake to replace rotted vacuum lines. Need to get a PCV grommet, as grommet easily pops out of hole, as does replacement Motorcraft PCV. Did replace the PCV breather because it was PLUGGED (picture later).
-Removed throttle body after hammering and beating the thing to death (corroded!). Interesting...wonder why. Coolant passages are blocked with vacuum plugs. ...again why? Both passages plugged up solid. Rusted up. Used pipe cleaned and finally cleaned out passages (took half an hour), as well as got a new throttle body to egr plate gasket. Much better. New owner can hook up hoses if they want. Not really necessary in South Carolina.
-Installed new battery cables as old ones were JUNK. Installed a new ground wire from block to body. Car runs beautifully.
-Still need to change oil and remove the FRAM junk oil filter.

Still some work left to do as noted above - I have a new set of Motorcraft plug wires and plugs to install if I have spare time, otherwise they go to the new owner when car is sold. AutoZone plug wires I have no faith in.

[Mr.Blue]

Good looking ride...............i personally like the color combo

[TecNickal]

Ha, thanks. This thing is in alright shape for its age.

Got a CD player in the mail from the prior owner coming hopefully this week - he forgot to give it to me at time of sale. Took the dash apart and cleaned all the dust and plastics, fixed the interior vents so the levers direct the air how you want it. That headlight switch is some ridiculousness for removal.

Got all 4 windows and all 4 door lock actuators working. For the rear windows, 1 had a failed gear kit inside of it, the other had a failed motor. Used the Advance Auto ACI power window motor for replacement, and used the like new gear kit in the failed motor to fix the other side. Installed the replacement door panels and armrests as well as proper switches for driver door. The front door lock indicators are working, and all the switches work. Success

Unfortunately, I tested the tailgate window and heard the sound of a failing gear kit, so I get to figure out how to remove the motor...then replace gear kit (easy).

Otherwise, an oil change, swap out plastic TV grommet for brass, replace dash pad, fuel and air filter replacement, plugs/wires, a cleaning inside and out is all that remains.