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Fixing up Grandma's 86 LTD Crown Vic

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    #1

    Fixing up Grandma's 86 LTD Crown Vic

    Been driving my Grandma's 87 LTD. I grew up driving her cars, back then it was an 86 caprice and 80s Cadillac. She picked up this LTD after a few car wrecks from a friend of theirs in 04 or so. Then 2 years ago her health got bad enough the Dr. didn't want her driving and I was down to driving a motorcycle so she gave me the car. I kinda liked it but still always had it in the back of my mind that I would eventually trade it in on something newer. Wife hates it :P But I like it more and more and it's got family history. I was at the point it needs money to keep it running reliably and I had to decide to put money into it or sell it and buy something else, I decided to fix it up!

    So, plan of attack is main priority, ie this weekend or ASAP, front brakes and some front end work, maybe ball joints or tie rod ends? Something is loose and that's what usually goes bad in my trucks when it feels like this. Oil change is due. I was reading that I should check the PCV screen? So I will replace the PCV and screen. I know she marks her territory with oil drips so maybe that is why. Last year I replaced the fuel pump but it seems like it's acting up again. Turned out it wasn't the pump but the hose between the pump and pickup was completely deteriorated, maybe this one did the same.

    I need to work on the power windows and door lock switch. All 4 windows are acting up, I can lower the driver side with help, it hits 3 spots it slips and needs help, and the others are completely stuck closed. Ordered some gears but may need more than that. The passenger side door lock switch is gone, not sure if I can still find those but I ordered one that said it would work off Ebay.

    Have a new radio for it to install, may need speakers, and everything else. I had some speakers for an old truck I never installed so that might work, we will see.

    One of the first mods I want to do is improve headlights. Looks like I should upgrade the harness with relays, etc from the reading I have done so far, and maybe the 3g alternator? Any recent harness upgrades out there or just search ebay? Is there any preferred upgraded headlights? I deliver pizza at night and it would be nice to be able to see the street names and numbers easier lol. I also have to fix the high/low dimmer switch because it broke, I can pull it to engage brights but it doesn't stay on. I assume the switch inside broke whatever holds it to the on position.

    Well I think that's about it for now, any other ideas I should look into? I will be searching around the forum but any specific threads, etc would be a great benefit!


    Tags: None
    #2
    Welcome!

    Glad you decided to keep it. Once you have all the issues sorted you should find the car cheap to maintain, especially if you can do most things yourself.

    It looks to be in really nice shape, even with the few dings. Is it an '86 or '87? (Thread title says '86 but post says '87.) There isn't much difference between the two, but '86 does have a few minor one year only differences.

    It seems like you have done a fair amount of research on fixing it up. You seem to be on the right track with the issues you mentioned.

    For the headlight relay harness, I made my own. I'm not sure if there are any plug and play harnesses out there, but I know I have seen some for '80s GM cars that might work or could be modified if you have some experience soldering.
    Vic

    ~ 1989 MGM LS Colony Park - Large Marge
    ~ 1998 MGM LS - new DD
    ~ 1991 MGM LS "The Scab"
    ~ 1991 MGM GS "The Ice Car"

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      #3
      Looks mostly clean. I still have my grandparents 73 delta 88. We can help you with most anything. I expect not many people mess with a car that has a clown vanity plate that says busted.
      Chris - A 20th Century Man \m/ ^.^ \m/

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        #4
        Oops! 86 is what I meant.

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          #5
          Originally posted by p71towny View Post
          Looks mostly clean. I still have my grandparents 73 delta 88. We can help you with most anything. I expect not many people mess with a car that has a clown vanity plate that says busted.
          lol It was my grandfather's clown name, he was a Sabbar Shrine clown for 40+ years. Done up in the hobo style, busted like a broke hobo. He actually passed away shortly after Grandma got the car. Surprisingly no one has ever asked me about it and I have been rocking it the last few years as a daily driver

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            #6
            Welcome. Looks like a great car to start off an in-service project with. My first car was an 87 Crown Vic LX way back in 2000-2001, I have a soft spot for the 86-87 Fords since then.
            Good luck with the fix up, we can help along the way.
            Summer car-> 1988 Lincoln Town Car, triple blue, 335,xxx km. New HO 5.0 in and running. Bought 2006/08/22. June 2017 PotM!
            Winter vehicle-> 1995 Ford F-250 XLT SuperCab 4x4, 284,xxx+km. AKA "Brutus" 460/E4OD/4.10 axles and 12 MPG. Bought 2019/08/14

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

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              #7
              Changed oil, front brake rotors and pads and wheel bearings in the box. Pictures at https://imgur.com/gallery/mnL00

              Changed the oil, pulled front tire off and the brakes look glazed but still almost a full pad left. Rotor grooved like there was something scratching them. Went ahead and replaced them anyway and see if they work better lol. Topped off the brake fluid, the front wasn't full, I'll keep an eye on that.

              And ball joints and tie rod ends looked fine, not sure why the front end shimmies, the one sway bar bushing is broken, the edge is missing but that shouldn't cause it. Almost feels like the XJ at times, hit a bump in the road and it causes the car to kinda dive to the side and back. Unless it's something in the back, but it sure felt like the front-end.

              Poor girl is covered in oil underneath heh. I hear a plugged PCV screen can cause some oil leakage but it looks bad like maybe a front and or rear main, eek.

              I wish drums were easier to check, gonna see if there's an inspection hole and check the rear. Then look at suspension in the rear. I even tried a pry bar on the front tire with it elevated and couldn't get a wiggle out of the ball joints. The uppers did take some grease though, think they might of missed them on the lube-oil-filters my grandma was getting. Sway bar bushings could be replaced but I don't think that would cause the weird shimmy I'm feeling.

              Comment

                #8
                Might not hurt to check the shocks.

                For the oil leaks, check that PCV, then clean things up. I use gunk degreaser, and a pressure washer if you have access. I do usually cover the distributor with a plastic bag. Then maybe we can narrow down that oil leak. My bet is intake and valve cover gaskets.
                1990 Country Squire - weekend cruiser, next project
                1988 Crown Vic LTD Wagon - waiting in the wings

                GMN Box Panther History
                Box Panther Horsepower and Torque Ratings
                Box Panther Production Numbers

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                  #9
                  Usually its valve cover gaskets and intake manifold gasket that causes the big leak. The seals don't go bad that often.
                  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

                    #10
                    +1 on it not likely being a front or rear main seal. The "newer" ones don't break down like the old rope seals did way back when. That being said, it's still possible, just not likely.
                    Those box engines usually build up excess crankcase pressure from a plugged PCV or the filter in the PCV port, thus blowing out the cork intake and/or valve cover gaskets. I only use my 88 Lincoln for about 6 months of the year, and the old engine I just replaced had all 8 valve stem seals bad. But that's the first time I ever had that happen to me, and I've had five boxes (one after the other, continuously) since Y2K.
                    Summer car-> 1988 Lincoln Town Car, triple blue, 335,xxx km. New HO 5.0 in and running. Bought 2006/08/22. June 2017 PotM!
                    Winter vehicle-> 1995 Ford F-250 XLT SuperCab 4x4, 284,xxx+km. AKA "Brutus" 460/E4OD/4.10 axles and 12 MPG. Bought 2019/08/14

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

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                      #11
                      Really nice car! My gandmarquis happen to be my grandmas too! I have those same hubcaps on my marqee. Make sure your ignition system is rock solid. That's what I have problems with when talking about reliability on my 84. Check all wires are clean and taped , not exposed and tearing.
                      sigpic

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                        #12
                        Is this a 3g alternator? https://www.tucsonalternator.com/Par...px?IDNUM=43880

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                          #13
                          Yes it is. You will need a bolt/nut combo to hold it on the top side as it's not threaded like the stock alternator. You will also need to get a few bits and a fatter charge cable for it to work reliably on the car. See this thread and the links in it: http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthre...upgrade-README

                          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.

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                            #14
                            Thanks, I was reading that, just wanted verification I was reading that part right lol.

                            Comment

                              #15
                              Yup... you got it right.

                              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

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