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kishy's 1985 Country Squire

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    Test-fitted one of my trailer hitches on this. Have found that nobody is selling a 2" receiver for the wagons, but a few brands do for the sedans. It does appear the frame is different enough to make a difference at the very back, but there will be a way to mount it up...it just can't use holes that pre-exist on the sedans because they don't exist on the wagon. More drilling, not the end of the world.
    Last edited by kishy; 08-27-2020, 12:06 AM.

    Current driver: Ranger
    Panthers: 83 GM 2dr | 84 TC | 85 CS
    | 88 TC | 91 GM
    Not Panthers: 85 Ranger | Ranger trailer | 91 Acclaim | 05 Focus
    Gone: 97 CV | 83 TC | 04 Focus | 86 GM
    | Junkyards

    Comment


      I pulled a wagon hitch from the junkyard for my car. I believe it came with some sort of wedge shaped spacers for the forward? Mounting positions. I did not utilize them for the installation of the hitch onto my coupe.

      Again excellent photos.
      ~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


        Nice pics dude. You could be a freelance photographer. Need to find me an abandoned road like that for similar angles. I think it's time to put a for sale sign on my Lincoln.
        1985 LTD Crown Victoria - SOLD
        1988 Town Car Signature - Current Party Barge

        Comment


          The wagon looks good. Also, I was there the day those wheels were acquired.

          Originally posted by DerekTheGreat View Post
          Nice pics dude. You could be a freelance photographer. Need to find me an abandoned road like that for similar angles. I think it's time to put a for sale sign on my Lincoln.
          Park it by that old middle-of-nowhere abandoned corner store by my parents' place. Also, I know of an old abandoned one room school house not far off the route we take up there. Lots of potential up that way for picture backgrounds.
          Vic

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

          Comment


            Those will make great shots. I do have some photos from when we road tripped it several times that'll make for good pics as well. I could just use those, they're several years old but it's not like the car has changed.
            1985 LTD Crown Victoria - SOLD
            1988 Town Car Signature - Current Party Barge

            Comment


              Thanks folks

              I really am completely obsessed with how this looks. I love when I have a vision for something and can make reality match what was in my head. I'm a super visual thinker...all my ideas are like photos, apparently that isn't the case for everyone, but anyway when you think the way I do it's super rewarding to see the result pan out like this. I realize they're just steel wheels and pretty standard tires but I'm thrilled with it.

              The hitch that came on the car was the little baby receiver, and also hopelessly rusted, but it did fit without any spacers. However, the direct-fit-for-a-wagon hitches only exist in the little receiver size, so some sort of spacers need to be fabbed up to make the sedan hitches work. No reason it can't be done, just needs to be done. Some sort of triangular wedge thing will need to be found as described above.

              Current driver: Ranger
              Panthers: 83 GM 2dr | 84 TC | 85 CS
              | 88 TC | 91 GM
              Not Panthers: 85 Ranger | Ranger trailer | 91 Acclaim | 05 Focus
              Gone: 97 CV | 83 TC | 04 Focus | 86 GM
              | Junkyards

              Comment


                Originally posted by kishy View Post
                Thanks folks

                I really am completely obsessed with how this looks. I love when I have a vision for something and can make reality match what was in my head. I'm a super visual thinker...all my ideas are like photos, apparently that isn't the case for everyone, but anyway when you think the way I do it's super rewarding to see the result pan out like this. I realize they're just steel wheels and pretty standard tires but I'm thrilled with it.

                The hitch that came on the car was the little baby receiver, and also hopelessly rusted, but it did fit without any spacers. However, the direct-fit-for-a-wagon hitches only exist in the little receiver size, so some sort of spacers need to be fabbed up to make the sedan hitches work. No reason it can't be done, just needs to be done. Some sort of triangular wedge thing will need to be found as described above.
                Since I installed 2 sedan hitches on the Mad Marquis and the Red Velvet Cake, I may have those pieces left over. I'll try to remember to check my washers box. I know I have leftovers of the rectangular "inside the frame" bolt trap washers.

                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


                  I installed a hitch I got from Nick that came off an Aero, IIRC.

                  I used a Curt brand install kit for the ‘92+ cars and it fit fine. Just have to drill two holes in the frame towards the bumper, but I had to do the same thing when I also installed one on my ‘97. They include these little shims for the rearward mounting holes to make everything level.


                  My Cars:
                  -1964 Comet 202 (116K Miles) - Long Term Project
                  -1986 Dodge D-150 Royale SE (112K Miles) - Slowly Getting Put Back Together
                  -1987 Grand Marquis Colony Park LS (325K Miles) - April 2017 + September 2019 POTM Winner
                  -1997 Grand Marquis LS (240K Miles) - The Daily Workhorse & March 2015 + January 2019 POTM Winner

                  Comment


                    Nope... apparently I used them for something. I kept the slight forward tilt on mine since it was level with the trailer attached after the car squatted.

                    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


                      This is it mocked up, with the rear bolt in the existing hole in the frame which is ever-so-slightly too far back. I'd be fine with mounting it there, but the existing holes are not spaced enough to use them to mount it (can only bolt one side or the other, but not both), so it will get kicked forward a bit for new holes spaced correctly.





                      I think even a non-triangular 1-5/8 x 1-5/8 x 7/8" block would suffice as a spacer (after measuring it to get those figures), which ignores the fact that it's fitting in a triangular space, but I think it's close enough that it would all smoosh together properly. Maybe. I would prefer a triangular wedge that better filled the space but that's not as easy to come by.

                      Regardless, maybe the U-Haul hitch install place will have some little chunks they can sell for negligible cost. Otherwise I can find some scraps somewhere.

                      Current driver: Ranger
                      Panthers: 83 GM 2dr | 84 TC | 85 CS
                      | 88 TC | 91 GM
                      Not Panthers: 85 Ranger | Ranger trailer | 91 Acclaim | 05 Focus
                      Gone: 97 CV | 83 TC | 04 Focus | 86 GM
                      | Junkyards

                      Comment


                        Originally posted by DerekTheGreat View Post
                        Aren't Wranglers truck tires? Fronts look a bit "meaty."
                        My box grand marquis and my pickup truck are within 200 pounds of each other when crossing the dump scales, close enough for truck tires for me.

                        Comment


                          Originally posted by kishy View Post
                          This is it mocked up, with the rear bolt in the existing hole in the frame which is ever-so-slightly too far back. I'd be fine with mounting it there, but the existing holes are not spaced enough to use them to mount it (can only bolt one side or the other, but not both), so it will get kicked forward a bit for new holes spaced correctly.

                          [pictures here]

                          I think even a non-triangular 1-5/8 x 1-5/8 x 7/8" block would suffice as a spacer (after measuring it to get those figures), which ignores the fact that it's fitting in a triangular space, but I think it's close enough that it would all smoosh together properly. Maybe. I would prefer a triangular wedge that better filled the space but that's not as easy to come by.

                          Regardless, maybe the U-Haul hitch install place will have some little chunks they can sell for negligible cost. Otherwise I can find some scraps somewhere.
                          I had to drill all the holes on both of my cars. It wouldn't line up to anything that was already there. I just held it in place with a jack and marked the drill spots. One car I dropped the receiver and drilled the holes... the other one I left the receiver up and just drilled the holes with it in place. Probably was safer to drop it after marking the hole locations. The bolt fishing wire was a godsend getting those things into position. Also, making the holes one step larger than the needed size makes getting them in much easier.

                          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


                            If you have a grinder, triangle wedges aren't that hard to come by.
                            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


                              When mounting the hitch on the Lincoln, the forward mounting bolts called for the use of existing openings in the frame, and those existing openings did exist on my car so I only had to drill the rear holes. But, the same openings do not exist on the wagon at all, regardless of the fact they would be too far forward on the wagon version of the frame.

                              While I could make the wedges, I would need good stock to start with. Going to talk to the fleet maintenance guys at work, they've got all sorts of scraps hanging around.

                              Achievements for the day:
                              -re-unblocked the washer fluid nozzle. Added inline filter from some junkyard car to avoid this plugging up again.
                              -replaced the driver wiper mounting stud/post/tower thing with a junkyard pull with less play. wiper no longer parks above hood and should also resist trying to run off the A-pillar in the wind.
                              -heater core plumbed in, Motorcraft ATC blower lockout installed, heat verified to work well and quickly.





                              Blower resistor seems to have a defect, need to investigate (low and medium are same speed, high works normally). Blower wiring seems to want to be re-done as blower feels a bit weak, but is a new motor. I seem to recall mention of a blower motor relay or rewire mod that skips some harness sections but I can't find it with my half-assed search attempts right now. EVTM will tell its secrets.

                              I think the next project will be the idle speed. Fast idle does not exist currently. All parts are present, just need to configure them properly.

                              3G is coming too, but the 1G is being pretty well behaved, so it might just stay until something goes wrong. Depends on if I randomly stumble upon a good 3G and associated bits in my garage I guess.

                              Current driver: Ranger
                              Panthers: 83 GM 2dr | 84 TC | 85 CS
                              | 88 TC | 91 GM
                              Not Panthers: 85 Ranger | Ranger trailer | 91 Acclaim | 05 Focus
                              Gone: 97 CV | 83 TC | 04 Focus | 86 GM
                              | Junkyards

                              Comment


                                Originally posted by kishy View Post
                                -replaced the driver wiper mounting stud/post/tower thing with a junkyard pull with less play. wiper no longer parks above hood and should also resist trying to run off the A-pillar in the wind.
                                What part of the post has play? Since I have the mentioned issue aswell. Is it just in where the motor linkages attach to the post?
                                In which way does it have less play?
                                1985 Mercury Grand Marquis LS, "Maisa"
                                1995 Chevrolet Caprice Classic STW, "Sally"

                                Comment

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