"Big Red", 87Mercman's Grand Marquis
Well, I'm new here (though I've browsed these forums in the past...), and thought I'd introduce myself and my GM.
"Red" or "Big Red" has been in my family since the day she rolled of the lot in 1987. At that time she was owned by my grandparents (and I remember riding in her back...). Throughout her time in my family she's had a few others own her besides me. We became reacquainted in the summer of '00. And I've had her since.
She's got a 302, AOD, and 3.27 open gears. All told 192,000 miles (70,000 of which are actually mine).
Now then, you'll prolly ask "what have you done to her?"
She's had...
...an engine transplant (an odd, slightly infuriating story for me) a '91 5.0L HO, though my upper intake, egr spacer and TB are still the original stock
...a brain transplant - to a A9S Mustang computer
...injectors replaced to Ford Motorsports 19 lbs
...a mass air meter installed, the sensor is from a '91 mustang, but the housing is from a later T-bird giving the whole intake up to the TB an effective 70mm
...air-box removed and replaced with a K&N cone filter
...1/2" intake spacer
...A/C removed
...Smog pump disconnected
...2.25" dual exhaust with imco turbo mufflers and turn-downs at the rear axle
...1.125" rear sway bar added
...rear shocks replaced with coil-over towing shocks
...tranny rebuilt (though I don't think anything "special" was done to it)
...voltage, oil pressure, and tach gauges added
...factory Premium Sound System replaced with a complete Alpine sound system
...the chrome trim around the wheels and at the bottom of the doors removed
Now then, what do I plan(/want to) on doing??
The front suspension needs to be replaced...
...trucoil 1100 springs
...shocks - not sure yet, still trying to decide between all the different brands i've read about, though i'd like something similar to the KYB gas-a-just shocks for police/taxi
...sway bar - definitely an 1.25"
...ball joints
...tie rods
...haven't decided about upper control arms yet...though the bushings MUST be replaced. I've considered doing the 98-02 conversion that I've read about on here...but haven't read enough of the details to decide if it'd be worth it.
Rear end upgrade...
...I like the 3.27's but not the open carrier...I've got a posi to rebuild the diff with when I get a chance
...disc brakes
...slightly better springs like the Trucoil 175 or so
Engine...
...rebuild with a slightly better cam, (most likely a Comp Cams similar to the E303) and either roller rockers (1.7 ratio) or the roller tipped rockers (1.6 ratio)
...heads reworked to stage 1.5 or so (valve job and port-matching)
...port my upper and lower intake, and either port the upper to match 65-70mm TB and spacer or replace it with one that will
...replace the TB and spacer with a 65-70mm BBK or Edelbrock
...replace stock exhaust manifold with shorty headers
Exhaust...
...high-flow cats with cat-back mufflers
...pipe exhaust out to the side in front of rear tires
Tranny...
...replace with one better matched for the HO (hopefully one from a '93 T-bird which has the "A" servo)
...rebuild the above tranny with shift-kit, wide-ratio band (which will give an effective 3.83 rear gear), regulator boost valve kit, and valve body recalibration kit
...2200-2600 stall torque converter
Exterior...
...paint job
...Marauder rims
...suicide doors on the rear
...fog lights
...H4 headlight conversions
Interior...
...sound-proofing
...dash re-design
...steering wheel replacement
...possible floor shifter w/ center console (only if a bucket seat swap is done)
I've got more pics...I'll upload them soon, but right now it keeps timing out every time I try to upload
"Red" or "Big Red" has been in my family since the day she rolled of the lot in 1987. At that time she was owned by my grandparents (and I remember riding in her back...). Throughout her time in my family she's had a few others own her besides me. We became reacquainted in the summer of '00. And I've had her since.
She's got a 302, AOD, and 3.27 open gears. All told 192,000 miles (70,000 of which are actually mine).
Now then, you'll prolly ask "what have you done to her?"
She's had...
...an engine transplant (an odd, slightly infuriating story for me) a '91 5.0L HO, though my upper intake, egr spacer and TB are still the original stock
...a brain transplant - to a A9S Mustang computer
...injectors replaced to Ford Motorsports 19 lbs
...a mass air meter installed, the sensor is from a '91 mustang, but the housing is from a later T-bird giving the whole intake up to the TB an effective 70mm
...air-box removed and replaced with a K&N cone filter
...1/2" intake spacer
...A/C removed
...Smog pump disconnected
...2.25" dual exhaust with imco turbo mufflers and turn-downs at the rear axle
...1.125" rear sway bar added
...rear shocks replaced with coil-over towing shocks
...tranny rebuilt (though I don't think anything "special" was done to it)
...voltage, oil pressure, and tach gauges added
...factory Premium Sound System replaced with a complete Alpine sound system
...the chrome trim around the wheels and at the bottom of the doors removed
Now then, what do I plan(/want to) on doing??
The front suspension needs to be replaced...
...trucoil 1100 springs
...shocks - not sure yet, still trying to decide between all the different brands i've read about, though i'd like something similar to the KYB gas-a-just shocks for police/taxi
...sway bar - definitely an 1.25"
...ball joints
...tie rods
...haven't decided about upper control arms yet...though the bushings MUST be replaced. I've considered doing the 98-02 conversion that I've read about on here...but haven't read enough of the details to decide if it'd be worth it.
Rear end upgrade...
...I like the 3.27's but not the open carrier...I've got a posi to rebuild the diff with when I get a chance
...disc brakes
...slightly better springs like the Trucoil 175 or so
Engine...
...rebuild with a slightly better cam, (most likely a Comp Cams similar to the E303) and either roller rockers (1.7 ratio) or the roller tipped rockers (1.6 ratio)
...heads reworked to stage 1.5 or so (valve job and port-matching)
...port my upper and lower intake, and either port the upper to match 65-70mm TB and spacer or replace it with one that will
...replace the TB and spacer with a 65-70mm BBK or Edelbrock
...replace stock exhaust manifold with shorty headers
Exhaust...
...high-flow cats with cat-back mufflers
...pipe exhaust out to the side in front of rear tires
Tranny...
...replace with one better matched for the HO (hopefully one from a '93 T-bird which has the "A" servo)
...rebuild the above tranny with shift-kit, wide-ratio band (which will give an effective 3.83 rear gear), regulator boost valve kit, and valve body recalibration kit
...2200-2600 stall torque converter
Exterior...
...paint job
...Marauder rims
...suicide doors on the rear
...fog lights
...H4 headlight conversions
Interior...
...sound-proofing
...dash re-design
...steering wheel replacement
...possible floor shifter w/ center console (only if a bucket seat swap is done)
I've got more pics...I'll upload them soon, but right now it keeps timing out every time I try to upload
to GMN. That's a nice GM ya got, my old Vic was that color, red on red with a red vinyl top. Looks like you have pretty good plans for it, kinda the way i'd do it.
. You've got all the hard parts done! So the car is mass-air now?
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