LTDMan's '87 LTD Crown Vic LX

[88Vic]

Looks great, I wish my truck was that clean. One question though: why do you want to keep the exhaust manifolds on it? Why don't you want shorty headers?

[Lincolnmania]

my compressor is an emglo......a v4.....pulled it out of the trash....had a dead 5hp honda......we put a 5hp electric motor on it......is a 2 stage compressor and about 80 gallon of tank enough for painting?

[LTDMan83]

Thx for the Compliments Mangs!

This is a sharp looking car, and the list of furture mods, as well as the current mods are very tasteful. I look forward to seeing progress on this car, as it appears that you always strive for the utmost in quality when it comes to your LTD.

Also, thats a decent compressor set up.

Whenever I've painted anything, I use the setup that my old man has at his shop. He has a 120 gallon Emqlo compressor that makes enough wind for any type of painting (I'm not sure of the exact specs; but he's had it a long time). It does occasionally run out of steam when using constant pressure (sometimes when using the DA for extended periods of time, sandblasting, etc). We use the compressor for other things, but we have a seperate cicuit dedicated for painting purposes. Thats where the major regulator and filter are. We also use an in line desiccant "snake" from DeVilbiss. I use a water filter before the pressure regulator on the gun too. The gun I use most often is a mid range DeVilbiss gravity fed (HVLP); it actually belongs to my half brother; but it's a "community" gun. We also have an assortment of other generic gravity feeds (with different tips), and two conventional Binks guns (which my Dad likes to use). We have a decent setup, but we still can't make anything come out really well. My half brother is the best of the bunch, but has been out of it for so long that he's pretty rusty. he used to be really good, and with practice and patience, he could get back into it rather easily.

Thanks mang, I try and strive for top quality with everything that I put my hand and work into, but especially when it comes to my own car.


The little 110V kobalt is just barely enough to keep up with the siphon feed Conventional I run, but it gets along without ever dropping below 30psi at any point. From what people at work have been telling me, a gravity feed low-air HVLP will fair much better on a compressor of that size, and will also be able to lay down a much better finish. I have a nice one picked out already, just waiting for my gubment bribe $$$ to get here.

I use a cheap Kobalt Air/Water filter/regulator, and a 4ft desiccant hose inlined before the gun. Still haven't got a pressure gauge to go on the gun, but from what I understand there is a 5psi pressure drop at the Filter/Regulator, and around a 5psi drop though the desiccant hose, so I just adjust the Reg on the compressor accordingly, usually running around 45-50psi.

I'm just getting into painting, so this is just my beginner setup, I'm gonna upgrade the compressor pretty soon, and the Gun next. I've been building my painting skills for about a year now, and I'm still getting better all the time. I'm Hoping to take over as the head painter at my shop in the next 2-3yrs, but we will see, as the guy they have now is about 10X better than me. I love body repair, but painting pays a helluva lot more, and is less aggravating.

Looks great, I wish my truck was that clean. One question though: why do you want to keep the exhaust manifolds on it? Why don't you want shorty headers?

I'm kind of attached to them, it's one of those weird things that you can't explain. The set of Ceramic coated headers I really want runs around $400, and I'm not willing to pay that much. But, If I end up with a P-Headed 302 then I will have to ditch teh logs.

my compressor is an emglo......a v4.....pulled it out of the trash....had a dead 5hp honda......we put a 5hp electric motor on it......is a 2 stage compressor and about 80 gallon of tank enough for painting?

Definitely big enough tank. If it will put out 5cfm @ 40psi then it will run a low-air HVLP with no probs.





Pics of the Decklid to come tomorrow, I think it came out pretty good.

[Lincolnmania]

hmm my paint gun is a cornwell non hvlp gravity feed.....it was used once on gadgets 1/4 panel repair.......when i worked at the body shop 96-97 the owner didnt use hvlp's and didnt like them......really wish i knew more mangs to ask about this stuff

[P72Ford]

my compressor is an emglo......a v4.....pulled it out of the trash....had a dead 5hp honda......we put a 5hp electric motor on it......is a 2 stage compressor and about 80 gallon of tank enough for painting?

Is it a vertical with the motor on top?

We used to have one like that, and it worked fine for painting.

[Lincolnmania]

it's a portable with 2 small round tanks......right now i have the 2 small tanks and a 30 gallon tank from dead craftsman air compressor, but i have a 80 gallon tank with a dead compressor on it that i want to switch the emglo on to

[LTDMan83]

hmm my paint gun is a cornwell non hvlp gravity feed.....it was used once on gadgets 1/4 panel repair.......when i worked at the body shop 96-97 the owner didnt use hvlp's and didnt like them......really wish i knew more mangs to ask about this stuff

If I was to ever paint for you, I would have no problem using whatever equipment and paint you wanted me too. My skill has been built using a conventional, so its what I'm currently good with.

The main reason for me going to HVLP is the much higher transfer efficiency of the HVLP. The conventional I have has a very low transfer efficiency, and because of such makes a Huge cloud, which tends to hang in the air and drift off slowly. Being that I paint mostly outside, the less of a cloud of paint I can make, is the less chance of it drifting into a neighboring house them calling the cops, and me getting fined a ishload of money.

From what people have told me, after I get used to the HVLP, I will be able to lay down a much better quality finish.

[LTDMan83]

Here's most of the new Minty Decklid Project, still more work to finish up after it goes on the car though.



I found a Minty Decklid at teh u-pull-it for $20, (from an 87 LTD CV P74) .





My lock cylinder which I have the key for, (from an 85 LTD CV P73).





You know your meticulous when you spend 15 minutes sanding down bolts, in prep for paint, lol. Here they are while curing.





2 of 3 Lock hold-down plates, painted.





Inside of the Decklid, spent probibly 4 hours just prepping to be painted. Stripping off old flaking/cracked body caulk, filling the seams, sanding down every mm with 320gr. It was done well enough that it should last at least 15-20yrs.









Lock Cylinder hold-down plate area, empty, and with lock plates and lock cylinder installed. In place of the factory rivets I used self-tapping screws, dipped in silicone to prevent Rust from forming.









Decklid fully assembled, minus electric solinoid latch, which I will install from my decklid when I get ready to install this Lid.







I love Flat Black! I think it will be a nice Contrast to the High Gloss finish going on the outside of the car.



Higher Quality Pics Here \/

[LTDMan83]

Here are the high quality pics:

[Lincolnmania]

nice work!
still looking for a decent decklid for toms vic
hey if you ever need any imron, we got tons of it.....white and schoolbus yellow

[LTDMan83]

nice work!
still looking for a decent decklid for toms vic
hey if you ever need any imron, we got tons of it.....white and schoolbus yellow

Thanks mang!

I searched for around 1 1/2yrs before I found a Good Condition decklid. They are not easy to find in good shape. The 79-87 LTD/GM are getting more and more rare to find in the junkyard not already beat to hell. My last decklid came from an 87 Police Car and was beat to shit, as well as being bent. Still plenty of nice 88-91 bodyparts to be had though.

lol, I probibly won't be needing any schooolbus yellow anytime soon, but I'll let you know on the white.

[LTDMan83]

Next up,

before I install the decklid, I'm gonna switch gears, and return to Metal and Filler work on the PS Rear quarterpanel. The metal work is about 90% finished, and once I'm done will only require a glazing coat of Metal 2 Metal filler, to smooth it out.

I will have pics of the progress and completion.

Stay Tuned.

[LTDMan83]

Here is my progress on the PS QP thus far. I'm about 75% of the way through, I became sidetracked on another project and had to stop with it, so it's been sitting in primer for the past few weeks.

Don't have any before pics, but it has came quite a long way from were it was. I'm gonna go a little further with the metal work, and then am gonna glaze the rest. There is zero "oil can" in the dented areas which is all that matters. The Primer on the rear ps door is where I fixed some rusty scratches, and also cut through the paint while removing the door guard trim, it's fine otherwise. The primer on the PS front fender is where I Shaved the Antenna.

I am currently waiting for the Rage, and a few other things I ordered to get here, before I begin bodywork again.

This is the last hurdle to get past before the entire car can go into Primer, and then Paint.

Notice how Nice and Straight the Body is in Pic #2 & 3, didn't come like that from the factory (look at the pinstripes on the front door/fender for proof), lotsa work into that.

It's the small details which make the Biggest difference in the overall appearance of the car.


Finished pics of the QP will come next, not much to see during the work process, as it is pretty tedious and boring.

[86VickyLX]

NM, mang. I found a good solution.

Linky

Those things are expensive, we were going to buy them when we couldn't find the proper heater hoses (core to pipes). But we managed to find hoses that were close, and I haven't had any problems with them.

[LTDMan83]

Those things are expensive, we were going to buy them when we couldn't find the proper heater hoses (core to pipes). But we managed to find hoses that were close, and I haven't had any problems with them.

$6.99 is expensive to you? :smirk:


Linky


I can't find the correct hose, so Gates Unicoil it is.