My 1987 Two Door Crown Victoria AKA THE BROWN BLOB

[chitownvic]

I always liked the idea of having an engine builder because if something goes wrong you're not entirely up shit creek


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[slack]

After reading some threads about mismatched shocks..front to rear.. I went ahead on rock auto and grabbed two rear gas a justs at closeout prices! Sweet. Currently I was running gr-2s in the rear with gas adjusts up front. Not for long.

I hope you like them! They helped stiffen up the rear of my car nicely. I do haul a ton of weight in my trunk though. (My car is like a portable garage. )

[87gtVIC]

I plan to put them in tomorrow. No idea if I will test ride it. All that is carried in my trunk is the aluminum mini spare that fits over the big brakes, a california car duster, 4 channel amp, bumper jack, car cover and binder full of documentation. So essentially nothing.

I will ask again...any locals want the GR2s I will be removing? They are like new with less then 1000 miles on it. Probably less as the car does not get much mileage put on her.

In other news....finally received the correct timing cover from Late Model Resto. They sent me a truck timing cover. Ports were all in the wrong spots.

Water pump was ordered today as well. I know I am a broken record but just a few more pieces here and there and then the engine will be purchased and assembled....

[marquisman]

Did you say bumper jack? Toss that thing( I took all mine and use them at work lol). Get your self a scissor jack from an aero/whale! Its not the best but, better than messing your bumper alignment and the paint on the filler pieces.

[miamibob]

I keep a small floor jack in the car. A little more weight but works great!

[87gtVIC]

Did you say bumper jack? Toss that thing( I took all mine and use them at work lol). Get your self a scissor jack from an aero/whale! Its not the best but, better than messing your bumper alignment and the paint on the filler pieces.

Yep sure did say bumper jack. It is in there for emergency only. Around the house I use the floor jacks I have on hand. Since it fits nicely underneath the spare tire I will keep it. I do not wish to have things loose in the trunk and rattle. No idea where I would put a scissor jack. Do those vehicles have a nifty spot to stash them in?


Put the shocks in today. Very suprised at how much effort it took to compress the gas ajusts as compared to the GR2's. I really had to muscle the gas ajusts to compress them. I also noticed that they are thicker than the GR2's. To windy so no test ride but looking forward to getting the car out again. At that time I will also further investigate the play in the steering which I believe to be coming from the steering shaft u joint.

[sly]

GR2s are thinner?! dang. Even the gabriels I used to use were the same size as the gas-a-justs. The MonoMax shocks are thicker still (though not too much) and VERY firm. You won't be compressing those without a fight. Thankfully I didn't need to as the rear axle hung low enough to need an inch lift with the jack to get the shocks over the lower bolt. I plan on revisiting that once I change the shocks out of the 93 (it's getting the gas-a-justs) and use the lower bushing from the gabriels for the MonoMax shocks in the 88.

[87gtVIC]

Went out this morning for a nice drive. TO get out of the back yard I have to wiggle the car around a lot and today the steering was really knocking clunking ever so slightly from left to right at idle. Once on the road though all is well and you rarely feel the knock in the steering.

The knock is like a loose point in the steering. I thought it was the u joint in the steering shaft so after the drive I took out the shaft and much to my surprise it was tight tight tight. Well damn.

While it was out though I strengthened up my modified coupler to the PI box by welding the washers to the coupler that attach through the rag joint to ensure I was not getting any play from that. I also cut a piece of metal off of the heat shield that may have been interfering with the steering shaft. I took some pics of the before so others can see how I cobbled together the newer coupler/input shaft to the stock box shaft.

Next drive out I will see if I fixed anything or I have to dig further and into other items.

Here are the pics of the modified steering shaft:








And here are a couple pics from my drive:







































I love my car.

These pics were taken with my phone. Seems to do much better with more light...I'll have to remember to bring my real camera.

[murphmobile2]

Damn your car is gorgeous! Probably one of my favorite boxes on the site...

[87gtVIC]

Hey thanks a bunch.


Totally forgot to mention the performance of the KYB gas ajusts over the KYB gr2's in my car. MUCH BETTER PERIOD. Planted the rear end much better over some spirited left and right turns that normally caused the rear end to bounce and make the tires chirp. Glad I went for them just wish I didn't wait that long. I seriously had no idea there would have been such an improvement over the GR2's.

[pantera77]

Those HPP's look so damn good on that car.

[TecNickal]

I really like those wheels too. VERY Nice!

[87gtVIC]

Thanks guys

put in another order last night and today. Trick flow 1+ quart tranny pan, timing cover/water pump bolt kit (don't expect all of the correct bolts to be there), timing cover dowels as well as a set of dog bones and retainer.

Next stop engine.....

[slack]

Hey thanks a bunch.


Totally forgot to mention the performance of the KYB gas ajusts over the KYB gr2's in my car. MUCH BETTER PERIOD. Planted the rear end much better over some spirited left and right turns that normally caused the rear end to bounce and make the tires chirp. Glad I went for them just wish I didn't wait that long. I seriously had no idea there would have been such an improvement over the GR2's.

Awesome! I'm glad they worked out for you. I can't believe the difference they made in my car as well. I also can't believe I waited so long to throw them in the back as well.

[packman]

I had Monroes on the CV before switching to Bilstiens. Huge difference; plus only after a few short years, the Monroes were rusted through on a couple.

Now get that 347 built and you can really enjoy the turns and the straights.

Packman