MyGrandMarquis - Burgundy '83 coupe

[1990LTD]

matt: keeping john in work since 2010

[Midnight Drifter]

So just to set the record straight: If I wanted to choose a plug-in radio for the Grand Marquis with adapter harness, I should be seeking a 1988-style Ford connector adapter, not a '83?

[MattsLincoln]

So just to set the record straight: If I wanted to choose a plug-in radio for the Grand Marquis with adapter harness, I should be seeking a 1988-style Ford connector adapter, not a '83?

correct 1988 or 1989 plug adapters. they look like this if you get an aftermarket headunit.


http://www.discountcarstereo.com/BHA5511.html

[Midnight Drifter]

Probably going to go with a manual-tuner Dual tape deck. Built in aux port and looks like nothing that anyone will want to steal. I'm thinking Sound Ordinance speakers too, front and rear. Nothing flashy, just good sounding.

Alright, so guys... does anybody make replacement door seals/weatherstripping that fits this old tank, factory-fit or universal?

[87gtVIC]

I have installed new door weatherstripping on my coupe. I do not know where it came from as I literally found an entire spool of it by my work site. I think in my thread around this post there is some conversation and speculation surrounding where to get more and where it came from.

http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthre...l=1#post472370


you just gotta order something similar and then let everyone else know if it works because that is about the only remaining item nobody has a definitive answer upon.

[SteveG1988]

drifter, hopefully you can get it 100% awesome before late 2012.

[Midnight Drifter]

I'm seriously debating keeping the vyinl top and just having it redone. Whitewalls don't seem to look right with blank tops.

And I likes me whitewalls.

[86VickyLX]

Going to be a pretty penny for having that vinyl top redone. I told you why.

[87gtVIC]

I say keep the vinyl. Just do ALL of the dismantling yourself to save money. I can give you pointers when that time comes as I have done it myself.

[MrMarquis]

I'm seriously debating keeping the vyinl top and just having it redone. Whitewalls don't seem to look right with blank tops.

And I likes me whitewalls.

Whitewalls are awesome. Period.

[tjc78]

Whitewalls are awesome. Period.

I have to agree. On a mostly stock looking box, whitewalls just belong. Having said that, I do prefer a very thin whitewall like on the attached picture.

[Midnight Drifter]

I say keep the vinyl. Just do ALL of the dismantling yourself to save money. I can give you pointers when that time comes as I have done it myself.

You can start right now, because that's the next thing I feel myself capable of doing that I plan on doing.

I tried to polish and compound the trunk today to no avail. That thing's a lost cause. Anyone selling a trunk?

I'm alos looking for places to re-chrome the bumpers and side paneling. Perhaps not immediately, but definitely sometime next year after the framework and bodywork are straightened out.

I've also decided to tweak and delete or mod a few things to clean up the lines of the car, while keeping the class.

Here's something to look forward to seeing in my car:
http://www.jcwhitney.com/replacement...d=d1592y1983j1


Don't y'all get it twisted: Heater core and wheel cylinders, along with the Firestone Destination tire swap are priority 1. I'll be saving for a nice set - I mean nice - of whitewalls over the course of the winter, and will probably be picking up a set of 'junker' wheels to toss on the car for winter tires next year; I plan on having the current turbines media-blasted and the faces re-machined with the insides powder coated back to black. Right now they kind of look like shit.

I'm also in the market for Mercury "M" center caps. Anybody looking to part with a set, or exchange for "crown" center caps, let me know.

edit: Found something else that really appeals to me:
http://www.idmsvcs.com/2vmod/alterna...ade/index.html

[87gtVIC]

First off you will need to remove the headliner. To do so you will have to first remove the dome light lens. Once the lens is removed you will need to remove the three screws. One screw make contact for ground and actually secures the dome light to the roof of the car. The other two screw into terminals where there is triggered power via the door jamb switches and constant power to turn on the map lights I believe.

Next you will remove the dash pad. Yes the dash pad. You have to remove the dash pad to safely remove the a pillar trims...but first you must remove the upper interior windshield trim by firmly pulling down as well as the upper interior door moldings....removing them in the same manner. Remove the two visible screws for the a pillar trim and they should now be loose.

Next up us removing the lower ¼ panal carpets. Use a door panel removal tool to remove the clips...each side should have three door panel clips securing the piece. Two of the clips go into the plastic trim piece that is right behind the carpet and the third goes into the shell of the car.

Unscrew any visible screws in the door jamb area that are securing trim panels. The lower plastic trim piece should now slide out.

Remove the rear windshield interior molding by the same manner as the front one.

There may be one hidden screw just underneath the large ¼ panel trim piece by the window...remove that. Then look around for any more screws near the corner of the large trim piece.

Now firmly grab the trim piece by the ¼ window opening and pull towards you. This should release the three or two...(I dont recall exactly) clips that hold the large panel firmly in place.

Remove the seatbelt via the large torx bit next to the sides of the seat and snake the seatbelt through the large ¼ panel interior trim molding to completely free the trim piece from the vehicle.

Now pull the headliner out through the passengers side door.

Look up while sitting in the car now and remove any nuts you may see. Any and everything will have to be removed to release any trim on the outside..same goes from the red trim that travels horizontally from the door opening to the rear window...on that stretch some will be nuts while some near the end are push pins into barrel nuts in the shell of the car. BE VERY CAREFULL one you believe you have all of the nuts removed as you will have to grab the trim piece and slide it towards the rear of the car to release it from one last large circular washer that secures the trim tight against the body right next to the rear window.

For the quarter panel moldings you will need a bent flat head screw driver to carefully pry up the thin metal clips that are wedged in between the vinyl and the glass. Just work slowly.

Lastly you will need a windshield trim removal tool to remove the rear window trim pieces so you can access two screws that secure the vinyl top on its seams..and finally begin pulling up the top.



My top took forever to remove. I believe if you search around my build thread..somewhere like march/april 2010 you will see a bit of the process I have just described.
Good luck.

[86VickyLX]

It's a lot of fun. You'll most likely have to get new retainter clips for the windshield trim. I have a windshield trim tool. You can probably get one cheap. Pretty easy to use.

[87gtVIC]

Luckily new clips are sold.