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**sxcpotatoes** · 12-03-2011, 06:30 PM

MOAR pics!

**miamibob** · 12-03-2011, 06:44 PM

Not a bad looking car but I have the usual questions...why are you selling it (aka, what's wrong with it), where are you located and how much are you asking???? Some "underneath" shots would be helpful....Bobby

**sxcpotatoes** · 12-03-2011, 07:12 PM

Okay, long story short, idiots must have owned this for quite awhile, and it had to have sat for some time, obviously, to have 85k on it. Also when I crawled around on the backseat I think I screwed up some of the dust.

1991 Mercury Grand Marquis LS with no options, really. Manual heat (score!), no ATC, no premium sound. Powder blue with a dark blue interior.

I bought this off Craigslist locally, the guy who was selling it was honest about some of the problems, but *really* didn't want me to take it to my mechanic before I bought it. The guy also wasn't smart enough, or was too scared of a big repair bill to take it to a shop, it came with a lot of problems.

It lost the bushing for the tranny, and it was driven, so now, the OD clutches are burnt out and it makes crazy grinding noises unless you ease way off the gas. Took it to the transmission shop, installed the bushing and adjusted the TVpressure etc, $30 repair. I'm just gonna drive it in D, I live 2 miles from work, so fuel economy doesn't really matter for me.

It had an exhaust leak. All it was: the breather/fresh air tube that goes from the intake down to the catalytic converter to make it burn hotter & cleaner. No emissions testing where I live, so, they welded in a patch.... just $10

If these people had been the slightest bit proactive in taking care of the damned car! Easy, cheap fixes is all I'm saying.

Okay, it has an electrical problem, and this is one of the reasons the car was so cheap. I bought it, because hey, this thing is pretty clean and barely starting to rust, & obviously needs a better owner. Then, I found out why the guy got cagey when I asked if my mechanic could take a look at it: Mechanic: "Uh, yeah, this car needs about $1500 worth of work" Me: O_o...

List:

Fuel Lines

(fuel) sender

Idler Arm

Swaybar Links /// this is all I had my mechanic do at this time

Shocks (didn't)

Radiator (didn't)

Small Power Steering Leak (stop leaked it myself)

This was right before Thanksgiving, so I order an Airtex Fuel Pump/Float/Sender all in one unit from Advance Auto Parts, use a 15% off code, free shipping, and tomorrow, Dec 4 I will get a $50 off $100 purchase coupon (hellooo $51 radiator!). Summit has the same ReadyRad unit as Advance but wants $130 as opposed to A's $100.99.

I checked the part numbers and the brand new shocks my neighbor pulled when we were stripping my wagon for parts fit this '91. So they're going on sometime this week, & we'll do the radiator too when I get it.

Other problems:

1. Airbag light, code 9, I plan on removing and cleaning contacts on the crash sensors soon.

2. Electrical. This car keeps blowing fuse number 8 (courtesy lamps, illuminated entry, clock, electronic radio, power mirrors, heated windshield, atc control)

3. Both Front Windows do not work (I have a brand new set & full set used pulled from my wagon)

4. power antenna does not work/is not hooked up to stereo

5. Check engine light comes on & it tries to stall at idle when warm, I just gotta get it up to Autozone if I can't find my scanner here, I found the damn code book, but the scanner isn't in my box of car parts where I thought it was.

The electrical problem is weird, I can put fuses in, (no dome light and the map lights don't work), but they blow within about 7-10 minutes. I have no parking lights because of the screwed up electrical stuff on this car. I have headlights, brake lights, turn signals, hazards, everything front and back, just no running lights. The guy replaced the headlight switch (junkyard part? dunno) and claims he replaced the fusebox. He also claims he paid a guy $250 to check the front and rear ends for the electrical problem but the guy found nothing. The dome(nobulb)/map(bulbs) light housing is bent down & does not work afaik, I can stick my fingers up behind it. When I replace the fuses I can turn the interior lights on and all four doors work. The dash illumination does not work, trouble lights are fine, but the lights that come on when you pull the headlight switch out just don't come on at all.

I pulled the stock, factory radio in case it was the problem, but since it wasn't in went my head unit. I put the floormats and cupholder from my wagon in, even though they're red in a blue interior. There are a few cig burns in the interior because the guy I rescued it from was a smoker, but I don't think the previous owner(s) were. He claimed he got it from his cousin who works at a dealership.

Yeah, I'm rambly and should've done this more clearly, sorry.

**sxcpotatoes** · 12-03-2011, 07:14 PM

Originally posted by miamibob View Post

Not a bad looking car but I have the usual questions...why are you selling it (aka, what's wrong with it), where are you located and how much are you asking???? Some "underneath" shots would be helpful....Bobby

Oh, sorry, I'm not selling it, I just spent $550 getting some of that giant list fixed on this car, I think I posted this in Reader's Rides section, I scored this for $800

**miamibob** · 12-03-2011, 07:27 PM

Sorry - I misunderstood. Thought you were selling it. Glad to hear at least you are someone that will fix and care for it as it was not done before. BTW, you were not rambling at all - I actually enjoyed the FULL explanation!! Well written and very informative!! Bobby

P.S. Best of luck with it!!

**sxcpotatoes** · 12-03-2011, 07:28 PM

The chassis on this car is pretty clean, and my mechanic told me the frame is great and the car is worth fixing. The rust is barely starting on the trunk lip and inside the door sills, worst part is driver side rear quarter at the bottom.

I'm gonna run this until the transmission explodes (tranny shop: could be 6 days, or 6 years) though there have been some interesting swap drivetrains coming up CHEAP on Craigslist recently, so we'll see when I have the money and time what I plan to do to with this car.

**87gtVIC** · 12-03-2011, 07:34 PM

Nice car. I love the color as well as the seat patterns.

**79lincolnlover** · 12-03-2011, 11:21 PM

Is this going to be your daily driver or just a back-up/project car?

**sxcpotatoes** · 12-04-2011, 12:09 PM

This is just going to be my daily driver/beater. I plan on keeping it in top mechanical shape, but it does have that bum transmission. When it goes, then anything could happen. A full 4.6 swap, HO drivetrain, whatever's available on Craigslist that gets my attention. Or just replace the entire drivetrain with another stock one, I have one bookmarked over by Lima/Findlay area guy wants $250 for both motor & tranny w/90k on it.

First things first, I just really need to get those park/running lights & fuse blowing isssue sorted so I can drive it at night. And figure out what the Check Engine code(s) are/is.

I'll post some more pics eventually, of all the dented trim and such. The hood is all dented/wavy where the latch is, center front, & there's a spot of cracked paint on the hood. Someone locked keys in it at some point b/c the pillar between doors on driver side is all creased repeatedly, you'll see.

**stinkydogfilms** · 12-04-2011, 12:55 PM

Will you be selling the other GM (with the purple wheels) you bought from a member here when you pick it up? Could save you time and money on the transport you could use on this one.

**sxcpotatoes** · 12-04-2011, 02:37 PM

Sorry stinkydogfilms, I'm gonna be hanging on to the Grand Marquis with the purple rims, and driving it for fun, maybe take it to a 1/4 mi track in the spring. There's a mustang transmission available locally and I'm gonna take it down south with me if I can score it and 1980c10 has generously agreed to help me wrassle it up into the car so I can drive it at least partway back (then AAA the rest of the way).