1993 Grand Marquis - Trinity [Drifter's Resurrection]

[87gtVIC]

I'd suggest just looking local for a stock aluminum one.

[sly]

the aluminum shafts should be 140mph good. I know the shaft on mine is definitely good to 109mph and it's the stock 3.5" aluminum one. The really good aluminum one to look for is 4" diameter and has 3 colored bands at one end. And Denny's shafts are high speed balanced and guaranteed... so definitely no problems there.

[SVT98t]

Stock aluminum drive shaft with a 4R70W tailshaft housing.

-ryan s.

[Midnight Drifter]

I'm sitting by myself right now quietly wondering if I should throw some tie rod ends in with the sway bar end links for good measure...

Clattery suspension is clattery.

On an retrospective note: Looking back now in Dorothy's thread, I have to come to terms with the fact that as bad as I might think I have it without working aircon, slow-as-molasses power windows, and a driver's seat that will only move back and fourth if the temperature is below 80 degrees, I'm still blessed with a car that answers the call of duty each time I turn the key. Dorothy did look good from any angle but man did she give a fight with me every step of the way. I actually forgot about a lot of her problems. The only ones I actually remembered were observing her scary fusebox and spending that hour on the phone with John that one night trying to get her home - not the best kind of memories. It's a shame I still don't have her because Trin would be a great engine and trans swap candidate... I love how the 4.6 pulls, and more importantly, sounds. Heck, even the interior colors match so I could swap seats if I wanted to.

If I continued the course with her I probably would have spent thousands just in frame work and fixing all of the electrical shit - much less engine swapping. The irony is, my then-fiancee's job lasted her about a week - apparently she was too slow in the kitchen and her manager didn't want her to drive despite the fact she was HIRED IN AS A DRIVER. The Tercel ended up with what I thought was a blown head gasket, but really a look in the radiator revealed that the head gasket was already blown and the PO used liquid mechanic to make the car sellable.

Maybe that's why I gravitated towards Trinity walking the dealer's lot; my budget allowed for a selection of either her, a Plymouth Reliant with lifter issues or an 80's XJ Cherokee. The Jeep ran like a I top but I just couldn't get over the feeling of sitting in a Panther once again. Nostalgic not only of Dorothy and Samantha, but also the green '97 that my father owned for a little while. I do want to be in it for her long run... she definitely has plenty of life left, and although I'll put tons more into her than she'll ever be worth, there's a certain joy these cars deliver that simply can't be obtained in other cars.

That's probably also why I'm so hard for the suspension work. When I had Dorothy, I wanted to make her dance. Trinity is a second chance to make her do just that. Like a new spin on an old flame... <3

RIP Dorothy; 1983-2012

-Drifter

[Midnight Drifter]

Well, shit.

Upper control arms are shot. Time to "build" new upper control arms out of a '98-02 with a control arm shaft kit?

[Midnight Drifter]

So the person I got the wheels off is looking for a trade + $100. He was going to send that car to the scrapyard and I reckon once he has enough money to buy a FWD snow car Trin will end up meeting a similar fate. But Charlene (his town car) has WAY less mechanical issues than Trinity, and fresh brakes, Front shocks, rear air shocks, suspension bushings, control arms and sway bar links so overall I think it's worth it in the long run. Plus the Town Car actually has a working odometer so I know it's 140,000 actual miles.

What do you guys think?

It's only a matter of time until repo man comes for Nariko and I need a reliable car above all else. Obviously any boy racer dreams will be killed off but honestly the next year will be dedicated to getting through bankruptcy, rebuilding my credit and somehow getting approved for a loan on a Fiesta SFE. The only downside to Charlene is she needs a heater core, but one of the mechanics at my job is a big panther enthusiast and has no problem changing it for $150.

[sxcpotatoes]

The panthers (Lincoln at least) from '90 up were NO PROBLEMO from dropping the glove box to rip & replace the heater cores. You does what you have to.

[79lincolnlover]

Honestly, the next year will be dedicated to getting through bankruptcy, rebuilding my credit and somehow getting approved for a loan on a Fiesta SFE.

Bankruptcy and then a new car? Be careful.

[miamibob]

Yeah, they would LOVE to throw a car loan at you after bankruptcy since you can't file again for like 8-10 years (I forgot which)!

[Mainemantom]

Best way to live is debt free ! Take advantage of a clean restart.

[Midnight Drifter]

I've learned the hard way that you're much better off saving up for an at least 50% down payment before even thinking of making a move. It keeps you out of trouble and the payments low.

So yay for town car? If I get the town car, Trin will probably get crushed. If I keep Trin, the town car will probably get crushed. Town car is newer, has more power (and either a 3.27 or 3.55 rear) less miles and needs less work. I'd hate to lose trinity since she's the first panther I've owned that never left me stranded, but Charlene has been in my co workers possession MUCH longer and has never given him a problem either. He wants to use the scrap money to help buy a manager's '02 Ford Explorer 4.6 so he can have AWD for the winter. The manager wants another workers Honda because the Explorer is a pig. There's like a circle of car sales within our company lol.

[marquis_82_withneons]

I think you're about right. The original NPI engine in my 93 shifted around 5K. The PI engine shifts north of 5500 though.

82 box shifts at 4200 hahaha

[sly]

my 88 shifts at 4000... but will pull stumps... so meh.

[79lincolnlover]

So yay for town car? If I get the town car, Trin will probably get crushed.

Does the TC have any service records? Would be a shame to crush your GM but if it's really rotten. You can always list it for sale here in the meantime.

[Midnight Drifter]

Time isn't on my side. This is actually a favor since it's starting to get a bit cool in the mornings and Charlene's heater core is currently bypassed. Plus, if I sell Trinity separately, it's curtains for the Town Car.

I doubt I'll get anywhere near the $650 the junkyard offered for her, with all that underbody rot, the shot transmission crossmember, lower control arms, and beat up shocks and springs - much less the fact that the odo doesn't work and I can't even get the compressor to engage.

Whereas the town car is pretty much tip top save for the exhaust manifold leak and heater core. I think I'm saving money in the long run here by cutting my losses.

As for service records, I've seen Charlene in the garage every 2 months for oil changes, the aft was changed at 30k, 60k, 90k and 120k and the coolant is less than 2 years old.