VicCrownVic's 1991 Mercury Grand Marquis LS "The Scab"

[slack]

I've used Nickle Copper brake lines on the past couple of brake lines I had to replace. It made it so much less a pain in the ass. They flare and bend (but not kink) really easy.

[VicCrownVic]

Last Saturday I popped a brake line somewhere in the front left or front center. Brakes felt a little strange returning from Lowe's with some mulch (second trip because I needed a couple more bags). Got home and noticed drips like a crumb trail from the street into the driveway under the car. The strangeness I felt in the brakes made sense at that point. Line replacement perhaps this weekend if I have time. yay
At least I still have my friend's hydraulic flare tool, so it shouldn't be too terrible of a job.

[TecNickal]

Ahhh that's right, ok. x2 I forgot about that - had to reference meet pictures for a refresh.

[VicCrownVic]

LOL, originally from Michigan. Belonged to the PO's grandparents and they took it to Arizona every year, hence the sun baked C-pillar sail panels (which I have replaced one and maybe I'll get the other one done next year, three years after I bought the JY replacement panels.)

Might have been 3 years ago that you saw this one. At our last meet (2019) I drove The Ice Car.

I don't put a ton of miles on this car and it's almost that time of year where I stop driving it again. The clear coat peal on the roof is really taking off, but still drives great. Even towed an empty car dolly last year.

[TecNickal]

I remember seeing this car not too long ago...2 years ago? What a survivor. Originally from out west before arriving in Michigan right?

Hope it keeps on chugging along for years to come.

[VicCrownVic]

Picture from yesterday of the bad side. Clear coat is pretty rough, rocker panel is mostly gone, grandma (PO's grandma) ran into something or was ran into in the quarter panel, grandma also tried taking the garage door with her on the front. This is just the stuff that you can see that makes me chuckle that so many people are complimenting/asking if it's for sale. And that's in person, the camera can often hide just how bad a car really is, LOL. There are plenty more issues that you can't see or I didn't mention that really would make a buyer realize they overpaid at any price.

More than 20 years of driving box panthers means I am very comfortable with where every inch of the car is, so parking is never an issue. I'm not this comfortable with the '98, but that has bumper covers that can be easily scratched or damaged unlike the solid box bumpers.

[DerekTheGreat]

Yeeaaah, just find a clean one somewhere which needs a drivetrain and swap it over- that would be cheapest. Rust sucks, big time.

Drove the Town Car today. All of a sudden it's no longer for sale in my mind.

[VicCrownVic]

LOL, I like that. $91K it is.
I could be convinced to sell, but then I'd just need to get another box so I might as well keep it. I certainly wouldn't pay much more than $1K for this car, maybe $1500 as it currently sits.

[Arquemann]

Can confirm. I just add three zeroes to the model year shorthand. “Want my ‘89? All yours for $89,000!” If they show interest in other fleet vehicles, I’ll mention Eva my ‘85 who could be had for $85,000, Kira for $94,000 and so on. I find this conveys “not for sale” in a way that is funny but also firm. I’ll be driving these V8 land yachts until the day I die, and the price reflects this passion, haha.

Your not for sale prices are wayyy higher than mine lol. The one time I got asked if I'd sell my MGM, I said it's not for sale but I could see it go for 25k. Their answer was that it's not worth that much, to which I answered that's why it's not for sale.
Even though I'm very much attached to the MGM, 25k would get me something worth getting attached to again.

[Hearsesrock427]

I think I should start telling people the it's not for sale price is $4500 and see what they say, LOL. If they are willing to pay that (or any price really) they will be quite disappointed.

Can confirm. I just add three zeroes to the model year shorthand. “Want my ‘89? All yours for $89,000!” If they show interest in other fleet vehicles, I’ll mention Eva my ‘85 who could be had for $85,000, Kira for $94,000 and so on. I find this conveys “not for sale” in a way that is funny but also firm. I’ll be driving these V8 land yachts until the day I die, and the price reflects this passion, haha.

[VicCrownVic]

Took The Scab out today. On the way to drop off some stuff at Derek's house a guy in a white BMW crossover pulls up next to me and said "Hey, what year is that?"
I told him, "'91, last year for this body."
"You don't see those around much anymore," was his reply before the light turned green and traffick infront of us started moving again. He was even on the bad side and still had to stop and ask, lol. If this car was in better shape I bet it would get even more attention from random people. Maybe someday I can fix all the issues that drive me nuts. For now I'm really enjoying the '98 and doing work that I want to do on it instead of only work that is needed.

[DerekTheGreat]

Sounds like "Cars that sit" problems.

Although my truck does that occasionally, always the driver's side headlight, only it just turn on. Give it the ole jiggle and it's good for at least another six months.

[VicCrownVic]

Had another guy (old guy) stop and ask if this one was for sale while I was out in the driveway washing the '98 last week. He said he "had one of those cars back in the day." My response was along the lines that this car is really not in good shape and needs a bit of work. I think I should start telling people the it's not for sale price is $4500 and see what they say, LOL. If they are willing to pay that (or any price really) they will be quite disappointed.

I drove this car up to my parents place yesterday then stopped at a store for the wife to get "a couple things." Yep, she took much longer than "a couple of things" should have taken. It was getting dark by the time she came out, this is when I found that my headlights were not doing well. I put a cheap headlight harness on (last year?) and when I got home from the store (less than a 2 miles from home) I started wiggle testing things. Grounds seemed good. Connectors at the headlights were not. P-side went bright (normal intensity) right away, but D-side took a few times of sliding the connector on and off of the bulb before making a good connection. Not sure when the last time I drove this car after dark was, so I have no idea how long the headlights have been like this, but seems to be just bad connections at the bulbs.

[DerekTheGreat]

LoL yup, even when she's driving she'll get the ole signal to roll the window down.. Me? Ehhhh, maybe once a year someone might say something. But the difference between her and I is always worth a laugh.

He was most certainly admiring all that patina lol.

[VicCrownVic]

Bunch of dudes no doubt, go figure.

Stopped at the store yesterday with The Scab and while I was loading a large kid into a cart one spot away I noticed an older dude turn and look at the car as he walked by. Not sure, but he could have just been looking at all the rot, LOL.