2000 MGM ( metal ) Package tray Replacement

[EaOutlaw1969]

Hi guys it has been a while since I last posted.

I am still in the planing stage for replacing the rusted parts I found under my damn Vinyl top.

So far I ordered a new from Ford package tray that is still being sold on the Ford site for the 2011 MGM the part number for the 2000 MGM was close enough to get me to risk the $200 dollars shipped to my door price to see if I could use some or all of it to fix my rusted pachage tray.

Ordering parts from Ford is confusing they list the package tray in two spots one is under rear body list and the other is under rear upper body list. ( for the 2000 MGM both show to be discontinued ) the weird part is the first part shows to be a fit the second claims it does not fit yet they both seem to have the same part number.

Package Tray - Ford (YW7Z5446506AA) shows to fit my 2000 LS

Package Tray - Ford (YW7Z5446506AA) also on their site that shows it does not fit my 2000 MGM LS under fitment it shows to fit but does not matter since it is discontinued

2002 Ford Crown Victoria Base, LWB, LX, Police Interceptor, S 4.6L V8 - CNG, 4.6L V8 - Gas
2001 Ford Crown Victoria Base, LX, Police Interceptor, S 4.6L V8 - CNG, 4.6L V8 - Gas
2000 Ford Crown Victoria Base, LX, Police Interceptor, S 4.6L V8 - CNG, 4.6L V8 - Gas
2002 Mercury Grand Marquis GS, LS 4.6L V8 - Gas

When I looked up the part for a 2011 MGM I found this part in two spots also

Package Tray - Ford (5W7Z-5446506-AA) shows to fit the 2011 MGM the site did not ask if it was a LS or GS ( maybe they dropped the sub model from the later years )

Package Tray - Ford (5W7Z-5446506-AA) same thing this part has the same part number but shows it does not fit the 2011 MGM but it does show to fit the 2007-2011 Crown vic

Well since the 2000 MGM part is no longer made I had no choice but to order something anything to try and at least make a patch panel out of it because I was sure the main body of the part should work but some optional cutout or minor thing was changed from year to year but I was pretty sure the area that is rusted on mine would work on the replacement.

Package Tray - Ford (YW7Z5446506AA) shows to fit my 2000 LS but discontinued
Package Tray - Ford (5W7Z-5446506-AA) shows to fit the 2011 MGM still availible

I am not sure what has changed with this part from year to year but seems to be a reasonable option for a patch panel.

I was thinking about replacing the entire package tray yet to try and do that I would have to also replace the hinges and both package tray supports, which only adds about another $200 plus shipping to the cost but I have no idea how I would align the hinges to the package tray and the trunk lid without bolting the hinges to my old trunk then crawl in the trunk and spot
weld the hinges in place after someone puts the trunk lid in place and aligns it to the body.


As it is now I am considering cutting the part just below the red line I drew in the picture with a air nibbler and flanging the two parts together with flush mount rivets and panel adhesive then spot weld the rain gutter area.

Any tips or ideas would be appreciated.

[EaOutlaw1969]

Well I have Charlie’s Auto glass coming out to pull the windshield and back glass.

I also took out as much as I can to get ready for the new Package tray, now that I got it pretty much stripped down as can see the tray looks identical other than one spot where they made the new part stronger as far as Ford claiming the part is discontinued and this new Part will not fit I claim BS it looks and measures out like a perfect fit, but I will not really know until I get it installed.

The last picture shows the only spot that I noticed being different but of no consequence.

[EaOutlaw1969]

Well the Glass company was a no show, I got pissed and ordered the tools to remove the rear glass myself.

I purchased a Astro Windko Onyx which came with three blades it took two of the blades to get the glass out ( without breaking it )

Now that I have the glass out with this tool I can see the job would have been easier if the rubber molding did not get hard as a rock and break off when I tried to remove it to make room for the cutting blade.

it looks like the bottom of the glass was not attached very well or at all. ( I see signs of water leaks at the top corners also )

At the bottom I posted a link to the tool I purchased which I can say paid for itself the first use. yet seems well made and works great this thing even munched through the now hard as a rock rubber molding.

I will say I did have to have my wife stand in the trunk and spray the cut while I was working with watered down Windex to help keep the heat and smoke down.

In one of the pictures you can see where the package tray has rust on the passenger side inside the car I am guessing from the leak at the back glass.

If the tool would have come with a manual I would have known what other blades I needed to order to make this job easier to get it out with the blades that were included i had to use one of them upside down which caused some minimal scratching along the pinch weld. ( this is no big deal for me since I have paint and body work to do ) but if you buy this tool to just remove the glass without doing paint work invest in more blades if your curious ask and I will show you which blades I think but do not know for sure would have worked much better )

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005R3SPUC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[EaOutlaw1969]

Today was a pain for my neck and back, I am not sure when I will be able to do more on this project.

But I was able to get a considerable amount done, I was able to strip out the old rusted package tray with the hinges and supports still attached.

Instead of killing my self trying to drill out all the spot welds I purchased a 1/2 x 18 electric belt sander I used 36 grit sand paper. It took about 13 belts to grind through all the spot welds.

This little sander worked great and was very cheap at $33.40 with free shipping via Prime

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072Q2FTLY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They say online I should have purchased the Purple 3M belts yet the cheap belts found on Amazon also worked great

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DH055P0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Anyways I was able to test fit the new Ford Package tray assembly and it fits great, I will have to do some hammer and dolly work on it to straighten out damage caused by poor packaging From Ford and the Dealer.

I am relieved that the package tray fits well now I know for sure the 2011 part works great on my 2000 MGM

I also figured out the hinges and support brackets can be installed with bolts and fender washers, once I cut a slot in the hinge and package tray. This will give me the adjustment I need for a perfect fit. Once the hinges and supports are aligned and adjusted I will be able to spot weld these parts where they attach to the rain gutter area of the package tray.

As of now I cleaned up the trunk and bare metal making sure to grind off any traces of rust then treating all the bare metal with Ospho rust converter.

The extension that get spot welded to package tray on the drivers side has been weakened slightly due to some surface rust Yet the extension seems solid enough to spot weld.

I did have to drill some of the spot welds because the package tray was sandwiched between two other layers of metal, these areas will get bolted and structural panel adhesive also since nothing I could afford to purchase would spot weld these three layers of metal.

I could have ground these pieces with the sander yet it would have caused me to need two more replacement parts.

[EaOutlaw1969]

Well I am not sure what to do with this damn car, I spent some time scraping off the paint that was in front of the vinyl top, I had a small section blow off with a garden hose so i figured it is best to see what happened and why the paint came off so easily.

I took a razor blade scraper and peeled the paint off the roof like it was applied too late to the factory sealer.

It seems like this car has some sort of defect in the paint or process of painting it to where I feel the entire car should be stripped down to bare metal.

If I add this to the time and money I have allready invested plus the real possibility that I should be replacing the roof rather than trying to save it this car is just not worth it.

I started this project with the hopes of just replacing the vinyl top and doing that work when my back will allow me to.

Yet this has snowballed out of control. especially when the market is flooded with Crown vics, MGM and Towncars. I am having a real hard time deciding what to do.

For now I parked the car outside and put my cover back over it heck I was so mad at this car I posted a Craigslist add and cant even give it away for 700 bucks.

[87gtVIC]

If you see yourself being happy with the car once it is all completed (remember you will know everything about it) then maybe it is worth the effort over purchasing another one that may or may not be in the same shape.

[EaOutlaw1969]

I do love the potential the car has, yet it is hard to overlook how much more time and money has to be invested to get this particular car where I need it to be.