FatNasty's 1984 Grand Marquis GS

[FatNasty]

Ahhhhhhhh, finally. Just got back from a brief drive for the first time in months. Went to start it about 5 hours ago, but wasn't getting any spark. Turns out there was about 10 inches of wiring I axed due to misreading the evtm. Got that put back and she fired right up. Still got some cleaning to do, and need to put the little flaps that hang over the control arms from the fender wells back in. Also need to swap vac cans with the wagon so it fits properly with the relay box.

Headlights are way brighter on relays now, as they should be. Should have done that years ago.
Brakes are much less squishy and more responsive now.
It was great driving something with some horsepower again, that damn wagon is a pig comparatively. Wanted to take a longer test drive, but if course it started snowing 10 minutes before I got it running.
Feels good to be done with that part. Hopefully the gauges go in quick so I can focus on school more. Pics soon.


edit: oh yeah, damn hood release cable snapped off at the handle.... really didn't feel like changing that out now.....

[87gtVIC]

Can you slip a new handle on the cable or are you forced fishing an entire new/replacement cable in?

[FatNasty]

Due to the way it broke I cant just replace the handle. Picked up a new cable/handle kit at work that should work fine. It will probably be better actually since my old one was a little short since I had run it a little differently. Going to go install it now, i'll let you know how it goes. Help part number 03323 if anyone ever needs one.

[sly]

hmm... that gives me ideas about a possible retrofit of the knuckle slapper brake release handle in the Mark.

[87gtVIC]

Mark, I had no idea Help kits were made for that!

hmm... that gives me ideas about a possible retrofit of the knuckle slapper brake release handle in the Mark.

Can you post up pics of that setup in your rr thread or pm with them? I am looking to swap to that setup actually. Currently the brake release handle is right in the way of a fig light switch I want to install.

[gadget73]

just retrofit an 85+ towncar part. Pretty sure the only difference is the handle and the bracket the handle sits in. That stock knuckle buster thing *sucks* if you actually use the parking brake and don't have an operable vac release system. Mark VII all have it, and I hate it.

[87gtVIC]

I dont know how any of these things look....I need something so that the handle can be tucked up under the dash. I need to do a junk yard run.

[sly]

just retrofit an 85+ towncar part. Pretty sure the only difference is the handle and the bracket the handle sits in. That stock knuckle buster thing *sucks* if you actually use the parking brake and don't have an operable vac release system. Mark VII all have it, and I hate it.

ah... epic *makes note*

/thread jack

[marquisman]

you need the old style e-brake lever dave. im not sure that i have a pic. maybe you will have to swap the whole pedal and all. GMGT has the same thing. just a lever tucked up beside the pedal.

[FatNasty]

I went to upgrade e brake handles years ago and when comparing to the newer kind with a handle, I think i determined it was more of a pain than it was worth and bailed on the project. Haven't had an e-brake in a couple years so forgot about it. I should get that working and check out swapping handles again. I know what I am doing a lot more than I used to, and have tools should I need to fabricate something, so it might not be that hard after all. I know the handle is still floating around the garage somewhere.

Should have pics of the engine bay up sometime tonight btw.....

[FatNasty]

Finally some pics!

Still needs the little flaps that hang over the control arms and a few other little things. I'll never be 100 percent happy with it, but its coming along more and more with every round of upgrades. Might ditch egr crap for good, so that should make it look even cleaner. Also got a pic at the end of the engine bay when i got the car in 2005.

[87gtVIC]

Really opens up the engine bay with all wires and unnecessary electronic BS removed.

[P72Ford]

Looks really nice Mark (Marc?)

Alot of the underhood wiring in my car is going to be removed in the short term. I also want to totally delete the air conditioning. I was thinking about removing all the HVAC stuff entirely, but you really need defrost with anything you drive on the street. May have to see about modifying that evaporator core housing, etc.

I'm also going to put the battery in the trunk, which I'm thinking is going to really change the look under the hood.

Realy nice work done on your car, though. I always enjoy reading your updates and looking at the pictures because you always seem to have a plan, and the end result is always good.

Keep up the great work.

[gadget73]

Look nice without all that mess on the fender. What did you do with the smog solenoids, just toss them entirely ?

[FatNasty]

Looks really nice Mark (Marc?)

Alot of the underhood wiring in my car is going to be removed in the short term. I also want to totally delete the air conditioning. I was thinking about removing all the HVAC stuff entirely, but you really need defrost with anything you drive on the street. May have to see about modifying that evaporator core housing, etc.

I'm also going to put the battery in the trunk, which I'm thinking is going to really change the look under the hood.

Realy nice work done on your car, though. I always enjoy reading your updates and looking at the pictures because you always seem to have a plan, and the end result is always good.

Keep up the great work.

Thanks guys.
Yeah, slimming down the evap core housing is definitely on the to do list. Cant just axe the box entirely since the air flows through there for both heat and a/c, but it could at least be trimmed down to maybe a 5 inch square elbow there. Just something to move the air towards the drivers side, then in towards the firewall where it enters the car. Next time i'm at the junk yard i might tear into a car and see what can be done, may grab a spare set of all the plastic hvac covers that are on the firewall there to tinker with.
I was actually considering a battery relocation too, but it just didn't end up being high enough on the priority list. Oh, and its Mark.

Look nice without all that mess on the fender. What did you do with the smog solenoids, just toss them entirely ?

Nothing left of the smog system at all. Solenoids are gone, i'm fine with it tossing the codes for that. All the wiring is trimmed out as well. Left enough wires by the ecm plug that i can wire in something that just tricks the ecm into showing that they are there should I ever want.


Got the panel for the gauges made, now I'm working on making the brushed aluminum plate to go on it. Trying out different methods of getting the brushed look on there, and seeing which looks best. Really wish I had a drill press to put the wire wheels on so I can get it looking nice and consistent, but I should be able to make something decent enough.