My Ma's 1986 Crown Victoria LX

[packman]

Truth be told I went to the junkyard a few months ago looking for this piece without success. Found other parts instead. This time I went to get the crank pulley that I forgot to pull off the lopo before junking it (DOH!!!) and failed to bring my steering wheel puller set. Head hung low, I walked out of the yard. On my way out of the Ford section, I spotted this piece sitting in the trunk of a Lincoln TC.

To answer your questions

Yes it closes and opens, but without the radiator; dunno what difference it will make until that day comes to install it. Radiator is a BeCool universal unit; on paper, it's the same height as the old radiator. Discovered that I need 2 of the longer radiator hold-downs, so I am reusing the stock ones.

Not secured yet; I soap-stoned the holes for bolts; also had to cut a slot for the hood latch; kinda butchered that a little as it's brittle and wanted to break rather than cut.

My plan is to clean it up, make the final holes when everything is installed in the engine bay, and then paint it. It doesn't cover everything, but it seems to cover the radiator area. I will paint the radiator core support as well and use some foam air conditioner strips (that foam stuff you put in the windows and a/c seams) on the bottom of the cover to seal open gaps.

Knowing you Dave, you will figure out how to fill in the holes and make that radiator cover wider to actually look right. For me, I will settle with something that I can make fit and look semi-good.

Next time I go to the junkyard, I will bring my puller and ball joint separators. Might as well snatch the spindles and LCAs off the '98 MGM sitting next to the TC I found the cover in.

[87gtVIC]

I have always wanted to do this.

I look everytime I am at the yards.

Does the hood close, does it open again? lol

Is it secured to the header panel in any fashion?

I always thought I would have had to get two panels and section them together/middle and two ends to make it work out.

You also have no radiator, thus no radiator hold downs installed. Curious how that all works together with the hood closing and such.

[packman]

Not too much happened here. I was curious to see if my '05 MGM radiator cowl cover will fit the CV; it does, kinda. Not ghetto-looking enough for me to find another way, so I went to the junkyard and grabbed one off of an '04 CV and cut it to fit. A couple pictures below of what I did a couple weeks ago. I wanted to get something done this weekend, but plumbing issues sidelined me :-/


Working on the gauge panel currently; bored it out last week, just need to bend it to fit the console.

[packman]

Totally forgot about that. Thanks for the reminder; good to do this now before everything goes back in there.

[DerekTheGreat]

Don't forget to put dielectric schmoo in that connector, you don't want that to rust in there. Our old F150 was so bad we had to cut the harness and splice another one in there. Doubt that will happen to you though, took 20 something years to happen to that truck...

[packman]

DId more organizing of the wires. Installed the A9P as well. I tightened it up until the ECM plug tab met the back of the A9P port flange. Didn't want to break anything. Also got a pic of the resistor. It looks to be Magenta; same as the one I replaced, just cleaner.

[sly]

The resistor I used on the Mad Marquis was almost an exact replica of the original part. Bunch of coils mounted to the pins mounted to that black fiber filled plastic with the harness keeper in red. That's been quite a number of years though.

[DerekTheGreat]

Hmm.. I'd have to see pics of what you describe. Aftermarket ones have funny colors sometimes. One we put in our F250 is red.

[packman]

Also forgot to mention that I replaced the blower motor resistor on Saturday. The old one looked to be in good shape; a little rust. Are all resistors that redish-purple color?

[packman]

Took Friday off and got some things done. Among those is installing the aftermarket master cylinder. Forgot that Ford used 2 different sized fittings for the mc. Did some running around and found the correct adapter fitting. Plumbed it up that evening and replaced a few vacuum lines. SPent Saturday afternoon tidying up the wiring along the firewall. SPent yesterday tidying up the wiring at the fuel pump relay. Also confirmed the ignition source wire for the fuel pump and finished the wiring aspect of the A9P swap. Hopefully next weekend, I will put the A9P under the dash and put the ECM connector back together; then get those wires organized and tucked into looms.

[packman]

But we're littering in packman's thread lol

No problems here. You guys are thoroughly answering my question :-D

[kishy]

The fun part of the EATC retrofit would be mounting the electronic blend door actuator (one of those MY 1990 changes, the whole ducting assembly is different). Possible but it's a dash-out project.

Early EATC sure did use a TBL. 90-91 is "E"ATC. Fairly sure aeros used it up to a point also. Its functionality is a luxury feature, preventing cold feet and something to do with recirc.

But we're littering in packman's thread lol

[DerekTheGreat]

Hmm yeah, without the Digidash that would look a little awkward... I guess I like this thing looking stock, it being a flower pot now and all. I do have an '88 EVTM thanks to Kyle.
Maybe if another box Townie ends up in our possession...

[VicCrownVic]

...
I don't think I could retro fit EATC in my Townie although that would be cool..

Well, you know I would help out with that. Just put an '88 TC EVTM in my hands, I already have the book for '93-'97 EATC.
If you ever get your hands on a digidash TC it would look less out of place. Other than physical fitment of the control head and mounting of the BDA the rest should be simple enough since I've done that retrofit on The Ice Car.

[DerekTheGreat]

Original ones do not explode, only the aftermarket ones do from what I've seen and experienced. Aftermarket ones also have smaller diameter vacuum nibs so they leak. Ran into that with my motorcraft replacement just before Florida trip. What did I do? Why, I took two bad ones and made one good one! Used the old body and combined it with the guts of the new replacement. Been chooching fine ever since.

I don't think I could retro fit EATC in my Townie although that would be cool..