1982 Ford LTD-S 351W Police Car

[gadget73]

Nice improvement.

[Brown_Muscle]

Didn't realize I didn't type it, yes I used McGuires 21 sealant, I may apply a second coat tomorrow. I'm hoping it will last longer than any waxes, it's supposed to

[sly]

LTD-Sexy

[MercurySailor]

Looks beautiful man. That brown is sexy; I gotta do this to my wagon.

[packman]

Whoa!!! Dramatic difference! That was well worth the effort.

[DerekTheGreat]

Yeah, looks a lot better. Do your plastic lenses too, makes 'em look new again. I just waxed my barge and it made a nice improvement.

[Brown_Muscle]

Thanks guys! I cant help but stop and stare when i go outside now. lol. I have NOS everything for it. I may wet sand and machine buff the car, if i make it look good enough i'll throw on the NOS stuff...but only if i can get a garage to store the car in.

[packman]

Thanks guys! I cant help but stop and stare when i go outside now. lol. I have NOS everything for it. I may wet sand and machine buff the car, if i make it look good enough i'll throw on the NOS stuff...but only if i can get a garage to store the car in.

A garage is a must for projects like these. So much easier when you have a dry place to work inside of. If I had a functional garage, I would have kept my '53 F-250

[87gtVIC]

Looks nice Phil. The way I remember seeing it last, years back.

Be careful if you decide to wetsand. Paint may be very thin already.

[Brown_Muscle]

After installing an OEM pickup out of a 351 box this summer I thought I had solved my ignition problem....WRONG.

It's been about 5 years with this issue on and off. I ran out of patience and found a solution. I ripped the entire Duraspark system out, and installed a PerTronix ignitor II in the dizzy and paired it with a flamethrower coil as well. All new wires, the best terminals i could find, marine grade shrink wrap and solder.

It works! Now I hope it will be reliable. I was amazed at how small the "system" was. The module and pickup are smaller than the original magnetic pickup in the distributor, and technically it required that I only run one power wire.

[gadget73]

I still wonder if the problem isn't somewhere between the ignition switch and the coil. If there is a flukey connection somewhere in there its not going to change.

[Brown_Muscle]

The ignition switch was replaced, to no effect, and the wire going to it, the coil, and the new "module" is now new...so that should be inconsequential at this point. There is the power wire that feeds the ignition switch, but if i lost power to that, none of the warning lights would function at the time i lost ignition. The wire I was most suspicious of was the resistance wire, because it experienced so many heat cycles in its life, but it could have been any of the half dozen connectors i eliminated in that system, or the many many wires that are now gone

[gadget73]

right, thats my point, there would be however many connections between the ignition switch and the coil, any of them could have been it. If that was all still present, it may still give you issues.

[Brown_Muscle]

The LTD got some more love! Drove her 350 miles to upstate NY for my vacation. I buffed her with a rotary buffer and sealed the paint. I also redid most of my scary wiring jobs that had been performed when i first got the car a decade ago.

Fresh rear shocks replaced the ancient monroes, and she rides a lot better.



Installed an extendable underhood light from a ford truck, with an 82 part number to boot!


New rear 5 way Kenwood speakers to replace my blown $10 yard sale Kraco's


I also tuned the carb further. She got a different power valve and I upped the main jets from #57 to #59. I cruise around at a good average of 14.1 (reads 14.7:1 on my wideband due to an internal adjustment). It also doesnt go overly rich at the slightest press of the throttle. I averaged 18.8 mpg on the way home with the 350 mile trip, going about 73. I am quite pleased at this.

Oh I also installed my original air cleaner, minus the horn, and plus a polishing. i think it looks better than the cheap $30 pepboys chrome special

[87gtVIC]

Those truck underhood lights are sweet. Extend pretty damn far and have a magnet on its base. If i ever use the thing I am extra cautious while retracting it, don't want anything to accidentally get bound up on me.