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My 1987 Two Door Crown Victoria AKA THE BROWN BLOB

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    Facecrook



    87 Ford LTD Crown Victoria Country Squire Station Wagon. 4.10's, Repacked Trac Loc, Boxed LCA's, Explorer Intake, 65mm T-body, 'Stang Cam, 'Stang Air tube, K&N, GT-40X Heads, 1" Spacer, 1 5/8 BBK's, 2.5" Pypes X-pipe w/high flow cats, Single Chamber Thunderbolts, B&M 'vertor, Po-lice Swaybars.

    91 Mercury Grand Marquis Colony Park Station Wagon. K-Code, 4.10's, Repacked Trac Loc, MK VII LSC Engine, 'Stang Upper Intake, Stang Air Tube, K&N, 65 mm T-Body, 'Stang Headers, 'Stang Cat Pipe,'Stang Torque Convertor, 2 Chamber Thunderbolts.

    Comment


      Thain...Rivnut idea may be a GO.

      Removed the sill plate and the surfaces where the screws go through are flat. Should work.

      Screws I have are 10x24 machine screws with a nice flat surfaced phillips head. Gonna talk to the guys at our fab shop and see if they have that size rivnut and if I may borrow 8 of them with the install tool.
      ~David~

      My 1987 Crown Victoria Coupe: The Brown Blob
      My 2004 Mercedes Benz E320:The Benz

      Originally posted by ootdega
      My life is a long series of "nevermind" and "I guess not."

      Originally posted by DerekTheGreat
      But, that's just coming from me, this site's biggest pessimist. Best of luck

      Originally posted by gadget73
      my car starts and it has AC. Yours doesn't start and it has no AC. Seems obvious to me.




      Comment


        I had a very productive day today working on the old gal.

        First task was doing a test run with the rivet nuts for the sill plates.

        Drilled the appropriate size hole so my 10x24 riv-nuts would take properly to the sheet metal.



        All was well with the test run so I went all out and drilled the rest and covered all of the holes with rust encapsulator to protect them.

        While I was waiting for the paint to dry I tackled the weak drivers side door lock actuator. Pulled out the old and installed the new only to find the unlock direction still wimpy. Out came the lube and then everything was working nice and smooth.

        While I had the door panel off I figured it was about time I addressed the Grand Marquis under armrest courtesy lights I have been sitting on for a couple of years now.

        Like many of you said I did find the courtesy light harness behind my vapor barrier and much to my enjoyment it did in fact have power at the appropriate times!

        Out came the solder and the light socket and bam:



        She don’t match but I enjoy the warm feeling it leaves with the interior. It’s a keeper. Plus, the lights are freaking cool!

        Now that this task was over I moved onto completing the riv-nuts on the drivers side:



        They are neato pieces:



        I then moved onto the passengers side of the car repeating the process on both the sill plate and under armrest curtsey lights. Everything went smoothly so I started ripping apart the dashboard/pad for gauge install.



        Wanted to upgrade to Autometer gauges all around.

        Another new Autometer tach, voltmeter and vacuum gauge were in store for the police pod.



        Got that all done and tested and then pulled the speedometer cluster.

        Autometer electric water temp and oil pressure gauges to come.

        Will be interesting as the autometer gauges are quite a bit larger in size despite all being 2 1/16” gauges.

        How she rests as of now:

        Last edited by 87gtVIC; 02-20-2017, 07:47 AM.
        ~David~

        My 1987 Crown Victoria Coupe: The Brown Blob
        My 2004 Mercedes Benz E320:The Benz

        Originally posted by ootdega
        My life is a long series of "nevermind" and "I guess not."

        Originally posted by DerekTheGreat
        But, that's just coming from me, this site's biggest pessimist. Best of luck

        Originally posted by gadget73
        my car starts and it has AC. Yours doesn't start and it has no AC. Seems obvious to me.




        Comment


          Whats in the pod, oil pressure?

          Didn't know anyone made a tach the same size as the volt gauges. Don't think I'd use one in my own setup because its so far below eye level but it works in the police gauges or the pillar pods.
          86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
          5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

          91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

          1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

          Originally posted by phayzer5
          I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

          Comment


            Wideband is in the a pillar pod.

            Oil pressure and water temp in the speedometer.

            Tachometer, volts and vacuum in the police pod.

            I was super excited finding a 2" tachometer. I was getting tired of the steering column mounted sized ones.
            ~David~

            My 1987 Crown Victoria Coupe: The Brown Blob
            My 2004 Mercedes Benz E320:The Benz

            Originally posted by ootdega
            My life is a long series of "nevermind" and "I guess not."

            Originally posted by DerekTheGreat
            But, that's just coming from me, this site's biggest pessimist. Best of luck

            Originally posted by gadget73
            my car starts and it has AC. Yours doesn't start and it has no AC. Seems obvious to me.




            Comment


              yeah I don't much love mine either. My triple gauges are down way below the radio, under where the ashtray originally lived so having a tach there would be useful only if I'm keen on driving off the road while watching it. It makes the water and oil similarly limited in usefulness, but the stock temp and oil idiot lights are in place for that reason.

              Maybe a pillar mount tach is an option.
              86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
              5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

              91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

              1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

              Originally posted by phayzer5
              I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

              Comment


                Originally posted by gadget73 View Post
                yeah I don't much love mine either. My triple gauges are down way below the radio, under where the ashtray originally lived so having a tach there would be useful only if I'm keen on driving off the road while watching it. It makes the water and oil similarly limited in usefulness, but the stock temp and oil idiot lights are in place for that reason.
                The trick is to learn your needle positions during normal operating conditions, then a quick glance will tell you if everything is good or you got something going on that shouldn't be. Racers will actually rotate their gauges so that all needles point straight up when reading normal, yeah it looks kinda retarded when the numbers are crooked but can't really read said numbers when bouncing around at high rate of speed on rough terrain anyways, so no big deal. That's also a good strategy for selecting which gauges to use - you go for the ones that have your normal running parameters in the middle of their range. Well in a Panther you kinda go for what actually looks like it can belong in there, and the range is whatever the range is for that model, but still, you get the idea. I actually drive by needle position at night, I dim my gauges so low I can't read the numbers, but I've spent enough time behind the wheel of this particular vehicle that I don't need to see the numbers, I know what they are just by the needle position.

                All that aside, the baby tach is pretty darn cool! Would do great in a pillar pod, but only cause it will make it easy to see there - I actually strongly dislike pillar pods, they look way out of place on most older vehicles. If the vehicle is a truck and you're using all-electric gauges then you have the option of placing the gauges on a shelf-it unit - super-easy to see and read by the driver, out of sight for anyone else. But in a Panther there really ain't a good spot for them things, the Brown Blob has them set up about as best as one can pull off IMHO. Sans that pillar pod ofc
                The ones who accomplish true greatness, are the foolish who keep pressing onward.
                The ones who accomplish nothing, are the wise who know when to quit.

                Comment


                  Lights are cool, kinda bummed 4 door townies didn't get lights on the rear doors like Cadillacs did.
                  1985 LTD Crown Victoria - SOLD
                  1988 Town Car Signature - Current Party Barge

                  Comment


                    Originally posted by DerekTheGreat View Post
                    Lights are cool, kinda bummed 4 door townies didn't get lights on the rear doors like Cadillacs did.
                    I wish there was some type of lighting for the rear passengers. I would never allow anyone to ride in the rear of my car....I just like the fancy pants option of lights somewhere being back there for them if they were to be back there.

                    I added the Town Car underseat lighting...you know the foot lights that shine out the bottom of the front seats...and that was a neat cool factor years back but am itching for something up in the c pillar area.


                    Haven't touched the speedometer yet. Just been mentally preparing myself/planning how all will be done.

                    Will have to make new brackets to secure the autometer gauges onto the speedometer. WIll have to adjust the wiring on the back side of the speedometer some more too.

                    This is basically what it looks like currently with my sunpro electric water temp gauge and oil pressure gauge:



                    I say basically because that picture above was still a work in progress. All wires are soldered to the printed circuit so the enire cluster is just plug and play.
                    Last edited by 87gtVIC; 02-21-2017, 09:17 PM.
                    ~David~

                    My 1987 Crown Victoria Coupe: The Brown Blob
                    My 2004 Mercedes Benz E320:The Benz

                    Originally posted by ootdega
                    My life is a long series of "nevermind" and "I guess not."

                    Originally posted by DerekTheGreat
                    But, that's just coming from me, this site's biggest pessimist. Best of luck

                    Originally posted by gadget73
                    my car starts and it has AC. Yours doesn't start and it has no AC. Seems obvious to me.




                    Comment


                      Lincolns had rear map lights controlled with a switch on each rear door. What else do you need?
                      86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                      5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                      91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                      1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                      Originally posted by phayzer5
                      I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

                      Comment


                        Originally posted by 87gtVIC View Post
                        I wish there was some type of lighting for the rear passengers. I would never allow anyone to ride in the rear of my car....I just like the fancy pants option of lights somewhere being back there for them if they were to be back there.

                        I added the Town Car underseat lighting...you know the foot lights that shine out the bottom of the front seats...and that was a neat cool factor years back but am itching for something up in the c pillar area.

                        Haven't touched the speedometer yet. Just been mentally preparing myself/planning how all will be done.

                        Will have to make new brackets to secure the autometer gauges onto the speedometer. WIll have to adjust the wiring on the back side of the speedometer some more too.

                        I say basically because that picture above was still a work in progress. All wires are soldered to the printed circuit so the enire cluster is just plug and play.
                        I like your style, Dude.

                        Why not let people ride in the back? Townies did get the reading lights back there with their own switch but so did Cadillac Broughams, only it was an option for those. I always thought the seat flood lights are silly, then again I suppose they help with finding stuff that has fallen on the floor should that happen. I just think the door lights like Cadillac had would be a nice touch. Ford eventually got the hint as '90 and up had them. Why they took many more years to illuminate the door controls and other switches is a mystery..

                        As for the speedo, weren't Digidash townies equipped with an electronic speed sensor as well as a cable? Or aren't they all? Perhaps you could use that signal for a digital speedometer? I think GM GMT400 trucks 92 and up have independent DRAC modules which could be retrofitted to suit your needs.

                        Originally posted by gadget73 View Post
                        Lincolns had rear map lights controlled with a switch on each rear door. What else do you need?
                        Door lights. Lincolns are supposed to be fancy pants & swanky.
                        1985 LTD Crown Victoria - SOLD
                        1988 Town Car Signature - Current Party Barge

                        Comment


                          David, get rid of those damn seats!!!!

                          I get it, if you were conceived on them, that's one thing! But cmon!
                          __________________________________________________


                          1985.03 Crown Vic. Coupe "CVGT" Build thread - china whirlybird, burnout machine.
                          The only 6 speed box on a late model frame.

                          Originally posted by SVT98t
                          It has air ride. I've disabled it since I've been jacking it up and down.

                          That is how you're supposed to jack it.

                          Up and down.

                          -ryan s.

                          Comment


                            I see you used a special too for the rivet nuts. Can they be installed with a regular pop rivet tool?
                            03 Marauder DPB, HS, 6disk, Organizer Mods> LED's in & Out, M&Z rear control arms, Oil deflector, U-Haul Trans Pan, Blue Fuzzy Dice
                            02 SL500 Silver Arrow
                            08 TC Signature Limited, HID's Mods>06 Mustang Bullet Rims 235/55-17 Z rated BFG G-Force Comp-2 A/S Plus, Addco 1" rear Sway, Posi Carrier, Compustar Remote Start, floor liners, trunk organizer, Two part Sun Visors, B&M Trans drain Plug, Winter=05 Mustang GT rims, Nokian Hakkapeliitta R-2 235/55-17
                            12 Escape Limited V6 AWD, 225/65R17 Vredestein Quatrac Pro, Winter 235/70-16 Conti Viking Contact7 Mods>Beamtech LED headlight bulbs, Husky floor liners

                            Comment


                              No, but you can make an install tool with a piece of steel that has a 3/16" hole (or whatever size matches the machine screw size you are using) drilled in it, a hardened screw and a nut of the same thread as the rivet nut . Put the rivnut into the hole, put the piece of metal against it to hold it down, screw the screw in, tighten the nut. It will pull the rivnut to set it. The nuts will only give you a few sets per so grab a bag of them. If you don't use a hard screw, it'll strip out before it sets the first one.
                              86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                              5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                              91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                              1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                              Originally posted by phayzer5
                              I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

                              Comment


                                Thanks
                                03 Marauder DPB, HS, 6disk, Organizer Mods> LED's in & Out, M&Z rear control arms, Oil deflector, U-Haul Trans Pan, Blue Fuzzy Dice
                                02 SL500 Silver Arrow
                                08 TC Signature Limited, HID's Mods>06 Mustang Bullet Rims 235/55-17 Z rated BFG G-Force Comp-2 A/S Plus, Addco 1" rear Sway, Posi Carrier, Compustar Remote Start, floor liners, trunk organizer, Two part Sun Visors, B&M Trans drain Plug, Winter=05 Mustang GT rims, Nokian Hakkapeliitta R-2 235/55-17
                                12 Escape Limited V6 AWD, 225/65R17 Vredestein Quatrac Pro, Winter 235/70-16 Conti Viking Contact7 Mods>Beamtech LED headlight bulbs, Husky floor liners

                                Comment

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