1990 country squire resto/lowrider in UK

[85crownHPP]

If you didn't already know, you have the newer inner fender that lets you bolt in the more modern airbox from newer crown vics, if you like that sort of thing. You can also swap the washer tank over to a 92+'s style one, and if you are lucky find the 1990 town car radiator fan shroud with the attached coolant overflow.
I just thought I would mention such since I saw you already have that area torn apart

[andyfanshawe]

If you didn't already know, you have the newer inner fender that lets you bolt in the more modern airbox from newer crown vics, if you like that sort of thing. You can also swap the washer tank over to a 92+'s style one, and if you are lucky find the 1990 town car radiator fan shroud with the attached coolant overflow.
I just thought I would mention such since I saw you already have that area torn apart

Thanks 85crownHPP.
I didn't know that, but I will be going the full custom route anyway. When the car lays frame the wheel/tyre will be touching the underside of the hood so it wont fit anyway!



Then stripped all the lip ready for welding repairs in 2 spots.



Also took the paint off the other lower end of the fender to discover some pitting that would have bled through my new paint! Media blaster out next then.



Andy.

[andyfanshawe]

Media blasted the remaining rusty areas of the fender on the garden!



Here's the pitted area photographed above blasted



And then gone over with a polyester wheel on an electric drill and any deep pits gone over with a die grinder.



Final job to do on it before prepping for paint is to replace a section of the rusty lip and reducing it all in width.

Here's the bad bit cut out



Part of a cornflake packet being used as a template!





To be honest the fender was junk! Its took me weeks to get all the corrosion off, and will take me loads longer to get it flat! But, none available here in the UK so thats that. And I've got to do it all again on the other side!

Andy.

[79lincolnlover]

Each up-date shows your high level of dedication to this car. Keep going mang

[grandwagon]

Awesome as allways Andy !!!! Notice that is straight A's for you!! LOL!

[andyfanshawe]

Thanks guys!

Lip welded in


Now its time to reduce the width of the lip. Masking tape on and a pencil line to cut down





and cutting



Here's an interesting discovery. Final paint sanding and this line of rust appears through the paint





Same line with rust ground out


That would have caused some paint bubbling a year or so down the line.

Here is the fender all flatted back and ready for a skim of bondo and primer.



Andy.

[andyfanshawe]

Over to a very suspicious looking A post.



So, what I am going to do is to peel back the layers and try to see what exactly is going on.

First section removed


Second bit peeled up



Third bit peeled back (hinge reinforcement)


and last bit clear so far.

This is some heavy rust. And I know for a fact that the passenger side is far far worse - to a point where someone has welded the hinge to the A post because the bolts dont work anymore!
I still need to find out why its rusted in the first place.

Andy.

[gadget73]

A lot of these are rusty around that spot. I've always suspected the water runs in from the top side of the firewall under a seam or something, or maybe its just running down the A pillar water channel and dumping on the hinge, and the water runs around the bolts and gets between the layers.

[hemihotrod402]

Been a while since I've checked in, and this was the first thread I ran to, you're making awesome progress! I know of a lot of people (including myself) who don't pay half as much attention to detail as you do.

[andyfanshawe]

A lot of these are rusty around that spot. I've always suspected the water runs in from the top side of the firewall under a seam or something, or maybe its just running down the A pillar water channel and dumping on the hinge, and the water runs around the bolts and gets between the layers.

Hi gadget. You could be right there. Need to do some more digging to find out.

Andy.

[andyfanshawe]

Been a while since I've checked in, and this was the first thread I ran to, you're making awesome progress! I know of a lot of people (including myself) who don't pay half as much attention to detail as you do.

Thank you Long way to go yet though! Stay tuned........

Anyway, finally finished removing enough steel to know roughly why its rusting.
Take a look here



I think the moisture is coming down the A post here as well as creeping around the hinge.



I'm going to have to cut out here and replace this first



But its dash out first because I ain't setting fire to it when welding it up! And I'm going to need full access to the firewall when moving the floor up.

Andy.

[rellik god]

hey andy might want to take that piece off as one there might be more rust behind there and between the spot welds.
this way you could de rust all the hidden rust and you can use your spot welder(wish i had one)to put piece back.
good luck

[andyfanshawe]

hey andy might want to take that piece off as one there might be more rust behind there and between the spot welds.
this way you could de rust all the hidden rust and you can use your spot welder(wish i had one)to put piece back.
good luck

Good idea. Most likely will do that just in case.
I always think back to your picture of the tailgate with the skin removed. So my last job will be to do just that before its painted.

Andy.

[85crownHPP]

Every time I look at this thread it makes me tear up a little with tears of joy for this box panther waggin' that is getting such outstanding resto-mod treatment.
If I ever visit Europe I MUST shake your hand...!!!

[andyfanshawe]

Every time I look at this thread it makes me tear up a little with tears of joy for this box panther waggin' that is getting such outstanding resto-mod treatment.
If I ever visit Europe I MUST shake your hand...!!!

You'll be very welcome in the UK!

Now its dash removal time. And if anyone tells you that its easy, well they are a big fat liar

The main problem is that there are 2 huge bunches of wires that go through the firewall and into the engine compartment. The one on the drivers side is reasonable,



but on the passenger side the loom goes under the heater box, so that and the passenger inner fender will have to come out to get access. So move the car out of the garage a bit



and out it comes





Thats not going back!

Here's the dash partly removed awaiting loom removal



Took a big decision to remove all the AC and airbag wiring and components. For 2 reasons really. I dont know when the AC worked last and the compressor was seized when I bought it, so it could cost a fortune to put right. And the weather in the UK doesn't really justify the cost.
It will also make the engine bay look a lot cleaner. The airbag is now 22 years old and very unlikely to work efficiently - so out it all comes.

Here's all the AC stuff out so far



Here's a before and after photo of condenser removal





Looks a lot cleaner now (photo taken just before inner fender removal)





Andy.