1983 Crown Vic

[83vic]

This is my first thread after the newbie section so here goes!!! I have decided to get my vic out of the garage and back on the road this summer so i will post as often as i can on my progress. Car now is mostly stock aside from some chrome, exhaust, and stereo. I have bought a 88 5.0 H.O. that im getting ready to drop in. So far i put a new Sony radio in and a used rockford p300-1 amp i recently sold my sony amp that i had for the subs i have they are MTX 4500 12s in a MTX thurderform box. I have Door lock actuators, upper ball joints, new fuel sender float, and msd dist and ignition box that i have yet to do. I hope my local rim shop can get coys wheels i am planning on puttion 18, 19, or 20 coy c5s on it along with a light window tint. After engine swap is complete its going to the exhuast shop to have an h-pipe in and the pipe reworked after the mufflers to 2.5".
As far as the H.O. engine goes it supposidly has only 68000 but im going to put rod and main bearings in with new oil pump and timing chain. I checked a rod bearing already and its not bad but its looks a little worn but its not scrapped or messed up. crank looks cleana and smooth. I still need an intake wich i will order as soon as i figure out how tall the intake is that im look at buying hood clearence looks tight. Other than that i need to order a fuel pressure regulator for the carb. I plan on making this a semi-daily driver that i can go anywhere in i miss the car BAD!!!! A/C has a major leak but i will charge it and dye the system at work and find. As sson as i get back from my vacation next week im going to get on tis project pretty heavy hopefuly will be driving it again mid June. Here are the pics of it now

[johnunit]

Sounds like you have big plans. Hope it all goes well. keep us updated.

[pantera77]

Looks like a nice solid project.

[VicCrownVic]

That is one good looking 30 year old car.

[83vic]

worked some on the engine last night only thing i finished was the bearings and timing chain. i still have to torque the caps i will do that tonight and put the oil pump on also.

[83vic]

came home after work and torqued rod amd mains and installed oil pump. thats all i will have time for nex week im on vacation

[83vic]

I have a free weekend this weekend so i plan on getting the door locks fixed and the ball joints in and maybe put the original gas gauge sending unit back in with the new float. also does anybody know what bulb #s go in the intrusment cluster im thinking on converting them to l.e.d bulbs possibly make it blue. i am going to try and clean up the amp install also.

[VicCrownVic]

194

I got mine on ebay, identical to these here: ebay_link

Those work good enough for me, but others have mentioned this site: http://www.superbrightleds.com/cat/i...cluster-gauge/

[87gtVIC]

To install the bulbs in the cluster you will need to remove the trim around the dash then remove the speedometer cable from the backside. This is most easily achieved by laying on your back and feeling for the white collar around the back of the speedometer.

After the speedo cable is removed you can unscrew a couple of screws and pull the cluster out enough to remove the electrical connection. Now you will need to remove the plastic cover then the bolts holding the speedometer to the plastic housing. Take special care in not touching any of the needles. They are fragile especially the fuel gauge needle. You touch that and you will ruin the gauge.

Now remove the bluish looking caps and then install whatever color leds you want to install. Good luck.

[packman]

I have to agree with all the comments; that is one clean and solid foundation for a project. I hope you are able to accomplish what you set out to do with that CV.



Packman

[marquis_82_withneons]

from the looks of it, you have a grey interior. so any color LED will look good in there. do something out of the ordinary. you can get red or amber 194 leds, they even make UV ones. make it unique. errbody has blue.

[83vic]

hmm. UV sounds really cool. im so close to getting the h.o. ready I need a oil pan, intake and valve cover and of course valve guide seals and gaskets im going to be doing some side work for some of my relatives so I will have some spending money for the car. we spent a little more than I planned to for vacation. but I still plan on getting ready before july. I will take pics of the work this weekend.

[83vic]

I think I am going to order red and blue led bulbs that way I can swap them if I don't like it. I am waiting for a guy on craigslist to reply to my email about a edelbrock performer he has for sale. The only red instruments I have seen in person were on my uncles 64 stude GT hawk it has factory red coated bulbs and it looks really cool.

[VicCrownVic]

I think I have seen a late model Pontiac with red cluster lighting.
I have blue in my cluster and interior lighting to go with my blue interior, it does seem to be the color of choice from what I have seen of others on here.
If I had red interior I would have gone red though.

[87gtVIC]

I think I am going to order red and blue led bulbs that way I can swap them if I don't like it. I am waiting for a guy on craigslist to reply to my email about a edelbrock performer he has for sale. The only red instruments I have seen in person were on my uncles 64 stude GT hawk it has factory red coated bulbs and it looks really cool.

I put red caps in place of the bluish green ones in a stock cluster with stock bulbs. Here is how that looked: