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**Mainemantom** · 09-11-2015, 01:55 AM

You got a steal of a deal. Get the top replaced, get it undercoated or something to that effect so it does not rot away. Enjoy your new ride. Take your Dad out for whatever he likes. " Thanks Dad goes a long ways."

**sxcpotatoes** · 09-11-2015, 06:54 AM

Congratulations! May need to replace that plastic intake to one of the good parts with a metal crossover, if it hasn't been done already.

**87Topaz** · 09-11-2015, 09:09 AM

Originally posted by 84GrandMarquis View Post

I want to start by saying this forum has been a wealth of knowledge and an unbelievably big help over the past 5 years I've been a member. I feel badly I only post here sporadically but I try to log in once in a while a read how everyone's ride's coming along and how everyones doing. Thanks everyone for being so helpful and awesome (okay flaming over, now down to business)

Today I became a member of the "owning more than one panther at any given time" club. I spotted a '97 Grand Marquis that had just been listed on Craigslist in New Jersey, I'm in Bellmore, NY (I'm on Long Island) I've been crazy busy with work but as soon as I saw the ad I knew I had to have it. I knew I couldn't get off of work to get there so I asked my dad if he would go to NJ and pick it up (That's how badly I knew I needed this car). He agreed (Really, a son couldn't ask for a better father, and I mean this even if he hadn't been able to do this favor for me)

I sent him there with cash and the instructions not to leave without it. I was prepared to pay full asking but leave it to my dad to whack out a deal for me. Now you gotta be wondering about the car... Me too actually, I have yet to see it

1997 Mercury Grand Marquis GS Park Lane edition. The woman selling it convinced her mother to give up driving. She was 88 years old and bought the car brand new. It's my favorite color combo, Light green with two tone leather interior. The ad said the car had a hole in the brake line but my father asked if they could take the car to the mechanic for an estimate to have it replaced. They agreed and believe it or not they actually went ahead and had it replaced, so the car has a new brake line. The only issue I'm aware is cosmetic, the half roof needs to be replaced as it's crumbling.

Now get this, I payed $1350 for it. It's got 37,000 miles on it. Did I steal it or what?

Price sounds low but no one can say if it is a good deal until you determine what, if anything is wrong. Time will tell but let's hope it is ok!

**SVT98t** · 09-11-2015, 12:10 PM

Good find.
Now, make it last.

Sent from my LGLS740 using Tapatalk

**84GrandMarquis** · 09-11-2015, 02:09 PM

Thanks everyone! My dad never asks for much so I'll have to put some thought into what I can do for him.

It most likely has the original intake, although I'll find out tomorrow. First order of business will be having it undercoated since winter is coming. I'm not a fan of rubberized undercoating and the closest Ziebart style place is not nearby. Anyone have any recommendations as to why the best non rubberized- undercoating product is?

**84GrandMarquis** · 09-11-2015, 02:27 PM

Here's the picture from the ad they had posted. I was surprised to learn the car doesn't have a PATS chip key, just a regular non-transponder key. I thought '97 was the first year they had it. Probably a dumb question but - all grand marquis has remote keyless entry fobs by '97 correct? They didn't find any and the daughter didn't know if it ever had them.

Also, has anyone ever tackled a roof replacement themselves? I tried searching the forum and it seems there's a lot of slick top conversions but I didn't see any one for actually replacing the top. I'm pretty sure it's a dealer add on roof since the doors are also covered in landau roofing material, which I thought was unusual. I have a bad feeling that could prove to be costly but if it's under 500 I would probably just pay to have it done professionally. Otherwise I'll recruit my grandpa's help since he was an upholstereer and try to tackle it myself.

**L1011tristar17** · 09-11-2015, 02:53 PM

Take it to an upholstery shop and get an estimate. I got quoted $800-$1200 for my car from several shops, but it's a full top and requires removing the headliner to get the shell off. On your car it might be easier since it only covers half of the roof. Once replaced, the top should last a while since it's a pretty durable material. Congrats on the purchase!

**DerekTheGreat** · 09-11-2015, 03:07 PM

I'd stay away from any rubberized undercoating as those will just trap moisture if it gets in and it will get in. Seen so many cars with Ziebart or Dinol or whatever on their windows with tons of rust. I'm a fan of oiling the underside and any area you don't want to get rusty. Used motor oil plus mineral spirits/diesel applied via spray will be the best DIY route but taking your car up to Canada to find a place that offers Krown is what I'd do and DO. Was under my car yesterday fiddling with the air suspension stuff. Still clean and well, got tons of oil on myself from rubbing into stuff but man, sure beats rust dust in the eyes and bolts that wont turn without persuasion.

**mercurygm88** · 09-11-2015, 04:00 PM

Pretty sure by '97 they all had the remote entry fob, my '95 GS did. When I inherited the car we couldn't find the old one and I got a new one off eBay for like $5-$10, back then I didn't know about this forum and I paid like $3 or something to download the programming instructions which wasn't very hard.

**Mainemantom** · 09-12-2015, 02:34 AM

I would have that top professionally done. Ones like yours are a pain. I have done a basic half top. For the time and money, It was worth the expense of letting a shop do future jobs. Of course the shops I used were in Ca. Here in ME. it is about 3X more expensive. I always bought the pre-made top material kits that were made in a factory in Ca. The vinyl that is used is correct and it is cut normally correct. You cannot buy the kit direct as you are not a shop, but you can have the shop buy it for you.

**79lincolnlover** · 09-12-2015, 10:22 PM

Take some pics whenever you get the car home

**84GrandMarquis** · 09-13-2015, 02:03 AM

Thanks everyone for the advice and tips! Turns out it's actually not a Park Lane edition, it's a Palm Beach edition. I don't know why I got that mixed up. Also I didn't realize until today (since it's the 1st I'm seeing of the car) that the top is actually cloth and not vinyl. Thanks for the info on the roof replacement though guys. I'll take your advice and leave it to a professional eventually since it would probably turn out looking like garbage if I tried to. Turns out the roof is not quite as tattered as they made it out to be, it's mostly just the part on the doors that's completely shot. The roof is mostly just moldy save for a few slight open seems

Here's some pics of the car as I'm sure everyone's eager to see it. . Restoring the foggy headlights and polishing the insane amounts of chrome took me forever.

More pic's to come tomorrow since I ran out of daylight and didn't finish cleaning it. The main problem with the car is it's almost too nice to drive...
So far the only things functionally wrong with the car is that the radio doesn't shut off and the power door locks don't work (and the coolant is a strange murky orange brown, waiting to be flushed) Any idea's what the issue could be with the locks? Neither driver nor passenger switches work. The locks don't even attempt to lock or unlock.

Further side note, does anyone have the little caps that cover the screws to the door handles in green? You can see in the pictures I'm missing one and the screw so I'm looking to buy one (or maybe a couple to have extras on hand.)