Saved from the Demo Derby: 1990 Country Squire

[Tiggie]

Thanks to a very generous GMN member who just ran a vin check for me.

I need your help with the guess the mileage game.

Evidence:
Inspection Reciepts:
3/12/2003 - 30041
4/29/2004 - 30192
1/20/2006 - 30371

From the VIN report:
12/06/1989 - 5
12/30/1994 - 43,179 (auto auction)
09/30/2002 - 130,000 (title change) (it's a five digit odometer)
09/11/2015 - 163,472 (doushe bag previous owner went to the DMV without the reading is my guess)


Today 30,408 odometer not working.

I knew the tires were old - the date code is 204. Which is 20th Week of 1994 since they went to four digit codes around 2000. They are about 20% left in terms of tread.

It's my guess we are right at 130,415ish and this car really hasn't seen much road time since 2002.

Also - it says four owners. The original until 1994 (five years), second from then to 2015, the third is the guy I got it from who didn't do anything to it, and then me.

[sly]

I'd wager over 200K if the odo isn't working and the last two marks are guesses on the part of the owners. Kinda like my 93 (odo didn't mark for over a year). We drove 40-50K miles while the odo was out. Puts the car at about 200K + what's on the digital I swapped in.

[Tiggie]

Decided to do a brake exploration this morning.

First - Scary 1994 tire. Time to pull out the older studded snow spare for safety sake.


Second I a greeted by a snail shell, along with a billion spiders hiding in/on/behind/in between the wheel covers.



Then I realize there is one wheel that has the tabs for dog dishes - maybe this was the original spare rim? It is a ford wheel.


I suspected the rear brakes would be crusty/wet because I could tell the rear wheels didn't like turning. Got a nice surprise - both sides looked like this. Pulled the rubber caps on the wheel cylinders and they weren't wet at all. I backed the adjustment off since they were so tight. Figured a sticky wheel cylinder.



Then I got the bright idea of swapping a decent set of wheels/tires on, and actually driving this at highway speeds for the first time. Then I realized I only had three of those wheels. Hmmm... the studded snow spare would be #4.

So off came the front wheels for the tire swap to continue. Again - newer calipers, hoses, and pads. Date code on the hose looks to be 2006. So maybe the word is not new but unused.



And then it was drive time.

[Tiggie]

Drive time report:

Drove about ten miles.
Bad:
- Needs wheel cylinders and brake calipers. Both are dragging more than they should. Hints of brake smell and hot hot drums and one caliper
- Its quiet. too quiet

Good:
- Ran fine, cooled fine (it was 92 out).
- Its quiet. nice and quiet.

[Tiggie]

Decided to trouble shoot the non functional blower motor. It was getting 12V at the connector. Pulled the motor. Found this. Got the motor out and forced it to turn. It works but draws like 40 amps. Time for a replacement.

I don't get this inside rust thing. There is no mud or dirt in the HVAC but it sure looks like this motor has been wet before.

[sly]

humid area car. My 93 is kinda like that. outside is rust free. under the dash is a different story. The blower wasn't that bad when if got changed though.

[Tiggie]

Got some stuff for this thing today.

Nice dome light, lock actuators, tow package trans and power steering coolers, trans cooler lines just because, rear shocks.

Also attempted to clean turbines but family duty called. Turbines came from Nick (TecNickel). Interior gray parts seem like they'll clean up. Need to do some refinishing to the clear on the rims and turbine edges as they are 30 years old at this point. Ideas? Clear paints don't stick to polished aluminum too well. I have some nice Ford caps for the turbines.

Buying a carport this month for it. Don't let that trick you into thinking this is not for sale! Or something.

[knucklehead0202]

Shit I can see those turbines look better than the ones I sent Derek. Now I really feel like a dick. Those power steering "coolers" are funny. Just found out my car has one, as well as an auxiliary trans cooler. Have literally spent almost no time under the hood on this car. The last one I was all over. Haven't even pulled the plugs on this one to see what they look like. What a jerk. Glad you saved this wagon Tigs, I think I may need to get one too.

[P72Ford]

This car has come a long way!

White over red is a good look.

[TecNickal]

Good to see those being used instead of sitting on the side of my garage under lean to hanging out with the leaves and spiders.

[Tiggie]

Progress today. I think this needs to be usable car instead of a yard ornament.

Replaced almost new 9 year old wheel cylinders with new ones (old were frozen from the slumber period).


Front calipers were next. Decided to repack front wheel bearings too which took a bit longer than expected, so only got one side done before I said “screw this it’s cold”.

Supposed to be colder tomorrow. Might do the other side Friday. The highs are pretty much the average low for this time of year. Figures since I have some time off!

Gonna try to register and insure this as a limited use classic. The registration is no problem, the only qualification in VA is that it be 25 years old. The insurance is the challenge. They need pictures and the weathered woodgrain patina isn’t desirable for a 1990 as it would be for a 1955.

Very much considering a roll of contact paper as a temp solution. Would look the part and since it’s not out in the weather or driven in anything wet. May hold up for a year or more? $25 for the one bad side sounds much better than the $685 for the correct 3M Dinoc, at this time. Would save me $300 a year on car insurance if it qualifies for Classic, so that would pay for real dinoc in a couple years when I am ready for it.


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[VicCrownVic]

Progress!

I skimmed through the thread and saw a link to your fuel level sending unit repair thread. A sending unit from an '89 TC (analog dash for sure, but I would imagine digital used the same unit that year ('88- digital dash sending units had a wider resistance range up to like 220ohms IIRC)) will work for you if you ever need a replacement. Unlike all the other '79-'89 boxes, '89 TC's did not use the old resistance range, they used the new resistance range like '90+.

[kishy]

Progress!

I skimmed through the thread and saw a link to your fuel level sending unit repair thread. A sending unit from an '89 TC (analog dash for sure, but I would imagine digital used the same unit that year ('88- digital dash sending units had a wider resistance range up to like 220ohms IIRC)) will work for you if you ever need a replacement. Unlike all the other '79-'89 boxes, '89 TC's did not use the old resistance range, they used the new resistance range like '90+.

AllData suggested that the 89 TC could be had with two different resistance ranges depending on gauge type; one of which is the 90+ range and one of which is the normal box range.

I was not able to conclude with certainty which was which, and AllData is also not always dependable given that it's based on interpretations of factory shop manuals, not the direct text of the shop manuals themselves.

Also...given the context of the wheel cylinders: am I understanding correctly that 10" and 11" drums use the same wheel cylinders, the 11s just have a longer little leg thing that pushes on the shoes (which is not an integral part of the WC itself)?

Some brands list one part for 10 and another for 11, but some brands list the same for both.

[VicCrownVic]

That's right, you mentioned that in another thread about the Alldata info. I think one possible explanation that was mentioned was that there could have been a mid year change which might account for the two different sending units listed in Alldata. If that is the case the older units should be the metal half circle housing for the resistor and float arm axis while the newer '90+ (wagon) compatible units will have the plastic housing. Easy to ID that way if pulling one from a TC in the JY, but you'll still want to check the resistance range. I bring my cheap HF multi-meter to make sure the range is correct.

'89 TC on the left, Old box (with leaky float) on the right below:
The float and float arm are different, but it will work.

[Tiggie]

Will keep that in mind about the TC sending units. I suspect this one will prove flaky given how awful the fuel system was on the car. The old fuel dissolved the float or either it never had one factory... so yeah.

No wind today but cold as forecasted. Got the final wheel bearings cleaned and repacked, new caliper and all four wheels on the ground. Brakes seemed to gravity bleed but haven’t stepped on the pedal yet.
Yesterday’s front wheel bearings had been messed with before, today’s was pure virgin. 27 year old grease:


Rotor pitting from the slumber period I suppose:


Got to tighten the adjustment on the rear brakes a bit but otherwise brakes are hopefully done.


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