VicCrownVic's 1991 Mercury Grand Marquis LS "The Scab"

[VicCrownVic]

Seems to be just how LS seats are compared to GS seats as far as I can tell, but these seats did sit lower.

Broke a tie rod end, and currently waiting on a tow. Awesome :/

[DerekTheGreat]

Guess the scab's seats were well worn in by an overly large American?

[VicCrownVic]

Brought The Scab home today.

Compared to The Ice Car (wagon cargo coils and now no load in the trunk), The Scab rides like a cloud. Also it runs quieter, the steering feels tighter, the doors close quieter (and the driver door isn't hitting the B pillar AND the fender), the all season tires on The Scab seem to do better in the rain than the winter tires on The Ice Car, the trunk latch cover works. The seats on the other hand... I hate the seats in The Scab. The Ice Car's seats are much better.

[VicCrownVic]

The Scab was on the road again today. Mom was borrowing it while her new Mountaineer, her old Explorer, Dad's new truck, and his old truck were all down this morning. Left this car with them in case they need it since I'd rather have them drive this car as opposed to the rust bucket Ice Car.

Mom commented on how nice the car drove and had no problems to report. It also started right up for me last week when I changed the oil, so everything seems to be in order for The Scab to resume DD duty soon.

I got some C-pillar sail panels and door pull straps to replace the trashed ones in this car. At some point those parts will go on this year.

[DerekTheGreat]

..You're going to put a tarp on it at least, right? I mean yes, it's a DD that sits outside but no reason it should be subjected to unnecessary UV... Actually, I've got the car cover for my '69 Fury still, you can have it.

[VicCrownVic]

Parked for the winter. Later than I would have liked since we've already seen snow and salt here.

Got a lot accomplished this year, mainly fixing all the leaks. Much more enjoyable to have a not leaky car for a DD.

[DerekTheGreat]

I believe I have a spare socket for one of those if you need it.

[VicCrownVic]

More small things, it's nice to be able to focus on the small things.

After dropping in on Kevin at the JY today I decided to take a look at my passenger side ditch light. I recently attempt to install a new bulb but couldn't get the bulb socket into the housing. So I took it all off the car and found the housing packed with dirt. The lens had green stuff on the inside which I always figured was from water being trapped in it, I was not expecting to find dirt packed in there behind the green stuff. Enough dirt that the bulb made an indentation in the dirt, but not enough of an indentation to get the socket to lock into place.
Anyway, I got it cleaned out including the drain hole at the bottom rear of the lens. I put it back on but still need to clean the terminals at the connection further up near the battery. The light doesn't want to come on unless I mess with it and I can clearly see that the terminals are quite oxidized. My wife had evening plans so I didn't get around to cleaning those terminals yet.

The only picture I took today.

[VicCrownVic]

Those things use 3 screws for the electrical connections, one is the ground, one is constant hot for the map, the other is switched hot for the dome. If those are loose it won't act right.

Tightening things was indeed all that was needed. I also recently installed a clear dome light lense from LMC Truck, and the light was brighter with the clear lens but now with that ground screw tightened the light is even brighter with the clear lense.

Of course the driver door switch still doesn't work so well, but I doubt I'll get to that any time soon.

[VicCrownVic]

That's the sort of detail (which side is switched) that I was going to look for in my EVTM. Troubleshooting it should be easier knowing how it should work. Even though it's not a difficult thing to troubleshoot, I doubt that I'll get to this tomorrow.

[gadget73]

Those things use 3 screws for the electrical connections, one is the ground, one is constant hot for the map, the other is switched hot for the dome. If those are loose it won't act right.

[VicCrownVic]

Checked the oil again today and still didn't have to add any. It sure is nice to work on little things for a change.

I went to the local junk yard today, the one 3 miles from my place that I usually don't go to unless I know they have what I need and I don't plan to spend much time in the yard. There were no boxes at this place, which is not uncommon for this yard but I was after a aero/whale windshield washer bottle. It turns out the aero (or maybe early whale) bottle I installed had a confirmed dead pump. This thing sat for at least 2 years before I got around to installing it so I couldn't just exchange it. I ended up getting a bottle and pump from an '04 MGM (I didn't feel like swapping the pump so I got the whole thing). I had to redo my electrical adapter since the new-to-me pump had a different (nicer) connector, but the new pump works great.

I also got a few mounts for the '90 TC airbox, so it is now properly mounted.

Besides cleaning the car before next Saturday I hopefully will find time to investigate the odd behavior of the dome light and fix my air shock lines in a way that will last. The dome light has always had an issue of not always turning on with the driver door open, which I've always assumed was the door switch, but I also found (while waiting for my wife who was in the store yesterday) that while I had the map lights on I could get the dome light to come on by pushing up on the dome light. At the same time the map lights would go out. That should be fun to discover what weirdness awaits me up there. Time to look at my EVTM and probably pull the dome light down to see what's going on.

[Kodachrome Wolf]

The newer air box, washer reservoir and coolant overflow/shroud set up is such a nice upgrade. Makes things look so clean and modern.

Car looks fantastic on the turbines. LOVE TURBINES.

+1

I was very pleased with how much room the 90 TC air box gives you once you remove the old air box bracket. Makes access to that side much easier, and if you run the Aero brake booster, the master cylinder has more clearance from touching stuff. The old style intake and new style booster puts the MC within a centimeter of the lid.

[VicCrownVic]

I do like the 90TC parts fitment. Everything looks right at home.

I usually decide before I get to the cash where I want the parts marked and show them where to do it. They'd probably mark the outside-facing side of a chrome wheel, provided the opportunity.

Good luck getting that factory air cleaner bracket off. Clean up the threads on the manifold studs a lot before you try, otherwise the studs will back out and the nut won't come off. There isn't enough room for the average open-end wrench to get onto the stud behind the bracket so it's hard to keep them from spinning.

I've got new bolts so I'm all set. Last time I took one of these brackets off it was only held on by one of the supports which hadn't rusted off. Of course the nut didn't want to come off without the whole stud wanting to back out, but since that bracket was junk I broke the bracket off and I continued on. That was with the engine out of the car, and you are right that there is not enough room to get an open end wrench on the stud behind the bracket (not with the wrenches I had at the time anyway). This bracket is in good shape, so I will try to save it (you never know, someone might want it...).

As for marking of parts at the JY... it give more beater street cred to my beaters.

[kishy]

I do like the 90TC parts fitment. Everything looks right at home.

I usually decide before I get to the cash where I want the parts marked and show them where to do it. They'd probably mark the outside-facing side of a chrome wheel, provided the opportunity.

Good luck getting that factory air cleaner bracket off. Clean up the threads on the manifold studs a lot before you try, otherwise the studs will back out and the nut won't come off. There isn't enough room for the average open-end wrench to get onto the stud behind the bracket so it's hard to keep them from spinning.