kishy's 1985 Country Squire

[DerekTheGreat]

People are starting to appreciate boxes. For the first time, I got people asking me about my Town Car when I had it out over the weekend. Usually only happens when Ashley drives it. We watched T2 over the weekend, your wagon looks a lot like the '79 wagon they drove briefly. I think it's been said before, but it's crazy how many boxes are in that movie.

[gadget73]

80s cars in general seem to be getting more popular. They're officially old enough to be classic at this point. Probably only appeals to people who remember their parents or grandparents having one when they were a kid.

[kishy]

I'm not sure what it is, but it continues!
As for the 2-door, the people who respond to it seem to be older (people who could have bought one new). My '91 got a lot of love from all ages, but in its prime it was a very sexy car regardless of your preferences. The people freaking out over the wagon are in the mid 20s-mid 30s space.

It has just enough of the right type of exhaust leak to sound absolutely mean taking off from a light. Third gear cruising at surface street speeds gives a classic SBF exhaust note.

This is definitely pushing me to finish the interior. Dash reassembly, driver seat track (one of the functions is broken), dew wipes, window channels, power locks, door cards, and of course the tailgate rehab project...everything about the tailgate needs to be rebuilt, basically.

I am quite happy with the ride height up front now. I am considering options to slightly bring the rear down but may just leave it alone.

The trans in this seems to be decent. I've been trying to back off the TV a little because the shifts are very harsh (geometry is screwed up by my choice of carb spacer under the throttle body)...as I found on my 84, there is a fine threshold in between slamming harsh engagements and mush, and I'm trying to find that sweet spot.

There is another, different metallic tapping noise that has persisted since fixing the shocks. Goes away when on the brakes any amount going over bumps that cause the noise when zero brakes are applied. I think it's the pads clapping against the caliper or maybe banging around in the slot they ride in, even though they have those tension clip things in them. 95-97 setup. I recall my '91 with the 98-02 setup also clapping similarly.

[DerekTheGreat]

My Firebird does that with the brakes too, I think. I just got it going for the first time in four years. Pulled the front tires to address that issue, but didn't think to check brake pad slop. The right side wheel bearing was a wee bit loose, so that was fixed. But I thought maybe the calipers were loose- nope. None of the front end stuff is either. I figure if it was a center cap I'd have lost it already. I bet some caliper grease will fix it right up. It remains the fastest vehicle I've ever owned. Puts a dumb grin on my face, there is just something about being able to bark both tires for a few seconds from part throttle once the light goes green.

[mitymerc]

Puts a dumb grin on my face

That is exactly what happens when I get the Mustang out.
The Blues Bison is giving me about my only joy in this funk when I get on it & hear the exhaust.

[DerekTheGreat]

Yeah really, definite mood elevator. I was not looking forward to getting the Firebird going at all. Now I can't wait for opportunities to drive it places. Funny how that works.

[kishy]

I think the particular brake pad slop which I believe is happening is encouraged by the fact the pads do not attach firmly to the caliper in any way. Stock box pads clip on firmly, but the newer stuff they just kind of float in space. I would try caliper lube but I'd be concerned about it finding its way onto the friction material. Not really a great thing if it happens. It does also seem like the stock box calipers retract far less when pressure is released (even on a fresh reman) vs the newer style...but I'm not 100% sure one way or another. It has always seemed to me that even with all new stuff on stock box parts, the brakes want to drag, but on the newer stuff you can effortlessly push the car around with no drag.

It is easy to forget that I actually own 1.5 Ford Rangers:



I use the almost but not quite roadworthy Ranger Trailer to store a lot of the scrap parts I have pulled off my cars over time. It lives back beside the garage. It will eventually be road-going, but needs some suspension love before we get there...suspension is way too soft and I want to put proper trailer tires on it with stiffer sidewalls.

Finally, my collection of scrap has grown annoyingly large, so I've offloaded it to a friend with space and we'll work out the value later...I've kept the high value items (those being catalytic converters and radiators). This was a good opportunity to test out the wagon with some weight in the back. I don't have an exact figure but it's around 300 pounds, mostly aft of the axle.





I went to help an acquaintance troubleshoot some running issues...86 Crown Vic wagon (non-Country Squire). We didn't get very far but did conclude all his sensors seem to be OK (except the ever-troublesome and irrelevant EVP). Timing set may be lunched, it definitely doesn't want to idle nicely and he has reason to believe it's never been done. Will be revisiting that at some point and I might find myself roped into doing the timing set on it...bleh. The OTC scan tool is nifty.



I'm super pleased I scored that NOS '79 metric cluster for this car. Looks so nice with the orange.

[DerekTheGreat]

I hate those f'in rubber band tires and atrocious wheels. I tried to refrain against making this comment but I couldn't help myself. Poor wheel bearings, ball joints and ride quality.

I love that Ranger bed trailer!!! I've always wanted to make or buy a trailer like that, but out of an full size truck box with a 3/4 ton or 1 ton axle truck with a FF axle. But that's because I've got full size trucks. Your matching trailer is awesome.

[gadget73]

do the 95-97 brakes have the shims that sit on either side of the brake pad to keep it from slopping around inside the caliper bracket? 98-02 ones do and if those clips are bent or not springy enough it will make the pads rattle or squeak. If the pads aren't snug you may have to tweak them a bit so the pads can't actually float.

[kishy]

I hate those f'in rubber band tires and atrocious wheels. I tried to refrain against making this comment but I couldn't help myself. Poor wheel bearings, ball joints and ride quality.

I love that Ranger bed trailer!!! I've always wanted to make or buy a trailer like that, but out of an full size truck box with a 3/4 ton or 1 ton axle truck with a FF axle. But that's because I've got full size trucks. Your matching trailer is awesome.

Yeah, not a fan. He's apparently tired of them too, but I'm not sure what about them he's tired of and if he plans to do a similar thing with the new ones...they're bleh. These cars don't look right without sidewall, and their tendency to look way too tall at stock ride height makes me really dislike anything above a 16 or 17 on them.

The Ranger trailer is poorly thought out. It should have been a long box, in order to enable more weight to easily be placed forward of the axle. But between a spare (an intentionally heavy regular car steel wheel) and a tongue box filled with various things, that should help.

It needs some love. One drum brake was removed, one was not. I'll delete the remaining one, remove all lines from it, rewire it, do something with good LEDs for the lighting, put new shocks on it and maybe some sort of helper spring, and that should get it road-ready. Also considering swapping the coupler for 2" because 1-7/8" is stupid, plus adding a tongue jack, and maybe another tongue jack (which can turn sideways) on the rear bumper to stabilize it for loading. It is extremely squishy. Maybe I'll do a thread just for it, though it's definitely pushing the limits of being a "ride" for our purposes.

do the 95-97 brakes have the shims that sit on either side of the brake pad to keep it from slopping around inside the caliper bracket? 98-02 ones do and if those clips are bent or not springy enough it will make the pads rattle or squeak. If the pads aren't snug you may have to tweak them a bit so the pads can't actually float.

These calipers came with only a clip (sort of spring-loaded/under tension) at the top of the caliper with pushes the pads in the direction of the axle centerline, definitely intended to quiet some rattle noises, but they don't really stop the pads from rattling completely. As best I can tell there is no clip produced or offered to fit at the ends of the pads like you described, for the 95-97 setup.

The slides are the same style as the newer cars, and they of course work infinitely better than stock box slides (which basically don't, even when everything is new and clean). This I think encourages the caliper to open up wider when the pedal is released and creates the potential for more noise.

Unrelated but I think I need to slightly lengthen the pushrod on the booster, there seems to be some travel where the master isn't yet engaged. I remember somewhat rushing that adjustment and it's showing.

[DerekTheGreat]

Yeah, I feel the same way. I don't know that I've seen an aftermarket wheel that I've liked on these. Steelies or turbines for me. Fat sidewall for pothole protectoin and ride quality.

I'd watch that thread. Is there an easy way to get those brakes to work? Only thing that deters me from wanting one myself. I've been hauling lots of dirt lately and the brakes on my truck are barely adequate when the 6ft box is fully loaded. I could only imagine how scary it would be if I had a loaded 6ft box and then a loaded 8ft box behind that with no brakes... You could also make one into a mini camper of sorts. They've got cool inserts now that when combined with a cap, make for better quarters than a tent would. Largish animal resistant too. Roawr.

[mitymerc]

This was a good opportunity to test out the wagon with some weight in the back. I don't have an exact figure but it's around 300 pounds.

The MegaMerc has hauled over 600 lbs to the scrapyard on multiple occasions.

[packman]

They don't make wagons anymore; the SUVs supplanted them long ago. That's probably the reason for all of the love. Honestly, I hated these cars when I was younger. I didn't even want to stop to look at my Mom's CV when my Dad and I were hunting for another ride for her. Then the CV grew on me and I began to like it with each passing year. I was never a fan of wagons; until I saw mrltd's auto-X Country Squire.

I liked Starsky and Hutch when I was a kid; which inspired me to get the American Racing Ansen Sprint wheels for he CV (the 17" version). When I do the bigger big brake swap, I will take a chance on the US mags Rambler U110 wheels. They look simple enough to look good on the CV.........I hope.

[mitymerc]

I'm just weird. The first car I had legally on the road was a wagon that I intentionally sought out. Have had several Dodge & Ford wagons since then.
Still have the MegaMerc & Blues Bison.

[kishy]

About the brakes on the trailer...yeah, probably. But one side was totally missing, backing plate and all, so no thanks. I also don't really anticipate ever moving anything particularly heavy with it, just large, and my vehicles that I'd consider towing with have their braking systems in top condition. I could have added a surge brake master cylinder (replaces the trailer coupler and applies hydraulic pressure when trailer pushes into the tow vehicle) but there are many considerations like the diameter of the wheel cylinders. If I eventually deem brakes necessary it can be revisited. None of what was still on this would have been usable as-it-was, really.

Certainly, 300lbs is nothing for one of these cars, but with it being mostly balanced aft of the axle it was a good chance to monitor what happened to the ride height. It did sink somewhat but I think I like the rear springs this has in it. They're variable rate (cargo coils), but visibly match the car for rust levels, so I'm thinking they've been in it for a long time.

Now that I'm happy with the ride height (it continues to sit right, and looks great) I'm going to get it aligned properly. Need to call around a bit. I wasn't pleased with the commentary I got from the place that did my 91 (and is supposed to be decent). It is simply not a normal alignment anymore once you've done a brake swap, because you get twice as many adjustments for camber and caster. If you were to make it align properly using only the ball joints, there is a significant risk that camber and/or caster will only be correct at normal ride height because the suspension travel arc depends on the positioning of the control arm shaft. A place that will only touch one, and not both to get the right result is not doing the job correctly.

Wagons definitely died off for the most part, but they've made a gentle resurgence in some small ways. Buick notably has been selling a Regal TourX wagon, not that they've advertised it at all...priced well and my understanding is it's a pretty decent car. If they discontinue it for poor sales I'm going to say it now, it's because they haven't even tried to sell it, not because the market won't buy it. We've reached a point where the market needs proper re-education about what a vehicle is capable of, and can't be trusted to make its own decisions unprompted anymore.