kishy's 1986 Grand Marquis

[kishy]

It would appear I have done it again.

A couple years ago, a friend picked up this grey-on-grey '86 Grand Marquis for around 600 bucks. He had plans to put it on the road but that didn't end up panning out for various reasons. At the time it was a running, driving, stopping car just about ready to pass an Ontario safety inspection and hit the road with minimal investment (basically just catch-up maintenance and some tires).

After some time, he got in touch, told me he couldn't keep the car (property management where he lives was giving him a hard time), asked if I wanted it for the cost he had into it. While a very attractive offer on a very attractive car, I could not accept at the time. I've got too many cars, not enough space, not enough time...the usual problems some of us in this group tend to have.

These pics are from when I looked at it then:





















As you can see, a really solid, un-messed-with car.
Circumstances improved a bit for my buddy who was able to hang onto it a bit longer, but the car has been facing vandalism which he believes but can't prove is done by the property management company, theft of license plates which also couldn't be pinned on anyone. Upcoming (began this week) parking lot repaving meant the car had to go live somewhere else and he was told in no uncertain terms it was not to return. The choice became, let it go as a derby car (a car this clean sells in under an hour to that crowd around here), or I save it.

I talked to my other friend (the one who assisted in the dismantling of the green Town Car), and he agreed to store this for me for a little bit.
No payment has been made, no paperwork done, but it's coming shortly.

Newer photos from the other day:










First order of business will be the removal of the tree sap, to prevent it doing any further harm to the paint below...or getting even harder to remove.

Next will be thoroughly washing the interior as this has been a mouse nest car in the past.

The fuel pump died while loading it on the trailer (pump, not relay, sadly), so that's the first mechanical thing.

I'm undecided what its future will be. I might give it to my mom for her to drive. It's too clean to make into a winter beater but that's still better than the alternative I saved it from. Or try to flip it for a modest profit. I have a few friends who insist they want to get a car "like mine", but none who put their money where their mouth is. If it's a $1200 car by the time it lands on them, seems to me that's a good entry point.

[87gtVIC]

Looks like a really solid ride. Nice save. Maybe will serve someone well in the future.

[gadget73]

Money where the mouth is seems to be a common problem.

either way thats too nice to derby

[Tiggie]

Nice save. We need to make you an official title. Panther Lifesaver.

[Hearsesrock427]

What a beaut! Looks like the common problem areas for rust check out. How's the door-fender-cowl overlap area? Aside from that the only thing I'd be leery of rust on the middle of the roof underneath the "tiara bar" stainless steel trim. That's the first spot to go on these formal rear window cars when the top goes back. You already have wet spots and some surface rust peeking out from under the C pillar trim.

For what it's worth storage isn't terribly expensive to rent out if you shop around for deals. Around my parts, there are places willing to store a car from November thru April. Costs 300-400 USD on average. If you have acquaintances with indoor space one could negotiate say, 3 months worth of storage a few hundred bucks. Will be doing that with the '88 LTD CVW after her frame work- unless I can work out an early start with a November thru April service provider.

[kishy]

Money where the mouth is seems to be a common problem.

either way thats too nice to derby

The ones with the cash never have the room. The ones with the room never have the interest. The ones with the interest never have the cash.

The thing is that a clean car (and this one is quite so) is the perfect derby car as they don't crumple on the first hit. My wagon would have been a sensible derby car because of how far gone it was in most respects but still being a very solid car. This would be highly valued as a derby car but is not too far gone in almost any respect.

Nice save. We need to make you an official title. Panther Lifesaver.

I would accept that title, but I am just a man...with obscure automotive interests.

What a beaut! Looks like the common problem areas for rust check out. How's the door-fender-cowl overlap area? Aside from that the only thing I'd be leery of rust on the middle of the roof underneath the "tiara bar" stainless steel trim. That's the first spot to go on these formal rear window cars when the top goes back. You already have wet spots and some surface rust peeking out from under the C pillar trim.

For what it's worth storage isn't terribly expensive to rent out if you shop around for deals. Around my parts, there are places willing to store a car from November thru April. Costs 300-400 USD on average. If you have acquaintances with indoor space one could negotiate say, 3 months worth of storage a few hundred bucks. Will be doing that with the '88 LTD CVW after her frame work- unless I can work out an early start with a November thru April service provider.

The usual trouble spots at the area you describe (where A-pillar meets fender) are spotless on this car, which is surprising. I never see them without at least a little rust.

Agree that there is some evidence of coming trouble (which can accelerate quickly if winter driven) in a few spots. The cornering lamps do have a little around them.

My mother is interested in giving it a try, so that is looking likely to happen, in which case it will be winter driven but only for occasional trips to the store. I do recognize it as a bit of a death sentence for a car that is on the tipping point and can be preserved, but at the end of the day it's a $600 car and better driven than sitting, in my mind. Another way of looking at it is that it takes care of the storage issue. I'm probably doing all the usual PITA stuff to it before it goes into service...timing set, intake gaskets, etc. I am sure everything will spring leaks once it sees road duty again since it's been sitting for years.

[packman]

Nice MGM! You're where I was 17 years ago when we bought the CV for my Mom. You may find yourself restoring that car one day at your Mom's request.

[DerekTheGreat]

You got that fly ride for $600 CAD?? I'll give you $600USD for it. Money in mouth offer. Ain't never owned a Grey Ghost or Mercury variant but I'd give it a shot. Also, so long as that is oil on the underside and not an undercoating of some sort.

[kishy]

Nice MGM! You're where I was 17 years ago when we bought the CV for my Mom. You may find yourself restoring that car one day at your Mom's request.

I very well may. She really liked driving my '91, when it was available to her (while I lived with her).
She raised me as a single mother and never had the income to support owning a car, and she has made choices in her life (such as where to buy a house, in close proximity to grocery stores and bus routes) which have made it easy for her to get along without one. She's in a better financial standing now so we think she can take on the insurance; I would do all maintenance on my dollar. While I lived at home, of course, she had access to the daily driver car and used it maybe once a week. I think the usage pattern would be similar with this one.

You got that fly ride for $600 CAD?? I'll give you $600USD for it. Money in mouth offer. Ain't never owned a Grey Ghost or Mercury variant but I'd give it a shot. Also, so long as that is oil on the underside and not an undercoating of some sort.

Technically, the financials are a little more complex.
He got it for 600 CAD.
He neglected to take care of some paperwork tasks with the ownership, which he is now taking care of, and which are being rolled into the price I will pay him for the car. I think when all is said and done it'll be around 750 CAD. For a car in this sort of condition, I'm not bothered by that number. I am paying him nothing until he can present me with an ownership that says his name on it. Similarly I am not putting any work into the car until it's in my name.

As I've already discussed it with my mother, I'm not going to walk back on that...I'll set her up in it after doing the aforementioned pain-in-ass work to it and then we'll see how it pans out for her. It may end up for sale if she isn't liking the cost of insurance or whatever. For a very occasional driver, insurance can be too much to justify.

Also worth noting the border is closed and likely will continue to be into next year, so even if its eventual future is with you, not anytime soon. The undercoating on the car is the thick gooey wet stuff, it is not "oil spray" (thinner) nor is it "the bad undercoating" (the hard stuff that traps moisture). This kind of stuff keeps your car nice but punishes everyone who works on the car and ruins all their clothes.

[packman]

I very well may. She really liked driving my '91, when it was available to her (while I lived with her).
She raised me as a single mother and never had the income to support owning a car, and she has made choices in her life (such as where to buy a house, in close proximity to grocery stores and bus routes) which have made it easy for her to get along without one. She's in a better financial standing now so we think she can take on the insurance; I would do all maintenance on my dollar. While I lived at home, of course, she had access to the daily driver car and used it maybe once a week. I think the usage pattern would be similar with this one.

Hats off to you for taking care of your Mom

[kishy]

I am now the registered owner of the car, so that's cool.

Fuel pump and shocks (cheap awful ones...because I never learn) are up first, soon.

I am undecided about this being the right car for my mother now. I'm shopping around for something more economical, somewhat more modern, and less overbearing in tight parking situations. Something like a 2005 Focus hatch would probably be about ideal, and those cars are absolutely indestructible. But, since my ability to actually keep this car is more or less dependent upon it going to my mom, finding her something different would mean this one goes up for sale. We'll see. I'll proceed with this under the expectation it's being kept until a concrete decision otherwise happens.

[kishy]

Noticed on the Used Vehicle Information Package (a thing we have in Ontario) that the odometer was noted as being 195,000km in 2011. The odometer currently is 195,853. It seems likely to me the car has not been driven any meaningful amount in that time.

Re-confirmed diagnosis of bad fuel pump. Relay works, voltage gets to the connector above the tank, but pump doesn't move. Bad pump.
Dropped tank, which was about 60% full.
Fuel does not smell like fuel anymore. Inside of tank above fuel level is heavily rusted. Filler neck is rusted and rust caused the seal to tear.
Return line connection at the frame rail did not come apart nicely, will likely require replacement.

Going to put a new tank in this.

[gadget73]

Wonder if vintage fuel has any value. Sell it to the "retro everything" crowd. Genuine pre-COVID gasoline, low miles, second owner. No lowballers, I know what I have.

[sly]

Wonder if vintage fuel has any value. Sell it to the "retro everything" crowd. Genuine pre-COVID gasoline, low miles, second owner. No lowballers, I know what I have.

[kishy]

LOL look at this thing!



Friend drained the tank so he could move it easier (and slowly begin diluting out the bad gas to burn it in stuff), sent me this when I asked if it was bad enough to need replacement.

I do have a pump on-hand already, but I think I'm going to buy a complete new hanger assembly. Airtex is looking like the best choice. RockAuto does have an Ultra Power (which means it's a white box part from potentially anyone) one for a fair bit cheaper but I'm not liking some things about the way it's put together, according to the pics. Its issues are basically not a problem for someone with their own pump, such as me, but if I'm coughing up the cash for the complete assembly I want to just use it unaltered.