Just picked up an 84 LTD CV Wagon

[gadget73]

I did once have a relay fail in that way, and removing it was how I shut the damn thing up.

[DerekTheGreat]

I did once have a relay fail in that way, and removing it was how I shut the damn thing up.

I once didn't realize relays could be reversed. So I was puzzled as to why every time I plugged the thing in the socket, my horns would go off. That or I forget what I fudged to make mine do that. Back when I was having horn issues with my Townie. Lesson learned there: If the fuse is blowing, check the resistance of the horns, should be greater than 0.8 ohms and if not, adjust them with screw thing until they are, if possible.

[Birdofprey]

Found out what Wagonman was referring to when he said the B pillars we're different.

The seatbelt point was moved up and back.





Also found the differences he mentioned in the seat bottoms. The track is obviously different but the mounting holes on the bottoms of the seats are different also. I'm sure a couple new riv-nuts could be added to the seat, but when I put the passenger track on the floor is looks like the difference there is the right rear bolt hole was further back and raised up on the 90 vs how it is in the 84. Depending on how the driver side is different it maybe easier to make the 90 track fit the 84 floorpan instead of trying to modify the newer seats to accept the old tracks. We'll see. If these seats weren't in such good shape I probably wouldn't even mess with it.







Maybe I should just pass this interior on to someone who could use it and just stick with my current interior for the time being...

[Kodachrome Wolf]

I’m not sure exacly how Nick modified the tracks in my wagon, but AFAIK, he used ‘93 Town Car seats and swapped the ‘87 tracks onto the newer seats and bolted everything back together. There might be some minor modifications needed.

[Birdofprey]

I’m not sure exacly how Nick modified the tracks in my wagon, but AFAIK, he used ‘93 Town Car seats and swapped the ‘87 tracks onto the newer seats and bolted everything back together. There might be some minor modifications needed.

I'd bet the floorpan changed around 89 when the dash did.

[kishy]

I'd bet the floorpan changed around 89 when the dash did.

Floor pan, firewall, dash, steering column, HVAC (and other little miscellaneous things) changed for model year 1990.

[Birdofprey]

Its amazing how much retooling they spent on just 2 model years. I wonder if the plan was to hold off the generation change for a few more years.

[kishy]

Its amazing how much retooling they spent on just 2 model years. I wonder if the plan was to hold off the generation change for a few more years.

Well, kinda sorta. That same new-for-90 firewall and floor pan (and a good deal of the HVAC and column design - not the exact parts but the engineering) were carried through, as far as I know, right to the end in 2011.

90 was the year the Town Car got its Aero body. Looking back on it, I suspect the fact the Ford and Mercury kept the old body for 2 more years probably had more to do with Ford feeling overwhelmed/overrunning their schedule and they couldn't make it happen for the Ford and Mercury in time for 1990.

It also might have had something to do with wagons...since the factory never built a wagon in the Aero body, maybe Ford wanted to keep a full size wagon on the market for 2 extra years. Cheaper to engineer the newer stuff under the skin into the old body than it is to engineer the whole new body to match. Just guesses, of course, I don't actually know anything about the 'why'.

[Birdofprey]

And they had their hands full with the sudden boom that was the Explorer in 91, I'm sure productions lines were changed to handle the ramp up of Explorer production.

[sly]

Drill holes to match and bolt together.

[Mainemantom]

It seems like you could just swap the seat rails and be done with it. Might require a little modification.
Another option, which I have done a few times, is to take everything apart and swap the cushions and covers. Not a big job. Couple of hours max.

[sly]

Drill holes to match and bolt together.

Meaning in the seat to attach to the new (to it) seat rails.

[Birdofprey]

Meaning in the seat to attach to the new (to it) seat rails.

Yeah that will probably be the easiest route.

I was surprised to see the bottom of the seat on the 84 was arched the same as the rails. Didn't seem like the flat bottom of the 90 seats were going to interfere though.

[Birdofprey]

Was it usual for the base wagons to not have the rear door sill plates?

[Tiggie]

My base model 88 does have them. My loaded old 82 (a sedan), did not. I suspect it’s an early model vs late model thing.