Accidental Grand Marquis Project

You know its only the $12 part that is worn out. But on Gerti its EVERY $12-$30 part that is worn out.

The radiator. I was going to add a gallon of antifreeze. I popped the cap and looked down into the reservoir and saw mud. Yup, I said mud. So there was a clean and flush and another gallon of antifreeze. I also found another 600 lbs of dried mud under the car in all the nooks and fenders. I had joked about getting the expensive option at the automatic carwash for a month as it does the under carriage. I wonder if they will revoke it after the first pass.

I got a new belt tensioner and found the mounting bracket for the alternator was loose. I guess I missed those 2 bolts at some point. So the engine is quiet and smooth now.

I made a run to Pick-N-Pull and found e-brake cables. The ones under Gerti were corroded and broken. I got rear brake pads and put the new rotors on. New pads and rotors are somehow satisfying. The E-brake is working. I didn't get pics but this is what the rotors looked like:

As I was cutting the old cables out and everything else I couldn't miss the oil on the outside of the rear shocks that is supposed to be on the inside of the rear shocks. Also there is a mess of dirt/oil on the rear diff housing, so I better check that too.

When I had it jacked up I twisted the axle shaft. I had been hearing that clunk that indicates the universal joints aren't as young as they used to be. I also had a vibration I thought might be coming from them. I could see significant movement in the joints.

So my list to get Gerti on the road is down to (up to?):

steering drag link (worn slap out)

2 u-joints

4 shocks

2 O2 sensors

find the short/broken wire for the passenger side running lights

new diff gasket / new gear oil

flush/filter on the transmission

engine oil change

an alignment

And that should be it.

If you are wondering why I am going the extra mile to make a silk purse from a cows ear its because all of the good paying jobs are up in Kansas City. So I will most likely (hopefully) be driving this car 40 to 80 miles one way to work when I graduate this spring.

I wonder if Pyro ever worries when she leaves me at home, unsupervised with tools.

Whatever. 

Most likely Greti is going to be my daily soon. The cloth UGLY top thing has to go.

Oops.

Yes thats mud and it came out from under the fiberglass shell that made up the top.

Put screws in the holes, cut and ground them down. A little bondo and it's sealed up.

Tonight or tomorrow I'll sand and prime.

Then I'm considering murder, like murder out Greti. I don't know yet. I have to think about it some more.

Cool!  Glad to see a Missouri Panther back at the top of the list ;)

ClemSparks said:

Cool!  Glad to see a Missouri Panther back at the top of the list ;)

I figured you would be happy. lol. Not that you like Panthers or anything.

I'm supposed to go pick these up this afternoon. I hope the seller doesn't flake out on me. (Sounded like a decent guy on the phone, so I hope)

I start a new job Monday so the reconstruction may slow down a little but we are trading / selling my CR-V and her Ridgeline. And I need something to drive. Then she gets a new vehicle (soon to be decided)

Those wheels and tinted windows, a dull black paint job and it will look pretty good. The mechanical is coming along. When I swap wheels I'll put in the sensors for the abs. Next Saturday I'll make a pick n pull run to grab a last few parts.

I considered a set of those wheels for my Town Car. Can't wait to see pics! 

[Edit, this whole post is probably wrong.  I think the wheels you're about to buy ARE the correct ones for your car.]

I may be mis-remembering but I don't think those wheels are going to fit your '02.  Wasn't it '03 when they changed the offset on the wheels on our cars?  Or was it '01 (in which case my entire post is moot)?

Still, pick them up.  Spacers will get you there.

They made a very similar wheel (for all most intents and purposes, visually the same) wheel in the correct offset for your car as well.  

My '03 with the wheels like you are planning to get (I think...I may be wrong about the ones you are going to get) on it.  These wheels have a "high offset" to them similar to what used to be more common on Front Wheel Drive cars (but now has become quite common on most modern stuff):

And the wheels that (I think) would better fit your car are like the ones on my '83 Mustang (with 5 lug swap, of course).  I think these (pre-'99?) wheels are the ones that will probably bolt right on to your car and be "right".  These have a lower offset (mounting surface of the axle/hub is more centered with the tire contact patch):

The wheels look very similar, but the offset is the main difference.

I hope I'm wrong and those wheels are the right ones to fit your car.  Because they're going to look great!

Got em for $200. The tires are older (2012 man date). They will have to do for now. I'll buy better rubber in a couple of months..

I checked and they were supposed to fit. Picking them up I wondered if I was going to need spacers. 

So either way Greti had new shoes.

Digging in more, I'm pretty sure I was wrong.  The '04 and older wheels are the ones with the correct offset for your car (or as close as you'll get).  So the wheels on my mustang are probably those wheels (in a darker, gray color) you got.  Excellent!  If you find any more deals on those same wheels that you don't want, I'll buy 'em!  :)

They fit. They almost need spacers just for looks. They do need more tire to look right. The tires will have to wait.

Just needs lowered. :P

The tires on mine are 235/55R17, as a point of reference in case it's helpful in judging what size you go with.

It's fresh in my mind because I was tire shopping online today since mine are ready to be replaced.

In reply to slowbird :

I live on a gravel road, but I had thought the same thing.

I think its going to be slightly bigger tires and lowering slightly that gets it just right.

In reply to ClemSparks:

These are 245/45/R17 I like the looks of the 235/55R17 size on yours. They fill the wheel well nicely.

No pics tonight. I pulled the chrome fender trim yesterday and the door ding strips tonight. It needs a door skin or metal work on the passenger door. The lower front bumper is forked.

I should do a quick foam roller paint job but I think I am going to take all winter to get it straight and paint it in the spring. I'll be driving it but it aint my first hooptie.

I am trying to clean / rearrange the barn so I have a place to work.

After the GRM discount I just spent $465.06 at RockAuto.

Let me back up, its been a bad hair day.....

Actually I just took this picture today at the zoo. We spent the morning at the KC Zoo. Pyro walked my legs off, then sat in the car reading while I rummaged through PicknPull.

There is 2001 P71 and I looked at the springs but the shock was jacked up and needed to be cut off. I also needed abs sensors for the rear on Greti. By the time I almost had the sensor out I began to wonder if I had broken it. It was rusted in pretty good. I looked at a few other Panther bodies and decided to bite the bullet. I already have new Front end kit installed and several other parts in the suspension, I decided to just put it all in new.

SOOOOoooooo... I ordered everything I wanted from RockAuto, to P71 standards, including new P71 springs. 2 O2 sensors 2 ABS sensors, an Idler arm, and 4 P71 standards shocks. It will not be under or over damped, yes it will ride a little high, but then again I live on a gravel road. I will get larger tires to bring the tires outside diameter back to original and have a good riding and a better handling daily driver than the original GS that had no rear sway bar, blown shocks, broken front sway bar ends, completely worn out ball joints, etc.

I feel a strange kindred to the Blue Brothers, specifically Elwood, -- "Cop Tires, Cop ...."

It does put Greti out of $2000 Challenge budget range but then I am planning to drive it for quite a while.

Also got this pic today:

But with all the animals my mechanical side needed a fix, this Hit Or Miss has been sitting in the Zoo for several years. If it would fit in my camera bag.....

I hope anybody that reads this had a great day also.

Full disclosure -- I canceled my  RockAuto order.

OK! OK! I know, bad, bad.... I'm sorry.

An unexpected bill came up. We got lucky and it all worked out.

Fast forward to last Friday, I get paid, first paycheck from the new job, placed order again.

Tomorrow some of my first parts come in. I'm like a kid before Christmas!

Minor rant, I wont get to work on it this week, my brother-in-law is getting married Saturday, in Louisiana.  I'm supposed to be happy for him, and I am, however, I am also selfish....

So the next few days are busy, next Tuesday I hope to start on next leg of this journey.

Oddly this is the car that introduced me to GRM, Accordianfolder said I should write about it.

Many little boxes. It's likes Christmas!

Last shipment came on today.  

But off to a wedding first.

Karma is annoyed with me.

The car that has started every time for the last 2 years didn't start this afternoon.

Got the barn cleaned up for Gerti's major surgery this week:

Oh wait let me back up a bit.

The Honda Ridgeline that has not used oil (1/2 quart over a change) is now drinking like a sailor on shore leave, 5 quarts so far on this change and it ain't leaking. It started on the Florida trip. And this morning we get up in Little Rock at O Dark 30 and the low beams are gone. Diagnose that and its the multifunction switch. So I'm the jerk driving around on high beams that I always flash. Get home and order a switch from RockAuto.

Oh back to Gerti, I jack her up where she sits after quickly learning Fords fuel system, eliminating shock switch, relay, fuse etc. No codes on the OBD system, well not that relate, O2 sensors, HTR, Cats and several other systems are marked in red. I thump that sucker (the fuel pump) a few times, key on and I hear it pressurize the system. Gerti fires over and dies. So fuel pump.

I might get this wall ripped out so I can work on concrete, I already ripped out the wiring, it will involve some more cleaning:

That was the plan, those blocks in the gravel are for the rear wheels. After Gerti is up and running I need to build the RX-8 engine, that was the first thing I was going to do, but plans change.

I "inherited" my Mom-in-law's 03 Grand Marquis 3 years ago with only 35K miles on it. Silver with Grey Leather. Many trips from S FL to AL, and others and local in AL, I'm up to 75K with next to no money needed! I'm definitely a fan now. Wish they still made a Panther Wagon. I have many long term custom plans... But, life says just drive it and count your blessings.

A track prepped P71 is reffered to as a"fat miata", remember the fat part.

I fiddled with the wiring on the fuel pump and got it to run. So I put Gerti in the barn. After wrestling with the jack and getting the rear end jacked up I decided I was done working on gravel.

I tore down the wall to the shop, made the shop a complete wreck from the almost complete wreck it had been. And tried to shove Gerti into the resulting space...

It looks spacious, doesn't it? A little short, and knowing this I added concrete pads on packed gravel, they have been part of the plan for a while.

The tires are well supported on the end I am not working on. Also if I need to jack the entire thing up those pads provide a solid place for jack stands.

I got Gerti turned around and backed in, Remember the fat comment?

Im standing on my engine stand and something else to get this picture.

BUT! For the first time since we bought the place more than 15 years ago I have jack stands on a concrete slab!

Before this I had a sort of sealed area for my tools, I heated it with a small electric heater. It was less than optimal. After Pyro gets home we are going to see about a wood stove to heat the barn. This was the wall this morning:

Now if I can finish cleaning / arranging the shop (unlikely) I will have it made!

Finally got started on upgraded suspension. New vs old rear spring:

The shock was the typical carefully cut, but dont cut the fuel line, blah blah blah... Right rear side. After lunch Im going to replace the sensor, adjust the e brake and then move to the other side.

Kind of worried about wear in the diff / bearings. Once I finish this part I'll check those. If I have to redo it I'm going from the current 2.73 to a 3.55 gearset.

Edit - finished up sensor and then the other side. The sensors from RockAuto have the keeper things, not sure what they are called. Anyway the next step involves dropping the fuel tank, I have had enough fun for today.

It goes all the way inside of the body and under the back seat so the connector stays dry.

Ok so I got the CR-V starter in. Just finished that. So now I can start on Gerti again. Whoever said there wasn't much room was right. It would go a lot faster on the next one, I wouldn't drain the antifreeze to pull the throttle body, which is really nasty after 195,000 miles. Anyway I think it starts better than it ever has before.

Between the Ridgeline and CR-V Matt said he knew I was in a pinch when the rotary was my most reliable car. And it has been getting me back and forth to work, however, I do need to pull the Renesis out and fix all the little things that are wrong with it.

I decided that pulling the fuel tank out of Gerti was the way to go. I could replace the pump without doing that but there is a lot of gravel between the tank and frame. I'll have to get the replacement studs to put it back in. But I also though about all the dirt I have found even in the antifreeze system. The fine dust found its was way into every thing so I am going to clean the inside of the tank.

In researching that I found there is a solenoid under the tank that get clogged up making it hard to fill the gas tank, so I'm going to clean that also.

The current plan though is sleep, ttyl.

I put he same springs on my 03. Had the airride, but i put off finding a leak till the compressor went! Always heard one bag cost more than the spring kit, so I ordered a kit... and then found bags are very cheap now! But with compressor and possibly lines... 

Gotta get the sway bar (puny stock 15mm) or order a aftermarket. Hate the way it handles with HD springs an a front 29mm. But Financial Manager wants the stock one on, since we dont have to buy it!

Wonder if you could get a P71 rear bar from the JY--- probably could get one at scrap prices. Bring the Kroil spray...I think your year had a 17mm on the police version. I don't know for sure but I think 2003-2011 are not direct fit for your year, check your donor car year.

Me, I'd do anything to avoid dropping that tank, not that hard to change out the fuel pump if you take the rear wheel off and unbolt the RHS exhaust pipe if it has one.

Well it may all wait.

CR-V started great. 5 miles later.

It would chug with throttle so I went home got back in the Mazda. I'll put the reader on it tonight and find whats unhappy.

In reply to Agent98 :

I have a HHP bars on it now. 28.5 mm front and 21 mm rear.