Cars guys understand

[spd2918]

About 8 years ago I found a 1986 Ford Crown Vic for sale on eBay. I contacted the seller and made a cash deal over the phone. I flew to Richmond VA, bought the car, and bought a case of cheap motor oil for the drive home. It had only 18,000 miles on it and all options (leather, overdrive, etc). I know it is not the kind of car most people like, but grew up with big 80's four doors and I love them.



Over the next 2 years I went through all the gaskets, suspension, brakes, etc to bring the car back to life. I peeled off the vinyl top, removed 90% of the chrome, and filled all the holes. I painted it medium gray and added police wheels and a spot light. My goal was to create a detective special.

I drove the car for a few years and in a fit of stupidity I sold it. I regretted the sale almost immediately and I spoke often of what a bad decision it was. I am a car geek and I've owned 45 cars in my 45 years on this earth. I can tell you this was the only car I ever regretted selling, and I've had some nice cars (to include a 68 RS/SS Camaro Convert and a 55 Bel-Air post).

Fast forward to yesterday. Like most car geeks I surf Craigslist looking for deals. Low and behold there she is in all her glory- my old Ford! It must have been posted for less than 10 minutes because it was at the top of the first page. I called the owner and found he was the same guy I sold it to 5 years ago. He added 48,000 miles (and beauty rings, push bumpers, and fog lights) but otherwise my car was still straight and clean. We made a deal over the phone and it will be here within half an hour.

Car guys understand.

Paint prep:

Holes to fill with metal:

Only one dent to fix:

Square is hip:

 

[Patrick46]

Damn Cheezeheads!!!


My buddy's brother bought a detective cruiser from an auction many years ago, and had it parked in my buddy's driveway.
I came by for a visit, saw the cruiser, and thought the cops were paying him a visit, so I went slowly past. (I don't do well with 'Authority figures', and a cop is the last person I wanted to talk to that day.)
Came back a short time later...still there! Came back again....STILL THERE!!! (when's this cop gonna leave???!!!)

On the next go by, my buddy and his BROTHER are standing in the road waiting for me. "How come you keep driving past, and never stop??"
We got a good laugh outta that one!

Crown Vics are great cars. Love your mods. (anti-stealth car???)

Glad it's back home where it belongs.



(btw...I'm originally from Appleton)

 

[GypsySilver]

aww,that is an awesome story - congrats!!!

 

[spd2918]

Well, the old car is still in good shape. There are a few nicks and little surface rust starting, but it drives nice. I have already pulled some of the cheesy add-ons the guy did. It's nice to have it back.

 

[Bdog1]

I had several cruisers back in the day, but they sure do get the attention of LEO's. Be careful!

 

[HarmonicaBruce]

That's really cool that you got your car back. The worst mistake I've made in my life was selling my 1968 BMW R50US (motorcycle). And I've been divorced 3 times. My last couple of cars have been mercury grand marquis, but I'd like a cop car better. Cop cars can be had for a reasonable cost, and they're cool. They have duel exhaust, and a stab plate in the front seat (so the prisoner in the back seat can't stab you in the back through the seat). Cop cars could be ordered with the "civilian package", to make them look less like a cop car.

 

[Patrick46]

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[Suanne]

Congrats on the reunion! I'm married to a car guy; so, I know that level of passion ... and angst. Hubby just got the car that he regrettably sold more than 35 years ago. It's not the exact same vehicle as you found, but a good match (68 Nova SS). He'd been looking for one he could afford for as long as I've known him (~25 years). It looks to be a good day to be a car guy. Enjoy!

 

[user 423]

Nice Crown Vic and it's good that it's 'real steel' and doesn't have the plastic intake and aluminum heads of the '00 dog I bought from a police auction.

I'd love to find my old diamond blue '67 Barracuda...

 

[Donedirtcheap]

So you're one of those guys who enjoys making us pucker up when we look in the rear view mirror? Nice job and nice shop too!

 

[LeeRevell]

A close friend and co-worker had one of the old Grand Marquis similar to your '86 CV. She loved that boat, but it started nickel&diming her to death. Sadly the time came to sell it.
She replaced it with a late 90's down-sized Cadillac. Nice car, but just didn't drive like the big GM. Not as comfy.
My Dad passed away, and Mom had her little Sable, had no need for Dad's old 2006 Grand Marquis. He had bought it nearly new, and it only was used for the monthly drive down to the next county for the "Sopchoppy Opry", and the yearly drive from north Florida to Indiana and back for Mom's family reunions. It had less than 35,000 miles on it. I offered it to Jane, she test drove it and loved it immediately. We made the deal, she and I and Mom went to the DMV and did all the required dealings.
So Jane has a very good car, Mom isn't paying to keep the car, and we know it has gone to a good home. Win-win! ;-)

Now, if I could find my old '68 AMC AMX two-seater in good shape for a decent price, I would be happy.....

 

[LeeRevell]

I saw an AMX going down the road about a month ago, can't remember the last time I had that experience.

Guy

PS: A friend of mine has a sister in Sopchoppy, didn't know they had an Opry.

The Opry is held every last Saturday night at the old Sopchoppy Highschool auditorium, in order to generate funds for restoring the old school, now a historic site. It was Dad's alma mater. I've met a lot of his old friends and schoolmates, when I take Mom there. Dad passed away last year, and she doesn't drive longer distances.

I recently saw a guy with the late second generation AMC Javelin ('73 or '74) at a local gas station. I didn't have time to talk to him. Been thinking of maybe getting a Javelin to restore. Miss my little AMX and the '68 Javelin six-banger I had. AMC cars are interesting to work on. Built in Kenosha, Wisc., bodies made like trucks, Ford electrical systems, engines more like a Chevy, Chrysler trannies. We owners pretty much had to know how to do our own work when AMC went under.

 

[Patrick46]

I had a freind who had a '72 Javelin, with a Ford 390 Big Block on steroids stuffed into it. The mil was so freaking big, that it sat with the front of the block darn near sticking outta the hood. Thing was stupid fast for a bunch of yound adults.

This guy even taught his girlfriend to drag race it so good, that she did quite well at the local sancioned racetrack. (I remember sneaking into the pits in the trunk of that thing!!!!! HAhahaha....ah, the good 'ol days!!)
(I think I got laid in that car too!)

 

[LeeRevell]

Here's another two seater that you don't see every day, no problem with rust with this car. Parked at the local flea market.

Guy

But, has he had his Flux Capacitor checked lately......?

 

[Simran]

I've had this car for around 10 years. I've been driving it a lot lately as my newer one needs the suspension rebuilt as it has 300 thousand miles on it now.
This old girl has about 180,000. It is a 80 hp diesel with no turbo. and about as easy to understand as any vehicle I've ever own. It is stupid simple but a very nice ride.

 

[LeeRevell]

I know several guys who love and dote on their '70s and '80s Benzes. At 180,000 miles, yours is just about broken in!

 

[Simran]

Ya you're right. They don't make vacuum. They are designed with a pump on the motor. The one you worked on was newer than this one. This one still has the battery up front. When they moved the battery and oil filter location to the back of the engine they made the hood so it would flop back against the windshield if you know how to do it.

I think I changed the battery out on one of those for an ex girlfriend. I remember it weighing about a hundred pounds and being centered against the firewall behind the motor. In other words, in the hardest to get to location possible. Actually I had to do it twice since the first new one had a dead cell (Sam's Club). I also had to work on the door locks that were operated BY VACUUM!! Something that a diesel doesn't produce!! HA! Cool car though.

Guy

 

[Patrick46]

I thought those German engineers had this stuff figured out!!!

Vacuum operated door locks?? 1 small leak and you're skrewed!! WTH???

 

[Simran]

Not any different than electricity; one short and you're screwed. I'd have to say the got it pretty right though. My 1995 300D has 300,000 miles on it with only one leak in all that time in the vacuum system. The locks have never failed to work. I'm not sure when they went away from using vacuum on everything but the newer ones don't have as much vacuum as the old ones did.
Vacuum doesn't equal poor engineering ; just different engineering. It is all in what you are used to seeing and working on. Once you get the tools and get your head wrapped around the concept of vacuum; it is simple to work on and seems to be extremely dependable from my experience.

 

[LeeRevell]

When I got my 1968 AMC Javelin with 6cyl motor, it had the vacuum operated windshield wipers - weird! Luckily I already had a '71 Javelin parts car (second generation) that had the electric wipers, and it was an easy swap, just had to ream the wiper blade mounting holes in the cowl a bit larger.
Adding a larger alternator helped too, as having lights, heater and wipers on together would over-tax the charging system with original alternator.