My '85 Thunderbird

My Beater car '88 Grand Marquis

In January of 2003 on my way home from school with a broken washer fluid pump, I was struggling to see out of the salt covered windshield when I saw the red Dodge Stratus in front of me a little too late. Everyone was okay and her car didn't suffer much damage, but as you can see below, the LTD didn't fare as well. However, the car was still drivable and I continued to do so until one night I decided to top the car out around 85 or 90 and I guess the damage from the wreck had weakened the hood latch. The hood flew up and bent backwards. I had to go home at about 25 mph the rest of the night till I got the hood bungee'd down later that day only after bending it back into shape with a 2x4. So even after all that the LTD was still going. But the LTD did meet her final demise in the terrible winter in early 2003. There was about a foot of snow in the drive and I backed across the street, tried to get a run for it and ended up going off the driveway. I severely overheated the car, melted some ignition wires and almost totally ruined the rear end in the process. After that I decided I'd gotten my usage out of the LTD and regrettably took her to the junkyard where I traded in years of memories and my very first car on a mere $56. It took me by surprise but on the way back from the yard it was all I could do to hold back tears. The first car I could ever call my own was gone forever now.

Car doesn't look too bad in the above pictuers but that's before the hood flew up. I'm still searching for another LTD. I will have another one someday.

Back in late summer of 2001 I became the not-so-proud owner of a 1984 Ford LTD. When I got it there was some serious paint fading and some pretty bad rust. After about a year of spread out work, she became the "beauty" you're about to see. Since these pictures were taken, the LTD has taken a turn for the worse. The steering column is fuct up due to a steering wheel swap gone bad.

Specs
- 3.8L Stock V-6 w/ 127,000 miles as of May 19, 2002 - It's tired and it's on it's very last leg.
- C4 3-speed Automatic Transmission
- Power: Windows, Locks, Seats, Trunk and Gas Door Release
- Twilight Blue Metallic Exterior / Cadet Blue Interior

Chassis
- Re-did most all of the brake system minus the booster, rear drums, lines and equalizer.
- Gabriel Gas Ryder VST Rear Shocks (These Rock)
- Fatty Mustang GT Front Sway bar w/ poly bushings (Coming Soon)

Audio
1 - Aiwa CDC-Z117 45x4 CD Receiver
1 - Pyramid PB101 240W Amp
2 - Pioneer TS-A6857 2-way 6x8's
2 - Pyle PLX 352 2-way 3.5's

Exterior
- Refinished entire body in factory color
- Old Skool Chrome Ventshades
- Mustang 10-hole Rims
- BF Goodrich 225/60/R15 Touring T/A HR4 Tires
- '85/'86 LTD Taillights

Interior
- NOS dash pad to replace the old nasty one **
- Steering Column painted black to match Mustang GT wheel (Coming Soon)

Engine/Drivetrain
- Flowmaster 40 Series Muffler *

Future Plans
- 5.0 HO transplant from a Mustang
- Possible Conversion to AOD or maybe even a T-5
- Traction-Lok rear end w/ 3.73 Gears also from Mustang
- Headers, H-Pipe and Dual Exhaust
- 140-mph Police Speedo

* - Allow me to explain, I did this before I understood that single stock exhaust was best left that way and that just bolting on a muffler couldn't do anything for it. It really does sound terrible.

** - NOS, in this context refers to New Old Stock. That means this part was new in 1983 and sat around waiting to be installed. You can find a lot of stuff like this on eBay.