My beautiful '89 Mercury Colony Park wagon will never leave the driveway on its own again. We just found out the frame is rusted out like swiss cheese. We need another wagon 1988 to 1991, Colony Park or Country Squire.
Not so fast....... Check out the body. Is the body (and everything else) in good shape? If you love the wagon otherwise, it's not that hard to replace the frame, and a nice unrusty frame should be easily available. If there are other problems with your vehicle, then maybe it's time to find another one. Good ones are still out there.. Welcome to the forum by the way...... Marshall
http://albany.craigslist.org/cto/1915206499.html http://providence.craigslist.org/ctd/1917267160.html http://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/ctd/1905705526.html http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/cto/1906059182.html http://kansascity.craigslist.org/ctd/1918557536.html
Our Rustbelt insurance appraisers are bears when it comes to rusty frames, especially on unibody/sub-framed cars. Today, they just take them off the road, pay you a pittance for scrap, and not even a kiss! I get intimidated by guys like gpd and 65Falconwagon doing the deep-rust restos. Major work to get some structural integrity back into their rides. My respects. Probably more cost-effective to find another one and use this one for parts.
Thanks for the support and new leads. I've been working Craigs List city by city starting with nearby states (from SE PA). Entire exhaust to engine is fine, engine has 125k mi & tranny less than 10k mi, new windshield and tailgate window in the last 3 years, all window motors replaced in last 5yrs, timing chain, radiator, alternator, ps pump, water pump pre-emptively replaced over last 10 yrs. Front seats reupholstered 3 yrs ago. Body shop removed all visible body rust a year ago and touched up the paint. Replaced 4 tires a year ago when Michelins developed dry rot (can't they be immunized against this). Brake system ALL but 1 break line replaced (thank you Rock Auto Parts). Replaced EGR with Borg Warner not Motorcraft so CEL won't go off even with no error codes. The list goes on...was planning to change oil/filter, replace all the lock actuators, service tailgate door linkages and lock when this frame thing hit me. A 1989 Colony Park popped up on Craigs List in Baltimore. Needs a lot of work, but if the frame is good...might be a good transplant option.
Wow, I didn't realize all the work you've done to it. That clearly puts a different light on things as it sounds like it's much too nice of a car to part out. Maybe getting a new frame is the way to go.
I think Ford had switched to unibody sub-frames on the big wagons by then. He'd never stop it unless he jacked up the horn and put a new car over it.
Speaking of frames. Ford Expeditions needing engine changes are done by removing the body from the frame. It saves 3 hours of labor that way. Jack 'er up, roll out the frame, roll in the new one.
That explains why they find the wheels in one place and the cockpit 100 yards away, when the trains hit them. We've had a lot of train accidents over the last few years and the press always try to show a scene of the accident. The Ford SUVs always seem to split up. GM's just get crushed, and the rice-rocket SUVs melt.
The logistics of checking out cars hundreds of miles away and in different directions is proving to be problematic. Not the trip, the wife (pilot/navigator of her Town Car). I saw in Hemmings car appraiser/inspector outfits. Maybe the way to handle Vancouver, California and Florida is with one of them.
Welcome! And man I feel your pain I let go a 1989 ls edition but did find a gs edition but need to find parts to make it back to a ls (wood trim molding!) lol
