That sounds like a late fall/winter project. I was going to do something about the chrome paint on the replacements before installing them, but the ones on the car were in such bad shape I needed to replace them sooner than I wanted, but I like the idea of the air brush. For anyone wanting to try the chrome tape instead, I tried that 24 years ago on my first 88 and it stuck out in a bad way. The paint is looks much better.
Random Pics
- Thread starter Jack Meoff
- Start date
Mikes5thAve
Well-Known Member
Sounds like someone didn't remove the center section properly at one point to cause that damage.
My 88 also has that blacked out look but it's consistent so I left it that way. On the other one I used silver paint. Looks OK till you get up close and see it's not shiny. On that car the screws undeeneath were seized and ended up busting the tail light I had to change to remove them. That was before those mini torches were as common as now. Tried using a big soldering iron on the screw head but that didn't get it hot enough to do the meltage it needed to loosen it.
My 88 also has that blacked out look but it's consistent so I left it that way. On the other one I used silver paint. Looks OK till you get up close and see it's not shiny. On that car the screws undeeneath were seized and ended up busting the tail light I had to change to remove them. That was before those mini torches were as common as now. Tried using a big soldering iron on the screw head but that didn't get it hot enough to do the meltage it needed to loosen it.
MoparDan
Well-Known Member
I tried chrome tape a few years ago on the front turn signals and a spot on the grill, it looked good for the first few weeks, then it melted in the Florida sun...not recommend!
MoparDan
Well-Known Member
Taurus's are junk, so are Escapes, but Town Cars are usually good cars. My wife had a Contour and there was this stupid sensor on top of the block, a $300. totally useless sensor, my friend at an emissions station even said the sensor does absolutely nothing, but it would need to be replaced to pass emissions testing because it kept the check engine light on, and that was one of the main reasons I got rid of it, even if I had had $300. to spare which I didn't I can think of better things to do with $300. then replacing a pointless sensor, bit I guess that's an argument against modern cars rather then one specific brand
A lot of the useless shit is mandated by federal regulatory agencies.
I just sold a second generation Ford Escape that we bought new in 2010. Put 150k miles on it and it was best damn vehicle I've ever owned. If it wasn't for Michigan cancer I would have kept it.
Aspen500
Well-Known Member
Hard to tell in (random) pic but this is the Eastwood system on my taillights and instrument panel trim, switch panel, edges of the vents, etc.
MoparDan
Well-Known Member
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Aspen500
Well-Known Member
I see the problem, wrong kind of fork. You're supposed to use a fondue fork so it clears the stud 
GregG48213
Well-Known Member
Actually, my '97 Grand Marquis was the best car I ever owned; second to my '88 Diplomat. And I would still be driving my '04 Sable if it weren't for rust. However, I can understand the frustration mechanics would experience with the Duratec V6: having to remove the intake manifold three times for the spark plugs, coils, and fuel injectors.
AMC Diplomat
Well-Known Member
Yeah the epoxy would fail on the ignition coils and they'd get moisture on the inside. I used to bake them in the oven to get the moisture out then put new epoxy on top. Because I'm cheap and I hated that Escape
Aspen500
Well-Known Member
Man I'm so happy I don't have to do that kind of work 9 hours a day, five days a week anymore. Unless you were an auto tech for 40 years, you have no idea how much I DON'T miss it one little iota, Cars are much better as a hobby than a profession, especially now days.
Random pics. Part way into one of the last jobs I did before retiring. Replacing the 3.6L in a 2015 GMC Acadia. No more!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cars are much better as a hobby than a profession, especially now days.Random pics. Part way into one of the last jobs I did before retiring. Replacing the 3.6L in a 2015 GMC Acadia. No more!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mikes5thAve
Well-Known Member
We had a 3.8 taurus and a 3L. The 3.8 was OK after the typical head gasket problems but it killed its transmission twice. Both times rebuilt by the dealer well out of warranty.
The only problem the 2005 ever had was an exhaust gasket. Altho that car didn't have much mileage on it. Being T-boned is what did it in altho it probably would have rusted out in a couple years after that anyway. It was an SEL and my favorite of the fwd Fords we've had.
The only problem the 2005 ever had was an exhaust gasket. Altho that car didn't have much mileage on it. Being T-boned is what did it in altho it probably would have rusted out in a couple years after that anyway. It was an SEL and my favorite of the fwd Fords we've had.
I tried it only on the tail lights thinking it would look better than chrome or silver paint, but like they describe Herb Tarlek's suits on WKRP, it was pretty loud. The car I have now was a Florida car all its life till I bought it and I can see all the heat cracks in the lenses that were on the car.
MoparDan
Well-Known Member
Both my taillight lenses have broken due to heat cracks, but to be fair they had heat cracks when I bought her 11 or 12 years ago in Connecticut
AMC Diplomat
Well-Known Member
This is the stuff I've been experimenting with MOLOTOW™: LIQUID CHROME
It looks fantastic but if you touch it it'll smudge. Sometimes these graffiti brands have fantastic products for half assing a project.
AMC Diplomat
Well-Known Member
I can't even begin to imagine the smell
Aspen500
Well-Known Member
I'm 275 miles NNW of there and can smell it.
It smells like dead animal with a little hint of lime.
After a long, lengthy and surprisingly emotional conversation with my, uncle this past Sunday, it’s official; I’m getting his/my moms ‘70 Plymouth, Duster.
He bought it from my mom and parked it 27 years ago, basically so someone else didn’t get their hands on it and he could hold it for me.
Now that I’m an adult and proven not a complete degenerate/delinquent and have an interest in cars and a want to own that particular car, he’s ready to let me have it.
So begins the planning of a Roadkill style trip to bring it home from Southern California to Northern Illinois.
After a long, lengthy and surprisingly emotional conversation with my, uncle this past Sunday, it’s official; I’m getting his/my moms ‘70 Plymouth, Duster.
He bought it from my mom and parked it 27 years ago, basically so someone else didn’t get their hands on it and he could hold it for me.
Now that I’m an adult and proven not a complete degenerate/delinquent and have an interest in cars and a want to own that particular car, he’s ready to let me have it.
So begins the planning of a Roadkill style trip to bring it home from Southern California to Northern Illinois.
What he’s determined while he’s had the car: it’s a ‘70 that was built mid year ‘71 out of the Los Angeles Chrysler plant, particularly Wednesday, June 30th 1971. That’s important because, the plant closed July 1st 1971. A lot of the typical stamped build numbers just show ‘1234567890’ and the actual build date was instead hand written in the metallic blue interior paint on various places/parts of the car.
There’s a pretty good chance it was one of the last cars to roll out of the Los Angeles plant before it’s doors were shuttered.
