HMC WBOD news

[Jim Bell]

1 minute ago, Bren said:

Looks fab and I really like the colour.

Who the fuck is Kendall Jenner?

Plays holding midfield for Raith Rovers I think. 

[eddyramrod]

48 minutes ago, HMC said:

Yes it’s got that box. Column shift (“four on the tree”?) I’m going to have to brush up on the lingo.

Column is the correct place!  You don't need many gears so it doesn't matter how many you actually have.  The mountain of torque will cover your needs.

I've always wanted a proper station wagon...

[Talbot]

For a car produced in 1990/1991, that is absolutely representative of everything that was wrong with the US car market.  And it's brilliant.  You could park that next to just about any 70s yank barge and it would look in keeping.  The rear-end is particularly 70s in the way it looks.

The USA never really did "styling" of their cars did they.  It looks like it was designed with a set-square, modelled in lego and fabricated using sheet metal and a folding machine.  Roof?  One big fold.  Tailgate?  another big folded sheet.  Front end as square as possible?  Job done.  A slab of dashboard?  no problem.  Some more slabs for the seats, a lump of asthmatic iron for an engine and we're in business.  12mpg is still fine* in the early 90s isn't it?

What shocks me even more is that people actually bought them.

[wuvvum]

2 hours ago, HMC said:

Yes it’s got that box. Column shift (“four on the tree”?) I’m going to have to brush up on the lingo.

Doesn't "on the tree" usually refer to a column shift manual 'box?

[Schaefft]

Crown Vic wagon, nice one! Its pretty much the very last year for the Ford fullsize wagon, '92 would see the new much more aerodynamic Crown Vic that didnt offer a wagon version anymore. You could however still get the amazing Caprice/Roadmaster/Custom Cruiser wagons.

This one should be fairly easy to live with. Its pretty much bomb proof and parts should be easily available, its not like much changed underneath until the platform was retired a few years ago.

[Schaefft]

2 hours ago, Talbot said:

For a car produced in 1990/1991, that is absolutely representative of everything that was wrong with the US car market.  And it's brilliant.  You could park that next to just about any 70s yank barge and it would look in keeping.  The rear-end is particularly 70s in the way it looks.

The USA never really did "styling" of their cars did they.  It looks like it was designed with a set-square, modelled in lego and fabricated using sheet metal and a folding machine.  Roof?  One big fold.  Tailgate?  another big folded sheet.  Front end as square as possible?  Job done.  A slab of dashboard?  no problem.  Some more slabs for the seats, a lump of ashmatic iron for an engine and we're in business.  12mpg is still fine* in the early 90s isn't it?

What shocks me even more is that people actually bought them.

This wagon is pretty much one of the big exceptions. The US auto industry and especially Ford was over half a decade into a major shift in design principles, that gen Crown was replaced literally a year later. And people  didnt really buy them, they bought minivans and a bit later SUVs instead, which is why this was the last year for it. The Explorer basically replaced it which was very much ahead of its time.

[Dan_ZTT]

Wow that's amazing

What's the plan for it, keeping long term or fixing bits and sell on?

 

[captain_70s]

Man, that is properly SHITE. Check the complete absence of styling at the back, just a flat slab of a tailgate with some lights haphazardly flung on. Madness.

Well purchased.

[brownnova]

That’s an awesome awesome purchase! I’m very very jealous! Well bought. 

[dollywobbler]

That looks bloody awful. I love it!

[Sir Chocolate Teapot]

Puts it all in perspective.

Here is me looking for an old fiat panda, like a few us i suspect.

Just think how many fiat pandas we could make with one of those.

Just think8ng there are also many similarities, acceleration and top speed and MPGs !

As i always tell my family when shopping,  always look at the price /kg looking for value for money , i bet this scores well compared to a packet of pasta.

Summary :  marvellous. 

[Rod/b]

This has got me window shopping. Wonder how much this guy wants for the 86 LTD.

https://tnydu.biz/DOzYA2

 

 

 

[HMC]

Thought I’d just leave this here again. So American.

[KitKat]

11 hours ago, HMC said:

Yes it’s got that box. Column shift (“four on the tree”?) I’m going to have to brush up on the lingo.

Nice!! That 5.0 and AOD box is a stout combo 

[GMcD]

Cap doffed. What a buy!

 

[Jim Bell]

2 hours ago, HMC said:

Thought I’d just leave this here again. So American.

That's the 1st time I've seen that sort of seat facing toward the centre of the vehicle. It's class.  

[tooSavvy]

11 minutes ago, Jim Bell said:

That's the 1st time I've seen that sort of seat facing toward the centre of the vehicle. It's class.  

Aye.... More comfy than a Series Landy!

[wuvvum]

4 hours ago, HMC said:

Thought I’d just leave this here again. So American.

Mine had those seats in the boot as well, and a front bench - you could fit 11 people in it at a pinch.

I'm pretty sure sideways facing seats are illegal to use now mind.

[cort1977]

So is that a 10 seater at a push?  two rows of three and two each side in the back?

Fantastic thing, truly jealous here.

Edit - cross posted with Wuvvum

[cort1977]

Not sure sideways seats are illegal to use are they?  If fitted when new you're OK.  Like cars without seatbelts, no requirement to wear one if never fitted.

[Dan_ZTT]

53 minutes ago, cort1977 said:

Not sure sideways seats are illegal to use are they?  If fitted when new you're OK.  Like cars without seatbelts, no requirement to wear one if never fitted.

It's a weird one for sure. This is (amazingly) a 90s car though, would they have already been illegal in the UK by then but not in the states, and if so does that make a difference?

[wuvvum]

They weren't illegal here in the '90s - early Discoverys had them.  It's relatively recently that they've been outlawed.

[sutty2006]

Absolute hero! 
 

having technically sold my grand marquis I am seriously going to miss it. 
 

they're a 3 speed box with overdrive. Fuel economy from the 5.0v8 isn’t actually that bad considering all the EFI, cats etc etc. Got 30mpg from mine but slightly lighter being a saloon. 
 

and these drive effortless. I’d have this over any European shed any day just because American luxury. 
 

well done with the purchase. I look forward to future shenanigans! 

[HMC]

I bought a 2005 defender 90 new and that had side facing rear seats. Would have thought if fitted new ok now? Anyway these in the crown vic are more of a curio than something I’ll use.

[HMC]

16 minutes ago, sutty2006 said:

Absolute hero! 
 

having technically sold my grand marquis I am seriously going to miss it. 
 

they're a 3 speed box with overdrive. Fuel economy from the 5.0v8 isn’t actually that bad considering all the EFI, cats etc etc. Got 30mpg from mine but slightly lighter being a saloon. 
 

and these drive effortless. I’d have this over any European shed any day just because American luxury. 
 

well done with the purchase. I look forward to future shenanigans! 

I was very tempted by your mercury. I blame being brought up watching  American films, car chases etc. I think that’s why I’ve always liked them.

[danthecapriman]

5 minutes ago, sutty2006 said:

and these drive effortless. I’d have this over any European shed any day just because American luxury. 

This, X a million! 
These old yanks are, in many ways a million times better than the bland miserable crap the rest of the world were churning out. Most of the haters don’t really have a clue or have been listening to the local pub bore who watches too much top gear and other nonsense then regurgitates it all! They’re fantastic, comfy old things to burble around in. Try one before slating them!

Yours looks absolutely gorgeous, great colour too! It’s the little brother of my yank! These on the downsized platform which replaced the earlier full sized monstrosity’s like mine of the late 60’s early 70’s after the gas crisis. These are arguably one of the best platforms Ford did, being so long lived and popular. The sedans made very good cop cars too.

 

[danthecapriman]

22 hours ago, wuvvum said:

Bloody hell, you're on a roll at the moment!

I had a '77 LTD wagon - remarkably similar styling despite being 13 years older.  That had the 400ci big block but was still slow as feck, like most late '70s Yanks.

Was yours really slow?

My sedans actually rather quick, albeit in a straight line! Most people are actually surprised how quick mine is tbh as it’s not what you’d think of as being so. Mind you mines got the bigger 429 ci (7.0 litre) big block without any of the emissions control stuff, maybe that makes a difference?

[cort1977]

Yeah, that makes a massive difference, the v8s were really strangled by the mid seventies. 

Nothing to stop us removing that equipment now though...

[wuvvum]

/\ WHS.

[sutty2006]

1 hour ago, HMC said:

I was very tempted by your mercury. I blame being brought up watching  American films, car chases etc. I think that’s why I’ve always liked them.

Amen to that. The exact same reason I bought the Mercury almost 10 years ago. I won’t dilvulge too much about it’s new owner, but it is staying around here!

 

and these yanks, people that have never owned or driven one wouldn’t know any better. The amount of people that ask me at petrol station “is that enough to get you to the next petrol station?” Comment wore off really quick, because 3/4 of a tank would get me to Dover, from stoke! And they handle perfectly well round corners! It’s the seats that let them down, you just roll across them!