Added another Fox to the fleet

Topic: Added another Fox to the fleet - 1985 Marquis LTS (Read 5857 times) previous topic - next topic

Added another Fox to the fleet - 1985 Marquis LTS

September 24, 2021, 01:05:38 PM

So, this wasn't the original plan. The past few months, my wife and I discussed picking up another vehicle (which would stay automatic). Being the weirdos that we are, we narrowed down to an 83-86 LTD or Marquis wagon, and then eventually opened it up to an option for a sedan.

Had been casually scanning for something for the past couple of months. No rush to get anything. Even inquired with the owner of a Marquis wagon that was in the neighborhood. Figured something would pop up.

Then a couple weeks ago, an ad on FB appeared for an '85 Marquis LTS with an LTD LX parts car in western PA. Both were kind of rough, but there was plenty of bonus stuff included. With no way to get 2 vehicles moved, I kind of sat on it for a week or so. Then after someone asked the seller about just purchasing the parts car, I went ahead and messaged them about the LTS.

For those that don't know, the '85 Marquis LTS is the one-year, Canadian-only, Mercury equivalent of the LTD LX, which was the "hot rod" of the Fox LTD line-up. They made 135 LTS's, total.

After a phone convo with the seller about it, he basically said he didn't want to bother with the guy interested in the parts car, and if I were to buy the LTS, he said I could take whatever I wanted off of the LX. He then sweetened the deal with offering to bring the car to me.
So, on a Sunday morning, I hopped in the car for the 5-ish hour drive to check things out and to hopefully make a deal.

Got there, looked things over, made a deal and got to stripping off the parts I wanted from the parts car. I was on limited time and wasn't *really* concerned with drivetrain/suspension stuff, as it's a Fox-chassised car after all. But I did grab some specific items, like 4 better doors, and hood, along with some LX-specific items (console, cluster).

Also included in the deal were a bunch of LTS-specific NOS parts.

We got everything organized, I loaded the NOS stuff into my car and drove home.
The next day, he shows up with the car and all of the other parts and we get it all unloaded.

In addition to the above stuff, the car also came with a set of Bullitt wheels, a half-installed 5-lug swap (94-95 spindles and 99+ 11" brakes up front), axles and drums for the rear 5-lug. New front suspension components, new fuel pumps and a new windshield. The car was FULL of parts when it arrived. As was the back of his truck.
Now, for those that care. I paid $2,400...total, to my door, for all of this.

Now it's sat languishing for at least a decade prior to the previous owner getting it, and looks "battle hardened", but underneath, the only bad rust spot is right at the front of the passenger floor board. The rest is solid. I have it running, but need to run through tune-up stuff, etc.

Primary goal right now is to get it running and driving and doing some clean-up and minor cosmetic stuff.

Re: Added another Fox to the fleet - 1985 Marquis LTS

Reply #1 – September 24, 2021, 03:15:45 PM

That is a cool find!
looking forward to the updates.

What are your plans after running/cleaned up?

Re: Added another Fox to the fleet - 1985 Marquis LTS

Reply #2 – September 24, 2021, 09:28:37 PM

Nice score! That has the CFI setup, what can be done for parts on that if you are going to keep it original?

Re: Added another Fox to the fleet - 1985 Marquis LTS

Reply #3 – September 24, 2021, 10:12:59 PM

Quote from: Mikey97D – on September 24, 2021, 03:15:45 PM

That is a cool find!
looking forward to the updates.

What are your plans after running/cleaned up?

Not quite sure yet. Going to kind of see where things stand and then go from there. It has roughly 100K miles on it (150K km), but it's been dormant for a while.

Quote from: Vintage – on September 24, 2021, 09:28:37 PM

Nice score! That has the CFI setup, what can be done for parts on that if you are going to keep it original?

Yeah, CFI, which isn't really all that complicated. Worst case, it'll get a SEFI set-up on it. The emissions nonsense is the worst part of it all, really.

As far as keeping it "original", that's not really my thing. It'll get cared for and improved, but I don't do concourse builds.
That was my only hesitation with buying it. However, if someone wants to restore it...they'll need to show up with a nice "standard" LTD/Marquis (And let me keep my "non-original" stuff) to take it off my hands. Other than that we'll do what we want with it. :)

Re: Added another Fox to the fleet - 1985 Marquis LTS

Reply #4 – September 24, 2021, 10:15:55 PM

Congrats Chuck! The Marquis LTS is a rare bird it definitely deserves to be saved.

Re: Added another Fox to the fleet - 1985 Marquis LTS

Reply #5 – September 25, 2021, 03:52:49 PM

Hell yeah! Looking forward to pics of the car and work

Re: Added another Fox to the fleet - 1985 Marquis LTS

Reply #6 – October 18, 2021, 01:23:18 PM

Been busy going through all of the mechanical systems on this thing, trying to get it mobile.

No real exciting pics, other than getting the 5-lug axles in and testing wheel fitment on all 4 corners.

Re: Added another Fox to the fleet - 1985 Marquis LTS

Reply #7 – October 18, 2021, 02:22:07 PM

If you don't have any center caps for the wheels I found some SVT ones for the Bullitt wheels on my '83 on Amazon. I know you know but be sure to measure the ID of the cap well as there are different sizes out there.

https://www.amazon.com/Appl-Raptor-Applicable-Center-Cover/dp/B08FG7X43D/ref=asc_df_B08FG7X43D/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=475793174801&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12577094337452667555&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9026563&hvtargid=pla-1188911223057&psc=1

Would be pretty cool if these fit:

https://www.hubcaphaven.com/p/22260/c3802-mercury-milan-factory-oem-center-cap-9e5c-1a096-bc.html?gclid=CLCIkbTD88oCFQhbhgodMX8H0w

Re: Added another Fox to the fleet - 1985 Marquis LTS

Reply #8 – October 18, 2021, 03:21:30 PM

We're going to be making some custom ones.

Re: Added another Fox to the fleet - 1985 Marquis LTS

Reply #9 – October 20, 2021, 01:34:35 AM

Those are 17" wheels. Those are also some pretty good sized brakes you have on 'er.

Rock n roll man!

Re: Added another Fox to the fleet - 1985 Marquis LTS

Reply #10 – October 20, 2021, 08:46:08 AM

Quote from: Beau – on October 20, 2021, 01:34:35 AM

Those are 17" wheels. Those are also some pretty good sized brakes you have on 'er.
Rock n roll man!

Yeah, I hadn't paid attention when I bought the car, as the ad listed "99+" brakes on it, and I assumed they were the 11" dual piston jobbies (Didn't really care either way). I pulled the wheels off the front to work on the lines/hoses and though "Those look bigger than 11"..." Pleasant surprise.

Still just 10" drums on the back for now, though. Other things to sort through before worrying about a rear disc upgrade.

Re: Added another Fox to the fleet - 1985 Marquis LTS

Reply #11 – October 29, 2021, 12:27:25 PM

Teaser on the new center caps for the Bullitts.

Re: Added another Fox to the fleet - 1985 Marquis LTS

Reply #12 – October 29, 2021, 08:46:48 PM

OK, well the rain forced me inside again, so I finished up the center caps.

Re: Added another Fox to the fleet - 1985 Marquis LTS

Reply #13 – November 03, 2021, 09:06:47 AM

That is what I am talking about Chuck!!! Now how did you do it?

Re: Added another Fox to the fleet - 1985 Marquis LTS

Reply #14 – November 03, 2021, 10:20:44 AM

Quote from: Aerocoupe – on November 03, 2021, 09:06:47 AM

That is what I am talking about Chuck!!! Now how did you do it?

I searched for generic black caps that would fit the wheels. Took a little bit of searching and measuring. I had 1 original cap, which helped out quite a bit to get all of the dims.

I couldn't find a good image of an "LTS" logo online, and my Google-fu wasn't good enough to find the proper font (Mainly for the "S"), so I scanned the new "LTS" emblem I had and fixed the image so I could use my wife's Cricut machine to cut out the vinyl transfers. Got those on the caps and then sealed it all up with a few layers of clearcoat.

I think I have $20 into the center caps, so not an overly expensive proposition.

Afterwards, I was directed to Eric's Telnak Font, which would've made mocking things up easier, but I can remember that for next time.