Crown Vic diferential cover.....

[Vinnietbird]

I pulled a factory aluminum diff cover from a Crown Vic,wet sanded it with 600,800 1000,1500 and 2000 grit sandpaper,polished it,and here it is.Free of charge except for my hour of polishing and sanding.It's actually shiny enough that I can see the details of a coin I held next to it.

View attachment 253886

 

[Gearbanger 101]

disregard

 

[white 89 GT]

That don`t look like aluminum to me

 

[NIKwoaC]

I think it looks really good. But is it really aluminum? Either way, it'll look good on your ride!

 

[Vinnietbird]

I'll snap a pic of the backside and post in the morning.It's a factory Crown Vic piece that I pulled from the rear of an old salvage yard car.Cost nothing.i filled the kitchen sink with water and started wet sanding.Here's another example of what I've polished..I did the alternator,intake,tensioner,power steering bracket,throttle body and made the intake plate from scrap aluminum...........and yes,those are aluminum as well....

 

[Vinnietbird]

That don`t look like aluminum to me

Exactly what DOES aluminum look like to you?

 

[ryan218]

i think you have to much time on your hands and should come help me polish up my motor

 

[Vinnietbird]

If you lived closer,I would.I actually did the upper intake with about 6 hours of labor,and that's not too bad.I did it over a weekend.Smoothed it one day,polished the next.I am on a very tight budget with the car,so,anything that can be done cheap,or better yet,free,is a good thing.A friend gave me a push to start button a couple of years ago and I fabbed a panel for that and also notched the bumper before we installed the exhaust.Just simple things that add a little something to the car.In this picture you can see the 2005 Thunderbird script,notched bumper cover for the tip,and the Bullitt gas lid painted body color.Tomorrow,the new wheels and tires are supposed to be delivered.17x9 and 17x10's with 255 40 17's up front,and 275 40 17's out back.I sold the chrome Cobra R wheels to finance that.

 

[Gearbanger 101]

How in gods name did you get that T-Bird down to 3,200lbs? Looks nice otherwise. I've always been a fan of the '87-'88 Fox body birds.

 

[white 89 GT]

Exactly what DOES aluminum look like to you?

Aluminum generaly don`t look like it was stamped out in a press which that cover looks like
But I like the tbird, I had an 87, I liked that car, was comfy.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Aluminum generaly don`t look like it was stamped out in a press which that cover looks like
But I like the tbird, I had an 87, I liked that car, was comfy.

I agree. That's a stamped cover, not a cast one. I remember the diff cover on my '03 GT was silver on both sides. It looked AL, but was steel.

Only real way to test is the magnet test.

Either way, it looks damn good no matter what it is


If you polish it more, will it look like this!

 

[68stang351]

I agree. That's a stamped cover, not a cast one. I remember the diff cover on my '03 GT was silver on both sides. It looked AL, but was steel.

Only real way to test is the magnet test.

Either way, it looks damn good no matter what it is


If you polish it more, will it look like this!

I can't say that I've ever seen any thing like that before.

 

[caseywan]

Yeah, those factory diff covers are steel, at least any Mustang,Explorer,Crown vic etc, etc, cover I have ever come across. That doesn't mean it can't be polished though, steel will polish up about as good as aluminum.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Eh, the clear ones look good, but who would ever see it?

I'd rather have a girdle and increase the strenght of the rear

 

[Vinnietbird]

Yeah, those factory diff covers are steel, at least any Mustang,Explorer,Crown vic etc, etc, cover I have ever come across. That doesn't mean it can't be polished though, steel will polish up about as good as aluminum.

Apparently,some are also aluminum.

Thanks guys for the complements.I enjoy using factory parts whenever possible,and modifying them somehow.Just a mild fault I have.LOL.The cover I'm using on the differential now is actually made in Australia for rock crawlers.I needed one to replace my bent cover,and found this brand new for super cheap.It works.This is a pic before I painted the diff.......

 

[caseywan]

Apparently,some are also aluminum.

Did you try a magnet on it to see if it is in fact aluminum? I am very curious...

 

[Vinnietbird]

O.K......Holy Crap !!!....I JUST put a magnet on it....no sticky.It is what I knew it to be...ALUMINUM.

Every mid 90's Crown Vic I saw at the yard had stamped aluminum covers.The cop cars had a panhard bar set up ( I may look into that).The Explorers with IRS have a really cool aluminum cover that can EASILY be modded to look great under our cars as well.

 

[LiquidGT]

I enjoy using and modifying factory parts whenever I can, so you're not the only one.

I heard that the Supercoupes are supposed to have a vented aluminum cover, so it might be worth keeping an eye out for those. While were talking aluminum some years of Crown Vics have aluminum spares that fit 5-lug converted 'stangs.

 

[Vinnietbird]

I've seen those spares (I kept 4 lug),but not the diff. covers.I'll be looking for those now.I'm getting ready to swap differentials in a few weeks,and perhaps I'll swap the dif cover then.I would like a filler plug though,like the one I have now,even though the "RockCrusher" is cast friggin' iron.LOL.It weighs a LOT...........maybe that's why they call it "rockcrusher".