I like the "Blacked-out" grill with no medallion

[TAF]

Any thoughts as to if this is available?
(see ONEBADMK8's pic)

[ONEBADMK8]

Here it is in case anyone missed it.

http://www.lincolnmotorsport.com/TeamLMS1a.jpg

I Love it. It makes the front end way smoother and cleaner in my opinion.

It really brings out the headlights too.

[schuvwj]

Very nice!!!! Can the medallion be removed without a tan line!

[TAF]

thanks for bringing the pic over for me!!!

[ONEBADMK8]

Not a problem, anytime.

Im here to help.

[TAF]

Any of you CV guys know if just plain black is available? Is the "BlueOval" incorporated into the grill like our MM "waterfall", "hocky-sticks", mini-van looking medallion?

[jefferson-mo]

Yeah guys the medallions on both of the grilles(CV &MM) are incorporated into the grille :bigcry:

[SergntMac]

Well, looks like I just gotta paint my waterfall medalion gloss black, but I have to have those wheels now. Now. Anyone know if they are available in our factory size?

Johnny, you listening? Help?

[KSMM03]

Okay guys, I've beenb back down to Sears, as they do handle American Racing Equipment (ARE) wheels.

First, the pic I posted previously, apparently no one was paying close attention, that was a 6 lug wheel.

However, looking through the 2002 catalog, ARE can make this in a 5 lug wheel, and in 18x7, 18x8 and 18x10 sizes. Notice I said "can make this", as they don't have this wheel in stock. Apparently it would be a one time manufacture. I've been quoted a $400 list price, but I think it will all depend on a few things, like quantity made and/or the offset. The question now becomes the offset. Does anyone know what the offset for the factory wheels are?? Apparently they can make them anywhere from a 3 3/4" (minimum) to 4 3/4" (maximum).

Anyone know what ours is??

Chris

[KSMM03]

Interesting how I'm answering myself :(

Anyhow, while down at Sears, I asked the silly question: What is offset? From what I'm told that's the distance between where the wheel mounts on the rotor to the rear bead.

Armed with that information, I took a piece of cardboard and stood it flat on the portion of the wheel where it mounts against the rotor. (mine are off at the moment). Then using a level and putting it across the tire (yes with air) I marked the cardboard at the bottom of the level and adjusted slightly for the aired tires.

If I'm right our offset is 6 5/8" or 168.275 mm or 16.8275 cm.

If that's right or even close, it appears that the ARE Torq Thrust II may not in fact work on this car.

Someone let me know if I pooched on something here...

Chris :confused:

[KSMM03]

Okay, went to ARE's website and found a glossary.

Offset - The offset of the wheel is the distance from the mounting pad to the centerline of the wheel.

If I understand this correctly, it would mean between both "edges" of the wheel" and if that's right, my original measurement is wrong.

Which leads me to this:
Positive offset - The mounting pad is forward of the centerline of the wheel, towards the street side of the wheel. This is common in most front wheel drive cars and some newer trucks. Generally speaking a positive offset wheel brings the wheels closer to the center of the vehicle.

And I'm thinking our wheels have a "positive" offsent, not negative. If you're wondering, think "dualie" wheels for negative offset.

Now, having measured again, the wheel is 6 3/4" wide and the offset using the above definition would be 3 3/8".

If we went with the minimum offset, that's going to bring the whee/tire's in 1/2", right?? I guess the question then is would we have a rubbing problem inside the fenderwells?
:po: :po: :po: :po:

[tetsu]

I thought our offset was 54mm.....

I never measured it myself.

The wheels as pictured by Mk8 and others are super kickass lookin but are too wide for our clearances. The width adds a huge amount of cool in those images.

Oh yeah. The naked grill is SUPER. I will buy one when they are available. I hate the medallion....in fact I'm thinking of replacing my rear badge with a plain black disk.

Another option, which I have been considering, is downsizing the rims to 16s so that some drag radials could be employed and the rear tire height reduced....that'd be more efficient than upping the rear gear ratio. Less power loss in the driveline. Lowering the car would also have some other bonuses.

Johnny

[Andrew10AE]

Yes, KSMM03 - our cars have a positive offset that is common on FWD cars. If you look at Sears or Pep boys when the wheels say "FWD" or "RWD" they are refering to offset. Before the 03 model year, panthers had "RWD" as in negative offset wheels. For 03 Ford moved to the positive offset. Why is a question I dont have the answer to - but if you want to see the effect, look at a 98-02 Crown Vic or Grand Marquis and compare it to an 03. the 03 wheels look very "flat" comparitivly. Now our cars have those huge spoked wheels which give the appearance of much more dimension then then wheels they use on the non-marauders. Makes a big difference in appearance, I think - I'm not too into the "flat" wheel look...

just m $.02

[KSMM03]

I would have inevitably got around to saying, "gee, our wheels have that front wheel drive look to them", but you beat me to it. (I spent about a bit more than an hour defragging the hard drive and other such things...arghghggh).

A 54mm offset comes to about 2 1/4" or thereabouts...so the greyish part on the TorqThrust wheel would be in a bit.

I'm guessing our concern is the backspacing moreso than the offset. Either the back spacing is the full distance between the pad (where the wheel meets the rotor) or its half the distance. If its half the distance, 3 1/4" in this case, then the minimum backspacing 3 3/4" might work.

If its the whole distance, in this case 6 3/4", I'm thinking that the maximum backspacing ARE can do, 4 3/4" may not work..

Thoughts???? :help: