When shopping for a replacement for my tired old '97 Crown Vic, I came across an immaculate '97 Mercury Grand Marquis Bayshore Edition with 15,000 garage-kept miles on it. There weren't even any stone chips behind the tires and the trunk pan, gas tank, and A-arms all sported their original paint (didn't look further). It was sweet, but just a bit more than I wanted to spend.

Knowing the Crown Vic. very well (and the problem with the haze that grows on the plastic headlight lenses after years of exposure to the sun) I was immediately struck with the clarity of the Merc.'s headlights. Looking closer, I noticed the lenses were totally clear, more like those on newer cars today.

Does anyone know if they might have been replaced with an aftermarket fixture or was the clear lenses OEM?

Someone told me adamantly that the Grand Marquis lights would NOT FIT a Crown Victoria of the same year. I've looked them over as I pass them by on the road (not a lot of them left) and I cannot see where the difference lies. They appear to be the same size/ same shape. I know the lighting treatment is pretty much the only difference between C.Vics and G.Mqs. and has been for some time.

Someone here has to know for sure...what's the scoop?

If not, does anyone of an aftermarket light that is more like more modern lights (more clear, not that fakey lens look)? (The lights on the '96 C.V. I got recently are, uh, about one year cloudier than the '97...go figger! )

 

I've polished several yellow lenses back to their original clear look. Real bad ones had to be wet sanded first.

I don't know the answer to your question about interchangability of the headlights.

 

I know for the '92-'94's the curve is the difference at the back of the headlights. Make sure they both curve up or both curve down. Also IIRC the front part if a bit different where it meets the grill. I ran into this problem when I swapped CV fenders on to my GMQ and tried to mix and match lights. I had to weld in some pieces in the CV fender to cover some gaps that the CV lights did not cover.

 

if that GM was garage kept like it sounds, the lights never saw ultraviolet light to break down the plastic in the lenses and cloud them up.

i would say that are most likely original pieces.

 

If you need new headlights, you can buy them delivered for under $65.00. 97 crown vic headlight, Parts Accessories, eBay Motors items on eBay.com

 

92-97 CV are the same, Mercs are different.

 

Well, I tried a sanding operation on the headlights yesterday. I used a flexible 99 cent sanding block, kind of like a stiff sponge with sandpaper stuck around the outside. The coarse was too coarse, but the finer side of the block did definitely remove most of the yellow. I used Meguire's plastic polish as a wetting agent, then hand buffed after it dried. Much better, but I will have to go after it with the toothpaste or Brasso to smooth out the scratches and try to get it a little better.

I noticed that the "beak" that extends down from the hood is different shaped.

I'm sure those GM lights are original, but definitely different from any CV light I've seen. The lenses were so clear, you could see the dark nub on the end of the bulb.

I'll try that link...also might check "Crash Parts". They were good on the price of the turn/marker/cornering light I needed a few years ago.

Thanks to all who answered.

 

Gee, you can't beat that price. When I checked, that price would have bought one side only. I'm not polishing any more. I'll send for a pair.

Thanks.