Got some new tires today with a 90k mile warranty. The tire shop also wanted to do $950 worth of front end work, saying that the front end was "really sloppy", but it tracks just fine and has no funny vibrations or noises. I'd rather do the work myself.

I also got a speeding ticket just outside of the tire shop. Highway patrol passed me doing 50 in a 35 (wide open country road) and turned around to follow me for 3 miles before pulling me over. They had an undercover car so I didn't notice them at first. I got cited for "Failure to obey highway sign" which is still a $94 ticket and 3 license points! Way she goes, I guess.

Glad you now have some new tires on the PA. I normally rotate the tires every 2nd oil change.
Was it during the alignment that they told you it was a bit sloppy?
I do an alignment with fresh tires & then about every year or anytime it seems to be off a bit.
Sound like the Smokey'* were low on ticket quota for the day.
Sorry to hear you got a ticket.

Little update on the Park Ave: It'* about to roll over 128k (almost trouble free) miles. Only issues so far are front brakes and wheel bearings (replaced), some rattling interior trim, and a slight vibration from the front wheels when on the highway. The other day I was driving through a construction area and I hit a bump, causing one of the rear shocks to seize up in the compressed position.

Once I took off the top nut for the shock, the whole assembly came crashing down with a loud bang. That one nut was basically holding the entire weight from that control arm. Swapped on some new shocks and it'* good as new.






Side with the seized shock





How it'* supposed to look

Good Work & it looks like you even had the tool box in trunk like I do !!
Ya I've done repairs before at the parts store lot...cool!
Glad to hear PA is running well overall & I think I now have 114k miles, and already had to replace both rear air shocks into Delco.
Did one wheel bearing, now it'* time for the the other side soon as well.

Still looking good, hope you get a rear end alignment after that just to be sure all is aligned right.

Have you ever replaced the lower intake manifold gasket with an aluminum framed gasket?
If not I'd consider doing that in the future, that old nylon gasket always fails, also it is good to inspect the upper intake around the EGR port and coolant ports.

Yep, the red toolbox has become a necessity for me. I bought it at a thrift store and kept it in the trunk of my Lincoln when I was still driving it. I've used it for both my cars, family and friends' cars, and also on my dozens of junkyard runs. One issue with the new rear shocks is that I couldn't disconnect the air lines from the old shocks, so I just cut the lines and pulled the relay for the compressor. Later on I can get some new air lines and figure out how to attach them to the fittings on the new shocks.

Thanks William! From the receipts I have the previous owner replaced the engine at 79,000 miles in 2010. I also have the receipt for a LIM replacement, although I forgot if it was before or after the engine was replaced.

You can get an air shock accessory kit, it would let you manually fill the struts, or if the compressor was still good, then you'll need a different set of air lines, as I am pretty sure the connection made at the compressor is unique.

I'll try to find the factory lines after some sleep, as this kit will not hook to your compressor, unless you could find whatever adapter hooks to the compressor, and slice it in so it connects to the T fitting, then you could let the compressor control it, but if the compressor ever failed you'd still have the manual control option that the kit provides..
If you do not change what is in your trunk often, meaning the weight is usually close to the same, then this kit may be a cheaper option than looking for the OE lines.