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2003 Lincoln Town Car Signature #3

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    2003 Lincoln Town Car Signature #3

    My fleet consists of 4 cars that have some form of uniqueness to them

    66 Country Squire - rare car these days, not suitable for daily driving
    89 Colony Park - nice car, unfortunately motor blows tons of oil and paint shot. Trim is All in good shape. Can't daily - fear of damage to trim or other body panels.
    90 Town Car- 1 year only bumpers easily damaged and rare to find in good shape. Not very fast. Not a great commuting car for drive I have. I also have grown to really like the car a lot. Value per nada classics gone up, don't want to daily drive it anymore.
    03 TC black on black with moonroof 40k miles. Paid too much for the car. But too valuable to me to drive daily and get dinged scratched in parking lots and all.

    And honestly don't really like the 03.

    So I've been looking for another reasonably priced, good for daily driving, 03 Signature or Cartier in that dark blue. Prices at dealers are insane. I didn't want a beige interior I wanted black. lo and behold I found one on Long Island in NY. At a transmission shop. Owner gave go ahead for rebuild. Then couldn't pay for it. Car has sat for 6 months - then I asked friend that happened to be going to NYC to check it out.

    220k Signature with moonroof, black interior, park assist, heated seats, rain sensing wipers, alpine radio... it was in VA all it's life until three years ago. Had some Ford dealer service records. And a recent NY inspection a year ago.

    $1900! Brand new rebuilt trans. Quiet motor and no floppy suspension parts. No major leaks. Quiet rear end. So on my way back from moving a friend back to Syracuse I went and bought it.

    It's the perfect daily driver.

    Has some dings, scratches and bruises - but for a car that will be getting that in parking lots, no tears will be shed

    Plan is to swap damaged panels for the good ones from my old blue 03 that was crushed by a tree. Fix a tiny patch of rust where paint came off size of my pinky .

    What's wrong with it?
    - been in front end accident that damaged condenser and bent radiator. Condenser replaced but not radiator. Needs panel adjustment up front. Does have like new Oem Lincoln lights and a new Lincoln grill oem. Wasn't a super bad hit. Just needs fine tuning.
    - has some oil seeps from valve covers
    -Park assist don't work
    -steering column shaft lower is bad big time binding.
    - steering column column has worn bushing causing floppy steering wheel
    -no airbag behind steering wheel
    -mushy brake pedal but plenty of fluid
    -floppy shifter - needs shifter shaft bushings.
    -flush power steering and brake fluid and other maintenance tlc
    -needs some tires
    -swap some interior trim and pieces that are worn or broken like power seat track or dash panel

    I'm really happy how this car is for $1900. Ac cold, heat hot, and tracks down road pretty well.

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    Last edited by TecNickal; 05-28-2017, 11:05 AM.
    -Nick M.
    Columbia, SC

    66 Squire, 89 Colony Park, 90 TC, 03 TC, 06 TC, 07 TC (2x)
    03 BMW 540iT, 07 Toyota Tundra SR5 Dbl Cab/5.7 2WD

    #2
    Good luck with this '03
    '79 Continental Town Car
    '90 Crown Victoria LTD
    '94 Crown Victoria

    Comment


      #3
      Blue with black!

      My favorite color combo!

      I love it. Absolutely perfect. I like how we have the same mentality when it comes to daily driving cars. The list of stuff we own just keeps growing, lol!
      1986 Mercury Grand Marquis "5.0" (160,000)

      2011 Ford Crown Victoria "4.6" (54,000)

      2015 Jeep Wrangler JK Willys "3.6" (48,000)

      Comment


        #4
        Yea...and costs increase lol

        This blue one is a keeper. Color looks great in sun and completely different in shade/dark. Can't wait to buff it.

        Depending on time, I may try to replace the lower shaft today - getting at that lower bolt is tough. Not much room and lots of corrosion on the threads on a 10mm bolt. The 13 was no problem.
        -Nick M.
        Columbia, SC

        66 Squire, 89 Colony Park, 90 TC, 03 TC, 06 TC, 07 TC (2x)
        03 BMW 540iT, 07 Toyota Tundra SR5 Dbl Cab/5.7 2WD

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by TecNickal View Post
          Yea...and costs increase lol

          This blue one is a keeper. Color looks great in sun and completely different in shade/dark. Can't wait to buff it.

          Depending on time, I may try to replace the lower shaft today - getting at that lower bolt is tough. Not much room and lots of corrosion on the threads on a 10mm bolt. The 13 was no problem.
          Isn't that lower shaft covered by a recall ? Save yourself work and expense if you can.

          Comment


            #6
            2005 and newer are recalled notn2003-4 :-(
            -Nick M.
            Columbia, SC

            66 Squire, 89 Colony Park, 90 TC, 03 TC, 06 TC, 07 TC (2x)
            03 BMW 540iT, 07 Toyota Tundra SR5 Dbl Cab/5.7 2WD

            Comment


              #7
              Looking good! Time to put a few 100k miles on it.


              -ryan s.
              08 Lincoln Navigator L - 233k
              03 Mercury Marauder- 63k
              97 Ford Crown Victoria HPP "Tank of Justice III" (TOJ3) - 194k -->578.9 miles on ONE tank of gas<--
              94 BMW 325i Convertible - 135k
              73 VW Super Beetle "Bunky" <----- Wifey's
              12 Mini Cooper S - 90k <---- Wifey's
              Originally posted by pantera77
              Well my buddy tells him he knows exactly who loves buying shitboxes.

              Comment


                #8
                I know you had a TC this color. Two year only color but is a nice one. The 06-07 was the last of dark blue.

                So I HATE rust. God this stuff just sucks. Freaking steering shafts. I need the shaft to compress 1/8" more. After 1.5 hours of removing bolts and hammering and shifting items don't have clearance. Won't compress.

                I am replacing steering column anyways so out comes the steering column tonight which then means out comes the lower and upper shafts once I pull them
                Both back enough. Even with lube lower one binds. Upper one is getting floppy. Bearing in firewall sounds like gravel.

                These pieces all came off like butter from junkyard grand marquis that looked MINT underneath.

                Column bushing is giving loose wheel impression.

                Can't wait to get that crap fixed.

                Next is a brake system bleed (get rid of soft pedal), replace driver seat seat track (easy out feature wore out the gears), and replace the tires!
                -Nick M.
                Columbia, SC

                66 Squire, 89 Colony Park, 90 TC, 03 TC, 06 TC, 07 TC (2x)
                03 BMW 540iT, 07 Toyota Tundra SR5 Dbl Cab/5.7 2WD

                Comment


                  #9
                  Don't worry yourself with NADA value, worry about PERSONAL value instead. That NADA shit is the reason why nothing is affordable anymore too, it's as if people see that and expect to fill their pockets with whatever the stated amount is should they sell their car. I love when people go so far as to include a screen shot of NADA or KBB's stated value in their ad.
                  1985 LTD Crown Victoria - SOLD
                  1988 Town Car Signature - Current Party Barge

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Got the replacement lower and intermediate installed. Got the junk car steering column installed too. This also meant the shifter bushings that were gone on the 220k car are now back because the junk car has great bushings and grease. Wow much better!

                    The steering column also had a good clockspring and an airbag in place. So I'm happy now. It steers much better silky smooth. Now just need to flush power steering and unless I have bad tie rods it should be good on steering.

                    Unfortunately the horn and the cruise control don't work. Buttons worked before and clockspring is good, so....maybe a fuse, relay? Cruise servo has a busted cable probably so that's what's going on with both. Further investigation after work.

                    This weekend I want to fix the cowl leak and grommet leak around hood cable. Then strip carpet out and start scrubbing everything. Some people keep their cars very nasty. Charge up the AC too.

                    Here's a video - sorry I had it rotated wrong. The junkyard shiny parts are from an 04 Grand Marquis.
                    https://youtu.be/JyTthyIX8KQ
                    -Nick M.
                    Columbia, SC

                    66 Squire, 89 Colony Park, 90 TC, 03 TC, 06 TC, 07 TC (2x)
                    03 BMW 540iT, 07 Toyota Tundra SR5 Dbl Cab/5.7 2WD

                    Comment


                      #11
                      True it's only worth as much as someone is willing to pay for it
                      -Nick M.
                      Columbia, SC

                      66 Squire, 89 Colony Park, 90 TC, 03 TC, 06 TC, 07 TC (2x)
                      03 BMW 540iT, 07 Toyota Tundra SR5 Dbl Cab/5.7 2WD

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Man, your ability to get stuff done makes me jealous. Sometimes I stare at my stuff thinking I've got special powers that will magically cause the car to fix itself, hasn't happened yet.
                        1985 LTD Crown Victoria - SOLD
                        1988 Town Car Signature - Current Party Barge

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Stare fixing never seems to get it taken care of :-(

                          I loathe this mushy brake pedal. Wow it's annoying.
                          -Nick M.
                          Columbia, SC

                          66 Squire, 89 Colony Park, 90 TC, 03 TC, 06 TC, 07 TC (2x)
                          03 BMW 540iT, 07 Toyota Tundra SR5 Dbl Cab/5.7 2WD

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Yah even my lazy ass will get to fixing brake crap ASAP.
                            1985 LTD Crown Victoria - SOLD
                            1988 Town Car Signature - Current Party Barge

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Well I woke up this AM and thought to look around some more at the car. No cruise and no horn. I hit panic on clicker - no lights flashing so I figured bad clicker. Hit the horn nada.

                              So went back to basics and looked to make sure things were plugged in - jiggled relevant connections. Nothing. Then thought ok, let me check fuses. Uh...spot 4 under hood has a vacancy.
                              Look in owners manual - 15A -Horn. Hmm...

                              Got a fuse - inserted, hit horn pad - honk! Cool. Hit clicker lock button - honk! Hopped in car got up to 30, turned on cruise - it engaged!!!

                              Small steps and small things yield large celebrations

                              Next up - water testing the cowl leak fix, adding counter weights back to exhaust, and double checking the front end to make sure nothing floppy (already checked once). I hear a pop/knock passenger side. Also install the proper black steering wheel with good airbag. Currently it's beige. I'll post a video later.

                              I'll need a friend to help me with the brakes.

                              Also I removed the stupid Motorola cellphone kit that was half disconnected in there.
                              -Nick M.
                              Columbia, SC

                              66 Squire, 89 Colony Park, 90 TC, 03 TC, 06 TC, 07 TC (2x)
                              03 BMW 540iT, 07 Toyota Tundra SR5 Dbl Cab/5.7 2WD

                              Comment

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