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My '89 Lincoln Town Car

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    Originally posted by L1011tristar17 View Post
    Once it's done, it will go to the driveway and wait there until I'm out of school and can give the time and money to have it fixed up properly.

    I also decided to buy another car. Driving a car that doesn't have working rear doors, consistently-working seatbelts, or the ability to break 20 mpg isn't practical for me. I found a 2002 Buick Park Avenue (114,000 miles) for sale near my area and I am picking it up tomorrow night. The car is in nearly perfect shape on the inside and outside. It was owned by an older couple who kept it in a garage and only drove it before and after winter to Florida and back. I drove it last week and I could not find anything wrong with it. It drives very smooth and has plenty of passing power. I'm looking forward to picking it up tomorrow.
    This sounds like a good move on your part. I know how difficult working on cars can be while going to school. The Buick should serve you well, they were very good cars. Is it an Ultra with the supercharged 3.8? My daily driver is an '04 LeSabre with 56k, same drivetrain as the non-supercharged Park Ave (3800 Series II, 4T65-E).

    Things to watch on the Buick:
    - window regulators (cable drive that likes to come off its pulleys and bind up)
    - rear air shocks prone to leaking with age, listen for the compressor (behind passenger quarter panel) coming on excessively
    - watch for coolant in oil, the lower intake manifold gaskets were prone to failure. Not very difficult to replace
    - plastic coolant elbows into/out of alternator bracket, if O-rings get old they will pop out under hard acceleration, watch for weeping
    - transmission fluid serviced appropriately, some have had issues in the low-100k range but my buddy's wifes 2002 LeSabre has 230k on the original transmission and it is just starting to have downshifting problems
    - block heater (if equipped) prone to popping out due to overtorquing, the brass retaining tabs break off. Cheap/easy fix. Mine went and I shut off the engine as soon as my heat quit and I saw the steam.
    RyPow
    1987 LTD Crown Victoria LX sedan - The "Sand Box" - 73K, towing package
    1987 LTD Crown Victoria LX Tutone Tudor - '96 Explorer 5.0 + 5spd swap in the works
    1985 Lincoln Town Car Cartier - previously owned by "navguy12" from thelincolnforum.net
    2007 Lincoln Town Car Signature Limited, 102k, daily driver
    2006 Mercury Grand Marquis LS, 115k, winter beats
    1977 Lincoln Continental Town Car, 42k
    2012 F-150 5.0L 4x4, HD payload pkg (towing/hauling)
    2015 Toyota RAV4 XLE AWD (better half's)

    Comment


      Originally posted by RyPow View Post
      This sounds like a good move on your part. I know how difficult working on cars can be while going to school. The Buick should serve you well, they were very good cars. Is it an Ultra with the supercharged 3.8? My daily driver is an '04 LeSabre with 56k, same drivetrain as the non-supercharged Park Ave (3800 Series II, 4T65-E).

      Things to watch on the Buick:
      - window regulators (cable drive that likes to come off its pulleys and bind up)
      - rear air shocks prone to leaking with age, listen for the compressor (behind passenger quarter panel) coming on excessively
      - watch for coolant in oil, the lower intake manifold gaskets were prone to failure. Not very difficult to replace
      - plastic coolant elbows into/out of alternator bracket, if O-rings get old they will pop out under hard acceleration, watch for weeping
      - transmission fluid serviced appropriately, some have had issues in the low-100k range but my buddy's wifes 2002 LeSabre has 230k on the original transmission and it is just starting to have downshifting problems
      - block heater (if equipped) prone to popping out due to overtorquing, the brass retaining tabs break off. Cheap/easy fix. Mine went and I shut off the engine as soon as my heat quit and I saw the steam.
      Thanks! I picked it up today (pictures to follow) and drove it back to my house (45 minute drive). Everything on the car works great! It handles really well on the country roads, especially for a car of its size.

      I looked through the records and one of the most recent repairs was a new intake plenum, so that made me feel better. I can hear the compressor kick in when starting up the car but it shuts off after 10-15 seconds. When I looked under the hood, I didn't see anything out of the ordinary. The engine runs real quiet with no shuddering or smokeshow, so I'm assuming that the oil and coolant are not mixing. Good info on those elbows. I know they like to blow out on the older Series I engines. I think you can order aluminum replacements. My car isn't equipped with a block heater though. It's actually pretty light with the options. No supercharger, info center, HUD, heated seats, or traction control.

      1989 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series | 249k miles, current project car
      2018 BMW 430i xDrive M-Sport | 50k miles
      2018 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport | 97k miles

      Comment


        Originally posted by 79lincolnlover View Post
        Good luck with your new-to-you daily driver!
        Thank you!

        1989 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series | 249k miles, current project car
        2018 BMW 430i xDrive M-Sport | 50k miles
        2018 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport | 97k miles

        Comment


          The car lives! I decided to finish putting it together myself instead of having it towed to the shop. It took a day and a half but at least I didn't have to spend any additional money on it. Once I get some antifreeze, I'll take it out for a test drive.

          1989 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series | 249k miles, current project car
          2018 BMW 430i xDrive M-Sport | 50k miles
          2018 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport | 97k miles

          Comment


            Nothing is a better motivator to fix a panther than having to drive a GM. (I guess I better say that I am kidding)

            Comment


              Originally posted by Mainemantom View Post
              Nothing is a better motivator to fix a panther than having to drive a GM. (I guess I better say that I am kidding)
              LMAO! The prospect of a $300 shop bill and $50 tow bill is also a great motivator!

              1989 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series | 249k miles, current project car
              2018 BMW 430i xDrive M-Sport | 50k miles
              2018 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport | 97k miles

              Comment


                Originally posted by L1011tristar17 View Post
                The car lives! I decided to finish putting it together myself instead of having it towed to the shop. It took a day and a half but at least I didn't have to spend any additional money on it. Once I get some antifreeze, I'll take it out for a test drive.
                Awesome! I guess you were able to get the stud out that snapped by the smog pump?

                '78 LTD | '87 Grand Marquis | '89 Crown Vic (RIP) | '91 Grand Marquis (RIP) | '94 Town Car (RIP) | '97 Town Car (RIP)

                Comment


                  Originally posted by slack View Post
                  Awesome! I guess you were able to get the stud out that snapped by the smog pump?
                  I left it in. Even without the nut, there is enough of the stud left for the smog pump to sit on. With the other bolt in tight, the pump doesn't budge.

                  1989 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series | 249k miles, current project car
                  2018 BMW 430i xDrive M-Sport | 50k miles
                  2018 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport | 97k miles

                  Comment


                    Originally posted by Mainemantom View Post
                    Nothing is a better motivator to fix a panther than having to drive a GM. (I guess I better say that I am kidding)
                    Haha! Not all GM cars are as epic or lovable as B-body, F-body, trucks, and Corvette. There are unlovable toilets, like the Cruze. Rubbery, non-linear, feedback-deprived steering + squishy, non-linear brake pedal travel = unpleasantry.

                    @L1011Tristar17: Definitely a good move to retire the Townie from DD duty. I can't imagine the hassle of scrambling to perform maintenance/fix stuff on a car you need to drive to work/school every day. Welcome to the garage queened panther club!
                    '89 Grand Marquis "Ebyt", '85 Grand Marquis "Eva", '94 Caprice "Kira"
                    '84 Town Car "Stacy", '79 New Yorker “Anita", '93 Town Car "Kelly"
                    '80 Mark VI "Allie", '94 Grand Marquis coming June, '79 LTD-S "Oksana"

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                      Not to get off topic but the Cruze drives fine to me, I had a loaner from a body shop after my wife's car got t-boned and I liked it, kinda like a big go-cart. The Cobalt though was a lot worse, and much more so the Cavalier, what a pile that car was. My wife had one for her first car, slow and no fun to drive at all.
                      88 Town Car (wrecked, for sale)
                      Walker OEM duals with muffler deletes

                      Comment


                        Drove the Lincoln around for a bit after topping off the coolant. And by that, I mean adding just over a gallon. It didn't leak after I started it up, but after driving five miles I noticed dripping from the front of the engine. Once I got back, no more dripping It was nice to drive it again, but at the same time I was reminded of every reason why I decided to buy the Buick. Can't wait for the day I'll be able to actually work on it again!

                        1989 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series | 249k miles, current project car
                        2018 BMW 430i xDrive M-Sport | 50k miles
                        2018 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport | 97k miles

                        Comment


                          I've been very busy these last few weeks. The first week of March was my spring break, so me and my friends drove down to Daytona for the week. My Buick made the seven hour trip with no issues.

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                          I've been thinking about swapping in a Driver's Information Center since my Buick didn't come with one. I posted a thread on the GM forum and I'll see what replies I get. Hopefully most of the wiring is already there and it will be a plug and play swap.

                          In other news, I got the Lincoln running again! I went home two weekends ago and drove the Townie for a bit. It fired right up and didn't seem to have any issues driving it! The gas tank was half full when I parked it in November so I'm trying to use it before it starts to go bad! I'll probably continue to drive it around town whenever I visit home. I should be going back again Easter weekend. Too bad our driveway is getting crowded with six cars.

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                          1989 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series | 249k miles, current project car
                          2018 BMW 430i xDrive M-Sport | 50k miles
                          2018 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport | 97k miles

                          Comment


                            I know my cousin did the DiC swap on his Silverado and it was plug and play. Knowing GM, it probably is on the LeSabre.
                            2020 Volvo XC90 T6 Momentum (Ice White / Blonde)
                            2022 Ram 1500 4x4 5.7 Etorque, Built to Serve Edition, (Granite Crystal / Black)
                            Past Panthers
                            1989 Grand Marquis LS (Cabernet/Grey), 1989 Lincoln Town Car SS (White/Blue), 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis Ultimate (White/Black)

                            Originally posted by Lincolnmania
                            if its got tits or tires it's bound to give you trouble

                            Comment


                              Future Plans

                              Now that I have only a year of school left (plus grad school) it's time to start thinking about what I'm going to do with this car. Right now it sits at my parents' house in Virginia and gets driven once a month. The inspection expired last month and I haven't filled it up since sometime in December. The only work I've done on it since buying the Buick was fixing both the back doors, so those open now.

                              My plan for this car is to rebuild this car by basically starting from scratch. Right now it drives okay, but it has a lot of little mileage and age-related issues that make it less pleasant to drive than the Buick. Here's what I have planned:

                              Exterior
                              • New paint (silver with red and black pinstripes)
                              • New carriage top (black)
                              • Ding-free chrome rocker trim
                              • Repaired door hinges and realigned doors


                              Under the hood
                              • HO Engine
                              • Rebuilt AOD w/ higher stall converter
                              • 3.55 rear gears
                              • Lincoln Logs
                              • Mark VII engine computer
                              • 60mm throttle body
                              • Higher volume injectors
                              • '90 TC fan shroud (already installed)
                              • Aero air intake
                              • Aero inner fenders
                              • 3G Alternator (already installed)
                              • Headlight relay mod
                              • Smog system delete
                              • Blower motor relay mod
                              • Transmission cooler


                              Interior
                              • New carpet (existing carpet has a hole in it)
                              • Cleaned-up existing seats
                              • Patched and reinforced door panels
                              • Sound deadening under carpet and behind door panels
                              • New headliner (screwed up last attempt)
                              • New dome light (old one is oxidized and crappy looking)
                              • New heater core
                              • Fixed doors in HVAC system
                              • Lubricated power window tracks
                              • New lock actuators for both drivers side doors
                              • New dew-wipes and weather seals
                              • New keyless entry keypad
                              • Fixed wonky driver door handle (already have the part)
                              • New seatbelts and retractors for all three front seats


                              Underbody
                              • INew body mount bushings
                              • Repainted frame
                              • New motor mounts
                              • Stock exhaust from the headers back
                              • All new fuel and brake lines


                              Handling
                              • New shocks and springs on all four corners of the car
                              • New bushings (LCAs, UCAs, trailing arms, etc.)
                              • Rear sway bar
                              • Trailer hitch
                              • Big brakes on the front
                              • '90-'94 discs in the rear
                              • 16" Lincoln rims
                              Last edited by L1011tristar17; 06-15-2015, 11:11 PM.

                              1989 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series | 249k miles, current project car
                              2018 BMW 430i xDrive M-Sport | 50k miles
                              2018 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport | 97k miles

                              Comment


                                How will you reinforce the door panels?
                                '79 Continental Town Car
                                '90 Crown Victoria LTD
                                '94 Crown Victoria

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