Reed's New Ride (formerly Opinions on 90-93 Imperials?)

[zorg]

You listed your van for sale stating you had purchased a new daily, so I came over here to see what you ended up with? Did you get that restored '66 New Yorker off Portland craigs? As I recall it was in your price range, had a full compliment of luxury options, and was a Mopar...

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[Reed]

Ha, I wish I had seen that New Yorker.

I ended up with this:



A 99 Lincoln Town car. Loaded, 158,000+ miles. Very comfy, double the MPG of my van, and a really good price. After 96, the Ford Panther platform (Ford Crown Vic, Mercury Grand Marquis, and Lincoln Town Car) was the only full size car still manufactured. 4000 pounds of plushness. It actually handles pretty well and runs as smooth as silk.

It is still basically a big egg, but it has a bit of style, and people let me merge into their lane on the highway and get out of the way when I pull behind them. I am going to get the windows tinted and then people will think I am driving around some kind of politician or rich person.

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[Ceej]

Looks nice!

Now all you need is a driver.

CJ

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Tyrde-Browne Racing

I'm off to find myself. If I should return before I get back, keep me here.

[Ceej]

I guess you didn't check Craigslist recently.

http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/cto/2881606727.html

It already has window tint.

Probably gets the same mileage as your van though...

CJ

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Tyrde-Browne Racing

I'm off to find myself. If I should return before I get back, keep me here.

[Reed]

Heh, yeah, a driver. That would be me.

$11k? That's WAY beyond my price range. Rollses aren't really my style though. I would only drive a Duesenburg.

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[Ceej]

Your face would hurt from smiling so hard!

Yeah, I could do a Duesenburg. In a pinch, mind you.

CJ

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Tyrde-Browne Racing

I'm off to find myself. If I should return before I get back, keep me here.

[SlantSixDan]

Nice ride, counsellor ('cept for the headlamps ).

My dad was a lawyer. He parked his car in amongst all the BMWs, Mercedeseses, Town Cars, and so on. Everyone knew Ed Stern's car, and most people thought it was pretty cool. People used to e-mail him to let him know if he'd left his lights on — his colleagues with Lincolns, Benzes, Audis and whatnot never got such an e-mail. One time someone clipped out and taped to his office door an "Ernie" (now "Piranha Club") cartoon wherein someone asks Ernie for a jump start for his generic imported small car. As Ernie goes about connecting the jumper cables from his '57 DeSoto, the small car owner says "'Course, that's a really old American car...you sure it can crank out the juice?" Ernie says nothing. Import owner hollers "Contact! Heh heh heh", and we see his compact car go up in a big fireball. Next frame, Ernie's telling a friend "It was like hooking up Chernobyl to the Energizer rabbit."

The first frame in the cartoon had a text box that said "Ernie's '57 DeSoto" with an arrow to the car. Whoever clipped it for my dad crossed that out and wrote "Ed's '62 Dodge".

Fun times.

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一期一会

By birth & parentage: US citizen, 2nd class
By choice: Canadian citizen, 1st class

[Joshua Skinner]

Only $11k for a Rolls. That's quite a bargain for that depth and breadth of mechanical masochism.

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Joshua Skinner
car nut, telecom tech, tool using mammal
'72 Dart Swinger

[Reed]

The headlamps are actually probably my least favorite thing on the car, especially since the right one has a gasket leak somewhere and is getting full of condensation. If I could find a way to retrofit some dual 5 3/4 inch round headlights, I would be a happy man. I'll post some more pictures tomorrow.

I wouldn't be ashamed to drive a nice A-body to court, I just wouldn't fit in it. My old 72 Satellite sedan really stuck out at the law school. I used to set off car alarms with the dual exhaust as I drove out of the parking garage. I would love to see some lawyers around here drive nice older cars. There is one lawyer I know who has a mid-70s Corvette as a daily driver and an AC Cobra for the sunny days. That Cobra is freaking LOUD.

The Lincoln does have its fair share of problems. It is 13 years old with 158,000+ miles. It has the notorious leaking intake manifold found on the 4.6 modular Ford motors, there is some minor wear beginning to show on the interior, the air ride suspension wore out and was already replaced with normal rear coil spring suspension, the trunk lock sticks, there rear passenger ashtray cover fell off down inside the door panel, the left rear door doesn't drain and is half full of water, the front passenger window motor is sticky, the cover on the front seat center console is busted and I ned to get a new one, the brakes squeak, it needs tires, there are dings and scratches in the paint, the right headlight/turn signal/cornering lamp housing leaks, the driver's seat is a bit worn, and it needs an oil change. But man is it quiet and comfortable going down the road. It reminds me of my old 5th Ave, but with the seat all the way back is has the two extra inches of leg room that the 5th Ave didn't. I am bummed that I can't use my deep dish 8 inch diameter steering wheel.

I have read reports that taxi and limo companies get 400,000+ miles out of these vehicles, so I am hoping it will last me a while.

I can still get my slant fix working on my brother's 83 van and his 74 Duster.

My lawyer-jumper cable story is the time I was walking back to my car after the end of classes one night (night school- I worked in the day) when I saw about five law students standing between two cars parked nose to nose. As I walked by, I saw that the oldest man in the bunch (he must have been in his 50s) was holding a pair of jumper cables, staring at them in a confused manner. From the conversation I overheard, it was clear that all five were having a confab about how to attach the jumper cables. I almost kept on walking, but took pity on them and hooked the cables up for them. I was really amazed that FIVE supposedly intelligent adults couldn't figure out and didn't already know how to use jumper cables. They were even color coded. Oh well.

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[Ceej]

We need to find you a slant six Belvedere.

CJ

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Tyrde-Browne Racing

I'm off to find myself. If I should return before I get back, keep me here.

[SlantSixDan]

My mother's POSSLQ wanted to buy her an "antique" Rolls-Royce of unspecified model year, right-hand drive, for $7K. She wisely said "no" because she doesn't want a right-hand drive car. Whether she knew it or not, she really doesn't want whatever remains of a Rolls you can get for $7K (which is the price before you start having to buy parts).

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一期一会

By birth & parentage: US citizen, 2nd class
By choice: Canadian citizen, 1st class

[SlantSixDan]

[Ceej]

I don't know what you guys have against Rolls Royces. Other than the engine, transmission, gauges, electrical system, suspension, and brakes, there's little bad to be said about them. Well, other than the marked lack of style since 1950.

If you keep it in a garage and have an unlimited budget, you can drive it almost as far as a Yugo goes on a fill-up before major catastrophy. Of course the environmentalists won't beat the stuffing out of you for showing up at a save the planet convention in your Yugo. Might even pay for the tow to get a Yugo home.

CJ

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Tyrde-Browne Racing

I'm off to find myself. If I should return before I get back, keep me here.

[Reed]

CJ- I would have absolutely LOVED to find a 60 slant powered Fury, Savoy, or Belvedere sedan. Black with Ruby Pearl accents and a red interior. MMMMMMM. I would name it Sylvester (in honor of the character in Mad Mad Mad Mad World) and take it home. However, they are rare, especially in daily driver condition.

Dan- if you can source me a set of those headlamps, I would GREATLY appreciate it. I paid for this car out of extra money I had socked away in my tax account, and there is a little bit left after I pay last years taxes. I figure that I want to replace the passenger side headlamp anyway since it looks like it has been wet for a while and the light output already appears to be dimming. Whether that is a ground issue, reflector degradation, or a failing bulb, I haven't discovered.

No smoking in the Lincoln. Period.

POSSLQ- never heard that one before. Only from the mind of a government agency do we get such acronyms.

I already have ordered the revised intake manifold with the aluminum coolant crossover, and the FSM set. They should arrive next week sometime. Fords response to the intake coolant leak problem is pretty crappy. The guy who owned the car before me had it serviced at a Lincoln dealer since 2001 or 2002, but somehow never had the intake replaced and the dealer apparently never mentioned it.

Setting off neighbor's car alarms? I understand; you live in Canada. The winter nights are long and boring in the northern latitudes. When I lived in Anchorage, people would start to do crazy things around January after several months of long nights and cold weather. Streaking in sub-zero temperatures at night is quite an experience.

You know, the compressor for the rear air suspension is still present and functional. I could rig up an air tank and run some semi horns to replace the anemic factory tooter this boat came with.

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[Reed]

You know, I just have to say how great this forum is. The day I bought the Lincoln, I joined a Lincoln owners website and asked a question about the intake manifold. I received one response (which told me to look up the factory part numbers and didn't answer my question) the day I posted, and nothing in the last three or four days. All the questions on there are about stereos and rims. Ugh. Get me back to a place with people who actually know how to turn a wrench. This site is simply the premiere automotive site on the internet.

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Buy local! http://www.stillmadeinusa.com/ http://www.americansworking.com/tools.html