Lincoln Owners Club

FREDERICK

I'm looking for individuals with extended
ownership experience with Lincolns. I own a 69
Mark III and 82 Mark VI and need help locating
quality parts and servie for these cars.

Mr_Shiftright

Here's a good list of links for you!

http://www.autopedia.com/html/HotLinks_Lincoln.html

Mr. Shiftright

FREDERICK

Shiftright-

Funny to find you under this catagory. I've seen you either in the Saab/VW or Audi forum! Thanks for the help.

FREDERICK

I own a 69 Mark III and would love to hear from other owners about their experinces. My car has been restored and is near show room condition though it is actually a relatively high mileage example.

I need to find a reliable source for parts for this car. I'm currently restoring a Packard but will soon begin to focus on this very wonderful "modern" example of autmotive engineering excellence. Whenever I take this car out for a spin I'm always amazed by its 7.5 Ltr. monster under the hood.

Mr_Shiftright

Here's a picture for those of you who don't know the car:

http://www.me.mtu.edu/~prater/carpics/fords/lincolns/70mark3.jpg

mr. shiftright

PS: Frederick....get a copy of hemmings motor news if you don't have one...should have some good mark III sources...if you're stuck, e-mail me and I'll dig around for you!

best, Mr. Shiftright
<<A HREF="http://bigjoe409@aol.com.">bigjoe409@aol.com.>

FREDERICK

Thanks I know Hemmings but I've had spotty luck ordering things through their advertisers. I ordered bumper insets for one of my Cadillacs from a mid-west firm and when they arrived they were of such terrible quality I immediatly sent them back but still had to pay retrun shipping and a 15% restocking fee. I later found a really well made set out in Simi Valley but I made sure I drove out there to see what I was getting.

I'm looking for "local" Sothern Cal. suppliers I can contact and go see the parts they've got for sale.

FREDERICK

I recently had a brake job done on my 69 Mark III and found out that the upper arms were severly cracked. This is a very unusaul problem for a car of this kind and build. I have no idea what the previous owners were doing with this car but they certainly were have a blast!

I ended up having to take parts from a 69 Thunderbird in order to repair the problem on the Mark III. The clerk at a very well known L.A. parts yard said that " he'd seen a lot of Mark III's up until 5-6 years ago" but that "they're nonexistent in the yard today." Rarity of parts for this car is building even in major markets like Los Angeles.

Mr_Shiftright

Yes, I know the problem...A-arms crack all the time on 80s vintage Saabs. It is usually the result of under-engineering of some sort...unusual stresses on a weak point.

Im sure that these older cars are drying up because they've all been crushed at the wrecker (especially after the two gas crises in the 70s)...this is why, ironically, you can often find parts easier for the rarer cars, because they were never junked in the first place (like early T-birds, Vettes, most ragtops, cars like that...)...

FREDERICK

Buyer be ware any early Mark III is really likely to meet the same problem that I did with the uppper arms. I salvaged my replacement arms from a 69 T-Bird but they too were showing stress crackes around the ball joint mounting holes.

I had to brase the replacement arms before I put them back on my car because the stress fractures on them were already apparent when I picked them up. The replacement job is not so hard but you won't find an arm that you can just drop into your car without reenforcement work on them.

gkarg

Thanks to Mr. Shiftright for the links page. I may have found a possible source for parts on there! I hit a deer last fall (5:00 in the afternoon) with my 1981 Lincoln Mark VI Cartier. The deer came out of nowhere and I hit it broadside, dead center of the car, at 55 mph. It was a young deer, so it wasn't all that big, ie not that much damage. Broke the grill in half and cracked the grill frame and a lens cover. That was the second one I've hit in years past. (The first was a rainy night and I was only going about 35 ~ It ran out and I hit it broadside, left front ~ no damage!)
In any case, I've been searching for a front header for the car and may have found one! Thank you!
Separate issue....I'm thinking of getting the car repainted....any suggestions. It is silver. I would like to get a pearlescent silver for the refinish job (if they make such a color.)

FREDERICK

I own a Gold 82 Mark VI and I know the look of your Silver Cartier. I can tell you that you can still get parts for these cars from Lincoln dealerships but they all seem to cost $109+ no matter what the part. You're in luck though because the model run for these cars, as for most "modern" Lincolns, was relatively long lasted and broad based.

You not likely to find many of these cars in the junk yard because they've proven to be relatively durable, although the 5.0 Ltr. engine is a bit anemic. I've ridden in numerous VI's still serving as airport limos in N.Y.C.


I have only one comment about your repainting job. If you look closely at your VI you'll notice that the, I believe it's burgundy colored, pin striping on your car is in fact painted on the car. This is a little bit of a problem when you consider repainting the entire car because it'll cost extra $'s to have that pinstripping repainted. The second problem you'll encounter is that I think you have a Cartier "CC" stenciled into your pinstrip line somewhere on the car. This kind of detail is what makes your Cartier different from your average VI like mine and if not preserved you'll deminish the value of your car with a new paint job unless your old original paint is completely shot.

The early 80's was not the best time for automotive painting technology here in the States. Many upscales American manufactureres switched to the new European style paints that put a clear coat over the base color coat to make the color look deeper and richer than your traditional single stage paint used for years here in the U.S. Unfortunatly the early clear coats here in the States were not very stable and quickly began to deteriorate when exposed to the sun's harsh violet light.

You'll have to have that old "bad" clear coat entirely removed and then repiant the base metalic coat over the old metalic coat finishing off with a new quality UV protective clear coat. The pin striping will come after the final clear coat has cured.

gkarg

Thank you for the tips on the painting. You were definitely right in remarking about the engine. I have always been disappointed with the power coming from under the hood. I realize it is a heavy car, but my parents purchased a 1984 Grand Marquis many years ago. It basically has the same engine EXCEPT for the ignition and distributor set-up. Now that car has 210,000 miles on it and the engine (which has only needed a water pump) still runs better than most new engines. They must have just perfected the EFI system for 1984?

My clear coat is really looking bad. especially the left side of the car. The hood is now a totally different color. it just looks aweful! Altough I do not drive the car during the harsh salty winter here in the northeast. i do not have a garage to store it in. it was garage kept before i bought it and now i'm sure the sun is what killed the clear coat! i don't recall a "cc" in the pinstripe, but then again, I've never looked. i'll have to check.

i'm wondering, too, about the vinyl top. it is a medium gray and still in good shape, but the elements are not treating it very good. i don't expect it to last real long. i wonder if it would be easy to replace the top?

i've been amazed that this car has held up so well. i mean it is so sturdy. no rattles or thuds or squeaking of any kind! my parents also now have a '93 taurus and it makes more rattles and bangs and thuds than you can believe. not to mention having the head gaskets replaced twice for their 3.8 liter engine. i also had to replace head gaskets in my 94 cont. they are right when they say, that they just don't build them like they used to! of course the ride, handling and interior of my 94 are way better! that's just a given. with interstate highway cruising though....it is a tie!

Thanks again!

FREDERICK

When I first got my Mark its landau roof was in really sad shape. It had a lot of mold spots growing on it and the color was no longer uniform. I reversed this and actually made it look a lot better by simply steam cleaning it with a high pressure nozzle then treated it with Armor All. I now regularly wipe it down with a new coat of Armor All after each washing.

I am like you in that I live in a very harsh enviroment where I'm not able to garage my car. I live near the beach and the salt water will just eat up your car in a matter of years as well as the harsh summer sun. I've taken to covering my car with a car cover regularly and that seems to have really slowed down the deterioration of its finish, roof, and interior. The suon on the top of your rear seats as well as the dash will just eat them alive.

gkarg

I know you had mentioned engine power in a previous note. I just wanted to let you know that I went to the local Walmart and bought 4 packs of the "Splitfire" plugs and put them in. They have helped quite a bit! It runs a little smoother, there's a little more power and I'm not sure, but I believe gas mileage may have even improved. I changed the rotor/cap and wires last year.

FREDERICK

Thanks for the info on Splitfires, I've wondered whether they really work. Since my car is equiped with a an in dash computer I'd know immediatly if the new plugs were making a difference on fue economy.

FREDERICK

I've had a problem with my Mark III overheating on really hot days and spitting a bit of fuid out the over flow tube after long runs about the city. I check the radiator frequently and fill it when needed but it never seems to get below a few inches from the top. Infact it seems to just spit out any fluid I add above this low/high fluid level.

I done a bit of asking around about the problem and already recored the radiator in an effort to fix the problem but that only seemed to reduce the temperature build up to the point of preventing total boil over. Someone else has stated to me that they thought a head might be cracked. I know that this is a possibilty but I'm a bit surprised by this. The long block engines are really huge and I'd have thought it'd blow head gasket before it gave up and burst a block.

Anybody with Mark III overheating problems out there? What was your problem and what did you do to remedy it?

Mr_Shiftright

Why don't you try putting on an overflow bottle to capture the coolant as it expands?

Your condition sounds fairly normal, really, if indeed it's a hot day and traffic is heavy.

I seriously doubt a cracked head...that would cause an immediate and catastrophic overheat, since you have exhaust gases heating the cooling water...such a diagnosis does not match up with your symptoms.

Also, check your thermostat for both condition and temperature range. If it's been a few years since you replaced it, do so with a summer range thermo and see how that works. But the overflow bottle will save you antifreeze and helps the environment, since anti-freeze is poisonous to animals, who lick it because of the sweet taste.

FREDERICK

Question? I've been advertising my Mark III with a window sign for some time now but I've only had a few tentative bites. To be honest with you I don't really want to sell this car but I'm trying to appease my wife by at least making an attempt at it.

I know that if I lowered the price to around $5,000 I'd certainly move the metal. This is what I payed for this car two years ago. It is cosmetically restored and a looker at a distance. What is your gut accessment about the future market for a car like this. 1969 is begining to be one of those middle years where income and memories don't match for most collectors.

I sense you've been around the block a few times so just be honest at tell me your thoughts.

Mr_Shiftright

Well, it's appeal as a collectible is limited at best. For one thing, it is a sedan, and for another, by 1969 the "Mark" series was only a name, not a distinct and special Lincoln anymore. So Lincoln really "devalued the currency" on this car, and the market knows that. $5,000 is really all the money for it, I think, and I don't expect the value to go up. It's all about supply and demand, and for now there are more of these cars than people who will pay big money for them.

FREDERICK

Shiftright-

Understood, thank you for the input. When you say the Mark III "is a sedan" how does that differentiate it from a coupe? The official terminology for these cars is a personal luxury coupe. I agree that this car is near market value since I've had more than a couple of buyers interested in the car near the $5,000 price range but I do know that there still are plenty of these cars around on the road.

Mr_Shiftright

By "sedan" I meant with a metal roof...I call a car a sedan if it has a post between the windows, either two or four door, and a hartop coupe is when there is no post on the two-door...but the terminology is not well-defined by anyone, so the terms are used rather loosely these days. To me, a true "coupe" is a "closed coupe", with no side windows at all except the door windows, but that's a rather purist definition. I think the factory certainly called your car a coupe.

FREDERICK

The Mark III was an early frameless window model although there is a small rear passenger window it is essentially a continuation of the drivers window. Once again I appreciate your experience and expertise.

gkarg

I think sedan refers to the amount of interior room in a vehicle...I read it in Car & Driver, when they were talking about the new toyota two-door. They mentioned that it would be a sedan due to it's spacious interior. I know my Mark VI's title lists it as a sedan and it is 2-dr.

Oh, related to a previous question about paint. I priced repainting with several local shops and many say it will cost between $2,000 (extreme low-end) to $4,000+. One said "time & materials."
I think I'm going to try and hold off at least another year. That's a lot of dough!

I read your post in the Lincoln Towncar & must agree about the trips and comfort comments. I drove my 81 mark on a 300 mile round trip last summer and have driven it on 500 mile trips previous years and always loved the comfort and ride...its premium! I even think it rides better than my 94 continental on interstate travel.

gkarg

I calculated my trip mileage on the last tank of gas for my Mark VI and it was 20 mpg. I almost don't believe it, but unless something went wrong in the math.....that would be my best mileage yet. It wasn't all highway miles, either.

frankienap

I am thinking of purchasing the Lincoln Mark V Collector's Edition '79, the person who is selling it wants $4000. The car is in mint condition, with only 96K miles. Does anybody know the original price of the car, or if this car is worth the price.
Thank you,
Frank

Mr_Shiftright

There was no "collector's edition" per se...either Diamond Jubilee Edition, or one of 4 "Designer" editions...the Diamond Jubilee cost about $8,000 over the $12,000 list price and the Designer cars about $1,800 over the 12,000 list.

Today, both the diamond jubilee or the designer cars are worth the same...about $7,500 for a very very nice one, which is only about $500 more than for an ordinary Mark V. So the collector factor does not have much bearing on the worth of the car. No doubt this is because they made so many of them (over 72,000 Mark Vs, and more than 15,000 collector models, of which many still exist). So the law of supply and demand seems to indicate that this car will hold its current value but not appreciate very much.

Nonetheless, it sounds like at $4,000 you are getting a fair deal, and perhaps with luck you could even turn a small profit on the car later on.

FREDERICK

gkarg-

Believe it or not you probably are getting even better mileage on your VI than you've stated. Lincoln's 5 Ltr. 302 cu. in. V-8 is no rocket but with its overdrive auto trans you will get nearly 20 MPG around town and over that on the highway.

I own an 82 with digital dash and info center that regularly states 22 MPG when I'm driving on a open highway. This is an amazing figure for a car as heavy and old as the VI. The car is a bit of a dog climbing hills or passing at lower speeds but it does get "great" gas mileage. I personally find that its sheer size alllows the Lincoln to merge and or pass anywhere I choose to do so.

Long live the American Land Yatch!

gkarg

I frequently get the name "Aircraft Carrier" for my Mark VI.

I too have the Digital Dash and trip buttons with my Cartier. The only trouble I have is the clock or date sometimes changes & the Distance to Empty sometimes messes up.

On long distance trips the "Destination" feature is awesome. Punch in the trip miles and it tells you when you will arrive - based on current speed (and much more)....pretty cool for an old boat! (I'm sure yours has this too!)

Long live the aircraft carrier!

FREDERICK

I've replaced my in dash display module twice only to find out that it was only a faulty grounding wire all the time. The button monitor module is not cheap nor is the digital module but w/o them all you'll get is chimming bells as you promptly overheat in the middle of the intersection at La Brea and Beverly Blvd. on your way to an important client meeting with a profile account in Hollywood.

I ended up having to call the account from my cell phone to reschedule and apologize. I eventually made the sale but I ended up towing the car to a nearby Lincoln dealership and renting a Toyota Corrola for my trip to Nor Cal. Bummer of a car to have to drive North to the Bay Area.

After twice going through the digital dash's conniption fits an automotive electronic specialist shop told me that the grounding connection for the dash display module was was a flat male/female connector right on the floor board behind the gas peddle. If this connection becomes loose you'll have all kinds of strange and expensive problems with your digital dash.

The remedy is to have a screw and eyelet connector put on the ground wire and save the headaches for something else.

"Enjoy the ride" should've been the Mark's tag line.

FREDERICK

Question?

Is it possible to interchange the window seals on old 68-70 Thunderbirds with those of a Mark III? I need new rubber for my side windows and it seems that there is a heck of a lot more after-market repros for Thunderbirds than there are for the old Marks.

gornie

Anyone know of a good condition Mark II with air for sale?

FREDERICK

Went down to Irvine, CA show today Sat. Oct. 13th at William Mason Park off University @ Culver. The show continues through Sunday and the next one in the Spring will be down in Scottsdale AZ. This is one of three shows that the club puts on every year.

There were well over 100 Lincoln's in the show and great examples in every class. The 50's Mark II's nearly took up a third of the entries in the show. Man those late 50's convertible and hard top slant window Continental Mark III's were some of the flattest longest boats I've ever seen.

In any case, it was a very fun to see all these cars. Some in very nice original condition. My wife decided that she liked a very dark blue metallic Mark II with a two tone leather interior the most. I don't think she knows that these cars are already in the $30K plus region though.

The car that intrigued me the most was a V-12 Zephyr 2 passenger coupe that had a rear end on it that just didn't stop. The car looked like it was designed to be driven backwards all the time. The car was pretty much in organal which I personally always enjoy seeing because you you can still smell and see the history written all over the car.

illusions

1972 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL FOR SALE. THIS CAR IS IMMACULATE INSIDE AND OUT. 41,400 METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED MILES. IT DOESN'T GET ANY NICER THAN THIS. IT HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT THE ENTIRE LIFE OF THIS CAR. THE CAR IS A SEA-MIST GREEN, WITH DEEP-GREEN LEATHER. NO LUXURY WAS KEPT FRONM THIS BEAUTY. I AM WILLING TO SACRIFICE THIS GEM FOR $4500 OR BEST OFFER.

markman4

I am a new user..and delighted to be here. I did want to correct some mis-information I saw on an earlier posting. Lincoln DID make a Collector's Series Edition. There were in 1979 only, and offered on the Town Car and Mark V. Color options were either Dark Blue Metallic or White. I can attest to this, as I owned a Town Car!!! There were incredible automobiles, and I hope to get one again in the future.

Mr_Shiftright

And don't forget the gold-painted grille!

dave1442397

I've always loved the look of the '60s convertibles with the suicide doors.
Are they a good car? I would love to have one for a summer cruiser.
My neighbor had one stashed away, along with three other Lincolns. One looked like a '50s model, one '70s, and one was a late '80s Town Car.
I've only been in the US 10 years, so I don't recognize all that many of the older cars, but I love those big old convertibles!

mikem24

Frederick, thanks for the dash hint on the mark
series. I have an 80 MVI and my dash module goes on strike every now and then. I'll use your tip
to check it out. I think you've saved me a lot of
grief. My barge has 32000 orig miles on it and
was a former calif car. Regards, mikem24

meb5

I had an interesting experience several years ago when I owned a 1971 Lincoln Mark III. This car was a looker. It was during my military career in Yuba City, CA. As I said, the car was a real looker. That was about the extent of this car's good qualities. You see, every power window motor in the car was shot. I had to manually pull the windows up by hand every time it rained. One day I stopped at a traffic light (I think there was only one in Yuba City at that time). Anyway, a swarm of bees (I think of the Killer variety) flew into the car through the windows that I could not close. Along with the power window motors not working, I also had a power steering problem...I had none. As you know, this is a fairly hefty car and without the aid of power steering, it was a rather exhausting experience to drive to the bowling alley. I learned a lot about cars during my 3 years with the Mark III. One very interesting observation was that the windshield wipers were hydraulically operated by, what else, the power steering pump! I actually discovered this by accident one night as I was trying to find my way home after an evening at the NCO club. It started to rain just minutes from the base check point. I turned the wipers on but they moved only slightly. I noticed however that when I moved the steering wheel left and right, the wipers would move back and forth. This was great, I thought, until I saw the red light flashing in my rear view mirror. Apparently I had been driving in a zig-zag fashion for several miles. The security police who did not buy my explanation regarding my mechanic problem and since I had been indulging, arrested me for DUI. Following a brief vacation from driving, I had driven the car for several more months longer without power steering. I experience total loss of steering finally one day as I was driving down town. The good news was that I was not driving fast and I managed to bring the car to a safe stop. That was the last time I ever drove that car. Fifteen years later, I really miss it.

cinque

I have a 1977 Lincoln Town Car Coupe 2 door V8 - 460. I'm trying to find out how much it is worth. It's in EXCELLENT condition. Can anyone recommend a site that would give me a price on it's current value??

Mr_Shiftright

About $3,500-$5,000 seems to be the active market for a nice car.

tomcat630

Traditionally, a Sedan was a closed car with a metal roof. A coupe was a 2 door car with it's own special body, no four door versions, like Mustangs.

A two door sedan would be a 2 door with a B-pillar. Or a 2 door version of a 4 door family car.

The 70's saw car makers calling any 2 door, like the 1973+ Grand Prix or Monte Carlo, which had B pillars, a coupe.

Now, it seems that "sedan" means any 4 door car and "coupe" means any 2 door.

sgaines1

I recently purchased a '73 Mk. IV. It's in really good shape and only has 59K miles, but there's not much I can do about it's age. It really hates to start, especially in the cold. My girlfriend has been understanding, but it's very embarrassing. If it's around 70 or more, I can usually get it to go on the first try, and then have to sit and rev it gently until it doesn't try to die when I let up on the gas. Saturday it was below 60, gray and rainy. All the car would do was crank. The engine didn't even hint at catching. Is there anything I can do, besides buying a block heater?

Mr_Shiftright

Must be a choke problem? These cars should start pretty well.

sgaines1

Thanks, I'll check that out. My housemate's boyfriend is an ASE mechanic, so I'll see if I can buy him a six-pack and get him to poke around. I used to drive a '78 Grand Marquis, and it was really bad about starting, and stalling when the engine was cold. The story I always got from my mechanic was that the carburetor was bad. They replaced it about three times, twice for free because the brand new carbs were no good. This problem is a bit different. The Merc would always start, but then die immediately. The Lincoln just goes rarrrr, rarrr, rarrr until I give up or flood it.

Mr_Shiftright

Usually it's not the carburetor, but an adjustment on it which few people remember how to do, so they replace the entire carb instead. Sort of like fixing a door lock by installing a new door.

sgaines1

I've read in a few posts that people's insurance companies want to know how much the car is worth. My agent seems to have decided that my car is a $400 car. This is ludicrous. First of all, how much is it really worth? 1973 Mk. IV lt. green/dk. green, 59,035 miles, a/c, pwr seats, doorlocks (only one working), antenna and windows, paint is good, but will need to be redone eventually, tiny amount of rust inside wheel wells, two small rust blisters on outside (quarter-sized) that need fixing, like new vinyl top, only one mirror, stupid aftermarket am/fm, foglights and third brake light (all to be removed/replaced), leather seats in good condition, interior otherwise good/excellent, broken hood ornament, lightboxes still operate. Second, how do I convince them that cars don't (all) eventually depreciate to $1?

Mr_Shiftright

I think $400 is a bit unreasonable...sounds like around $1000-$1,200 car.

Most price guides should show this type of value...as "poor" or "fair" condition. Your agent must not be looking in the right place.

denniswade

Your agent should also be able to write you a special policy that reflects the true worth of the car. You can insure just about anything, for a price. You can also bolster your argument by having it assessed by a professional appraiser or clipping want ads that show true market value. I had a special policy on my '68 Caddy, and it was well worth it when it got totaled by a dump truck.

markman4

I can only speak from friends that have them. They love them, but they can have alot of headaches. For instance, the top has all sorts of switches and relays that can go wrong, so that can be a real challenge.

I would love to have one, but I already have a Wildcat Convertible, so I will be looking for a 4door sedan.

Good luck

Mr_Shiftright

Special policies for "agreed upon value" (they will pay you what it says on the policy) are often restrictive as to use, and the car must be garaged. Also, as was stated above, an "agreed upon value" policy is usually not written by the "normal" insurance company.

Anyway, you might take that advice...get an appraisal and if you have a garage for the car and will only drive it a limited number of miles, you may be able to get an agreed upon value. Otherwise, the book value is what you'll get from a regular insurance company and this seems fair enough for the car you described.

sgaines1

You were right about the choke, Mr. S. The mechanic housemate took the air filter off, and the choke was set to all the way open. It starts great now, but when it's been run and then gets started soon after, the timing is off, so it sounds like the pistons are moving in peanut butter for a second or two. He also said that the EGR valve was disconnected, but he left it unhooked because it was leaky anyway. Is there any reason to get this fixed? Sounds like just an emissions thing. Thanks for the help!