Issues for newly-purchased 1963 Lincoln Continental

Car was purchased from son of original owner, has 17,500 documented miles on it (only 400 of them in last 36 years). Main maintenance/repair since purchase has been to drain gas tank, change oil, oil filter, air filter, flush cooling system, replace master cylinder and all wheel cylinders, hoses, belts, radiator cap, thermostat, fill with new coolant, exhaust system with new mufflers/resonators/pipes, and four new correct bias-ply 14-inch tires.

A few minor issues need addressed; the car has been driven nearly 100 miles since purchase and the only issues are as follows. Thanks in advance for your answers and recommendations.

1. Car only starts after about 6-8 attempts when cold; once up to temperature, idles, runs, drives fine. Am assuming carburetor accelerator pump, but only very slight hesitation only when pedal is punched. Any other suggestions? Have added 104 Octane boost, lead additive, Sta-Bil ethanol treatment, and Lucas deep cleaner..

2. Car seems to shift fine going down the road, but requires more effort than should be necessary to shift the lever from Park to any other gear; akin to shifting out of Park when parked on an incline, with a momentary jerk that shouldn't be there. What adjustments can be made?

3. Have problem with the back door window on the driver's side not working at all. Do not hear any noise when either gang switch toggle or door panel toggle is activated. And now, the driver's side front window, which had been working perfectly (I'd say over a dozen times up and down) now goes down but does not want to go up, unless manual pressure is applied to a non-specific area of the side chrome window moulding from the "back" of the window toward the "front"; a stick or ruler of some sort, stuck down in the door, is needed if the window is all the way down. Hope that makes sense. Both power vent windows work perfectly.

4. Are there any other suggestions that can be offered, whether they be suggestions specific tot higher, make, and model, or the condition of the car, given its low miles, and long stretch of relative dormancy. The car has been started on occasion prior to purchase, but had not been driven regularly for about a dozen years, even less than the previous two dozen where it was sparsely driven.

Thanks again,

Mike

1) chk your choke, thats the little flapper at the opening of the carb, it has to close when cold, slowly open as car warms..it is stuck open..

2) Car has been sitting unused most of its life, lube pivots and linkage from handle to, under hood firewall mechanism to pivots on side of trans.

then drive and shift...if not pull pan and chk the stepped device "rooster tail" device which has stepped detents for wear or other damage.

3) window switches have corrosion on internal contacts..spray cleaner into, dissassemble, or replace. / window motors gummed up, weather strip

is binding on the glass...

---you got the old car blues..this is minor and you are supposed to enjoy tinkering, or else you are in for an expensive frustrating experience..

I would have suggested some new radial tires for a better experience...but drive the car daily..use it and it will be easier to fix..any machine that is operated

on a regular basis will be much more rewarding ...see the other guy with the low mileage car...it was a holy roller..

Appreciate the response, fellow Buckeye. Will check these items out as planned.

Actually I was asking this on behalf of a friend, to whom I found her this "dream car". This is the fourth car to her collection; I myself have two. We do know that these things are par for the course, and I had assured her these were minor, to which she concurred.

I myself am not a Lincoln expert, but usually the principles are the same. Always like to hear from those more familiar with any particular marque, as sometimes there are quirks that are unique to them.

We (actually, she, but I agree) opted for the bias-plys, because of the more "historic" nature to this low-mile beauty; also, because the whitewalls on the only radials I can presently find with the correct size and WW width has the whitewall out too far away from the center bead. Knew this from before because the tires are exactly the same size and style on my two classics.

I agree, that these cars are meant to be driven, and she has already racked up close to 100 miles since taking delivery two days ago. No good to just let a car just sit.

Again, thanks for the input. If you by chance go to Fall Hershey, I'll have the Starfire there on Saturday morning. Stop by and say hi...

Starting issue:

http://www.thecarburetorshop.com/Troubleshooting.htm#Hardstartcold

Jon.

Your cold start problem is probably the accelerator pump. Let the car sit over night, remove air cleaner and work the linkage by hand to see if it pumps gas in the carb. If you do not have gas, the accelerator pump is not working or the gas has drained back out of carb.

you mentioned you had installed Lucas Deep Clean.I do not what this is but assume an additive for engine oil. I would add a quart of Marvel Mystery oil to the engine, as they claim this oil will go where regular oil will not. I have had good experience with this product on engines that have not been run for years. If you have any hydroliac valve noise this product will help.

Good Luck

Bruce

1941 Lincoln Continental

1951 Jaguar XK 120 With High performance Ford power train

2004 Corvette Convertible

1966 LC for door convertible (owner 30 years)

Thanks for the input, Bruce. The Lucas product is a gasoline additive...

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/lucas-oil-products-deep-clean-fuel-system-cleaner-16-oz.-10512/99986827-P

Your cold start problem is most likely the choke plate not closing. These carbs have a vacuum pull-off piston that can get stuck in the carb body preventing the choke plate from moving.

Both the accelerator pump and the choke have been suggested as culprits. It is quite easy to test either, thus either eliminating either as a culprit, or confirming. To test the accelerator pump:

http://www.thecarburetorshop.com/Troubleshooting.htm#Acceleratorpumps

To test/adjust the automatic choke:

http://www.thecarburetorshop.com/Troubleshooting.htm#Chokes

The octane booster probably is unnecessary:

http://www.thecarburetorshop.com/Octane.htm

Jon.

One other thought I have is the fuel pump rod has a little brass tip that wears. When the car is cold the pump may not have enough actuation to get the fuel moving. Once it has pumped for a while the vacuum of the engine will help things along. I may be wrong here but it may be worth checking. Great find of a Lincoln there!

Eric