gpfarrell

Are you sure it was West Virginia? There was a collection that matched that description but I thought it was north of Pittsburgh. i haven't seen results, but the presale pictures showed lots of cool cars in rough shape.

It could take $2500 to get the engine running in the car he's trying to sell!

Well, $500 isn't far off. If mom had picked a 2-door Cadillac convertible or a '57 Chevy, you'd have something to sell. Likewise, if you had a running, driving car you'd have something to sell. 4-door sedans just don't generate much excitement. Somewhere, somebody would pay you more... but panning for gold in the desert might be more rewarding. Tell Dad you found a father-son team that really wants a project and he'll have some peace.

Getoffmylawn, I'd try to stay below 50,000 miles, and certainly 75,000. Here's a lot of yellow for a little green: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lincoln-Continental-Base-Hardtop-4-Door-/201577186342?forcerrptr=true&hash=item2eeeefc426:g:KvcAAOSwud1W~qb4&item=201577186342 With a low mile car, wear & tear should be minimal. It will still have lots of 40 year old parts that need freshened up if you want to be sure of leaving the office on Friday afternoons, but at least you'll be putting parts on a fairly pristine car as opposed to a 100,000 mile car. I second the motion on the big Mercury Marquis. I have one and it's an amazingly capable cruiser... but Lincolns only cost a little more and are likely much easier to sell down the road and more likely to appreciate a little in the meantime. But, buy what grabs you! That's great advice! Keep some money aside for repairs/improvements... a modern stereo with Bluetooth (gasp!) is a great step forward if you're using the car... and enjoy whatever you find.

If you don't mind big, a 1978 Lincoln Town Car with a factory moon roof and the 460 cubic inch V8 would be spectacular. They have an incredible presence and turn heads in modern day traffic like you can't believe. Unlike the mechanical brakes on a Model A, you get reasonably modern components in a vehicle that easily cruises at 70-75 mph as long as you don't mind feeding it. You can make a great double-date night and your guests will be coddled in the back seat. Now, on your 60 mile round trip to work you might consume 5 gallons of gas ($15) instead of 3 gallons of gas ($9). That's what 12 mpg looks like instead of 20. For a daily driver, these would take you to the poor house, but as an occasional car every drive will be an Occasion! $7500 should find you a low mileage, very original car. Take your time and enjoy the search.

I'd say a car isn't a race car until it races.

I'm a Ford guy. I'd pick the Buick. The floor shifter will be a little more fun, and I'd bet some extra-oomph is only an Edelbrock carb & intake away. Fix the air, fix the top, and you are cruising. Oh, and white interior? Wow! Really pops with the blue. This Ford looks just a little tired. I have a '66 Mercury Cyclone that had 4-wheel drums. Others will feel differently, but in my mind discs and a double-bowl master cylinder were mandatory improvements. I'm not sure about a 351w pulling the Galaxie around, and the non-originality won't help either. One thing to go from a less-desirable 352 to a powerhouse 460 or something, but this seems like a budget driven swap... which makes me wonder if the rest of the car was under-maintained too. Good luck!

Run a rubber hose from a gas can to the fuel pump... then the car can really run instead of coughing, choking, and sputtering. Let the buyers do the rest.

Has thel location of the 2017 event been announced yet?

It's easy to load new pictures now!

Thank you Mark!

Thank you Mr. Hinson. I believe I've sent everything required to Mr. Oakes and I check my mailbox everyday, but so far no letter. I can't imagine how busy he is as we approach car show season, or how many requests he might receive. I'm hoping to find an alternate path forward should, for whatever reason, I not qualify for an exception letter. Currently my only viable path, aside from receiving the ONLY AACA ACCEPTED (at least they are clear on that!) documentation would be to locate a set of 38 year old tires for my freshly restored car. Driving on tires that old, even at just 20-30 mph, terrifies me. Interestingly (at least when you gnaw on this issue long enough), it seems almost impossible for the tire manufactures to comply with AACA regulations for the cars originally equipped with HR/JR/LR tires. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard #139 (a rule from around 2000-2002 depending on which variation you look at) regulates all tires fitted to cars manufactured after 1975 and stipulates all sorts of information be on the sidewalls... the very same information that would be "not of the era". 'Tis a conundrum!

Thanks for all the kind words! The car has come a long way from dry-rotted body mounts and caked on Ziebart. I'm not sure if I'm a pioneer or a lunatic... it's astounding how many more parts are on the '78 than my '66 Cyclone GT. Restoring cars from the 70's might be slow to catch on, especially if an HPOF car can simply be preserved instead. But this car is restored and I'd like to see go through Class Judging and I want to be as well-prepared as possible. I just spoke with Chis at Universal (Mike wasn't available) and he was terrific... but he said the JR78's all disappeared years ago. They have a nice P225/75R15 that would be very sympathetic, but a recent issue of Antique Automobile said the P-Metric tires "came about in 1979 and is therefore not of the era". I agree the "P" is mostly a designation and the actual difference in tire design and capabilities is nearly indecipherable, unlike the differences between a bias ply and a steel belted radial... but the article says what it says so I'm still not sure what tires would suitably complete this restoration odyssey... or where to find them.

We're about 98% done with a 5-year body-off nut & bolt restoration on the 1978 Mercury Marquis that my mom and dad bought new in August of 1978. Dad died when I was 14, I've been driving it since I was 16. Needless to say, it's been a sentimental journey! As you might guess, the '78 Marquis isn't well supported by aftermarket suppliers! However, persistence and patience, a few parts cars, eBay, PayPal, and an extraordinarily understanding spouse have let us approach perfection. We have NOS exhaust hangers, proper Duraspark ignition wires, Motorcraft belts, and a chrome bill that exceeds the car's original MSRP. I'm pretty excited with the results and also proud to represent the dinosaur era of big American sedans that have faded away. But it came with JR78-15 steel belted radial tires. If it was a 1979, it would have been equipped with P225/75/15's and I could order those from a half dozen places. If it was an older bias-ply car, I'd be able to source proper tires in 3-5 days with standard shipping. Factory sources give a clear paper trail that 235R15's (the Eurometric) were only available on '78 Marquis police cars. Hmm. My car is not a police car so the factory documents prove these tires would be incorrect. The countdown to Auburn has begun! I realize I can probably earn a Junior with the wrong tires, but I'd really like the car to be properly out-fitted before it rolls onto any AACA show field. Any ideas where I can source proper tires, or what tires and what documents would meet the Judging Guidelines? Thank you!

I've sent my letter to Mr. Oakes so hopefully I get his blessings. While I appreciate the vast differences between bias plies and radials, the nomenclature on radials seems to be trivial. It's odd to me that many underhood tune-up parts can be aftermarket auto parts store parts (like ignition wires and batteries for instance) yet the rules on tires are so specific. The rules work well for bias ply cars and post-1979 cars, but the mid-70's cars that are growing in popularity are caught in a tire vacuum, especially if the owner wishes to maintain the whitewalls that were a fixture in that era.

Thank you! I was off the grid for a hit and happy to find your informative response when I returned! The car is getting close and Auburn isn't far off!

Thanks Digger for the cool history lesson! My car is a base Marquis. I much prefer the optional forged aluminum wheels I installed, but I'd likely mount the proper tires on its proper steel wheels and fit the hubcaps for the judged shows. I'll use less-proper but better driving tires on the aluminum wheels for driving. In high school I has whitewall Pirelli P77's on it... They wouldn't last but they sure did stick!

Thanks Matt... those tires Lucas shows aren't radials so I think I'd be more "wrong" with bias-plies. Does anyone know what I need to show the judges to avoid a penalty for sporting P225/75-15s?

I'm 98% sure it had B.F. Goodrich's... I think LifeSavers? I have an HR78 that was the OEM spare from a parts car. I think the 225's hit the showroom in 1979, but I'm getting conflicting signals so any information is much appreciated!

After 4 1/2 years of restoration, my first car... the '78 Marquis my dad bought new... is nearly done. I have a tire dilemma. It was originally equipped with JR78-15 white walls. The mid-70's radials don't seem to be supported by the aftermarket though, and I'm unable to find either HR78s, JR78s or LR78s anywhere. Are P225/75-15s accepted? I know they're "wrong" but I'm not sure where to turn. Even the mighty Coker website says they have no tires for my car. Any ideas? Any other sources Thank you!