FOR SALE: 1979 Town Car, 4699 ORIGINAL MILES!

[Matt Harwood]

*SOLD*

Having grown up with these cars, I'm having difficulty wrapping my head around them being more than 30 years old, but by all measures these massive '70s luxury yachts are awesome collectables today. This '79 Town Car is quite likely the most original and beautifully preserved example on the planet. The mileage is 4699, and it is a veritable time capsule--I'm willing to wager that's even 1979 air in the original Michelin tires.

From a collection of low-mileage '70s cruisers (just wait until you see the lavender Mark V with 2900 miles!), this Town Car is wonderfully well-preserved. Every single original component is intact and it has been in heated, protected storage since it was about six months old. We have recently serviced and detailed the car, so it runs and drives like a brand new car in every way. The paint is what you got in 1979, with an OEM shine and mass-produced paint application, but nobody was complaining then and I doubt they will today. The chrome and trim are completely unmarked and as new, and the padded top is supple and undamaged.

Inside, tan leather was an optional upgrade, and this car features every power option save for a glass moon roof. Everything works, from the power seats to the cool power vent windows in the doors. Someone added an oddball anti-theft device called the Auto Paralyzer, which seems to require a combination to start the car. Fortunately, we know the combination and the car starts and runs as it should. Carpets, seats, door panels, and headliner are completely unmarked, and even the rear seatbelts are still wrapped in their original plastic. The trunk is likewise unused, and complete down to the original spare and jack assembly.

Lincoln used a 402 cubic inch V8 in 1979, and while it isn't tire-smoking powerful, it is a smooth, unobtrusive torque factory that moves the big car with appropriate grace. It starts instantly and idles so smoothly you might be tempted to hit the starter twice. The engine bay is as-delivered, warts and all. If you think everything was shiny and bright on the showroom floor, guess again: there's overspray from the factory firewall coating, crooked decals on the engine parts, and uneven finishes everywhere. With the hobby being so accustomed to restored cars, it's kind of refreshing to see how they really were back then. The transmission shifts perfectly and it hovers down the road with the effortless ease of the QEII. I'm trying to find a more correct battery, as the bright green one really is an eyesore, but otherwise the engine bay is 100% OEM. And as I mentioned, the tires are the original Michelins, so I don't think I'd plan a cross-country trip on them, but for show purposes they're invaluable.

The owner is admittedly looking to set the market with the $24,900 asking price, but I defy you to find a better, more original example anywhere. If your Lincoln collection is incomplete, or you're a fan of these wonderful old cruisers, you just won't be able to do better than this. We are, of course, open to offers, and it really is an impressive car. Thanks for looking!

Edited October 10, 2012 by Matt Harwood (see edit history)

[Matt Harwood]

*SOLD* Thank you!