54,622 original miles. Attractive Williamsburg Edition with two-tone paint and leather interior. Loaded with options, everything works, runs and drives beautifully. Recent service and tires. Nice cruiser!
This 1979 Lincoln Town Car shows just 54,622 original and unlike so many cars from this decade, it wears a timeless color combination that doesn’t scream 70s browns, oranges, and tans. As far as we can tell, the two-tone silver paint is original and in very good condition, ignoring the last 40 years. Despite what you've heard, build quality on these big cars was quite good for the period, and all four doors close with a precision that may surprise you. Likewise, the chrome is excellent, the wonderfully ornate parking light lenses are just beautifully rendered, and the padded half roof shows no rips, tears, or other notable demerits. And yes, the headlights work as they should.
The maroon interior helps with the timeless color combination of the silver paint. Speaking of living rooms, you can sink right into the pillow-tufted seats, which are just as comfortable as your favorite sofa. There's no notable wear on any of the seating surfaces and they're still firm where they're supposed to be firm, soft where they're supposed to be soft. The carpets are deep and the color is not faded. The options list is extensive, with this car carrying every available feature except the electric moon roof: automatic climate control, power windows, locks, and seat, cruise control, automatic headlights and dimmer, an exterior thermometer, power antenna, tilt steering column, and an AM/FM/CB stereo radio. Better yet, it all works! See, yet another reason for this to be your next road trip car. Your passengers will be stunned by the amount of space they have in back and the trunk is large enough for everyone to bring, well, everything they own. The original spare tire and jack assembly are still in place, hidden behind their own carpeted bulkhead.
Downsizing was on the horizon, and in 1979 the only engine available in the Town car was a 400 cubic inch mill that never seems to work very hard. With just 54,000 original miles, it has never needed anything but routine service items and still runs superbly. Turn the key and it starts almost instantly and settles into a smooth idle that you can sense, but isn't terribly noticeable otherwise. The engine bay is mostly original and very well preserved, with Ford Blue on the engine, an aluminum air cleaner assembly, and OEM parts throughout, all of which are in good order. The only notable modification is a modern aluminum radiator, but I don’t think anyone will complain about this car keeping its cool no matter what the conditions. The big 4-barrel carburetor is nicely tuned and has no bad habits and it is content to run on the cheapest gas you can find. Service parts are plentiful and maintenance will be easy in the future, so no worries about this becoming a money pit, because I just don't see how that could happen. It's rugged, simple, and very well designed, and with the gentle use that these cars experience, major issues are very rare.
The big V8 is backed by a C6 3-speed automatic transmission with seamless shifts and good reflexes. With 2.73 gears in the rear end, 80 MPH is effortless and there's only a whisper of wind noise past the A-pillars to let you know how fast you're really going. The chassis is extremely clean, albeit original, so you're going to see some light surface scale on some of the heavy metal parts like the front suspension arms and driveshaft, but nothing that should cause you any alarm. It has obviously not been used in winter weather. Braking is almost too effective, with heavily-boosted brakes that will toss you through the windshield if you're not careful. And as you'd expect, the exhaust is just a distant hum. In fact, we suspect that the exhaust system is 100% original, which should give you a good idea of how clean and well-preserved this car really is. Steel wheels wear simple Lincoln hubcaps and carry recent 235/75/15 whitewall radials for an appropriate look.
We have to admit that we like this car a lot more than we expected to. It's beautifully preserved, a joy to drive, and you can't help but feel like a millionaire when you're behind the wheel. It's probably the most car per dollar available anywhere on the planet and it is already a popular car for AACA and LCOC events simply because it's so easy to drive and so comfortable for the whole family. At this price, what do you have to lose, and you will be getting one of the best examples we've ever seen. Call today!
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