Lincoln sold the Town Car as a luxury sedan for more than 30 years (from 1981 to 2011). The nameplate had previously been part of the Lincoln Continental Series. This 1989 version was once a running project that supposedly only needed cosmetic work. According to the seller, the body shop he gave the car to for all the work neglected it and ran off with some of its parts, including the wheels. With a practically new crate engine, this once fancy automobile lapsed into parts car territory and the seller is letting it go for $1,000 here on craigslist. You’ll find it in its current sad state in Oakland, California.
The Town Car got its name from the general understanding that limousines and the like were often referred to as such. With Cadillac and Chrysler as the primary competition, Lincoln built three generations of the Town Car throughout the 1980s, 1990s, and the new century. Except for a bit in 1981, the Town Car only came as a 4-door sedan, looking like a vehicle a chauffeur might be driving. They turned out to be very popular for fleet and limo services. It was the longest car in Ford’s North American suite during the second half of its run.
Buyers scooped up these expensive cars like there was no tomorrow, 128,500 in 1989 when the seller’s black buggy was built. As the seller’s story goes, this was a good running car with a crate motor (we assume a 302 V8) under the hood when he tendered it to have some bodywork done and new paint applied. The vehicle already had nearly 150,000 miles, so a lot of refreshing seemed to be needed. We understand this Lincoln sat for about a year without much happening and the worker ended up leaving the country with parts of it going with him.
The seller has collected a lot of parts over time, and they will go with the sale. That sweetens the pot if you plan to use the Lincoln as a donor car. But if your intention is to restore it, most folks would agree that you have a long road ahead to travel. But the nearly new engine alone might make this a tempting proposition. Thanks for the tip, Barn Finder Henry Reining.
When you don’t tip the valet.
🏆 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼🤣
I can almost guarantee this will be a Demolition Derby car. Selling the leftover parts will likely mean the buyer will end up with a “free” car, and maybe some extra profit.
Thank God it’s black! At first glance I thought maybe it was MY blue 89 Town Car Signature Series. I hated to sell it, being one of my favorites. But with clear coat paint blistering and 120,000 miles and a pristine vintage 89 Fleetwood Brougham deElegance available, I made the decision. Then back to Grand Marquis and TOWN CARS. This poor rack and roll baby looks like it got run over like Grandma 👵. Has anyone noticed low flying reindeer?
Never leave your “restoration” project at a shop that is operated in an alley, with an “owner” that can’t speak English.
You are right. I worked at a place that mainly sold performance auto parts not far from the sellers location. If a customer ever uttered the words “my mechanic told me…..” our response would be “what’s the name of his shop”. You needed to find that out, if it was a real shop you gave them what they asked for, if the “mechanic” was some guy working out of his driveway you asked more question so you could give them what they needed.
If this sellers story is true, I feel bad for him, unfortunately it’s not uncommon. But as you point out there are typically signs the “shop” might not be reputable.
Steve R
Show of hands? How many other folks here have had that unfortunate experience. ✋ Had a ‘71 LeMans Sport convertible that needed some bodywork and paint back in the 80’s (when that stuff was pretty affordable.) had a buddy that worked at a shop and was going to do the work on the side. It sat for too long waiting for him to get to it, and the shop owner (a Pontiac guy himself) must’ve figured I owed him storage fees and started liberating parts off of it. Car was outside so plausible deniability came into play. Live and learn.
First question is why would anyone put that kind of money into a restoration of one of these? You can buy a low mileage one for probably what they paid for the engine. If its true it might be worth the money just to get the engine and rear diff and put it in something else. I guess the good news is for this year you can still bypass the ignition system and start it just under the hood.
I am a Town Car afficionado and ironically I was surfing eBay early today with my morning coffee looking for NOS Lincoln Town Car parts. I was amazed how many NOS parts in original Ford and Lincoln boxes are for sale. Even found an NOS grille for an 89 at $350. I have been driving these wonderful cars since 1987. My very low mileage Silver Birch 09 is in my garage for the winter. We just had 5 inches of snow and it’s 10 degrees. I have heard of numerous scum bag body shops stealing parts or entire cars and vanishing. Sickening, but true. The comment here one can buy a complete driving 89 cheaper than it would to finish this car is correct. If you want the most comfortable seats stick to 94 to 97 models. Like sitting in your living room.
Two zeros too many in that price.
It can have multiple uses
1- scrap
2- parts
3-derby
4- rv
5- storage
YOLO
How sad this is! My 1988 Mercury Grand Marquis has 387,000 miles –same 5.0 engine. Mine is tired. The transmission is now “iffy”. If this were closer to me, I might buy it for parts, to give my poor Mercury a new lease on life. Mechanically, the two cars are about the same.
Hey Harrison, take a road trip and pick up the parts you need, scrap the rest at the nearest “salvage yard”. It’s great that you want to keep that Mercury going!!
When I think if 1989 and American made I don’t think of “restoration project” unless its muscle car territory. As others have said, buy it, pull the engine and fine a needy Mustang.
Hello, Kenn! This wreck of a car is in Oakland, California, and I am in northeastern New York. I would make the purchase more than twice-over, just in going out there. Were I located within a few hundred miles of this Lincoln, I’d consider it. But thanks for the encouraging thought! I am looking instead at a replacement for my Mercury. I can barely open the driver’s side door, because the latch is so badly worn: I often have to climb in from the passenger’s side — and the driver’s side latch has been adjusted as far as it will go. I am seriously considering a 1989 Mercury Grand Marquis with only 119,000+ miles, a Florida car, and keeping this ’88 for parts. Thanks again!
Such a sad but often true story of bad mechanics.
You will most times pay a lot more for “cheap mechanics” in the long run that a reputable mechanic who is worth the expense.
Or you can do what I do and learn to do it yourself. Your never too old to learn.