For $63, buyers of a 1979 Versailles could get a two-tone paint option known as “Dual-Shade” paint. This gorgeous 1979 Lincoln Versailles has that option in Medium Turquoise over Dark Turquoise and it’s the perfect color for a Palm Springs, California car, where this one is located. It’s posted here on craigslist and they’re asking $11,900 for what may be the nicest one left, or one of them.
First things first, this is a survivor car in 2021 lingo, as in it has been repainted and has had a lot of maintenance done on it, so it isn’t 100% original. Oftentimes, a seller will say “all original” and then go on to list all of the things that have been restored. That isn’t the case here but I just wanted you to know that this one has been repainted. It appears to be a superb job which this superb car deserves.
The Lincoln Versailles has been on my master wish list for several years and $11,900 is above my mostly-in-storage limit for a car like this and it’s $900 above Haverty’s #2 excellent condition value. Check out the photos in the listing, it really is the nicest one that I’ve seen. It’s being listed by a dealer in Palm Springs and they have 38 photos of it on their website.
The Versailles was made for four years, beginning in 1977. Originally, they were almost exactly like the Ford Granada and/or Mercury Monarch on which they’re based, but in 1979, they were stretched a bit for a little more rear-seat legroom and the later ones are what I would want. Not that I ever carry anyone in the backseat, I just like the look of a stretched car. The resulting cars had a bit more padding in the half vinyl top and also on the faux spare tire bulge on the trunk. A few months ago I wondered what a two-door Versailles may have looked like.
While the exterior looks beautiful on this car, it’s the interior that really gets to me. That turquoise leather is beautiful! I would own this car if I lived in Palm Springs, and why don’t I live there? That’s a question I ask myself every day. The back seat looks perfect as does everything else inside this car.
Everything looks like new on this Versailles other than the engine compartment. I’m surprised that a dealer doesn’t have a detailing service that could have spent an hour on this engine to make it look like new again. It’s a Ford 302 cubic-inch V8 which had about 135 horsepower and 237 lb-ft of torque. They bought this car from an estate and the list of items that have been repaired is impressive: “battery, fuel hoses, fuel pump, carburetor, radiator, radiator fluid, thermostat, fan clutch, radiator hose, brakes, brake fluid, spark plugs, plug wires, EGR valve, water and power steering pump” and that doesn’t count the new paint or new tires and the list goes on. I’d want that engine to look like new for the asking price even though that’s just a cosmetic thing. Any thoughts on this Versailles?
Nice car. Essentially rebadged Granada and Monarch. Some vogue tyres would pimp this out.. A bit much if an ask IMO.
This has got to be the nicest color combination I’ve ever seen on one of these. I dont remember seeing many of these Lincolns when i was a kid. I always remember seeing way more Cadillac Sevilles than these. Its in impressive condition, and someones going to have one sweet ride for Cars and Coffee.
Thanks for giving a little love to a car that doesn’t always get it. Nicely written. Always enjoy your chops . See y’ round Flickr!
Hey! Thanks, Andy, you’re the king but that’s darn nice of you, thanks!
Nice car and good write-up. Love the color scheme and especially the turquoise leather.
Thanks for the great comments, guys! I wasn’t sure if anyone would have any interest in these cars or not.
Absolutely yes. Thank you.
These cars are nice, yes, a blinged-up Granada. The earlier production years could be had with a 351w, and I recall there was something special about the clocks in the early models too.
If my bank balance was a little more cheerful this might be my early Christmas present to myself. I can’t see it lasting too long. Grab it fast if you can.
An auto journalist up here in Quebec has one, so yes we’re curious about them!
Ummm….I have seen this car in person and while a lovely driver, it is definitely NOT the “nicest one left”. Have seen several nicer. It could certainly be driven and enjoyed as-is, but the photos–as is often the case–are a little deceiving–not intentionally–that’s just the nature of it. Anyone interested in this car should inspect in person–or have a friend or someone they know inspect the car prior to purchase.
Is it me or is the dome/reading light installed backwards?
Had one in “Dove Gray” in the late 80’s and had lots of issues with the multiple venturi carburetors. Other than that it was a sweet ride.
They used to strip the 9″ rear end with factory disc brakes from these, in the bone yards.
Stick a Lincoln grill on a Ford Granada, and voila, instant prestige!
LOL Mercury Monarch with some emblems and sound insulation. LOL
These also had the Ford 9″ rear end, 4 wheel disc brakes and (then new) clearcoat paint. That was really their party trick over the Granada/Monarch. It’s amazing to me how similar this looks to those bare bones appliances! Very hasty response to the successful Seville. It sold poorly and took a toll on the brand’s prestige.
That rear axle is reputed to be the reason so few of these cars survived into the ’90s, since they were very popular with Mustang customizers.
Had one in the early 80’s. Not that big of a deal.
Nice to see cars like this , the bobcat and some of the weird cars you put up , much nicer than the Chevelle -Mustang -Camaro -Dodge stuff we see Daily. Thanks.
I worked for a Lincoln/Mercury dealership in those years. The Versaille suspension and under body were totally different from the Monarch. While the engines were the same as the Monarch, the Versailles had EEC three ignition system while the others had EEV four. The EEC three required a specail diagnostic tool which no body here in Canada piurchased. The only problem with the variable ventri was very few knew how to set them up. There was a special tool kit for the job which included a dial indicatro.
It’s unfortunate that Ford didn’t do more to differentiate the Versailles from Granada and Monarch. Cadillac went to great lengths to disguise the Nova under the first-gen Sevilles, but Ford didn’t even rearrange the instrument panel.
Cadillac did a real lousy job covering up the Chevy Cavalier when they brought out the Cimmaron. What a disaster both as a car and from a marketing standpoint. The Cimmaron was a Chevy Cavalier with overstuffed seats and a thickened vinyl roof.
“The Versaille suspension and under body were totally different from the Monarch.”
With all due respect that’s not true. They were the same car underneath. The Versailles just had 4 wheel disc brakes and the Ford 9″ rear end and a few upgraded components. Beyond that it was all Granada, which in turn was an updated 1960 Falcon underneath.
Very nice color combo, but I’m partial to turquoise. I was living in a small town in Kansas when these came out. No one at the dealership knew how to pronounce the name, but the general consensus was “Ver-Sale-Eeez.” Manufacturers should probably take things like that into account when they name a car.
Ha. That’s how a first grader would sound it out, so that would make logical sense.
There’s a town just north of me named Versailles , undoubtedly named to make it sound rich and regal (which it isnt) , but the problem is ,no one there pronounces it “Ver si” , they pronounce it ” Ver sales”
The French Simca Versailles, manufactured between 1954 and 1961, was in a way the ancestor of this magnificent Lincoln.Its engine was a Ford 2351 cc sidevalve V8 named Aquilon in France. This car adopted an American style appreciated by the bourgeois clientele and the golden youth in love with rock’n’roll.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simca_Vedette#/media/File:Simca_Versailles_aka_Simca_Vedette_Versailles_2351cc_1956.jpg
Ha ha! There you go again!
That’s Crazy!!! Back in the early 80s, my mailman had one of these, fell in love with a young chick, rode off NYC and wasn’t heard from since lol